This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 466 - 464: The New Heavenly Emperor Forced to Perform

「Two months after Aunt Qing found Little Jingwei.」

The cool autumn breeze, carrying a fallen leaf, swirled and drifted away in front of the wooden house.

From left to right, three figures sat on the steps, gazing at the tranquil valley entrance. Each rested their elbows on their knees, held their chins in their hands, and sighed in unison.

"Such a beautiful girl, why has nobody come up the mountain to look for her?"

Aunt Qing's fox ears twitched slightly. Her strong physique was concealed by her clothing, accentuating her feminine gentleness.

"Why can such a beautiful girl remember nothing at all?"

Mimicking Aunt Qing's tone, the young boy in the short shirt sighed softly, a slight smile in his eyes.

Next to the boy, the fair and lovely little girl sighed softly, pursing her lips slightly.

"Hmm."

She didn't know her name or where she came from. In her heart, two figures occasionally emerged, as if a voice was gently calling 'Jin Wei'.

Therefore, she didn't give Aunt Qing the chance to name her; while they spoke in words she didn't understand, she uttered this name herself.

Jin Wei.

What puzzled Jin Wei even more was that although she couldn't understand the words of the older brother and the aunt in front of her, after eating something and sleeping in a daze, she not only understood their conversation but could also communicate with them simply.

This was naturally because Wu Wang had secretly given her an Elixir, which helped to stabilize her physical body and soul, concealed her peculiarities, and allowed the Heavenly Dao to 'download the language pack' for her.

Zhong was right; I am here to endure hardships to temper my will. There's no need for Little Jingwei to suffer with me.

Wu Wang asked, "Aunt, what are we eating tonight?"

"What do you want to eat?" Aunt Qing laughed. "We only have some simple roasted beast legs at home. Zhu Zhu eggs need to be saved for Little Jin Wei to nourish her body."

Wu Wang volunteered, "Shall I go raid some bird nests for eggs?"

Aunt Qing laughed and scolded, "Bird eggs can hatch into birds. Why would you take bird eggs? Zhu Zhu eggs are empty; they can't hatch into chicks."

Zhu Zhu, the onomatopoeic word for calling chickens, had also been extended to mean 'chicken' in the Outer Sky world.

Aunt Qing said, "I'll go cook. We have to go into the mountains again tomorrow."

Aunt Qing stood up and walked inside the house, stepping lightly, humming a mountain tune, and skillfully began preparing the beast meat.

Wu Wang turned his head to look at the little girl beside him.

She had changed into the rough clothes Aunt Qing had made for her, her hair put up into two little braids, exuding an air of simplicity.

At this moment, Jin Wei also looked up at Wu Wang, sniffed, and a snot bubble dripped down again.

Wu Wang reached out and carefully wiped it for her. Jin Wei didn't resist at all, even smiling apologetically at Wu Wang.

Somehow, Jin Wei instinctively avoided men like Uncle Shan and the other males in the village, immediately jumping away if touched and hiding behind Aunt Qing.

But from the first moment she saw this older brother, an overwhelming sense of closeness filled her heart.

It was as if she had met this older brother somewhere before.

A little hand gently tugged at the boy's sleeve, and the boy's eyes revealed a trace of confusion.

Jin Wei's two fingers glided lightly, making a simple hand gesture.

Wu Wang laughed, "You still can't remember what happened before?"

Jin Wei replied, "Hmm."

Jin Wei's gaze grew dim. She slumped her little head onto her arm, sitting there and sighing in dejection.

"It's alright, just take your time to remember," Wu Wang's voice was slightly ethereal. "When you remember who you are, it will definitely be interesting."

"Hmm?" Jin Wei tilted her head slightly.

For some reason, I thought of my adoptive daughter Xiao Ming, who has no blood relation to me. That kid has now grown into a young girl, swaggering around and living a carefree life in the Celestial Court.

Wu Wang said, "Come on, let's go help Aunt cook!"

"Okay!" Jin Wei replied, her enthusiasm instantly ignited. During these times, she could legitimately play with fire in front of the earthen stove-pit.

With a 'little sister' added to the family, Wu Wang temporarily set aside his plans to go hunting.

