By the end of November, the weather continued to cool down. The [1]feng leaves turned bright red, coloring the valleys in a blood-red hue. At this time, the dredging of the streams, the construction of water retention dams, and the digging of wells in the vegetable and fruit gardens were completed. Zhenzhu drew the last character on the ground in the fruit garden. Now, both the vegetable and fruit gardens were fully enclosed by the Transcending Fate Formation, with only the installation of the Flowers Engulf Sky Formation in the fruit garden remaining unfinished, though she had already completed more than half of the work. "Whew!" Zhenzhu sighed tiredly. She hadn’t had a single day of rest in the past month. "Miss, the Caomei trees you planted have begun to ripen. Look, they are bright red and look very delicious," one of the servants ran excitedly to Zhenzhu, holding three ripe Caomei fruits in her hand. "Really?" Indeed, she had planted the Caomei trees at the end of August. Watering them daily with spiritual energized water has accelerated their growth and fruit production. "Really, Miss. I picked three fruits for you to try." The servant handed the juicy red Caomei fruits to Zhenzhu, who immediately took a bite. Ah... It had been so long since she last tasted Caomei. The sweet and tangy flavor was a delight. The large, succulent red fruit filled with spirit energy was a true pleasure to savor. Unfortunately, she couldn’t sell them yet as she needed to save them for next season’s propagation. If she could expand the cultivation next time, she would be able to sell them. Even though she couldn’t sell them now, there was enough for her family to taste. She decided to send some Caomei fruits to Li Si to try as well. "Let’s go, let’s go pick the Caomei," Zhenzhu said eagerly, her energy restored as if her tiredness from setting up the formation had vanished. Zhenzhu collected a basket full of ripe Caomei fruits, while the rest still needed more time to ripen. She asked the servants to carry the basket back to her home. Upon returning home, she saw that her father had guests over, chatting in the pavilion under the big tree. As she approached, she recognized the guest – it was Master Wen Dai, a grandmaster painter who had accepted her brother, He Yu, as a disciple. He was an elderly man with a full beard, fitting for his profession as a painter. "Ah, Zhenzhu, perfect timing. This is Master Wen Dai," He Lei, who was happily conversing with Master Wen Dai, called her over to introduce her to the old man. "Zhu’er pays her respects to Master Wen Dai." "No need for formalities." "Ah, the Caomei fruits I’ve grown have just ripened. I’ll bring some for father and Master Wen Dai to taste," Zhenzhu offered, arranging the Caomei fruits on a tray for them to try. "Mmm, tasty. What’s this fruit called? Why haven’t I seen it before?" The old man enjoyed the flavor – sweet with a hint of tangy flavor, not overly cloying. "It’s called Caomei, sir. I’m planning to expand its cultivation for sale. These are from the first harvest." "Big Sister, can I have some too?" He Yu, bored from listening to the adults, but because he feared that Master Wen Dai might refuse to teach him painting, he obediently sat still and behaved like a well-behaved child. When he saw the strange and delicious-looking fruit, he wanted to eat some, but the adults had not yet given permission. "Why not? My disciple, eat as much as you want," Master Wen Dai fondly permitted He Yu. "Thank you, Master," the little boy said with a broad smile, quickly taking a child-fist-sized red fruit to taste. Enjoying the flavor. "Master, may I have another, please?" He asked for more. "Why not? Go ahead, eat as much as you want to grow big," the elderly man laughed heartily, seemingly enchanted by He Yu’s endearing behavior. Zhenzhu learned from this elderly man that he rented a house in Fengfu City and planned to stay for an extended period to teach He Yu painting. He Yu was to study painting with him every morning. Even though He Lei invited him to stay in their family’s guest residence, the old man declined, preferring privacy over the bustling large family environment. After a brief discussion, he soon left. Zhenzhu distributed the ripe Caomei fruits among everyone, ensuring they all had a chance to taste them. She didn’t forget to send two parcels of them to Li Si in the capital city as well. "I like it too, Younger Sister.” “Miss, if you sell it, it will surely be a hit." Encouraged by the positive feedback, Zhenzhu was confident that when the next batch of caomei was ready