Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The next day, Liu Nanzhou was waiting in the courtyard for Qi Wuyu with a branch he'd picked up from who knows where.

Qi Wuyu asked, puzzled, "What are you doing with that branch?"

He looked at Liu Nanzhou standing solemnly in the courtyard with the branch, waiting for him, and felt a bit like laughing.

"You said you'd teach me swordsmanship once I could channel qi into my body."

Qi Wuyu was both amused and exasperated, "You're going to learn with this?"

Liu Nanzhou, unusually, seemed a little embarrassed. He rubbed his nose: "Couldn't find anything else. This'll have to do for now."

Qi Wuyu laughed heartily, "Wait here."

He went back into the house, rummaged around, and finally found a shorter wooden sword.

"This is the sword I used when I was your age learning swordsmanship. You can use this for now."

As he spoke, Qi Wuyu took the branch from Liu Nanzhou's hand and shoved the wooden sword into his hand.

Qi Wuyu waved the branch a couple of times, muttering to himself, "It'll do." He performed a sword flourish with the branch, testing its feel, and said, "Watch closely, I'll demonstrate once for you."

No sooner had he spoken than Qi Wuyu picked up the branch and began to move through the sword form.

Liu Nanzhou recognized it as the first form of the Tianyao Sect sword manual "Yang Guan Yue": Wind Rises on the Plain.

Qi Wuyu moved extremely slowly, but each motion was fluid and powerful.

Even though Qi Wuyu only held a branch, the surrounding leaves still stirred with his sword energy. His sleeves fluttered, his silver hair streamed in the wind, which seemed to carry a faint scent of sandalwood.

Liu Nanzhou was momentarily mesmerized, thinking to himself that if Qi Wuyu also had a Spiritual Core, he would probably be one of the foremost figures in the world today.

He saw Qi Wuyu finish the form, retract the branch, and break into a slight sweat. It had been too long since he'd exercised. A single run-through of the sword form had tired him out. He half-crouched, leaning on his knees to catch his breath for a moment before standing up.

Liu Nanzhou: "......"

_What a pity._

After recovering, Qi Wuyu stood up and beckoned Liu Nanzhou over: "Come here, give it a try."

Liu Nanzhou held the wooden sword and assumed the posture he had seen Qi Wuyu use. Qi Wuyu moved behind him, grabbed his arm to raise it higher, and tapped his leg with the branch.

Qi Wuyu held his hand and guided him through the form once more, then stepped back to watch Liu Nanzhou practice.

He lounged lazily on a tree branch, the hem of his robe dangling and swaying slightly, his head pillowed on his arm, one hand holding a wine gourd, occasionally reminding Liu Nanzhou of a point or two.

Liu Nanzhou gradually began to grasp the essence. Seeing this, Qi Wuyu put away the wine gourd and pulled out a white jade flute from his robes. The melodious sound of the flute surrounded the Phoenix-Resting Parasol Tree, sometimes urgent, sometimes slow, then gradually drifted away.

Liu Nanzhou thrust his sword out steadily, swirling up the fallen petals from the ground, which drifted down to land on the blade. The wooden sword gleamed with a silver light under the sun.

As soon as he finished practicing the entire sword form, Qi Wuyu dragged him away from the bamboo grove: "Come on, it's mealtime. No more sword practice."

Liu Nanzhou was pulled along, his sword not yet sheathed: "Wait... wait a moment."

The pear tree by the Phoenix-Resting Parasol Tree had entered its flowering season again. A gust of wind would scatter petals all over the ground. The sweet potatoes in the field yielded crop after crop. Liu Nanzhou had long since mastered the skill, but Qi Wuyu found fault where none existed: "This year's sweet potatoes aren't as tasty as last year's. Look, even Auspicious Snow doesn't like eating them anymore."

Auspicious Snow took offense. It was just a bit tired of them. This crow could clearly no longer be described as "small." Now it was quite clearly a fat crow, but it refused to admit it, pecking at anyone who said so.

Liu Nanzhou had grown up alongside it, with his own share of stumbles and struggles.

"Today marks your tenth year at the Tianyao Sect. Your master has decided to personally cook you something delicious."

