Chapter 348

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Protagonist:

Yu Zhangsheng

After swallowing several pills, Yu Zhangsheng could clearly feel that the purple child's attitude toward him had softened considerably; the small face rubbing against him had relaxed somewhat, and while there was still wariness in the eyes looking at him, it had diminished greatly.

"Indeed, dealing with children. Just give him candy."

Yu Zhangsheng sighed inwardly, chuckled, and while the purple child wasn't paying attention, he gently pinched the child's right cheek, provoking a fierce glare from the other party, the small face puffed up with anger, though nothing was said.

Taking someone's hand makes it short, eating someone's food makes the mouth soft—this set of principles applied to children as well.

While Yu Zhangsheng pondered, he thought of many things in his heart.

"This Purple Bamboo Spirit Essence is clearly a special existence within this Purple Bamboo Forest, sheltered by this Purple Bamboo Forest. Although its strength is merely comparable to Golden Core Late Stage, logically speaking, I should be able to win."

"But..." Yu Zhangsheng's mind stirred, and without changing expression, he glanced at the harmless-looking purple child, then took out two more pills to hand to him before exhaling deeply.

"But if I truly had any designs on it, I fear this Purple Bamboo Forest would instantly go berserk, and at that time I would probably die a miserable death."

Thinking of this, Yu Zhangsheng once again glanced at the surrounding Purple Bamboo Forest without changing expression, and sighed helplessly in his heart.

"Thus, force won't work; I can only use softness."

Yu Zhangsheng knew clearly in his heart that this Purple Bamboo Forest actually possessed spiritual intelligence, and this most common Purple Bamboo was the greatest threat within this Zizhu Mountain, because its numbers were simply too great.

These Purple Bamboos were man-eaters, though for some reason they currently bore no malice toward him, allowing him to pass unimpeded all the way here; but if he made any move against this purple child... things would be different.

Thinking these things, Yu Zhangsheng shook his head lightly, revealing an even kinder smile on his face, suppressing the heartache in his heart. While feeding pills to the purple child, he tried his best to appear calm and spoke softly: "You've eaten so many of big brother's pills already, little friend. Tell me, how about this: you let big brother stay here for a while, open a place, and then big brother will give you many more pills to eat, okay?"

Yu Zhangsheng spoke softly, a gentle smile on his face; he looked exactly like a human trafficker tricking a child with candy.

Who would have thought that upon hearing these words, the purple child immediately jumped up warily, waved a hand, caught the Purple Bamboo Yu Zhangsheng had shaken off, and pointed it warily at Yu Zhangsheng.

On the small face appeared a hint of ill will; pouting his little mouth, he spoke in a tender voice, puffing with anger: "Cunning human, don't think I don't know—you're eyeing that Sword Cliff. Although I can't open the Cave Dwelling inside, I certainly can't easily give it to you."

Hearing this, Yu Zhangsheng was stunned for a moment, then felt quite a headache. He rubbed his brow, shook the pill in his hand before the purple child's eyes, and spoke in a tempting tone: "Since you already know you can't open it, what's the use of guarding it? Look, aren't big brother's these pills tasty?"

The purple child's gaze fell on the pills in Yu Zhangsheng's hand, a hint of longing appearing in his eyes. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva without changing expression, hesitated somewhat, but still firmly shook his head.

"No, this is my thing; no one can take it away."

After speaking, he glanced at Yu Zhangsheng, waved his small hand, slapped away Yu Zhangsheng's hand holding the pill, tilted his head with arms crossed to look aside, and using only the corner of his eye, secretly observed Yu Zhangsheng.

"You this..."

Yu Zhangsheng's mouth corner twitched; he waved his hand helplessly, feeling both amused and exasperated in his heart. Gritting his teeth, he slowly exhaled, a trace of sorrow and anger appearing on his face, and spoke: "It's not like that at all. Although you're very cute, you can't be unreasonable, can you?!"

Seeing that the purple child was completely drawn in by him, Yu Zhangsheng raised his eyebrows and continued:

"You say this place is yours—how do you prove it?! In fact, this is my senior brother's Yiji Cave Dwelling. He is my senior brother from the same master—one could say he's like my own blood brother."

"The reason you can't open this Cave Dwelling is only natural, because this was left to me by my senior brother. Without the key, you naturally can't open it."

Yu Zhangsheng thrust out his chest; as he spoke, he looked straight ahead, gazing directly into the purple child's eyes, with a look of utter righteousness.

He was trying to reason with the purple child, and to some extent, Yu Zhangsheng hadn't deceived him. Although this Yiji Cave Dwelling wasn't left specifically for him, this Cao Jinxian was indeed his senior brother.