for sale, it would be a hit. She planned for caomei to be the first fruit sold in the He Family’s Fruit Shop. After sending the fruits with Xin Xi to the courier service for Li Si, Zhenzhu returned home to practice her spirit energy cultivation as usual. However, upon entering her room, she felt a faint force striking her, causing her to furrow her brows. Eh, such a familiar energy. Indeed, it was the same energy she had felt when buying the tortoise shell with Li Si. That energy drew her towards the tortoise shell in the first place. "Wasn’t the tortoise shell already broken after the divination?" she murmured, heading straight to the bedside table where she kept the tortoise shell pieces in a cloth bag. Upon opening the bag, she was astonished to find the tortoise shell restored to its original state, even more intact than when she first bought it. The small, jet-black shell shimmered, exuding a mysterious and powerful aura. She could still sense the spirit energy within it. How could this be? How could the broken tortoise shell restore itself?" Without hesitation, Zhenzhu grabbed the tortoise shell and ran to find Baihu and Xiao She, who had been soaking in the water pond with spirit energy at the back of the farm for several days, enjoying the spiritual energized water immensely. Zhenzhu then instructed workers to construct another pond, the only purpose was for them to soak in. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel※fire.net Upon reaching them, as expected, she saw Xiao She and Baihu soaking in the pond. “Xiao She, Baihu, look at this. Why did the turtle shell restore itself?” She showed them the tortoise shell. The two beasts went silent for a while, Baihu then revealed that the shell indeed possessed a spirit, as it initially indicated. However, why it restored itself remained a mystery that only time could unveil. "So, that’s it?" Holding the tortoise shell, Zhenzhu returned to her quarters, puzzled. She decided to keep it, just to see what other kind of benefit it had. At least it could be used for divination. She stored it in a wooden box in her drawer. Then, she went to the guest residence, where He Lei had hung a painting by Master Wen Dai, a space where every family member could use. Zhenzhu visited the painting’s realm once a week as part of her routine, a practice the entire family followed. However, they limited their visits to avoid getting their spirits trapped in the realm, spacing them about 7-10 days apart. However, entering the painting’s realm too frequently will gradually diminish its effectiveness. Initially, when Zhenzhu entered the realm, her spirit energy channel leaped by several channels. But, as she visited the realm more frequently, her ability to create a new energy channel slowed down. Now, she has managed to create 754 channels of dark blue tier spirit energy. Zhenzhu approached the hanging painting and sat down on the cushion prepared in front of it. Staring into the shimmering expanse of water, her spirit soon drifted into the familiar lake she knew well. Each time she entered, the sense of fulfillment remained constant. Such a realm is not only beneficial for those spirit energy cultivators but also provides solace to non-practitioners, making them feel happy and at ease. Zhenzhu sat on the soft sandy floor as usual, channeling her spirit energy as usual, amidst the melodious flute music played by fishermen. It was unclear how long her spirit was enveloped in such warmth; her body felt lighter, and for a moment, her spirit entered an empty space, as if it was another world. Zhenzhu was extremely startled. She looked around in shock and fear. Every direction was a blank expanse; there were no houses, people, objects, or any form of life. Walking in any direction seemed endless. "Where am I?" she thought, both alarmed and frightened. Meanwhile, Baihu, who had been soaking in the water pond, suddenly leaped out and ran straight to the guest residence. Seeing the white tiger rush towards the guest residence alarmed everyone in the He family, who followed in pursuit. Upon reaching the guest residence, they saw Baihu circling Zhenzhu, who was sitting in meditation. "Baihu, what happened!" He Lei asked anxiously. Baihu, being Zhenzhu’s bonded beast, would know if anything happened to her. Baihu roared once, then lay down beside her. Everyone was perplexed, unable to communicate with Baihu, leaving them to wait alongside him in the guest residence. He Yu was concerned for his sister but had homework from Teacher Li to complete. He hurried back to his room to fetch it, then