"Father, the paper says ’Yushi slumbers, creating a replacement soul.’ What does it mean?" He Lei, upon hearing his daughter’s story, was deeply shocked. His daughter often encountered supernatural occurrences. He Lei sighed and walked over to sit on a bamboo bench under a tree. Zhenzhu followed him, sitting down and waiting to hear what her father had to say. "Yushi is the rain deity according to ancient beliefs. However, nowadays, not many people know about him because they pray to the Dragon God or the Northern God for rain instead. Thus, the Deity Yushi has been forgotten." "What is the Deity Yushi like, and why did people forget about him?" "It is only a legend passed down through generations. It is said that the Deity Yushi was a robust man, tall and with wild, disheveled hair like a forest dweller. He wove grass into a shirt and tied animal skins into long pants, walking barefoot while holding a willow branch. Sometimes he would speak nonsense, and other times he would dance with the willow branch and sing like a madman. Whenever he danced, heavy rain would fall, so people worshiped him as the rain deity. This is what people of the past told the younger generation. However, in later eras, the belief in the Dragon God, who provides fertility to crops, became more prominent, causing people to forget and stop worshiping Deity Yushi.” "Then the message ’Yushi slumbers, creating a replacement soul’ must mean that the rain deity or Deity Yushi is currently sleeping and not performing his duties. Therefore, we should create a replacement soul for Deity Yushi to solve the drought problem, right?" Zhenzhu was astonished. She wondered if the old woman who gave her the message was an ordinary person with deep beliefs or someone extraordinary who came to warn her. "It could mean that," He Lei had encountered many supernatural occurrences himself, he found it plausible. "Then, how do we create the soul of Deity Yushi?" "There are several ways to create the soul of something. For instance, a swordsman can create the soul of a sword when they master their swordsmanship. Similarly, an archer can create the soul of an arrow. However, to replicate the soul of the Deity Yushi, there seems to be only one method.” "What method is that?" Zhenzhu asked excitedly. "To paint a portrait of Deity Yushi." Ah... How could she forget that the grandmaster painter could create a Painting’s Beast? But she hadn’t thought they could also replicate the soul of deities and immortals. "So, can we ask Master Wen Dai to paint a portrait of Deity Yushi?" Zhenzhu was thrilled. If they could create the soul of Deity Yushi, it might help them get through the drought and save many lives. She thought about it happily. "We need to consult Master Wen Dai first," He Lei nodded, agreeing with her. "Then let’s go. Let’s go now." Zhenzhu was in a hurry. They couldn’t afford to wait because the people needed help urgently. Each day of delay meant more deaths. "Wait a moment while I bathe and change clothes." He Lei had been weeding in the hot fields, he was sweaty and needed to clean up before meeting others. He Lei quickly bathed, also wanting to help the suffering villagers. If it succeeded, this would be the greatest act of kindness in his life. He Lei did not take long to get himself ready. The father and daughter set off by carriage to Master Wen Dai’s house. Zhenzhu did not forget to bring along some vegetables and caomei as gifts for an elderly man. "What brings you two here?" the old man asked as he ground dried flowers into paint. He looked up and saw the He father and daughter visiting. It wasn’t yet time for Yu’er to come for his painting lessons, was it? He led them to an old pavilion filled with painting tools. There was no tea to welcome guests, but He Lei and Zhen Zhu didn’t mind. "Here’s the thing, Master..." Zhenzhu recounted the entire story to the old man in detail without Missing a single word. "Master, could you paint a portrait of the Deity Yushi to help the suffering people as an act of charity?" Master Wen Dai nodded in agreement. Painting a portrait of the Deity Yushi was indeed the only method to replicate Deity Yushi’s soul. However, replicating the soul of a deity or an immortal was no easy feat, and not just any grandmaster painter could accomplish it. "I am merely a silver-tier grandmaster painter. How could I possibly paint a portrait of a deity?" Upon hearing this, He Lei and Zhenzhu were deeply disappointed. They had believed that Master Wen Dai, being skilled enough to create painting’s realm, could also create a deity’s soul. They were now faced with disappointment. "No grandmaster painter has ever successfully painted a Painting’s Deity, but there is one grandmaster who has always strived to do so. However, I do not know if he has succeeded by now." "Who is it, Master?" Zhenzhu’s face