C3 This Is the Ancient Script!

Under Xiaodie's watchful eye, Zhong Wen meticulously traced the characters of Puidorin. Xiaodie would offer guidance from time to time, even though she sometimes struggled to articulate her thoughts clearly.

Zhong Wen had before him the "Elementary Studies" and "Introduction to Words," materials the Puidorin Kingdom had specifically designed for children's literacy.

For Zhong Wen, a man in his thirties who had lived through the era of internet technology, starting from scratch with reading and writing was a form of mental anguish.

Xiaodie was full of life, breaking up the lessons with casual conversation. Unintentionally, this approach significantly boosted Zhong Wen's learning efficiency.

"Xiaodie, do the disciples of Whispering Blossoms not dine together?" Zhong Wen asked, having noticed that he hadn't seen Yin Ning'er or the others during meals over the past couple of days, and Xiaodie had consistently joined him instead. His curiosity was piqued.

Zhong Wen had become more informal in addressing Xiaodie, but she seemed unfazed by it.

The fare at Whispering Blossoms was quite plain, leaving Zhong Wen feeling rather resigned.

"Whispering Blossoms has always been small in number. Including the Master and Wang Quanxin, there are only six of us. Eldest Senior Sister rarely returns, Second Senior Sister is preoccupied with her cultivation, and Third Senior Sister is devoted to alchemy. It's rare for us all to share a meal," explained the little girl. Wang Quanxin, whom she referred to, was a widow from the village below, brought in by the Lady of Whispering Blossoms to handle the cleaning, laundry, and cooking.

"So you're usually by yourself. Doesn't that get lonely?"

"The Senior Sisters visit me when they can, and we all come together whenever Master returns," the little girl replied, though a hint of solitude lingered in her gaze.

Zhong Wen began to grasp her eagerness to keep him around. A child of eight or nine truly needed companionship.

He couldn't help feeling a touch of discontent toward Xiaodie's master.

"Xiaodie!" A crisp, pleasant voice called from outside.

"Second Senior Sister has arrived!" The little girl exclaimed with joy, dashing out to greet her.

Moments later, she returned, accompanied by a strikingly attractive girl around seventeen or eighteen years old. She exuded a sense of valor, her light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. Dressed in a red bodysuit, a white miniskirt, and black shorts, she showcased her long, fair legs.

As the young woman entered, Zhong Wen felt as though she had brightened the entire room.

Could it be that this sect had a beauty standard for its disciples?

Both Yin Ning'er and the girl before him were strikingly attractive. Even though Lin Xiaodie was young, she too was a beauty. Zhong Wen began to wonder about the Whispering Blossoms' criteria for selecting disciples.

Regrettably, the girl was still developing in certain areas. Zhong Wen's eyes briefly lingered on her chest, and he couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment.

"Are you awake?" The girl seemed oblivious to Zhong Wen's inappropriate thoughts.

"Zhong Wen, this is my Second Senior Sister, Liu Qiqi. She's the one who carried you back that day," Lin Xiaodie introduced.

"Miss Liu, thank you for saving me," Zhong Wen expressed his gratitude once more. He felt indebted to everyone here.

"It was nothing," Liu Qiqi replied with a candid air. "What are you two up to?"

"I'm teaching Zhong Wen to read," the little girl said with a hint of pride.

Liu Qiqi turned to Zhong Wen, "You can't read?"

Zhong Wen hadn't expected such directness from her and felt momentarily embarrassed.

"He's suffered severe injuries and has forgotten many things, including how to read," the little girl quickly interjected.

Liu Qiqi's face softened with understanding, and she gave Zhong Wen a sympathetic glance.

"Yes, I've lost my cultivation and my ability to read. Xiaodie is concerned that I won't be able to fend for myself once I leave the mountain, so she's teaching me," Zhong Wen admitted, feeling somewhat disheartened. Despite being surrounded by beautiful women, he couldn't charm them. Instead, he felt undervalued by them.

He consoled himself with the thought that just being able to admire the beautiful women was a joy in itself.

"What a good kid," Liu Qiqi said, affectionately patting Lin Xiaodie on the head.

"Second Senior Sister, how is your Prismatic Sword Dance coming along?"

"I can now handle six Golem of Steel simultaneously."