went back to the guest residence with his homework, doing it while waiting for Zhenzhu to return. However, four hours passed, and Zhenzhu remained in the realm of painting, causing anxiety among the He family. Baihu stood up, circled her again, and lay down as if waiting. "Husband, why isn’t she coming out yet?" Miss Wang was so concern. Was her daughter stuck in the painting’s realm and couldn’t get out? “Wait for a while. Zhu’er probably coming back.” “Father, it four hours already, and she has not come back.” Normally, they could stay in the painting’s realm for two hours at most. Why did his sister go in for four hours and still not coming back? Meanwhile, Zhenzhu continued to wander in the empty realm, feeling as if an eternity had passed. The more she walked, the more it seemed she was going in circles. "Zhu’er! Zhu’er, my daughter, come this way, come here," she heard her mother’s voice from a direction. Upon looking, she saw her mother calling out to her. Overjoyed and relieved, she did not have to be alone in here. “Mother!” Zhenzhu ran towards her mother. Miss Wang opened her arms, waiting for her daughter. However, as Zhenzhu approached, her mother’s welcoming arms dropped, and her smiling face turned into a scowl. "You! You are not Zhu’er. Who are you, and why are you in my daughter’s body!" Zhenzhu turned pale, her heart skipping a beat. "M... Mother... I am your Zhu’er," she said, her voice trembling. "No! You are not my child. Where is my Zhu’er!" Miss Wang shouted in anger. "Mother..." Zhenzhu had never seen such a look from Miss Wang before; her heart ached suddenly. At that moment, He Lei, He Ming, and He Yu walked in. "Father, Big Brother, Yu’er," she rushed towards them. But when she ran to hug He Yu, the little boy pushed her away with all his might, causing Zhenzhu to fall. "You are not my Big Sister. Where is my Big Sister?" the little boy demanded. "I am your Big Sister, Yu’er," Zhenzhu said in panic. "No, where is my Big Sister! Tell me!" the little boy raised his voice. "I...I am here. This is your Big Sister," she pleaded with He Yu, her voice quivering. This little boy, who had always adored her, followed her around, and once refused to eat so she could have his portion while she was sick, why were his once admiring eyes now filled with such harshness? "Father, I am your Zhu’er," she looked into He Lei’s eyes, pleading. Her eyes welled up. "You are not!" He Lei’s voice was stern. "Big Brother, I am your Younger Sister." No matter how much she tried, they refused to believe her anymore. Indeed, how could she forget that she was not He Zhenzhu? She was just a spirit residing in Zhenzhu’s body. She had been here for over a year, through hardships, joy, and adversity, almost forgetting the truth that this warm, caring family in front of her was not hers. The mother was not her mother, the father was not her father, the siblings were not her siblings. She had almost believed all of this belonged to her. Her heart felt as if it was being squeezed, trembling uncontrollably as tears streamed down her face from her aching heart. "I am here, Father, Mother," another voice, similar to hers, called out. Another He Zhenzhu walked towards the He family. He Zhenzhu had returned! "Let’s go," she said. They left, leaving her alone with her solitude and emptiness engulfing her heart. Meanwhile, the He family had been gathered in the guest residence for six hours, but Zhenzhu showed no signs of waking. She had been sitting with her eyes closed in a spirit energy practice posture since the beginning, and even now, she remained the same. However, tears now slowly streamed from beneath her eyelids, continuously flowing while she still had her eyes closed. "Husband, why is this happening!" Miss Wang exclaimed in shock. He Lei looked deeply troubled. "What could it be?" she pressed anxiously, worried for her daughter. "The Seven Emotions and Six Desires Tribulation." "What is that?" He Ming asked. "Generally, spirit energy cultivators elevate their spirit tier through regular practice, progressing by completing the creating of their spirit energy channels. However, there’s a special kind of cultivator who, upon leveling up, must first pass through the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Tribulation. Only then can they elevate. Upon successfully leveling up, their spirit energy is purer than that of average cultivators. On the flip side, if they fail to surpass the tribulation, they can become trapped in their mind forever. If I’m not mistaken, Zhu’er is currently ensnared in such a tribulation." The