Qiu Yun's Theory of Lifespans (Please Keep Reading and Vote)

"I'm much older than you."

Luo Fanchen wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, looking a little unnatural. The skin where her lips had touched still burned faintly.

Before him, Qiu Yun wore a slight smile. She lay shyly at his knees, resting her chin on his thigh and gazing up at him with gentle eyes.

"Uncle Luo, how long do cultivators live?"

"What made you ask that?"

Luo Fanchen had calmed down and answered casually.

"Qi Refining cultivators live about as long as ordinary people. Those who reach Foundation Establishment can live two hundred years; Core Formation True Persons can live nearly a thousand, and Nascent Soul True Lords can reach two thousand."

"I see. Then to a Core Formation True Person, a dozen years or so would pass in the snap of a finger~"

Qiu Yun narrowed her bright eyes. "Uncle Luo, I'm sure you'll reach Core Formation."

Luo Fanchen froze. His lips moved, but no sound came out. Qiu Yun's expression was serene, her eyes full of understanding.

She took his hand and guided it to her cheek, gently rubbing against his palm.

Luo Fanchen pressed his lips together. Qiu Yun's dark hair flowed between his fingers and across his legs, and her soft, delicate skin held a trace of warmth. It took all his strength to keep his fingertips from trembling.

Compared with Mo Xue, whose second growth spurt had yet to finish, Qiu Yun struck his senses like an invading fire, enough to shake his Dao heart.

Qiu Yun's long black hair fell like a curtain of night. Her eyes were autumn pools, her nose fine, her teeth white, and her small red lips lustrous and lovely. Her willow waist could be circled with one arm, while her slender frame bore generous curves. She had grown into a graceful beauty.

"Uncle Luo, Old Wang is already showing signs of poisoning. Also... the Puppet is nearly finished. It looks about seventy percent like me. You can look forward to it~"

They fell silent for several breaths. Qiu Yun went no further and guided Luo Fanchen's hand back to the top of her head.

Her smile softened, and the beauty mark beside her lips lent her an innocent charm in place of allure.

"As I thought, you're better with Puppets than I am. Let Old Wang live a few more days. By the time we return from hunting the bandits, he'll probably have half a foot in the grave."

"I'll do as you say, Uncle Luo."

Qiu Yun's voice turned timid. She covered her mouth with her hand and lowered her face, belated embarrassment washing over her.

She would never have dared to test Uncle Luo so boldly. She had merely used the Soul Banner to stir the desire within her, suppress her shame, and face her true feelings for a moment.

Now that the Soul Banner's effect had faded, she was so mortified she wanted to crawl into a crack. She could not bring herself to meet Uncle Luo's eyes.

It's all Uncle Luo's fault.

Qiu Yun murmured silently to herself. Though she was a soul, her cheeks felt frighteningly hot.

Uncle Luo seemed bent on raising them as children forever. That was not bad, but she feared the three of them would settle into fixed roles and never be able to grow any closer.

Her thoughts were as fine as strands of hair, and she had matured far earlier than her elder sister.

She could tell whether what she felt for Uncle Luo was familial affection or something harder to name.

If Uncle Luo someday left quietly rather than burden them, or married the two of them off, she feared she would go mad.

Uncle Luo was an upright gentleman, but perhaps years of bitter cultivation had left him rather slow in matters of the heart. At the very least, she needed to give him a hint and leave open the possibility in his mind.

"Oh, right. You passed the Soul Poison to Old Wang through that girl... what was her name?"

"Mm. Her name is Xiao Cui. I... deliberately controlled when the Soul Poison would take effect. It won't endanger her life, but she'll inevitably be weak in blood and vitality for over a year."

Qiu Yun's words came haltingly. She stayed motionless against Uncle Luo's knee, afraid he would notice how deeply her face had flushed.

Luo Fanchen paused. A moment ago, this girl had been so assertive he could almost imagine her pinning him against a wall. Why had she shrunk back into herself now?

"Her body hasn't fully matured yet, has it? A year or more of depleted blood and vitality might leave her cultivation unable to advance another inch."

"That's right. I've been watching what kind of person she is. If she proves decent, I'll have Mo Xue get to know her later and secretly help replenish her blood and vitality."

It took Qiu Yun a while to steady her breathing. She timidly raised her head, a faint blush still lingering on her cheeks.

