Chapter 75 - Suspicious Person
Under the shadow of the Willow Tree, Qin Yi, posing as the human incarnation of the Willow Tree, was sitting with three children questioning him while the rest were playing in the open area.
"Are you really Grandpa Tree?"
Mu Chen asked with suspicion written all over his face.
"Ohoho, this is the first time grandpa has transformed into a humanoid form after a hundred years. It's only natural that no one recognizes me. Even your Village Chief might be surprised with my sudden appearance."
Qin Yi laughed carelessly; he really sounded like a friendly old geezer.
"But why is Grandpa Tree wearing a black robe? You look very suspicious."
"Ohoho, that's because my embodiment technique is still not perfect, and the body you see right now is just a body formed from my spiritual energy. Moreover, the face behind this robe might scare you and make you not want to play with grandpa anymore."
Mu Tao, who was listening to this, suddenly pouted and couldn't help but say.
"Grandpa Tree is kind and always plays with us. Therefore, whatever and however you form you have, we will still treat you like our grandpa."
"Ohoho, as expected, Tao'er is a good girl."
"Humph!" Mu Tao harrumphed as her face flushed slightly and clarified, "Don't get me wrong, I just don't like the way grandpa talk about us like that."
Qin Yi laughed at the adorable sight of her.
What a tsun-tsun girl.
"Grandpa Tree, what is spiritual energy?" Mu Chen suddenly asked curiously.
"Oh my..."
Qin Yi forgot that they were ordinary children; it was natural that they did not know about spiritual energy.
After observing this village for a few days, he discovered that only one person was a cultivator, while the rest were mortals.
That cultivator was the Village Chief's son, Mu Fengsha, who coincidentally was Mu Mu's father.
However, his cultivation base was shallow, only the Second Stage of Qi Condensation Realm.
Also, from him, Qin Yi gained something unexpected.
When he secretly extracted Mu Fengsha a few days ago, he obtained a peculiar cultivation technique called the Crimson Blood Secret Art.
Even though this cultivation technique is only Human Grade, its cultivation method is a bit disturbing, using blood as the basis for cultivation.
Fortunately, there is no specific mention of having to use human blood.
However, cultivating using blood is considered taboo in the cultivation world, and almost all cultivators who did so are called fiend cultivators.
Fiend cultivators are cultivators who cultivate in evil ways. The most common examples are such as sacrificing a lot of blood or the soul of the human.
However, it is common knowledge that doing heinous things like that can damage the minds and rationality of cultivators. Therefore, most of them usually end up like lunatics as they like to perform many vile things.
Consequently, their existence was usually treated as wanted by the major sects.
Qin Yi did not expect that he could meet a field cultivator in this small village.
What's more, that person is the father of this little thing.
He looked at the little thing in front of him.
"Grandpa, hugs!"
The five-year-old boy Mu Mu suddenly extended his tiny and short hands toward Qin Yi.
Qin Yi twitched his mouth and helplessly grabbed him into his bosom.
This boy... among children, he will be the first and easiest child to kidnap.
Looking at how pure and innocent this boy was, it's hard to believe that his father is a fiend cultivator.
He couldn't help but wonder how in the world Mu Mu's father ended up becoming a fiend cultivator?
Even more surprising was that Qin Yi didn't notice any of the tendencies that usually appeared in fiend cultivators on Mu Fengsha. He looked bright and calm, in stark contrast to the characteristics of fiend cultivators.
Qin Yi couldn't help ponder it deeper to the point he frowned slightly.
While he was at it, Mu Mu suddenly crawled up and ended up sitting on Qin Yi's shoulders and laughed innocently.
"..."
Qin Yi was speechless as he sighed in emotion.
He has a good affinity with children, especially with children of Mu Mu's age.
For unknown reasons, even though he did nothing to them, they are always attached toward him.
The only exception is his biological younger brother, Qin Hao.
Qin Hao is a peculiar child; he always seem detested by his brother's clingy behaviour towards him. However, his aloof and indifferent attitude made him adorable, and his elder brother couldn't help but hug and kiss his cheek many times.
