Chapter 116: New Information
However, this matter was indeed quite suspicious.
Although Liu Sheng only said they were going to Changxing Mountains for an outing and would stop by Little Green Garden on the way back,
Ling Youlian also knew that while there were Spiritual Plants in the world, it was impossible for Advanced Spiritual Plants with independent consciousness like Ling Xiaoshu to run all over the mountains. They must have ventured deep into the mountains where Spiritual Qi gathered to encounter her.
Fortunately, Liu Sheng had already thought of how to respond.
So, she took the opportunity to mention that she could now cultivate, and that she might soon be able to participate in the Honghu Plan and go to Chang'an.
“I figured that since the National Academy is full of talented people, I should really practice my skills so I don’t embarrass myself when I get there. That’s why I dragged Wei Lan to the mountains to practice with me.”
“Is that true?” Liu Ruhai and Ling Youlian were somewhat disbelieving.
Given Liu Sheng’s pitiful spiritual aptitude, cultivating was simply a pipe dream.
Before, they were afraid of hurting Liu Sheng’s feelings, so they didn’t dare show it. They mostly encouraged her to try and only gently advised her to give up.
Could it be that the Supreme God had finally opened its eyes?
Wen Weilan, however, helped Liu Sheng confirm: “It’s true, Sheng Sheng is already a cultivator.”
Liu Sheng even released a small section of Lightning Whip with controlled precision from her hand. Golden lightning danced between her fingers, crackling impressively.
“Good, good, good! Supreme God bless, truly Supreme God bless!” Liu Ruhai immediately beamed with joy, his face flushed with excitement. “And, you even have a lightning-element Cultivation Technique, which is the most effective Cultivation Technique against Weird Domains!”
Ling Youlian was also full of joy. She knew how unwilling Liu Sheng had been, and now that her wish was fulfilled, she was truly happy for her daughter.
“So that eyeball just now was also a capability of your Cultivation Technique?” Ling Youlian asked curiously.
“Mm-hmm, yes.” Liu Sheng quickly equivocated.
“I thought you were buying those useless Spiritual Artifacts again. You always love buying those things and then taking them apart…”
Liu Ruhai, however, didn’t pay attention to Ling Youlian’s nagging about Liu Sheng. He just complained to Liu Sheng: “Why didn’t you tell us about such good news sooner?”
“If you had told us earlier, I would have bought three more catties of braised beef.” He rubbed his hands together.
“That’s too much. How much can a few of us eat? These dishes are already enough.” Liu Sheng said, caught between laughter and tears.
“No, no, we must celebrate. I’ll go to Guangfeng Restaurant and get a jar of the pear blossom wine I brewed last year. Let’s all have a drink to celebrate.”
With that, Liu Ruhai rushed out excitedly.
Liu Sheng originally wanted to stop him, but Ling Youlian stopped her instead: “Let him go. He’s happy.”
Liu Sheng watched Liu Ruhai’s back quickly disappear into the courtyard, where the moonlight and divine radiance scattered across the ground, and suddenly felt a complex mix of emotions.
“Mom, so, you always hoped I could cultivate?”
All these years, her parents had been coaxing her, saying things like “It’s fine if you can’t cultivate, there’s nothing wrong with living an ordinary life, and you can come back to see your parents often,” and “Even if you can’t cultivate, you are still the most talented and gifted child in your parents’ hearts.” Were all those words lies?
【So, was I a good-for-nothing in my parents’ hearts because I couldn’t cultivate?】
【Actually, every parent hopes their child can participate in the imperial examinations and make a Dragon leap through the gate, right?】
【It’s over, my Dao Heart is about to shatter.】
Wen Weilan could tell Liu Sheng’s mood had instantly darkened and looked at her with concern.
Doll Tree, no, Ling Xiaoshu, sensed Liu Sheng’s emotions, so she gently leaned against her, patting Liu Sheng’s back with her small hand, mimicking comforting her.
“Of course not.” Ling Youlian shook her head. “It’s you who always hoped to cultivate.”
“Did you think we didn’t know that even though you were deemed unable to cultivate at Hanshan Academy and transferred to the Tiangong Department, you still secretly prepared for the imperial examinations? There’s still a pile of imperial examination-related books hidden in your cabinet.”
Ling Youlian saw Liu Sheng immediately look at her with piercing eyes and quickly raised her hands innocently: “I didn’t snoop through your things; I just accidentally saw them when I was changing your quilt.”
