At dawn, the first light of day emerged.

The air was moist and cool, with strands of sunlight intertwining with morning mist, forming a gradient rainbow arching over dewy white mushroom caps.

Lady Qin opened her eyes to this delightful sight and excitedly shook her husband awake. "Husband, mushrooms have sprouted from the ground!"

"Indeed they have!" Li Rongzhou was equally astonished. At this season without rain, how could mushrooms grow?

But when people are hungry and exhausted, they lack the energy to question food sources. Besides, if floods and droughts could occur simultaneously in a single day, why be surprised by some ground mushrooms?

These thriving clusters of mushrooms were clearly nature's bounty!

"You're truly daddy's little lucky star!"

The stubble-faced Li Rongzhou planted a firm kiss on his youngest son, making the infant wobble his head and blow bubbles. Lady Qin immediately set about collecting mushrooms with their two older sons - discarding red ones, poisonous ones, and any unidentified varieties.

Though wasteful, this was safest. Some toxic mushrooms could kill with just one bite, even when cooked.

After sorting, they boiled the mushrooms with a pinch of green salt and rice. The rich aroma soon filled the air. A bowl of this smooth mushroom porridge warmed their bodies far better than wild herb or tree root soup.

The family ate contentedly, their exhaustion from days of fleeing famine melting away in this mushroom broth.

"I wish we could eat mushroom porridge every day," Li Pingfu smacked his lips, sighing. "That would be heavenly."

"Delicious!" Li Ping'an nodded vigorously, face full of satisfaction.

Lady Qin cradled her milk-scented infant, leaning quietly against Li Rongzhou's broad frame. The family cherished this rare moment of peaceful, surprising abundance - bodies nourished, hearts at ease.

But this happiness was fleeting.

Soon they packed their belongings and trekked step by step toward Peach Blossom Mountain.

.......

"My Spore Growth can provide food for the family."

As a reincarnated Druid, Li Pingcan had spent days piecing together scattered information to understand their situation - his family was fleeing famine.

No wonder they'd given birth in the wilderness.

And to keep traveling after childbirth - was his mother in this life some kind of superwoman?

Many questions bubbled in Li Pingcan's infant mind, but he didn't dwell on them.

As a sensitive baby, he felt overwhelming love from his father's affectionate kisses and mother's gentle rocking. Almost instinctively, he worried about his parents' plight.

His initially seemingly useless Spore Growth had now become their most vital resource.

"Spores - the most typical representatives are the mushroom family."

Given an infant's limited "mana pool," using Spore Growth once daily was just right, avoiding the pain of being "drained." His previous hunger after using the skill stemmed from his already starved state.

To prevent other refugees from discovering the mushroom patches, he'd used Animal Affinity three times to sense nearby humans... After all, aren't humans animals too?

"Pity I haven't awakened elemental skills like Wind Dance or Fire Control. Who knows what 'enlightenment' is needed to unlock those..."

Zero-level spells, also called "cantrips," weren't powerful - just slightly better than magic tricks.

But in specific circumstances, combining skills to conjure eerie winds and ghostly flames could sufficiently scare off or even injure hostile refugees.

Humanity's greatest fear is the unknown.

Truthfully, this world was equally unknown to Li Pingcan. He had no desire to reveal his uniqueness - in this xianxia world, survival meant keeping low and developing quietly.

But if forced to choose between exposure and family safety, family would always come first.

Fortunately, his towering, muscular father had resolved all conflicts along their journey with sheer physical prowess - the man's solid muscles often uncomfortably pressed against the baby's delicate skin during carrying.

Contentedly burping milk, Li Pingcan felt his mother's gentle back pats and soothing hums as the little yellow flower gifted by his eldest brother swayed in his grasp.

Sleepiness overcame him.

He yawned satisfyingly, babbling.

Goodnight, mother.

Goodnight, family.

.......

Under the "protection" of a certain anonymous Druid, the Li family finally reached their ancestral lands at Peach Blossom Mountain without major incident.

