In the past three months, Shen Qing and Li Xian often met in the small cave, just to avoid their crazy parents.
With the same situation and the same people they disliked, the two got along very well and soon became familiar with each other.
Worried that Shen Qing might be in danger when going up the mountain alone to pick matsutake mushrooms, Li Xian also carried a small basket and went up the mountain with her.
However, the matsutake mushrooms he picked were not kept for himself but all given to Shen Qing. His family didn't lack that little bit of money. Li Xian just wanted to stay by Shen Qing's side.
"Brother Li Xian, you've given me all the matsutake mushrooms. Aren't you keeping any for yourself?"
Holding a small shovel in her hand, Shen Qing carefully dug out the matsutake mushrooms under the fallen leaves and put them into her small basket.
Seeing that the small basket on Li Xian's back was empty, she was worried that Li Xian would be scolded by his parents when he got home, so she asked.
Li Xian shook his head. "It doesn't matter. My family doesn't lack this kind of food. I'll help you pick them so that you can be a bit more relaxed."
Shen Qing knew that Li Xian really didn't care about those matsutake mushrooms. So she looked up and gave Li Xian a sweet smile, sincerely saying, "Thank you, Brother Li Xian!"
Li Xian was stunned for a moment and involuntarily touched his nose. For some reason, every time Shen Qing called him brother, he always felt a bit embarrassed.
But despite the embarrassment, he still really liked to hear the little girl sweetly call him brother.
He never got tired of it.
Since Li Xian always ran to the back mountain, Shen Chuyun and those kids had no one to bully, so they caused trouble everywhere, making the villagers complain.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, three months passed quickly, and Shen Qing finally awaited the arrival of the elders from the sects.
The cultivators from different sects wore different clothes. They all looked down on each other, afraid that other sects would snatch away the good seedlings they had their eyes on.
At the forefront were the Qingyun Sword Sect and the Five - Element Dao Sect.
In order to select good seedlings, the elders of the sects would bring spiritual stones for testing spiritual roots and visit many places, and Xiaolin Village was no exception.
Upon learning that people from the Five - Element Dao Sect were coming, Li Xian's parents left a letter early in the morning and left Xiaolin Village, leaving Li Xian alone at home.
But Li Xian didn't feel sad. Instead, he felt a bit relieved.
"Little good - for - nothing, look at this clothes I'm wearing. Doesn't it make me look like a majestic immortal? And look at this peach - wood sword in my hand. Isn't it very sharp? Once I'm selected into the sect and become a sect disciple, I'll be able to learn the art of flying on a sword!"
Wearing a cape made of a bedsheet, Shen Chuyun waved a small peach - wood sword at Shen Qing.
Shen Qing was holding an embroidery and carefully sewing a sachet stitch by stitch. Seeing that Shen Chuyun was having fun, and not wanting her to disturb her, she replied perfunctorily.
"Yes, yes, yes. Brother looks good in anything. You will definitely become the most powerful immortal and defeat all the demons and ghosts."
Seeing that Shen Qing didn't even take her eyes off the embroidery, Shen Chuyun was dissatisfied. He used the peach - wood sword to lift the embroidery out of Shen Qing's hand and then smashed the sword hard on Shen Qing's head.
"You're just敷衍 me!!"
"I'm going to tell Mother that you ignored me. I'll make Mother beat you until your skin is broken!"
Shen Qing was really afraid of Erhu's wife's slaps, so she quickly comforted Shen Chuyun. "Brother, don't go. It's my fault. Please sit down first. Let me embroider your name on the cape so that this cape will be yours exclusively."
Seeing Shen Qing admit defeat, Shen Chuyun nodded in satisfaction. "Fine. You have to embroider a big one. It should say True Man Shen Chuyun!"
"Okay. I'll do it right away."
But before Shen Qing could pick up the needles and thread that had fallen on the ground, Erhu's wife pushed the door open forcefully. Seeing Shen Chuyun still sitting on the bed playing, she immediately anxiously picked Shen Chuyun up.
"Oh, my little ancestor. Why are you still here? The kids outside for the spiritual root test are already lining up in a long queue, and you're still taking your time here."
"Hurry up! Go with Mother!"
"Our family is surely going to have a great immortal. Mother is counting on you to bring honor to the family!"
After saying that, Erhu's wife gave Shen Qing a sideways glance with a very unfriendly tone. "Good - for - nothing. You stay at home and watch the house. Don't go out."
Seeing that her mother wouldn't let her go for the spiritual root test, Shen Qing immediately got a bit anxious. "Mother, didn't you say all the kids in the village should go? I want to go too. Don't lock me up at home!"
She pleaded desperately, but Erhu's wife got furious. She stretched out her finger and forcefully poked Shen Qing's forehead. "What are you going for the spiritual root test for? Do you think you have the chance to become a disciple of an immortal sect?"
"I think you just want to be lazy. Seeing a few good - looking men outside, you want to throw yourself at them, right?"
"Little slut. I'll wring your neck!"
While scolding, Erhu's wife also forcefully pinched Shen Qing's arm, with a ferocious look on her face, as if she was dealing with her sworn enemy.
In the end, Shen Qing still couldn't go out. Erhu's wife locked her in the house and told her to bake the pancakes before they came back.
Shen Qing's arm was pinched black and blue, and her forehead was also red. She curled up in a corner, crying.
She didn't really care about the pain on her body. Instead, she was crying because it seemed that she had no way to escape from this suffocating home and the disgusting old lame man at the village entrance.
This kind of despair made Shen Qing very scared.
But not long after Erhu's wife took Shen Chuyun away, Shen Qing heard someone knocking on the window. Sniffling, she opened the window and saw Li Xian's face.
"Brother Li Xian, why are you here?" Shen Qing said in surprise, and the haze just now was swept away.
Seeing the little girl still with tears in her eyes, a red forehead, and a messy hair bun, Li Xian knew that she had been beaten again. He immediately said angrily, "Why did your mother beat you again? Why can't she just leave you alone for a day?"
Not wanting Li Xian to worry, Shen Qing raised her hand to cover her forehead and quickly wiped away her tears, but she forgot that she had flour on her hands from baking the pancakes.
Now Shen Qing's face looked dirty, like a little kitten.
"Mother won't let me go out for the spiritual root test, Brother Li Xian. I can't go out. Don't waste your time. Hurry up, or you'll miss it."
Hearing this, Li Xian looked around. Then he picked up a wire from the ground, went to the lock of the house door, fiddled with it for a while, and the lock was opened.
Shen Qing ran out of the house and looked at Li Xian with admiration on her face. "Brother Li Xian, you're really amazing!"
"Okay, stop talking. Let's go quickly!"
After saying that, Li Xian grabbed Shen Qing's hand and ran towards the village entrance.
By the time they arrived, most of the kids had already finished the spiritual root test and were standing there dejectedly.
The village head was also sighing. "Alas, won't there be any kids selected this year again?"
Although the villagers were disappointed, this result was expected. "It's not that easy to become an immortal. The village head doesn't need to be too disappointed. The opportunity just hasn't come yet."