Liu Nanzhou was both pleasantly surprised and apprehensive, his expression momentarily rather complicated.

Actually, Qi Wuyu's cooking was very good. But recently, seized by some unknown madness—perhaps idle people just like to make trouble for themselves—he felt that always cooking the same old way was boring. He insisted on researching new methods himself, calling it "innovation," dedicated to writing a "Parasol Tree Cookbook."

And Liu Nanzhou was, without a doubt, his first test subject every time.

Thinking of all Qi Wuyu's "creative new dishes," Liu Nanzhou felt a sense of dread. It wasn't that they tasted bad, per se, but they had a certain look about them—the kind that made you feel you might not wake up after eating.

He couldn't understand why Qi Wuyu would put onions in lotus root soup. That bowl of purple stuff really didn't look appetizing.

Liu Nanzhou had mentally prepared himself, but on the table beside the pear tree, he saw a spread of delicious-looking dishes, all his favorites, with no strange combinations whatsoever.

Liu Nanzhou raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. Qi Wuyu, seeing his expression, said helplessly, "I know you don't like those messy things. I didn't make any."

Liu Nanzhou was even more surprised—he hadn't expected Qi Wuyu to have such self-awareness, to know those were "messy things."

Qi Wuyu smacked the back of his head: "Go wash your hands and eat."

Liu Nanzhou put his sword aside and went to wash his hands.

Qi Wuyu watched his retreating back, now very straight and tall. The child who once didn't even reach his waist had unknowingly grown so much.

Time really flies.

After the meal, Qi Wuyu mysteriously took out a talisman: "Watch, this is something I just developed in the last couple of days."

Liu Nanzhou waited patiently. He saw a flame rise from Qi Wuyu's fingertip, lighting the talisman. The talisman shot up into the sky like a skyrocket and vanished in an instant.

Liu Nanzhou: "...... What kind of performance is this?"

Qi Wuyu stood on tiptoe, craning his neck to look: "That's not right. It should have exploded and released fireworks."

Liu Nanzhou, accustomed to such things, picked up his cup and was about to drink water when he saw something out of the corner of his eye land on the roof of the side hall. Immediately after, a loud "BOOM—" sounded, and a fire started.

Qi Wuyu: "......"

Liu Nanzhou silently closed his eyes and took a deep breath—that was his room.

Xie Yongdao was alone in his room reading a folk tale of the strange and unusual when the sound startled him. Recognizing it came from the direction of the Phoenix-Resting Parasol Tree, he went outside, put his hands on his hips, and transmitted his voice, shouting, "Qi Wuyu! What mischief are you up to now?"

Qi Wuyu replied, "There's a fire, Sect Leader Senior Brother!"

Xie Yongdao: "......" Why had he agreed to their master back then to keep Qi Wuyu by his side?

Liu Nanzhou said, "It's alright, Sect Leader. It's already put out."

Only then did Xie Yongdao return to his room.

Qi Wuyu cleared his throat: "Well, you can sleep with me for the next couple of days."

Liu Nanzhou silently went to patch the roof.

Wonderful. Another day of utter chaos.

It took Qi Wuyu and Liu Nanzhou three or four days to properly repair the room. Liu Nanzhou had to plead and reason extensively before he could get Qi Wuyu to abandon the idea of testing that talisman again.

Qi Wuyu had no choice but to pack away his magic and went to look for Xie Yongdao.

When Qi Wuyu went to find Xie Yongdao, he was playing mahjong with Ying Nianling and the others.

"Oh, everyone's here." Qi Wuyu sat down beside Xie Yongdao and glanced at his tiles. "Hey, you're on a roll."

Xie Yongdao said, "Don't you dare jinx me, kid. Is the room fixed?"

Qi Wuyu chuckled, "All done." He sat to the side and watched with great interest for a while.

Xie Yongdao couldn't be bothered to scold him—it was useless anyway—and simply said, "By the way, it's Golden Vale's turn to host the Qingmang Conference this year. Xiao Zhou is old enough to participate now. It would be good for him to go out and broaden his horizons. How about signing him up?"

