The Death of Qian Yu!

Meng Nan explained everything.

The two of them doted on each other for a while.

After a long time, Zhao Xiaoshuang finally remembered to take out Meng Nan's diaries.

Twelve years in total, three large boxes full, over a thousand books.

So many.

Also stored under the bed with them were Meng Nan and Zhao Xiaoshuang's cultivation experiences from these twelve years, and a small box containing the dozens of 'Suoluo Seeds' left behind over the years.

All under the bed, packed into boxes one by one.

Zhao Xiaoshuang took them all out in one go, and Meng Nan went to help.

They dragged them out.

And opened them.

They were packed to the brim with notebooks wrapped in cowhide.

Full of memories!

Meng Nan started flipping through from the end of the ninth month of Immortal Calendar year 18, occasionally asking Zhao Xiaoshuang questions as he read.

With these two methods combined.

Soon, Meng Nan had a general outline of the events that had occurred over the past twelve years.

He recalled for a moment.

His expression grew a bit complicated, and he couldn't help but sigh.

"Is it because of Aunt Qian Yu?"

Zhao Xiaoshuang, being thoughtful and sensitive, saw Meng Nan sigh and thought back to the emotional changes Meng Nan had experienced while recalling the past twelve years. She remembered that when Aunt Qian Yu had her accident, Meng Nan had also shown unusual behavior, acting particularly strange for those two days.

Just like now—

Guilt!

Regret!

Sighs!

"Aunt Yu—"

Meng Nan truly felt guilty towards Qian Yu.

"Xiao Shuang and I ultimately couldn't advance to the 'Inner Qi Stage' before the end of Immortal Calendar year 18, so we didn't get the fertility exemption. This life still has three children."

"Zhou Shan's death caused quite a stir in Yinlian Village. Aunt Yu bore the brunt of it alone and didn't implicate me."

"In Immortal Calendar year 22, I failed to advance to the True Qi Stage, so I transferred the 'Suoluo Seed Tree'. Aunt Yu didn't encounter this opportunity. Later, when she returned to her maiden home that year, she was killed by Zhou Shan's son, Zhou Boren, along with all thirty-five members of Aunt Yu's maternal family, not a single one left alive."

"Zhou Boren had already reached the True Essence Stage. He left freely after slaughtering the entire family!"

"The following year, Zhou Boren came to Yinlian Village again and killed Aunt Yu's entire family, including her husband and children. He even wiped out the twenty or so neighboring households of Aunt Yu, then gracefully departed once more."

Meng Nan roughly summarized, sighing inwardly.

Qian Yu's death had nothing to do with the 'Suoluo Seed Tree'.

The year she died, even according to the original timeline, she had only just discovered the 'Suoluo Seed Tree' and hadn't had time to improve her strength.

But Qian Yu's death was still related to Meng Nan.

And it was directly related.

It was precisely because he had used Qian Yu to kill Zhou Shan that Qian Yu was killed by Zhou Shan's eldest son, Zhou Boren, four years later.

Qian Yu died.

Her maternal family wiped out.

Her husband's family wiped out.

Dozens of people, along with twenty or so ordinary villagers from Yinlian Village, were also slaughtered by Zhou Boren in a fit of rage. He had reached the True Essence Stage, moving like the wind. Even the two True Essence Stage experts in the village couldn't do anything to him.

In fact, Zhou Boren came twice more in the following years, killing dozens more people.

This forced the village chief of Yinlian Village to go to Tianlin Cave to obtain a set of the 'Minor Thousand Mechanism Array', which enveloped Yinlian Village. Then, through an ambush, they severely injured Zhou Boren, which led to several years of peace.

"Zhou Boren is simply inhuman!"

"When Zhou Shan was treacherous and vicious and was killed by Aunt Yu, the village chief and the others still wanted to deal with Zhou Boren and his group. It was Aunt Yu who pleaded for them, and later she repeatedly supported the Zhou family's orphans and widows!"

"And this is how it is!"

"This Zhou Boren still holds a grudge and is so cruel! How could he do such a thing!"

Speaking of Qian Yu's matter, Zhao Xiaoshuang was also filled with righteous indignation.

Zhou Boren!

He couldn't distinguish right from wrong! He was ungrateful and cruel!

Truly hateful!

"I'll kill him sooner or later!"

Meng Nan held the diary from 'Year 18 of the Immortal Calendar' in his hand, seeing a page that recorded the date Zhou Boren left Yinlian Village.

