Chapter 70 - I'm Back!
Chapter 70: I’m Back!
Aunt Shui Niu.
Tall and robust, her entire being radiated strength.
She was an optimist by nature, highly capable of enduring hardships.
No matter what difficulties she faced, she always confronted them with a cheerful and optimistic attitude.
After Li Ao’s previous life trial ended in failure, returning him to Silverlight City as a laughingstock, Aunt Shui Niu still firmly believed in his success.
She patiently comforted and encouraged him to muster his courage and continue to challenge himself.
It could be said that her hearty laughter and optimistic demeanor were critical in supporting Li Ao’s progress; without her, he wouldn’t have been able to quickly overcome the psychological shadows of his failed trial.
In his previous life.
A killer from Venomous Fang.
Planning to set a trap to ambush the severely injured Li Ao, they threatened her to cooperate or they would kill her entire family.
She responded with a scornful smile, “My little Li Ao will avenge us! My little Li Ao, he will wipe you all out, leaving none behind, exchanging all your lives for our simple rural family, it’s worth it!”
The enraged enemy hanged her in the grand plaza of Silverlight City.
When Li Ao finally eradicated the Silverlight City branch of Venomous Fang and took down her body.
He found Aunt Shui Niu’s face utterly serene.
As if she had simply fallen into a deep sleep.
Without any fear.
Without any struggle.
As a country guard’s wife, as a servant who had lost her master.
She wasn’t particularly intelligent, but she knew the gravity of situations.
She also knew how to make the right sacrifices.
When death approached.
She chose to accept it, rather than trying to escape out of fear of death, which would only help the enemy harm her own family.
On the contrary, if sacrificing herself could ensure the safety of her family and protect those who were fleeing, she would not hesitate.
This was Aunt Shui Niu, the woman who raised Li Ao into adulthood, a robust rural woman whose hearty laughter could be heard from hundreds of meters away.
This was Li Ao’s foster mother!
Seemingly ordinary.
Yet she successfully nurtured a god-level powerhouse like Li Ao, a super mother in her life!
“My little Li Ao is so amazing!”
Not only did Aunt Shui Niu give Li Ao a tight hug, but she also planted several firm kisses on his face, and even lifted him high into the air with both hands to show off to the neighbors: “See? This is my little Li Ao, the new generation summoner of Silverlight City! Isn’t he handsome? Isn’t he incredible? A fifteen-year-old summoner, have any of you country folks seen this before? To have a summoner come from such a rural place as Xinguang Wuzhuang, being neighbors with you is the fortune of your ancestors for eighteen generations! What are you all standing around for? Come on, big guy, carry my little Li Ao back home on your shoulders, do you expect a summoner to walk home by himself? You bunch of fools have no vision at all!”
“Aunt Shui Niu is right, I’ll do it!” A tall and burly guard, colleague of Uncle Niu, a neighbor from the village named Tie Hammer, excitedly stood out.
His enthusiasm was boundless.
Li Ao could not refuse.
With a stoop, he easily hoisted him onto his shoulders.
Then, amid the cheers of the crowd, Tie Hammer carried Li Ao on his shoulder, marching forward through the village with a proud smile on his face.
The crowd surrounded them, cheering continuously, and neighbors who heard the news joined along the way.
Aunt Shui Niu watched the procession with great satisfaction, clicking her tongue in approval.
She thought to herself how handsome her little Li Ao looked, how he seemed to shine even brighter with every step now that he had risen in rank as a summoner.
She had originally planned to pick some vegetables from the field, but before she could act, several neighboring aunties rushed to take over the task. “Aunt Shui Niu, you don’t busy yourself today. Just go home and direct things; we’ll take care of the vegetables for you!”
“You all hurry up, at home they don’t know Li Ao is coming back today, and there’s still a heap of chores undone!” Aunt Shui Niu wasn’t about to refuse their eagerness.
“Mom, can I ride the big bear?”
Ling Yin eagerly asked, wanting to experience riding the Rock Bear and enjoy not having to walk like brother Li Ao.
“Isn’t it still quite wild since it’s just been contracted?”
Aunt Shui Niu only then noticed the Rock Bear beside her.
The Rock Bear quickly growled twice to show it was well-behaved.
It suggested through its gestures: I’m very gentle, ride on my back!
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a dog; if it had a long tail, it would surely wag it and bark to show its eagerness!
Aunt Shui Niu realized this big bear had a lot of spirit, clapping her hands in amusement: “Well, look at that! It seems little Li Ao has contracted a remarkable war beast! Look at those clever eyes; this big bear is definitely much smarter than our guard dogs, Da Huang and Er Hei!”
The Rock Bear eagerly nodded, as if agreeing with every word.
It then lowered its head and nudged Ling Yin onto its back.
“Ah~!”
“Indeed fit to be a mount, this back is so comfortably soft, it’s wonderful!”
Riding on the bear’s back, Ling Yin cheered joyfully.
The Rock Bear was equally pleased.
It had always wanted to please its master, but the master never gave it a chance, and with no outsiders around, the two Shadow Wolves would come out to vie for affection, and it had no way to compete.
Now, it didn’t need to worry.
Pleasing the little master and the respected old master was as good as pleasing the master himself, and it was happiest that the two Shadow Wolves couldn’t jump out to compete for affection, enjoying all the benefits alone.
