Because there wasn't much to do in the village now, Wei Bai stayed home to look after the children until noon.
Little Shu had run off to the fields early in the morning and only came back at lunchtime, carrying a basket with their meal inside.
Although she only looked like a five or six-year-old child, the gentle and loving temperament in her bones was already beginning to show, especially now with her brow furrowed in thought. She looked just like a little adult.
Wei Bai, who was sitting in the courtyard basking in the sun, saw this and smiled. "What's wrong? Why the long face?"
Little Shu didn't answer. She silently placed the basket next to her father and took out a few cakes to feed him.
Only after Wei Bai had finished chewing a piece did she sigh as she poured him some water. "Bugs are eating the seedlings. Shu doesn't know what to do."
Bugs?
Wei Bai was taken aback. His first thought was locusts, but he wasn't sure if this world, which was modeled after Terra, had locusts. Probably not.
Pests were fatal to agriculture, especially in this era without pesticides or machinery.
"Is it serious?" Wei Bai's voice couldn't help but turn stern.
Shu shook her head. "They only ate a few stalks."
"That's a relief."
That made sense. If it had been locusts, someone would have come to inform him long ago.
Putting a smile back on his face, Wei Bai picked up little Shu.
"Your little sisters both found something they like to do today. What about Shu'er?"
"Farming," Shu answered without a second thought.
"Er, is there anything else?"
"Taking care of my little sisters, feeding Daddy, and sleeping while hugging Daddy."
"..."
This child was a model wife and mother from a young age.
Farming it was, then. He would teach her more about it when they were in the fields.
The people of this era lacked the agricultural experience of later generations; they knew nothing of things like agricultural meteorology. Wei Bai was also planning to introduce some beasts of burden for plowing. Once this batch of crops was harvested, it would be time to clear more land.
"Why does Lord Shu like farming?"
Shu thought about it seriously, then her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled sweetly. "If everyone has something to eat, then no one will go hungry."
"Ah, is that so?" Wei Bai was delighted. He picked up his daughter and sat on the roof beam, pointing to the wide expanse of green fields.
"Does Shu want to see what the crops look like when they are fully grown?"
Little Shu nodded with anticipation.
"We just have to wait until autumn," Wei Bai's lips curved into a smile. "In autumn, that place will be a sea of lush green and golden orange. Little Shu, I and all the folks from the village will be there, cutting the rice with sickles. At night, we'll eat a bowl of steaming hot white rice."
"Next year, we will clear more land. There, there, and there. These fields will cover this barren mountain, and the people of the village will be able to have three meals a day with grain to spare. They will never go hungry again."
Shu was captivated as she listened, her father's words transporting her to that endless sea of fields.
"Dad, I'm back."
Just then, Ling vaulted over the wall.
"Hey, Dad, you like sitting on the roof too?"
"Of course. Like father, like daughter, right?"
Jumping down with Shu in his arms, Wei Bai said in annoyance, "Where did you run off to this time, you silly girl?"
Of course, Ling couldn't say that she had searched everywhere and couldn't find any wine, so she just spouted some nonsense.
"Alright, alright," Wei Bai gestured for Shu to go inside and rest. "What do you want to learn?"
Ling's eyebrow raised. "What 'want to learn'?"
"Is there anything you like?"
Oh?
Ling's heart leaped with joy. This was her chance. She blurted out, "Wine. I like wine."
"Heh, you silly girl, I knew you wanted a drink." Wei Bai had an "I see right through you" expression. He happened to be looking for a drinking buddy, and his own girl would do just fine. "Wait here."
With that, he went back into the house to get the wine.
Ling waited gleefully for a few seconds, then she remembered something, and the corner of her eye twitched.
Sure enough, her father's angry roar came from inside the house:
"Ling, where's your dad's wine!"
Followed by her little sister's tattling voice:
"Big sister drank it all! Shu saw everything!"
You traitor with your big, innocent eyes! Now I can't even argue my way out of this.
Her father stepped over the threshold, fuming. He looked terrifying, ready to hold her accountable.
Ling had no choice but to use her ultimate move.
"Da—ad—"
His eldest daughter threw herself into Wei Bai's arms with a coquettish cry, rubbing her pretty face against his chest. "Ling'er was wrong. Please forgive Ling'er, Daddy."
Wei Bai was helpless, completely defeated.
Sigh, this family really needs a mother. As a father, I'm completely wrapped around their little fingers.
