18: Winter hibernation

"Qingfeng, eat more! Grow stronger!"

Madam Zhang picked up a piece of glistening fatty meat and placed it in Li Qingfeng's bowl.

"Yes, Third Brother, you eat!"

Second Brother, Li Qinglin, also picked up a piece of lean meat from his own bowl and put it in Li Qingfeng's, grinning.

Eldest Brother, Li Qingshan, silently ate his rice, only mumbling an 'mm' in agreement.

Li Qingfeng initially demurred shyly, but eventually accepted with a blush.

He knew why his bowl was always filled to the brim, and why his worn quilt had an extra layer added by his mother at night.

His entire family was silently telling him:

"You are our family's hope. You must take care of your body. You must go and challenge that Ascension Platform!"

As for Li Qinghe, after that day, he became the most leisurely one in the family.

Since that evening, Father Li Dashan had given his word:

"Qinghe doesn't need to worry about farm work! He has his own matters!"

So, Li Qinghe's daily routine was to carry the small, specially made hunting fork and ropes given to him by his master, Li Shouxin, tuck a few coarse grain cakes into his pocket, and leave at dawn, under the pretext of:

"Going up the mountain to set traps and hunt, to see if I can get some more good things back for the New Year."

Every time Li Qingfeng watched Fourth Brother's retreating figure with his pack, he would sometimes show an envious expression.

He also wanted to go with him, to learn more hunting skills.

But every time he opened his mouth, he was stopped by a look from his father or mother:

"Qingfeng, you stay home, practice your strength! Exercise your physique. If an Immortal Sect recruits disciples, how can you do it without a strong body?"

So he had no choice but to glumly pick up the wooden stick with stones tied to it that his father had prepared for him, waving it 'heixiu heixiu' in the courtyard, or running laps around the village.

Li Qinghe bid farewell to his family and entered the mountain forest alone.

The wind of the twelfth lunar month stung his face, and the bare tree branches clawed at the gray sky.

But his steps were light, and the Qi Ming Pulse Gate slowly rotated within him, the flowing Spiritual Qi dispelling the biting cold.

His target had shifted from ordinary beasts to creatures containing Spiritual Qi.

[Today's Intel (Spiritual Plants): In the shaded area at the foot of Broken Cliff Mountain, beneath the left mountain crevice, three stalks of Cold Mist Grass have grown for a long time, their medicinal properties are at Perfection. Their leaves contain faint Water Spiritual Qi, which can help stabilize Water-attribute spiritual power and resist inner fire.]

[Today's Intel (Beast Tracks): Near the hot spring eye in West Mountain Hollow, a herd of rock sheep has appeared. The leading ram's horns contain some Earth Vein Essence Qi, and its flesh and blood greatly nourish tendons and bones.]

[Today's Intel (Minerals): In the downstream rocky beach of the northern stream, after heavy rain, several fragments of Water-Nourishing Stone have appeared. Holding them in one's palm can calm the mind and aid in guiding Qi.]

Following the intel, he climbed the steep cliff and, in the ice-covered rock crevices, gathered the stalks of Cold Mist Grass whose leaf edges were condensed with ice crystals.

He lurked at the edge of the West Mountain Hollow hot spring, patiently hiding and waiting, eventually trapping a stray, strong Rock Ram with a snare.

He waded through the icy cold stream, his hands carefully searching through the rocky beach for several smooth, warm, grayish-white stones.

Each time he harvested something, he would process it carefully and meticulously.

The Cold Mist Grass was packed in a specially made wooden box and buried in the cold, frozen snow to preserve its medicinal properties.

The Rock Ram meat was skinned and deboned, the best tenderloin and the horns containing the most essence Qi were carefully wrapped.

The Water-Nourishing Stone fragments were kept close to his body.

In the evening, when he returned home with his heavy catch and mountain goods, it always brought joy to his family.

Madam Zhang looked at the large cuts of Rock Ram meat, then at her youngest son's face, reddened by the cold wind. She wanted to say something but couldn't, finally just silently taking the meat and turning to busy herself in the kitchen.

