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

At dusk, at the Cui family's residence.

When Cui Ying returned home carrying the palm-sized iron-eating beast, the rogue cultivators who had helped build the new house had already gone home, leaving the courtyard in a mess.

Mother Wang Rong was directing Cui Yue and Cui Yan to take turns using their dust-cleaning technique to clean the courtyard.

Cui Yan stammered as he recited the incantation, and with great difficulty, he released a beam of spiritual light by coordinating his hand gestures, which attracted a gentle breeze that swept up the leftover food.

"Crackling"

But then, seeing something, he paused, and the wind suddenly dissipated, instead smashing all the bowls and plates on the table to the ground, shattering them instantly.

"Ah~!"

Wang Rong was startled by this sudden turn of events, her eyes widening in shock. A surge of anger welled up within her, and she raised her hand, ready to slap Cui Yan on the backside.

"You unlucky brat, you're deliberately trying to annoy me! Believe me or not, I'll beat you to a pulp today!"

This simple dust-purifying technique has failed several times today.

"I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to!"

Knowing he couldn't escape his mother's clutches today, Cui Yan turned and ran the instant he'd caused trouble, yelling and screaming as he ran:

"It's all my third sister's fault! She suddenly appeared at the door and startled me, that's why I failed! I really didn't mean to, Mother, please forgive me!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Rong paused and looked towards the courtyard gate. Sure enough, she saw Cui Ying and Taxue stepping through the threshold. Only then did she let go of Cui Yan, who had already disappeared, and called out to the kitchen:

"Eldest daughter-in-law, your third sister is back. Quickly bring out the warm food and big bones in the pot."

After saying that, she took a deep breath, put on a smile, and walked over to Cui Ying, intending to see what Cui Ying had gained that day.

She was a little stunned when she saw Cui Ying's blank face and obvious bad mood.

"My dear girl, it's normal not to hunt any monsters. Don't think it's just you; even the most renowned monster hunters in the village sometimes come back empty-handed."

However, she quickly realized what was happening. After comforting Cui Ying for a few moments, she suddenly noticed that Cui Ying was carrying something round in her hand.

"Mother~"

Just as Cui Ying was about to say something, she saw her mother jump over and conjure a large cluster of golden needles, aiming them at her. She exclaimed in horror:

"This monster is playing dead! Daughter, let go quickly and let your mother kill it!"

Another monster has entered the house!?

Wang Rong's actions immediately alerted Cui Zhengming and the others who were cultivating in the inner room, and they all came out and looked at Cui Ying with wary expressions.

"Father, Mother, Second Sister, don't be afraid!"

Seeing the panicked state of the family, Cui Ying quickly held the iron-eating beast in front of her and vigorously rubbed its round little head, saying:

“Take a closer look. This iron-eating beast has no magical power and poses no threat to us.”

Iron-eating beast!?

Upon hearing this, the Cui family members, who had been filled with anxiety, all breathed a sigh of relief and stopped the spell they were casting.

The younger Cui Yue ran over, shouting as she ran:

"What is an iron-eating beast? Third sister, I want to see an iron-eating beast!"

"You little rascal, you scared me to death!"

At this moment, Wang Rong also walked over and glared at Cui Ying, saying somewhat sarcastically:

"This is a demonic beast. Even if it doesn't have magic power, you can't just bring it home like that. Why don't we kill it and exchange it for spirit stones to prevent future trouble?"

"Mother~"

Seeing her mother's money-grubbing, greedy look, Cui Ying was speechless.

Just as he was about to say something, Cui Yue asked curiously:

"Third sister, didn't Father say that all demonic beasts are huge? Like Ta Xue, she's only at the second level of Qi Refining and she's already as tall as me~ Why is this Iron-Eating Beast so tiny?"

Upon hearing Cui Yue's words, Wang Rong finally realized what was happening and noticed the unusual nature of the iron-eating beast.

Cui Ying also took the opportunity to explain to her family why she had brought back this iron-eating beast.

"I saw this iron-eating beast injured in the Phoenix Mountains today, so I took it back to Aunt Yao's house to treat it. Who would have thought that this guy would swallow an entire bottle of spirit-sealing pills from Aunt Yao, which is why it looks like this now."

"Spirit-Sealing Pill!?"

Cui Zhengming, with his hands behind his back, clicked his tongue upon hearing this, thinking to himself:

I was even poisoned by miasma before and couldn't bear to go see Fairy Yao, but you little rascal, you sure know how to eat!

"Hmm~"

Cui Ying nodded slightly, glanced at her mother who was curiously examining the iron-eating beast, and subtly transmitted her voice to her father, Cui Zhengming:

"Father, how many spirit stones do you have left?"

"what?"

"I'd like to borrow some spirit stones."

"How much?"

"Hehe, not many, just one hundred and twenty."

Upon hearing this, Cui Zhengming's lips twitched, and he felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, almost fainting from lack of breath.

Seeing the strange exchange between the father and daughter, Wang Rong couldn't help but roll her eyes and ask:

"What are you whispering about behind our backs? What's going on in this family that I can't know?"

"Hehe~ Mother saw through my telepathic communication with Father? Mother, you're so amazing!"

Cui Ying winked openly at her father, then smiled slyly at her mother:

"Fairy Yao said that this little thing needs to be cared for for a while, so I plan to keep it at home for now."

Looking at Ta Xue, who was now quietly squatting under the jacaranda tree gnawing on spirit bones, and the little golden scorpion dozing off on Cui Ying's shoulder with its tail hook raised.

"Whatever, you decide for yourself."

Wang Rong waved her hand dismissively and said, "Anyway, we don't need it to eat, so one more or one less won't make a difference."

Meanwhile, Cui Zhengming, who took a while to react, glared at Cui Ying and replied again using divine sense transmission:

"I'll bring it to your window tonight at midnight. But remember to pay back your father next time you earn spirit stones."

"It's getting late, daughter, come in and have dinner."

Seeing that Cui Yan had somehow appeared and was huddled with Cui Yue, tilting his head and pointing at the iron-eating beast in Cui Ying's hand, Wang Rong slapped him on the butt and shouted:

"Stop looking! Cui Yue and Cui Yan, have you finished your own tasks? Hurry up and go practice your spells!"

Hearing her mother call her to eat, Cui Ying seemed to remember something and called out:

"Second sister, could you help me go to the bamboo forest north of the village and cut some tender bamboo shoots?"

"Okay, I'll be right back."

"I want to go! Second sister, I want to go too!"

Upon hearing that Cui Lin was about to leave, Cui Yue immediately jumped up and ran off with Cui Lin, disappearing in a flash.

At this moment, Cui Ying grabbed Cui Yan by the neck and said, "Don't touch it, or it will bite your hand off!"

Whether it's because Cui Ying never shows him any mercy when beating him, or because he saw how fierce Cui Ying was when she dealt with Gale Tiger that night, Cui Yan is now terrified of his third sister. If Cui Ying tells him to go east, he won't dare to go west; if Cui Ying tells him to stand, he won't dare to sit.

"Third sister, I didn't touch it~ I was just curious."

Seeing Cui Ying narrow her eyes, Cui Yan quickly gave his third sister a fawning smile: "Hehe, third sister, don't be angry, I'll leave right away, okay?!"

After Cui Yan sat down obediently under the jacaranda tree to meditate and cultivate, Cui Ying sat down at the table and chairs set up in the courtyard, took the bowl and chopsticks handed to her by Madam Yang, and slowly began to eat her dinner.