Cultivating In Secret Beside A Demoness

“Are these enough?” Jiang Hao asked as he dug out the third bamboo shoot. “That’s more than enough. Thank you, young man.”

With that, Jiang Hao put away his tools, slung the bamboo basket on his back, and walked forward.

After walking for a while, the old man was panting.

“Let’s rest for a while,” Jiang Hao said as he stopped by the rocks near a stream.

“I’m old now… Can’t walk as much.” The old man sat down on one of the rocks.

Jiang Hao also sat down beside him. The air was rife with the sound of a gurgling stream and birds chirping.

“Young man, it seems you rarely venture to the mountains. Am I right?” said the old man.

“That’s correct. I didn’t have time to experience something like this before.” The two of them got up and started walking toward the village.

“Have you ever thought of finding out about your children?” Jiang Hao asked.

“No.” The old man smiled sadly. “I don’t think they want us around. That’s fine with me. I still have a daughter. It’s enough.’

Jiang Hao nodded. He heard someone rushing toward them.

It was Cheng Chou. He was running in their direction. Presumably, he was looking for the old man.

Cheng Chou reached them and heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the old man. The old man seemed somewhat embarrassed. “I’ve troubled you.”

Cheng Chou shook his head and let him know that it was alright. Then he noticed Jiang Hao beside the old man. “Senior Brother Jiang!”

The old man looked shocked. He extended his trembling hand to take the bamboo basket off of Jiang Hao’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have made you dig the shoots and carry them!”

Jiang Hao grabbed the old man’s hand gently. “It’s alright. I don’t mind.”

He then turned to Cheng Chou. “Junior Brother Cheng, you can go back. We’ll catch up.”

Cheng Chou nodded and went back.

“I… I didn’t know it was you, Elder,” the old man said and lowered his head.

Jiang Hao smiled. “That’s alright. And you can continue calling me “young man.” I prefer that.”

“You are different.” said the old man as he glanced at Tiane Hao. “The rich folks in the city act high and mighty. But you don’t put on such an attitude, young man. ”

Jiang Hao laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Jiang Hao knew better than anyone how cultivators treated ordinary non-cultivators. He didn’t feel that way. He understood that regardless of whether you were a cultivator or a non-cultivator, everyone was equal. Besides, he always felt calm around anyone he met.

After a long while, Jiang Hao and the old man arrived at Xiao Li’s home again.

At this time, an old woman leaning on a cane stood at the gate of the courtyard.

When Jiang Hao approached, she was about to kneel to pay respects. But before she could do that, a gust of wind lifted her up.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Hao asked.

The old woman was hunched over, her eyes squinting from habit because she couldn’t see clearly. Her hands had several liver spots.

“Paying my respects to you,” she said.

“There is no need for that,” said Jiang Hao.

The old woman was astonished.

Upon entering, Jiang Hao searched the ground in the courtyard and retrieved the ring.

He entered Xiao Li’s house and sat down on a chair. Xiao Li’s old parents were at a loss.

Just as Jiang Hao was about to speak, the old woman suddenly remembered something and hurried to the kitchen.

She brought out some pastries and tea.

“You should sit down, too,” Jiang Hao said.

Only then did the two of them sit down, but they seemed uneasy.

“Xiao Li went to catch fish. She won’t be gone for long. She has no trouble catching fish, but she likes to play in the water and take her time,” said the old woman.

Jiang Hao asked about their names. The old man’s name was Miao Shi, and the old woman’s name was Miao Xiang.

They had lived their entire lives in the village and never traveled far from here. The farthest they had ever been was the nearby town.

Their son left home for the city at the age of nineteen, and their daughter got married at the age of sixteen and moved to the city as well. They used to visit once every three or five years. But it had been several years since they had visited.

“We… found Xiao Li many years ago. She has brought us unimaginable comfort,” said Miao Xiang. “We wanted to watch her grow up, but it seems that would be… impossible.”

Jiang Hao saw the wall where marks had been drawn to measure Xiao Li’s height.

“She will grow up.” Jiang Hao looked at the two elderly people in front of him.

“She is just a bit slow, but she is strong.”

The two elders glanced at each other. They looked hesitant.

At that moment, Jiang Hao suddenly felt a fluctuation of spiritual energy. It was coming from upstream. Although faint, it was somewhat strange.

“Where does Xiao Li go to catch fish?” he suddenly asked.

“She often goes upstream. She says the fish there are larger and more delicious,” Miao Shi said.

“I’ll go take a look.” Jiang Hao disappeared.

He vanished like dust in the wind.

The old couple looked at each other. They were stunned.

Upstream at the Huangsha River, there was a loud boom.

Xiao Li emerged from the water with a big fish in her hands.

Behind her, the river surged, and a huge creature emerged from the water.

It was a black dragon. It looked at Xiao Li with eyes filled with fear and excitement.

“Why did you steal my fish?” Xiao Li glared at the dragon.

In front of the dragon, she was nothing but a tiny ant, but she showed no fear at all.

“A True Dragon?” said the dragon as it looked at Xiao Li in bewilderment. “What kind of True Dragon are you? Why does your blood carry such pure energy? I have been observing you in fear for seven days. You are still weak. Once I devour you, I will be the True Dragon!”

“I caught this fish for my parents. If you try to steal it again, I won’t let you off so easily,” said Xiao Li.

The dragon laughed and looked up at the sky. “You are truly stupid. Even the heavens are helping me!”

The dragon’s body surged, and it pounced at Xiao Li. “This place will be where I transform into a True Dragon!”

It appeared in front of Xiao Li, ready to devour her.

Xiao Li showed no signs of fear, but she was suppressed by the overwhelming power and couldn’t move at all.

Just as the dragon was about to devour Xiao Li, a golden ring appeared in front of her.

Clang!

A golden light flashed. The dragon crashed onto the ground and was forced to retreat.

“Who is it?” asked the dragon as it looked around.

Before it could speak further, a silver light flashed, and a blade pierced its neck.

The dragon roared in pain. It rolled over, and Jiang Hao withdrew his saber.

At this moment, he stood in midair, raising the Half-Moon Blade. Purple energy surrounded the place.

He used the first form of the Heavenly Blade: Moon-Slaying..