章 24: Family
Lin Tao and Ji Yun silently stared at the Floral Lake. Worry was evident on their faces as the silence continued. Finally, Ji Yun could not take the silence any longer, "Master, if you're not going to say anything, then you should at least hum so we know you're still alive."
As long as Bai Lian did not send any signals to the two children, they really had no way to know if the guardian spirit was still present. In fact, the gentle voice that soothed its way into their minds constantly was the only verification they had of her existence, while the knowledge she had bestowed upon them was the only way they could prove she truly existed.
The young girl's voice drew Bai Lian out of her thoughts, "My apologies. I was just thinking of a name for that young boy."
Despite her calm voice, Bai Lian was going through countless ideas and plans in her mind with great fervor. She no longer had a guilty conscience when thinking about Zhou Ming. After all, she was not going to let the boy have a terrible ending. However, that did not mean the boy could not be incorporated into her plans.
"Ming is a very common name. There should be no issue with that name. As for his surname… he can just take Shui Renshu's surname. Mm. Shui Ming, that will be the boy's name."
Lin Tao raised an eyebrow, 'Isn't that name a bit too low effort considering the amount of time you spent pondering over it? Are you sure you didn't just come up with that name on the spot?'
Ji Yun laughed, "Won't he be upset if you randomly give other people his surname without his consent?"
Bai Lian lightheartedly responded, "Then he should have came up with the boy's name on his own. Besides he doesn't even get along with the Shui clan. Why would he care if there's one extra Shui brat?"
Ji Yun's face flashed a look of understanding, "I guess you're right."
Lin Tao and Ji Yun recalled how delighted Shui Ming appeared when Shui Renshu suggested he received a name from his savior, '...How would he react if he knew how casually his savior treated his name?'
"Oh yeah, we haven't mentioned that yet!" Ji Yun exclaimed. "Master decided he would take Shui Ming in as a disciple. Although he has to restart his cultivation, he won't be at a disadvantage against others his age if he learns master's martial arts technique."
"I see… That master of yours sure is amazing." The gentle voice sounded more stoic than usual.
Ji Yun sheepishly laughed, "He's amazing, but granny is my favorite master of course. As a legendary guardian spirit, naturally, granny is more amazing."
Although her mood slightly improved, Bai Lian sarcastically thought to herself, 'I bet you tell the opposite to that old fox.'
Lin Tao suddenly interjected, "Hey master, would you be willing to accept other disciples."
"Explain."
"Besides Shui Ming, there are three other children at the Shui Orphanage."
"They must be fairly close to the two of you"
"Yeah! The bond between the five of us is thicker than blood," declared Ji Yun.
Bai Lian stared at the beaming girl. Without hesitation, she answered, "I'm willing."
Ji Yun's already sparkling eyes shined even brighter, "Thank--"
A gentle voice interrupted the girl, "No need to thank me."
The young girl's voice was tinged with pride, "Of course, there's no need for thanks between the three of us here. However, those three siblings of mine are still strangers to you. Naturally, their place in granny's heart cannot compare to Tao and I, so I must thank you in their place."
A bell-like giggle resounded in the minds of the two children, "If they're your family, then naturally they're my family too." Although Bai Lian sounded carefree, she was anxiously studying the faces of the two children.
She inwardly let out a sigh of relief when the two children happily agreed with her.
During the lesson, Lin Tao suddenly recalled some rumors he had heard in the city. "Gra-- Master, apparently news of the Black Lotus Brand medicines sold at the Golden Leaf Pavilion has already spread. People have been calling the brewer of the medicines the Black Lotus."
"I see."
Lin Tao let out a sigh and shook his head before he let out a voice filled with pity, "Such a shame... They gave you such a beautiful sounding nickname, but in actuality…" Lin Tao shifted his gaze towards a nearby old tree, "you're an old granny."
Bai Lian followed Lin Tao's gaze. Her gaze darkened as she studied the old tree, 'This is the ugliest tree in the area…' The roots twisted over each other, creating a hideous mess. The bark on the old tree was slightly peeled in certain places. The leaves of the tree were a mossy shade of green with several brown spots.
The usually gentle voice lost its normal calm as traces of anger became noticeable, "Don't compare this great guardian spirit to such an ugly tree!"
In contrast to the fuming spirit, Lin Tao had a gentle, lighthearted smile on his face as he listened to the no longer gentle voice, 'She really does trust us now.'
Ji Yun had a similar smile on her face, "Tao, this is why you won't ever be popular with the ladies. Tsk. Tsk. A proper gentleman should compare ladies to flowers."
Bai Lian gazed at Ji Yun with approval, 'Such a good girl. That right only the most beautiful flower in the lake should be compared to me.'
Bai Lian then directed her gaze towards her real body, 'Mm. This one is definitely the most beautiful in the Floral Lake.' Her inner self-satisfaction was short lived, for it was crushed by a certain stoic voice.
"Flowers are used to describe young ladies, not grannies."
Bai Lian was about to refute. However, a certain automatic signal caught her attention. "There's a group of people approaching the Floral Lake. Stop talking to me. I will be troubled if my dear disciples gain a reputation of talking to one's self."
Lin Tao raised a brow and thought to himself, 'Should you really be more worried about our reputation than our lives?'
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