Guarded by Me

"Ahh! Brother Lin Ming! Brother Lin Ming! Ya Fei can sense Dou Qi now. I can cultivate!"

Lin Ming had just stepped out of the house into the courtyard when he saw Ya Fei running toward him, shouting, "Ya Fei can cultivate now!"

Looking at Ya Fei as she ran up to him, Lin Ming reached out and pinched her soft, rosy cheek. Smiling, he said, "I knew our Princess Ya Fei could sense Dou Qi. Ya Fei, you're the best!"

"Hehe. Of course! I'm Ya Fei, after all!" As soon as Lin Ming finished speaking, Ya Fei planted her hands on her hips and spoke proudly.

Lin Ming smiled at Ya Fei's haughty little expression. No matter how he looked at her, he could not connect her with the mature, seductive Queen of Gold from the original story.

"Wuwu! Brother Lin Ming, do you know how much Ya Fei suffered over these past twenty-odd days to sense Dou Qi? Do you know how I got through it?" Ya Fei said miserably, staring straight at Brother Lin Ming with her tear-filled eyes, clearly waiting for him to ask.

Lin Ming thought to himself, Didn't you come here every morning under the excuse of sensing Dou Qi? But not long after sitting in meditation, you'd say you were hungry and call for Brother Lin Ming to take you out for food.

Then you'd come again in the afternoon, meditate for a bit, and before long say you were hungry again, calling for Brother Lin Ming to take you out to eat.

After repeating that over and over, why do you make it sound as if you spent more than twenty days in secluded cultivation?

Yes, it had taken Ya Fei more than twenty days to sense Dou Qi. On the Dou Qi Continent, that speed could be considered rather poor.

Lin Ming had already known about Ya Fei's talent from the original story. Thus, he was not overly surprised that it had taken her more than twenty days to sense the existence of Dou Qi.

Lin Ming also thought that he would definitely become an Alchemist. Once his alchemy improved in the future, he would find a way to refine a pill that could enhance Ya Fei's talent. Fortunately, there were pills on the Dou Qi Continent that could improve one's aptitude, though their grade was relatively high.

In response to Ya Fei's tearful complaint, Lin Ming adhered to the principle of seeking truth from facts. With a firm expression that nevertheless showed heartache, he coaxed her, "My Princess Ya Fei, Brother Lin Ming knows cultivation has been hard on you. How about Brother Lin Ming takes you to eat something delicious?"

Upon hearing the words "something delicious," Ya Fei immediately wiped the tears from her eyes with her little hands. Her change of expression was faster than June weather.

"Ya Fei wants two skewers of Candied Hawthorn Skewers," Ya Fei said in a sweet voice.

"Alright, Brother Lin Ming will take you."

"Ya Fei also wants chicken wings."

"Sure."

"And I also want..."

"Brother Lin Ming will take you to try everything."

"Yay! Brother Lin Ming is the best!"

The setting sun cast long shadows. After taking Ya Fei home, Lin Ming returned to his own little courtyard. Though it was not far, he still insisted on walking Ya Fei home before heading back.

Walking home, it took only the time needed to drink a cup of tea for Lin Ming to return to his courtyard.

Sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard, Lin Ming let out a soft sigh. Even now, when he recalled what had happened that afternoon, he still felt lingering fear.

That afternoon, Lin Ming had accompanied Ya Fei in eating for the entire afternoon. He himself had been too stuffed to continue, yet Ya Fei's tiny stomach had seemed like a bottomless pit, able to keep taking in food without end.

Lin Ming simply could not understand how Ya Fei's tiny belly could hold so much food.

It seemed that no matter which world one was in, two great unsolved mysteries existed: women could claim to be tired after moving a little yet remain full of energy after shopping all day, and no matter how much of their favorite food they ate, they could always take one more bite.

Still, Lin Ming would do his best to satisfy Ya Fei's little requests.

After all, when he had read the original story, he had already felt great fondness for Ya Fei. In those rebellious, hot-blooded days, Ya Fei's determination to resist and struggle against the fate her family had arranged for her had made her especially likable.

Of course, that seductive, enchanting figure and all that were merely passing clouds. Don't get any crooked ideas.

The greater reason Lin Ming spoiled Ya Fei was what had happened when they first met.

Lin Ming had met Ya Fei one day over a year ago.

At that time, Lin Ming had unexpectedly learned the terrible news of his parents' deaths. It had struck him like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering his spirit.

In his previous life, Lin Ming had grown up in a single-parent household. Though he had worked hard, he still had not managed to get into a good university.

After attending an ordinary university, Lin Ming could naturally only find an ordinary job after graduation, working diligently and without complaint every day.

Someone like Lin Ming, with no connections and a clumsy tongue that could not speak well, naturally got all the dirty and exhausting work at the company. The good opportunities belonged to others and had nothing to do with him.

Struggling alone away from home, Lin Ming could only grit his teeth and bear all the bitterness and grievances himself. In front of his family, he maintained a sunny side, unwilling to let his mother worry about his situation.

Before passing through, he had just finished a business trip and had some free time, so he had driven home to visit his mother.

Who could have known that he would encounter the Seven Stars Alignment and then be brought here by a beam of white light?

Lin Ming did not know whether his mother would be able to bear it after learning of his car accident.

