Chapter 7: I Declare the System My Own Flesh and Blood

"Won't you really have some, Senior Brother?"

Seeing her adorable expression, Chen Yao couldn't bear to disappoint his little junior sister. He quickly took the Spirit-Nourishing Pill she had been holding out and swallowed it. Although the pill was of no real use to him, it didn't hurt to eat one.

"It’s quite alright, Junior Sister. See? I’ve eaten it. The pill you gave me is delicious."

[Congratulations, task completed: Reward—one drop of Earth Divine Ape essence blood has been delivered!]

Jiang Wan beamed instantly. This was perfect! Currently, she possessed "Five-Element Waste Roots," meaning her five spiritual roots were all of mediocre quality. Once she managed to supplement and perfect all five, wouldn't that make them Chaos Spiritual Roots?

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "System, are there any spirit stone rewards?"

[There will be. Please look forward to future tasks.]

She gave Senior Brother Chen Yao a wide, radiant smile. "Senior Brother Chen Yao, you’re the best!"

Chen Yao smiled and produced a bottle of Spirit-Nourishing Pills, along with a protective jade talisman, and handed them to her. "A first meeting gift for my junior sister."

A protective jade talisman—this was exactly what she needed. She accepted it with thanks, while Jiang Yao, watching from the side, nearly ground her teeth to dust. She silently consoled herself, telling herself that Jiang Wan was just young; once she grew up, Senior Brother Chen Yao would surely see who the better sister was.

Suddenly, Jiang Yao’s eyes darted, and she looked up at Chen Yao with a sweet face. "Senior Brother Chen, I want to go to the Immortal Peach Orchard to pick peaches for my sister. She’s never tasted an immortal peach before!"

As Jiang Yao spoke, she turned to look at Leng Feng and Fairy Xueyun, both of whom nodded immediately. Fairy Xueyun felt gratified; she hoped the two little girls would grow up with a close bond rather than animosity. Thinking of the Zhao woman who had tried to sow discord between them, she felt a surge of disgust—it was best to keep that woman confined in Siluoyang.

"Very well. Chen Yao, take them there, but be careful."

Although Chen Yao was only at the Foundation Establishment stage and technically not permitted to fly on his sword within the sect, his status granted him an exception. He picked up the two little girls, one in each arm, stepped onto his flying sword, and whisked them away toward the Immortal Peach Orchard.

It was Jiang Wan’s first time on a flying sword, and she found it terrifying. She clung tightly to Chen Yao’s leg, refusing to let go. Chen Yao stood on the sword, his legs clamped by the two little girls, and couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall!"

They arrived at the orchard in mere moments.

[In the past, you razed the entire Myriad Talisman Sect, burning the Spirit-Bearing Immortal Peach trees within to ashes. Traverse the myriad realms, find a Spirit-Bearing Immortal Peach of the same variety as those from the back mountain of the Myriad Talisman Sect, and present it to your father to cure the chronic illness caused by your own hand.
Task Difficulty: Supreme
Task Reward: Tenfold proficiency in talisman craft.]

Jiang Wan looked at the peach orchard before her. One had to admit, when the system chose to be blind, it was truly blind.

Chen Yao landed steadily with the two little beans in tow. He looked at them, amused. "There, we're on the ground. Did you really think I’d drop you? Come on down, I'll take you to pick peaches."

Jiang Yao walked over to Jiang Wan and grabbed her hand. "Sister Wanwan, I know where the biggest and best spirit peaches are. I’ll take you to pick them!"

Jiang Wan no longer viewed the little girl Jiang Yao as a simple three-year-old. She shook off her hand. "No, I want Senior Brother Chen Yao to help me pick peaches."

She trotted over to Chen Yao on her short legs and looked up at him. "Senior Brother, pick me up so I can reach the peaches."

Jiang Yao’s face turned completely dark.

Chen Yao flashed a grin, revealing a small canine tooth. He reached under Jiang Wan’s arms and hoisted her high into the air. Jiang Yao had a storage ring, but she also wore a storage pouch around her neck. She held a peach nearly the size of her own head in her small hands and twisted it off. *Snap, snap*—one after another. Jiang Wan giggled, while Jiang Yao remained sullen.

"Senior Brother Chen Yao, I want to pick peaches too."

Chen Yao replied, "Certainly. As soon as you finish this one, I’ll help you."

After Jiang Wan picked her peach, Chen Yao set her down. "Senior Brother, can you put me up in the peach tree? I promise I won't fall."

Chen Yao dared not put her in the tree. "That won't do. What if you accidentally slip?"

He set her down and picked up Jiang Yao to help her pick. Jiang Yao pointed into the distance. "Senior Brother, I want to pick from that tree over there."

While the others walked away, little Jiang Wan took a step to the side, then another, and another. She drifted out of Chen Yao’s line of sight, forgetting that in the novels she had read, once a cultivator reached the third level of Qi Refining, they could project their spiritual sense along with their energy.

To ensure her safety, Chen Yao kept his spiritual sense fixed on her. Seeing her skulking away with such a guilty air, he suppressed a laugh, though the corners of his mouth betrayed him. To see what the little girl was up to, he even cooperated by walking further away.

What could Jiang Wan be doing? She was simply trying to complete her task. The system told her to pick a peach, so she was going to pick one. To ensure she could gather more at once, she found a peach tree, climbed up, and began picking.

*So she just wanted to climb the tree to pick peaches,* Chen Yao thought, feeling relieved.

As it turned out, his relief was premature. After picking a dozen peaches, Jiang Wan slid down from the tree, wandered through the orchard, climbed another tree, and began eating one herself. Who could resist taking a bite of a peach bigger than their own head? Sensing through his spiritual sense that she was merely eating, Chen Yao relaxed again.

Half a peach later, Jiang Wan was full. Seeing Jiang Yao deliberately keeping Chen Yao occupied in the distance, Jiang Wan simply sat in the tree and began to fuse with the Earth Divine Ape essence blood.

The fusion process was somewhat painful.

[Host's pain detected. Activating pain-blocking function.]

Jiang Wan: *System brother, honestly, I could cry. From now on, you are my own blood brother.*

Time passed, and baby Jiang Wan looked as peaceful as if she had fallen asleep in the tree. When she finally opened her eyes, the world seemed to dim in comparison.

"It’s dusk already? I must have slept for a long time. Huh, did Jiang Yao drag Senior Brother Chen Yao away?"

She looked around, saw no one, and finished the rest of her half-eaten peach. She continued picking, but since the system hadn't prompted her that the task was complete, she realized she must need to give it to her father.

Jiang Wan slid down from the tree and walked toward a peach tree laden with fruit. Without a second thought, she grabbed the trunk and pulled with all her might.

And then—she pulled the entire ten-meter-tall tree, roots and all, right out of the ground!

She was stunned by her own strength. True to the legacy of the Earth Divine Ape, she was a powerhouse! She hoisted the tree over her shoulder and walked a few steps; from afar, it looked as if the tree were walking on its own. Fortunately, she quickly stored the tree into her storage pouch, avoiding a greater commotion.