Chapter 18: Reunion with Yu Xiaogang
Qi Tian was deep in thought.
'If Liu Erlong's soul power increases after absorbing a soul ring, will that growth reflect onto my main body as well?'
If the soul power gained from her soul ring could feed back to him, it would significantly accelerate his cultivation speed.
As he pondered this, Liu Erlong's mother had already gotten up. Despite just recovering from illness, she couldn't sit still—tidying the house inside and out, as if trying to sweep away the lingering scent of sickness.
"Mother! Time to take your medicine!"
Qi Tian gently placed a ginseng root into Liu Mother's mouth.
"Erlong, my illness is already cured! This herb must be precious—don't waste it on me," she said with reluctance.
Qi Tian sighed helplessly.
"Mother, it's already touched your saliva. If you don't eat it, the spiritual energy will dissipate. Just take it."
Seeing no other choice, she swallowed the ginseng root. Afterward, she turned to Liu Erlong with a serious expression.
"Erlong, do you still remember what I told you a few days ago?"
Liu Erlong's heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned inward and asked Qi Tian nervously,
"Benefactor, what should I do?"
Qi Tian's calm voice echoed in her mind.
"He may have given you life, but he never raised you. You owe him nothing. There's no burden in severing that tie. Besides, your mother and that man share no true affection."
Liu Erlong felt her heart ease slightly.
"Alright… I'll listen to you, Benefactor."
Qi Tian smiled faintly and, through Liu Erlong's mouth, said,
"Mother, I'm already a Soul Ancestor now. I don't need to rely on anyone anymore!"
Then he teased lightly,
"But if you ever feel lonely, how about I find you a companion?"
Liu Erlong's Mother blinked in surprise before laughing softly.
With a Soul Ancestor daughter, she'd be considered a top match in any matchmaking circle. Finding another man wouldn't be difficult at all.
Moreover, the spiritual ginseng Qi Tian had given her had nourished her body, making her look nearly twenty years younger. Her complexion glowed, and her figure still retained traces of youthful allure.
It wasn't hard to see why someone like Yu Luomian had once fallen for her—she was a beauty in her own right.
"You silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about?" she scolded gently. "I've already had my share of men. I'm content with the life I have now."
She had once lived a life of hardship and humiliation, seen the best and worst of people. Love and desire no longer tempted her heart.
"I'm just an ordinary woman, Erlong. I can't help you much… but your father—he's a soul master. Perhaps he can."
Liu Erlong's Mother then took out a jade pendant and pressed it into Liu Erlong's hand.
"This was the token he left me. I don't know if it still means anything to him, but… if you ever wish to find your father, take this with you."
She wasn't sure if the pendant still held any value. Back then, Yu Luomian had left it behind as collateral because he didn't even have money for his debts.
Qi Tian couldn't help but smile wryly. Still, he tied the jade pendant around Liu Erlong's waist and, under her guidance, took out a pouch of coins and handed it to Liu Erlong's Mother.
"Mother, you've just recovered from a serious illness—please rest properly."
"If you keep running around doing chores, people might say I'm an unfilial daughter for letting you work so hard!"
"Even if you don't care about your body, you should at least care about your daughter's reputation, right?"
His gentle but persistent persuasion finally reached her heart.
"Ah… It's my fault," Liu Erlong's Mother sighed softly. "I didn't think that far ahead."
Still, she wasn't the type to sit idle.
In this world, most forms of entertainment were reserved for nobles and the wealthy. Ordinary folk like her had few ways to pass the time.
Qi Tian thought for a moment and said,
"If you really can't stay still, you can work from home—sewing clothes, weaving, playing music, brewing wine… something relaxing."
Liu Erlong's Mother's eyes suddenly lit up.
"That's a wonderful idea!"
In her youth, she had been skilled in many arts—tailoring, music, even the more intimate arts of the boudoir. It was those very talents that had once captured Yu Luomian's attention.
Even Liu Erlong had learned a few of her mother's skills, especially in music. After being heartbroken, she often secluded herself in the woods, playing sorrowful tunes to ease her pain.
Now, with Qi Tian's help and some spare funds, Liu Mother finally had the means to restart her craft.