Surrounded by mountains, the land was flat and vast, with orderly houses, crisscrossing paths, and the sounds of chickens and dogs.

Villagers chatted under lush peach trees, presenting a peaceful, natural scene.

Li Rongzhou approached, offering dried mushrooms as gifts while inquiring about the village chief's home.

With ancestral proof and silver smoothing the way, the chief couldn't refuse, though he warned: "Refugees receive government aid. If you register here, you won't qualify for refugee housing or relief funds."

Li Rongzhou inwardly scoffed.

As a former small landowner, he understood the government's so-called "relief" programs better than most peasants. Whether relief funds actually materialized was questionable, and the "housing" typically meant being relocated to uncultivated borderlands - refugees had no right to refuse.

Land reclamation could be deadly!

Having lost their former wealth and land, the family now sought only peaceful living.

.......

Three crude huts with dirt floors and weed-choked yards awaited them, their thatched roofs sporting bird-nest-sized holes needing repair before habitation.

But simply having shelter from wind and rain brought immense relief to the travel-worn family.

Li Rongzhou handed the new land deeds to Lady Qin for safekeeping.

Ten acres of ordinary fields, four acres of peach orchards, the houses, plus miscellaneous expenses totaled over 390 taels of silver.

"We only have about a hundred taels left," Lady Qin fretted. This was two generations' accumulated wealth. They still needed funds for house repairs and urgent rice planting, plus proper nutrition for their road-weary children.

Money vanished frighteningly fast.

Common folk truly couldn't withstand disasters.

"Don't worry," Li Rongzhou hugged her. "I've trained in martial arts. After harvest season, I'll hunt in the mountains to supplement our income. Things will improve. Don't you trust your husband's capabilities?"

"Of course I do," Lady Qin smiled, her worry fading. "You're tremendously capable. As newcomers, I'll prepare dried mushrooms for our neighbors."

"Then I'll start repairing the house," Li Rongzhou said. Their family always followed traditional roles - women managed domestic affairs while men handled external matters.

"Father, I'll help!" the dutiful Li Pingfu called.

"Then I'll watch little brother," Li Ping'an said, sitting on the bed plank, eyes fixed on the swaddled infant.

The family set to work unitedly.

.......

Seasons turned - summer to winter, spring to autumn - until over a year had passed.

Lady Qin carried her youngest to their backyard, opening a dim wooden shed to reveal clusters of plump white mushrooms.

"They're growing even better!" she smiled contentedly.

Since that unexpected mushroom appearance a year prior, fungi cultivation had become a family specialty. Though neighbors tried replicating their success, all failed.

Mushrooms became the Li family trademark.

Absorbed in her harvest joy, Lady Qin completely missed her child's disgruntled expression.

Li Pingcan "looked" at his status panel:

[Spores]

[LV2 Spore Growth (19/299) (Cantrip)]

[You can selectively accelerate specific spore growth within 100m radius]

[LV1 Spore Sense (77/199) (Cantrip)]

[Spore plant senses can become part of your sensory network via psychic link]

......

[You stand before a dim mushroom shed, inhaling the rich fungal aroma. Immersed in nature's essence, you've awakened a new skill [Glowshroom]]

[LV0 Glowshroom (0/99) (Cantrip)]

[You can create a bioluminescent mushroom that withers by dawn]

......

Li Pingcan struggled to maintain composure.

Seriously? Over a year of enlightenment, and all I get are spore skills!

I'm a Druid, not some damn mushroom farmer!

I'm not Teemo!

At least there was good news.

[Your father Li Rongzhou successfully planted a peach tree. Druid EXP +1]

[Your father Li Rongzhou successfully planted another peach tree. Druid EXP +1]

[You've reached 50 EXP. Druid level increased. You'll gain new specialized branch skills.]

Li Pingcan beamed with joy.

Finally, I can escape this mushroom hell!