In the Market Quarter of Danyuan City, after bidding farewell to Wang Chen, Zhao Li and the others headed towards the Zhao Family.
"Little brother, you were really too reckless this time. Since we started cultivating as children, the elders in the clan have warned us more than once that cultivation requires a quiet environment. If you're disturbed while cultivating, one wrong move can lead to Cultivation Deviation," Zhao Ning said to Zhao Li.
Zhao Li looked helpless:
"Opportunity came, I couldn't stop it. I didn't expect to break through to Dou Disciple just like that. I didn't even know what happened."
Zhao Li spread his hands, looking innocent.
Zhao Li's words made a few people feel an urge to hit him. Zhao Ze said gloomily:
"It's really you, impressive. I'm sure Uncle must already know about what happened in the Market Quarter. I wonder what he'll say later. Great genius, you'd better think carefully about how you're going to get through this 'calamity'. Heh heh!"
"Uh..." Zhao Li listened to Zhao Ze's words and cast a pleading look at Zhao Hongyu.
Zhao Hongyu seemed not to see it, just holding Zhao Zhenzhen's hand, not saying a word.
The group returned to the clan and parted ways.
Zhao Li, however, stood in front of his own door for a long time, feeling a headache at the thought of the impending scolding from his parents.
What a mess. Although I was at least 98% sure I'd break through, Mom and Dad won't care about that. What kind of situation is this?
Zhao Li sighed in his heart, then pushed the door open and entered.
In the small courtyard, under the ancient tree, beside the stone table, sat a middle-aged man and a beautiful woman.
"Oh, who is this?" Han Xiangyu glanced at Zhao Li and said to Zhao Lingxiao.
"He's a prodigy who can break through whenever he wants, right out in public. I wonder what brings him to our little corner of the world," Zhao Lingxiao replied.
Hearing his parents' sarcastic remarks, Zhao Li knew they were angry. He quickly went behind his mother and massaged her shoulders:
"Father, Mother, your child knows he was wrong. I will never be so careless again."
As for his father, he held the lowest position in the family, so there was no need to pay him any mind.
"Li'er, come here and let Mom take a look."
Han Xiangyu's previously cold face couldn't stay that way. Instead, she looked worried and anxious. She quickly pulled Zhao Li in front of her and carefully examined him several times. Only after confirming there were no problems did she relax, then her face turned cold again:
"Li'er, do you know that in that situation, if someone had malicious intentions, we might not have seen you again? What would your mother have done then?"
"Listen carefully and remember this: you must be wary of others. There aren't that many good people on the continent. You were lucky this time that your Grandpa Wang Chen was there to deter the wicked."
Zhao Lingxiao saw his wife's relieved expression after checking their son and understood that their son was fine. The worry in his heart also subsided. He put on a stern face and instructed him.
Hearing this, Zhao Li silently remembered the favor from Senior Wang Chen. Then, he adopted a well-behaved demeanor, listening to his parents' lecture, occasionally responding to show he understood.
When he heard his parents talking about things like murder, robbery, and the stifling of geniuses on the continent, Zhao Li felt a sense of lingering fear.
For over ten years, he had never gone out to train anywhere, never experienced those things, and had never truly integrated himself into this world. He had forgotten that the Dou Qi Continent was a world where the strong reigned supreme, unlike Earth in his previous life, which had many laws and regulations. Even on Earth, there were plenty of people who harmed others for no benefit. Zhao Li hadn't forgotten the many incidents exposed online in that era of advanced networks...
"Your child remembers. I won't do this again in the future, you can rest assured. Mom, I'm hungry. I've been out for most of the day and haven't eaten yet..."
After being lectured by his parents, Zhao Li put on a serious expression, indicating that he had realized his mistake and would definitely correct it. Then, he found an excuse, preparing to move past the topic.
Seeing their son like this, the couple shook their heads in unison. Then, Han Xiangyu got up and walked towards the kitchen, preparing to cook personally.
"Li'er, this time was a close call, but you also condensed your Qi Cyclone and advanced to Dou Disciple. This is a Mid-Grade Profound Tier Fire Attribute Cultivation Technique. Take it and have a look first. Whether you practice it is up to you, perhaps your teacher has other arrangements."
Seeing his son trying to slip away, Zhao Lingxiao pointed to the black scroll on the stone table.
Hearing this, Zhao Li picked up the scroll and placed it into his Storage Ring. "Thank you, Father, for your trouble."
Seeing his son's calm reaction, unlike his eagerness when asking for a cultivation technique yesterday, Zhao Lingxiao thought he had spoken too harshly and that his son might not be able to accept it for a while. "Your mother and I said these things not to make you do this or that, but just to hope that in the future, whatever you do, you prioritize your own safety first."
"Your child understands," Zhao Li replied.
The bright moon hung high, and countless stars twinkled, illuminating the summer night, as if not wanting people to miss the scenery of the summer night due to the darkness.
In the Zhao Family's back mountain, as the moonlight sprinkled down silver rays, it draped the mountain forest in a layer of silver gauze.
A young man lay on his back on the mountain grassland, his right hand extended forward, seemingly trying to touch the moon in the sky, which seemed close yet far, unattainable.
In fact, what his parents said today had a much greater impact on Zhao Li than they imagined.
Although Zhao Li had not experienced the dark sides of life that his parents described, which were hidden from view in his previous life, Zhao Li knew clearly that on this continent, which followed the most ancient law of the jungle, where the weak were prey to the strong and might made right, those things were real, and perhaps they were even happening at this very moment somewhere on the continent.
On this continent, those things didn't need to be hidden because people on the continent had long been accustomed to them since thousands, tens of thousands, or even longer years ago...
Zhao Li was different. He had lived for twenty years on that magical blue planet, in that magical country with a history of only five thousand years. In those twenty years, although Zhao Li was still in the ivory tower and hadn't experienced the harsh realities of life, he had gradually formed his own worldview.
In the more than ten years since he was born on this continent, perhaps because he had never gone out to experience anything, Zhao Li had always adhered to the worldview he had gradually formed during his twenty years on Earth. Besides his curiosity about Dou Qi and cultivation, Zhao Li always felt a deliberate or unintentional distance from the people around him.
For the past ten years or so, it was as if he had moved from the fast-paced city of Earth to this ancient and rustic mountain forest, living with a group of strangers, gradually making a few close friends. Everything else seemed no different.
But when Zhao Li truly integrated into this world, that worldview, which was only initially formed, was severely impacted, almost collapsing.
"Raising my head, I gaze at the bright moon; lowering my head, I think of my hometown. So, this is what longing for home feels like."
Zhao Li murmured to himself, slowly retracting his outstretched hand.
An inexplicable feeling of frustration and suffocation filled Zhao Li's heart. So, I am already so far away from that kind of life.
The moment tears slid down his cheeks, Zhao Li completely understood.
Under the moonlight, in the mountain forest, the young man curled up on the grass. Amidst the chirping of insects on the summer night, his occasional whimpers were heard. Soon, the young man cried out loud.
"Zhao Li, I miss you..."
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