He put the jade into his backpack, then switched Xiao Shu to real-person mode, muted the room's sound, and instructed Xiao Shu to connect to the internet to find the largest jade trading market closest to his home.
Looking at the several jade trading markets that Xiao Shu gave him, Mo Mo immediately took a liking to the Dehong trading market in Yunnan, not only because it was close, but also because the Dehong trading market was large.
Although the place was crowded and chaotic, it was perfect for Mo Mo to fish in troubled waters. Although Mo Mo had a lot of raw stones, and had cut quite a few out, and besides jade, he also had gold and diamonds, jade was less troublesome. Moreover, jade couldn't be sold casually. After all, it was impossible for a person to have so much raw jade to sell for no reason, and he had never bought raw stones before. This would definitely arouse suspicion. Therefore, Mo Mo decided to use an ordinary piece of jade as a stepping stone.
Mo Mo plans to go to Dehong first, then sell the ordinary jade he brought there, and then use the money to buy raw jade stones, cut them open, and then resell the uncut jade. He will stop at a value of about five million, since more than that will arouse suspicion and cause unnecessary trouble.
After finalizing the plan, Mo Mo instructed Xiao Shu to book plane and high-speed rail tickets for tomorrow and to calculate the route and schedule.
Having booked her ticket, Mo Mo had nothing to do, so she went to the balcony. Looking at the bright sunshine, Mo Mo felt a warmth in her heart. She closed her eyes, feeling the warm sunlight on her body, and felt a sense of peace. She didn't want to think about anything, and didn't care about anything. So she moved a chair to the balcony, lay down, and sunbathed.
On the balcony of a two-story house, sunlight slanted onto a handsome young man reclining in a deck chair, creating a dreamlike scene. Beside him stood a girl who looked like a fairy, and the whole thing resembled a poetic painting.
In a daze, Mo Mo seemed to be having a dream. In the dream, Mo Mo was invincible, dominating one world after another. However, the only regret was that he was single in the dream. This scared Mo Mo awake. As a perpetual single dog, having such an opportunity and still being single was simply a nightmare.
I woke up and checked the time: 4:30. 4:30? "What time is it, Xiao Shu?"
“Brother Mo, it was 4:30 in the afternoon, you read that right. Your mother came to see you three times during that time, but she left without waking you up since you were asleep,” Xiao Shu replied sweetly.
"Why didn't you wake me up, Xiao Shu? I'm starving now," Mo Mo complained.
"Brother Mo, your mind was in a special state at the time. Waking you up would have interrupted your spiritual growth, so Xiao Shu didn't wake you." Xiao Shu still had a sweet smile on her face, as if nothing could stop her from smiling.
"By the way, has my mom found out about you?"
"No, the entire area within a ten-mile radius is under surveillance. No one can find Xiao Shu without her and Brother Mo's permission," Xiao Shu replied with a smile.
"That's good. Now is not the time to let your family know. Try not to let them find out anything unusual."
"Hmm, Xiao Shu, is it almost time to eat? I think I can smell something delicious." Mo Mo smiled, but the sudden rumbling in her stomach made her face fall. However, as she heard the call from downstairs, Mo Mo's face lit up with a smile again. She responded and ran downstairs.
The dishes were home-style: stir-fried seasonal vegetables, pork stir-fried with celery, steamed fish, and bone broth. Because there were many people—a family of five, plus grandparents and uncles and aunts who, although they had separated their households, still ate together—the portions were exceptionally generous.
In fact, Mo Mo really likes Chinese New Year because people who work away from home will come back during the New Year, and the house will become lively. Unlike usual, when it's just grandpa and grandma at home, and on weekends there is also her younger sister. Every time Mo Mo sees her grandma sitting alone blankly or flipping through her phone's contact list again and again, and hears one familiar name after another coming from the phone, Mo Mo's heart feels like it's being torn apart.
However, that won't happen again. Mo Mo decided to get enough money before the end of the year to ensure that his family could live a peaceful and comfortable life, so that even if something happened to him, his family could continue to live.
For some reason, Mo Mo felt that the food tasted better tonight than usual. Maybe it was because she was hungry, or maybe it was because she was in a good mood. In any case, Mo Mo ate two more bowls of rice than usual tonight.
After dinner, my mother rushed me to take a shower, and then I watched TV with my grandparents for a while—their favorite kind of show: a war movie, specifically a film about the War of Resistance Against Japan. Afterwards, I went back to my room and watched a few episodes of One Piece until almost ten o'clock. Perhaps because I had slept too long during the day, I wasn't sleepy at all; instead, I was very energetic. So, Mo Mo asked Xiao Shu to arrange the selected information.