“We just hope you can walk the path you want to walk. If you can’t get through, we hope you don’t hit a wall and get badly hurt by insisting on going.”
“Now that you’ve finally achieved your wish, of course we’re happy.”
Ling Youlian looked at Liu Sheng, her eyes very gentle.
Liu Sheng’s heart was touched, and she put away all her grievances.
At this moment, Liu Ruhai returned excitedly, carrying a jar of pear blossom wine, and a gust of wind scattered the solidified atmosphere.
As soon as he entered the door, he loudly announced: “Come, come, let’s drink until we drop tonight!”
“Xiao Shu is still small, she can’t drink.”
Liu Ruhai glanced at the bright-eyed, eager Ling Xiaoshu and explicitly refused.
Ling Xiaoshu instantly wilted, her leaves drooping.
“She’s not young anymore; she’s probably older than your grandparents.” Liu Sheng reminded him.
“Doesn’t matter, she still looks small right now.” Ling Youlian supported Liu Ruhai, but seeing Ling Xiaoshu’s pitiful expression, she still relented, “Alright, pear blossom wine isn’t intoxicating, she can have a little.”
Although pear blossom wine was not intoxicating, Liu Ruhai still fell after three cups, as Liu Sheng and Ling Youlian had expected.
Ling Youlian helplessly helped Liu Ruhai up: “You really are something. You said you’d celebrate for the child, but you ended up getting drunk first.”
“I’m not drunk! I’m not drunk!” The drunken Liu Ruhai looked childish.
Liu Sheng and Wen Weilan exchanged a smile.
“Mom, you should let Dad go back to sleep quickly!” Liu Sheng pushed the two of them out.
“Yes, Ling… Auntie, we’ll clean up the table.” Wen Weilan hesitated over the address and also chimed in.
Ling Youlian hesitated for a moment, then sighed.
“Alright, you two also get some rest early. Aren’t you going back to Qinghe early tomorrow?”
“Mm, Mom, don’t worry.” Liu Sheng promised.
“Wait, I’m not finished yet!”
Liu Ruhai struggled, not letting Ling Youlian succeed. He stood crookedly, his eyes misty with tears, and grabbed Liu Sheng’s hand.
“Sheng Sheng, you are now the pride of our family. Being able to cultivate, and participating in that… bird plan, being able to go to the capital, and attending the National Academy, these are truly things one wouldn’t even dare to dream of.”
“When you get to the capital, you must help your mother get justice… Ah, my dear wife, what are you doing?!”
Liu Ruhai cried out in pain, dragged away by Ling Youlian, who was directly pinching his ear.
“What nonsense are you telling the child? Hurry up! Go back to sleep!”
“My dear wife, tonight’s moonlight… is so beautiful, and you… are so beautiful…”
“What are you saying?!”
Ling Youlian’s slightly shy voice drifted on the night wind.
Liu Sheng and Wen Weilan exchanged glances, then lightly coughed.
“What are they doing?” Ling Xiaoshu was very confused. “Is godmother hitting godfather?”
【Wait, when did I become a goddaughter?】
【Did I skip a plot point? I was just playing Go with the world!】
【Playing what Go? Has the world started challenging Go?】
【…Gomoku, because I don’t know Go.】
“Just now, my mother had a bit too much to drink and got carried away, saying that since she was already named after her, she might as well be her daughter.” Liu Sheng thought silently.
【Isn’t that a bit of Karma inversion?】
“It’s not important!”
“Sister, what are you saying?” Ling Xiaoshu tugged on Liu Sheng’s sleeve.
“Cough cough, nothing. Little kids shouldn’t worry about it.”
“Didn’t you say I wasn’t a kid anymore?”
“You are now.”
“Speaking of which, Sheng Sheng.” Wen Weilan, however, was concerned about another matter. “When you mentioned the Honghu Plan to your parents, did you get a reply from Director Zhang, the Surveillance Commissioner?”
Liu Sheng nodded, her face showing irrepressible joy: “Yes, as soon as I left the Weird Domain, I received his spirit message saying that he had already submitted my recommendation.”
Liu Sheng took out her spirit message, intending to show Wen Weilan Zhang Chunxue’s reply.
However, she let out a soft “hmm.”
She saw a newly received message.
“Return quickly, return quickly.”
It was a message from Su Yanjun.