Chapter 24: Daughter, Please Be Reasonable

“Auntie Lan, Xiao Jiu has returned, but her face doesn’t look too good. Was she bullied by someone out there?” Song Bao’er whispered to Mo Lan.

Mo Lan’s movements paused slightly. “It’s nothing. I’ll check on her later.”

She didn’t abandon her work in the kitchen. Instead, she quickened her pace, preparing four dishes and a soup with a balance of meat and vegetables. 

Mo Lan brought the dishes to the table in the main hall. Song Bao’er eyed them, especially the braised pig trotters, practically drooling.

Cultivators spent most of their time cultivating and rarely took the time to prepare meals. Song Bao’er had servants to cook for her at home. But in the days since she ran away, this was the first time she had seen spiritual food.

Before her spatial ring was stolen, she still had spiritual fruits and jerky. After entering Xian City, she had only been relying on Fasting Pills. She wanted to eat spiritual food but felt too embarrassed to ask.

“Jiu’er?” Mo Lan called out to her daughter.

The small courtyard they rented had formations set up, including a minor isolation array in Xie Jiuniang’s room.

Sensing the disturbance outside, Xie Jiuniang immediately deactivated the array. “Mother, please come in.”

“Song Bao’er said you returned looking gloomy,” Mo Lan said, studying her daughter upon entering. She relaxed after seeing no injuries. “Did something happen?”

Xie Jiuniang was speechless. “Have I ever shown her a good face?”

Mo Lan chuckled lightly. “So nothing bad happened?”

“Nothing bad, but something good did…” Xie Jiuniang grinned mischievously, untying the storage pouch from her waist and tossing it to her mother. “Don’t ask now. I’ll tell you and Father together later.”

Mo Lan glimpsed the 100,000 spirit stones inside the pouch. Though tempted to ask about their origin, she held back, recalling her daughter’s words to wait for Xie Shen.

It wasn’t that Mo Lan had no suspicions. The main reason was that seven-tenths of the family’s belongings were stored in her spatial ring, with the remainder mostly kept by Xie Shen.

Xie Jiuniang only kept what was currently needed on hand. Carrying too many valuables might draw unwanted attention from those watching her. Back in Yunmu City, she was just a pitiful girl not valued by the clan. To avoid arousing suspicion so soon after leaving, she preferred to remain frugal.

Things were different now. With this windfall of spirit stones, she could spend more freely without worrying about certain people becoming suspicious.

Mother and daughter exited the room together. They didn’t call Xie Shen to eat, as only juniors would be so gluttonous.

In the world of adults, cultivation far outweighed the joy of eating.

Song Bao’er shot Xie Jiuniang an aggrieved look. “Those who aren’t eager to eat have problems with their brain.”

Xie Jiuniang had just sat down, but she stiffened slightly at the comment. She quickly pretended not to hear and waited for Mo Lan to take the first serving.

Xie Jiuniang and Song Bao’er simultaneously made their move, aiming for the braised pig trotters on the table.

This wasn’t an ordinary pig, but one fed with spiritual herbs and vegetables, imbuing the meat with spiritual energy for an exquisite flavor.

There were only four pieces of trotters! The two girls had their eyes locked on the largest, meatiest piece.

Song Bao’er glared. “Let go of your chopsticks. Didn’t you claim to be a vegetarian?”

“Who said that? I feel like eating meat now,” Xie Jiuniang refused to budge.

Song Bao’er argued urgently, “But I touched it first.”

“I picked it up first,” Xie Jiuniang retorted.

In her peripheral vision, Xie Jiuniang noticed her mother watching the spectacle with amusement. Glancing at the other dishes, an idea struck her. “Song Bao’er, we should serve the best portions to our elders first. I want to serve it to my mother. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I was going to give it to Auntie Lan too,” Song Bao’er wouldn’t be outdone.

Xie Jiuniang released her chopsticks, instead picking up another large piece. “Alright, you do it then.”

The victorious Song Baoer happily placed the largest pork trotter in Mo Lan’s bowl like a war trophy, with utmost solemnity and care. 

Mo Lan thanked her with a smile.

Song Bao’er then served herself one piece and took an eager bite. “So fragrant! Incredibly delicious!”

Xie Jiuniang paid her no heed, digging into her meal with gusto.

By the time Song Bao’er finished her piece, the plate of braised pig trotters was completely empty, the last piece gone. She whipped her head towards Xie Jiuniang in shock.

There she was, happily munching on the second piece!

This was too much!

Song Bao’er felt tricked but couldn’t find any evidence. The frustration left her flustered, unsure if she had won or lost.

No, she clearly won, so why did it feel so stifling?!

Xie Jiuniang shot her a sidelong glance. “Spacing out while eating? Those who aren’t eager to eat have problems with their brain.”

Song Bao’er could only stare in disbelief. “…”

Mo Lan lowered her head, using her soup bowl to hide an amused smile.

In terms of schemes, Song “Fool’er” was far inferior. 

Xie Jiuniang relished every bite, delighted at Song Baoer’s stifled expression.  

After the meal, Xie Jiuniang returned to her room to study the broken sword once more.

Her conclusion was that the sword’s age was unknown, but its former grade had been exceptionally high, likely a spiritual artifact or higher.

In the cultivation world, artifacts were divided into two categories: magic tools and spiritual artifacts.

Golden Core cultivators and below typically used magic tools. Above the Golden Core realm, one could wield spiritual artifacts.

Spiritual artifacts were not simply forged but imbued with a spiritual essence by an Artificer during the forging process. Artifacts possessing this spiritual essence were called spiritual artifacts.

With enough time and resources, a spiritual artifact could eventually awaken its soul, becoming a sentient spirit artifact.

As long as there were enough heavenly materials and earthly treasures, coupled with the right fortuitous opportunity, a sentient spirit artifact could transform and evolve into a divine artifact.

The emergence of divine artifacts in the cultivation world had not been witnessed for tens of thousands of years.

Xie Jiuniang suspected that before its shattering, the broken sword may have once been a divine sword.

Before nightfall, Xie Shen and Mo Lan visited her room, inquiring about the origin of the 100,000 spirit stones. Xie Jiuniang didn’t conceal the truth. She recounted how she went out for a stroll, purchased the broken sword at the central market plaza for just one spirit stone, only for her storage pouch to be stolen. Then she found a fallen pouch in front of her with the 100,000 spirit stones within.

Xie Shen had an expression of utter disbelief.

Strange events happen every year, but especially this year. 

Why didn’t he encounter such good fortune when he went out?

The reason Xie Jiuniang told her parents about this matter was because it was normal for a child to share such things with their parents if they encountered them.

Not letting the parents know would instead be suspicious. However, she omitted the part about someone scheming behind the scenes, as well as the fact that the broken sword had been swapped, treating it as if the sword had simply been lost.

Mo Lan frowned with concern. “This matter isn’t that simple. The issue lies with that broken sword. The 100,000 spirit stones were meant to buy our daughter’s sword, which implies that sword may be a precious treasure.”

Xie Shen found her reasoning sound upon consideration.

Xie Jiuniang gave her mother a thumbs up in approval.

Amazing, Mother! You guessed it!

The couple began speculating on what kind of treasure the broken sword might be.

Xie Jiuniang retorted sarcastically, “Why must it be a treasure? What if the person simply made a mistake, spending 100,000 spirit stones to acquire a worthless piece of scrap iron? In any case, I merely bought it at a street stall for ‘one spirit stone’.” 

She emphasized the last three words, even mischievously holding up one finger to accentuate it before wiggling it in front of her parents.

The husband and wife were rendered speechless.

Daughter, please be reasonable.

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