248: Children, I'm back

At this moment in the Kaifeng, the citizens who had long forgotten the phenomenon from a few days ago looked up at the distant sky once again.

That phenomenon appeared again, but unlike the flower bud-like appearance from last time, it had now bloomed to its most brilliant moment.

The originally rich vitality spread out completely, starting from the Immortal Cave and spreading to the surroundings.

Even the heavens seemed to respond to this, sprinkling tiny golden dewdrops.

Plants and trees were rejuvenated; animals that had hibernated due to the arrival of winter also stepped out of their nests one after another, competing to show their vitality in that direction.

The world, originally quiet and enveloped by wind and snow, was surprisingly full of vigorous vitality, just like spring.

"Oh my god, my old cold legs are cured!"

In the outer Kaifeng, an old man suddenly looked at his legs in shock and couldn't help but jump up twice.

People nearby saw his reaction and also checked themselves, subsequently revealing looks of astonishment.

"My eyes... my originally blurry vision has now become incredibly clear!"

"That's great, my back doesn't hurt anymore either."

Of course, there were also discordant voices.

"No—! Why is my Golden Core gone? My Golden Core!"

Everyone looked over at the sound and saw a young man clutching his waist and screaming. After understanding what was happening, an old man stepped forward and patted his shoulder.

"Young man, that isn't a Golden Core, it's a kidney stone. The Golden Core is a Realm, not a physical object."

The young man didn't appreciate it, pushed the old man away, and ran into the distance holding his head while crying.

"I won't listen, I won't listen! You are all obstacles on my path of Dao!"

Just as the old man wanted to chase after him, he was stopped by another middle-aged woman. The woman shook her head and sighed while looking at the young man's retreating back.

"It seems this power isn't omnipotent. It cured his stones, but didn't cure his brain."

"It's fortunate that this was a free Opportunity; otherwise, for someone like him, even if cured, it would be a waste of medicine."

The old man could only smile helplessly, and then everyone dispersed to return to their daily lives.

After all, this was the capital; the common people had seen their fair share of things.

Previously, they were just a bit jumpy from having experienced strange events, but now that they were sure there was no harm and had even received benefits for nothing, they naturally stopped making a fuss.

At this moment, inside the Li residence, Li Wenbo was stroking his beard, looking at the phenomenon from afar and clicking his tongue in wonder.

"This, this, this... this is hardly the Aura of a Nascent Soul? Someone who didn't know better would think that brat was condensing his Primordial Spirit."

"Such Aura is truly shocking; even when I was young, I..."

Li Wenbo seemed lost in memories, but Yuan Chenling and Xiao Sheng exchanged a look, nodded, and then quickly rushed toward the closed-door cultivation cave.

Li Wenbo was still immersed in his own memories, completely unaware that the only two listeners had already run to the scene.

Outside the Kaifeng, in the royal closed-door cultivation heaven.

"Boss, I've missed you to death!"

As Zhou Yan's mount, Yuan Chenling could ignore the surrounding Restrictions. Coupled with the fact that Zhou Yan had removed the remaining Restrictions after ending his closed-door cultivation, he slipped in quite easily.

Then he saw it.

"I want to leave happily~, my reliance~."

"I didn't have time to say I was uneasy~, a bit chaotic, a bit slow~."

"Only then did I discover that promises were lies~, you fell and I could only watch~."

Although Zhou Yan didn't have any expression on his face, one could clearly see he was in high spirits from his movements.

Just as Zhou Yan was halfway through shaking, he locked eyes with Yuan Chenling, who was frozen at the door.

"Old Zhou, I've missed you..."

Xiao Sheng pushed the door open and froze in place.

He saw Yuan Chenling leaning on a chair in a thunder-like sitting posture, one eye looking like it was on sentry duty, the other looking like it was on guard duty, sticking his tongue out, with a dull expression, like a cat that had been neutered and was now dazed.

And Zhou Yan was sitting to the side, calmly drinking tea.

Only then did Zhou Yan look toward the door. This look also gave him a fright, and he blurted out.

"I don't know which Great Master has come from afar. I failed to welcome you, please forgive me."

He cupped his hands toward the monk at the door who had a shaved head, was radiating a soft golden light, and looked like a Saint of the Buddhist sect.

Xiao Sheng reacted, stepped forward, and patted Zhou Yan's shoulder.

"Old Zhou, it's me, Xiao Sheng."

Hearing the voice, Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes to examine the other person carefully, and then, as if not believing in evil, he used his panel, Divine Sense, and mini-map one after another before confirming that the person who came was indeed Xiao Sheng.

"Damn, it's really you?"

"How did you become like this? I almost misjudged and thought a real monk had come."

Zhou Yan stared at Xiao Sheng's bald head, the more he looked, the more dazzling it felt.

"Old Xiao, what exactly is going on with your hair?"

Xiao Sheng finally understood the reason for the other party's surprise, touched his bald head, and laughed out loud.

