Chapter 135: The Desolate Village of Qingyuan – Time to Farm It

Three o’clock in the afternoon, White Egret Peninsula residential complex.

Li Yunfei, accompanied by Zhang Ziying, along with Honghong, Abao, and Xiaobei, landed on the open-air leisure balcony on the roof of his home. Stripping away their concealment talismans, the group revealed their forms.

"So this is the boss's home? It's a bit small!" Abao leaned over the balcony railing, peered down, and remarked casually. Having grown accustomed to the grand estate of the Zixiao headquarters, his standards were naturally quite high.

Li Yunfei shot him a side-glance and said with a faint, enigmatic smile, "The Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base is quite spacious. Would you like me to send you there?"

"Uh... heh heh, no need, no need. I’m a human now; I don't think I need that much space." Abao immediately rubbed his head and gave a goofy grin.

Honghong rolled her eyes at the foolish Abao and headed downstairs with Xiaobei to pick out rooms. Abao hurriedly followed, calling out, "Wait for me!"

Li Yunfei and Zhang Ziying exchanged a smile. "Do you want to go see your parents first?"

Zhang Ziying replied, "Let's go later. My dad shouldn't be off work yet at this hour."

Li Yunfei nodded. "Let's change out of these clothes first. Walking around like this is too high-profile."

"Mm."

Having been away for two months, the house had gathered a thin layer of dust. With a flick of his hand, a mist of multicolored water vapor permeated the air. Moments later, the entire house was as clean as new. Minor spells like the Purification Charm were now second nature to Li Yunfei; he could cast them with a mere wave of his hand without needing to chant.

After changing into casual clothes, Li Yunfei opened the front door and stretched comfortably. There was nothing like being home.

"Oh? Yunfei, when did you get back?"

Their neighbor, Old Man Yao, who was retired and at home, was just heading out to walk his pet Golden Retriever in the garden. Seeing Li Yunfei open his door, he walked over and asked curiously.

Li Yunfei smiled and greeted him, "Uncle Yao, long time no see. I got back around noon."

"Woof woof... (Honghong, Honghong, come out and play!)"

As soon as the Golden Retriever saw Li Yunfei, it became excited, its tail wagging furiously as it jumped and barked toward Li Yunfei’s house. Because it was on a leash, it nearly pulled Old Man Yao off balance.

"You stupid dog, settle down! If you trip me, your 'father' will definitely stew you!" Old Man Yao scolded it irritably. The Golden Retriever finally quieted down, sitting obediently at its owner’s feet, though it continued to let out soft barks toward the house.

Thanks to his "Wolf-Dog Heart" talent, Li Yunfei could understand the language of canines, and he found the scene quite amusing.

Uncle Yao asked Li Yunfei, "Where is your red fox?"

"The little fox? She..."

"Yiyi."

Before Li Yunfei could explain, he heard a fox’s cry, and Honghong transformed into her original form and ran out. As Li Yunfei stood there speechless, he saw the human-form Honghong emerge with a smile, followed by Abao and Xiaobei, trailing behind the little fox. Zhang Ziying followed them out.

Li Yunfei blinked, finally realizing that the little fox was actually Honghong’s flame-tail manifestation.

"Woof woof woof... (Honghong, where have you been for so long? I haven't had a playmate.)"

"Yiyi... (I went on a trip with my master.)"

"Woof woof... Mm... woof woof woof... (Your master is so kind, I’m so envious! Huh? Who is that little human girl? Why does she smell exactly like you?)"

"Yiyi yiyi... (She’s my big sister! And she’s a fox immortal, you know!)"

"Woof woof woof... (Wow, that’s so cool! You actually have a fox immortal sister. And who are those two kids with dark circles behind her?)"

"Yiyi... (They are giant panda spirits.)"

"Woof woof... (Giant pandas? Never heard of them, but that's impressive—spirits, huh.)"

Listening to the conversation between the dog and the fox, Li Yunfei almost burst out laughing. This girl really knew how to have fun.

However, the fact that the Golden Retriever understood the concepts of "fox immortal" and "spirit" suggested it had learned them from television or from its "sister"—Uncle Yao’s granddaughter. It seemed the resurgence of spiritual energy had indeed brought immense benefits to all things in the world. Although the Golden Retriever showed no signs of becoming a true spirit and hadn't fully awakened its intelligence, its IQ had definitely increased significantly. Golden Retrievers were already highly intelligent, ranking fourth among dog breeds—roughly equivalent to a four or five-year-old human child. Now, it was likely comparable to an eight or nine-year-old.

Unfortunately, the Golden Retriever was not a native breed like the Chinese Rural Dog. The Chinese Rural Dog had existed since ancient times as the oldest native breed in the country, a living fossil of history and culture known as the "National Dog of China." The Golden Retriever, however, was a cross between a Scottish Yellow Labrador Retriever and the now-extinct Tweed Water Spaniel, refined through many generations of crossbreeding; it had existed for less than 200 years. Such mixed breeds rarely possessed an affinity for the natural spiritual energy of heaven and earth, making it a mere pipe dream for them to ever become true spirits.

