You Bufan’s sycophants spend their days fawning over him, which brings them certain benefits. They have acquired quite a few good spiritual artifacts.

The You family is the richest in town, and money is the least of their concerns. The You matriarch has bought enough spiritual artifacts for You Bufan to fill two storage rooms.

At present, You Bufan and his sycophants, armed with spiritual artifacts, are targeting You Qing. You Qing has no weapons to defend himself. He relies solely on his agility to evade and counterattack.

“Big brother, be careful!”

The short little kid charges in, wielding a cleaver to block a whip that was aimed at You Qing. The whip crackles with blue electricity. It’s an exquisite spiritual artifact and You Bufan’s favorite. However, when it meets the cleaver, it emits a light “crack” sound.

In the next second, the whip, which touched the blade of the knife, unexpectedly splits in half and falls to the ground. You Bufan is stunned. Everyone present is dumbfounded.

Ming Qiao, holding the large cleaver, reacts the quickest. With everyone in shock, he seizes the chance. He swings the cleaver and takes the initiative! He uses the cleaver to cut through a longsword, two ancient swords, and two unknown spiritual artifacts.

“Get lost!”

After chopping their weapons, Ming Qiao, with his dumpling-like face, fiercely threatens, “If you don’t leave, I’m going to chop someone up!”

“You, you—”

Having lost so many spiritual artifacts all at once, You Bufan stumbles over his words in anger. His eyes widen in disbelief as he glares at Ming Qiao, as if wishing he could tear off his skin. “How dare you chop my stuff?!”

You Bufan, used to being flattered, feels immense rage at being humiliated by Ming Qiao.

“I’ll kill you!”

“Hmph, Qiao Qiao isn’t afraid of you!”

Though You Bufan is furious, Ming Qiao, clutching the cleaver, shows no sign of backing down. His storage ring is filled with items for self-defense!

Whether it’s the cleaver or the other items in his storage ring, they were all made by his father. Everything his father made is sturdy and useful! Ming Qiao doesn’t understand spiritual artifacts and can’t recognize them. He just knows that the weapons these people are using are all too fragile!

“Big brother, here’s one for you.”

Ming Qiao’s little chubby hand pulls out a dark sword from his storage ring and stuffs it into You Qing’s hands. After giving You Qing the sword, he let You Qing stand behind him. He spreads his little arms out, protecting You Qing like a mother hen.

You Qing looks down at the top of the child’s head, emotions churning in his eyes.

“Bufan, don’t be impulsive.”

Among You Bufan’s sycophants, one of them has the rare insight to think critically. He stands beside You Bufan and whispers, “This kid’s background is probably not simple.”

At first glance, the cleaver and the dark sword appear ordinary. But a cleaver that can cut top-tier spiritual artifacts is not a mundane item! Plus, the child is exquisitely beautiful. His clothes don’t seem like something an ordinary family could afford.

Facing this child, they may not come out on top! Even if they gain the upper hand and manage to subdue this child, the child’s parents probably won’t let them off easy!

The thoughtful sycophant explains all the pros and cons to You Bufan. But You Bufan is too angry to listen. His face turns dark with rage as he points at the child and bellows, “All of you, attack! I want him to kneel and bow to me in apology!”

Sycophant: “……”

With no other option, the sycophant charges in.

Although Ming Qiao’s cleaver is powerful, his frail body can’t handle a prolonged fight. You Qing is also aware of the child’s poor health. Before the child gets exhausted and starts coughing up blood, he swiftly grabs the child by the collar and sets him aside.

“Wait here.”

As soon as he finishes speaking, he swings his sword. It cleaves through the armor hidden beneath You Bufan’s white clothing. You Bufan’s armor is forged by the immortal sect and is extremely precious. It is rumored that this armor can withstand blades and spears. Even attacks from immortals are ineffective against it.

However, when You Qing strikes, the armor shatters into pieces. You Bufan’s face instantly pales, and he finally understands fear.

“Stop!”

His voice trembles as he orders You Qing to stop. You Qing’s expression remains unchanged as he grips his sword and continues to swing it toward You Bufan. His hand is steady, and the sword is poised.

This dark sword, in his hands, is both nimble and sharp. The tip of his sword points directly at You Bufan’s heart. He wants You Bufan dead!

You Bufan’s sycophants are all injured and now dare not move to protect him. As You Bufan falls, they watch in terror. You Qing’s sword is about to pierce You Bufan’s heart. They tremble and close their eyes in fear.

“Kid, stop!”

Just as the sycophants brace for the tragedy, a deep voice suddenly rises, coming closer. Accompanying the voice are several elegantly dressed Immortal Generals. (the title that mortals use to call immortal cultivators)

The Immortal General who wears white robes and floats down on clouds. The leading Immortal General snaps his fingers and sends You Qing flying through the air.

You Qing stumbles back several steps and lands heavily on the ground. Ming Qiao, who is waiting nearby, watches You Qing get thrown out. His little face goes blank for a moment. Then, he rushes over anxiously.