lit up again. Even a slim chance was still a chance. "He is my teacher. However, he has been in seclusion for many years now, and I do not know if he is still in the Yan Region." Grandmaster painters typically did not stay in one place for long. They traveled extensively to practice and discover new things in the world, and so was his teacher. His teacher was one of the few white-tier grandmaster painters left in the world. "Is there any way to find him, Master?" she asked, giving him both sad and hopeful looks. "He was last seen at Kongque Valley to the west of the Yan Region, but I don’t know if he is still there." Zhenzhu and He Lei spent some time asking Master Wen Dai, learning that the grandmaster painter’s name was Grandmaster Huo Bi, one among a few grandmaster painters who could create Painting’s Beast. After talking with Master Wen Dai for a while, He Lei and Zhenzhu took their leave. "Father, what should we do now?" Zhenzhu asked her father as they sat in the carriage heading home. He Lei remained silent for a while. His face seemed deep in thought. "We go." "We go to Kongque Valley," He Lei said. Even if it seemed like a daydream, now was the time to do what one could. If they went and did not find Grandmaster Huo Bi, or if he couldn’t paint a Painting’s Deity, then they would consider it a journey to see the world. "When will we leave, Father?" "We leave today. Let’s go home, pack our things, and set off," He Lei said with urgency. "A... Alright, Father." Her father was in a rush. But she shared her father’s sense of curiosity about whether painting a Painting’s Deity could truly be done. When they arrived home, they quickly went to their residence to pack. Zhenzhu put her belongings into her dimensional bracelet, while her father gave away dimensional rings to everyone in the family long ago. After packing, Zhenzhu secretly took some Yuchong liquor with her. She put it in her dimensional bracelet. Being away from her mother, she intended to secretly taste the liquor and see how it was. "Father. Big Sister. Where are you going? Let me come along too.” "Father, why are you packing so many things? Where are you going?" He Yu and He Ming, seeing their father and Zhenzhu hastily packing, rushed over to ask. Are they planning to sneak away on a trip? The last time they went out to the festival of textile competition, they had a lot of fun exploring a different town. Seeing their father preparing to travel again, they didn’t want to Miss the opportunity to join him. He Lei sighed deeply when he saw that both of his sons wanted to come along. While He Ming might be able to handle the journey, He Yu was still too young. He recounted recent events to Miss Wang and He Ming. "Yu’er, how could you go? I and Father are traveling far to help people. You’re still too young. Stay here with Mother. I’ll bring you back lots of treats, alright?" "No, I want to go too." The little boy pouted stubbornly. "We’re not going for a trip, but to help those who are suffering, just like the people you saw a few days ago," Zhenzhu tried to reason with him. Sometimes, He Yu would help the servants distribute porridge, and he had seen the emaciated, starving people, and occasionally even witnessed people dying. The He family had shown him these realities to teach him how simple one’s life was. Initially, the little boy was terrified of seeing dead bodies, but over time, he had become accustomed to it. "I want to help too," the boy insisted. "Husband, what is Kongque Valley like? It can’t be too dangerous, can it? In that case, just take him along. If he can’t handle the mountain, let the children wait in a nearby town. Consider it a trip for them," Miss Wang said. "And don’t worry about the garden. We have plenty of servants to help, along with Xin Xi, Sister Zhou, and San Shu. Zhu’er have put the golden fish scale in the water retention pond, so they will last a while.” "Alright then, go pack for Yu’er," He Lei finally nodded. Meanwhile, Zhenzhu was looking for Baihu and Xiao She because she wanted to take them along. Since she didn’t know what the terrain of Kongque Valley was like, having Baihu and Xiao She along would at least ensure some safety from wild animals. "Baihu, Xiao She, let’s go on a trip!" "Where are we going, A’Zhu?" asked Baihu, who was lounging under a tree. "We’re going to Kongque Valley." "Kongque Valley? The Valley of Ten Thousand Plants?" "Wait, Kongque Valley is called the Valley of Ten Thousand Plants? I never knew that." How could she know? She had only heard the name for the first time today. "Never mind, let’s just go," Baihu said, disappearing from her sight instantly. As for Xiao She, he shrank until he was as small as a finger and slithered around her arm. Having Xiao She wrapped around her arm gave her goosebumps, but she was quite used to him by now. But what