"I said I was just loosening the soil—how did that turn into three full story scrolls about my disciple's origins?" —Lin Zhou
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1 | Rumors Out of Control
Barely a night had passed since the spirit field incident, and the rumors outside the Spirit Herb Workshop had already spread like wild grass.
Some said Lin Zhou was raising an earth dragon in his field;
some said there was an immortal bone buried under his feet, and that loosening the soil would summon divine beasts;
and some even claimed with great seriousness, "Didn't you see the child beside him? When his eyes light up, it's golden—that's the legendary 'Ancient Spirit Reincarnation'!"
When Lin Zhou went to buy steamed buns at the market gate, the shopkeeper handed him a big meat bun directly.
"Brother Lin, take this as congratulations on taking in an ancient disciple."
Lin Zhou looked utterly confused. "???"
Xiao Li bit into his bun, half his face flushing—not from shyness, but because that strange heat was once again coursing wildly through his body.
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2 | What's with the Light?
Back at the Spirit Herb Workshop, Xiao Li was about to sneak to the well to wash his face when Lin Zhou suddenly grabbed him from behind.
"Don't move."
"Bro, what are you—"
Lin Zhou stared at the hair near his temple, where a faint golden light shimmered, flowing like sunlight through water.
"Have you been eating something you shouldn't lately?"
Xiao Li panicked. "I… I just took a bite of that stone the Earth-Armored Beast dropped yesterday…"
Lin Zhou was silent for three seconds. "Planning to change your name to 'Little Fang' from now on?"
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3 | An Uninvited Guest
Just then, a soft laugh came from outside the courtyard.
A woman in a white silk gown walked in, her bearing cold, the corners of her eyes marked with fine red traces—she was a disciple of the Red Frost Pavilion's Second Elder, known for being extremely picky about taking apprentices.
Her gaze swept past Lin Zhou without pause and fixed directly on Xiao Li.
"I hear you have… a rare spirit-root awakening seedling here?"
Lin Zhou: "No, you've heard wrong."
Xiao Li shrank timidly behind him.
The woman smiled faintly and pulled a spirit-pattern jade talisman from her sleeve. The talisman's surface flashed gold—and the glow at the tips of Xiao Li's ears immediately responded, shining like it was calling out, "I'm here!"
A chill went through Lin Zhou's heart. Great. Now there's no explaining this away.
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4 | A New Round of Misunderstandings
The Red Frost Pavilion disciple turned back, looking seriously at Lin Zhou.
"If he truly has an Ancient Spirit constitution, he shouldn't stay here and waste time. Leave him to us, and within three years, I'll have him standing at the peak of the sect."
The neighbors watching were already whispering:
"Red Frost Pavilion… they only take the monstrously gifted."
"Lin Zhou's picked up a real treasure this time!"
Lin Zhou sighed, crouched down, and patted Xiao Li's shoulder. "Want to go? I won't stop you."
Xiao Li bit his lip and asked softly, "Bro… if I go, won't there be no one to help you loosen soil?"
Lin Zhou smiled. "Then I'll loosen it myself. It's not like I'll be missing an arm."
Xiao Li's eyes lit up, and he nodded hard. "Okay! I'll go get strong! When I come back—I'll definitely protect you!"
Lin Zhou: "…"
(Why does this sound like I'm the weak one?)