"Covering the Sky", "Saint Ruins", "Douluo Continent", "Snow Eagle Lord", "Dragon Ball"...
Looking at the long list that Xiao Shu had compiled, Mo Mo felt a headache coming on. It turned out that having too many choices wasn't a good thing; it was easy to get overwhelmed.
"Remove those that take too long, those that require too much comprehension, those that can only be cultivated in this world, those that are hard to obtain, those that don't grant immortality, and those that involve dangerous cultivation processes or have special restrictions." Mo Mo was very happy to see that although the screen was still full, it was no longer densely packed. Moreover, Mo Mo immediately took a liking to one of them.
It wasn't just because he perfectly met Mo Mo's requirements, but also because his martial arts skills were high, his potential for growth was strong, and Mo Mo really enjoyed reading his novels, especially the female protagonists whose characters were very much to Mo Mo's liking. However, Mo Mo had no intention of stealing someone else's love; all she felt was her blessing, because she liked him, and therefore wished him well.
A soft light flashed, and Mo Mo disappeared from the room. The phone lying quietly on the bed displayed the message "Covering the Sky Chapter Two: Su Wen".
A flash of light appeared as Mo Mo stood under the sycamore tree at Ye Fan's house. Looking at the harmless young man holding a book, who could have imagined that he would become the future Ancient Holy Body, the invincible Heavenly Emperor who roamed the world?
A living person suddenly appearing in front of others is bound to be noticed, and Mo Mo was indeed noticed.
"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"
"I am a traveler who came here to help you, and of course, I also need your help. It can be said to be mutually beneficial. You may not believe it, but you will eventually believe it."
"Oh, so confident." Ye Fan's lips curled up slightly.
"Confidence comes naturally when you have the foundation." Mo Mo said confidently.
"State your purpose. If you can't explain it to my satisfaction, I won't hesitate to take you out," Ye Fan said sternly.
"The greatest pain in life is for a parent to outlive their child, and the greatest regret is wanting to care for one's parents but finding them gone. I'm here to help you make up for this regret." As he spoke, Mo Mo took out two longevity pills that he had prepared beforehand.
Ye Fan was puzzled when Mo Mo took out a small box and said such things.
"What do you mean? My parents are alive and well, and I am in perfect health. What you're saying won't happen to me." Ye Fan's face showed a hint of anger.
"Don't be impatient. Would you believe me if I told you that you will be leaving Earth and it will be a hundred years before you return?"
"I know you don't believe me, but I don't need you to believe me now. The box in my hand contains an elixir of immortality. One pill can make you live for ten thousand years. It works by altering human genes and slowing down cell aging to extend lifespan. Once you've attended your class reunion, visited your alma mater, and climbed Mount Tai, and you believe me, call me and I'll give the pill to your parents."
"Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Once you reach the other side, remember to collect as many divine objects, precious seeds, cultivation techniques, secret arts, and supernatural abilities as possible, and bring them back as my reward." After saying that, he handed Ye Fan a piece of paper with Xiao Shu's phone number on it.
Ye Fan stared at the phone number in his hand for a long time without saying a word.
Just when Mo Mo thought he would be kicked out by Ye Fan, Ye Fan finally reacted. He raised his head and stared intently into Mo Mo's eyes, saying, "I want an elixir of immortality. Take it now. And if it's really as you say, I require you to protect my parents until I return. If anything happens to my parents, the reward will be discussed in person."
"As expected of the future..." Mo Mo suddenly stopped, and then said with a smile, "Truly domineering and extraordinary. I agree. This is the Longevity Pill. Even if you can't live forever, you can still live for a thousand or eight hundred years." As he spoke, he placed the Longevity Pill in Ye Fan's palm.
Ye Fan carefully examined the Longevity Pill for a moment, then threw it into his mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. He then turned and left, pausing at the door without turning back before saying, "Remember our agreement," and then gradually walked away.
Mo Mo smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, your parents are here too. I can't wait to get your reward."
"The future Heavenly Emperor's cultivation method is truly something to look forward to," Mo Mo said, then looked up at the sycamore tree above him and turned to leave.
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 9 Your parents I will support
The sun was shining brightly. In the courtyard of a house near Ye Fan's home, a middle-aged couple were having a heated discussion, while a handsome young man quietly observed the courtyard as if everything outside was irrelevant to him.
The man and woman were having a heated, hushed discussion. You could vaguely hear voices saying things like, "The price is already high, it can go up a bit more, it will rise in a few years, there's no rush to sell."
"Have you reached an agreement?" Mo Mo asked, stopping his observation of the courtyard.
"We've reached an agreement, but... is this price acceptable?" The man said, waving his hand upwards.
