My ancestors were spiritual plant growers, so it's not surprising that I hunt demons every day,

"In that case, I will send someone to propose marriage in a few days."

"Who cares? Come if you want, don't come if you don't want."

Gu Shiyin, however, became temperamental and awkwardly turned away.

Cui Ying looked up at the boy's well-defined jawline, and couldn't help but reach out and wrap her arms around his strong waist, smiling as she said:

"Brother Shiyin, I know your parents have some reservations about our relationship. They think my cultivation level is too low and don't want us to become husband and wife."

"But don't worry, I will break through to the mid-stage of Qi Refining by the end of the year at the latest, and build a magnificent mansion so that you can be my husband, Cui Ying, in style."

Hearing Cui Ying's promise, Gu Shiyin's throat bobbed several times, and his heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to jump out of his chest.

Gu family by the Xiushui River.

After Gu Shiyin and Cui Ying parted ways and he returned home, he was greeted by his mother's furious scolding:

"Your Majesty!"

"Where did you just go?"

Faced with his mother's questioning, Gu Shiyin, though not afraid, still obediently knelt in the courtyard:

"I'll go see Sister Aying off."

"Ah Ying, Ah Ying~ What's so good about this third daughter of the Cui family that has you so infatuated? You'd rather leave behind a respectable young lady from the Wu family and go after a country bumpkin like her to marry into your family. Are you trying to drive your mother crazy?"

Gu's mother's almond-shaped eyes widened, her pupils almost spitting fire.

Gu Shiyin straightened his back, raised his head to meet his mother's gaze, and replied, word by word:

"mother!"

“‘A great man should live between heaven and earth, how can he live a life of mediocrity and subservience?’ This is a saying that you taught me and my two elder brothers when we were young. Although I cannot cultivate, I will not be a servile and obsequious person.”

“My parents tacitly approved of my playing with Sister Ying in my younger years. Now that there is profit to be made, they would break their promise. I, Gu Shiyin, would never do that. Besides, Sister Ying and I are in love. I, Gu Shiyin, have decided that she is the one for me in this life.”

"you!"

"presumptuous!"

Mother Gu was so angry that she raised her hand halfway into the air.

“My son has made up his mind. Even if I beat you to death, I will never change it.”

"Furthermore, Miss Wu is of noble birth, and I am not worthy of her. Mother, you should try to avoid associating with those disreputable female cultivators in the future, lest you spread rumors and become a laughingstock."

"You think you can just stop contacting me like that?"

"You still know that Miss Wu is of noble birth and comes from a distinguished family! Do you really want me to just stand by and watch you get together with that Cui Ying, be dragged down by those children, and jump into a fire pit?"

Although Gu's mother was angry at her son's lack of self-respect, she ultimately did not bring down the slap she had raised.

"You...me"

"Ahem... Stop arguing, everyone."

"The child is still young and will understand your good intentions in the future. I heard that someone gave me two large blue-scaled fish. These kinds of spirit fish are very delicious... I remember that the three ways of cooking spirit fish that my wife researched last month were very novel. Today, I will trouble my wife to show off her skills so that I can have a good meal."

Just then, Mr. Gu came out from the main courtyard and coughed a few times, interrupting the argument between the mother and son.

"Eat, eat, eat!"

All you do all day is eat!

Upon seeing Gu's father, Gu's mother became furious and pointed at him, shouting:

"Children don't understand, but you, a man in your fifties, don't understand either? What kind of family is the Wu family? They are a renowned Qi Refining family in Thundercloud City!"

"To gain the favor of Miss Wu is an incredible stroke of luck. If she were to slip even a little something out of her pocket, our family would be..."

"enough!"

“As a woman, although we cultivators cannot do without opportunities and luck... have you inquired about the situation of that Miss Wu? Yin'er is just an ordinary person who cannot cultivate. If she marries into the Wu family and becomes a servant, and something happens to her, we will be powerless to help... At that time, you will have nowhere to cry.”

……

Hearing his parents arguing, Gu Shiyin remained kneeling upright.

In truth, he didn't care about the Wu family's young lady, nor did he want to be a servant of a high-ranking female cultivator. When he was nine years old, he was tricked by the village children and thrown into the Xiushui River, where it was Ah Ying who saved him.

From that moment on, his life belonged to Ah Ying, and his heart and soul belonged to Ah Ying.

If it weren't for the unforgettable kindness of his parents in raising him, he would have wanted to go find his Ah Ying immediately.

……

Cui Ying quickly took out the spirit stones and porcelain bottle from the cloth bag and placed them on her ankles, cuffs, and waist, before slowly walking out of the woods.

The reason for keeping them separate is to prevent unforeseen circumstances. When traveling, you can't put all your money in one basket.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one around was paying attention to her, Cui Ying set off on the main road home again, walking as if nothing had happened.

After rounding the last bend, the gravel road was filled with the hurried footsteps of many independent cultivators.

Most of the independent cultivators living in Shuangling Village are at the lowest level of the cultivation world. Every household is struggling financially, either busy planting spiritual rice and vegetables in the spiritual fields or busy forming teams to try their luck in the mountains.

"Ah Ying, I haven't seen you for several days, you look more energetic than before."

"That's true, even his cultivation level has increased quite a bit... No wonder he dared to go into the mountains to hunt demons."

I ran into some familiar faces on the way and greeted them.

Cui Ying gave a casual reply, but suddenly noticed that several familiar-looking spiritual plant growers hurriedly left their homes on the street.

"Oh dear, Cui Sanya!"

A loud voice called out to Cui Ying from behind.

The owner of this voice was none other than Zhao Sihai, a rogue cultivator from the demon-hunting team whom Cui Ying had casually saved on the day she was reborn.

Speaking of Zhao Sihai, he was also a tragic figure who lost his son to his father.

He moved to Shuangling Village with his wife and grandson at the beginning of the year. Due to his straightforward and irritable temperament, he offended many neighbors.

It was also by chance that Cui Zhengming happened to be passing by and kindly helped Zhao Sihai out of trouble a few times. Over time, the two families became closer.

"Uncle Zhao, where are you from?"

Cui Ying was in a good mood and greeted them with a smile.

Zhao Sihai and his wife, raising their grandson, had limited energy and only planted half an acre of rice outside the village.

"Recently, many people have had spirit marrow worms appear in their spirit fields. How's your field?"

"I haven't heard my father mention this before. I suppose even if he did, it probably wouldn't be too serious."

Cui Ying remembered that there had never been a large-scale insect infestation in her previous life. Although she was somewhat surprised to hear this, she was not too worried.

“You’re too young to know how terrifying these spirit marrow worms are. These things feed on spirit rice and reproduce at an extremely fast rate. If not handled properly, they can destroy a whole spirit field in half a day.”

“Especially the adult Spirit Essence Insects, whose shells are as hard as rocks, making them extremely difficult to kill. I just saw several independent cultivators go to find help. You should also hurry back and tell your father not to rush into the mountains to hunt demons these next few days. The spiritual plants in the fields are the most important thing.”

Seeing Zhao Sihai's solemn expression, Cui Ying also became serious. Fortunately, she had accidentally ripened half an acre of spiritual rice the night before, so even if a commotion broke out, the losses wouldn't be too severe.

But she didn't show it on her face, though she said urgently:

"Understood, Uncle Zhao. I'll go back and tell my father right away."

Zhao Sihai seemed to remember something and reminded him:

"By the way, Old Xu is dead. His nephew knocked on the door early this morning and found him bleeding from all seven orifices... He died a horrible death!"