Going alone?
Qing Jun’s little face immediately fell.
The mischievous master must be watched closely!
If Qing Jun doesn’t keep an eye on things, the little girl might end up being raised by the master.
She furrowed her brows, "Going alone? No way, if Master isn’t going, I’m not going!"
Mao Cheng looked displeased and was about to start lecturing.
This little girl wants to negotiate with him?
He is her grandfather, after all!
However, considering their current relationship, he held back, "Hmph, how can there be room for negotiation? You better think it through!"
Xu Changfeng quickly intervened to mediate, smiling as he spoke to Mao Cheng:
"Taoist Friend Mao, Qing Jun is still young. Going alone to Divine Mist Valley might make her feel lonely or scared. In my opinion, why not let Taoist Friend Chen and her elder sister accompany her, so they can take care of each other? What do you think?"
"Divine Mist Valley is a place for the women of my Mao family to cultivate in peace. It’s not appropriate for men to enter. Taoist Friend Chen’s cultivation level is too high, making it even more unsuitable. If Lu Zhiwei wants to go, we can discuss it."
Mao Cheng refused without hesitation, with a perfectly reasonable excuse.
Neither Xu Changfeng nor Chen Ye had anything to say in response.
Even though Chen Ye wanted to visit Sister Qingzhu, he could only smile and say, "That’s fine. I will try to persuade Qing Jun."
"If Master doesn’t go, I won’t go!"
Qing Jun immediately clung to Chen Ye’s arm, her attitude firm.
No matter what rules there are about women cultivating quietly, if Master isn’t by her side, she won’t go anywhere!
"You!"
Mao Cheng didn’t expect that this girl would leave him without a shred of dignity.
Judging by her tone, even the legacy of Heart Slaughter Cave is not as important as being with her Master?
It’s truly absurd!
Now, even Mao Cheng looked at Chen Ye differently, secretly thinking, what kind of enchanted potion has Chen Ye fed to his granddaughter?
What a disgrace!
"Hmph! Do as you like, I am too tired to get involved!" Mao Cheng said irritably and left in a huff.
He was so angry that his steps were unsteady. Despite his resolute words, wasn’t this just a helpless compromise?
Implying that Qing Jun could decide as she pleased.
He certainly couldn’t really stop Qing Jun from going to Heart Slaughter Cave...
Xu Changfeng watched Mao Cheng’s angry departure, secretly amazed.
Tsk, this little ancestor is indeed willful.
Good thing it’s Mao Cheng; if it were someone else, would they have let her go to Heart Slaughter Cave?
He turned to Chen Ye, smiled wryly, and said, "This... Taoist Friend Mao’s temper has always been like this. Brother Chen, why don’t you prepare for the next few days, and when the time comes, take a short stay at Divine Mist Valley. How about it? The scenery there is pleasant, perfect for you and your apprentice to relax your bodies and minds."
Chen Ye had no objections, after all, he originally wanted to go to Divine Mist Valley, and he didn’t find it troublesome.
He patted Qing Jun on the head, and said to Xu Changfeng, "No problem, Senior Mao meant well. Since he’s relented, I will bring them to Divine Mist Valley to visit in five days."
...
As night fell and the moon shone,
at Qing Jun’s request, Chen Ye took a good bath and then walked into the bedroom.
"Master, Master, come here quickly!"
Qing Jun sat duck-legged on the bed, her petite figure swayed with silver hair, looking at her master with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
At a glance, Chen Ye almost thought she’d transformed into a little white fox.
She patted the bed beside her, urging her master.
"Qing Jun, does your cultivation technique... really require Master’s help?" Chen Ye looked at his cheerful little apprentice, still a bit uneasy.
"Of course!" Qing Jun hugged his arm, rubbing her little head against him, her tone firm, "You can rest assured, Master! How could Qing Jun harm you? She only needs a bit of spiritual power from you to guide her, it’s very simple!"
She blinked her big watery eyes, looking extremely obedient.
Seeing his apprentice’s innocent eyes, Chen Ye thought to himself that it’s true, even though Qing Jun is mischievous, she’s always been utterly devoted to her Master, and would certainly not harm him.
In short, he’s Chen Ye, so how could he not believe his apprentice?
"Alright then."
Chen Ye sighed, sitting cross-legged as instructed by Qing Jun.