"Ten thousand, that's the limit. Although I really like this house, it's not a must-buy. And I'm not some sucker. If it's okay, we'll sign the contract. If not, don't waste my time. I still need to look around. There are other houses around here besides yours," Mo Mo said impatiently.
"Okay, okay, let's sign the contract now." The couple were beaming with joy.
After completing the formalities, Mo Mo bought a mobile phone and copied some of Xiao Shu's functions onto it. He waited for Ye Zi's call, and when the time was right, he delivered the elixir of immortality and the mobile phone to Ye Di's parents.
The wait was always long. Besides keeping an eye on Ye Fan's group, Mo Mo also took the time to visit Ye's parents a few times. After a few visits, Mo Mo successfully became familiar with Ye's parents as Ye Fan's friend. Of course, he also chatted with Ye Fan on the phone occasionally, so they were quite familiar with each other. Although they weren't brothers, they weren't just casual acquaintances.
That day, Mo Mo was playing chess with Ye's father when his newly bought cell phone rang. After looking at the caller ID, Mo Mo pressed the speakerphone button.
Before Mo Mo could speak, the person on the other end of the phone couldn't help but say, "Remember your promise."
"While your parents are here, I'm not; it's all up to fate." Mo Mo sighed deeply. Yesterday, seeing Ye Fan's heartbroken tears streaming down his face after returning and realizing his parents had passed away, Mo Mo sighed again.
"The day the king returns is the day his parents enjoy family time."
"Thanks!"
After listening for a while, Ye's father asked excitedly, "Xiao Fan, what exactly happened? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Perhaps hearing the commotion, Ye's mother also ran out. "Little Ye, is something wrong? Are you alright? If you're okay, come back quickly." As she spoke, tears began to fall.
"Mom and Dad, I'm fine. I just might be away for a few years. Don't be sad. Take good care of my parents, or you'll regret it when I come back," Ye Fan said anxiously, guessing that something had happened over there.
"Don't worry, I've taken care of your parents. Your parents are my parents too. But things are about to change, so you still need to come back quickly. Otherwise, I'm afraid something unexpected might happen. And don't keep your parents waiting too long." For some reason, Mo Mo felt uneasy, so he gave these instructions.
"Mom and Dad, what are you doing?" "Beep beep...beep beep..." Before he could finish speaking, the call was disconnected.
"Ye Fan, what's wrong? What happened over there?" Ye's father snatched Mo Mo's phone and shouted into it. Ye's mother watched as her husband bit his lip and silently shed tears.
Seeing this, Mo Mo took out a tissue from his pocket and handed it to Ye's mother, comforting her, "Don't worry, Ye Fan has only temporarily left Earth to pursue the Great Dao. He will return as a king and reunite with you in a few years. Maybe he can even bring back a little Ye Fan."
"Really? Our Ye Fan is alright? He'll be back in a few years? You're not lying to us?"
Seeing Ye's mother looking at him with teary eyes and a hopeful expression, Mo Mo felt a pang of pain in his heart and slowly said, "I swear on my integrity that Ye Fan will definitely come back. So you should live happily and wait for him to come back. Otherwise, I can't bear the consequences if he comes back to settle accounts with me."
Only then did the tension and worry on Ye's parents' faces slowly dissipate. Ye's father then pressed Mo Mo about when Ye Fan would return. Ye's mother, upon learning that her son was alright, was indeed concerned about whether Ye Fan would really bring back a little Ye Fan, and who the girl pursuing Mo Mo was, whether she was pretty, and what her personality was like. She bombarded Mo Mo with questions that almost made him flee in panic.
After much persuasion, Mo Mo finally managed to appease Ye's mother. Once convinced, he took out the box containing the elixir of immortality and explained its function and principle to them. He then shook the box a few times before opening it, taking out a pill, and swallowing it. Surprisingly, it tasted quite good—crisp and crunchy like sugarcane. No wonder Mo Mo noticed Ye Fan's expression seemed a little strange when he ate it.
After a barrage of kind words and appeals to their emotions and reason, Mo Mo managed to find various reasons why Ye's parents refused to take the elixir of immortality. Finally, Mo Mo had no choice but to resort to his ultimate weapon: telling Ye's parents that he and Ye Fan had obtained the elixir from a mysterious place, and that although Ye Fan could return, it would not be in a few years but in decades, and that Ye Fan had instructed Mo Mo to deliver it.
"You should have said so earlier, instead of spouting nonsense. Since Xiao Fan asked you to pass it on, you can't keep it all to yourself." After throwing the Longevity Pill into his mouth, Ye's father quickly took one from the box where Mo Mo had put it, then turned around and walked to Ye's mother. "Eat it quickly, it's a good thing." At the same time, he grabbed Ye's mother's hand and brought it to her mouth.
