Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Before the list of disciples from the two sects was released, a new issue of "The Real and Fake Heiress" had already been published.

Upon hearing the parrot say, "Hey! What's this? Give me some!" Shi Huai suspected that the spirit rice had the effect of enhancing the spirit bird's consciousness.

In order to maximize the effectiveness of this "Beast Taming System", Shi Huai not only planted the remaining spirit rice, but also kept one grain to test it on himself.

To my surprise, as soon as I held it in my palm, the parrot came over and started chattering incessantly.

"Humans eat rice, birds eat grains of rice!"

"Give me some food, give me some food!"

Hearing the parrot's chatter, Shi Huai stopped what he was doing and fell into thought.

Just as the parrot thought she was going to feed it the spirit rice and opened its mouth to receive the food, Shi Huai grabbed its wing.

She asked the system in her consciousness:

"If spirit rice is so miraculous, wouldn't the effects be even more pronounced if the spirit birds raised on it were roasted and eaten?"

Parrots are quite intelligent and not suitable as food.

However, chickens, ducks, and geese are meant to be eaten, and cooking them might make one's cultivation level improve even more significantly.

To her surprise, the system stopped her actions and issued a warning:

"This is a Beast Taming System. You must fight alongside spirit beasts; indiscriminate killing is strictly prohibited!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Huai gently stroked the parrot's feathers, and the parrot, which had been making a racket, gradually quieted down.

Strange, how come crisis and care have appeared together?

Shi Huai gently stroked the parrot in his arms, continuing to probe the system's stance, and asked:

"Among all living beings in the world, humans are one of them. Could we be considered as beasts that can be controlled?"

If it wasn't a misperception, the system seemed to pause for a moment before replying:

"Please correct your thinking, host!"

Very good, you are a system that does not indiscriminately kill the innocent, nor does it rebel against the Heavenly Gang.

After various attempts and subtle probing, Shi Huai finally felt at ease.

The daily tasks issued by the system afterwards were both extremely simple and extremely tedious.

It's not enough to just change their water and feed them, and prepare their living space; you also have to talk to them and sing to them!

Following the daily task list provided by the system, Shi Huai finished chatting with the noisy parrot.

As I stood up, a notification sounded in my mind: "Ding—points increased by one."

"What are these points actually used for?"

The points system is not difficult to understand; both academies and sects have similar mechanisms.

These days, the locust tree keeps its doors closed to raise birds.

She worked hard every day to complete the relevant tasks and accumulate points. She did ask questions during this time, but the system always told her to wait patiently.

With his score nearing 100, rumors began to circulate widely – all saying that Shi Huai was too heartbroken to leave his room.

She hadn't expected the system to answer, but to her surprise, it changed its tune today.

"Task 2 unlocked: The spirit beast is thriving. The small dwelling is hindering the spirit beast's physical and mental health. Please change its living space so that the spirit beast can grow up in nature!"

"Task Reward: Points Redemption Enabled"

Shi Huai looked around with a slightly bewildered expression.

A small dwelling?

How did her rather spacious detached house become such a small dwelling?

Just as Shi Huai was about to ask for more details, Steward Song came to deliver a message:

"Miss, Madam Shi invites you to dine in the main courtyard."

The person is not good!

Upon seeing that it was Steward Song who came to deliver the message, Shi Huai immediately became wary.

Sure enough, before they could even exchange a few words, Steward Song took the opportunity to point out that the courtyard of Shijin was overgrown with weeds and infested with mosquitoes.

Upon hearing the message from Butler Song, a member of the collateral branch of the family immediately chimed in:

"Yes, Shi Huai's courtyard is the most spacious, while Shi Jin's courtyard is so cramped. You two shouldn't be so biased!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze immediately fell upon Shi Huai.

How could there be a case where a fake heiress occupies the best courtyard while the real heiress lives in a remote little courtyard?

Shi Jin didn't think there was anything wrong with the place she lived in.

After all, it was much better than her previous place, but when others spoke up for her, she felt a little awkward and aggrieved for no reason.

Suddenly, she lost her appetite and quickly lowered her head to hide her reddened eyes.

But how could her behavior possibly hide it from everyone present?

The Shi couple, in particular, although they valued Shi Huai more, had no intention of mistreating Shi Jin now that things had come to this, and immediately thought of a good place to stay.

But they found that it was either too far away or not very respectable.

Just as the atmosphere was starting to freeze, Shi Huai put down his chopsticks, turned to Butler Song, and said:

"We're having a family meal, what right do you have to interrupt?"

Then, smiling, he said to the Shi couple:

"Mother, I'm currently practicing swordsmanship, and the current courtyard is a bit cramped. I'm thinking of moving to the garden on Nanshan Mountain. How about letting my sister Shijin live in my courtyard?"

It's a large place, and it's also surrounded by nature!

Perfect for keeping birds!

However, the Shi family members and outsiders who learned the news did not think so; they all believed that Shi Huai had been wronged.

Heartbroken, he moved out of the Shi family home.

Maybe she's hiding in the garden in Nanshan and crying!

Meanwhile, Shi Huai, who had been the subject of much speculation, stood contentedly on the rooftop. She released her grip and smiled at the parrot, saying:

"Fly!"

The Shi family home is indeed too small.

Compared to the whole world.

As the parrot chirped and shouted, "I want to fly higher!"

The system's voice rang in Shi Huai's consciousness—

The points redemption system is now open.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Then, it came to an abrupt end once again.

Tang Xin closed the Canglang Collection with a touch of emotion, and for a moment he didn't want to read the rest of the stories.

No wonder they called that courtyard a "small dwelling".

The world is so vast, why get bogged down in that quagmire of scheming?

I want to fly higher...

Thinking of that mischievous parrot, Tang Xin found it amusing. Who was trying to fly higher? Was it that little parrot?

No, it was Shi Huai who left the Shi family.

Seeing the vastness of the world, I realized that I had been trapped in a cage.

No wonder the people in Beixuan City have started raising spirit beasts. If you haven't seen Shi Huai and the parrot, you won't remember them.

But after witnessing their noisy daily life, I always felt like I was all alone.

There are fewer chattering things around me now.

Tang Xin sighed and slumped onto the table. Pets were nice, but these days there were rumors circulating in the Star-Picking Tower that a group of people were going to attend the Xiaotian Sect's disciple exchange meeting.

What's the point of communicating with that annoying sect...?

I heard that Senior Sister Zhu will be going this time too...

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Shen Xun picked a bagful of wild fruits and was sharing them with his friends.

"It's a good thing you can't talk like that parrot, otherwise I wouldn't dare to chat with you."

The Glazed Cloud Bird tilted its head and pecked at the mountain fruit in Shen Xun's palm, showing a rather intelligent appearance.

"In the Star-Picking Tower, I..."

Should I not have come back?

……

Ah Li doesn't talk to him, but simply being there for him is enough.

Before leaving, Shen Xun thought of the contents of the storybook, hesitated for a while, and then took out a spirit herb from his storage bag.