While eating, I occasionally glanced at the children and Grandfather. I also consumed the soup, but only a negligible amount. Even so, I was curious about the effect the new System reward—Blood Energy—would have on me.
Seeing that neither of the children had woken up yet, I exchanged shifts with Grandfather.
Closing my eyes, I extended my spiritual awareness and carefully examined them.
Mo Ling's condition immediately surprised me.
Her qi circulation was exceptionally smooth, flowing naturally through her meridians without resistance. Her body was absorbing the energy from the Vermillion Blood Spirit Rice with remarkable efficiency, as if it were made for her. There was no rejection, no turbulence—only steady refinement.
I then turned my attention to Mo Fan.
Compared to his sister, he was clearly struggling. His breathing was uneven, and the energy within his body was gathering in certain areas instead of dispersing properly.
I sat down behind him and placed my palms gently against his back.
Carefully, I guided the excess energy, spreading it evenly throughout his body and helping it integrate with his flesh and blood. Slowly, the tension eased, and his breathing steadied.
After some time, Mo Fan stirred and opened his eyes.
He looked around groggily, then noticed his sister sleeping peacefully nearby—and me sitting behind him.
Realization dawned on his face.
"Big Brother Shen…" he said softly. "Thank you."
"Rest if you feel tired," I replied.
He shook his head. "I'm fine."
Then he glanced at Mo Ling and asked, "What happened to my sister?"
"Come," I said. "Let's talk outside."
Once we stepped away, I explained everything that had happened after he began meditating.
Mo Fan listened intently.
When he understood that his sister's talent surpassed his own, he froze for a moment—then his expression softened into genuine relief and happiness.
Seeing his reaction, I asked, "Don't you feel it's unfair? Or… don't you feel jealous?"
He shook his head immediately.
"No, Big Brother Shen," he said firmly. "I'm very happy. If my sister is stronger, then she won't have to depend on others to protect her."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then won't you protect her if you become strong?"
"I will," he said without hesitation. "I'll protect her until my last breath. But I can't stay beside her forever. She has to live her own life too."
I chuckled softly. "For a five-year-old, you're talking about life like an old man. Did you read scholar books, or did someone teach you this?"
Mo Fan lowered his head.
In a quiet voice, he said, "My mother taught me. When I was little, she told me how to be righteous… how to be honest… how to treat others."
I asked gently, "What did your father do?"
"My father was a hunter," he replied. "We also raised spirit chickens and spirit fish. But we stopped after my mother died."
He paused.
"Back then, Father used to be cheerful. After Mom died, he shut himself off. He only worked—to give us food and a place to sleep."
His eyes reddened as he spoke.
I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Do you want to talk about your family," I asked gently, "or should we stop here? I don't want to make you sad. You can speak if you want."
Mo Fan was silent for a few breaths.
Then he shook his head lightly.
"It's… it's not like that, Big Brother Shen," he said. "Even though I was only two years old back then, I still remember."
His voice was quiet, but steady.
"We were a happy family."
I listened without interrupting.
"One day," he continued, "my baby sister and I were with our mother in the backyard. Mother was feeding the fish, and Mo Ling and I were playing with the chickens."
His hands clenched slightly as he spoke.
"Suddenly… Mother collapsed. She fell beside the small pond we had at home."
His breathing grew uneven.
"We were startled. We cried. I was too small, and I couldn't leave Mo Ling alone to go call anyone. So we just cried there… helpless."
His eyes reddened.
"Father came when he heard us. He checked Mother, then he started crying too. He held her and kept saying… 'Why did you leave us? Why… why…'"
Mo Fan swallowed hard.
"After some time… Mother passed away."
Silence hung between us.
Then he continued, voice trembling.
"Mother was originally from a mortal city. Her family was killed when the city was attacked by beasts. She lost everyone."
I felt my chest tighten.
"At that time, Father was a hunter doing missions nearby. He saw Mother being chased by a Tier One wolf yao beast. He rescued her, but she was already badly injured."
"They traveled together for a while after that," Mo Fan said softly. "Eventually, they married and settled in Qing Shui Village."
He lowered his head.
"But those injuries never healed. She wasn't a cultivator. She couldn't recover like them."
"They lingered… until after we were born."
"And in the end… they took her life."
His voice broke.
Tears fell freely now.
I didn't speak.
I simply reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle pat, letting him cry it out.
After a while, I asked quietly, "So… is that why you want your sister to be strong?"
He nodded, sniffing.
"Yes."
I smiled faintly.
"Don't worry," I said. "Your sister will become so strong that she'll crush anything that dares to harm her or make her sad."
"So you should be careful too, alright?"
Mo Fan froze for a moment—
Then laughed lightly through his tears.
At that moment, small footsteps approached.
Mo Ling came out, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
She saw Mo Fan's tear-streaked face and immediately panicked.
"Brother! Brother!" she cried, running toward us. "What happened? Why are you crying? Are you hurt?!"
Mo Fan hurriedly wiped his eyes and hugged her.
"It's nothing," he said softly. "Don't cry. It was just a bad dream."
He patted her back gently.
I crouched down to meet Mo Ling's eyes.
"Why did you think I hurt your brother?" I asked.
She shook her head vigorously, her braids bouncing.
"No, no, no!" she said cutely. "Big Brother Shen is kind. He won't bully my brother."
She pointed at Mo Fan seriously.
"My brother is just scared of nightmares!"
I laughed.
Mo Fan looked away, embarrassed.
I rubbed both their heads lightly.
"So," I asked, "now that you've both become stronger, do you want to work?"
Mo Fan nodded immediately. "Yes! We want to work!"
"Not now," I said. "Next time I go to the market, I'll bring some chickens. You two can help me raise them, alright?"
They looked at each other.
Then nodded together, smiling brightly.
I knew exactly what they were thinking—but didn't say it out loud.
"Alright," I said, standing up. "Let's go catch some fish for dinner."
Their eyes lit up.
"I'll bring the basket!" Mo Fan said eagerly.
"I can store them in my spirit bag," I replied.
But he shook his head firmly.
"I want to carry it."
I smiled. Informed grandfather about our outing.
And together, we walked toward the creek.