The next day.
As dawn broke, Lin Ling clamored for Lin Xiao Tian to take her into the mountains. After hearing Lin Jiong narrate his mountain experiences the previous day, Lin Ling's excitement was irrepressible.
Fortunately, Qin Yu Xiang was there to keep things in check, otherwise Lin Xiao Tian would have been at a loss with his daughter.
As the sky gradually brightened, Lin Xiao Tian took Lin Ling into the mountains.
While many herbs could be found in the dark, the environment was also more dangerous. Lin Xiao Tian was fine, but it would be troublesome if the little girl got into trouble.
As soon as they entered the mountains, Lin Ling began to pepper Lin Xiao Tian with questions.
"Dad, are there fairy sisters? When will she come?"
"Dad, when will we go see those demonic beasts?"
"Dad, we..."
Lin Xiao Tian felt his head buzzing.
Most importantly, the little girl loved to run around. If Lin Xiao Tian hadn't kept a close eye on her, she would have been lost in the forest long ago.
"Huh? Dad, can you fly?"
Lin Ling looked at Lin Xiao Tian with surprise.
"Yes! So, are you willing to come up now?" Lin Xiao Tian asked, looking dejected.
If it weren't for the little girl accidentally falling off a cliff, Lin Xiao Tian wouldn't have needed to use his flying martial skill.
"Hehe, Dad, will you carry me to fly?"
"No, how can you identify herbs like this?"
"Just for a little while, and then we'll identify them!" Lin Ling pleaded.
"Xiao Ling, if you keep this up, I won't bring you next time." Lin Xiao Tian was uncharacteristically stern.
The little girl immediately looked wronged.
Lin Xiao Tian truly had no way with this daughter; he had doted on her since she was young.
"Alright, alright, as long as you behave, I'll bring you next time," Lin Xiao Tian sighed.
Hearing this, Lin Ling's previously downcast face immediately lit up with a brilliant smile.
"Mm-hmm, I understand, Dad." She then leaned closer to Lin Xiao Tian's ear. "Dad, will you teach me to fly? I want to be like you."
"Not now."
"Why? Are you only going to teach my brother and not me?"
"No... you can't fly even if I teach you now. You don't have any magical power yet."
"Magical power?" Lin Ling's eyes widened. "Dad, are you an immortal?"
Lin Xiao Tian was speechless. "Do you know what cultivation is?"
Lin Ling nodded. "I've seen it in novels and TV shows."
"Then I'm pretty much like them."
"Pretty much? How much is 'pretty much'?"
"It's quite complicated to explain. I'll tell you slowly when you're older."
"Ah... Dad... just tell me briefly then!"
"Lin Ling, if you keep this up, I won't teach you anymore."
"Ah... Dad, I was just kidding. Hehe, don't be angry!"
Looking at the cunning and lively Lin Ling before him, Lin Xiao Tian shook his head helplessly.
Not long after, Xiao Bai also arrived.
The two girls met and, inexplicably, hit it off.
In the past, when Lin Xiao Tian spoke with Xiao Bai, Xiao Bai mostly asked questions. But with Lin Ling, Xiao Bai actually smiled.
When Lin Xiao Tian thought about it, Xiao Bai had only been learning human knowledge for less than twenty years, and she had spent most of that time cultivating. Now, with Lin Ling, she could learn more about human knowledge.
Lin Ling treated entering the mountain like going shopping. By dusk, Lin Xiao Tian wanted to leave, but the little girl insisted on staying to see the night view of Black Mountain.
If outsiders heard this, they would definitely think the person was crazy, as the nights in Black Mountain were far more dangerous than the days.
"Xiao Ling, if we don't go back now, your mother will scold me again. Let's call it a day," Lin Xiao Tian said helplessly.
"But... but at night, aren't there many herbs that can be seen? Wouldn't staying a little longer let me learn more?" the little girl argued righteously.