"Benefactor, you're amazing!" Liu Erlong said brightly. "You even managed to convince Mother! Should I sing you a song as thanks?"
Qi Tian shook his head and spoke to her through spiritual transmission,
"We're communicating through our souls. Even if you sing, I won't be able to hear you."
He could only imagine Liu Erlong's voice in his mind—but her emotions came through clearly.
"Ah? Then how can I sing for my benefactor?"
Qi Tian chuckled softly.
"There'll be a chance in the future. I just hope by then, you still recognize me as your benefactor."
"How could I ever forget?" Liu Erlong replied earnestly. "Your kindness—I'll never dare to forget it, not even in my next life!"
Qi Tian laughed heartily, then turned to Liu Erlong's mother and said,
"Mother, I'll be heading out for a bit of training. Please rest well at home."
Hearing Qi Tian call her mother "Mom" so naturally, Liu Erlong felt a strange mix of emotions in her heart. It almost felt as if the two of them… were a married couple.
"I wonder… was Benefactor originally a man or a woman?" Liu Erlong couldn't help but think with curiosity.
Liu Erlong's mother smiled kindly.
"Erlong, you dropped out of the Intermediate Soul Master Academy years ago to take care of me. Why not return to your studies now?"
Qi Tian's expression turned thoughtful.
"No wonder Liu Erlong was later deceived by Yu Xiaogang… she had stopped studying so early."
He smiled and shook his head.
"No need, Mom. I'm already a Soul Ancestor now. My level's more than enough to graduate from an Advanced Soul Master Academy."
Liu Erlong's mother sighed softly. A trace of guilt flashed through her eyes, but she said nothing more.
She only vowed in her heart that she'd help her daughter live a better life—make her shine brightly, prove her worth, and become a proud, outstanding woman.
After making sure everything at home was settled, Qi Tian finally set out toward the Sunset Forest.
---
Just as he stepped onto the main road, Qi Tian spotted a familiar figure ahead.
"Yu Xiaogang?"
The man who had been expelled from the Spirit Hall stood by the roadside—next to him was a young man with a flat, shoe-like face who seemed to hold him in great respect.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is near Heaven Dou City… is he heading home?"
Qi Tian's mind turned quickly.
"Right, Yu Tianheng knows Yu Xiaogang. They must've met before. After Yu Xiaogang was banished, he probably did return home once… could this be that time?"
Perhaps Qi Tian's gaze lingered a little too long, because Yu Xiaogang noticed him and turned his head.
The moment he saw Qi Tian, his eyes widened slightly.
"Such beauty… she's not inferior to Bibi Dong at all!"
Yu Xiaogang's heart began to stir.
'This road leads straight to the Sunset Forest. Could she be going to hunt soul beasts? I should go ask her!'
'She's so young, yet confident enough to hunt soul beasts alone—her strength must be considerable. If I could recruit her into our small team, that'd be perfect!'
With that thought, Yu Xiaogang took several quick steps forward, stopping in front of Qi Tian.
"Miss, hello! May I ask if you're heading to the Sunset Forest to hunt soul beasts?"
Qi Tian looked at Yu Xiaogang's overly confident smile and nearly burst out laughing. He almost wanted to expose the man right then and there just to watch his face crumble.
But he remembered—at this point, Yu Xiaogang was about to meet Liu Erlong.
After being expelled from Spirit Hall, he had run into Liu Erlong, who had just lost her mother and was at her lowest point. Taking advantage of her vulnerability, he had wormed his way into her heart.
However, with Qi Tian's interference in this timeline, there was no way he would let Yu Xiaogang succeed this time.
"That's right," Qi Tian said calmly, arching an eyebrow. "Do you have some advice for me?"
Yu Xiaogang and the young man beside him both froze, taken aback by her calm, self-assured tone.
"Such confidence!"
Clearing his throat, Yu Xiaogang put on his most scholarly expression.
"Ahem… Miss, to be frank, I've achieved a certain level of accomplishment in the study of Martial Soul theory."
"If you don't mind, I'd be happy to offer some guidance on your choice of soul ring."
—
End of Chapter