The only consolation was that he still had an older sister at home. He hoped she could accompany their mother through that sorrowful time.

After arriving on the Dou Qi Continent, Lin Ming had naturally been deeply uneasy. When people in novels passed through, they were usually grateful to still be alive, but when it came to Lin Ming, all he felt was fear and unease.

Suddenly appearing in an unfamiliar environment and facing unfamiliar people, not many would feel fortunate under such circumstances.

Over the following days, Lin Ming's parents in the Dou Qi Continent slowly moved him with their meticulous love and care.

Amid that boundless fatherly and motherly love, all of Lin Ming's Negative Emotions gradually dissipated, and he began to integrate into this new family.

At the time, Lin Ming had thought, Mom, live well on Earth with my sister. Your son is doing well here. I have parents who cherish and love me just as much as you did. Your son has failed in his filial duty and cannot serve you by your side, so I will repay that filial devotion to my parents here as well.

Yet that sudden terrible news had instantly crushed Lin Ming's soul, which had lived for more than thirty-five years across two lifetimes.

At the time, Lin Ming's tears had been like a raging mountain flood, impossible to stop as they poured down.

At the moment of his collapse, Ya Fei's clear, sweet voice had said, "Big brother, big brother, don't cry. Ya Fei will give you my lollipop. It's very, very sweet."

That sweet voice, accompanied by such sincere concern, had been like a beam of warm Sunlight, pulling Lin Ming back into the world from the abyss he had fallen into.

From that moment on, the name Ya Fei had been etched into the depths of Lin Ming's soul.

Lin Ming had sworn then that Ya Fei would live happily in this life. He, Lin Ming, would shield Ya Fei from every hardship. Ya Fei would be guarded by him.

So let alone simply accompanying her shopping and eating delicious food, even if she wanted the stars in the sky, Lin Ming would find a way to satisfy her in the future. As for why it had to be in the future—he simply could not do it now.

Lin Ming had actually considered teaching the Chaos Spirit Five Elements Technique to Ya Fei, but after seeing her aptitude, he decided to forget it.

From the original story, it was clear that in this world, the stronger one's Soul Power, the better one's aptitude generally was.

Even with Lin Ming's aptitude, which could basically be considered top-tier, he had only managed to reach Two Star Dou Zhi Qi after a year and a half.

If Ya Fei cultivated it, she would need at least two years to advance one stage. And during the Dou Zhi Qi stage, progress only became slower the further one cultivated.

If Ya Fei cultivated the Chaos Spirit Five Elements Technique, she probably would not break through to the Dou Zhe realm even by the age of twenty-five.

There was another important reason Lin Ming would not let Ya Fei cultivate the Chaos Spirit Five Elements Technique.

That reason was that Lin Ming intended to scheme for the Xiao Family's Tou She Ancient God Jade in the future.

Lin Ming did not know whether his arrival through passing would cause major changes to the plot of Battle Through the Heavens.

It was impossible to say. What if his arrival caused the plot of Battle Through the Heavens to advance drastically?

If Hun Tiandi gathered all eight pieces of the Tou She Ancient God Jade in advance, opened the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion, and became a Dou Di, then no one would be able to stop him.

At that point, the life and death of everyone on the Dou Qi Continent would depend entirely on Hun Tiandi's mood.

Naturally, Lin Ming had to find a way to prevent such a thing.

Therefore, for the sake of his own life and the lives of those he cared about, no one could be allowed to gather all the pieces of the Tou She Ancient God Jade before Lin Ming had grown strong enough.

To open the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion, one had to gather all eight Tou She Ancient God Jade Fragments and restore the Tou She Ancient God Jade before the cave mansion could be opened.

Lin Ming only needed to obtain one Tou She Ancient God Jade Fragment. That way, even if Hun Tiandi acquired the other seven Tou She Ancient God Jade Fragments, he would still be unable to open the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion, obtain the Emperor Pill Prototype, and become a Dou Di.

As long as Hun Tiandi had not become a Dou Di, he could not dominate the Dou Qi Continent with a single hand. That would give Lin Ming time to develop.

Therefore, Lin Ming had to get his hands on the Xiao Family's Tou She Ancient God Jade.

Simply obtaining the Tou She Ancient God Jade was not enough. He also had to ensure that no one learned it was in his possession.

And to accomplish this, the Five Elements attributes of the Chaos Spirit Five Elements Technique would play a crucial role.

Therefore, Lin Ming would not allow anyone besides himself to know that the Chaos Spirit Five Elements Technique could cultivate five kinds of Dou Qi.

Entering his room, Lin Ming began his cultivation for the day.

Ever since learning the terrible news of his parents' deaths, Lin Ming had basically slept only two hours each night, using all the remaining time for cultivation.

As for why he did not cultivate all the time, although cultivation in this world could replace sleep and restore one's energy, Lin Ming was only six years old and still needed sleep to grow.

Thus, he still needed two hours of sleep every day.

Even cultivating as diligently as he did now, Lin Ming had spent over a year before only recently breaking through to Two Star Dou Zhi Qi.

So if Ya Fei cultivated the Chaos Spirit Five Elements Technique as well, Lin Ming was already being extremely optimistic in estimating that she could break through to the Dou Zhe realm by the age of twenty-five.