Chapter 179 (Part 1) The trip to Penglai Island
As soon as he entered and saw Feng Qi Qi's red swollen eyes, Feng Cang immediately came to her side. "Qing Qing, are you alright?!"
Seeing Feng Cang again and thinking about her 'poor' attitude towards him, Feng Qi Qi was a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry…"
"I'm sorry…"
They didn't expect that they would both apologize to the other at the same time. Feng Qi Qi didn't say anything else and looked at Feng Cang. After a long while, she laughed. "You know that when a woman is pregnant, her temper would get worse? Just now, I shouldn't have been angry with you. I'm sorry!"
Compared to the 'tigeress' image of just now, Feng Qi Qi was so gentle now, making Feng Cang relieve his uneasiness. "I should be the one to apologize! Jin Mo had long told me to be honest with you, but I was worried about too many things. I didn't tell you and let you be worried!"
"It's alright! Everything is over now! Don't mention it again!"
Feng Qi Qi took the initiative to kiss Feng Cang's face. "After we arrive at Penglai Island, all these problems wouldn't be problems anymore! I believe that we will be fine! Add oil!"
Add oil: to make extra efforts/ fighting"Mm! Add oil!" Feng Qi Qi's fighting spirits influenced Feng Cang. The two had experienced so many things, but still insisted and believed in a better future. Now, what are these difficulties in comparison?!
The ship sailed for half a month at sea. Fortunately, there was Jia Lan. Every time there was a storm, they were able to avoid it.
Jia Lan was very curious about the grudge between Feng Qi Qi and Misha. Feng Qi Qi briefly told him about reincarnation. She didn't expect that Jia Lan had done some research on reincarnation. He didn't think that this was anything odd. Only then did Feng Qi Qi learn that Penglai Island advocated reincarnation and believed that people had a past and future life.
After knowing that Feng Qi Qi had let Misha go in the end, Jia Lan bowed deeply to Feng Qi Qi. The misunderstanding he had for Feng Qi Qi was also resolved.
After spending twenty-eight days at sea, they finally saw an island in the distance covered by a dense fog. Surrounded by clouds, the island looked like a fairyland on the sea. When they got closer, the people saw that it was a verdant place. There were fields all over the island. There was nothing that was not fresh and natural.
The ship reached the shore. There was a small ferry. When the ship stopped at the dock, Jia Lan made an appearance. Immediately, several young boys waved at Jia Lan. "Third senior brother, you're back!"
"Third senior brother, third senior brother!"
After seeing Jia Lan’s popularity, Feng Qi Qi smiled slightly. She hoped that he could help and communicate a bit in front of Master Taixu. Recently, the residual effects of the gu were more vicious. On several occasions, while they were eating, Feng Cang’s hands would tremble so much that he couldn't pick up the dishes. Feng Cang was such a proud and strong-minded person. Now, he was being tortured by the pain of the illness. Whenever she saw Feng Cang pretending to smile, it made Feng Qi Qi wish that she could bear the pain for him.
"Third senior brother, who are they?"
After Feng Qi Qi, Feng Cang and the others left the boat, the youngsters were very surprised when they saw that they were not from Penglai Island. Especially when they saw Feng Qi Qi's and Feng Cang's appearance. They couldn't help but compare them to the seniors of the island. They discovered that no one's appearance could look better than these two people. They became increasingly curious about their identities.
"Third senior brother, did you bring a gift for me?" A youngster smilingly walked towards Jia Lan and held his (JL) arm. "We all missed you so much."
"This…" Jia Lan was slow to react after the youngster mentioned gifts. This time, he had been 'kidnapped' to this place by Feng Qi Qi. When did he have the time to prepare gifts?!
Just when Jia Lan was about to say no, Feng Qi Qi laughingly said, "Your senior brother has been thinking about you all the time. He’s prepared many gifts. They’re all in the cabin!"
When the youngsters heard that there were gifts, everyone shouted, "Thank you senior brother." Everyone went on the deck and rushed to the cabin.
"Little monkeys!" When Jia Lan looked at the youngsters, his gaze was particularly gentle. After they went on the boat, Jia Lan thanked Feng Qi Qi. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome! I hope they would like it!"
Before Feng Qi Qi came, she let people prepare gifts. It was nothing more than a few specialities of the mainland such as snacks, handiworks and so on. They had come here to ask for help. They should also bribe them a little.
After a while, the youngsters rushed off the boat while carrying boxes. "Senior brother, the gifts are not bad, ah! I really like them!" One youngster held a glass bead against the sun and looked at it. The others also thanked Jia Lan. They carried the three boxes full of gifts to the island.
"Senior brother, we will distribute the gifts first! We will wait to have dinner with you tonight!"
After the youngsters left, Jia Lan led Feng Cang and his group to the island. Along the way, Jia Lan acted like a host and introduced everything to Feng Cang and Feng Qi Qi.
It turned out that this Penglai Island was nothing more than an ordinary island. It wasn't as brilliant as the rumors of the mainland made it seem. On the island, the residents were like the commoners of the mainland. They lived a simple life. This was a country without heavy taxes and had no emperor. The one who had the highest authority at Penglai Island was the master Jia Lan had mentioned…Master Taixu.
After the people of Penglai Island turned ten, they would be sent to the only Nuwa temple on the island for spiritual practice. When they reached twenty, the excellent disciples would be asked to stay. The others would return home.
Nuwa: the mother goddess in Chinese mythology, creator of humansMaster Taixu had five great disciples. Jia Lan was the third one and was called third senior brother by the others.
