Little Alpaca – Chapter 177
by Little PandaVolume 5: Tribulation of All Beings
Starting Cultivation.
Yi Qiu remembered that You Yan used to love scaring her. Whenever she did, there was nothing she wouldn’t say.
Once, she had mumbled under her breath, “You’ll lose me easily if you keep this up.”
You Yan’s response had been, “Once I eat you, you’ll grow on me. You won’t be able to escape even if you want to.”
Yi Qiu, indignant, had immediately shouted back at You Yan, “Anything eaten eventually gets pooped out! Lost is lost!”
It was on that very day that Yi Qiu heard the words that made her roll her eyes back1.
To this day, she still remembered You Yan’s airy reply: “Then I’ll use it to plant flowers. I’ll put them on the windowsill and pluck at their petals when I’m bored. When the flowers die, I’ll bury them and use that soil to grow new ones.”
At the time, she had only thought this great villain had truly lost her mind and gone mad2, unwilling to let go of even the last remnants of a thoroughly dead alpaca.
Looking back now, she realized that even though You Yan hadn’t held any deeper feelings for her back then, she already possessed such a strong desire to own her.
She had come on this journey into this world and hadn’t been of any help at all; she’d only received You Yan’s care.
If You Yan wishes for me to die by her side, she thought, then I will make sure I die in this world.
If the day ever comes when I have no choice but to leave, then I’ll die here. My body will fall to the earth, and if I can one day break through the soil as a new sprout, I will make sure it’s in a place You Yan can see the moment she opens her eyes. I will stay with her forever and ever.
Being a flower would be fine, but a tree would be best. A tree’s life is longer, and it can grow much bigger.
Once the rings grow year by year, I’ll become a great tree, and You Yan will be able to lean against me to rest.
She was certain this was no impulsive thought. She was certain she had arrived at this decision only after deep thought and careful consideration3 time and again.
All of this was because, in this lifetime, she would never find another person who could inspire her—mediocre and timid for half her life—to summon the courage to dash ahead regardless of her own safety4.
If it were possible, she truly wished winter would pass more slowly, that everything could end more slowly. That way, the final choice would also arrive a little later.
“What are you thinking about?” You Yan asked softly.
Yi Qiu snapped back to reality. Her gaze went blank for a moment before she quickly smiled and shook her head.
The System said that if this world returns to its normal order and I don’t leave, my real self will truly die.
But whether that death would affect the me in this world, I have no way of knowing.
I can’t let You Yan know about this. Otherwise, she would resort to any means necessary to keep this world in a state of collapse, just to force me to stay.
I was the one who pulled You Yan from the darkness. I absolutely cannot let her return to it because of me…
“Let me guess.” A smile was in You Yan’s eyes as she looked earnestly at Yi Qiu. “Are you worried that spring won’t come next year? Or perhaps that we won’t be a match for Fei5?”
This was clearly the bird woman giving her an easy way out of an awkward situation.
Yi Qiu immediately nodded and went along with You Yan’s words. “I was just thinking, is there really no way to stop this? Can we only wait for it to happen?”
“Perhaps we could be more proactive,” You Yan said.
“Proactive?” Yi Qiu pouted and shook her head. “The last time I suggested being proactive, I nearly got you killed…”
“I’ve seen my share of situations of nine deaths and one life6. I don’t die that easily.” As You Yan spoke, she gently took Yi Qiu’s right hand. Her fingertip, carrying a spiritual glow, drew a strange spiritual spell in Yi Qiu’s palm. It flashed for an instant before vanishing completely.
Yi Qiu’s eyes widened. She snatched her hand back in surprise, turning it over and over to examine the palm and back for a long while before finally frowning in curiosity.
That spell mark just now didn’t look like it was drawn carelessly. You Yan must have done something to her, but she felt no different at all.
“This is…”
“You have a secret you won’t tell me, so I won’t tell you what this is.”
