Younger Sister

"Oh? You entered deep meditation right off the bat?"

Long Yuan returned to see Tang Wulin still sitting in meditation and couldn't help but feel surprised.

This was only his second time meditating, yet he had actually practiced for the entire night. It was enough to show that his comprehension was quite good.

However, the sky was nearly bright, so there was no need for him to continue.

Long Yuan flicked his finger, and an invisible ripple gently roused Tang Wulin from his deep meditation.

Tang Wulin opened his eyes, the faint morning light hitting his face. He still looked a bit dazed, as if he hadn't fully recovered from the state of deep meditation.

[Alright, it's already morning. I didn't expect you to meditate for the whole night. You're still young, so it's best not to do this often. I'll keep a closer eye on you from now on.]

Tang Wulin finally snapped to his senses, looking at the faint light outside. "Teacher, did I really meditate for the whole night? But I don't feel tired at all! That's amazing!"

[Meditation itself is a form of practice that can replace sleep, but for now, it's better for you to get more rest. Alright, go wash up. Your father should be awake by now, too.]

"Okay, Teacher." Tang Wulin tidied up briefly and went straight to the bathroom to wash up.

Sure enough, Tang Ziran had risen even earlier and was already sitting on the sofa.

After he finished washing up, Lang Yue also got up and was preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

Perhaps because she was too tired, Na'er had been groggy for a moment before falling back asleep; she hadn't woken up even by the time Tang Wulin finished his breakfast.

Tang Ziran and Lang Yue exchanged a look and decided to save the discussion about adopting Na'er for the afternoon.

Tang Wulin didn't notice his parents' unusual behavior and happily went off to school after eating.

Today's curriculum was no different from yesterday's; the morning was still dedicated to cultural lessons, and the afternoon to meditative practice.

On the podium, Lin Ximeng was lecturing on the history of the Sun Moon Federation. Tang Wulin listened attentively, while Long Yuan slowly digested his own power.

For such vast power, especially with these seals in place, trying to achieve precise control was undoubtedly like dancing on the tip of a knife while wearing shackles. Most of the time, it was twice the effort for half the result.

However, there was a certain benefit to this. If he could fully control these powers under such circumstances, he would be able to control them perfectly no matter what situation he encountered later—whether it was when breaking the seals or... after his rebirth.

Regarding his own rebirth, Long Yuan already had a preliminary plan, but to complete it, he still needed to wait for an opportunity. Before that, he had to remain dormant.

In the afternoon, the bell rang right on time, and Tang Wulin left Red Mountain Academy, rubbing his stomach.

The consumption from his cultivation was too great. Even though he had eaten his fill at noon, he could barely make it until the end of the school day.

Back home, Tang Wulin knocked on the door, but it wasn't Lang Yue who opened it; it was a figure that surprised him.

"Na'er! You didn't leave after all!" Tang Wulin was very excited. Although he didn't know why Na'er hadn't left, he still took her hand and walked inside.

"Linlin is back? Go tidy up quickly. We can eat as soon as your dad gets back."

Before long, Tang Ziran returned as well. The four of them sat around the dining table, but they didn't start eating right away.

Tang Ziran looked at his wife. "Linlin, and Na'er, before we eat, your mother and I have some things we want to ask you."

He continued, "We went to the administrative office yesterday to ask around. In the entire Aolai City, including the surrounding cities, there were no reports of missing children from families matching the information. Therefore, we had no choice but to send her to an orphanage."

"Ah? No, Dad, this..." Tang Wulin suddenly became anxious.

Lang Yue suddenly spoke up. "Or, we could adopt Na'er, but we don't know what you think about that. Besides, we can't make the decision for her. In the end, where she goes must be decided by Na'er herself."

Tang Wulin's eyes lit up, and he quickly looked at Na'er. "Na'er, you..."

But before he could finish, Na'er interrupted him. She pinched the corner of her shirt and said without hesitation, "I'll stay here."

Tang Ziran said seriously, "Na'er, think it over before you decide. Don't be in such a rush to answer."

"..." Na'er looked at Tang Wulin, wondering what she was thinking, and remained silent for a long while before saying, "I've already decided."

Seeing this, a happy smile appeared on Lang Yue's face. "That's good. Welcome to our family, Na'er."

Tang Wulin was so happy he jumped up. "Yay! I have a little sister!"

In his excitement, he felt his appetite improve significantly, and he even ate several extra bowls of rice.

However, what shocked Tang Ziran and his wife was that Na'er ate no less than Tang Wulin. Even though Lang Yue had prepared quite a bit of extra food, it was all finished.

Even the packed lunch prepared for Tang Ziran for the next day didn't survive; it all ended up in their stomachs.

Since Na'er had chosen to stay, they had to rearrange the rooms.

After thinking it over carefully, Tang Ziran used wooden boards to build a simple bed in Tang Wulin's room. From now on, he would live with his son, while Na'er would sleep with Lang Yue in their large bedroom.

Fortunately, his job was as a mecha repairman. Although his craftsmanship wasn't exquisite, a simple bed wasn't enough to stump him.

That night, Tang Wulin didn't plan to meditate. Following Long Yuan's advice, he decided to perform deep meditation once every five days, with future plans adjusted based on the growth of his mental power.

However, just as he lay down on the bed, Tang Ziran walked in.

"Son, Dad has something to discuss with you."

"What is it, Dad? Is it about Na'er?"

Tang Ziran shook his head. "It's not about her. Linlin, you've chosen to walk the path of a soul master. Both Mom and Dad support you, but this path is destined to be very difficult—not just for you, but also considering our family's situation."

"Daddy is useless, I can only earn this much money. It's more than enough to maintain our household, but there's one thing—do you know what a spirit soul is?"

A spirit soul?

Tang Wulin certainly knew; Lin Ximeng had told them about it, as it was practically essential knowledge in the world of spirit masters.

Every ten levels, a spirit master needed to absorb a spirit ring, but since spirit beasts were now extremely difficult to find, spirit souls had become the only option.

"Ordinary people like us don't have many channels, so the only way is to purchase a spirit soul from the Spirit Pagoda. But Daddy is useless, and now that we have Na'er, the two of you have quite the appetite. By the time you cultivate to level ten, it will be very difficult for me to save up enough money to buy even the lowest-tier spirit soul for you."

Tang Wulin felt his spirits sink upon hearing this. He hadn't thought about this problem before, but what could he possibly do?

"Do you remember your Uncle Mang Tian? He is an excellent blacksmith. If possible, I hope you can learn blacksmithing from him." Tang Ziran's eyes were filled with deep apology. "I've already spoken with him; he can provide you with a salary. If you save it up, it might be enough. Even if you don't intend to continue down the path of a spirit master in the future, you'll at least be able to support yourself."

"Blacksmithing..." Tang Wulin murmured the word.