The Qingmang Conference was the first step to fame for many young talents. Many of today's renowned masters made their names at the Qingmang Conference. Even Qi Zhuo first made a name for himself at the age of sixteen during the conference.

In short, if one wanted to become famous, this was a rare and unmissable opportunity.

Qi Wuyu grabbed a handful of peanuts, shelled them, and tossed them into his mouth. "I can't decide for him. I need to go back and ask." He stood up. "Alright, you guys keep playing. I'm off."

The night wind wasn't as mild as the day's. Clouds drifted in the sky, and starlight winked in and out. Within Fengsheng Wutong, all was quiet and still.

Qi Wuyu swayed leisurely by Ling Lake, admiring the night scenery for a moment. Suddenly, a cold gust of wind swept through, giving him a start. He felt this was not a place to linger.

Just as he was feeling the chill, a cloak was draped over his shoulders.

"When can't you enjoy the scenery? Do you have to stand here in the middle of night getting chilled? Don't you know you're not that strong?" Liu Nanzhou frowned slightly as he tied the cloak for him.

Qi Wuyu was taken aback. That's not fair! By ordinary standards, Qi Wuyu was as healthy as could be. But compared to cultivators, he was indeed a bit lacking.

Because his spiritual power was weak, the mountain was naturally cooler. Other cultivators, protected by their spiritual energy, didn't feel it much, but he would start feeling the cold as soon as autumn arrived. In winter, while everyone dressed normally, he always had to wear thicker clothes.

On Rifu Mountain, it was somewhat better since the mountain was rich in spiritual energy, allowing him to borrow a bit of its power. Anyway, no matter what, he was definitely not at the level of having "poor health."

But Qi Wuyu didn't argue. Looking at Liu Nanzhou, he thought happily, *Ah, having a disciple is really wonderful!*

"What are you grinning about foolishly? Let's go back quickly." Liu Nanzhou gave him a strange look, ignored him, and started walking away.

Qi Wuyu followed at a distance behind him, pretending to be angry. "Talking to your master like that, no respect for your elders."

Liu Nanzhou didn't look back; instead, he sped up.

Qi Wuyu: "..."

*Why is this kid so contrary? He clearly came out to show concern, yet won't say a single nice word. Who could ever put up with this temper of his in the future?*

Qi Wuyu smiled helplessly, jogged a couple of steps to catch up, and said, "Slow down. I have something to tell you."

"Mm." Liu Nanzhou slowed his pace, waiting for Qi Wuyu to continue.

"The Qingmang Conference will start in another month. You're old enough now. Do you want to go and have some fun?" Qi Wuyu added, "You know about the Qingmang Conference, right?"

Liu Nanzhou said, "I know." Without much thought, he turned to look at Qi Wuyu and asked, "Do you want me to go?"

The clear moonlight reflected in Liu Nanzhou's eyes, making his already light pupils appear even brighter.

Qi Wuyu couldn't resist pinching Liu Nanzhou's cheek. Although Liu Nanzhou looked quite disgusted, he didn't dodge.

"I think it's worth going to take a look. You haven't traveled far since coming up the mountain. The farthest you've gone is down the mountain to sell vegetables or help the sect with some commissions. Don't you feel stifled?" Qi Wuyu asked.

Liu Nanzhou preferred quiet and wasn't a restless person, so staying on Rifu Mountain for so long didn't feel stifling to him. Moreover, Rifu Mountain wasn't boring; he thought it was quite nice.

Liu Nanzhou shook his head.

Qi Wuyu: "..."

Liu Nanzhou thought for a moment. "But it would be good to go and see, to broaden my horizons."

Qi Wuyu looked at him in surprise. "Hmm?"

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Liu Nanzhou's mouth. "Will you go?"

Qi Wuyu could see the expectation in his eyes. He had the strange mental image of a tail wagging behind Liu Nanzhou, as if saying that if he refused to go, Liu Nanzhou's tail would immediately droop.

Qi Wuyu silently took a breath and, uncharacteristically, fell silent for a moment. "Mm... I could go too. It's been a long time since I last joined in the fun."

Hearing that he would also go, Liu Nanzhou relaxed. A faint smile appeared in his eyes because of Qi Wuyu's words.

