Keeping Zhangsun Wugou Here

Zhangsun Wuji's string of actions left Zhang Sheng somewhat bewildered. He had no idea what sort of mischief Zhangsun Wuji was up to now.

"Brother Fuji, I-"

"Stand right there and don't move! Whatever you have to say, say it from there!"

"..."

"Brother Zhang Sheng! Are you human, or are you a transformed monster?"

"A monster? What monster?"

Zhangsun Wugou's question left Zhang Sheng utterly confused. How had monsters gotten dragged into this?

But he immediately began to understand, and his face turned red one moment and green the next.

He had utterly lost to these siblings. What sort of strange notions did they have?

"Sister Wugou! Why would you think I'm a monster?"

"Um...! When you transformed just now, you showed your true form: a giant Blue Silver Grass plant.

"And there was the unique Blue Silver Grass scenery that only your Blue Silver Village has."

Zhang Sheng couldn't blame them for making such a guess.

After all, anyone who saw his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul would let their imagination run wild.

"Brother Fuji! Sister Wugou! You've misunderstood. As for what happened just now,

"you can think of it as a kind of divine ability, or something like a dharma form.

"I'm not some monster like you said,

"but an upright son of Huaxia. I just happen to have some unique cultivation, that's all."

"Zhang Sheng! Are you sure you aren't lying to us?"

"We've known each other for a while now, haven't we? Do you think I look like a man-eating monster?"

"No! But just now..."

"That's why I want Sister Wugou to stay."

Zhang Sheng's sincere words finally put them somewhat at ease, but another question immediately arose.

"Are you going to all this trouble to keep Wugou here because she can also gain the same abilities as you?"

"Clever! That's exactly right!"

Once Zhangsun Wuji had confirmed what Zhang Sheng said, he grew excited at once.

Zhang Sheng had just given them a demonstration of the strength cultivation could bring, the kind of strength only immortals possessed.

Now Zhang Sheng was telling him that his sister Wugou could have it too. Wouldn't the Zhangsun family soar in the future?

"Brother Zhang Sheng! How does one cultivate? Do you think I can cultivate too?"

Zhangsun Wuji was no longer afraid. Instead, he asked Zhang Sheng about cultivation in a somewhat excited tone.

"Brother Fuji! Don't get excited just yet. At present, only Sister Wugou can do it. Whether anyone else can still needs to be investigated."

"Uh...! It's good enough that Wugou can cultivate. I was being a little greedy!"

Zhangsun Wuji was still a little disappointed to hear Zhang Sheng say that only Zhangsun Wugou could cultivate at present.

But when he remembered that Zhangsun Wugou was his own sister, he grew excited again.

"Brother Zhang Sheng! We misunderstood you just now. Please don't be angry. Wugou apologizes to you!"

"Sister Wugou! Don't do that. I was a little abrupt and didn't explain things clearly to you beforehand. That's what caused all this confusion."

"Hehe! I knew Brother Zhang Sheng was no ordinary person, but I didn't expect you to be like an immortal. You've given Wugou so many surprises."

Once all the misunderstandings were cleared up, Zhangsun Wugou was the happiest of all. She no longer had to worry that Zhang Sheng might be a monster, preventing them from seeing each other in the future.

Little girls really did think differently. The first thing they considered was whether they could still see the person in their hearts, not their own safety.

To return to the subject at hand, they went back to the earlier topic.

"Speaking of which, this is Wugou's good fortune. If not for that stab earlier,

"or if it had struck somewhere else, none of this might have happened. As things stand, she can be said to have gained a fortunate opportunity."

"Brother Zhang Sheng! Where did your way of cultivating come from? How come we've never seen it before?"

"Well, how should I put this? Just take it that I figured it out myself!"

Zhang Sheng couldn't explain where it came from, so he could only shamelessly claim he had figured it out himself.

"Really? Brother Zhang Sheng, you're amazing!"

Zhangsun Wugou gazed at Zhang Sheng with an adoring look, as though she had met her idol.

"Ahem! Wugou! Mind your manners!"

Hearing her brother's reminder, Zhangsun Wugou blushed a little at her earlier behavior.

She shyly turned her delicate body and lowered her head.

"Brother Fuji! Now that everything is out in the open, what do you think?"

Zhangsun Wuji understood what Zhang Sheng meant.

But he was somewhat uneasy about leaving Zhangsun Wugou alone with Zhang Sheng.

For one thing, his sister was still young and had never lived away from home on her own. He was afraid she wouldn't be accustomed to it.

For another, she was a girl, and she would have to marry when she grew up.

How could he leave her at a strange man's home for no apparent reason?

If word got out, how could his sister go on living?

But with such an immortal opportunity before them, he couldn't let Zhangsun Wugou simply give it up. Wouldn't that mean missing out on the opportunity?

As Zhangsun Wuji found himself caught between the two choices, Zhang Sheng noticed it too.

After all, the changing expression on Zhangsun Wuji's face made it clear that something was troubling him.

"Brother Fuji! If there's something troubling you, why not tell us? We can think of a solution together."

"Brother Zhang Sheng! Can this cultivation only be done here with you? Wouldn't it work somewhere else?"

Zhangsun Wuji didn't answer Zhang Sheng directly, but asked him a question instead.

Zhang Sheng didn't hide anything. He explained the risks and benefits to him.

"In principle, one can cultivate anywhere, but that isn't true of my method.

"Someone must guide her before she can cultivate it. Otherwise, things can easily go wrong. At best, she could be severely injured and paralyzed; at worst, her life could be in danger."

Zhang Sheng really wasn't trying to scare him. After all, he was still feeling his way forward.

He didn't yet have a fully workable cultivation method. Besides, as for Zhangsun Wugou's situation,

he didn't know whether it was a chance occurrence or an inevitable one. Zhang Sheng would have to explore all of that himself in the future.

So for now, the safest workable method was for her to cultivate at Zhang Sheng's side.

Having received his answer, Zhangsun Wuji was still a little disappointed, though he had been somewhat prepared for it.

"Brother Zhang Sheng! I'll be honest with you. I do have some concerns.

"Wugou is a girl, after all. She can't just move into some man's home for no reason. If word got out, what kind of propriety would that be?"

Hearing Zhangsun Wuji say this, Zhang Sheng also realized that men and women in this era had to observe certain proprieties. They weren't as casual as people in later times.

"That really is a problem. It's my fault for not thinking it through. Couldn't you stay here too, Brother Fuji?"

"Well..."

Zhangsun Wuji was still young, after all. He had never imagined he would spend his whole life in an unremarkable little place. He still had to seek justice for himself and his sister.

"Brother Zhang Sheng! Don't blame yourself. You were thinking of Wugou. Actually... actually, Wugou is willing!"

"Little sister! What did you say? I didn't quite hear you just now!"

Because Zhangsun Wugou had spoken rather quietly at the end, her brother Zhangsun Wuji hadn't heard her at all, so he asked her again.

But how could Zhangsun Wugou bring herself to say something so embarrassing a second time? She could only turn red in the face and glare at Zhangsun Wuji.

Zhangsun Wuji hadn't heard her, but Zhang Sheng, who was standing nearby, had.

He was a cultivator, after all, and his five senses were much sharper than an ordinary person's.

"Brother Fuji! How about this? I could take Sister Wugou as my junior sister. That way, couldn't we cultivate together?"

"That's right! That would work. A senior brother and junior sister are family too, so it would make sense for Wugou to cultivate here."

Zhangsun Wuji was overjoyed by Zhang Sheng's suggestion.

After all, this way, his sister could set foot on the path of cultivation with a proper reason.