"Senior brother? You say this was left by your senior brother?"

As expected, upon hearing this, the purple child was suddenly stunned, looking at Yu Zhangsheng with a hesitant expression.

"Yes!"

Yu Zhangsheng slapped his chest, speaking with utmost sincerity, then revealed a trace of indignation, pointing at the purple child with a look of heartfelt grief.

"And now, you won't even let me go see the place my senior brother left for me. Although you're cute, kind, and a good child, you can't just rely on that to bully me like this!"

"Inside, there are relics my senior brother left for me. I didn't even get to see him one last time. So now I can't even go see what he left behind? How could there be such a thing!"

Yu Zhangsheng's voice carried a hint of sobbing, the sorrow on his face growing more pronounced. He seemed utterly sincere, even reaching up to rub his eye sockets as a tear suddenly slipped down, tracing his cheek.

In an instant, truly heartbreaking to hear and tear-inducing to see.

A pair of eyes were already red, staring at the purple child, gritting his teeth and pressing his lips, wanting to say something, yet his expression carried a trace of concern. Finally, he only opened his mouth without speaking, but everything was conveyed in silence.

Seeing Yu Zhangsheng like this, the conflicted look on the purple child's face grew stronger. His two small hands, fingertips touching and tapping, he lightly pressed his lips, then suddenly opened his small mouth and said: "That... that..."

After a long while, he looked at Yu Zhangsheng and spoke a complete sentence.

"What you said... is it true?"

Yu Zhangsheng was stunned, the anger on his face intensifying, mixed with indignation and confusion. His brow knotted into a frown as he exhaled deeply, seemingly striving to keep calm, and spoke in a low voice: "What do you mean? Am I not allowed to joke about this kind of thing? He is my senior brother. I, Yu Zhangsheng, swear to the Heavenly Dao, with my Dao Heart as witness: if the owner of this Cave Dwelling, Cao Jinxian, is not my senior brother, may I be struck by heavenly thunder, my soul scattered!"

Yu Zhangsheng spoke indignantly, his tone tragic, and his expression grew fierce. After speaking, the sorrow in his eyes grew even thicker. Looking at the purple child, his expression suddenly fell; his whole person was like a deflated balloon, tragically waving his hand with a bitter smile:

"Forget it, forget it. What's the use of saying this? You wouldn't understand anyway. I really am miserable—clearly it's my senior brother's Cave Dwelling, yet as a Junior Brother, I don't even have the chance to go see him once."

As Yu Zhangsheng spoke, he sniffed his nose, and tears fell drop by drop from his eye sockets.

"What a pity—my senior brother and I were so sincere, our feelings so close. Who would have thought that after being eternally separated, now I can't even go see your old home once."

"Wuu wuu," Yu Zhangsheng sobbed softly, whimpering lightly, his tone somewhat unclear, his vision blurred, with only genuine emotion showing.

"Senior brother, do you still remember the wonderful times when you taught me swordsmanship hand in hand? Do you still remember when you tapped my hand, stayed with me at night, and told me stories? Do you still miss when we played tricks on our master, got caught from behind, and you stood in front of me saying you'd take the blame?" Yu Zhangsheng spoke these words with utter seriousness. Combined with his expression, how could it be described merely as sincere? Everything was natural, his expression nostalgic yet pained, confused yet indignant—vivid and lifelike.

"Now, Junior Brother only knows: I miss you so much. And you—do you miss me..."

Tears fell drop by drop. Yu Zhangsheng's eye sockets were red; as he looked up at the sky, he wiped his tears with his hand, using the corner of his eye to secretly observe the purple child's reaction.

As expected, the purple child looked conflicted, gazing at Yu Zhangsheng hesitantly. His small face flushed red, and after a long while, he hurriedly and flusteredly used his small hand to wipe Yu Zhangsheng's tears.

"Okay, okay, I believe you. I'll let you go, I'll let you go—isn't that enough? Don't cry anymore."

The purple child's tender voice carried a hint of anxiety as he gently wiped Yu Zhangsheng's tears. Gritting his teeth, he took out the pill Yu Zhangsheng had given him from his sleeve and handed it to Yu Zhangsheng.

"Big brother, don't cry. Eat this—it's tasty."

Yu Zhangsheng was stunned. He sniffed his nose, slowly dried his tears. A flash of cunning triumph passed through the depths of his gaze, but he raised his head, smiled slightly at the purple child, rubbed the child's head, and said softly:

"You eat it. Big brother still has more. As long as you don't drive big brother out, big brother is already very happy. My senior brother watches from the heavens and would be very happy too, right?"

