Ch 23: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

Jiang Lin had prepared a lot of explanations in his mind, but Zong Yu’s words left him stunned.

Seeing Zong Yu’s joyful and unaffected expression, Jiang Lin couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you curious? Don’t you have any questions?”

Zong Yu was puzzled, “Huh? About what?”

Seeing that he truly didn’t care, Jiang Lin decided not to mention it further. He looked around and asked, “Where’s Qingluo? Why isn’t she here?”

Given the significance of his emergence from seclusion, Qingluo, who had a soul contract with him, should have sensed it immediately.

Zong Yu was also surprised that the little girl hadn’t shown up yet, but that didn’t stop him from taking the opportunity to complain, “Hmph, look at me—I sensed that you were coming out of seclusion, dropped everything, and rushed over right away. But Qingluo, that ungrateful little girl, hasn’t even shown up for something this important. You’ve spoiled her for nothing. You should really…”

Jiang Lin was curious, “Should really what?”

Zong Yu tilted his head, speaking with righteous conviction, “Of course, you should treat me better. It would be best if you could make more delicious food every day.”

Jiang Lin: “… You really have ambitions, don’t you?”

A dignified great demon, scheming against a little tree spirit just for something to eat?

While talking, Jiang Lin scanned the entire White Tiger Ridge with his divine sense and located Qingluo on Immortal Peach Mountain.

Sensing the chaotic aura and unstable demonic energy around her, Jiang Lin frowned, his concern evident. He told Zong Yu and then quickly flashed over.

Zong Yu pouted and followed.

Immortal Peach Mountain was the mountain managed by the Ape clan. When Jiang Lin had given them various fruit tree seeds, those seeds had been improved over several generations, and with the nourishment of White Tiger Ridge’s spiritual energy, the fruits grown were exceptionally sweet, juicy, and fragrant.

The Ape clan, who loved peaches, planted extra, and after obtaining Jiang Lin’s consent, they renamed the mountain to Immortal Peach Mountain.

It was early spring, and the mountain should have been filled with blooming peach blossoms. But due to Jiang Lin’s recent spiritual energy surge, all the blossoms had instantly fallen, giving way to heavy fruits, much to the delight of the little monkeys.

When Jiang Lin found Qingluo, she was sitting cross-legged on the ground, faint green spiritual light flickering around her. Standing beside her was a beautiful woman in a pink dress with snow-white skin and flower-like features.

Jiang Lin could tell that this peach blossom spirit was timid, trembling at the sight of him and Zong Yu.

Jiang Lin asked her what had happened, and the peach blossom spirit nervously explained.

Apparently, during the moment when Jiang Lin’s spiritual energy flooded the area as he emerged from seclusion, nearly all the plant-based spirits benefited. Qingluo seemed to react even more strongly—she had been admiring the flowers with the peach blossom spirit when she suddenly told her to wait and then closed her eyes and sat down.

After she finished speaking, the peach blossom spirit glanced shyly at Jiang Lin with her glistening eyes.

But Jiang Lin didn’t notice her; instead, he carefully examined Qingluo and used the Nine Spirits Technique to sense her condition. Suddenly, he smiled.

“It’s a good thing,” he said.

It was likely due to their soul connection that Qingluo had received the greatest benefit from his breakthrough. His original demonic energy had been transformed into the wood-element spiritual power of the Nine Spirits Technique.

Although his apparent strength hadn’t increased much and his combat power might even be slightly weaker than before, in reality, Jiang Lin’s current demon body had broken free from the limitations of the bone demon, allowing him to pursue a broader path with a more promising future.

Qingluo had gained the most from this, entering a state of deep meditation.

If Jiang Lin guessed correctly, Qingluo would undergo a drastic transformation after this meditation session.

He was indeed correct.

Qingluo’s meditation didn’t last long; about two hours later, the spiritual light around her suddenly intensified. Under Jiang Lin’s watchful eyes, the small, fair-skinned girl’s figure suddenly stretched and, in no time, she had grown into a girl of around twelve or thirteen years old.

Jiang Lin: ?

He was rarely taken aback, but he watched this scene in shock.

Qingluo opened her eyes, and upon seeing her beloved father Jiang Lin, she couldn’t hold back her excitement. She let out a cheer and leaped into Jiang Lin’s arms. “Daddy!”

Normally, Jiang Lin would have been more than happy to embrace his precious daughter, but at the moment, he was still somewhat bewildered.

I just went into seclusion for a while, and my adorable daughter has grown so much?

As a first-time father, Jiang Lin had very mixed feelings.

“What’s wrong, Daddy?” Qingluo asked, tilting her head in confusion when she didn’t get a response from him.

Jiang Lin took a moment to adjust his mindset, telling himself that his twelve-year-old daughter was just as beautiful and lovely, and finally regained his composure.

He smiled, patted Qingluo’s head, and conjured a water mirror with a wave of his hand. “Take a look at yourself.”

Qingluo looked over in confusion and saw a girl in the mirror who was both familiar and unfamiliar. She touched her face, and the person in the mirror did the same. She jumped, and the person in the mirror jumped too.

“Ah!” Qingluo suddenly exclaimed, “I’ve grown up!”

She expressed her joy, looking up at Jiang Lin. “Daddy, I’ve grown up!”

She was still the same sweet, familiar girl. Jiang Lin shook off the last bit of unease in his heart and smiled as he said, “Yes, our Qingluo has grown up. There will be a celebration banquet tonight, and Daddy will make you a big cake!”

Qingluo happily went over to her friend. “Peach Blossom, I’ve grown up!”

Peach Blossom softly congratulated her.

Then Qingluo ran over to Zong Yu, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since earlier, and loudly announced, “Little Uncle Zong, I’ve grown up!”

As if that wasn’t enough, she stretched out her hand to measure their height and gleefully added, “Now I’m taller than you.”

Zong Yu: “…”

He looked at Qingluo with displeasure, snorted heavily, and transformed into a stream of light as he left.

Zong Yu often showed a sour face to Qingluo, but she didn’t mind. She happily ran off to find her other friends, eager to show them her new, grown-up self.

However, Jiang Lin couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with Zong Yu’s mood.

He found Zong Yu in his own courtyard.

Zong Yu was sitting on the tall form of Yunmu’s original tree body.

Although Yunmu had transformed into a demon, as a tree, he preferred to take root in the soil in his original form most of the time. He was old and had a good temper, never minding when the young demons climbed on him to play or use him as a swing.

As for Zong Yu, whether Yunmu minded or not didn’t really matter to him.

When Jiang Lin approached, Zong Yu saw him but didn’t speak.

Jiang Lin said, “Old Yun, I need to talk to Zong Yu.”

Yunmu understood and, with a flash of green light, his massive tree form vanished.

Zong Yu looked at him unhappily. “What are you doing? Now I have nowhere to sit.”

Jiang Lin sat directly on the ground and motioned for him to join. “Sit.”

Zong Yu looked disdainful. “The ground is filthy.”

Despite his words, he obediently walked over and sat down next to Jiang Lin.

Jiang Lin asked, “Why are you upset?”

Zong Yu denied it, “I’m not!”

Jiang Lin chuckled, “Your lips are pouting so much you could hang something on them, and you say you’re not upset?”

Zong Yu suddenly fell silent.

Jiang Lin thought he didn’t want to talk, but then he heard a quiet voice:

“I’ve been a little kid for so many years… When will I grow up?”