Thus, the native dogs that city dwellers often overlooked were actually more likely to evolve. No matter how smart a pet dog was, it was just that—smart; there was basically no possibility of it becoming a spirit. Li Yunfei finally understood the true meaning of the old saying, "No chicken lives past six years, no dog past eight." The "dog" in that saying referred to the Chinese Rural Dog.

"Uncle Yao."

After stepping out, Zhang Ziying greeted him. Uncle Yao asked curiously, "Yingzi, I heard from your parents that you were the only one in Yudong with Grade A-Superior aptitude and went to the Cultivator Academy for training. Why are you back?"

Zhang Ziying smiled. "My grades were good, so I graduated early. I'm a formal member of Zixiao now."

Uncle Yao realized, sighing in admiration, "Impressive, truly impressive. You've always had good grades since you were little; it seems talented people excel at everything. My granddaughter, Yao Yaxin, has Grade B aptitude and has been in Chengdu for two months. I don't know how she's doing."

Yao Yaxin was thirteen and had just started middle school during the national physical examination; she was currently training at the cultivator academy in the Chengdu student system.

Zhang Ziying assured him, "Don't worry, Uncle Yao! Grade B is a high aptitude, and the country values it highly. Yaxin will definitely be well taken care of."

Seeing that even an "insider" like Zhang Ziying said so, Uncle Yao felt relieved. He looked at Honghong, Abao, and Xiaobei, who were teasing the Golden Retriever and the little fox, and asked curiously, "And who are these children?"

Li Yunfei said, "They are the children of two of my friends. Their parents are busy lately, so they entrusted them to me and Yingzi for a while."

Uncle Yao looked at Abao and Xiaobei with amusement. "Did these two kids not sleep well, or did they get into a fight? Why are their eye sockets so dark?"

Li Yunfei held back his laughter. "They’re just a couple of 'bear' children—very mischievous!"

After chatting for a while, Uncle Yao invited them, "You just got back today, you haven't bought groceries yet, right? Why not come over to my place for dinner later?"

Li Yunfei hurriedly declined, "Thank you, Uncle Yao, but no need. We’ll go eat at Yingzi’s place later."

"That makes sense. Alright then! I'm going to take Ermao for a walk; this guy gets bored and starts tearing up the house if he doesn't." He patted the Golden Retriever’s head and said, "Let's go, you stupid dog. Look at how well-behaved Honghong is. If you keep chewing on things, don't even think about getting dog food anymore."

Watching the Golden Retriever being led away, looking back longingly every few steps, Li Yunfei and Zhang Ziying couldn't help but laugh.

The little fox leaped into Li Yunfei’s arms, squinting her eyes in comfort, while a look of contentment appeared on Honghong’s face as well. Ever since she had taken human form, she hadn't curled up in her "master brother's" arms like this. How she had missed it!

Li Yunfei stroked the little fox’s fur and said to Honghong with a smile, "You’re always so thoughtful."

Honghong gave a sweet smile, one that seemed to hold a hint of the legendary charm that could topple cities.

The group returned inside. Li Yunfei said to Abao and Xiaobei, "I say, can't you two get rid of the dark circles around your eyes?"

Xiaobei said with distress, "We can't help it! It's a racial trait. Unless we condense our inner cores and advance our cultivation further, we can't get rid of them."

Li Yunfei glared. "Then hurry up and cultivate! We’re going to Yingzi’s place for dinner, you two don't need to come. Stay home and practice. Don't think about me taking you out again until you reach the Inner Core stage. It’s embarrassing."

Abao whispered, "It’s as if we were dying to go out anyway. Isn't it better to just sleep at home?"

Li Yunfei: "..."

...

After sending Abao and Xiaobei off to cultivate, Li Yunfei sat on the sofa and pulled out his phone to call Liu Bin.

Liu Bin: "Da Fei—no, wait, I should call you Elder Chenlong now. What are your instructions, Elder?"

Li Yunfei couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, enough with that nonsense. Where are you?"

"Haha..." Liu Bin was secretly pleased. It seemed that Li Yunfei hadn't changed his attitude toward him despite his new status. He replied in a relaxed tone, "I'm out in the countryside, subduing demons and eliminating monsters. How are things on your end?"

Li Yunfei said, "The ancient battlefield has been fully cleared. The Sky Team is beginning operations among the populace; I believe the undead crisis will be completely resolved soon. I just returned to Yudong."

Liu Bin was overjoyed. "That's great! It's getting a bit late today. Jiang Rui and I will head back tomorrow morning; let's get together then."

Li Yunfei: "Sure. I actually managed to snag some spiritual wine from Ziwei, so I'll treat you to some tomorrow."

