"Whoa!"
"Ha!"
"Hey!"
"Whoosh!"
From the practice field not far away came the sounds of children practicing martial arts. Judging by the voices, they were mostly young children.
Fan Wubing squatted under the wall of the small courtyard, peering through the cracks in the wall. The young, lively, and energetic little ones were breathing vitality, refining their bodies and strengthening their spirits for the new day.
"Sigh... when can I leave this small courtyard?"
Four-year-old Fan Wubing looked like an old soul who had seen through life. Of course, he wasn't an old soul, having passed away in his prime in a previous life.
In the past two years, he could still be carried around the Fan Family residence, looking here and there. Thanks to the careful care of his mother and the maids, plus a mature soul's cautiousness, he barely survived with a life value cap of 2.
The most dangerous time was last winter when immortals battled, and innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire, a blazing fireball fell on the Fan Family, coincidentally hitting the place where he lived.
His mother in this life, Lan Sisi, got injured while protecting him and couldn't survive the winter.
He almost died too, but fortunately, the Jade Talisman given by Daoist Yushan had the effect: "Recover 10% life value after life value reaches 0," which saved his life.
Since then, his identity as the "Yinghuo Disaster Star" spread throughout the Fan Family estate.
Everyone avoided him, and rumors ran rampant.
This year is also the fifth year, the most crucial year of his "Five-Year Calamity."
The Patriarch of the Fan Family, who was also his father Fan Qi, had a reason to completely confine him. Ordinary people were not allowed to contact him, except for two maids who took care of him closely.
He often heard some voices coming from outside the walls, mostly children shouting things like "Disaster Star," "Plague Person," and so forth.
As someone who had lain in bed for more than a year, he obviously didn't care about such rumors, especially from children who easily followed trends.
What he cared most about was that this was the fifth year, the fifth year!
Only three days left until his fifth birthday.
Currently at a cap of 2, after three days, Yinghuo will consume 99.99% of his life value, leaving just 0.0002. With such a small amount of life left, it's basically an instant death!
Originally, he had a plan.
In his memory, under a parasol tree in the Fan Family estate, a healing item was buried.
In previous years, he couldn't walk steadily, so he hadn't acted. Now he's steady on his feet, but last winter's incident led to his confinement, making it impossible for him to get out!
He had finally crossed over to the cultivation world, hadn't seen the door to immortality, hadn't walked the immortal path, and dying like this would be more frustrating than his previous life!
No, with only three days left, I need to think of a way...
Climb over the wall and sneak out? No, no, the wall is so high, even if I managed to climb it, I'd definitely fall to my death.
Have the maids take it over? That's not possible either, they're both honest and straightforward, surely listening to the patriarch.
Others don't dare to approach him at all.
What to do, what to do...
Fan Wubing kept pacing back and forth.
Suddenly, a voice came from outside the wall,
"Hey, aren't you going to practice martial arts with them?"
Fan Wubing was startled.
[You are startled, blood qi surges, life value -0.2, current life value 1.8]
"Who is it! Are you trying to scare someone to death!"
"Here, I'm here."
Fan Wubing followed the voice and saw through a crack in the wall, a face that looked like a porcelain doll.
It was a little girl.
Fan Wubing had a slight impression of her; she was from the southern Canglang Country, seemed to be a princess, on her way to participate in the Eternal Immortal Sect's once-every-five-years selection.
He had overheard the two maids gossiping that this princess had been attacked on the way and was resting at the Fan Family.
The little girl was quite delightful, very spirited.
She was new here, hadn't heard of Fan Wubing's "Disaster Star" reputation, and thus dared to approach him.
Fan Wubing's eyes darted around, thinking that perhaps he could work with this little princess.
The little princess was young, her eyes like the finest crystals, pure and flawless,
Fan Wubing coughed a couple of times,
"Little one, what's your name?"
"Little one?" The little princess laughed, "You're not older than me. Hmm... my name is Fu Manman."
"Manman, what do you like?"
The little princess was taken aback; it was her first time being addressed like this. In the Imperial Palace, everyone called her Seventh Princess, and even her father and mother, following royal protocol, used her full name.
She looked carefully at the thin, pale boy, thinking he seemed like an interesting person.
"I like little rabbits."
