Chapter 766: Chapter 746: The 8th Element
"Water Spirit Flute?" Luo Qianqian was startled. "Is that the name of the jade flute in the precious wooden box of Grandpa Kong?"
Jimo Xiao actually looked quite surprised. "You didn’t know?"
"I’ve never seen it. Grandpa Kong said he’d carve a new one for me when he has the time..." Luo Qianqian blinked, too embarrassed to say that she was put off by the possibility that countless others’ saliva might linger on the flute...
"So stingy, just like when you were a child." Jimo Xiao had a face full of disdain.
"Why aren’t you with the Jimo Family?" Luo Qianqian asked curiously, watching Jimo Xiao start to carve into the Mo Yu with decisiveness that left her both awed and slightly terrified. But looking around at the many piles of materials, she wasn’t particularly worried.
Jimo Xiao paused in his work. "Didn’t Kid Kong tell you?"
Luo Qianqian shook her head. "Grandpa Kong doesn’t usually talk about family matters, just reminisces about the past with my grandfather sometimes."
"Then you’ll know eventually." Jimo Xiao didn’t say much more, just smiled and continued his movements.
As Luo Qianqian mentioned her grandfather, she suddenly also thought of another person and asked in a mysteriously low voice, "Do you know about the Gongyang Family?"
Jimo Xiao nodded. "Of course, why?"
"Do you know Gongyang Chou?"
Jimo Xiao’s hands stilled, and he sighed. "Have you met him?"
"Sort of." Luo Qianqian then described the previous incident at the venue to Jimo Xiao. "If he hadn’t attacked me, I wouldn’t have come here..."
"He’s from the Strength Group," Jimo Xiao said.
Luo Qianqian looked puzzled at Jimo Xiao, who waved his hand. "The Jimo and Gongyang families have had a long-standing feud. Kid Kong and Gongyang Chou are like Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu—’Zhou Yu being born, why did Zhuge Liang exist’ is not a problem exclusive to ancient times. Kid Kong’s carving skills are indeed second to none in the Jimo Family, and Gongyang Chou’s skills are also unique in the Gongyang Family. Who is more formidable has always been a lingering question between the two."
"So, mutual dislike is not without reason."
Luo Qianqian blinked. "Then who is more skilled?"
"Back then, the two were indeed evenly matched. But now, it should be Kid Kong," Jimo Xiao said.
"Why?" Luo Qianqian, full of doubts, had not seen Jimo Kong do any carving work usually, and from what was just said, it appeared Jimo Xiao hadn’t seen Jimo Kong for many years. So how could he be so sure?
"Why? Because Kid Kong has nothing more important than carving, but Gongyang Chou does. Gongyang Chou is a key figure in his group. In this respect, Kid Kong can’t hold a candle to him," Jimo Xiao said with a smile. "My Jimo Family hasn’t produced anyone capable for many years..."
As he said this, his eyes turned to Luo Qianqian, his face full of helplessness: "Such is fate."
"Then why don’t you go out and see for yourself? It seems very boring here. Outside, there are TVs, computers, and when you’re bored, you could go to the park and play chess, sing songs, or dance with other grandpas, right?" Luo Qianqian’s face was full of confusion. She didn’t understand why Jimo Xiao would willingly stay here and not go out.
"Go out?" A look of longing appeared on Jimo Xiao’s face. "There are gains and there are losses; to gain something surely means to lose something else. The world has always been like this."
Luo Qianqian was taken aback, then began to ponder what one could gain by staying here.
"Is it, longevity?" Luo Qianqian suddenly looked up at Jimo Xiao.
Jimo Xiao looked at Luo Qianqian with a somewhat amused expression. "Why do you say that?"
"Because it feels like staying in a place like this, without seeking money or power, having no entertainment, one either has long-term plans or wants to live longer to witness something. I might be wrong, and please don’t take offense..."
"Haha, you’re still young," Jimo Xiao shook his head with a smile on his face. "Do you know about The Eighth Element?"
Luo Qianqian was stunned, but still nodded.
"The only requirement of the Spirit Group is The Eighth Element," Jimo Xiao continued. "But now, The Eighth Element doesn’t even have a shadow to its name."
"What is The Eighth Element?"
"The Eighth Element, who knows? However, the legend says that The Eighth Element is the Mother Element, which can create something out of nothing, turning people without abilities into those with abilities," Jimo Xiao said with a wry smile, shaking his head. "But I have been waiting here so long and ultimately haven’t seen it."
Luo Qianqian furrowed her brows tightly, said nothing, and just quietly observed him, her face full of contemplative expression.
"It’s just a pity, the Spirit Group until now still has no one." Jimo Xiao said with a smile, but his face carried a hint of dejection.
"Are you here just to wait for that person, for an opportunity for the Jimo Family?" Luo Qianqian fell silent for a moment before asking.
Jimo Xiao looked at Luo Qianqian for a long time before nodding his head. "You could say that."
Luo Qianqian said nothing, sitting aside, unsure of what to express.
Her heart seldom felt as messy as a pot of porridge, similar to the time Han Chen had said those things, completely in disarray.
"By the way, you’re Kid Kong’s student, do you have any of his creations on you? Let me take a look," Jimo Xiao turned towards the daydreaming Luo Qianqian, who was just about to shake her head when she remembered the Jade Token and quickly took it out.
"Hey, Warm Jade." As he took it, Jimo Xiao was slightly surprised. "Kid Kong is not bad to you either."
Luo Qianqian nodded, "Grandpa Kong is very good to me, and so is my senior brother. No matter what I do, they always stand behind me."
"That’s probably the best thing the kid ever did." Jimo Xiao held the Jade Token up to the light, looking at it seriously. "So, will you stand with the Jimo Family?"
Luo Qianqian nodded naturally, "Of course, a drop of water in need shall be returned with a spring in deed."
Besides, the Luo Family was under the Jimo Family’s protection, and it was good to enjoy the cool under a big tree; this principle was something that Luo Qianqian understood very well.
Even if that wasn’t the case, given her relationship with Jimo Cheng here, she wouldn’t allow anyone to step on the Jimo Family, of course... provided she could protect them.
"Worried you might not match up to Gongyang Chou?" Jimo Xiao looked at Luo Qianqian and handed the Warm Jade Plaque back to her. "You should know that you’re only a teenager, while he’s already an old man with one foot in the grave."
"Isn’t there a saying, ’Old ginger is spicier’?" Luo Qianqian said helplessly, spreading her hands. "But don’t worry, within my abilities, I will do my best to protect the Jimo Family."
"I’m not worried about that, the Jimo Family won’t crumble so easily, even if... well, we’ll talk about it when you’ve achieved something. Let’s not talk too much about it now," Jimo Xiao shook his head and said with a smile. "Do you have any particular materials you like? I’ll make you a little trinket to hang."
Luo Qianqian blinked and laughed hee hee, "That depends if you want to give it to me or to Grandpa Kong. For me, as long as it’s pretty, that’s fine. As for Grandpa Kong... I really don’t know."
"Why would I give it to him?" Jimo Xiao rolled his eyes. "Emerald? You probably wouldn’t dare to hang that around, right?"