The purple child's face was full of conflict, yet he still nodded, thought for a moment, and patted the purple bamboo in his hand; in an instant a drop of crystal-clear, spirit-light-shimmering purple liquid slid out from within, was carefully cupped in the purple child's hands, and handed over to Yu Zhangsheng.

At the same time, he said crisply:

"This, tasty, give to big brother to drink, big brother don't cry anymore okay?"

His tone carried a comforting intent; light flickered in his small eyes, that bearing — like a little adult.

Yu Zhangsheng's brows and eyes completely relaxed, he smiled brilliantly, lightly tapped the purple child's cheek once, and his gaze then fell upon this purple liquid.

This purple liquid was taken from the purple bamboo in the purple child's embrace; Yu Zhangsheng knew clearly in his heart that the section of purple bamboo in the purple child's embrace was where its entrusted true body resided.

And purple bamboo liquid capable of producing mutation and transforming into spirit...

Thinking of this, Yu Zhangsheng expressionlessly swallowed a mouthful of saliva in secret, gently held this purple liquid in his hand, hesitated slightly, then under the purple child's expectant gaze, placed it in his mouth and swallowed in one gulp.

"Purple Spirit Liquid, huh..."

Yu Zhangsheng lightly smacked his lips; this Purple Spirit Liquid, sweet, icy, slid straight down the throat upon entry, like a fruit jelly.

"Mm-hmm~"

Yu Zhangsheng couldn't help but let out a moan; he only felt all the bones in his whole body, as the Purple Spirit Liquid flowed through, were washed clean once, his Shenjue also trembled once, cool and transparent, a comfort from inside to outside spread, as if long drought met sweet dew, his body issued an instinctive longing, under this nourishment both flesh body and Shenjue had a certain degree of advancement.

Bit by bit of purple radiance seeped out from Yu Zhangsheng's skin body surface, at first slowly gathering inward, Yu Zhangsheng's body trembled slightly along with it.

After a long while, Yu Zhangsheng only then comfortably opened his eyes, leisurely stretched a lazy waist, only feeling his whole body suddenly full of vigor, mental momentum also unprecedentedly good. As if every cell in his whole body had been given a full-body maintenance session.

"Any more?"

Yu Zhangsheng licked his lips, looked at the purple child, couldn't help but ask a sentence.

The purple child stared blankly, looked at Yu Zhangsheng's appearance, hesitated a moment, once again took out a drop of Purple Spirit Liquid from the purple bamboo, carefully handed it over to Yu Zhangsheng, then hurriedly waved his hands, a face full of heartache color.

"No no more, just this one drop! No more even if more!"

"Is that so? Hand it over let me see."

Yu Zhangsheng skeptical, half-narrowing his eyes stared at the purple child for a glance, but in the end merely received this one drop of Purple Spirit Liquid, also not embarrassed to continue making things difficult for the purple child.

"Really!"

The purple child depressed, plopped down sitting on the ground, full face dejected.

Seeing this, Yu Zhangsheng scratched his back head, suddenly felt some guilt in his heart, so he coughed twice, put this one drop of Purple Spirit Liquid into his backpack and stored it properly, dispelled the thought of continuing to demand more, gently pulled up the purple child, smiling gently, softly said: "Alright alright, little friend don't be dejected, how about this, in a moment I'll open my senior brother's Yiji Dong Fu, you can also follow inside."

Thought a moment, Yu Zhangsheng spoke thus, this also counted as a compensation for his swindling the little friend.

"Really? Really can?"

Hearing this, the purple child abruptly raised his head, a pair of small eyes meeting Yu Zhangsheng's gaze, blinking, within his gaze filled with hope, but his small face had some red blush, shyly fidgeting.

"This is your senior brother's Cave Dwelling, me going in, not too good right?"

The purple child worriedly said.

"No matter, who let us be good friends."

Yu Zhangsheng hehe laughed, in his heart then was myriad emotions.

"After all just a child ah, so easy to deceive, Purple Bamboo transforming spirit, this kind of thing, also rare to see, also counts as broadening knowledge, if there's chance, can also try whether can subdue."

Purple Bamboo transforming spirit, although wisdom not low, yet ultimately only equivalent to five six years old level, facing Yu Zhangsheng's bout of hoodwinking, naturally difficult to parry.

"Good friends?"

The purple child smacked his lips, contemplating this word's meaning, a moment later, small head tilted, facing Yu Zhangsheng grinned a smile.

"Good, we are good friends." (Chapter End)