Qi Wuyu, however, seemed quite out of character. His brows were almost imperceptibly furrowed, but seeing the slight smile on Liu Nanzhou's lips, he smoothed his brow—his little disciple's "little tail" hadn't drooped. He'd do it just to make him happy.

Golden Vale... It really had been a long time since he last went.

The Tianyao Sect quickly selected the disciples participating in the Qingmang Conference—one from each of the four elders, plus one of Xie Yongdao's disciples, Chu Minghe.

The five disciples were led by Ying Nianling and Qi Wuyu. On the day of departure, Xie Yongdao instructed them in the Chang'an Hall, "These children are entrusted to you two. Take good care of them."

Ying Nianling cupped his hands. "Naturally."

Qi Wuyu patted Zhao Yi's shoulder. "Don't worry, Sect Leader."

"Alright, off you go."

Shen You gently stroked Yao Shuning's back and said to Qi Wuyu, "Bring her back safe and sound, you hear me?"

Zhou Ren said, "If she loses even a single strand of hair, we'll hold you two accountable."

Qi Wuyu was torn between laughter and tears. It was clear that everyone didn't have much trust in the two of them.

Ying Nianling smiled and said, "People who don't know might think we're going off to do something dangerous."

Qi Wuyu assured them, "Don't worry, everyone. I promise to bring them back exactly as they were when we left. Am I really that untrustworthy?"

Xie Yongdao: "..." To be honest, yes.

He waved his hand. "Go on, go on. Do whatever you want. Don't worry about spending money."

The disciples bowed to bid farewell to their masters and the sect leader, then followed Qi Wuyu and Ying Nianling down the mountain.

Qi Wuyu was extremely excited, chattering non-stop along the way, talking to this one and that one. Liu Nanzhou occasionally responded with a few words. Zhao Yi was a chatterbox and found a kindred spirit in Qi Wuyu.

Ying Nianling grew a bit annoyed listening to their incessant chatter after a while. Thinking about the long journey ahead, he sighed silently to himself.

Come to think of it, Qi Wuyu hadn't traveled far from home in over twenty years. He couldn't even remember the reason for his last trip.

Although Rifu Mountain was beautiful and spiritually rich, even the finest scenery grew tiresome after looking at it for too long.

They ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves along the way. A journey that should have taken seven days took them a full half-month. By the time they reached Jingtao Town near Golden Vale, there were only two days left until the Qingmang Conference.

Upon entering the town, Qi Wuyu instead quieted down. He walked to the side, dressed in moon-white robes, his silver hair half-loose, a wine gourd hanging at his waist, and a folding fan in his hand. He strolled leisurely, exuding an air of "immortal grace."

The "immortal" slightly tilted his head and said to Ying Nianling, "Zhiyun, I want to eat that osmanthus cake."

Ying Nianling: "..."

Ying Nianling felt that looking after him was even more troublesome than guiding disciples. He patiently bought several packets of osmanthus cakes and shared them with everyone.

Not far away came the lively sounds of gongs and suonas. Yao Shuning pointed ahead excitedly, "Look, there's a wedding up ahead!"

Zhao Yi followed her pointing direction and looked over, "Whoa, what a show!"

The crowd along the street parted as the wedding procession made its way through, with gongs and drums leading the way. The procession stretched on, a grand spectacle, an eight-person sedan chair slowly passing by. Pedestrians stopped to watch, all offering their congratulations, "Congratulations, congratulations!"

The groom rode on horseback, smiling and clasping his hands or nodding in acknowledgment to the crowd, cutting a fine figure.

A show like that meant the family was clearly rich or powerful. Someone nearby was carrying a bag of candies, handing them out as they walked, enthusiastically inviting everyone in town to join the wedding banquet. No gifts were required—they only sought to share in the joy.

As they passed by Qi Wuyu and the others, that person even stuffed a handful of candies into Qi Wuyu's hand.

Author's Note:

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Oops~ The draft box fell over (biting handkerchief) It needs saves and comments to get back up [shy][shy]

PS: Thanks to the anonymous little angel for the nutrient solution [scattering flowers][scattering flowers]