she wondered was... "In the dimensional bracelet, you fool," Baihu’s voice rang in her head. Hey. How was I supposed to know you went in there? she thought to herself. After calling the two beasts, she rejoined her family. He Yu stood holding a large bundle, smiling brightly, waiting for her. "What are you bringing?" "This is caomei, for eating during the journey," the little boy said, hugging the bundle tightly to his chest. "Mother, please take care of everything here," Zhenzhu said, turning to her mother. "Don’t worry. May you all travel safely." Zhenzhu, He Yu, and He Ming got into the carriage, with He Lei driving. The route to Kongque Valley would take them southwest, passing through five towns before reaching Zhuzi City, the town closest to Kongque Valley. After riding for a while, Zhenzhu took out the liquor jar from her dimensional bracelet. Now was the time she would finally taste it. "Younger Sister, you brought it along?!" He Ming asked excitedly. How could he not be excited? Ever since he drank the Yuchong liquor and slept for days, their mother hadn’t allowed him to touch it again. Yet the taste and fragrance of that liquor had lingered in his memory, making him crave another sip. "Shh, keep it down." She put a finger to her lips, signaling He Ming to stay quiet if he wanted to drink. "Big Sister, what is this drink? So fragrant. Is it the same one that made Big Brother pass out?" the little kid asked. "Yes, it is. Yu’er, you’re still too young to try it. You’ll end up sleeping for days like your big brother." "But it smells so good. Can I just have a tiny sip?" The little kid’s curiosity was piqued by the smell, and he wanted to taste it. "No, not yet. Wait until you’re a bit older, and then you can try it. It won’t be too late." He Yu had to reluctantly nod in agreement, wondering when he would be old enough. Zhenzhu lifted the jar to her lips, tasting the liquor. As soon as the liquid touched her lips, the rich aroma filled her mouth. The taste wasn’t as strong as the common homemade liquor. For a moment, she felt like she was in a land of immortals, her mind empty and oblivious to her surroundings. But the sensation lasted only briefly, and she regretted that it didn’t last a bit longer. "Younger Sister, how is it? You like it, right? Let me try a sip," He Ming asked, reaching for the liquor jar. Zhenzhu handed it over without hesitation. Good liquor should be shared. The two siblings took turns drinking until half the liquor was gone. "Big Brother, I think that’s enough for now. If we drink too much, we might get drunk. Let’s start our cultivation." With the increased intake of Yuchong liquor, their spirit energy was beginning to stir. It was time to calm it down. They both sat down and began their spirit energy cultivation inside the carriage. Uncertain of how much time had passed, her spirit energy finally returned to normal. She was now able to create up to 323 indigo-tier spirit energy channels, whereas previously she could only manage 296 channels. The Yuchong liquor is truly magnificent! Over the past several months, since advancing to the indigo-tier, she had diligently trained. With adequate resources and combined training with Baihu, her spirit energy had developed rapidly. It must be said that in the Yan Region, she was likely the only one who could create 80-100 spirit energy channels per month. Zhenzhu glanced over at He Ming, who was still in the midst of training, so she decided not to disturb him. Meanwhile, He Yu had eaten his fill of caomei and had fallen asleep. Seeing that there was nothing else to do, she parted the curtain to look outside. The sight that met her eyes was one of dry, brittle leaves, wilted plants, cracked earth, and villagers peeling bark to eat for survival. The scene deeply saddened Zhenzhu, so she resolved to complete their Mission successfully. The He family’s carriage journey took three days and two nights, stopping at various towns along the way until they finally reached Zhuzi City. Zhuzi City was suffering from drought just as severely as other cities, much more severe than Fengfu City. Early in the morning, when the weather was still cool, the He family’s carriage passed through the streets of Zhuzi City and arrived at a restaurant. He Lei parked the carriage and told his children to get off to have a meal. “You three go inside and wait. I’ll take care of the carriage first.” “Yes, Father,” the three siblings got off the carriage and went inside to wait for their father. “Welcome, young master and Miss. How many are in your party?” A restaurant employee promptly greeted them. Judging by their manner and attire, these children were clearly from a wealthy family. “There are four of us,” Zhenzhu replied. “Would you like a private room or a regular table?” “A regular table, please,” she answered. When visiting a