The two girls delved into a conversation about their training, leaving Zhong Wen clueless. He resigned himself to sitting quietly at the table, diligently copying from the Elementary Studies.

After a while, Zhong Wen heard Liu Qiqi say, "I'm feeling a bit weary after eating. Xiaodie, I'm going to lie down for a bit. Make sure to wake me up in an hour."

Without further regard for the presence of a man in the room, she stretched out on the bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow, her breathing evened out into a steady rhythm.

Lin Xiaodie moved over to where Zhong Wen was practicing his calligraphy and watched him for a while. After giving him some pointers, she began to feel bored. She propped her head up with her hands and sat silently at the table, lost in thought.

After some time, Zhong Wen looked up from his studies, feeling the need to stretch his limbs. Noticing Lin Xiaodie's apparent boredom, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. "Xiaodie, are you tired? Would you like to take a rest too?" he asked.

Lin Xiaodie shook her head.

"I've been practicing my writing for the past couple of days. Although my memory isn't fully back, I remember some stories I've heard before. How about I share one with you?" Zhong Wen offered, hoping to cheer Xiaodie up.

"Sure!" Lin Xiaodie's eyes sparkled with interest.

"Okay, then let me tell you about a very powerful monkey," Zhong Wen began. After giving it some thought, he realized that among the four great classical novels in his mind, it would be challenging to explain the intricacies of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' and 'Water Margin' to her in this world of cultivators. 'Dream in Red Mansions' was beyond a child's comprehension, leaving only 'Journey to the West' as the suitable choice.

"In a far-off Divine Continent, across the sea lies the Gricaea Kingdom. Atop one of its mountains, an immortal stone transformed into a stone monkey," Zhong Wen narrated. He had a natural knack for storytelling, simplifying complex poetry and content into straightforward sentences that a child could easily grasp.

As Lin Xiaodie listened, she became increasingly captivated, sitting up straight without realizing it.

"From that moment on, the stone monkey ascended to the throne and was known as the Monkey King," Zhong Wen continued in an engaging tone.

Unbeknownst to them, Liu Qiqi, who had been resting on the bed, had opened her eyes. However, she remained motionless, simply listening in silence.

The tale of Journey to the West was already a favorite among children, and even more so for someone like her who had grown up in the Whispering Blossoms Palace and had never encountered such a captivating story. She listened with pure delight.

As Liu Qiqi lay in bed, enraptured by the tale of the stone monkey, her eyes shimmered with excitement. She wondered if she could attain the Sage realm, would she possess powers as grand as the stone monkey's? A look of longing crossed her face.

Time slipped away unnoticed. An hour had blinked past.

"That's enough for today. We'll pick up the story tomorrow," Zhong Wen announced, feeling parched. He reached for his water cup and took a drink.

"What?" Two voices exclaimed in unison.

"Miss Liu, you're awake," Zhong Wen said, turning to see Liu Qiqi sitting up.

"Zhong Wen, please, just a bit longer?" Xiaodie tugged at his sleeve, her voice tinged with a playful whine.

Liu Qiqi remained silent, but her eyes echoed Xiaodie's eager plea.

"The story is quite long, and even if I continued now, we wouldn't finish today," Zhong Wen said with a smile, patting Xiaodie's head gently. "I shouldn't interfere with your training. Besides, if your master returns and finds me still here, she'll surely send me away, and then you'll miss the ending."

"Okay," Xiaodie conceded, letting go of the insistence when she heard Zhong Wen might be sent away. "But you have to continue tomorrow."

"It's a promise," Zhong Wen assured her, stroking her head once more.

"What's the name of this story?" Liu Qiqi inquired suddenly.

"Journey to the West!" Zhong Wen replied. As he spoke the title, a wave of nostalgia for his own world washed over him.

Reluctantly, Liu Qiqi left Zhong Wen's room, already scheming for an excuse to return the next day for more of the story.

"Miss Liu!" she was greeted at the door by the hurried approach of Wang Quanxin.

Standing taller than Liu Qiqi, Zhong Wen could clearly see Wang Quanxin's features over her shoulder. Contrary to his expectations of a rural woman, Widow Wang before him retained an elegant allure, her mature charm undiminished.

This further solidified Zhong Wen's belief that the Lady of Whispering Blossoms must have a fondness for beauty.