The little princess said,
"I used to raise rabbits in the Imperial Palace. But that rabbit suddenly started eating people... and then my father wouldn't let me keep rabbits anymore."
Fan Wubing was embarrassed, as expected in the cultivation world.
"Manman, wait for me a moment."
He quickly went into the house, and came out again shortly,
"Here, this is for you."
A paper-folded rabbit, very delicately crafted and realistic. Origami was one of the few interests in his otherwise dull childhood life.
The Little Princess's eyes immediately sparkled with light,
"Wow, is it really for me?"
"Yes. It's for you."
Seeing the Little Princess's happy face, Fan Wubing thought, children are just so easy to deceive. He continued to coax,
"Manman. Do you want to learn?"
The Little Princess nodded her head like a little chick pecking at rice, nonstop,
"Uh-huh!"
"Ahem. Do you see the parasol tree over there?"
The Little Princess looked in the direction he pointed,
"Yes, I see it."
"Under the parasol tree, there's a stone that looks like a little dog. Under the stone, there should be a broken hairpin. Go and get it for me, and I'll teach you."
The Little Princess glanced over and asked in a low voice,
"Are you locked up here?"
Fan Wubing immediately put on a pitiful look and said,
"Yes. I made a mistake and was locked up. So, can you help me?"
"Sure. Should I go and tell Grandpa Xiangguo to let you out?"
Fan Wubing quickly said,
"No, no need. Since I made a mistake, I should accept the penalty and not abuse privileges."
The Little Princess's eyes sparkled with admiration,
"Wow, you're so good! When I used to make mistakes, I would always have my mother plead for me."
The Little Princess left.
Fan Wubing began to wait anxiously.
Every second felt like a year.
A quarter of an hour later, the Little Princess returned cheerfully and successfully completed the task.
Fan Wubing took the broken hairpin, overjoyed, and suddenly—
[You are overly excited, life value -0.2, current life value 1.6]
Fan Wubing quickly took a deep breath to calm his excitement.
The Little Princess puckered her nose, lifted her chin, and was about to boast when suddenly a shout came from afar,
"Seventh Princess, Seventh Princess!"
"Oh no, it's Grandpa Xiangguo, I can't let him discover that I snuck out. I have to go!" The Little Princess scurried away, then dashed back, running in place as she asked,
"What's your name?"
"Fan Wubing."
"I'll remember! Teach me to fold little bunnies next time!"
And then she scurried away again.
Fan Wubing sighed inwardly, children are just so carefree, unlike me, worrying over survival… He shook his head and quickly checked the status of the hairpin,
[Broken Pitying People's Hairpin]
[Fixed Effect: Life Value +2]
This is a basic item. It only has a fixed effect, but it's enough. You just need to wear the item the instant your life drops to immediately gain 2 points of life, avoiding instant death.
Unfortunately, reality is slightly different from games; in games, items can be removed and worn repeatedly without limit.
In reality, there's only one wearing effect. Once worn, the attribute value increase is permanently recorded on the panel, unable to be removed and reapplied repeatedly.
It's like absorbing the item's capability, you can't just spit it back out.
"Whew… it seems I have a solution now."
Fan Wubing exhaled a long breath, his anxiety greatly relieved.
[You feel at ease, life value recovering]
[Life Value +0.1]
[Life Value +0.1]
...
At night.
Patriarch Fan Qi walked alone into the family forbidden land. After passing through the deep corridor, he faced a dried locust tree and said,
"Fan Qi, the 23rd Patriarch of the Fan Family, pays respect to the Ancestor."
The locust tree swayed for a moment, then a hoarse voice emerged,
"Fan Qi, have you come this time seeking the Spirit-Extending Grass?"
Fan Qi's expression was complex,
"Although Wubing's fate is entangled with Ying Huo, he is still my son. As a father, how can I stand by and do nothing while my son is in distress?"
"The Spirit-Extending Grass grows deep within the forbidden land, a perilous journey. Even if you are a Martial Arts Ninth-Grade Grandmaster, without the protection of immortality, it is very difficult."
"I, Fan Qi, fear nothing."
"Is it worth it for a sickly child? He can survive five years, but what about the sixth? Fan Qi, why not continue the line and have another child?"
"I, Fan Qi, am already dead in heart."
"Alas... go, go."