The morning sunlight streamed in through the window.
A breeze stirred the leaves.
Rustle~ rustle!
The sprawling Cao Clan estate came to life once more. Uncle Li, the steward, opened the main gates, and passing pedestrians greeted him.
"Steward Li, what are you busy with today?"
"The same as always."
"I'll leave you to it, then. I'm off to the market for groceries."
"Yes, get there early, or the vegetables won't be fresh."
"I know. See you later, Steward Li."
"Take care!"
The guards had also taken their places on either side of the gates early. They greeted Uncle Li, then straightened their backs like pines and cypresses.
The lanterns beneath the eaves swayed in the breeze, their light no longer as noticeable as it had been at night.
Uncle Li walked cheerfully back into the Cao Clan estate. He still had many things to attend to today. Though he was sometimes very busy, he had grown accustomed to this life.
"Little Yu, get up and eat."
"Coming, Mom."
Luo Lingyun opened the door and called out when she saw Cao Yu sleeping soundly.
Reluctantly climbing out of bed, Cao Yu stretched, put on his clothes, washed up, and went over to Luo Lingyun.
"Let's go, Little Yu."
She pinched his soft cheek, her eyes full of affection.
"You've grown up, Little Yu. You're almost taller than Mommy."
"Hehe! Then I'll protect you from now on, Mom!"
"All right, Little Yu," Luo Lingyun said with a smile.
They arrived at the dining room, where a large redwood dining table stood in the center.
The old man and Cao Yu's bargain-bin father, Cao Xiang, had already been waiting there for quite a while.
The delicious food on the table was still steaming, clearly having been prepared only recently.
The old man looked fondly at his grandson and laughed heartily. "Haha! Little Yu has grown taller again."
His father, Cao Xiang, nodded as well. "Yes, in the blink of an eye, he's become an eleven-year-old lad."
"Dad, what do you mean, lad? A handsome lad, all right?" Sitting beside the old man, Cao Yu drank a glass of water and could not resist joking.
The old man was tickled. He laughed heartily as he drank his wine, never having expected his grandson to be such a character. Old Cao truly had not misjudged him.
Cao Xiang felt utterly exasperated at his words. I know you're good-looking, but could you stop saying it so bluntly?
"Just eat. Can't even such good food keep your mouth shut?" Cao Xiang said, picking up a choice piece of stir-fried meat and placing it in Cao Yu's bowl.
Afterward, the old man and Luo Lingyun also placed several pieces of meat in his bowl.
Before he knew it, they had piled up into a little hill.
Cao Yu smiled wryly. "I can't finish that much. It'll go to waste. Let me get it myself."
But no one paid him any attention. Whenever the food in his bowl was nearly finished, the old man and his parents would add more, piling it into another little hill in the blink of an eye.
"Little Yu, you're still growing, so you need to eat more meat," the old man said. "Eat more of these vegetables too. You need a balance of meat and vegetables."
Cao Xiang agreed. "Eating more will keep you healthy, so you can grow big and tall. And this meat is very nourishing. It was prepared especially for you with lots of precious medicinal herbs."
Sure enough, there were several dishes the old man and the others never touched themselves, serving them only to him.
There were also many things in them that resembled ginseng. Having eaten so much of it, no wonder he kept getting nosebleeds lately.
"Dad, do you think there's something wrong with my body?"
Cao Xiang shook his head at that. "There's no harm in getting a little more nourishment."
The old man also said, "Little Yu, once you've built up your health, I can hold my great-grandchild sooner."
"Those older sisters of yours are all lovely," Luo Lingyun said with a smile. "Make sure you don't let them down."
"Oh!" He wanted to cry but had no tears, and could only silently shovel down his rice, mouthful by mouthful.
Cao Yu felt utterly helpless. He only wanted to say that his body was perfectly healthy and did not need these things to nourish it.
How could a man say he wasn't up to it?
He was doing just fine!
