3: Chapter 3 Cloud Carp and Alluring Beauty

"Got it, let's go back and eat."

Wang Shouren took his younger sister's hand and walked along the pebble path toward the back courtyard.

Along the way, the little girl chattered nonstop, one moment saying that two spiritual fish were fighting in the pond today, and the next moment saying that Ah Huang in the next-door courtyard had stolen the dried fish from the kitchen again. Wang Shouren listened with a smile, occasionally giving a response.

Pushing open the courtyard gate, the fragrance of food rushed toward them.

Mother Wang was just placing a plate of stir-fried spiritual vegetables on the table. Hearing the footsteps, she did not even raise her head, her hands neatly arranging the bowls and chopsticks.

"Ren'er is back. Where is your dad? Didn't he come back with you?"

Before her voice faded, a small head with double buns poked out from behind Wang Shouren, puffing out her cheeks and angrily squeezing to the front.

"Mother! Didn't you see me? You didn't even see such a big Wang Qingcheng!"

Only then did Mother Wang lower her head to glance at her, the corners of her mouth curving slightly, yet her Face remained solemn.

"Heh heh, is she very big? You're not even as tall as your brother's waist, right? If you hadn't run to the front, I wouldn't have even seen you."

Wang Qingcheng pouted her small mouth and stamped her feet, her little buns shaking a couple of times along with it.

Whether due to late development or not, among peers of the Wang Family, Wang Qingcheng was indeed the shortest.

However, in Wang Shouren's eyes, his own younger sister was naturally cuter the shorter she was.

The generations of the Wang Family followed 'Dao Chong Deyun, Zhong Yao Shouchang, Fu Ji Qingming, Guizhen Baopu', which was arranged by the first Old Ancestor of the Wang Family.

Females, however, did not need to be named according to the generational ranking.

Wang Qingcheng, what a lovely name.

"Hmph, Wang Qingcheng won't be close with Mother anymore!"

Saying she wouldn't be close with Mother, her body had already rubbed up against the edge of the table, standing on tiptoe to reach for the chopsticks on the table.

Wang Shouren sat down with a smile, his gaze sweeping across the table.

Three spiritual fish were placed in a celadon plate. Their bodies were plump, about two palms long. After being steamed, their skin was as white and lustrous as jade, and the slightly blooming fish meat revealed garlic-clove-like textures, wobbling tremblingly at the slightest touch of chopsticks.

A few strands of ginger and scallions were spread over the fish body. When hot oil was poured over them, the fragrance mixed with Spiritual Qi drilled into the nose in wisps.

This was the Cloud Carp of Lotus Pier, the foundation upon which the Wang Family established itself.

The lotus leaves in the pond nourished the Spiritual Qi, and the Cloud Carp fed on lotus roots and spiritual insects. Their tender and delicious flesh far surpassed ordinary seafood. What was even rarer was that the Spiritual Qi contained in the fish meat was mild and mellow. Mortals eating it would strengthen their bodies, and Cultivators consuming it long-term could slowly temper their Physical Body. Over time, their Cultivate speed would naturally gain a couple of points of edge compared to others.

Over the years, the fact that the Wang Family could raise hundreds of Qi Refining Middle Stage disciples owed a great deal of credit to these spiritual fish, and they were also the Family's largest annual source of income.

Beside it, a basin of spiritual rice was steaming hot, each grain crystal clear, glowing green through white, with a faint luster flowing over them.

"Wow, Brother, your Face is really big. As soon as you come back, there is Cloud Carp to eat. The Cloud Carp made by Mother is the most delicious, let's eat, let's eat!"

Wang Qingcheng had long since impatiently clipped a large piece of fish belly and shoved it into her mouth, mumbling vaguely, "Delicious!"

"You girl, you only know how to sweet-talk." Mother Wang smiled and clipped a piece of the plumpest fish belly for Wang Qingcheng.

"Are you used to living over by the spiritual fields? In another month, the spiritual rice should be ripe, right? Will you come back to live?"

"Mn, the environment naturally cannot compare to the clan. Once the spiritual rice is harvested, I will come back to live and take care of Mom."

Mother Wang smiled gently: "I don't need you to take care of me, eat your vegetables."

Wang Shouren picked up his chopsticks, but his gaze fell on the empty chair.

"Father went to Sixth Grandpa's place, he probably won't come back today."

Mother Wang's hand serving rice paused for a moment, then she sighed softly and placed a bowl of spiritual rice in front of her son.

"Yeah, lately your father has also been exhausted. Family matters have come one after another, and he carries it all by himself. When he comes back, he drops off to sleep immediately, and even in his dreams he is muttering about Family matters."

She turned around and took out another clean food box, re-clipping a full plate of fish meat neatly arranged, added another bowl of hot rice, and put them all into the food box together.

"Later Mom will make another plate of spiritual fish, you take it over to your father and Uncle Chongyang. The two of them getting together will definitely forget to eat again."

Although after Qi Refining Middle Stage one could achieve fasting, the Wang Shouren Family preferred to gather together as a Family, with three meals a day uninterrupted and living in harmony.

Wang Shouren gave an acknowledgment, reached out with his chopsticks to clip a piece of fish meat, and put it into his mother's bowl.