It was clear that Aunt Qing was always somewhat nervous.

She even went to a nearby town to inquire if any martial masters had lost a child. However, Aunt Qing and Uncle Shan scoured the area for hundreds of miles around but found no useful information.

Both were old hunters, and when they asked around, they simply said, "I heard someone lost a child," instead of asking directly, "Did someone here lose a child?"

This way, they avoided the child being falsely claimed by people with ill intentions.

The elders in the village often said that the most ferocious things in this world aren't the beasts in the mountains but those of our own kind who would devour another without spitting out the bones.

「Another month or so passed.」

Aunt Qing and Uncle Shan gave up the idea of searching for Jin Wei's family and resumed their previous hunting frequency.

Uncle Shan was saving up for a bride-price. He dreamed of earning enough money to open a shop in town that bought and sold hides. His plan was for Aunt Qing to manage the shop and raise the two children, so they wouldn't have to endure the hardships of mountain life.

Of course, Uncle Shan had only shared this grand plan with Wu Wang.

Aunt Qing, completely unaware, continued to hunt diligently. She sold hides and beast meat in town, saving up the Bay coins she earned.

She inquired about the price the old martial master in town charged for the Blood Point ritual and worked tirelessly to save up that amount.

At this age, which was somewhat awkward for him, Wu Wang devotedly took care of Jin Wei.

Jin Wei became more lively by the day. Although the little girl often stared blankly and was not fond of moving, under Wu Wang's care, she was almost no different from a normal Human race child.

The two of them would wander around the village, and half a day would pass in no time.

Wu Wang 'invented' some children's games like handkerchief tossing, sandbag throwing, and hopscotch, playing them joyfully every day with seven or eight other children in the village.

The two would also go out of the valley to tie a swing between trees, one pushing and the other swinging.

It was no challenge for Wu Wang to push Jin Wei on the swing; sometimes, he intentionally pushed it high, scaring Jin Wei into an almost crying tone, "Bro," "Bro."

When Jin Wei pushed Wu Wang, however, the swing never swung as high as desired, and Jin Wei would end up sweaty from the effort every time.

They would also go to the shallow pool behind the mountain to fetch water together. The spring water there was sweet and cool, much cleaner than the stream water. The stone path up the mountain was also quite sturdy, so the adults didn't worry about their safety.

Catching fish in the stream, hunting crickets in the grass, raiding nests in trees, and peeing...

Of course, the Heavenly Emperor would never do that last one.

In just a few months, Jin Wei became completely engrossed in play, and the lingering thoughts deep within her heart were buried beneath daily joy.

Every day when she woke up, she would jump down from her little bed, run to Wu Wang's bedside in her loose nightgown, gently push Wu Wang's leg, and wait for Wu Wang to open his eyes before excitedly shouting,

"Bro, play!"

Wu Wang would wake up immediately and go out with Jin Wei to play wildly for half the day.

「Autumn deepened, and the wind grew colder.」

The hunters in the village started working overtime to prepare for the winter.

The order in the Outer Sky, established by the Candle Dragon, was merely a replica of the Fourth Divine Age. The orderly succession of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, along with the revolutions of the sun and moon, subtly conformed to the principles of the Great Dao.

After all, it had once been a mature order.

Wu Wang carried a few logs back home from the woods and, under Jin Wei's watch, began his grand scheme to make money—crafting!

He found a dull chopper, sharpened it carefully for half the day, and then began to work intently on a piece of wood.

Jin Wei, curious, squatted beside him and watched. Finding it boring after a while, she went to the corner of the fenced garden to tend to the flowers and plants.

Before long, Wu Wang turned his head and called out, "Wei, over here!"

Jin Wei ran over, full of curiosity. She saw Wu Wang holding up a wood carving that already had its shape and features—an exact likeness of her with her two small braids.

"Wow!"

"How's that?"

Wu Wang raised an eyebrow. "I'm planning to make a fortune with this!"

Jin Wei blinked.

"Then buy lots of fun things!"

Jin Wei's eyes lit up.

Immediately, Wu Wang threw himself into his work, full of vigor and moving efficiently. He even cut back considerably on his sleep.