Since father and son were alike, Meng Nan wouldn't show any mercy!

Qian Yu's tragedy could have been avoided in reality.

After discussing Qian Yu.

After thinking about Zhou Boren.

Meng Nan turned his attention back to himself.

Moved by Qian Yu's wrongful death, Zhou Boren's cruelty, and his own inability to break through the 'Inner Qi Stage, Qi Circulation Realm', Meng Nan and Zhao Xiaoshuang left Yinlian Village in Year 28 of the Immortal Calendar to seek opportunities.

Two years later.

Which was not long ago.

Meng Nan was severely injured and near death, and Zhao Xiaoshuang brought him back to Yinlian Village.

There were many diaries, numbered year by year. Meng Nan found the one from Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar and flipped to the end—

"August 20th, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar. We found the spiritual item 'Yingxiang Grass' in 'Great Goose Valley' and were simultaneously attacked by someone trying to steal it. The attacker was no match for me and Xiaoshuang. At death's door, they unleashed a final burst, and I was hit by a 'Blood Arrow' spat out by them, damaging my heart and lungs. I don't have long to live. Xiaoshuang killed the attacker with a sword, then searched their body and obtained the secret technique 'Blood Arrow'. She also picked the 'Yingxiang Grass' and we left."

"August 21st, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar. Traveling on the road. Today's route map is as follows."

"August 22nd, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar. Traveling on the road. Today's route map is as follows."

"August 23rd, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar. Traveling on the road. Today's route map is as follows."

"August 24th, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar. Traveling on the road. Today's route map is as follows."

"August 25th, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar. Traveling on the road. Today's route map is as follows."

"August 26th, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar. Safely returned to Yinlian Village. Today's route map is as follows."

August 26th, Year 30 of the Immortal Calendar.

When Zhao Xiaoshuang carried Meng Nan back, he was barely breathing, motionless, his face deathly pale. The three children saw him and thought their father had died. Meng Santan was the first to wail, then Meng Xingzhe and Meng Jian panicked and joined in crying.

In reality, Meng Nan still had two months to live.

They were crying too early.

This was the scene Meng Nan saw when he first entered and opened his eyes.

[Name: Meng Nan]
[Lifespan: 0/8]
[Faction: Chashan · Tianlin Cave]
[Cultivation: Fetal Breath Contemplation]
[Inner Breath: 18]
[Root Bone: 1]
[Cultivation Technique: Thunder Illumination Scripture (Third Layer)]
[Spiritual Technique: Spirit Wandering Steps (Second Layer)]
[Skill: None]
[Death Log: Viewable]

"Fetal Breath Contemplation."

"Inner Qi, Qi Circulation."

Still in the bamboo forest.

He took a breath of fresh air.

Listening to the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind.

Meng Nan sat in the small courtyard, holding the record of his cultivation progress and collection of mistakes over the past twelve years. He couldn't help but shake his head.

Twelve years!

Twelve whole years!

And he had started cultivating from Fetal Breath Contemplation, with the help of spiritual fruits like 'Suoluo Seed'.

After twelve years, twelve years of cultivation, and he was still only at the 'Inner Qi Stage, Qi Circulation Realm'?!

"Is it that difficult?"

"Am I that useless?"

Meng Nan looked at his cultivation progress, then at the collection of errors. The further down he looked, the uglier his expression became, until he finally let out a wry smile.

It really was difficult!

Fetal Breath Contemplation.

Inner Qi circulation.

The preceding Contemplation Realm required the construction of a 'Qi Circulation Diagram'.

The subsequent Qi Circulation Realm required opening and operating the many crucial points of the Minor Heavenly Cycle, allowing inner qi to circulate according to the Minor Heavenly Cycle, thus stepping into the 'Inner Qi Minor Heavenly Cycle'.

But all of this was too difficult.

Coupled with what seemed to be aftereffects from his previous life's future timeline, Meng Nan in this life was extremely afraid of qi deviation and demonization, not daring to be the slightest bit greedy for progress. He only sought stability, absolutely refusing to deviate or become demonized.

This steady approach was indeed stable.

But it was also undeniably slow.

Slow as molasses!

Stumbling along!

Even now, the Minor Heavenly Cycle was not yet complete.

Thanks to 'Mountain Crane Swoops' for the 1000 reward; thanks to 'Graceful Young Master Li Youran' for the 100 reward!