After a grueling struggle, Cao Yu finished his meal without wasting a thing. His belly was simply so stuffed and round that even standing up was a chore.
Life is too hard!
Back in his room, he lay on the bed with lifeless eyes.
Only after a while did he remember that he had not yet completed today's check-in task.
He opened the system.
"Check in!"
[Ding, today's wealth has arrived. Congratulations, host, on successfully checking in!] [Rewards obtained: 200,000 Gold Soul Coins, Soul Power Enhancement Card ×2, Soul Bone Fusion Platform] [Soul Bone Fusion Platform: Five Soul Bones of different ages can be placed inside. Once Soul Bone fusion is activated, a random Soul Bone of a higher age will be generated after a quarter of an hour. The Soul Bone's age increases by a random multiplier!]
"Soul Bone synthesis? I love it!"
He opened the personal information interface-
Name: Cao Yu Cultivation: 29 Martial Souls: Gold Soul Coin, Master of Shadows Soul Rings: Red (109,009 years), red (120,003 years) Soul Bones: [All unused] Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear Right Arm Bone (58,906 years), Aurora Bird Skull (38,000 years), Sky Azure Bull Python Torso Bone (98,560 years), External Soul Bone Eight Spider Lances (109,000 years), Blue Silver Emperor Left Leg Bone (126,698 years), Deep Sea Demon Whale Torso Bone (135,896 years), White-Eyed Cat Left Arm Bone (80,006 years) Talents: Innate Soul Beast Affinity, tenfold cashback Items: Limit Douluo Experience Card ×16, Soul Elder Experience Card ×14, Soul Ancestor Experience Card ×12, Soul King Experience Card ×4, Soul Emperor Experience Card ×9, Soul Saint Experience Card ×2, Soul Power Enhancement Card ×7, Level 6 Soul Tool Milk Bottle ×5, Level 7 Soul Tool Heavenly Thunder Cannon, Soul Bone Fusion Platform Wealth: 130,200,000 (+200,000) Spending Points: 48
He had given Subduing Dragon and the Tiger Swallowing Jade Pendant to the old man and his bargain-bin father, Cao Xiang, respectively.
As for the Seven-Colored Glazed Necklace, he had long since given it to his mother, Luo Lingyun.
He had also put many things he did not use into the Storage Soul Tool.
Over all these years, the Cao Clan had never encountered any more danger, and Heavenly Water Douluo and the others also came by on their regular patrols.
Thus, although the Limit Douluo Experience Cards were originally supposed to run out in two years, more than a decade had passed, and he still had sixteen left.
Cao Yu had also accumulated quite a few high-age Soul Bones over the past few years. Without another word, he took out five and placed them in the Soul Bone Fusion Platform.
He pressed the activation button.
Buzz!
Red light intermingled with golden radiance spread outward from the center of the button.
It continued until all the patterns covered the fusion platform's surface, making it look like a glowing golden egg.
It illuminated every corner of the room.
Cao Yu placed his hand on it but felt no warmth at all. In disbelief, he said, "How does this work? It actually isn't hot at all."
Thump, thump~ thump!
He rapped it with his knuckles. The fusion platform gave a dull, muffled sound, without the clear ring of iron. He had no idea what material it was made from.
Just as he was puzzling over this, the system's voice sounded again.
[Ding, main quests triggered: Nine-year-old Huo Yuhao and his mother are suffering inhuman abuse at the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. His mother Huo Yun'er's health is deteriorating by the day. Jiang Nannan's mother is gravely ill and urgently needs the Black Tortoise Divine Pill for treatment. The Black Tortoise Sect's steward will discover Jiang Nannan in ten days. Host, please complete the quests in time!] [Main quest one: Rescue Huo Yuhao and his mother from the Duke's Mansion.] [Main quest two: Jiang Nannan's mother is gravely ill. Host, please lend a helping hand as soon as possible!]
(End of chapter)