Chapter 119: Sweet, Sour, and Refreshingly Chilled

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The Dragon Boat Festival was an extremely important holiday, both in his former life and in this world.

The festival alone had more than twenty different names, including the Double Fifth Festival, the Duan Yang Festival, the Fifth Month Festival, the Mid-Summer Festival, the Calamus Festival, the Iris Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Orchid Bathing Festival, Daughter’s Day, the Dragon Day, and many others.

With so few forms of entertainment, ordinary days could inevitably become somewhat dull. Liu Yue had no close girlfriends or anything of the sort, and could only remain at home as a little shut-in. Naturally, she looked forward to these festivals. The moment she brought them up, she became extremely excited.

From the corner of his eye, Liu Ping watched his sister’s enthusiastic expression and smiled silently.

After washing Liu Ping’s hair, Liu Yue left.

Liu Ping finished bathing as well, dressed himself, slipped into his high-toothed wooden clogs, and walked along the corridor.

The wooden teeth of his clogs struck the floorboards with a clacking sound. Beside him lay a courtyard overgrown with flowers and grasses. The cries of insects formed an unbroken chorus, occasionally joined by the croaking of frogs. From the mountains in the distance came the howls of wolves.

There was also a small pond in the courtyard. By now, numerous lotus leaves had spread across its surface, with lotus blossoms scattered among them, releasing a faint, delicate fragrance.

Having nothing else to do, Liu Ping walked toward the pond.

At the end of the corridor was a small path paved with rounded stones. Before long, he reached the water’s edge.

The pond had been dug only a few months earlier, and traces of the work could still be vaguely seen nearby. Perhaps noticing Liu Ping’s arrival, a frog basking in the moonlight atop a lotus leaf suddenly kicked out with both legs and leapt into the water with a splash.

Liu Ping narrowed his eyes slightly and hummed a tune, feeling quite at ease. Come to think of it, these days he had either been occupied with his studies, busy cultivating, or caught up in one battle after another. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed such leisure.

Yet the matter of Ying Ning and her mother had continued to linger in his mind. Even in this moment of comfort and ease, he could not help thinking of it subconsciously.

The affair was extremely strange. The only possible explanation was that Ying Ning and her mother’s elder sister belonged to the Ghost Path. But the Ghost Path was different from fox spirits. If they truly possessed an evil, yin-tainted nature, he should have sensed it without question.

And so, the matter had become an unsolved mystery, leaving Liu Ping faintly troubled. He shook his head and cast it from his thoughts for the time being. Once he returned, he would investigate thoroughly—or find Bai Zhi and ask her exactly who Ying Ning and Qin Han were. Surely the truth would emerge soon.

Moonlight fell like a veil. Standing upon a green stone beside the pond, Liu Ping gazed at his reflection in the water. A breeze passed, sending gentle ripples across the surface.

Turning his head, Liu Ping surveyed the entire residence. Although the estate had been upgraded in quality and its arrangements were reasonably tasteful, its layout and feng shui were still mediocre at best.

“With my fortune suppressing it now, nothing unexpected should happen,” Liu Ping murmured. “Still, this is merely the configuration of a wealthy farming household—a residence of, at most, pale-red fortune. It is not a place for long-term residence. We should move somewhere else in the future.”

Having made the decision casually, Liu Ping turned and leapt down from the stone. Then he heard someone call out:

“Brother?”

“It’s me,” Liu Ping answered. Somewhat puzzled, he asked, “Why are you still wandering around?”

“Obviously, I was looking for you,” Liu Yue said with a pout.

Liu Ping walked over in a few quick steps. “What did you want me for?”

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Liu Yue stretched out both hands. “Here.”

Her small, tender palms held a little basket filled with yellowish loquats.

“You could have had one of the servants do this.” Though Liu Ping said this, a smile still appeared on his face. He accepted the basket and sat on the railing nearby, lowering his head to peel a loquat.

The fruit was slightly chilled, evidently having been soaked in cold well water.

“I wanted to do it.” Liu Yue muttered under her breath. Looking at Liu Ping sitting on the railing, she said, “Go back inside to eat, Brother. There are so many bugs here.”

