Xu Henshan stroked his beard and said, "The instructors at Baopu Peak are carefully selected by the sect, well-versed in understanding the nature of young children and adept at teaching foundational principles. Qing Jun cultivating on this peak is, in my opinion, the most prudent choice. Furthermore... this time upon my return to the sect, I will be serving as the Peak Master of Baopu Peak!"
Chen Ye’s eyes flickered with thoughts already swirling in his mind.
The disciples of Baopu Peak are all future pillars or high-ranking members of the sect’s lineage.
If Qing Jun were to be here, she would not be alone.
With her exceptional talent, she would naturally attract attention and make connections with her peers.
The friendships fostered from a young age might become her support in the future.
This intention of Xu Henshan might also contain the deeper meaning of paving the way for Qing Jun.
Moreover, people are social beings; they need social interaction...
"Senior, your thoughts are thorough."
Chen Ye nodded, his reluctance due to separation was ultimately suppressed by reason. Indeed, this was better than keeping Qing Jun confined to the corner of Luoli Courtyard.
"Let’s follow Senior’s suggestion and send Qing Jun to Baopu Peak to receive the Xu Family’s legacy. She will leave early and return late!"
...
After everything was settled, Chen Ye felt relieved.
He was just unsure if Qing Jun, with her personality, could make friends at Baopu Peak... but since Xu Henshan is the Peak Master there, Qing Jun certainly wouldn’t be mistreated.
"Oh well, oh well, the disciple has her own fortunes... she might even bring friends home to play in the future?"
Chen Ye bit his lip.
Oh forget it... it’s better not to bring friends home.
If it’s a girl, he could barely accept it. The children of a Great Cultivator should all be pretty girls, Qing Jun should like them...
As for Zhiwei and Jin’er, since Zhiwei just finished half a year of training with him in the Grotto Heaven, there’s no need to rush with her. And Jin’er’s leg ailment hasn’t healed, so there’s no hurry for her either.
After agreeing with Xu Henshan to send Qing Jun to Baopu Peak the next day, he finally turned back to the courtyard.
Opening the courtyard door, he noticed the courtyard was quiet.
Zhiwei was meditating in the Quiet Chamber, and Lin Jin was resting in her room. Only Qing Jun sat idly by the stone table, swinging her little legs, her small face full of displeasure.
On the table were slightly cooled dishes.
In fact, Qing Jun was very accurate in estimating the time her master would return home, but unfortunately, some time was wasted with Xu Henshan, so the food wasn’t warm enough... hence, when the little girl sneaked to the door to peek if her master had returned, she also saw that old man from the Xu Family.
"Master!"
Seeing Chen Ye, she immediately jumped off the stone bench, running over to him in a few quick steps, grabbing his sleeve and looking up to ask:
"Was that stinky old man trying to take Qing Jun away again?"
Chen Ye squatted down to her level, rubbed her little head, and said warmly, "He’s not trying to take you away, but to send you to a good place to cultivate."
He told Qing Jun all about his agreement with Xu Henshan and the situation at Baopu Peak.
"I’m not going!"
Predictably, after listening, the little girl pouted her lips, shaking her head like a rattle drum,
"Qing Jun wants to be with Master! What’s this Baopu Peak? I’ve never heard of it, it definitely can’t be better than our home!"
"Qing Jun." Chen Ye’s face turned stern, his tone became slightly more severe, "This concerns your path of cultivation. You must not act willfully. The Xu Family’s legacy is not something to give up on. Moreover, there are fellow disciples there just like you, which will be greatly beneficial to you."
In truth, even if Chen Ye disagreed, Xu Henshan would certainly not let it go.
He might seem polite now, but ultimately, he is a Foundation Establishment Ninth-Layer cultivator nearing the end of his life.
This was another reason Chen Ye agreed—he had no other choice.
"Then... then Master should come too!" Qing Jun, with reddened eyes, clutched his sleeve tighter.
"Master is a Guardian and needs to go to Danxia Peak for alchemy, I can’t accompany you."
Chen Ye felt a soft spot in his heart but still steeled himself.
Though he was her master, due to long years of cultivation, it was difficult for him to spare time... perhaps this was also why the Inner Sect’s Baopu Peak existed, as cultivators in their prime were focused on their path, leaving little to no time for nurturing the next generation.
He said warmly, "But it’s just going during the day, and you can come back in the evening, just like before."
"Really?" Qing Jun looked at him teary-eyed. After all, she didn’t see her master during the day... thinking about it this way, it seemed like she wasn’t losing out on anything?
"When has Master ever lied to you?"
Getting the assurance, the little girl’s emotions slightly calmed down.
She sniffed her nose, still full of reluctance, but thinking about seeing Master in the evening allowed her to barely accept it.
"In that case... okay." She murmured, "But if it’s not fun there, or if someone bullies Qing Jun, then I’m not going anymore!"
...
In the Quiet Chamber.
Chen Ye sat cross-legged, with a jade scroll recording the Purple Sun Pill formula suspended in front of him.
The Purple Sun Pill is a Second-Tier pill, with Purple-patterned Dragon Blood Herb and Red Sun Flower as its main ingredients. Their properties are one yin, one yang, one dynamic, and one static. During the fusion, they are extremely volatile, and any slight misstep could explode the furnace.
Ordinary alchemists, when trying to concoct it for the first time, fail more often than not.
Fortunately, the Purple Sun Pill is a well-known pill in the Lingyin Sect, and there is a summary of it in the sect’s alchemy Dao records compiled by Zhiwei.
"What Zhiwei said isn’t wrong, the key to the fusion lies in using the gentle Moonlight Herb as a guide to first neutralize the fiery nature of the Red Sun Flower and then gradually introduce the yin cold force of the Dragon Blood Herb..."
Chen Ye understood in his heart, gaining more confidence in this alchemy attempt.
He activated the earth fire in the Quiet Chamber; Luoli Courtyard, being one of the finest courtyards of Herb Peak, had its own earth fire.
Though it was just ordinary earth fire, it saved the spiritual power cost.
Chen Ye deployed the Hundred Herbs Furnace, with a pat on his Storage Bag.
Over a dozen herbs brimming with spiritual qi floated out in succession, suspended in front of him.
The earth fire was urged to its peak by him, burning fiercely, and the temperature in the Quiet Chamber suddenly rose.