Mastering the Heavenly Dao and delving into the Great Dao? How could that be as interesting as wood carving!

「After a few days.」

Uncle Shan and Aunt Qing returned together, each with a bountiful hunt. Despite their exhaustion, their voices were strong, indicating they had gathered enough provisions for winter.

Wu Wang called out loudly, "Uncle Shan! Come have a look!"

As the two 'parents' approached, Wu Wang and Jin Wei stepped aside, revealing a wooden table. On it lay seven or eight lifelike wooden carvings of humans and animals, all appearing as if they were about to spring to life.

"Can it be sold for money?"

Wu Wang shouted excitedly, "I can carve four or five a day!"

Uncle Shan muttered, "They look nice, but the problem is, these things can only serve as ornaments. They can't be eaten, nor worn."

"Uncle Shan, are you going to town tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'm going to exchange for some grain."

Wu Wang smiled and said, "Then could you take these to set up a stall in town for me? Sell these carvings of people for five Bay coins each, and the carvings of beasts for eight Bay coins each. If they sell, we'll split the profit fifty-fifty; if they don't, I'll buy you tea when you come back!"

"Ah?"

Uncle Shan's small eyes widened in confusion. "Two of these wooden pieces are worth as much as a good hide? Stop joking!"

"Just give it a try, Uncle."

Aunt Qing laughed, "You child, you'd be better off practicing your boxing when you have nothing to do."

Little Jin Wei called out softly, "Uncle~"

"Alright," Uncle Shan nodded in agreement. "I'll take your wood carvings to the town tomorrow. Carrying them there and back isn't a big deal."

Wu Wang: ...

Ah, such blatant favoritism!

These wood carvings seem simple, but they actually contain the essence of the Great Dao and are a reflection of my experience and artistic skill!

Sure enough, Uncle Shan got up early in the morning to go to town. Wu Wang wasn't idle either; after getting up, he began looking for wood and started on the next batch of carvings.

「By noon.」

Uncle Shan returned to the village, sweating profusely as he carried two bags of rice. Along the way, he couldn't stop laughing excitedly whenever he met someone he knew.

At Wu Wang's house, the uncle threw the bags of rice aside, rushed over, and lifted Wu Wang up, spinning him around three times on the spot.

"I've struck it rich! HAHAHA! You really are capable, kid!"

"Put me down, Uncle Shan! You're strangling me!"

"HAHAHA, alright!"

Uncle Shan rubbed his big hands together, his eyes full of light. He took out a heavy little cloth bag from his chest and whispered excitedly,

"Guess how much? More than one hundred and twenty Bay coins! All those things you carved sold out! Later, when I saw a crowd gathering, I just let them bid on their own!

"And you know, those kids from the martial masters' families in town, they really don't blink an eye when spending Bay coins. With just a wave of their hand, their servants hand over the coins!

"Your stuff sells for more than intact hides!"

Wu Wang smiled calmly.

Within a radius of several hundred miles, most of the villages in these mountains lived by hunting. The reproduction rate of beasts and birds in the forests seemed somewhat abnormal, as if an Innate God had intervened, making it more than sufficient to sustain these Human race villages.

Due to a long-standing oversupply and infrequent communication between Divine Realms, the price of hides had naturally dropped.

To put it simply... These days, art is a quick way to make money!

"Here! It's all yours! Tomorrow I'm going to town to find a martial master, buy some Beast Blood, and awaken my bloodline!"

"No rush!"

Wu Wang glanced at Jin Wei beside him and smiled. "I've asked around. You can awaken your bloodlines before you turn twenty. Before that, your body should be as strong as possible. The stronger your foundation, the greater the chance of successfully awakening your bloodline.

"I'll wait another year to build up my body.

"Uncle, you take half."

"No way, how could I take advantage of you?" Uncle Shan glared.

"If you save enough money to open a shop in town, then it'll be good for me to go to town too," Wu Wang said. He then gestured for Uncle Shan to bend down and whispered a few words in the big man's ear.

This and that, such and such.

Uncle Shan quickly rubbed his hands together, grinning, and asked softly, "Really?"

"That's called planning."

"Alright, alright!" Uncle Shan pulled out half of the Bay coins and held them in his hand. "Once we get through this winter, we'll move together!"