“The room is a little stuffy. This place is just right. As for the insects, I have something that can drive them away.”

With that, he put the loquat into his mouth. Feeling its sweet-and-sour flavor and refreshing chill, he could not help praising it. “It tastes wonderful.”

Liu Yue came over as well and sat on the neighboring section of railing. Reaching out, she took a loquat and began peeling it.

She had just finished removing the skin and was preparing to take a bite when Liu Ping suddenly leaned over and ate the peeled fruit in one mouthful.

“Brother!” Liu Yue shot him a mildly annoyed look. Seeing him grin sheepishly, she could only complain helplessly, “Brothers are supposed to peel fruit for their little sisters. You refuse to peel one for me, and then you even steal mine. Aren’t you ashamed?”

“All right, all right. Don’t be angry, my good little sister.” Liu Ping smiled, set the basket aside, and took a pendant from his storage pouch. “This is a present for you.”

“Hm?” Liu Yue turned around. By the light of the moon, she saw the pendant glittering and immediately fell in love with it. Her heart leapt. “For me?”

The pendant was a sapphire carved into the shape of a leaf, its veins sharply defined and exquisitely beautiful.

“Of course it’s for you,” Liu Ping said casually. “It has a little function, too. Didn’t you notice that there are fewer insects around us?”

Only then did Liu Yue realize it. She let out a surprised cry. “Oh? There really are fewer of them. What happened? Is it because of this?”

Liu Ping nodded. “Of course. It is only a minor effect. Come, let me put it on you.”

“Don’t you need it, Brother?” His sister’s first thought was not of herself.

“I have plenty more.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“It’s so precious…”

“Do you want it or not?”

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“I do.” Liu Yue tilted her head slightly, her cheeks faintly flushed. She looked utterly adorable. As she lowered her head, her bangs fell forward and hid her eyes, but the curve of her lips revealed how delighted she was.

Liu Ping fastened the pendant around Liu Yue’s neck and gave her head an affectionate pat.

A pendant he had chosen so carefully for Liu Yue naturally possessed more than this one minor effect.

Its primary function was to imperceptibly transform the wearer’s constitution. Even if she never cultivated in the future, she would remain free of illness and live out her natural lifespan. And in giving it to Liu Yue, Liu Ping naturally had not done so merely for the sake of her health. Once her constitution had been sufficiently transformed, he intended to teach his sister the path of cultivation.

Ultimately, it was motivated by a selfish desire: he wanted his sister to remain by his side for as long as possible.

“Take good care of it and keep it close to your body. Don’t let outsiders see it, understand?” Liu Ping spoke softly. He was not afraid that such a precious item would invite covetous eyes or tempt someone to steal it from her. Before giving it to his sister, he had already sealed its aura with a special secret technique. He said this only as a precaution.

The pendant’s ability to keep mosquitoes and other insects away was enough to tell Liu Yue that it was no ordinary object. Hearing the seriousness in her brother’s voice, she nodded. “I understand.” She then tucked the pendant beneath her undergarment, wearing it directly against her skin.

“Let’s go back.”

“Mm.”

After returning to their rooms and going to sleep, Liu Ping awoke at dawn the following day. He went outside and quietly regulated his breathing beneath the rising sun.

After three breaths, Liu Ping concluded his practice and turned his awareness inward. The flowers in his lower and middle energy centers had already bloomed. Only the upper energy center remained.

The upper energy center contained the Heavenly Flower, the flower of the spirit. It was profound and complex. Even though he had some ideas, it could not be accomplished in a single day, and there was no forcing the matter.

After washing and making a few adjustments to his clothing, he left the room to have breakfast.

His sister’s room was in the inner courtyard, where the women of the household lived, some distance from his own bedroom. He did not hurry to breakfast, but instead waited in the corridor that led through the inner courtyard.

After a short while, Liu Yue came walking over with her personal maid. Seeing Liu Ping waiting there, she froze for a moment.

“Brother, have you been waiting long?”

“Greetings, Young Master.” The maid bowed respectfully.

“Not too long. Come, let’s have breakfast together,” Liu Ping said casually.

“Mm!”