foreign city, one must stay vigilant. Restaurants, teahouses, and taverns are excellent sources of information. “Then please follow me.” The employee led them to a table by the balcony. The restaurant wasn’t crowded, judging by how customers dressed, they must be those wealthy people or nobles in the city. “We’ll have Steamed Five Immortal Flowers Duck, Grilled Fish with Herbs, Braised Beef with Red Ginseng, Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables, and Salt-Baked Chicken—two portions of each. Also, ten portions of Braised Herbal Beef to go,” Zhenzhu ordered after scanning the menu. She had to order extra for the two beasts. The employee was stunned by the order. Was this little girl that hungry? She ordered this many dishes and still ordered takeouts. Probably not to bring back home to continue eating, right? She was small, how could she eat them all? Not long after, He Lei joined them, and the fragrant dishes were brought to the table. Everyone ate heartily, especially He Yu, who seemed to have a voracious appetite. “The food here is really delicious.” "For you, every meal is delicious," Zhenzhu said. "No, really! This place is truly delicious," the little boy protested. As the He family was enjoying their meal, a woman chasing and beating a boy around six years old with a stick along the road in front of the restaurant. She shouted. "Damn! Don’t let me see you again, you little thief, or I’ll throw you into the Kongque Valley for the vultures to pick at!" She continued to curse and scold the boy loudly. "Sigh, of all people to steal from, he chose that witch. He’s cursed for generations now.” "Hahaha, indeed," others in the restaurant laughed joyfully as if this kind of situation was a common, funny thing. However, Zhenzhu did not interested in others’ gossip since she was more interested in the threat from that woman running past the restaurant. What did she mean by throwing him into Kongque Valley for the vultures? "Father, please pay for the meal. I need to gather some information." She quickly put on a cheerful face, walking over to a table where people were gossiping. Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍 "Uncles, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m He Zhenzhu, a traveler from another city. To celebrate our newfound friendship, allow me to cover your meal. Waiter, bring three more sets of snacks!" She introduced herself and acted like a rich person, knowing that in times of famine, buying favor with food was the most effective. The three middle-aged men, taken aback, exchanged confused glances. This child had suddenly appeared, talking non-stop and ended up ordering three extra snacks. She mentioned that she was traveling. In such a time of drought, was there really someone traveling for pleasure? They wondered if they had met someone insane, but still, if she wanted to pay, it would be rude to heaven to refuse. "Oh, please have a seat, young lady.” "Thank you," Zhenzhu grinned widely and promptly took a seat without waiting to be asked twice. "The thing is, my family and I are traveling and training. We heard there is Kongque Valley here and are very interested in it. We want to see what’s in there." Zhenzhu talked directly to the point. "Hey! Don’t even think about going there, little girl. It’s extremely dangerous, filled with beasts and poisonous plants. No villagers who have ventured there have ever returned. If you’re unlucky, you might run into members of the Black Hawk Sect, and you’d be dead before you could scream," the chubby man warned. "Is it really that dangerous? What is the Black Hawk Sect?" Zhenzhu puzzled. She had never heard of such a sect in the martial world who had an influence over that place before. "The Black Hawk Sect used to be famous in the martial world. But we don’t know why they’ve secluded themselves there. Matters of the martial world are beyond us common folk.” "Oh. Has no one ever survived?" Zhenzhu asked, feeling disheartened. If it was that dangerous, should she abandon her plan and return? "Well, there is one person." "Who is he?" she asked eagerly. "He’s a forest hunter who once entered Kongque Valley and survived. But now he’s very old, and he doesn’t meet with people often. He spends his days drinking and getting drunk.” "Ah, can I meet him, Uncle?" "He doesn’t meet strangers. Oh. But if you bring him a good jar of liquor, he might agree to see you. However, don’t think you can offer just any common liquor. Ho won’t accept it. If you bring him something ordinary, consider yourself lucky if he doesn’t chase you away.” "Oh," Zhenzhu exclaimed. Good liquor? She had half a jar. Would that be enough to lure him? It was Yuchong liquor, even a single cup was a blessing to taste. How fortunate she was to have brought some with her. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en