You Yan said this with a slight curl of her lips, raising an eyebrow as she gazed at the distant autumn mountain scenery.
Yi Qiu couldn’t help but bite her lip and puff her cheeks. She cradled her perfectly normal right hand and looked at it a few more times before she finally couldn’t resist mumbling, “You saw through me again. How do you always see through me…”
You Yan chuckled. “I’ve said it before. Your eyes don’t lie.”
“…” Yi Qiu pouted helplessly.
“I also said that it’s all right to keep secrets, but you mustn’t lie.” As she spoke, You Yan playfully grabbed one of Yi Qiu’s braids and used the end to brush against her slightly flushed cheeks.
Yi Qiu instantly grabbed You Yan’s wrist, pleading for mercy. “Alright, alright! I was wrong, okay? Isn’t that enough?”
As she spoke, You Yan released the braid. After a few seconds of hesitation, Yi Qiu also slowly let go of You Yan’s wrist.
“Yi Qiu.”
“Hm?”
“Didn’t you want to cultivate?”
“I do!”
Yi Qiu had a human soul and didn’t know the ways of demon cultivation. After getting the blood condensation pearl7, she possessed a body full of spiritual power but was basically unable to use it.
If possible, she wanted to be of some help during critical moments, instead of just hiding in the back and worrying anxiously.
The moment You Yan mentioned it, Yi Qiu was instantly invigorated, her almond eyes widening considerably.
“Since there isn’t much to do lately, I can teach you how to use the power within the blood condensation pearl, as well as some simple magical arts8.”
“Really?”
“Mhm.”
Yi Qiu was overjoyed at the unexpected news. Unable to hold back, she threw herself sideways into You Yan’s arms.
The sudden embrace nearly made the unprepared You Yan lose her balance. The moment she recovered from her shock, she subconsciously raised her hands, intending to gently pull Yi Qiu into her arms.
But just then, Yi Qiu wriggled out of her embrace.
Her awkward hands were lowered almost instantly.
“You Yan, you’re the best!” Yi Qiu exclaimed excitedly, completely missing the embarrassment that was gone in a flash from You Yan’s eyes.
“This is all I can do right now, and it can’t even light a candle!” She held out a finger, gathering a tiny ball of spiritual light at its tip. “When can I start learning? What magical arts should I start with?”
You Yan contemplated for a few seconds before saying in a low voice, “Cultivation is difficult. When I get fierce with you, you won’t think I’m so great anymore.”
“I won’t!” Yi Qiu instantly sat up much straighter. “Teacher You can teach however you wish! This student can endure hardship!”
How fierce could the current You Yan possibly be?
She was an alpaca who has been through it all, walking a path of fear and caution to get here. Faced with the bird woman’s war of words9, she had long since cultivated an adamantine heart10, impervious to blades and spears. The bird woman said she’d be fierce? She wasn’t afraid in the slightest.
From that day on, You Yan truly began to teach Yi Qiu how to use spiritual power.
Because of the blood condensation pearl, Yi Qiu already had a strong spiritual power foundation11 within her. This made her different from little demons who were just starting to cultivate; she didn’t need to spend a lot of time accumulating spiritual power, only learn how to use and control it.
During the day, while You Yan would channel spiritual energy to heal12 in her room, Yi Qiu would practice bit by bit in the courtyard, following the methods You Yan had described.
When night fell, she would show You Yan her progress.
For instance, the faint spiritual power she could gather at her fingertip was finally able to light a candlestick. She could open and close doors and windows from one or two meters away. Fetching an object from afar was no longer a skill that “only other people” had.
It wasn’t until this moment that Yi Qiu felt she had truly integrated into this world.
She had become a real demon. She could now cultivate and use magical arts. She was no longer that foreign soul13 who knew nothing.
Another change was that You Yan no longer kept her imprisoned by her side at every waking moment.
When she was cultivating, if she got truly bored and wanted to sneak away for a short break to wander around the rebuilt Xianlu Sect alone, she no longer had to report her every move to You Yan like a prisoner.
