After serving the Spirit Tea, Hee Qi exchanged a few pleasantries with Mao Qingzhu, filled with admiration for Chen Ye and compliments for Mao Qingzhu as his "righteous sister," adopting a very humble stance.
"Senior," Hee Qi set down the teacup, his expression turning serious as he finally stated the true purpose of his visit, "To be honest with you, I have come today with a request."
"Taoist Friend Hee, please speak freely," Mao Qingzhu said blandly.
Hee Qi sighed and showed a solemn expression: "I have cultivated till now and feel that I’ve reached a bottleneck in Qi Cultivation. I wish to venture into the depths of the Three Thousand Great Mountains, engage in some dangerous trades, gather resources, and seek a chance for Foundation Establishment to prepare a foundation for my young daughter."
Foundation Establishment is not achieved just with a Foundation Establishment Pill.
If the Foundation Establishment Pills could be mass-produced, there would already be Foundation Establishment Cultivators more common than dogs.
Upon hearing this, a trace of understanding flickered in Mao Qingzhu’s beautiful eyes.
The road to Foundation Establishment is fraught with peril and difficulty, especially for a Loose Cultivator, where it is often a matter of life and death. Hee Qi’s thoughts were understandable.
Hee Qi continued, "However... this trip is dangerous, and I am not entirely confident. My only concern is my young daughter, Shuyao."
As he spoke, he lovingly patted the head of the daughter by his side. The little girl, who had been keeping her head down, trembled slightly upon hearing this and clutched her father’s coat corner even tighter.
"Therefore," Hee Qi stood up and solemnly bowed to Mao Qingzhu, "I impudently request Steward Chen to look after my daughter. When I return from the Three Thousand Great Mountains, I will surely express my gratitude! Regardless of success or failure, this kindness from Steward Chen and you, senior, I... will never forget!"
His words were earnest and full of paternal concern.
Mao Qingzhu looked at him and then at the girl beside him, who looked like a frightened fawn, and felt a softening in her heart.
She thought, Lisong Valley is now strong and secure. Taking care of a child is just a small effort.
Furthermore, Hee Qi is a top expert in the Late Period of Qi Cultivation. If he succeeds in Foundation Establishment in the future, it would be a great help to Brother Ye.
Even ignoring these interests, since Hee Qi would entrust his daughter to Chen Ye, their relationship must be quite good.
Looking only at their friendship, it should be agreed for Brother Ye,
With this in mind, she no longer hesitated and said warmly, "Taoist Friend Hee, you speak too heavily. Since you are a friend of Brother Ye, your daughter is also family to us. As long as Shuyao stays in the valley, you can rest assured."
"Thank you, senior!"
Upon hearing this, Hee Qi was overjoyed and politely bowed repeatedly.
He pulled his daughter aside, gave her a few careful instructions, and only then, looking back frequently, transformed into a red sword light and sped toward the direction of the Three Thousand Great Mountains.
"Uh..."
The little girl in front of her was adorably cute, her big eyes like a fawn in water, timid and pitiful.
Mao Qingzhu found herself very fond of her, but seeing Little Shuyao’s terrified face as if about to cry, she didn’t know how to approach her.
She attempted to soften her voice and put on what she thought was her most gentle smile, "Shuyao, don’t be afraid. From now on, this will be your home."
But Little Shuyao only buried her head lower, her small body trembling even more fiercely.
This went on for several days.
No matter how warmly and gently Mao Qingzhu spoke or how many novel things she showed, Hee Shuyao just hid in a corner, saying nothing, like a frightened rabbit.
Even the lively and outgoing Qing Jun tried several times to get her to play, but each time was scared off by her terrified eyes.
The atmosphere in the entire Inner Valley became increasingly delicate because of this new little guest.
Mao Qingzhu, a dignified Foundation Establishment True Man, was actually at a loss facing such an unarmed little girl, and couldn’t help but sigh secretly.
Taking care of children is such a difficult thing... How did Brother Ye manage to teach his two disciples so well?
At the time when Mao Qingzhu was at a loss, suddenly one day, there was a surge of strong Spiritual Power from the direction of the back mountain!
The Spiritual Pressure was pure and condensed, instantly sweeping across the entire Lisong Valley!
"Is this... the Ninth-Layer of Qi Cultivation?!"
Mao Qingzhu jumped up with joy in her beautiful eyes,
"Brother Ye... has left seclusion!"
"Yes. I have left seclusion."
Only to see a cyan figure silently appear in the courtyard.
After a month in retreat, the aura around him became more stable and restrained, with his eyes shining brightly.
"Uncle Chen..."
A voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz was heard; Chen Ye turned around, looking surprised:
"Shuyao, why are you here?"