Each year, new disciples were constantly being introduced. Most of them were taught martial arts by these five great disciples. So, not only were they seniors, but they’re also masters. Those youngsters of just now had been studying under Jia Lan's tutoring.
Nuwa temple was located on the highest mountain of the island. Because Feng Qi Qi was pregnant, they stopped a few times on the road. When they arrived at Nuwa temple, it was already evening.
They had just entered the temple when they heard the sound of the bell. The tone was long and spread throughout the entire island.
"The people on the island judge the time based on our bell. Now, it's time to go home from work and have dinner!"
Jia Lan took Feng Cang and the others to the guest area in the temple. They hadn't arrived yet when a group of boys and girls came to them. They hadn't seen people from outside the island before. So, they gathered not too far away and curiously looked at these 'foreigners'. Occasionally, their whispering voices spread over. It was nothing more than comments about Feng Qi Qi's and Feng Cang's appearance.
"Are all the people of the mainland so beautiful?"
"I don't know. It should be! Why do you think third senior brother brought them here for?"
"I don't know…"
The performance of the youngsters made Jia Lan a bit embarrassed. He could only turn and explain to Feng Cang. "It had been a long time since Penglai Island has received guests. The children see it as a fresh experience."
"No problem." Feng Cang didn't feel disgusted by those innocent boys and girls. Just now, when they’d walked past, those adults also looked at them like this. However, there were no maliciousness in their eyes. They only felt curiosity.
"Third senior brother, why did you only come back now?!"
At this time, a red wind rushed over and slammed into Jia Lan's arms, causing him to almost fall. Then, a sweet "Third senior brother!" reached everyone's ears.
"Third senior brother, you've returned!" A little round face came out of Jia Lan's arms. It turned out that it was a girl of about five years old. Her hair was tied in pigtails. Her cheeks were red like an apple. The only shortcoming was that Xiao Mi's upper lip was split open up to her nose. This cute girl actually had cleft lips. Because of that, she couldn't speak so clearly due to the air leakage.
"Third senior brother, I missed you so much!"
"Xiao Mi, you've got more meat on you now!" Even though he said that, he still carried Xiao Mi easily. Hearing Jia Lan say that she’d gained weight, Xiao Mi pouted. "Third senior brother doesn't like fat girls? However, Xiao Mi is fat like this, what to do? Doesn't third senior brother like Xiao Mi anymore?"
The voice just fell when the little girl's eyes were covered in a layer of tears as though she would cry if Jia Lan said no.
"How will that happen?! I like Xiao Mi, no matter how you look!"
"Third senior brother is the best!" Xiao Mi kissed Jia Lan's face. Then, she looked curiously at Feng Qi Qi. "This big sister is so beautiful! Just like goddess Nuwa, she has a red mole on her forehead."
Xiao Mi was very cute. Plus, her cleft lips made Feng Qi Qi feel more sympathetic towards this little girl. "Thank you, sweetie!" In Feng Qi Qi's hand appeared a rabbit made from pearls. The eyes of the rabbit were made from red agate. A little girl like Xiao Mi naturally liked cute little animals. This pearly rabbit looked full of vividness. That pair of red eyes was very beautiful, making Xiao Mi love it very much.
"Sweetie's words are so sweet. This little rabbit is a gift for sweetie!"
When Feng Qi Qi handed the pearly rabbit to Xiao Mi, Xiao Mi looked inquiringly at Jia Lan and waited for Jia Lan to nod.
"Thank you big sister…" The moment Jia Lan nodded, Xiao Mi jumped down and took the pearly rabbit. She smiled sweetly towards Feng Qi Qi. "Thank you, big sister! Beautiful big sister is the best! I like you the most!"
When Feng Qi Qi didn't pay attention, Xiao Mi quickly kissed Feng Qi Qi's cheek. Then, she laughed.
The child was so innocent and lively, making people like her a lot. However, her cleft lips was very regrettable…
"Xiao Mi, did Master came out of seclusion?"
Hearing Jia Lan ask this, Feng Qi Qi realised that Xiao Mi was Master Taixu's granddaughter.
"Grandpa has long come out! However, eldest senior brother, second senior brother and you weren't here. Grandpa has asked many times where you went, but I didn't betray you!"
"Mm, Xiao Mi is the best!" Jia Lan carried Xiao Mi and went into the guest area with Feng Qi Qi and prepared more rooms for them.
"I will go see Master first. I will come back later to invite you!"
"Thanks…"
After leaving the room, Jia Lan carried Xiao Mi and went to Master Taixu. This was a quiet courtyard. Jia Lan pushed the wooden door open and went in. He saw a grey-haired old man watering the vegetables in the garden of the yard.
"Master, I'm back!"
"Mm, you know how to come back? A group of wild monkeys!" Mater Taixu watered the plant. He didn't turn his head. Xiao Mi broke free from Jia Lan's arms and jumped to Master Taixu and showed off her pearly rabbit.
"Grandpa, look, look. Isn’t little rabbit cute?"
"Cute!" Although in front of Jia Lan, Master Taixu was a severe mentor, but in front of his little granddaughter, he was a very kind and very benevolent old man. "Xiao Mi, who gave it to you?"
"A very beautiful big sister! Right, grandpa, that big sister looks like goddess Nuwa. It is the first time that Xiao Mi saw such a beautiful person!"
Xiao Mi's words made Master Taixu frown a bit. Then, his big hand touched Xiao Mi's head. "Xiao Mi, go see if uncle Niu has finished preparing dinner! We will have dinner shortly!"
"Mm, mm! Dinner!"
After Xiao Mi left, Master Taixu's expression immediately changed. "Jia Lan, you brought strangers to the island? Could it be that you don't know the rules?"