However, Lin Xiao Tian knew she just wanted to play in the mountains for a while longer, and she was also having a great time chatting with Xiao Bai.
After a while longer, the sky had completely darkened. Lin Xiao Tian was truly out of options and forcefully pulled Lin Ling away.
At the foot of Black Mountain, as Lin Xiao Tian emerged, he was met by a pair of anxious eyes.
Seeing Lin Xiao Tian and Lin Ling finally appear, Qin Yu Xiang rushed over.
But Lin Xiao Tian knew that once she learned Lin Ling had deliberately delayed their return, her anxiety would immediately turn into anger.
"Why are you only coming out now? Did something happen?" Qin Yu Xiang asked them nervously.
Lin Xiao Tian hesitated to speak, and Lin Ling seized the opportunity to pretend she was tired and wanted to go back.
Qin Yu Xiang was too worried and followed Lin Ling, constantly asking questions. Lin Ling, feeling guilty, gave vague answers.
It wasn't until they returned home that Lin Xiao Tian told Qin Yu Xiang everything.
"Lin Ling! You come out here this instant!" Qin Yu Xiang erupted, as expected.
"Mom, I learned so many things today. Let me tell you all about it..."
"Don't change the subject. I'm asking you, why didn't you listen to your father?"
"This... I just wanted to stay a little longer!"
Unsurprisingly, a great battle was about to commence.
Lin Ling was lectured by Qin Yu Xiang, but the little girl was used to it. She kept nodding, promising not to do it again. Lin Xiao Tian didn't believe her promises at all.
The next day, Lin Xiao Tian took them back.
This time, it was just to let the siblings get a feel for Black Mountain. However, they were not cultivators yet, and they didn't have the excellent sense of direction that Lin Xiao Tian possessed. Leaving them in Black Mountain was still too dangerous.
After returning to the Lin family, Lin Xiao Tian began to impart basic cultivation knowledge to the siblings.
To ensure they built a solid foundation, Lin Xiao Tian also refined many marrow-cleansing pills.
Lin Ling was particularly diligent about this, which was rare for someone with her short attention span. If only she didn't constantly pester Lin Xiao Tian to teach her to fly.
Lin Jiong's personality was more stable. Besides cultivation, he could also manage other matters. It had to be said that he was much more accomplished than Lin Xiao Tian when he was young.
The siblings were currently focusing on building their foundation, with Qin Yu Xiang watching over them. Meanwhile, Lin Xiao Tian finally had the opportunity to investigate the footprint he had seen earlier.
To lull the other party into a false sense of security, Lin Xiao Tian waited a week before returning to Jinsha Village.
Using his qi-concealing technique, Lin Xiao Tian hid in Black Mountain and quietly observed every move in Jinsha Village.
Xiao Bai's sense of smell was truly remarkable; even in this situation, she could find Lin Xiao Tian.
After observing Jinsha Village for three consecutive days, nothing out of the ordinary happened.
Until the evening of the fourth day, Lin Xiao Tian sensed something unusual.
"A graveyard? Late at night... why would anyone be there?"
Lin Xiao Tian sensed it carefully and discovered that someone had emerged from the graveyard.
Although he hadn't seen him for over ten years, Lin Xiao Tian recognized him instantly.
"Li Da Zhu? Why is he here?"
Lin Xiao Tian frowned.
Just now, Li Da Zhu had emerged from underground, and he seemed to be using some kind of earth-遁術 (earth evasion technique).
Lin Xiao Tian was puzzled. How could Li Da Zhu, an ordinary person, possess such a skill?
Upon closer inspection, Li Da Zhu surprisingly had spiritual energy on him.
However, he lacked a spiritual root, so his body was severely eroded by the spiritual energy, and a lot of his skin had rotted. Nevertheless, his physical condition was otherwise normal.
Under normal circumstances, Li Da Zhu would be in unbearable pain right now, but the Li Da Zhu before him was clearly unaffected.