"Is the task complet-"

  "Here!" Xing'er beams holding out her hand. The complete book appears on her palm, all the pages in it organized.

  I touch it, use my energy to run through the pages as I make sure that not even one is missing. Sure enough, they arranged all eighty pages of the book in the right order.

  "Good work, you two. I hope you both learned something from this experience."

  "Yes!" Xing'er jumps to Bai Yu's side. "Sister Yu is very smart. She did most of the work because I couldn't follow anything in the story."

  "Don't say that, Xing'er. You're also smart. You just need to spend more time reading to understand most of the words," Bai Yu compliments rubbing Xing'er's hair affectionately. They both look like they have been longing for each other's company, but were divided by whatever was nothing Xing'er. It's good to see them so free with each other.

  "Xing'er?"

  "Yes, Zhuren."

  "Have you apologized to Bai Yu for the way you treated her?"

  She looks up at the person standing next to her with remorseful eyes. "Sister Yu, I...I'm sorry for misunderstanding you. I didn't know you came here to escape those bad mortals and not because you wanted to take my Zhuren away."

  Xing'er takes a step to the right and then offers an apologetic bow to Bai Yu. "I will give you a scale from my body as my sincere apology to you."

  "What?! No. Please don't do that."

  Bai Yu leans in Xing'er's direction to help her straighten. "Your words are enough for me. I thought you didn't like me because I am weak. I'm glad we can understand each other now."

  Xing'er nods, her eyes glistening as she stares up at Bai Yu.

  "Don't worry. Zhuren won't let those bad mortals take you away."

  Bai Yu pinches Xing'er's cheek playfully. "I do not doubt the Boss. He is powerful. I'm sure he will show them that this realm has stronger people than them."

  "Ahem!"

  They both turn in my direction after making me feel like air while they were sweet talking each other. "Let us join the others for our first New Year's meal."

  "Okay, Boss."

  Xing'er just nods, embracing Bai Yu from the side.

  Now that I think of it, Xing'er never had any female to look up to as an older sister, a mother, an aunt, or even a sister because her former master never kept anyone by his side except for her. He did not even have any close friends even though he craved the companionship of others.

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  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Their laughs. Their smiles. Their unity. Their lives.

  Being here together with my disciples and subordinates like this feels like a bigger blessing than I deserve. This feeling is different from what I felt in my past life. Maybe because back then I was haunted by the worries about how to keep the demons safe from humans, that I did not stop to enjoy such moments with those I had, or it was because we never had such moments.

  The food tastes even better with everyone sharing the joy of a peaceful unity.

  "Come on, Shifu, it is time to light the fireworks." Wei'er is more vibrant than I remember him as he drags me outside along with everyone.

  "Xing'er, do it!" Lu'er yells from the other side of the box that holds the fireworks.

  "Okay!"

  She jumps through the air to stand in front of the unlit fireworks. Before she lights them, she looks back at me, at all of us. "I want to live here with these mortals like this. Zhuren, let us never go back there again."

  Why would I go back to where the previous owner of my body was killed? There are more enemies there who are more powerful than he was.

  I nod. "Okay. We won't."

  "Yay! Thank you!"

  Xing'er turns, raising her hand to release tiny flames which quickly fly to the box of fireworks, lighting them.

  "Here it comes!" Fei'er cries in excitement while staring at the dark sky that is about to be lit up by the multicolored from the fireworks.

  The explosions from them resonate in the air, accompanying other colorful blasts that echo from a distance. Probably, the central city area for this part of the city cannot afford any fireworks.

  But it doesn't matter, we are lighting these for everyone in the mansion and in the nearby streets.

  "Happy New Year, Shifu!" Numerous voices suddenly chorus while I am busy admiring the smaller explosions still happening.

  The energy in their voices draws my attention down to their bowed heads. Everyone is bowing, Lu'er, Xing'er, and Bai Yu included, even though they are not my registered disciples. Do I even have a register?

  'Leave that for tomorrow.'

  "Happy New Year, my disciples, rise."

  "Thank you, Shifu!" they chorus in unison again. Had they practiced all of this while I was in seclusion? It is too perfect to just be a random action.

  Feng and Bai Yu come to stop before me. They both hold up their palms, their heads bowed.

  I'm slightly lost at first, but it all makes sense when Xing'er flies from above to place something in their palms... A long box.

  Its design is very strange. The phoenix patterns on it feel as if they're alive and even, moving.

  "This...?"

  "This is your gift from all of us. We know you're powerful and won't need such a thing, but this is the best gift we could find. Please accept it, Boss."

  "Please accept our gift, Shifu," the others give their support in another unified chorus that fills the courtyard.

  "Then, I won't let you all down."

  I use my hands to receive the first gift from my disciples before storing it away in the bracelet to have a look at it later.

  "I also have gifts for all of you."

  During my break times in the cave, I prepared gifts for all of them.

  With a sway of my hand, wisps of my qi fly out and instantly invade their bodies. Whether one has a core or not, my energy is intended to help them with the journey they are about to start.

  Xing'er is the only exception; for her, I have granted her a celestial pill from the storage space. It is among the five celestial pills her former master intended to give her, but he never had the chance to.

  With this pill, she will comfortably break through a whole realm. But we can only do it where our sect is located. With Tianzhe there, I have some hope of not exposing Xing'er's true form or her cultivation level.

  "We will set off to our new home in the land between in a few days. Before we do, I want you to use the energy I have given you to cleanse your meridians. Your progress will be recorded from now on. Those who strive to break their own limits will be awarded, and those who fail to complete this task will be punished.

  "Failure is allowed. What I will not smile about is anyone becoming lazy because you all had your chance to leave, but you chose to follow me. This is the start of your cultivation journey. It won't be an easy path, but I will be with you all in it."

  For mortals to receive a god's qi even without the divine energy, it is a big gain for them. To clean one's meridian, there are other ways to do it other than pills: using the energy of someone more powerful than you are will help, even unblock some of them.

  "Chen'er? Come with me."

  I start walking towards the main house, leaving my disciples to entertain themselves without feeling watched by their master.

  Chen'er follows behind me quietly. Even though I gave him my energy, he still needs something for his Dantian.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  He sits on the futon I was using days ago, his eyes holding so many questions which he dares not to voice.

  These kids. Why are they so tough on themselves? I never ordered them to just accept things without asking why they're happening.

  "Here. I will stay here and protect your soul if there is any danger." I hand him half of a purple pill that has a single pattern on it.

  I may not know much about pills, but thanks to the details in the book the divine lord kept, I know the importance of almost every pill in the bracelet which is now on my wrist.

  "This is...? What is this?"

  "A saint pill that is capable of advancing an immortal's Dantian to that of a god's. I do not know what effect it will have on your broken Dantian, but I will be here to protect your soul and body. Are you willing to take the risk?"

  Ultimately, it is his choice.

  Chen'er stares, no, glares at the half pill as he thinks through the options available.

  'This is too much of a bet. If he-'

  Chen'er throws the pill in his mouth and swallows it without a tinge of fear.

  "I'm ready!"

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