Liu Bin exclaimed in surprise, "No way! Ziwei’s spiritual wine isn't something just anyone can get. You’re a real one, buddy."

Li Yunfei laughed. "Of course, I’ve always been good to my friends. By the way, let me ask you something: have you cleared all the villages in Phoenix Township?"

Liu Bin: "Of course we have. We knew that was your hometown, so Phoenix Township was the first place we cleared. However, we haven't been to your old village, Qingyuan Village yet."

"It's uninhabited, so it's not very urgent. We prioritized the other villages first."

Li Yunfei breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that they hadn't cleared it yet; that was a Level 51 to 55 dungeon, perfect for his current level. The other villages were all dungeons below Level 50, which were worthless to him now, so clearing them was fine.

Li Yunfei: "Alright then. I'll head over there tonight myself and resolve the issue in my hometown. I’m planning to turn it into a paradise later on anyway!"

"I'll wait for you to return tomorrow, and then you can take me around to the various villages and towns. Now that I have the ability, I have to do something for my hometown."

Liu Bin: "Sure, you're a stand-up guy. It's a deal."

Li Yunfei hung up the phone. Zhang Ziying, who was sitting next to him, asked, "You're going to your hometown tonight?"

Li Yunfei wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Yes. The last time I went back, I sensed something was wrong. I didn't dare stay the night then, but now that I have the ability, I naturally have to resolve it."

Zhang Ziying said, "Have you considered that if there really is a problem in the village, those ghosts might be the ancestors of our two families?"

Li Yunfei sighed. "I know, but you also know that there is no Underworld on Blue Earth Star. Even if I wanted to ferry them to the afterlife, I have no way to do it."

"If they were just wandering souls, I could at least find a place with Yin energy and set up a Profound Yin Array to sustain them."

"But if they are fierce spirits or malevolent ghosts, then scattering them is a form of liberation for them, isn't it?"

Zhang Ziying nodded. "That's true. For a fierce or vengeful spirit, perhaps soul dispersion is a form of release."

Li Yunfei thought thoughtfully, "I’ll discuss this with Ziwei later. Let's see if we can find a way to establish our own Underworld to specifically manage matters related to the deceased."

"As it happens, we have ready-made ghost soldiers and generals, and the manpower is more than enough. With Furo’s ability, he’d be more than capable of being a King of Hell."

Zhang Ziying thought for a moment. "Establishing an Underworld should be fine, but the main issue is reincarnation—that’s something we can't solve."

"Without the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and with the ghosts protected by a special magnetic field in the Underworld, they won't dissipate between heaven and earth. Wouldn't the number of souls in the Underworld just keep growing?"

Li Yunfei scratched his head. "That is a problem. No one knows the operating mechanism of the mythical Six Paths of Reincarnation. How can we make souls reincarnate? Do they just crawl into a pregnant woman's belly?"

Zhang Ziying shook her head. "Probably not. Blue Earth Star seems quite special; it doesn't quite align with the myths. It seems that every infant born already possesses its own soul; they aren't reincarnated from the dead."

"Those wandering souls that don't find a place to stay in a Yin zone most likely dissipate. But since newborns already possess souls, the population of this world isn't affected."

After discussing it for a while without reaching a conclusion, the two had to set the problem aside and study it slowly in the future.

Zhang Ziying called her mother to tell her that she and Li Yunfei had returned. When her mother heard she was back, her first reaction was delight, but then she realized: wasn't she supposed to be training at the Cultivator Academy? Why was she suddenly back?

And wasn't Li Yunfei supposed to have gone off to visit famous mountains and rivers because he lacked the aptitude for cultivation? How did he end up coming back with her daughter?

Zhang Ziying only said she would explain everything in detail once she got home, then hung up the phone.

Neither Li Yunfei nor Zhang Ziying intended to keep secrets from her parents; there was no need. Though Uncle Yao was a close neighbor, he was ultimately an outsider. But Zhang Ziying’s parents were family; there was no need to hide it, and they couldn't hide it either. Otherwise, how would they explain why Zhang Ziying was moving into his house?

Although Zhang Ziying's parents weren't snobs, the gap between cultivators and ordinary people was simply too vast. Ordinary people might not be able to imagine the things cultivators had to face or the pressure they had to endure, but they could learn a thing or two from the news. The undead crisis was a global issue; it couldn't be hidden, so it was better to be open about it. This would prevent the public from guessing wildly or being exploited by those with ulterior motives.

Therefore, Zhang Ziying's parents basically had an idea of the life she would have to face. How could a relationship between an ordinary person and a cultivator be happy? It was even more stressful than being married to an active-duty soldier. If Li Yunfei were truly an ordinary person, Zhang Ziying's parents would never have agreed to them being together, if only to avoid holding him back.

Thus, Li Yunfei intended to be completely honest with her parents. This was his way of showing them that he could take good care of Zhang Ziying, so they wouldn't have to worry about her.