CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 4: LITTLE PEARL OF THE CULTIVATION WORLD (PART 4)

After arriving in this world, Li Shuning had contemplated many things, such as crippling that servant before he grew strong. However, without this servant, there would be others. She didn’t know the whereabouts of the ring, and it would eventually fall into someone else’s hands.

Changing the storyline she knew would lead to unpredictable consequences.

Thinking this way, Li Shuning decided to wait for a while until the servant obtained the ring.

She wasn’t clear on the abilities of the remnant soul of the Mahayana Cultivator residing in the ring. However, in the storyline, there were several life-and-death situations where the servant was rescued by the ring.

Thinking about this gave Li Shuning a headache. No wonder the system described this as a dangerous world.

This world was nothing like her own, governed by laws. Here, it was a world where power reigned supreme.

Although it was just the remnant soul of a Mahayana Cultivator, it was still something she couldn’t touch at her current level.

Having finished her errands at the workshop, Li Xin had almost wrapped up her tasks, and the group returned directly.

From that day on, although Li Shuning remained diligent in her cultivation, she still took time each day to wander around the Mingwu Sect. As expected, one day she saw the servant.

The servant boy had a pleasant name—Liao Junyi—but at this moment, he appeared small and thin.

When Li Shuning saw Liao Junyi, he was being bullied by other servants. Observing Liao Junyi’s forbearance from a distance, Li Shuning had no intention of helping.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed a ring on Liao Junyi’s hand. It seemed he had already obtained the ring.

Liao Junyi had joined the sect not long ago and already acquired the ring. If Li Shuning were just an observer, she would think this was clearly the protagonist’s fate, rising to the top and even annihilating the number one sect.

Li Shuning smirked coldly and walked away.

Liao Junyi handed over the Spirit Stones distributed by the sect, and only then did the servants who bullied him leave joyfully.

With his head lowered, Liao Junyi was filled with resentment, vowing that one day, one day, he would make them pay.

He touched the ring on his hand, seemingly gaining new motivation, and got up to walk to where the servants lived.

During this time, Li Shuning’s cultivation reinforced her foundation. She felt close to reaching Foundation Establishment and went to find Li Rui. Previously, her father and mother had strictly instructed everyone not to give her a Foundation Establishment Pill. Now that she felt the time was right, she naturally had to seek her father to obtain the elixir pills for a breakthrough.

"Dad, Mom," Li Shuning looked at the man and woman before her, feeling somewhat awkward.

The man was handsome, and the woman was pretty, a perfect match. Yet their youthful appearances made Li Shuning feel as if calling her mother "sister" wouldn’t be inappropriate.

This was certainly one of the benefits of being a cultivator.

"Little girl, what’s up?" Li Rui looked at Li Shuning fondly.

Since entering the Task World, Li Shuning constantly compared her actions and habits to the original character’s, not wanting to make any mistakes.

"Dad, Mom, your daughter feels ready for a breakthrough after months of cultivation, so I want to ask Dad for a Foundation Establishment Pill," Li Shuning said with a playful smile.

Li Rui, now a Divinity Transformation Cultivator, looked at Li Shuning after hearing this and noted differences from before—the stable Divine Soul, sustained aura, and faint leakage of True Yuan—confirming she indeed could break through.

But the little girl was young and pampered, having been raised in luxury, so her temperament needed more honing.

"Little girl, I’ll have your uncle take you on a trip to the mortal world. Once you return, I’ll give you the Foundation Establishment Pill."

Li Shuning was puzzled but agreed nonetheless. After saying a few words to Lin Qingya, she left.

"Brother Rui, are you planning to toughen Xiao Ning?" Lin Qingya asked worriedly.

Li Rui nodded: "Xiao Ning is our child, born with an Abnormal Spirit Root. At such a young age, she’s already approaching Foundation Establishment. She is destined to be a shining star in our Mingwu Sect. If she’s not tempered now, she may lose her conviction when faced with setbacks later."

"But Xiao Ning is only six years old. She may seem mature, but she’s still a child."

"Qingya, it’s not that I’m being harsh. The Cultivation World is different from the mortal realm. Even at only six, she must experience what she must experience. The path ahead is long, and in the eyes of cultivators, a hundred years or even a thousand years pass in the blink of an eye. We can’t pamper Xiao Ning too much. If one day we’re not by her side, who will protect her? Only she can protect herself, which is why I’ve arranged for my third brother to accompany her."

Li Shuning didn’t know what her parents were thinking, but she felt somewhat speechless. This wasn’t part of the storyline she remembered. In the original plot, she broke through a year later, secretly buying the Foundation Establishment Pill and getting a stern scolding from her father for it.

Not long after, Li Xin arrived, taking Li Shuning outside the sect.

Once outside, they put away the Flying Swords and Spirit Boats. Li Xin gave Li Shuning a set of clothes, which she obediently changed into.

Li Xin also told Li Shuning not to use spells in front of mortals on their journey.

In the mortal town, even in rough clothing, Li Shuning attracted attention. Her fair, delicate, rosy-cheeked face didn’t quite match her attire.

Li Xin found an inn to stay in, and Li Shuning finally breathed a sigh of relief. She still didn’t quite understand why they had come to the mortal world.

And they had walked the entire way.

At first, Li Shuning was frustrated. It was all walking, walking, walking, and she hadn’t reached Foundation Establishment, so she still needed to eat and sleep.

Outside of those times, it was just walking and more walking.

At that time, Li Shuning wondered why—she had a Spirit Boat, her uncle had a Flying Sword, and at the very least, the mortal world had horses. Why insist on walking?

After a few days of impatience, Li Shuning gradually calmed down, beginning to understand the purpose of this journey.

The monotonous journey, the worldly sights and people along the way, served as excellent tests.

Gradually, Li Shuning learned to cultivate while walking, seeing the cycle of life and death in the mortal world as if from a spectator’s perspective.

Although Li Shuning wasn’t truly six years old, she quickly adapted. If she couldn’t adjust to even this, how could she ensure she wouldn’t lose herself in the Task World?

Li Xin was surprised. Like his sister-in-law, he had worried that this toughening journey might not go well for Xiao Shuning. But unexpectedly, Xiao Shuning adjusted quickly.

Back in his day, he established his foundation at fifteen and embarked on a toughening journey at twelve, but it took him a whole year to adjust, filled with complaints all the while.

Li Shuning and Li Xin traveled for two full years. During this time, they encountered many things—the treachery of human hearts, the warmth and coldness of human relationships, and experiences of life and death, even some foolish people.

But with Li Xin present, no problems arose.

Two years later, Li Shuning and Li Xin returned to Mingwu Sect. She had been capable of breaking through for a while but had suppressed her cultivation to keep refining her True Yuan. Her Divine Soul had become very strong by now.

Upon obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill, Li Shuning made her breakthrough, becoming the first to do so at eight years old on the entire Heavenly Origin Continent.

Rejoicing spread throughout Mingwu Sect, and even Liao Junyi and the other servants were given a rare day off.