Patting Ling's shoulder, Wei Bai said resignedly, "Alright, alright, get off."
"I'll just brew more wine for you. Is there anything else you want to learn?"
"Dad, you're the best," Ling released her hug with a grin and pointed to the sword on Wei Bai's back. "I want to learn that."
"Oh?" Wei Bai's interest was piqued. "You really want to learn?"
"Of course."
"Alright. I'll teach you."
Wei Bai led Ling to the center of the courtyard and raised his head proudly.
"Back in the day, with one man and one sword, your dad fought his way in and out of the Gods' ranks seven times. All the officials of the Imperial Court couldn't help but bow in admiration."
"If you're so amazing, how come you still got chased out to this place," Ling muttered under her breath, ruthlessly tearing down her father's stage.
Wei Bai raised an eyebrow. The only reason I came here was because of you all.
The old coot emperor certainly couldn't have driven him away. But his children had just been born, and having thousands of eyes on them every day, how could they live a carefree life?
For their sake, Wei Bai had ultimately chosen to leave. Otherwise, wouldn't it be more fun to spend his days in the capital drinking wine and composing poetry?
"Let's not talk about that," Wei Bai drew his sword and handed it to Ling for her to feel its weight. "Your personality is like mine. We both love to be free and unrestrained. You can use my sword style."
Back when he had maxed out [Personal Martial Arts—Sword], he had to choose an ultimate ability. Wei Bai had chosen Sword Intent.
His Sword Intent was free and unrestrained. A person should live their life without constraints, to the fullest.
Ling was very similar to Wei Bai, so he could pass it down to her.
With the natural talent of a Sui, Wei Bai skipped the sword forms and went straight to explaining "Intent." After he finished explaining, he began to demonstrate.
"Watch closely. I'm only going to teach you this once."
Wei Bai held the sword, feeling the flow of Sword Intent in his heart, just as he was preparing to make a slash.
"Daddy, our youngest sister is crying again."
"Hey, I'm coming... Ling'er, you wait for me for a bit."
Calling towards the house, Wei Bai dropped the sword and left in a hurry.
Ling scratched her head, picked up the sword from the ground, and swung it around randomly.
Twenty minutes later, Wei Bai returned, picked up the sword, and prepared to start again.
"Watch closely now, I'll demonstrate one more time."
"Lord Wei, Lord Wei, are you home? What should we do about the bugs in the fields?"
"Coming, coming, wait for me... Ling'er, you practice on your own for a bit first."
Wei Bai dropped the sword again and ran off.
He was gone for several hours this time. Ling, bored, swung the sword according to what her dad had taught her. As she swung, it began to take shape.
By the time he returned, it was already evening. The courtyard was quiet; even Xi and Nian had stopped their bickering.
Ling was lying on the stone ground, her arms pillowed behind her head, counting the stars in the sky.
"I'm back, I'm back... Ah, let me rest a bit."
Panting, Wei Bai sat down on the ground. He rested for a good while before calling Ling over.
"No one will interrupt us this time." Wei Bai picked up the sword. "I'm not bragging, but your dad's Sword Intent is very sharp. Ling'er, take two steps back, don't want you to get hurt."
"Okay." Ling obediently stepped back. Seeing her father's serious and deadly expression, the vague memories of the Sui Beast made her body instinctively recoil in fear.
Swallowing hard, Ling held her breath and watched with full concentration as her father swung the sword.
With a swoosh, the force of the blade cut through the air, and then... and then there was no "and then."
The breeze it kicked up was actually quite refreshing.
That's it?
Ling blinked her eyes, couldn't hold it in, and let out a "pfft" of laughter.
"Dad, if you don't have the skill, don't brag about it."
Doubled over with laughter, Ling took the sword, and with a casual slash, the Sword Intent followed her will and transformed into an azure dragon.
"Whoa!"
The eldest daughter's eyes sparkled brightly.
The evening breeze passed by, blowing aside a single, hard-to-notice white hair on her father's forehead.
"Amazing."
Wei Bai gave her a thumbs-up.
It was exactly as he had thought.
Perhaps it was when he had separated the fragments of the Sui Beast, or perhaps it was when he had sounded the gong for the village... He didn't know when, but he could no longer swing his own sword.
Watching his daughter's joyous form reveling under the starry sky, Wei Bai smiled gently.
So be it.