Of course, Qin Hao always shoved his elder brother's face away in disgust every time he did that.
Ah, thinking about this made Qin Yi miss his little brother dearly.
'I wonder what Hao'er is doing right now? He's probably locked himself in his room again reading a book...'
'I should go back to my hometown after passing the Secondary Profession Exam a month later.'
Seeing the suddenly lost 'Grandpa Tree', Mu Chen couldn't help but pull his senses back by calling out to him.
"Grandpa Tree!"
"Oh, right."
There were so many things on his mind that he couldn't focus on what was happening right now.
Qin Yi saw the boy in front of him, who couldn't wait for the answer to his previous question.
"Spiritual energy is something that talented living beings absorb. In the human world, those talented people were called cultivators."
"What are cultivators?"
"Cultivators are people who absorb spiritual energy."
"..."
Mu Chen blankly stared at 'Grandpa Tree', then asked another question: "Then, how to become a cultivator?"
Qin Yi laughed lightly, "Ohoho, then, you have to be talented first!"
"..."
Mu Chen felt that this topic is too complex for a child of his age to digest.
Qin Yi looked at the boy with pity. Fortunately, his face was covered by a hood.
He didn't want to give Mu Chen a definite explanation of cultivators because this boy didn't have the aptitude to become a cultivator.
Among the children in this village, only Mu Mu and Mu Tao have the martial aptitude. What's even more surprising is that Mu Mu's talent is not inferior to his father's, which is only Low-Grade aptitude.
Mu Mu's aptitude is a Medium-Grade aptitude.
Although this kind of aptitude is average in the Sleeping Dragon Sect, he would be treated preciously in the small to medium sects.
Meanwhile, Mu Tao only had Low-Grade aptitude.
Unlike Mu Mu, his father is a cultivator, and it was only natural that he would inherit his father's aptitude. However, both of Mu Tao's parents are mortals.
Nevertheless, it wasn't surprising since Qin Yi's case is also the same as that of that girl.
According to his inherited memory, the original 'Qin Yi' parents were mortals who unluckily died in a carriage accident.
Even so, he still gained the aptitude to cultivate despite both of his parents being mortals.
Though, it was only a Low-Grade aptitude.
Suddenly, Mu Chen spoke once again.
"Right, Grandpa Tree, since you can become a human, I thought the Village Chief would be delighted to hear this news."
"Ohoho, perhaps. But grandpa hopes you don't tell him yet."
"Why?"
"Since this embodiment technique isn't perfect yet, the Village Chief will think that this technique is still dangerous and won't let you play with grandpa for a while. Grandpa will be lonely if that happens."
"..."
Mu Chen fell into silence.
"Humph, since you are lonely, I won't tell the adults about this change of yours, Grandpa Tree."
Mu Tao said as she crossed her arms across her chest like a little lady.
"Ohoho, wait until I perfect this embodiment technique, then you guys can pass this good news on to others."
"Okay, Grandpa Tree."
"Well, well, as a gift for your filial piety, your grandpa will give you something nice."
Mu Chen and Mu Tao were surprised to hear that. But they are also confused; what nice thing can Grandpa Tree bring out? After all, he is just a tree and never went anywhere in a hundred years.
"Oh, you must be shocked and disbelieving, right? A few days ago, a village guest visited me and gave me many nice things. Unfortunately, it was of no use to grandpa, so I decided to give it to you guys."
As he explained that, he took out some sweets and showed them to the children. These sweets he deliberately bought from the city.
The children love sweets. As long as they don't eat too much of it, nothing will happen to them.
Mu Chen and Mu Tao curiously looked at the sweet snacks; they had never seen this kind of thing before, so it was only natural that they didn't know about it.
However, before they asked Grandpa Tree about it, they watched as thin branches tied each sweet separately and carried them far away.
Qin Yi smiled and said.
"Alright everyone, let's play a game!"
"Games?"
"I like games!"
"What kind of game is that, Grandpa Tree?"
All the children immediately stopped their activities as they immediately ran cheerfully and gathered near the 'Grandpa Tree'.
Qin Yi, "We are going to play a game of catching branches!"