seven emotions consist of joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hatred, and longing. The six desires are perceptions through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, leading to desires for forms, tastes, smells, sounds, touch, and mental objects. All of these will be brought up as tests of her mental strength. "Husband, so, will Zhu’er be able to return?" "I hope she can," He Lei said seriously, with everyone waiting intently. As for Zhenzhu, she slumped down, hugging herself amidst the void. Grief and despair consumed her heart. Was she to remain alone ? They were her family, the little happiness she still clung to. She wouldn’t let it slip through her fingers; she had to make them all love this He Zhenzhu, love her for who she was, not because she was the shadow of someone else. Just then, a white light struck her eyes. "Ah!" Zhenzhu startled awake. Zhenzhu felt a weight on her body, no longer as light as before. She was back in reality, still in the guest residence, in the same spot, feeling the concerned looks from everyone. So that was her spirit space. "Zhu’er, have you woken up? How do you feel?" Miss Wang hurriedly embraced her daughter, and He Ming ran to fetch her water. This concern from the family, they were still there for her, always ready to comfort and smile with her. Baihu, who had been lying down, got up and drenched her face with licks. "Thank you," she said, relieved from the nightmare. "Did Zhu’er successfully advance your tier?" Miss Wang asked excitedly. Zhenzhu then tried to channel her spirit energy and found that she had successfully advanced to the indigo tier. Indeed, what just happened was a test arising from the deepest part of her mind. "I did," Zhenzhu smiled. "Big Sister is amazing," He Yu said excitedly. "Thank you, Yu’er, for staying with Big Sister," she affectionately patted his head. This little boy was still there for her. “Of course, everyone was worried about Big Sister.” "Thank you, everyone," she appreciated, noticing it was already late yet they were all there for her. The He family then dispersed to their residences, Zhenzhu and Baihu walked back to theirs. Once arrived, she called forth the golden fish scale from her spirit space. But to her surprise, the scale now had intricate ancient patterns, emitting an aura of power that made her shiver. Whenever Zhenzhu leveled up, the golden fish scale revealed new properties. Previously, when her spirit energy advanced to the higher tier, from blue to dark blue, the scale could move into her spirit space. This time, it revealed ancient patterns, and she wondered what more it could do. "Baihu, do you know what else this fish scale can do?" Zhenzhu asked Baihu. As her bonded beast, Baihu’s level increased with hers. "I don’t know," Baihu answered. "Wow! C...can you actually speak?" Zhenzhu was more shocked than ever. Baihu would only communicate with her through mental connection, allowing her to understand without speaking. But now, this mental connection turned into a spoken voice. "I’ve been able to speak for a while. It’s just that A’Zhu didn’t hear me," Baihu’s voice remained that of a young boy, around 5-6 years old, which was endearing. "Are...are you truly a mythical beast, or are you some spirit disguised?" She had never heard of mythical beasts speaking. They only communicate mentally with their bonded partners. Yet, Baihu’s voice just resonated inside her head, not as an actual spoken dialogue like humans do. "Baihu, are you really a mythical beast?" Or was it a new kind of mythical beast capable of spoken language? "Why both? Explain clearly instead of being vague." However, Baihu ignored her, moving to lie down in his spot, not paying her any attention. Zhenzhu, not giving up, went to shake Baihu. Ignoring me, huh? But he remained silent. "If you talk to me a bit more, I’ll buy you ten jin of stewed meat with peach blossom," Zhenzhu bargained. "Really?" He began to show interest. "Of course. Have I ever lied to you?" Zhenzhu smiled cunningly. Baihu, driven by appetite, was much larger than her. "So, answer my question. Why did you say you are and aren’t a mythical beast? And can all mythical beasts talk like you?" "How could ordinary beasts be compared to *[2]ben Gongzi?" "So, how are you different from ordinary mythical beasts?" Zhenzhu was irked by his arrogance. It felt like watching a haughty young master proclaiming his importance. [14] Feng leaves refer to maple leaves. [15] Ben Gongzi is a term to call oneself as ‘this young master’. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en