"Mom, eat too, don't just look out for us."

Mother Wang lowered her head to look at the fish meat in the bowl, reached out to stroke her son's head, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes smoothed out.

"Alright, Mom will eat too."

Mother Wang's name was Chen Yirou, originally a Loose Cultivator, who later got to know and fell in love with Wang Yaozu.

It was heard that years ago, as the eldest son of the Family, Father withstood Family pressure to reject a Family marriage alliance, and resolutely married Mother.

His status within the Family was affected as a result, but Father always stated that being able to marry Yirou was the most correct decision of his life.

Although the two of them worked tirelessly for the development of the Family, for a full thirty years they did not give birth to a single son or daughter. One could imagine how great the pressure Father and Mother faced in those years was.

It wasn't until they were fifty years old that Wang Shouren was born, and only then did the parents' situation slowly improve.

Since childhood, Wang Shouren displayed a wisdom far surpassing ordinary children, and at the age of five, he was tested to have a Three Spiritual Root, furthermore possessing Water, Wood, and Lightning three-attribute Spiritual Roots.

Among them, the Lightning Spiritual Root had the highest Spiritual Root sensitivity, reaching as high as eighty-nine.

He was personally nurtured and taught by the Grand Elder.

Only thus could Wang Yaozu and Chen Yirou truly lift their chests proudly within the Family.

Afterwards, at the advanced age of sixty, the two of them, completely unprepared, unexpectedly conceived Wang Qingcheng.

Having a daughter in their old age, their pampering of the younger daughter was several times greater than Wang Shouren's. Coupled with Wang Shouren as a qualified elder brother, Wang Qingcheng's life was much more comfortable and well-fed.

Ever since birth, she had been carefree, growing up happily.

Wang Shouren looked dotingly at Wang Qingcheng, who was incessantly shoveling rice. Her round little Face bulged with two big lumps, yet she was still mumbling.

"I want to eat more, grow up quickly, and grow tall, so you guys will still laugh at me for being short."

The mother and son both smiled at each other.

Afterwards, Wang Shouren took out a cyan porcelain bottle from the Storage Pouch and placed it beside his younger sister.

"This bottle of qi gathering pill just issued by the Family will be left for Little Sister. I am a Three Spiritual Root, and my Cultivate speed is naturally fast. Little Sister's Four Spiritual Roots need the Medicinal Pill even more than I do."

Mother Wang wanted to stop him, but seeing the firmness in Wang Shouren's eyes, she helplessly shook her head.

"Ren'er, you just spoil her too much; you're about to spoil her rotten."

Wang Qingcheng, however, didn't care about this. She grabbed the porcelain bottle, her two eyes sparkling brightly, as if she had obtained some incredible treasure.

She put down her chopsticks, jumped down from the chair, pounced to Wang Shouren's side, stood on tiptoe, and kissed Wang Shouren's cheek with a smack of her chubby little mouth.

"Thank you, Big Brother! Wang Qingcheng likes Big Brother the most!"

The little girl's mouth was still stained with the greasy sheen of the spiritual fish. With this kiss down, Wang Shouren's Face immediately gained an oily little mouthprint.

Wang Shouren dotingly stroked Wang Qingcheng's head, pushed her away slightly, and imperceptibly wiped away the grease stain with his cuff, yet his Face wore the solemn expression of an elder brother.

"Medicinal Pills are good things, but you cannot solely rely on Medicinal Pills. On the path of Cultivate, bone structure and talent are certainly important, but diligence is the foundation.

Since you have taken the qi gathering pill, starting from today, you must add one hour to your daily Cultivate homework, and no laziness is allowed. When Big Brother comes back, I will personally inspect your progress."

These words had already been brewing for quite a while.

Just now in the side hall discussing matters with the three elders, every single word and phrase of his concerned major matters of the Family's survival.

But facing his little sister, those grandiose principles couldn't be spoken after all.

He didn't want to frighten her, yet he also deeply knew the principle that under a collapsed nest there are no intact eggs; the little girl would have to understand sooner or later.

As soon as Wang Qingcheng heard "add one hour", her previously joyous little Face instantly collapsed.

She sat back down in her chair, cupping her chin with her two small hands, and let out a heavy sigh.

"Ah, Cultivate is the most troublesome! Sitting in meditation every day is boring to death."

She pouted, poking the fish meat in her bowl with her chopsticks, her little buns trembling.

"Besides, isn't it fine as long as Big Brother protects me! Big Brother is so amazing. By the time I grow up, Big Brother will definitely be even more amazing. Who dares to bully me!"

Wang Shouren reached out and flicked her little forehead, the force extremely light, yet it flicked the little girl into letting out an "ouch" and covering her forehead.

"Big Brother can protect you for a moment, but cannot protect you for a lifetime. The Family's situation will become even more difficult in the future. With one more fraction of cultivation base, you will have one more fraction of self-preservation power."

Seeing that his little sister was still pouting with an unwilling expression, Wang Shouren sighed inwardly, and ultimately did not say any more.

Oh well, how old is she anyway.

Some burdens, he as the big brother will just carry them first.

After the meal, at the secluded cultivation grounds of the Grand Elder in the back mountain of Lotus Pier.