Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn
Chapter 57: Root of Calamity

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Root of Calamity

That night, Black Mountain and Leigong Mountain were struck by lightning, the air swirling like a wild wind beast, tearing and howling.

Li Quqi braved the storm outside in search of the Red Locust Great Wizard but found no trace of him. Yezi’s mother, seeing the unpredictable weather, cleared a room and let the Zhu family grandfather and grandson stay.

Xiao Xian, hearing the strange wind, went pale-faced, held by Zhu Shijun, and just then realized she might have made an irreversible mistake. The Dragon Suppressing Bell was apparently not just a simple Gu vessel for the Great Wizard of Miao Village.

It wasn’t until after midnight, when the thunder and lightning had ceased, that the weary Red Locust Great Wizard knocked on the door of the Li family.

When Yezi and Xiao Xian saw the Red Locust Great Wizard again, they were at a loss for words. "Silly child, why stare at your grandma like that? Go get her a cup of hot water." The Great Wizard’s face, which had rejuvenated, was now back to its original form; wrinkled and spotted with poison marks, and the image of a woman in her thirties had vanished like a fleeting epiphyllum.

Li Ye could only convince himself that his eyes had tricked him, and after the Red Locust asked the Li couple to step back, Zhu Shijun felt awkward as everyone was in the same room, feeling nothing bad should occur, especially since Yezi’s mother had mentioned that Xiao Xian had accidentally broken an ancient bell at the Great Wizard’s home, which was also a fault on their granddaughter, so a few scolds would suffice.

"What impressive spiritual powers this little girl has," Red Locust said, half-angry and half-playful, looking at Xiao Xian with elderly eyes.

Xiao Xian felt even more nervous, her heart pounding incessantly, but still pretended to be calm, slightly pouting, and looking somewhat wronged: "Grandma, I didn’t mean to."

"Whether you meant it or not, the fact remains that you’ve smashed my bell, and destroyed my Golden Cicada Gu King. Without these two treasures, the sinister creature under White Dragon Pond is bound to cause trouble sooner or later," Red Locust said, reflecting on the arrival of the Purple Ginseng and the girl as if predestined by the heavens.

"You also ate my Purple Ginseng, rejuvenating yourself for a while, though the effect was short-lived, it nevertheless exchanged for your life," Xiao Xian retorted sharply, considering the description by Yezi when she brought food, the old wizard of Miao Village was already a flickering light. If not for the Dragon Suppressing Bell being destroyed, Red Locust using forced suppression on the demon beast at the bottom of the pond with that Purple Ginseng would not only have rejuvenated her but also extended her life by a century.

However, Xiao Xian’s interruption caused most of the ginseng’s Spiritual Power to be used up, leaving her unable to preserve her youthful appearance. The remaining power could still maintain Red Locust’s vitality, thus trouble could still arise for many more years. In this roundabout way, Xiao Xian had the upper hand.

Although Xiao Xian’s words were blunt, they were indeed factual, and knowing she was at fault, Red Locust had calmed down and spoke peacefully with her, otherwise given her volatile nature, Xiao Xian wouldn’t be talking so comfortably.

"The Dragon Suppressing Bell is not just a vessel for refining and cultivating Gu, but also a bane for the Evil Flood Dragon. When I was about your age, I found that bell," Red Locust did not continue to blame but reminisced about how she came upon the Dragon Suppressing Bell. She discovered the bell stranded behind White Dragon Pond.

When the Great Wizard got the bell, she found a small snake attached inside it. Red Locust, undeterred, kept the snake in the bell, then gathered various poisonous insects and snakes from Black Mountain and Leigong Mountain, using the Spiritual Energy between the two mountains year after year, day after day, to cultivate the Gu insects.

