Chapter Fourteen: The Damned Charm

The sky was clear and bright, the breeze gentle and the sun warm. Wisps of cooking smoke rose from the small courtyard of the Jiang family.

Today was a good day. All five members of the Jiang family were present, gathered in Jiang Lin’s room, preparing to eat breakfast together. Jiang Lin lay in bed, his complexion already showing signs of improvement.

The meal on the table was as sumptuous as a grand feast. Usually, cultivators of the lower ranks would hastily eat a few bites for breakfast and call it done, but today was a rare occasion for a proper morning meal.

Song Liyao had painstakingly prepared a bowl of millet porridge, a large plate of tender bamboo shoots stir-fried with chili, and a big pot of soft, flavorful bear meat stew. Jiang Xu had also brought back four hefty pig's trotters from the market.

Little Jiang Haohai was too young to eat much and could only sample the tender pig's trotter milk from her mother.

The family ate heartily, while little Jiang Haohai could only secretly drool.

Jiang Xu, who was usually steadfast about rising early for work, stayed home today to watch over the eldest son, Jiang Lin.

Jiang Haohai looked at her father, who seemed to have aged considerably overnight, and her heart filled with a dense, aching tenderness.

Her father’s health was fragile. It was said that after the extraction of his spiritual root, lingering aftereffects remained, leaving his body as cold as a millennia-old jade.

Yet Jiang Haohai was not overly worried. Holding the celestial water in her hand and having saved her eldest brother, she was confident that her father’s recovery was only a matter of time.

She suspected that the mysterious gourd might be a relic from an ancient divine miracle.

Yesterday, after using up the celestial water, she checked again today and found it had grown several inches; her spiritual power had also increased significantly.

What surprised her most was the noticeable change in her eldest brother after drinking the celestial water—he had become remarkably clingy.

Wherever she went, he followed, despite his still frail condition.

Could it be that because he drank the celestial water she gave him, his affection for her had skyrocketed?

She looked at her eldest brother staring at her with a silly, dazed expression and felt a mixture of helplessness and determination. She had to grow up quickly, become strong, and protect her family.

Alas, it seemed this family would never be free of her!

Jiang Haohai sucked her fingers again, lying on her eldest brother’s bed with her little bottom exposed, watching the spiritual trees sway gently in the wind outside and spotting her little tanuki pet.

It had built a nest in the tree branches and, noticing she was watching, wagged its tail at her from the dense foliage.

As if sensing her affection, Jiang Haohai giggled softly.

Today was indeed a good day—the eldest brother had returned, and her celestial water had increased once more.

---

Watching his silly little sister laughing freely by his side, Jiang Lin smiled foolishly as well.

Compared to the loneliness in the cold earth, he felt the warmth of the blazing sun, enjoyed the rustling of the spiritual trees in the courtyard, breathed in the fresh air greedily, and cherished the lively presence of his still small but vibrant little sister.

He thought today truly was a good day.

Gradually, he drifted to sleep in the breeze. He hadn’t intended to sleep—he had just awakened and wanted to watch over them a little longer.

Their father sat nearby, meditating and cultivating.

Though Jiang Lin’s sleep was restless, waking and dozing intermittently, every time he opened his eyes and saw his family around him, he felt reassured and slipped back into sleep.

Outside, the sun shone just right. Jiang Haohai was arranged to bask in the sunshine, warm and comfortable.

She worried a little, wondering if her newly fair skin might darken again from daily exposure to ultraviolet rays...

Second sister Jiang Yun Yun watched over Jiang Haohai but had taken the liberty to wander around the yard wearing the magical shoes newly bought by eldest brother.

Their mother had lifted eldest brother up and laid him beside her to sunbathe, while their father, after lunch, had gone to work, the soul of a true laborer.

Far more dedicated than second sister.

Jiang Lin was startled awake when little sister went outside to bask in the sun. He was used to darkness but now found it unbearable and disliked being alone.

So he also lay outside in the sun with his little sister and second sister.

He watched little sister laugh foolishly at him and smiled. Before, she had lain still beside him; now, she was alive and vibrant, and he was truly happy.

Second sister was still fiddling with the new magical shoes bought for her, looking left and right. Sigh, everyone in this family was so silly. What would they do without him?

“Don’t you want to show your good Yiyun to them? Why aren’t you going?” Jiang Yun Yun, still reluctant to part with her shoes, walked back and forth before the chickens and ducks, responding,

“Mother told me to watch over you all. It’s fine; I can go later.”

Jiang Haohai watched her little tanuki curled comfortably in its nest, stretching before falling asleep again.

Its plump belly and unconscious licking of its fur were so content that Jiang Haohai felt like petting it gently.

Naturally, she called it in her spiritual sea. Seeing it so comfortable, she wanted to summon it and play with it.

---

She wondered if her eyes were deceiving her, for the little tanuki suddenly let out a few loud, disgruntled meows.

She watched it prance toward her with a swaying cat-like gait, only to suddenly notice eldest brother reaching out to pet it several times.

Worried that he might accidentally smother the little tanuki with affection, she cried out loudly, begging him to let it go.

Jiang Lin lay on the recliner, observing his little sister, and noticed she had found herself a little tanuki toy.

He already knew about the little tanuki; he didn’t know when it had come to their home or where it came from. He had often left a bowl of spiritual rice in the corner at night.

The tanuki kept little sister company, which was good because at least she wouldn’t be lonely.

He also felt that his meridians had grown thicker since waking, and the spiritual energy was denser than before. When he tried to circulate his energy in the dantian, he found his cultivation speed had increased significantly.

He noticed his body was stronger than before. He couldn’t even lift his mother’s spiritual sword previously, but today, when she was preparing to take the sword out without noticing, he secretly tried to lift it and found it surprisingly light.

He knew this was because the dream was true—the whole family had died, and heaven could not bear it, so it allowed him to come back to life.

It had also changed his constitution. His previously low-grade spiritual root, he suspected, had now been upgraded to a top grade; otherwise, the rapid cultivation speed was inexplicable.

But he would tell no one this secret—not even his family.

That dream was too bitter. Every time he recalled it, his heart ached so much he could hardly breathe. He didn’t want his family to know.

In this life, he would protect them well.

Watching little sister’s worried gaze at the tanuki, he smiled and placed the tanuki beside the bamboo basket, gently stroking her tender, plump cheek.

How wonderful—it was warm, alive.

Jiang Haohai sighed in relief, watching the tanuki saved from harm.

Looking at the doting expression his eldest brother gave her, she felt a surge of pride.

Alas, if she ever made a mistake, eldest brother would surely be the first to plead her case. Heh heh!

This damned charm!