Most of her wanderings, however, led her to the Changqing Pavilion to see how Jiang Yuyao and Luo Mingyuan were doing.
It had to be said that ever since the Huodou14 incident, everyone in the Xianlu Sect’s attitude toward that little pig trotter15 had improved greatly. The once taciturn youth whom anyone could bully had finally managed to hold his head high, no longer needing to live under another’s roof16 in meek submission.
In the blink of an eye, winter arrived. Luo Mingyuan departed the Xianlu Sect with Jiang Yuyao.
Regardless of whether anyone would believe them, they had to inform the various immortal sects of the ancient prophecy foretelling a great disaster in the human realm next year.
Before this, they had already convinced the three Venerables17 of the Xianlu Sect and, carrying the token of trust18 given to them by the Venerables themselves, they departed the sect overnight.
That night, Yi Qiu leaned against the windowsill, tilting her head as she watched the distant golden wings, burning like red flames, fly further and further away into the sky.
“They’re gone,” Yi Qiu remarked with a sigh.
“Mhm,” You Yan replied softly.
Yi Qiu turned around and asked with a frown, “Do you think the major immortal sects will believe them?”
“They won’t.”
“But they convinced the three Venerables, and they even brought the token of trust the Venerables gave them.”
“It still won’t matter,” You Yan said. “Those three fellows believe them only because they believe in gods, because they believe what they saw with their own eyes. In their view, Jiang Yuyao is the Goddess Fusang from the Heavenly Realm and the Wood God19 is her guardian. When Fusang says the Wood God will fall, of course they believe it.”
Hearing this, Yi Qiu more or less understood what You Yan meant.
The token of trust from the three Venerables was only enough to grant them passage through the major immortal sects without obstruction; the sects themselves wouldn’t place much trust in two young juniors.
“The Wood God will fall, and a Ferocious Beast will emerge.” Such a prophecy was too absurd. Let alone two juniors trying to negotiate, it was unlikely anyone would believe it even if the three Venerables went themselves.
Unless Jiang Yuyao could prove her identity.
But she couldn’t do that at all. Setting aside the fact that her divine power had yet to awaken, on the night of the Xianlu Sect fire, if Xun Chi hadn’t been present, she would have probably been branded a demon by her only relative and the martial siblings she grew up with.
At this thought, Yi Qiu couldn’t help but sigh. “Then isn’t this all just work in vain?”
“It might achieve a little something. At the very least, when everything truly comes to pass, those fellows should be able to react a tiny bit faster than the mortals who know nothing about it.”
“…” Yi Qiu pouted, sinking into thought.
If only there were some way to stop it all from happening, or at least to minimize the disaster’s impact on the mortal realm.
“It’s not that there’s no way at all.”
“Huh?” Yi Qiu stared blankly for two full seconds before asking in a daze, “You saw what I was thinking again…”
“It’s not hard to guess.”
“No matter what method there is, you have to heal your injuries first before we talk about it…” Yi Qiu mumbled. “This time, I absolutely forbid you from pushing yourself.”
“I don’t want to handle things while injured either.” You Yan let out a soft laugh. “You don’t need to worry. Winter has just begun, so there’s enough time. I’ve said it before: tell me what you know, and leave the rest to me.”
“Oh…” Yi Qiu answered softly, nodding obediently.
You Yan took a deep breath. “Have you memorized everything I’ve taught you recently?”
Yi Qiu quickly replied, “I’ve memorized it all! None of it was hard!”
Hearing this, You Yan nodded. “Then tomorrow, we’ll learn something new.”
“What’s new?” Yi Qiu couldn’t help but feel a pleasant surprise.
She’d been practicing those super simple magical arts for so many days now; she had long been wanting to learn something new.
“Shapeshifting.”
“Shapeshifting?” Yi Qiu froze.