The Rock Bear even thought of carrying Aunt Shui Niu, the respected old master.
Carrying the old master would be doubly meritorious!
Aunt Shui Niu, being an adult.
How could she entertain such childish thoughts as Ling Yin? She laughed heartily and declined the Rock Bear’s kind offer.
She briskly caught up to Li Ao, who was sitting on Tie Hammer’s shoulders ahead, her face beaming with joy, and her hearty, forthright laughter echoed from one end of the village to the other…
“You’re talking nonsense? Don’t you see who that is? That’s our little Li Ao; how could he possibly fail with all his hard training? Absolutely not! Haha!”
“The bear is our family’s Li Ao’s war beast!”
“Could it keep up with us otherwise?”
“Ha ha ha!”
“Just look at it, how intelligent it is; it hasn’t been with Li Ao for many days and already knows how to carry his sister on its back…”
“Let’s not go back to the fields this afternoon; everyone come over for a meal, we’ve already prepared. Shui Niu and Shi Pan caught a big wild boar. The trap we set in the mountains a few days ago had been empty, but when we checked this morning, it had fallen into the pit. It must be Li Ao’s luck blessing us with a big meal—yes, yes, you’re right, it’s the good fortune that Li Ao brought back with him, ha ha ha!”
“Bring over all the eggs, I’ll pay you when I’m free. And remember to call Aunt Shui Niu over for the meal, ha ha, it’s good that you remember!”
Don’t mention how happy Aunt Shui Niu was.
The whole Xin Guang Wu Zhuang, the whole village was filled with joy.
Having a summoner from the village was an extraordinary event indeed!
Moreover, this summoner was none other than Li Ao, whom everyone had watched grow up—an even more incredible feat!
Neighbors spontaneously brought food over to help with cooking.
Every household participated.
Honestly.
Everyone had been hoping for this day.
With a summoner in town, no one would dare to bully the people of Xin Guang Wu Zhuang anymore.
“Uncle Shui Niu!” Li Ao got off Tie Hammer’s shoulders, walked up to a tall man with a slightly bent back and two thick eyebrows that were habitually furrowed, and gave him a hug: “I’m back!”
“Good, it’s good you’re back!” Uncle Shui Niu, whose hair was graying and who wasn’t much for words, was the hardworking type.
He had a massive frame.
Formerly, he was the most famous farmstead guard team leader in several nearby villages.
Unfortunately, his contract with the great horned ox ended tragically in battle, and his robust body was greatly affected by internal injuries, compounded by the hardships of life, causing his back to bend.
Uncle Shui Niu gently patted Li Ao on the back.
For him, not good at expressing feelings,
This was already the limit.
Li Ao pulled Aunt Shui Niu over, and under their puzzled gazes, he stepped back, knelt on both knees to the ground: “Uncle Shui Niu and Aunt Shui Niu, I’m back!”
Kneeling.
Bowing his head.
This was what Li Ao had most wanted to do since his rebirth.
“This child…”
Aunt Shui Niu immediately realized what was happening, hurriedly pulled Li Ao up, and hugged him tightly: “Li Ao, my dear boy, why do such a thing, you’re breaking my heart! Don’t you think I understand your intentions? I do, I truly do! You must never do this again, you hear? We’re family…”
Her voice choked up, and she could no longer continue.
Tears streamed down her face.
From the moment he jumped down from the bear and rushed over to embrace them, the ringing of tears became like a cat crying.
Uncle Shui Niu bowed his head and turned away, quietly wiping his eyes.
Aunt Shui Niu cried for a while.
Everyone quickly tried to comfort her.
Voices mingled together.
“Aunt Shui Niu, don’t cry. Today is a day of joy. Besides, Li Ao is showing his filial piety; it’s alright for you to accept his gesture!”
“Exactly, that’s the spirit! Li Ao remembering his roots is a good thing—a very good thing!”
“Aunt Shui Niu, why cry over such good news?”
“Here’s a towel, wipe your tears!”
After crying.
Realizing the situation, Aunt Shui Niu wasn’t embarrassed.
She took the towel, wiped her tears away, and her smile soon brightened her face, “Ah, I was just overwhelmed. Li Ao gave me such a fright; this child likes to stir things up unnecessarily! We’re family; why make such a fuss? Don’t laugh at me. My Li Ao, he’s now a summoner, his status isn’t what it used to be, and you all just stand there without offering a word of advice! Alright, I’ll say no more! Today is a good day; let’s get busy. Later, we’ll have a grand meal to celebrate Li Ao!”
“Right, that’s more like it!” Everyone rejoiced upon hearing this.
Li Ao knelt before Aunt Shui Niu and Uncle Shui Niu.
Despite the outward calm.
Everyone laughed it off.
But deep inside the neighbors felt a profound impact; Li Ao was a genuine summoner, a future dignitary, yet he knelt before Aunt Shui Niu and Uncle Shui Niu in front of everyone… It was truly remarkable!
Of course, those who thought deeper understood that Li Ao was not only showing respect to the elders but also making a statement to everyone.
Aunt Shui Niu and Uncle Shui Niu were his most respected elders, and nobody should think of bullying them.
Like those who had bullied them before.
What follows.
They would be in big trouble!