Ball Ball Cultivation

Three months later, Qiuqiu woke up in a semi-man-made cave. Lying on a stone bed, he felt weak and achy, his spiritual power drained, his head aching, and his consciousness severely damaged.

Qiuqiu slowly sat up, able to observe his surroundings with his eyes. The cave entrance was closed, and warm sunlight streamed through the skylight above. On the nearby wooden table lay a few pottery jars and coarse porcelain dishes, while on the other side lay a wardrobe and farm tools like a hoe. Was this a farmer's cave? After ensuring it was safe, Qiuqiu began to cultivate and heal his wounds. His consciousness had been severely damaged, and he was unable to retrieve the contents of his storage ring. He wore a coarse cotton coat, and the storage bag hung from his waist. The storage rings of the four Nascent Soul cultivators he had desperately plucked from him were hidden in a close-fitting pocket. Who knew if they were still there?

One incense stick, two incense sticks, one hour, two hours, Qiuqiu, as a chaotic spirit, didn't feel any spiritual energy at all - this is the Absolute Spirit Mirror! After two hours of buffering, Qiuqiu not only realized this fact, but also slowly accepted it!

As the sun set, a couple in their forties walked in. Their faces were weather-beaten and they looked like ordinary farmers. The man was tall and strong, with a little beard, and he felt even more uneasy when he saw Qiuqiu.

The kind-looking sister-in-law came forward and asked, "Miss, you're finally awake! Your friend had to go back for something urgent and entrusted you to our family for care. It's been almost two months, and I didn't expect you to wake up!"

"Excuse me, where is this? What is its name?" Qiuqiu asked politely.

"This is Kaoshan Village. My husband's surname is Tian. You can call me Aunt Tian and he can be Uncle Tian!" As he said this, he pointed to the honest and uneasy man next to him!

"Um, did my friend leave me anything or a letter?"

Aunt Tian quickly opened the cabinet, took out a bundle from the bottom, and handed it to Qiuqiu, "This is what your friend left behind. It's all in here. We haven't opened it yet. There was also ten taels of silver left. He said he would take care of you, two taels a month. You've lived here for less than two months, so I'll take three taels from you. I have to return the remaining seven taels to you tomorrow." At the end, her voice became smaller and she felt less confident.

Qiuqiu looked at the couple without saying a word, holding the bundle in his arms without opening it to check.

Suddenly, Uncle Tian squatted down and said in a gruff voice, "I've embezzled two taels of silver, leaving us with only five. Tomorrow, if I go to the market and sell a few rabbit skins, I think I'll be able to make up the difference. Don't worry, young lady, we absolutely have no desire for your money."

After hearing the explanation, Qiuqiu opened the bundle and saw his tattered robe. Without the spiritual energy, it had become dull and lifeless, but the material was still very good. In the hidden pocket of his robe, there were four storage rings, all missing. His mood suddenly brightened a lot! His attitude towards the Tian couple also improved a lot.

"Uncle Tian, ​​there's no rush. I need to stay for a few more days to recover. You can just give me five taels of silver."

The couple was deeply moved and treated Qiuqiu very politely in their subsequent interactions.

Qiuqiu's dinner consisted of thin noodles and a poached egg. Without spiritual energy to sustain her, Qiuqiu had to eat what she needed. The chewy noodles were incredibly sweet.

During the meal, we learned that the person who sent Qiuqiu here for treatment was a young man who was obviously not an ordinary person.

Kaoshan Village belongs to Shanmiao Town, Tan County. It is a large county in the Great Qi State close to the southern primeval forest. There are many mountains and little land here, with abundant rainfall and dense forests. Most of the villagers live in natural caves halfway up the mountain. Otherwise, the flat areas at the foot of the mountain will often be flooded due to the heavy rain in summer.

Years of rainwater erosion had formed fertile soil in the natural mountain streams, so the nearby villagers lived a relatively comfortable life through farming, hunting, and the occasional mountain product gathering. The reason for moving the money was because the family's son, now twelve years old, had completed his studies at a private school in the mountains and excelled academically. His teacher had recommended him to the town's university, where the annual tuition was ten taels. The family's savings were only enough for half, so they had to use the money to pay for Qiuqiu's care. After nearly two months of care with no signs of recovery, the Tian couple had given up hope. Unexpectedly, Qiuqiu suddenly woke up and was caught red-handed.

They didn't find much information about the friend. He was an imposing young man, seven feet tall, with sharp eyes and dressed in black. The couple didn't dare to look at his specific appearance. Aunt Tian added, "He had a dark green tiger-shaped jade pendant hanging from his waist. Hanging with the jade pendant were two gold and silver bells the size of fingernails, but they made no sound when he walked."

"Aunt Tian, ​​do you know where I fell unconscious?"

"I actually know this. Near the tiankeng, we're surrounded by mountains, mostly covered in trees. There's only about a dozen miles around the tiankeng where there's no grass at all. Your friend said you fainted near the tiankeng and didn't seem to regain consciousness. He had something to deal with, so he left you at my house and paid for us to take care of you. The doctor in town couldn't figure out what was going on, but the witch Wang at the end of the village said it was a curse! They used to envy my family for having this way of making money and were saying bad things about us. Now that there's this curse rumor, everyone's sympathizing with us!"

After she finished speaking, she realized what she had said and apologized quickly: "Girl, that's not what I meant. You and your friend are both noble people. I changed the clothes you were wearing. When I washed them, I just rinsed the dirt off in water and it was clean. I was just about to take them out to dry when they were dry. I quickly put them away for you and put them at the bottom of the cupboard. These are all legendary good things. Don't worry, the old man and I haven't told anyone, not even my daughter and son."

"Well, for their safety, you did the right thing. You must be more careful not to leak anything in the future. Money can tempt people and easily lead to fatal disasters." Seeing that the two were frightened, he asked carefully:

“Is this place far from the tiankeng?”

"We are the village closest to the tiankeng."

"I want to go there in the next two days. Can you show me the way?"

Aunt Tian naturally agreed: "When you are fully recovered, your Uncle Tian will go to the mountains to hunt some game, and I will pick mushrooms and wild fungi. I will take you there to see if there is anything I have missed. I don't know if we can still find it. We locals don't go there, so it's hard to say for outsiders!"

Uncle Tian and Aunt Tian have a son and a daughter. The daughter got married a long time ago and lives in a village near the town, where there are more fields and they live a relatively affluent life.

They were nearly thirty when they had their first son, a bright and energetic one, who was also a top student in the village. The couple often went up the mountain to find local produce to supplement their family income. They didn't dare venture deep into the mountains themselves, so they just wandered around the nearby hills, hunting pheasants and rabbits. If they were lucky, they might even spot a roe deer.

On a large hilltop north of the tiankeng stands a Niangniang Temple. Inside, a nun, Qingqian, is a highly versed Buddhist practitioner. There's also an elderly woman, Qingqian, who cultivates her hair and cultivates her body. She's served by several nuns and a dozen strong guards. The monks are kind, and villagers with acute illnesses often go up the mountain to seek the nun's help, who often comes to their aid.