Chapter 795 - 720: Needlework_1
Seeing Yun Xi and the others return, everyone in the courtyard was very happy.
“Sister Yunxi, Sister Bai Qian, you’re finally back.”
Zi Ling and the others all went to greet them.
Li Fan also stepped forward and said,
“How was it? Was everything smooth along the way?”
Su Baiqian then stepped forward and said,
“Master, this is the rare animal the disciple has found, it’s called… Hu Xiaochan.”
As she spoke, she handed over the little fox in her hands.
The little fox entered the courtyard, and its bright eyes were filled with confusion, seeming a bit timid.
Li Fan was quite surprised when he saw the little fox. Was this little fox a rare animal?
He took the little fox and held it in his hands, feeling its fluffy fur, and petted its head, which was quite cute.
At that moment, the little fox’s previous timidity vanished; it rubbed against Li Fan docilely.
“Hu Xiaochan… a good name. From now on, you’ll live in the courtyard,” Li Fan said to Hu Xiaochan.
As if sensing the sentiment, Hu Xiaochan’s bright eyes seemed to reveal a trace of joy.
At that moment, Little Kirin, Little Gold Bull, and other animals also gathered around, all with wide eyes, curiously looking at the newly-arrived little fox.
“Go play with them,” Li Fan said with a smile, putting the little fox down on the ground.
After a short while, the little fox had completely overcome its shyness and was having fun with the other small animals in the courtyard.
“Master, during my trip, this is the rare plant that I found, but only the rootstock is left…”
Su Baiqian continued, taking out the Two-Leaf Clover.
The Two-Leaf Clover had only a dried-up piece of rootstock remaining, which looked nearly charred and devoid of life!
Li Fan took the rootstock, puzzled.
This… a rare plant?
It must have been dead for many years, right…?
“Master… can you revive it?” Su Baiqian asked tentatively.
Li Fan inwardly smiled wryly; how could he not save it?
This was a rare plant, tied to his own breakthrough in the Qi Refinement Realm!
No matter how difficult it was, he had to try!
After pondering a bit, he said,
“Let’s give it a try.”
With that, he had Lu Rang bring over a hoe, found an empty spot in the courtyard, and started digging a hole for planting the herb.
The group of disciples was already accustomed to this, but Lin Xue Han was astonished to see it.
She clearly saw that with each swing of the hoe by this young man, it was as if he was reopening an epoch, reenacting Samsara!
All the great Dao under this swipe of his hoe would turn to ash!
Heaven…
What a person he was…
Indeed worthy of being the master here, worthy of the Supreme capable of Repressing the grey fog.
Moreover, from the beginning to the end, Li Fan gave her the impression of being incredibly amiable, without any arrogance of a superior, but rather like a refined scholar!
Now that the hole was ready, Li Fan said, “Lu Rang, go to the kitchen and bring some plant ash.”
Lu Rang immediately left, and soon brought back the plant ash, saying,
“Master… should it be put at the bottom of the hole?”
Li Fan nodded and said,
“Yes, no need to layer it too thickly, just evenly.”
Lu Rang did accordingly and prepared the bottom of the hole with the plant ash. Li Fan then had someone fetch well water to soak the bottom of the hole.
Then, Li Fan placed the rootstock into the hole, gently covered it with a layer of fine soil, and casually plucked a handful of leaves from the peach tree and buried them in it before he covered up the soil.
Seeing this, everyone was surprised.
“Master actually used Tao Jie’s leaves.”
“It seems this herb is truly… quite dead.”
“No problem, with Tao Jie’s leaves, it’s bound to be revived!”
It was their first time seeing Li Fan plant a spirit plant with peach tree leaves, so it was unexpected.
Lu Rang, however, was staring in disbelief!
That was… a true Supreme treasure.
Steel himself, he said,
“Master, could you… could you also pick a handful of leaves for me?”
He was very apprehensive within.
And the peach tree, with its layers of green leaves dancing with the wind, seemed to pause slightly.
When Li Fan heard this, he was puzzled and said,
“For such a trivial matter, why would you need me?”
After patting his hands, he didn’t bother much with Lu Rang and went off to wash his hands.
As soon as Li Fan left, Lu Rang panicked, hurriedly saying to the peach tree,
“Tao Jie… I was just kidding, please don’t take it to heart, don’t take it to heart!”
…
Li Fan finished washing his hands and then looked toward Yun Xi, smiling,
“How was it? Did you have fun on your trip?”
Yun Xi nodded and said,
“Yes… It was quite fun, Li Fan, this is my mother.”
Hearing this, Li Fan turned to Lin Xue Han and said,
“So you are the auntie. I was busy planting the herb just now and neglected hospitality. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“Uncle and auntie, please have a seat!”
Seeing this, Lin Xue Han’s heart jolted.
She hadn’t expected… such a person, to actually address her as… auntie?
With such a formidable Cultivation Level, yet so polite and modest…
A true gentleman, such indeed!
Moreover, from Li Fan’s eyes, she could not see any hint of haughtiness or arrogance, instead a natural gentleness and elegance, without the slightest pretense.
In that moment, her heart couldn’t help but admire such a rare person in the world.
She had intended to address him as Senior, but now felt it inappropriate to be abrupt and followed Li Fan’s lead, saying,
“Thank you, Young Master Li.”
Immediately, everyone sat down.
“With the auntie gracing our humble mountain home, we have nothing but rudimentary tea to offer. Please don’t mind it,” Li Fan said with a smile, pouring a cup of tea for both Yun Chen and Lin Xue Han.