She knew this meat hadn't come easily.

At the dinner table, the steaming stewed mutton was fragrant.

Madam Zhang specifically served Li Qingfeng a large bowl full of mutton spine with marrow, and also gave Li Qinghe a large piece of lean meat.

Li Qinghe said nothing, lowering his head to eat.

The mutton, as expected, had a unique gamey flavor that ordinary beast meat lacked.

Li Qingfeng ate with beads of sweat on his forehead, feeling warm all over. He felt that after swinging the stone lock all day, his arms weren't as sore.

At night, after his family had fallen asleep.

Li Qinghe would quietly get up and take out the stalks of Cold Mist Grass.

He used a small knife to cut off a tiny bit of the icy leaf edge, ground it into a fine powder, and mixed it into the hot water Li Qingfeng drank before bed.

Li Qingfeng, completely unaware, gulped it down, only feeling a cool pleasure flow from his throat to his stomach, which greatly calmed his agitated Qi and Blood from the day's exercise, allowing him to sleep exceptionally soundly.

Time flew by quickly amidst the busyness and anticipation.

The blue bricks and gray tiles bought by Li Dashan were piled up like a small mountain by the courtyard wall.

The yellow ox in the cowshed grew fat and strong.

Li Qingfeng's body also visibly grew stronger, with developed muscles in his arms and brighter eyes.

As for Li Qinghe, under the continuous Cultivation and nourishment from the mountain goods containing faint Spiritual Qi, the warm Spiritual Qi vortex in his Dantian Qi Sea became increasingly solid and robust, and the radiance of his Qi Ming Pulse Gate in his glabella also became much more internalized and steady.

The immense accumulation required to construct the second pulse gate, black bone, was gradually building up.

On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, it was Little New Year.

A heavy snow covered the entire Li Family Village, and the world was a vast expanse of white.

Dinner was exceptionally rich: tender stewed Rock Ram meat, wild mushrooms stir-fried with animal fat, and a small dish of cold salad made by Madam Zhang using a type of leaf Li Qinghe brought back, a strange warm-feeling herb.

The herb leaves were slightly bitter upon tasting, but left a strange warm current in the aftertaste, invigorating one's spirit.

"Mom, what kind of dish is this? It makes my body feel warm."

Li Qingfeng asked curiously.

"Your Fourth Brother brought it back. He said it's Sun-Warming Grass from the mountains, good to eat in winter."

Madam Zhang answered casually, also serving Li Qinghe a chopstick-full.

"Qinghe, you eat more too."

Li Qinghe ate silently.

This Sun-Warming Grass was also indicated by the intel, a spiritual plant containing a small amount of Qi and Blood replenishment, with remarkable effects in resisting winter cold and regulating the body. He specifically sought it out to nourish his family.

Outside, the cold wind howled and heavy snow fell, while inside, the stove fire was strong and the aroma of food wafted.

The family gathered around the warm kang, the dim yellow glow of the oil lamp reflecting on everyone's rosy, contented faces.

Li Dashan took a sip of his homemade dried sweet potato wine, sighing contentedly. His gaze swept over his four sons, finally resting on Li Qingfeng, his voice filled with unprecedented certainty and anticipation:

"The house will be built in early spring! Qingfeng, for the Ascension Platform... prepare well! Our old Li family... no, our old Qing family! It all depends on you!"

Li Qingfeng straightened his back, nodding vigorously, flames burning in his eyes:

"Father! Don't worry!"

Li Qinghe picked up his bowl and took a sip of hot soup.

The scalding soup slid down his throat, and warmth permeated his entire body.

He looked out at the boundless snowy night, then at his blood-connected family inside, striving for the same goal.

The Qi Ming Pulse Gate silently circulated deep within his glabella, cool Spiritual Qi like a trickling stream.

Lurking, protecting, accumulating strength.

This snow-covered winter was precisely the time for all things to hold vitality, awaiting their emergence from the earth.