「Later that night...」

"What? Carving wood can sell for that many Bay coins?"

Aunt Qing, returning at night, was momentarily stunned when she saw the Bay coins Wu Wang held.

Wu Wang's clean little face lifted slightly, with a hint of pride in his eyes, as he chuckled,

"The things I can carve are plentiful. This is just a small test of my skill. Wait until I make some carvings that suit the tastes of adults—one piece might just provide for our family for a year."

"This..."

Aunt Qing placed her hand on Wu Wang's forehead, murmuring, "Could this child have developed hysteria?"

"Aunt, don't be skeptical!"

Wu Wang snapped his fingers, and Jin Wei ran over, holding a fist-sized wood carving, delivering it to Aunt Qing as if presenting treasure.

The wood carving had a rounded base, smooth to the touch, clearly well-polished.

Atop the base was a Spiritual Bird with outstretched wings. One claw rested on the base, supporting the entire sculpture. Upon closer inspection, the bird's feathers appeared round and full; even its neck had fine, spike-like downy feathers.

For a moment, the bird appeared as though it might take flight at any moment, as if its spirit was about to overflow.

Aunt Qing looked at it a few times, finding it hard to put down, and praised, "This thing is really nice."

"Aunt! Mine!" Little Jin Wei cried out sharply, afraid Aunt Qing would snatch her beloved treasure.

"Alright, alright, it's yours," Aunt Qing carefully handed the wood carving back. "Little Worm, even if this can be sold for Bay coins, you still need to focus on your cultivation.

"Even if your skill in carving is exquisite, you'd just be carving these things for others.

"Only when you truly embark on the path of cultivation will people respect you and treat you with proper regard.

"That is the true path."

"Aunt, rest assured," Wu Wang said with a smile. "I'm just using this to save up Bay coins so we can live comfortably. By the way, Aunt, do you know what Uncle Shan is busy with?"

Aunt Qing asked, "Busy with what?"

"He's been saving Bay coins to open a shop in town," Wu Wang muttered, "and he also said something about letting you stay at home comfortably, well-fed and sheltered, without having to endure the sun and rain in the mountains."

Aunt Qing's somewhat weathered face was full of smiles, her cheeks turning a bit red from the glow of the kitchen fire.

"Let him talk. What's it to me."

Wu Wang blinked.

Whoa, looks like Uncle Shan has a chance!

「The next day.」

The sky began to fill with dark clouds, seemingly brewing a heavy snow. Both families had already prepared clothes and food for the winter.

Wu Wang called Uncle Shan to help out, and they built a charcoal stove at home, creating a sturdy wooden platform beside it.

A relatively mild winter quietly passed by the warmth of the wooden house's stove.

Wu Wang spent half his time playing with Little Jin Wei and exercising, and the other half on his carvings.

Whenever the weather permitted, Uncle Shan would make trips to town. Eventually, crowds would surround him as soon as he arrived, and the wood carvings would quickly sell out.

They saved more and more Bay coins, and from that day on, smiles rarely left Aunt Qing's and Uncle Shan's faces.

Wu Wang finally dared to make modest requests, such as asking for medicinal herbs for bathing or for Uncle Shan to trade for some beast meat that could boost his vitality, all in an effort to strengthen his body and build his stamina.

「Spring arrived, and the ice and snow melted away.」

A party of four, riding in a cart pulled by an ox purchased by Uncle Shan, headed towards the distant town, accompanied by the gentle spring breeze.

There, Uncle Shan had already bought a small courtyard. Aunt Qing had also visited the old martial master in town, gifting him wine and cured meat, and had secured his promise to give Wu Wang a chance at the Blood Point ritual.

"Brother."

In the ox cart, Little Jin Wei's head peeked out from under a leather wrap. She looked up at the valley, still laden with white snow, and asked softly,

"Will we come back?"

"We might," Wu Wang said warmly. "As long as you want to, we can always come back to stay for a while."

Aunt Qing and Uncle Shan exchanged glances, then quickly looked away from each other. Each wore a faint smile, and the latter's cheeks were tinged with an inexplicable blush.

A happy event seemed imminent, indeed like water finding its own course.