Qing Jun sat opposite him, her face serious, forming a strange hand sign with her hands.
"Master, relax your mind and send a wisp of spiritual power... well, about this much..."
She gestured,
"... just guide it along my hand signs, and leave the rest to Qing Jun."
Chen Ye followed her instructions, sending a pure wisp of spiritual power, carefully guiding it toward the hand signs Qing Jun had formed.
As soon as the spiritual power made contact, Qing Jun’s little hands trembled slightly. The strange hand sign seemed to come to life, emitting a suction force that slowly drew Chen Ye’s spiritual power into her body.
Chen Ye focused his mind to sense it, discovering that although the suction force was strange, it was not malicious, more like undergoing some mild transformation.
He relaxed a bit, cooperating with Qing Jun’s guidance, maintaining his output of spiritual power.
As time passed slowly, only the steady breathing of the two of them could be heard in the quiet chamber.
Qing Jun closed her eyes, her long lashes quivering slightly. A faint flush appeared on her fair little face, and fine beads of sweat formed at her temples, indicating her effort.
Seeing this, Chen Ye felt a bit pained for her, but didn’t dare interrupt, only silently observing.
After about one stick of incense’s burning time, Qing Jun let out a long breath, slowly retracting the hand sign and opening her eyes.
Her eyes, originally bright and mischievous, now glistened with a watery sheen, radiant and lively.
She looked at her master contentedly, her smile even sweeter.
"All done?" Chen Ye asked, feeling that the amount of spiritual power he outputted wasn’t much, and almost didn’t affect him.
"Yes! Thank you, Master!" Qing Jun smiled sweetly, curling into Chen Ye’s arms, snuggling affectionately, "Master, you’re the best!"
Holding the soft little apprentice, Chen Ye felt a faint, warm current flowing within him, connecting him with his apprentice.
Especially when they were hugging, the warm current became more active, even providing a slight feedback to Chen Ye’s cultivation.
He frowned slightly, thinking, "Could this be some sort of feedback from the cultivation technique? No wonder Qing Jun insisted on accompanying me, it was for the Master’s benefit..."
Thinking this, he felt unexpectedly touched.
Looking at Qing Jun in his arms, he even found the little girl more beautiful.
Her skin was smooth and delicate, and her eyebrows were elegantly attractive.
When those big watery eyes looked at him, there was an indescribable sense of dependency.
Indeed...
How could an apprentice harm her Master?
She only wants what’s best for her Master!
"It’s an illusion, it must be an illusion."
Chen Ye quickly shook his head, dismissing these absurd thoughts.
She is, after all, the mischievous Little Qingjun! How could she be so good, so obedient...
This must be a moment of distraction from the spiritual power’s circulation.
He patted Qing Jun’s back, "Alright, since we’re done practicing, go and rest now."
"Mmm!"
Qing Jun nodded obediently, slipping out of his embrace. Before leaving, she stood on her tiptoes and quickly kissed Chen Ye on the cheek,
"Good night, Master!"
After that, she ran out like a little fox who’d just stolen candy.
Chen Ye touched the spot where he had been kissed, smiling helplessly.
This girl...
But, as Qing Jun left,
the warm current inside Chen Ye immediately lost its object of interaction, making him feel a wave of emptiness, tempting him to call Qing Jun back.
"Strange..."
Chen Ye frowned, sitting in meditation, trying to calm and dissipate this strange feeling.
"Could it be that Qing Jun has cultivated a dual cultivation technique? Intending to cultivate together with Master, or help Master in cultivation?"
And the improvement in cultivation is naturally something most intoxicating for cultivators.
Without Qing Jun by his side, feeling empty seems quite plausible too.
"Hehehe..."
The little apprentice was extremely pleased, clenching her little fists, feeling as if she could fly from happiness.
The secret medicine of the Emotion Crossing Sect often goes undetected, as it is actually beneficial and not harmful to cultivators.
And the cultivation techniques of the Emotion Crossing Sect, are deeply knowledgeable of this concept!
Besides, the method she chose was an equal and mutually nurturing method of refinement.
"Master, oh Master, how could your apprentice harm you? It’s just that Master cultivates too slowly. The apprentice, forced by circumstances, wants to help Master, which is why she crafted Master with this technique..."