Legend of the Great Sage

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“You can forget about that! I haven’t reached the point where I value a gift more than you just yet!” Li Qingshan said flatly.
Making a young girl sacrifice herself for him was something his dignity could not allow.
He wanted to say that, but he knew she would stick to her decision even more firmly if he did, so he smiled again.
“Compared to some gift, I still think letting me spend some intimate time with you is a little more enticing, Chenglu.”

Hua Chenglu shot a glance at him and raised her chin.
“Don’t even think about it!” She burst out laughing.
“I’m kidding! I’m nowhere near that great.
Big brother Li, you’re a genius.
You don’t know the difficulty that we mortals face when we cultivate.
Apart from you, probably no one can go completely without being tempted by changing a little in exchange for the multitude of benefits, like saving a decade or even two decades’ worth of time, an immeasurable amount of pills, an increase in cultivation, and so on.”

Li Qingshan said sternly, “This is not a laughing matter.
You have to consider it carefully.”

Hua Chenglu shook her head gently.
“I don’t need to consider it anymore.
If I still don’t make any progress with my cultivation, I’ll probably have to obey my father and be married off to the descendant of another aristocratic clan in a few years’ time.”

Li Qingshan said, “You have your elder brother, and you also have your big brother Li.
Probably no one can force you into anything.
You can slowly choose someone you like.”

Hua Chenglu pressed her hands against her chest.
“It’s not against my will.
This is my responsibility.
My father and brother doted on me while I was growing up, basically granting me whatever I want.
This is a form of awareness that I’ve possessed long ago! Not to mention, whether you like someone or not is not reliable either.
Even if you like them today, you might not like them in the future.
Being arranged for marriage is still more practical.”

Li Qingshan seemed to see the serious, little Hua Chenglu from all those years ago again.
He rubbed her head.
“You’re so young, yet you’re already so pragmatic.
You don’t even have a hint of your elder brother’s passion!”

Hua Chenglu grabbed his large hand and removed it forcefully.
“You’re groping around again.
Hmph, I’m not stupid like my elder brother.
As long as I establish a foundation successfully, I won’t have to worry about the marriage anymore.
I’ll stay unmarried for my entire life and copy Gu Yanying.
I’ll make you damned men die from envy.”

A Foundation Establishment cultivator in their early twenties, whether they were male or female, would all be geniuses their clans treasured.
They had quite a lot of autonomy over matters big and small.
Unless she was completely willing, she would not become a tool for marriage.
Different cultivations were directly connected to the identities and statuses of cultivators, or even the fate of their lives.

Li Qingshan smiled.
“That works too, just in case you make me jealous.
Though, if you change your mind one day, don’t forget about your big brother Li.
It’s just like what they say, gotta keep the good stuff between us!”

Hua Chenglu called out, “Don’t- even- think- about- it!” She changed the topic.
“Though, if there are any more interesting adventures like this, you have to call me along.
I won’t drag you down anymore.”

Li Qingshan shook his head in an exaggerated manner.
“By then, I’ll already be a Golden Core cultivator.
I’ll probably still be forced with one hand.”

“Then I’ll have to trouble you with freeing up a hand to carry me.” Hua Chenglu blushed slightly.
Her eyes were filled with anticipation. I want to see even more sights.
I want to be respected by you and everyone else.
I don’t want it to be that one day, when I see Zijian again, I can no longer be her friend!

There was nothing more Li Qingshan could say.
“Since this is your choice, all I can do is support you!”

Hua Chenglu raised her head and said, “Senior tree king, I’ve already decided.
May I ask how I undergo the Wisdom Imbuement?”

“Come on in!”

Another hole suddenly appeared in the wooden hall, leading straight to the centre of the banyan tree.
Li Qingshan had been circling around the centre the entire time as he hunted down the burrowing mites.
Although the insects had managed to riddle the bark with holes, the pith was even sturdier, so they could not eat it.

Hua Chenglu took in a deep breath and glanced at Li Qingshan.
Right when she was about to enter the hole, Li Qingshan arrived beside her and said, “Fellow, you planned all of this, didn’t you?”

The Great Banyan Tree King said, “This is fate.
The heavens delivered you before me.”

Li Qingshan glanced at the tree hole.
“Then can I come in and take a look?” Although he trusted the Great Banyan Tree King’s moral character, he had to be cautious no matter what.
If he turned him down, perhaps he would make Hua Chenglu reconsider.

“Sure.”

“The hole is far too small.
Let me in first…” Hua Chenglu was rather troubled.
The hole was even smaller than the tree holes they travelled through earlier.
Before she had even finished speaking, Li Qingshan pulled her firmly into his arms with a smile.
“Don’t worry, we can just squeeze together a little!” Afterwards, he leapt into the tree hole with her.

“You’re almost squeezing me to death!”

A while later, Hua Chenglu pushed Li Qingshan away viciously.
Her entire body ached.
With his great strength, he seemed like he was trying to knead her into his body.

“Don’t act so spoiled.
You almost squeezed me to death too.”

Li Qingshan casually responded and gazed at this strange opening.
It was shaped like an upside-down bowl, around the size of a living room.
This was the very centre of the great banyan tree.
The spiritual qi in here was so thick that it almost seemed to materialise.
He felt refreshed from simply taking a breath.

“Lassie, come to the centre and relax your mind and body.” The Great Banyan Tree King’s voice became even grander.

Hua Chenglu stood in the centre.
Verdant aerial roots grew from the surroundings, coiling around her limbs softly and pressing against her major acupoints with precision.
Another dozen or so pressed against the acupoints on her head.
Her legs were lifted from the ground, hovering in the air.

The base of all the aerial roots lit up with dark green light at the same time, moving along the roots and reaching Hua Chenglu’s acupoints.
She shuddered all over as extremely pure wood spiritual qi was channeled into her body.
At the same time, vast and complex information entered her mind.