147: Chapter 147 Xiao Wang is in trouble

"This is my grandson, named Zhou Nianan." He patted the boy's head. "His parents... went out to the market to gather herbs three years ago, and they never came back."

Zhou Qingyu's tone was calm when he said this, but you noticed the hand resting on his knee tighten slightly.

"Neither hide nor hair of them was ever found, dead or alive." He added in a low voice, then forced a smile. "Let's not talk about this anymore; it will only dampen your mood, Miss."

You were silent for a moment, offering no words of comfort, only pushing half the box of Bigu Pills on the table back to him. "Senior, I only need to keep three of these pills. Leave the rest for Nianan. A growing child needs spiritual food more than Bigu Pills."

Zhou Qingyu was stunned for a moment and hurriedly declined. "How could I accept this..."

"Just take it." You said casually. "I usually eat out, so I don't need this many."

Zhou Qingyu tried to decline twice more, but eventually accepted it, thanking you repeatedly.

When leaving, the little boy, Zhou Nianan, finally couldn't help himself. He stopped at the courtyard gate, looked up with his small face, and asked you timidly, "Fairy Sister, what is your... big white cat's name?"

You looked down at his sparkling eyes and curled your lips. "Its name is Xiaowang."

"Xiaowang..." Zhou Nianan repeated, a big smile blooming on his face. "It's so big and beautiful!"

"You can come play with it when you have time next time," you said.

Zhou Nianan turned his head abruptly to look at his grandfather, his eyes full of anticipation. Zhou Qingyu hesitated for a moment, then gave you an apologetic smile. "Then I will have to trouble you, Miss."

You waved your hand and watched the old man and the little boy leave.

After closing the door, you returned to the room and sat down, your gaze tightening slightly.

Zhou Qingyu coming to visit you appeared to be just neighborly politeness, but you could tell he was testing your Cultivation level and temperament.

You understood his intentions.

He was an old man at the end of his rope; his lifespan probably wouldn't last many more years. Although his grandson, Zhou Nianan, had a Spiritual Root, he was too young to reach the threshold of Cultivation. He was afraid that one day when he closed his eyes forever, how would a child who couldn't Cultivate survive in this cutthroat Cultivation World?

He was looking for someone to entrust his grandson to.

But you, a Loose Cultivator at the second level of Aperture Opening, were clearly not his ideal candidate for such a task.

You knew this clearly and had no intention of taking the bait. You hadn't even figured out your own path yet, so you couldn't be bothered with other people's affairs.

Closing the courtyard gate, you didn't think about it anymore, sat down cross-legged, and continued to Cultivate.

The days that followed were as calm as water.

You Cultivated the Burning Heaven True Art daily, occasionally taking a spirit gathering pill for assistance, and your Cultivation level grew steadily.

And that little boy named Zhou Nianan began to appear in your field of vision frequently.

The first time was on the eighth day after you moved in.

You pushed open the courtyard gate to pour out some water and caught a glimpse of half a round head poking out from the corner of the alley. A pair of big eyes were staring straight at the direction of your courtyard, or to be precise, staring at Xiaowang, who was lying in the courtyard sunbathing.

As soon as your eyes met, he flinched as if burned, retracted his head, and vanished.

The second time was on the tenth day.

You were sitting in the courtyard flipping through a copy of "Anecdotes of Loose Cultivators in Nanxuan Region" that you had picked up at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Xiaowang was snoring at your feet. You heard the rustling of footsteps outside the courtyard wall, followed by a moment of silence. Then, a pair of hands gripped the top of the wall, revealing a pair of sparkling eyes.

Those eyes stared at Xiaowang for a full ten breaths until Xiaowang rolled over and yawned. Only then did he let out a "Ya" and scrambled back down to run away.

The third time, the fourth time, the fifth time...

You couldn't even be bothered to count anymore.

This child really liked Xiaowang.

But every time, he only dared to watch from afar, never daring to approach, let alone speak.

It was likely that Zhou Qingyu didn't let him go out casually. The old man was cautious, fearing his grandson would disturb the neighbors, and also fearing that he was too young and naive to be kidnapped. But for a five or six-year-old child, being cooped up in the courtyard all day, how could he not be bored?

You hadn't intended to pay any attention to it, but on the evening of the thirteenth day, you really couldn't watch anymore.

Once, he was secretly peeking at Xiaowang, and you caught him.

Seeing his guilty, thief-like appearance, you couldn't help but curl your lips.

"Do you want to play with it?"

Zhou Nianan blinked his eyes, hesitated for two seconds, then nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

You pushed open the courtyard gate. "Then come in."

From that day on, Zhou Nianan appeared in your courtyard almost every afternoon.

When Zhou Qingyu first discovered his grandson running into your courtyard, his face went pale, and he apologized repeatedly, saying the child was ignorant and had disturbed you.

You said it was no trouble.

He looked at Xiaowang's attitude toward Zhou Nianan, then looked at your expression. After hesitating for a moment, he thanked you and didn't stop him anymore.

Later on, he seemed to get used to it and stopped running over to watch every time.

The days just passed by like that, one by one.

Three months later.

Third level of Aperture Opening.

You sat cross-legged on the bed, feeling the warm current after the third hidden aperture, the "Guanyuan Point," was breached by Spiritual Qi, and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

The speed of your Cultivation improvement was much faster than you had expected. The Spiritual Qi concentration in the Spiritual Vein radiation zone, combined with the assistance of the spirit gathering pill, had excellent results.

At this rate, in another three or four years, the ninth level of Aperture Opening might not be out of reach.

You finished your practice, stood up, and walked into the courtyard.

Then you frowned.

Xiaowang was lying in the corner, motionless.

For the past few weeks, it had become increasingly inactive. Previously, when Zhou Nianan came over, it would at least cooperate by running a few steps or wagging its tail. But recently, it couldn't even be bothered to lift its head, spending all day curled up in the corner dozing off. Its appetite had dropped sharply, and its fur had gone from its original snow-white to dull and lusterless, as if covered in a layer of dust.

You squatted beside it and reached out to stroke its back.

The feeling under your palm made your heart sink.

It had lost weight; you could even feel its bones.

And the sensations transmitted through the contract made you even more uneasy.

Uncomfortable.

Very uncomfortable.

It felt like something was burning inside its body, or as if it were being drained bit by bit by some force. It didn't know how to describe this feeling, only instinctively transmitting a sense of chaotic pain and exhaustion.

Your hand stayed on its back, your brows furrowing tighter and tighter.

A thought suddenly flashed through your mind.

Zhou Nianan.

That little boy had been in contact with Xiaowang for three months, and Xiaowang had happened to start acting strange during this period.

Could it be... that the child possessed some special Physique or talent that could unconsciously drain a Spirit Beast's Origin?

The Cultivation World was full of strange things; such cases were not without precedent.

You bit your lower lip and made a decision in your heart.

For the next few days, you deliberately reduced the opportunities for Zhou Nianan to interact with Xiaowang.

The first time was the next afternoon. Zhou Nianan ran over as usual, grinning and calling out, "Fairy Sister."

You stood at the doorway, not stepping aside to let him in as you had before.

"Nianan, Xiaowang isn't feeling very well today. How about we play another day?"

The little boy was stunned for a moment, then nodded obediently. "Okay... then Big White needs to get better soon."

He turned and walked a couple of steps, then looked back at the tightly closed courtyard gate, lowered his head, and slowly walked away.