If she proves decent, she gets help. If not, does she die along with Old Wang?

Luo Fanchen understood what Qiu Yun meant and chose his words carefully. "She's had a hard time, hasn't she? Her own negative emotions will also spur the Soul Poison on."

"There's still some dried Snake Demon meat left. Most of its spiritual energy has dissipated, so we can't sell it. All it really has left is its blood-nourishing properties."

Luo Fanchen rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. "We'll be away for some time. Let's have a good meal before we go. It's been ages since I treated you and Mo Xue to something special."

"Uncle Luo... I'm a soul. I don't need a special meal."

"Really? You liked those crisp candies last time."

Luo Fanchen smiled and gently stroked Qiu Yun's head. Embarrassed, she rubbed her fingertips together and lowered her eyes without a word.

"In three days, invite Xiao Cui over to share some Demon Beast meat. She won't eat much, and it can help replenish her blood and vitality."

"We used her, so we ought to make things right and give her something in return. You can keep judging her character. Mo Xue is sensitive and distant with outsiders. It would be nice if she could have a friend."

With that, Luo Fanchen stood. He had already planned to go out and buy Breath Concealment Pills.

After buying them, he reckoned he would still have one or two Spirit Dust left, enough for some snacks the sisters liked.

The sisters had been cultivating diligently lately. They deserved a reward.

"All right. I'll do as you say, Uncle Luo. I'll watch her carefully!"

Qiu Yun lightly smacked her lips, anticipation showing in her eyes. Clearly, she still remembered the delicious snake soup and the sweetness of the crisp candies.

Elder Sister's been craving something tasty for ages. She'll be happy too, won't she?

Luo Fanchen said goodbye to Qiu Yun. Mo Xue was already practicing her swordsmanship outside the courtyard. He greeted her, but he was not so full of himself that he tried to instruct her.

"I want to go with you, Uncle Luo."

"No. I'm going to get something to reward you and Qiu Yun. If you come along, it won't be a surprise."

Luo Fanchen tapped Mo Xue's forehead and stopped her in her tracks.

At the mention of a surprise, Mo Xue's smile stiffened. She was afraid Master Luo would come back with yet another sword manual.

"Besides, I need your help with something. Please invite that girl, Xiao... Xiao Cui, to the residence for a meal in three days."

"Xiao Cui? Master Luo, you already have Qiu Yun and me to serve you. That's enough, isn't it? You're not allowed to get a third!"

Mo Xue pouted and folded her arms with a huff, like a cat whose territory had been invaded and was about to hiss.

"You silly girl. It's a long story. Besides, I don't have the energy to look after a third."

Luo Fanchen smiled and gently pinched Mo Xue's cheek. She lowered her eyes in embarrassment and became obedient.

She said she served Master Luo, but in truth, he had always cared for her and Qiu Yun and made allowances for them. Master Luo worked so hard.

I'll repay Master Luo!

Mo Xue soon rallied. She clenched her small fists to encourage herself, stopped pestering him, and waved as Luo Fanchen left. Then she returned to her sword practice, planning to tidy his room before he came back.

The moment Luo Fanchen stepped out of the residence, he noticed a burly young man huddled by the wall, staring straight at him.

The young man stood as tall as an iron tower, with corded muscles and vigorous blood and vitality. Yet his shoulders drooped like a quail's, and he had nearly curled into a ball. Only when he saw Luo Fanchen did he raise his head and approach in timid little steps.

"A Niu... right? Did Granny Zhang send you to find me?"

Luo Fanchen had been in close contact with Granny Zhang lately and had sold her quite a few Talismans. He could just about remember the boy's name.

A Niu followed the path of Body Refining. He was currently at the Skin Tempering stage of Body Tempering, roughly equivalent to Qi Refinement First Layer.

Notably, the boy before him was over two meters tall, with arms thicker than Luo Fanchen's legs, but was only twelve years old.

It was no wonder lower-rung Qi Refining cultivators could not beat Body Refining cultivators of the same rank.

"Un-Uncle Luo, I want... I want you to take me as your disciple and teach me real skills."

A Niu spoke in a deep, rumbling voice, his words awkward and halting. Every syllable seemed to demand immense courage.

When he finished, he dropped to both knees without hesitation and bowed his head to the ground. "Please take me in as a helper. I can... I don't need wages."