The next second, You Yan pointed an index finger at her. With a light flick from across the room, a ray of spiritual light shot out, and Yi Qiu tumbled from the windowsill, landing on her bottom on the floor.
“What was that for?” Yi Qiu instinctively reached to rub her sore backside and lower back, only to find she couldn’t reach.
Can’t reach?
She frowned and looked down. As expected, her hands had once again become alpaca hooves with only two toes…
“If you’re going to teach me, then teach me! Why did you have to turn me back?”
“Next, I’m going to teach you how to change back yourself.” As You Yan spoke, she crooked a finger, and the cup of tea from the table flew into her palm.
She closed her eyes and took a sip before continuing.
“Until you learn, you can stay like this.”
The corner of Yi Qiu’s eye twitched.
She had every right to suspect that this bird woman was doing it on purpose.
Footnotes
- Hanzi: 两眼翻白 | Pinyin: liǎng yǎn fānbái | Context / Meaning: An idiom expressing extreme annoyance or exasperation, literally “to show the whites of one’s eyes.”
- Hanzi: 喪心病狂 | Pinyin: sàngxīnbìngkuáng | Context / Meaning: An idiom describing someone who is utterly depraved, cruel, and crazy.
- Hanzi: 深思熟虑 | Pinyin: shēnsīshúlǜ | Context / Meaning: A four-character idiom describing a process of careful and thorough deliberation before making a decision.
- Hanzi: 奋不顾身 | Pinyin: fènbùgùshēn | Context / Meaning: An idiom for acting bravely and decisively without regard for personal danger.
- Hanzi: 蜚 | Pinyin: fēi | Context / Meaning: An ancient Ferocious Beast whose appearance signals a great plague.
- Hanzi: 九死一生 | Pinyin: jiǔsǐyīshēng | Context / Meaning: An idiom for a narrow escape from death or surviving extreme danger.
- Hanzi: 血凝珠 | Pinyin: xuè níng zhū | Context / Meaning: A powerful magic item that provides a strong spiritual power foundation.
- Hanzi: 术法 | Pinyin: shù fǎ | Context / Meaning: A general term for magical techniques or spells.
- Hanzi: 唇枪舌剑 | Pinyin: chūnqiāngshéjiàn | Context / Meaning: Literally “lip spears and tongue swords.” An idiom for a sharp, heated debate.
- Hanzi: 金刚心 | Pinyin: jīngāng xīn | Context / Meaning: A Buddhist term, used metaphorically to describe an unbreakable will or spirit.
- Hanzi: 灵力根基 | Pinyin: línglì gēnjī | Context / Meaning: The base level of spiritual power a cultivator has. A strong foundation allows for faster advancement.
- Hanzi: 运灵疗伤 | Pinyin: yùn líng liáoshāng | Context / Meaning: The practice of circulating one’s own spiritual power to mend injuries.
- Hanzi: 外来魂魄 | Pinyin: wàilái húnpò | Context / Meaning: A soul from another world or place.
- Hanzi: 祸斗 | Pinyin: huò dǒu | Context / Meaning: A mythological creature that breathes fire.
- Hanzi: 小猪蹄子 | Pinyin: xiǎo zhū tízi | Context / Meaning: Modern slang for a man, often used in a playfully derogatory romantic context.
- Hanzi: 寄人篱下 | Pinyin: jìrénlíxià | Context / Meaning: An idiom for being dependent on others for lodging and support, implying a low-status or difficult situation.
- Hanzi: 尊者 | Pinyin: zūnzhě | Context / Meaning: A respectful title for an elder or master. The term ‘三尊’ (sān zūn) refers to the three leaders of the rebuilt Xianlu Sect.
- Hanzi: 信物 | Pinyin: xìnwù | Context / Meaning: A proof of identity or an object given to grant authority or prove a claim.
- Hanzi: 木神 | Pinyin: Mù shén | Context / Meaning: A title for Goumang, a deity whose divine duty is to ease the suffering of mortals and maintain balance.
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