"This is called cutting off the threads of vexation. The Buddhist sect all does this; it's very particular."

"Forget it, Boss, this kid just went to the Lianxing Pavilion and picked up a Cultivation Technique for condensing a Karma golden body. He didn't look closely when he bought it, and he wasn't wearing his Daoist robes that day."

"The shopkeeper pushed a Buddhist Cultivation Technique on him. The Buddhist sect is a major sect, after all; how could good things flow out easily? So what he bought was an ancient, outdated version, and the side effect is hair loss."

Yuan Chenling suddenly appeared beside Zhou Yan to explain.

Xiao Sheng looked displeased upon hearing this.

"How can there be a hierarchy in methods of cultivation? There are only useless people, no useless Cultivation Techniques."

"I think it's pretty good this way, at least it's cool."

Yuan Chenling still wanted to retort, but Zhou Yan pressed his head and rubbed it frantically.

Because he understood Xiao Sheng's personality, this was the other party being foolish again; he couldn't be persuaded back, he could only wait until he realized it himself.

"Alright, it's fine as long as Old Xiao likes it. The person involved doesn't mind, why are you talking so much?"

Seeing that Zhou Yan understood him, Xiao Sheng revealed a hearty smile again.

"As expected of my best friend, you understand me."

"By the way, speaking of which, little lion, why did you faint just now?"

Xiao Sheng asked casually, a question mark appeared over Yuan Chenling's head, and Zhou Yan's eyelids twitched imperceptibly.

Yuan Chenling touched his head.

"I don't know, did I faint? I just felt like I was missing a segment of memory, had a very beautiful dream but couldn't remember the details, and then felt relaxed all over, like I had taken a hot bath and had a massage."

Xiao Sheng curiously wanted to ask for details, but Zhou Yan pressed down on Yuan Chenling again and changed the subject.

"Oh... it's nothing, he came in too hurriedly and was stunned by my released Nascent Soul Stage Divine Sense. Small matter, small matter."

"By the way, Brother Xiao, why haven't you left yet?"

Zhou Yan had discovered during his inspection just now that the other party had risen from Foundation Establishment Perfection to Core Formation Early Stage, and his whole body was still entangled with a special state of Karma.

Clearly, he was using Karma to assist in Core Formation. This point was also recorded in his existing understanding of the Dao.

"You now have both cultivation and Karma, you should have achieved your initial goal, right?"

Speaking of this, Xiao Sheng slapped his palm with his fist, as if suddenly realizing, and the righteousness on his face instantly turned into a cunning smile.

"Almost forgot, I have a reason for staying behind."

He trotted to Zhou Yan's side, lowered his voice, and whispered a few words.

After hearing this, Zhou Yan's eyes widened, he swallowed, and a somewhat familiar scene appeared in his mind.

"Are you serious?"

Xiao Sheng hugged Zhou Yan's thigh with a thud, crying with tears and snot.

"Old Zhou, touch your conscience and say it. I've helped you so much; even if I don't have merit, I have bitter labor, right?"

"This is my only request in this life!"

Zhou Yan reached out to pull him away, but whether it was because of the Karma golden body or not, the other party's strength and Physique were much stronger.

Zhou Yan, who had just had a Breakthrough, couldn't push him away for a moment, and fearing that he would hurt him if he used too much force, he was suddenly at a loss.

"Alright, alright, I'm afraid of you, I'll agree! Let go first!"

When Xiao Sheng heard this, he broke into laughter through his tears, sprang up, and wiped his tears and snot with his sleeve.

Although he had already condensed a dao body and his body fluids were no longer filthy, this appearance was still too sloppy.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Yan and Yuan Chenling also stepped back in unison.

Xiao Sheng said sincerely.

"Old Zhou, I know this inconveniences you. Do you have any other requests? As long as I can do it, I will definitely help you."

Seeing Xiao Sheng pat his chest to guarantee, Zhou Yan just covered his face, unable to bear looking, and said.

"I don't have any other requests, I just hope that if you cause trouble in the future, don't sell me out."

Seeing that Zhou Yan had nothing more to say, Xiao Sheng ran out happily, saying goodbye as he ran.

Just as Zhou Yan and the others were about to turn around to tidy up, he turned back, handed over a purple Talisman with both hands—no, to be precise, that was no longer an ordinary Talisman, but a Magic Treasure.

"This was given to me by Senior Brother to contact the sect. Now that I'm preparing to go back, I naturally won't need it anymore."

"So I'll give it to you. It just so happens that when I return to the sect, I'll ask Master to get another one, and we'll use this to contact each other in the future."

Handing the Talisman to Zhou Yan, he turned and ran away again.

"It's getting late, I'm going back first, no need to see me off, goodbye, hahaha!"

Only one person and one lion were left in the cave, stunned in place.

Zhou Yan looked at the Talisman in his hand, then looked at the other person's retreating back.

"This isn't becoming bald, it's becoming a pervert, right?"

"How come I feel like after being plated with this layer of golden light, he has completely let himself go?"