Looking at the box containing only one elixir of immortality in his hand, and then at Ye's parents, Mo Mo couldn't help but look up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, forcing back the tears in his eyes. "Robbers!"
After carefully putting away the last remaining elixir of immortality, Mo Mo took out the phone prepared for Ye's father and placed it on the table, saying, "You must protect this phone well. Don't let anyone know about it, and don't use it carelessly. As for how to use it, someone will teach you after you turn it on. If anyone asks you about Ye Fan, just say you don't know." With that, he ran away without looking back.
Mo Mo vaguely heard Ye's father's voice from the air: "Why are you running so fast? I wanted to ask if there are any more of those pills. If so, give me a dozen more." Mo Mo walked even faster.
Back at his lodgings, Mo Mo still felt a pang of regret. Four longevity pills were gone just like that. Those were precious items; if the timing were right, they could have been exchanged for top-tier treasures! And just like that, they were gone.
The original novel doesn't describe Ye Fan's parents much, but considering what just happened and Ye Fan's actions on the other side of the starry sky, Mo Mo has a realization: they truly are father and son.
Having done everything he could, Mo Mo, now with nothing to do, spent his days playing games, watching movies, playing chess with Ye's father, and occasionally getting a free meal.
After half a year of this, and having not noticed anything unusual about Ye's parents, Mo Mo prepared to leave. He had made all the necessary arrangements, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, the matter was settled.
The next day, after bidding farewell to Ye's parents, Mo Mo embarked on his journey. Since he had come all this way, how could he not take a look at the scenery of this world? Speaking of scenery, there is a TV series with really nice scenery. After receiving his payment, he went to explore it.
Over three months, Mo Mo's footprints covered the world, from Mount Tai to Tibet, from Mississippi to the Maldives and back to the Forbidden City, before finally returning to his residence.
It had been three months since Mo Mo left home, and she thought the house would be covered in dust. But when she opened the door, the house was spotless and everything was neatly arranged. Mo Mo was surprised, but then she remembered that she had left a string of chess pieces at Ye's house when she went to play chess with Ye's father and never retrieved them. She realized that Ye's mother must have come over to clean the house regularly.
Mo Mo casually put his luggage into the Qiankun Bag, a small world hidden within his body, and then closed the door to the Ye family.
Since Ye's parents happened to be home, Mo Mo first thanked Ye's mother for helping clean the house while Mo Mo was away. Then, she carefully introduced Ye's parents to all the fun and delicious places to visit. She then strongly encouraged Ye's parents to travel and have fun.
Finally, Ye's mother was persuaded and agreed to go out for a walk, but she refused Mo Mo's request to accompany her.
The next day, Mo Mo hired a housekeeping company to clean both her house and the Ye family's house every week, and then paid a five-year service fee upfront.
After the housekeeper left, Mo Mo returned to her room. Looking at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar room, Mo Mo couldn't help but feel a little emotional. She lay down on the bed and soon fell asleep.
In the early morning, as the sunlight slanted in, Mo Mo stretched, rubbed his eyes, and got up.
"Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy!" After saying that, he stretched heavily on the bed.
"Good morning, Mom," Mo Mo greeted her quickly when she saw her mother having breakfast.
"Okay, come and have breakfast quickly. Aren't you going to that jade market? Finish your breakfast and go quickly. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back. Although there's still more than a week until the New Year, it's not that long," Mo Mo's mother, Li Qing, said with concern.
"Mom, there's no rush for the noon flight. It's only a little past 7, there's still plenty of time, don't worry," Mo Mo said calmly.
"How can I not be worried? How can I be at ease? You forgot so quickly? You even missed the high-speed train on the way back, so I was supposed to be home around 4 or 5 pm, but it was past 7 pm and I still hadn't seen you." Mo Mo's mother looked suspicious.
Upon hearing this, Mo Mo almost spat out the porridge in his mouth from his nostrils. He coughed heavily a few times and said, "That was an accident. First, there were too many people, and I had never been to that station before. The station is also very big, and my ticket was for a short time. In short, that was an accident, and it won't happen again."
"No, we can't delay. We'll go right after we finish eating." Seeing her mother's determined expression, Mo Mo had no choice but to give in.
Two hours later, Mo Mo strolled into NN Airport. Thinking about his 11 o'clock flight, and that it was only 9 o'clock now, with nearly two hours left before he could check in and board, he couldn't wait any longer. So he went to the ticket counter to ask.
Mo Mo was lucky; there was a flight coming up in half an hour, so she decisively changed her ticket. With her ticket in hand, she followed the airport instructions to check in, entered the waiting room, and found a seat to sit down and wait.