"Inside the Dragon Suppressing Bell, the Spiritual Energy is tens of millions times greater than outside the bell. After several moltings, that small snake gained intelligence and vaguely began growing Jiao Horns on its head. Around twenty years ago, while I was painstakingly nurturing the Golden Cicada Gu, the snake took advantage of my moment of inattention, broke through the protective barrier of the Dragon Suppressing Bell, and hid in White Dragon Pond. The depth of White Dragon Pond is unfathomable, and with the snake hiding underwater, never surfacing day or night, I had no other choice but to use the natural barriers of the two mountains and planted two Dragon Juniper trees on each side, then hung the Dragon Suppressing Bell under the eaves, and used the power of Ten Thousand Gu and my own might to deter that serpent, assuring it would not emerge to trouble the people," Red Locust finished speaking, a hint of worry appearing in her eyes.

Tonight, she has set up another layer of confinement over White Dragon Pond, but this layer of confinement consumes energy day and night, whereas the spiritual power of the Evil Flood Dragon at the bottom of the pond only increases. Red Locust has spent all her energy tonight; without another Purple Ginseng, she wouldn’t have the capability to enforce another confinement. But Purple Ginseng is a rare find, and rather than clinging to her own frail life, it would be better to explore the potential of that little girl capable of breaking out of the bell.

"I understand what you mean, but sadly I cannot practice Gu Techniques, nor do I have any interest in practicing them." Xiao Xian had been listening and understood. It turned out that the bell was the culprit; she estimated that the Dragon Suppressing Bell was also a special space for cultivating spiritual power. With such a thing existing in this world, if exploited by those with ulterior motives, it would be a curse rather than a blessing.

She felt a bit of guilt; because the Yunteng Sect generally cultivated rare and exotic herbs, its disciples naturally disliked reptiles, let alone practicing Gu Technique. Seeing those Gu Seedlings would definitely cause sugarcane seedlings to break out in a skin rash, which could damage their spiritual energy.

Seeing Xiao Xian’s flat refusal, Red Locust knew that a forced melon isn’t sweet, and it was harmful and pointless to force someone uninterested in learning Gu Techniques.

"You just mentioned two Dragon Junipers? Is one planted on the side of Leigong Mountain, beside the water, with cracks on its trunk?" Xiao Xian matched the details, and it was almost certain that the Water Fir her grandfather mentioned, planted beside the pond during the wartime over sixty years ago, was indeed the Dragon Suppressing Wood planted by Red Locust Great Wizard.

"Yes, just now I followed the trail and found the Water Fir from back then. Unfortunately, some foolish villager moved a large portion of the fertile soil surrounding it, nearly spoiling my great plans," although Red Locust was of Han descent, she was abandoned by her Han parents as a child and after several interactions with villagers from Ge Village like Secretary Qian, she concluded that the neighboring villagers were of low character.

Xiao Xian gave a dry laugh, electing to keep the secret of her grandfather moving the soil, "In the end, the trouble started because of me. I live on Leigong Mountain and drink the water from White Dragon Pond; it’s time for me to do my part."

Xiao Xian spoke with an air of righteousness unbefitting of a child her age. Red Locust, having lived this long, had never seen such a wise-beyond-her-years child, yet pondering further, those with exceptional talents often matured early, and she became interested in hearing what sort of insights this young girl might have to offer.

"The Dragon Suppressing Bell is gone, but the better the growth of the Dragon Suppressing Wood, the stronger its suppressive power. You tell me the location of the other Dragon Tree, and I will diligently fertilize and irrigate it daily. In just a few years, they will certainly grow into century-old, or even millennium-old trees," Xiao Xian promised confidently, her tiny chest puffed with resolve.

The Great Wizard heard this, her murky old eyes rolled, turning her head she walked into the night, seeming determined to cultivate at least one Golden Cicada Gu King.

"It seems the more earnestly one speaks, the less they are believed. Since the trouble started because of me, I still need to find a way to mend it," Xiao Xian decided determinedly, planning to accelerate her cultivation. From today onwards, whenever she had free time, she would cultivate alongside the sugarcane seedlings, aiming to upgrade her space as soon as possible.

Sadly, that was just Xiao Xian’s wishful thinking. After the new year, Xiao Xian turned seven, and Zhu Shijun had new plans.

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