In his view, Yun Chen and Lin Xue Han were guests, as well as elders, and since Lin Xue Han was visiting home for the first time, the rites of hospitality certainly could not be neglected.
At this moment, Lin Xuehan slightly paused in surprise. Such a peerless and high-ranking individual was actually pouring tea for them personally… What an extraordinary honor it was!
Could they really accept it?
But, she quickly realized that such a person could not be regarded with a conventional perspective!
If one harbored mundane thoughts or sought to flatter out of fear, it might very well displease the senior.
She took a deep breath, gently received the tea with both hands, and said:
“Thank you, Young Master Li.”
“Young Master Li… truly an unrivaled figure.”
She couldn’t help but speak from the heart.
She could sense that Li Fan, a character who could watch the clouds roll by with equanimity, oblivious to the ebb and flow of tides, was truly free-spirited and transcendent!
By now, any trace of doubt in her heart had been completely dispelled.
Yun Xi, watching from the side, couldn’t help but let a sweet smile spread across her lips.
“Sister Yunxi, Sister Bai Qian, the master was just about to teach us how to make sachets.”
At this time, Zi Ling spoke up.
Upon hearing this, both Yun Xi and Su Baiqian became interested.
“Sachets?”
Yun Xi said:
“Ah, I want to learn too! Great Demon King, please teach us!”
A group of female disciples were all very eager.
Seeing this, Li Fan couldn’t help but stand up and smile, saying:
“Alright.”
He then walked over to the bamboo winnowing basket and said:
“Making a sachet is actually quite simple. The osmanthus flowers have already been dried, just sew a pretty little bag with a needle and thread, and fill it up, then seal the opening.”
He threaded the needle and skillfully stitched together a piece of fine brocade; not long after, the brocade sack took shape.
He grabbed a small handful of osmanthus flowers, placed them inside the bag, gave it a gentle pull, and tied the opening tight.
“Here… the sachet is done, very simple.”
Li Fan smiled slightly.
He looked around at the female disciples and noticed that they were all somewhat dazedly watching him.
“The technique the master just demonstrated… what grand art it was…”
“Too difficult. Using the Great Dao as a thread, it’s like weaving a world.”
“Each stitch and line represents the reenactment of heaven and earth!”
Everyone was shocked.
“Master… what… what kind of incredible technique did you use just now?”
Zi Ling couldn’t help but ask.
Incredible technique??
What kind of description was that…
Li Fan couldn’t help but hold his forehead. Did these female disciples not even recognize needlework?
They had absolutely no sense of needlework’s rhythm, did they?
“Haven’t you learned this before?”
He couldn’t help but ask.
Upon hearing his question, both Nan Feng and Su Baiqian shook their heads blankly.
Where would they learn such supreme techniques?
Li Fan felt a complex emotion in his heart. Just how unskilled were his female disciples?
“It’s not some incredible technique; it’s just needlework.”
“Don’t be afraid, you might not be accustomed to needlework at first, but if you do it often, you’ll get the hang of it.”
“Practice makes perfect.”
He felt that… in the future, it would be necessary to properly teach these female disciples the craft of needlework.
If they couldn’t even do this, what then?
“Mmm… Great Demon King, I—I want to learn!”
Yun Xi then spoke up, stepping forward and said:
“Teach me.”
Li Fan said:
“Alright.”
Yun Xi promptly picked up a needle and started to sew like Li Fan, but just as she made her first stitch, she suddenly let out a soft cry of pain.
She had pricked her hand, and a tiny drop of blood appeared.
Seeing this, Li Fan handed over a brocade handkerchief and said:
“Does it hurt? You held the needle wrong… Nevermind, let’s not make the brocade sachet for now. I’ll teach you the basics of using a needle first.”
However, Yun Xi shook her head and said softly:
“No… I want to make one for my mother… She likes the osmanthus flowers from our village.”
Without a word, she continued to sew.
Hearing her words, Li Fan paused, this silly girl… Her filial piety was indeed rare.
He immediately reached out gently and placed his hand over Yun Xi’s, saying:
“Here, be gentler when you make the stitch, feel the strength of my hand.”
“When pulling the needle back through, hold the eye of the needle and gently draw it back.”
“That’s right, just like that. Keep the stitches tight.”
Li Fan taught her carefully, hand over hand.
Meanwhile, Yun Chen and Lin Xuehan, seeing this, were also moved!
“Xi’er, this girl… is much too bold, to let Senior Li take such pains!”
Yun Chen couldn’t help but speak.
“This Senior Li… he is genuinely very good to Xi’er.”
Lin Xuehan was silent, her eyes suddenly reflecting an unparalleled sense of relief.
In this world, with someone like him caring for Xi’er, who would dare bully her?
Now, she had completely cast aside any thoughts about being a Fate Slave.
Xi’er did not resemble a slave in the slightest, and Li Fan could not be further from resembling a master—it was utterly absurd.
And at that moment, Yun Xi finished the last stitch.
“Ah, I’m done!”
Yun Xi was overjoyed. Looking at the brocade sachet in her hands, she excitedly filled it with osmanthus flowers, then came over and said:
“Mom… I made this sachet for you, do you like it?”
Hope was clearly written in her large eyes.
In that instant, Lin Xuehan’s beautiful eyes brimmed with tears, and she smiled, saying:
“Mom loves it, of course I love it!”
…
Another chapter is being written.