“Big brother!”

Ming Qiao hugs You Qing’s body, his small voice trembling with worry, “Does it hurt?”

After being thrown like that, it must hurt.

You Qing grits his teeth to endure the pain and shakes his head at the almost-crying child.

Ming Qiao sniffs and doesn’t believe him, “Qiao Qiao fell down once, it hurt a lot.”

When he fell from his bed before, he cried for a long time because of the pain.

The two embrace each other, one big and one small, with one of them still teary-eyed. The Immortal floating on the cloud sees this and oddly feels as if he is bullying these two children.

“Ahem.”

He clears his throat. Then, he self-righteously criticizes You Qing, “At such a young age, you nurture violent thoughts. If I go easy on you now, won’t you grow up to commit even worse crimes?”

“Don’t say that!”

Before the Immortal finishes speaking, he sees the child, who has tearful eyes. Ming Qiao raises his beautiful, dumpling-like face and shouts, “Big brother won’t turn evil when he grows up!”

With him watching, he won’t let his big brother become a Demon Lord!

“You don’t know anything, you just hit people! You are the bad guy!”

Ming Qiao is extremely angry. His clever mind knows that You Qing, living here, must have been bullied for a long time. He saw You Bufan and his arrogant sycophants.

Thinking of the bloody wounds on You Qing’s body, he feels a suffocating tightness in his chest that nearly takes his breath away. Since childhood, he has been a “medicine jar” with only his father and no mother. (it means he has been taking medicine nonstop since birth)

Compared to other healthy kids or those with mothers, he feels a sense of pity for himself. But when he sees You Qing, he realizes that You Qing is the real pitiful one. Thinking of the pitiful You Qing softens Ming Qiao’s heart.

“You all are bad people!”

Ming Qiao doesn’t have many words, he keeps repeating the same ones: “Very annoying! Qiao Qiao hates you!”

Ming Qiao’s hatred is meaningless to the Immortal.

“Kid, you’re unruly. Considering your youth, I will not hold this against you.”

The annoyed Immortal General doesn’t want to hear any more accusations. He steps down from the clouds and approaches You Bufan step by step.

You Bufan recognizes these immortals. They are from the outer sect of the Jingxiu Palace, and they have come to escort him.

“Immortal General!”

With several Immortals present, You Bufan suddenly feels emboldened. He points at Ming Qiao and falsely accuses him, “This kid trespassed into my house and used a cleaver to damage my spiritual artifacts! Also, that dark sword is suspicious, it shattered my armor!”

The Immortal has seen You Bufan’s spiritual artifacts and armor. Upon hearing that they were all destroyed, he looks at Ming Qiao with surprise.

At this moment, Ming Qiao has already put the cleaver away.

The Immortal’s gaze then falls upon the dark sword in You Qing’s hand. He doesn’t recognize the sword’s origin, but since it can shatter You Bufan’s armor, this sword is certainly not an ordinary one.

“This kind of deadly weapon must not fall into your hands.”

The Immortal still believes You Qing is evil. He claims a lofty reason as he snatches the sword from the air.

“I will keep it safe for now. If you decide to turn over a new leaf in the future, I will return it to you.”

Ming Qiao: “?”

Little Ming Qiao looks at the General who took the sword with wide, confused eyes.

After taking the sword from You Qing, the Immortal turns his face and also demands Ming Qiao’s cleaver.

Ming Qiao is shocked. Unable to contain himself, Ming Qiao points his chubby little hand at the Immortal and shouts the foul language he overheard from his father!

“Yo— you’re really shameless!”

This person not only steals his sword but also wants to take his cleaver! If you’re going to steal, just steal! Why say anything about keeping it safe?

The Immortal General, being scolded for being shameless: “…”

“How can you speak like that? I am thinking of your well-being. I fear you may walk down the path of evil with such weapons. Do not be ungrateful.” The Immortal’s expression shows he is losing his composure, and his tone becomes unfriendly.

Ming Qiao does not buy this. “Give me back my sword!”

Ming Qiao opens his chubby little hand, demanding the sword back. The Immortal naturally does not return it.

The two of them glare at each other, while the swordless You Qing suppresses the hostility in his eyes. He holds Ming Qiao’s open chubby hand and raises his gaze to speak to the General.

“I can give you the sword, but not the cleaver. The cleaver belongs to Qiao Qiao’s parents. If I give it to you, his parents will be unhappy.”

“Immortal General, it’s getting late. I should take Qiao Qiao home now.”

After saying this, You Qing lowers his head. He wraps Ming Qiao tightly in the cloak. Then, he lifts him up and walks to the exit. Ming Qiao, being carried away, instinctively wraps his little chubby arms around You Qing’s neck.

“Big brother, I can walk by myself.”

“Mm.” You Qing says but he doesn’t let go of Ming Qiao.

The door is getting closer, and the Immortal Generals behind them exchange glances, none of them pursuing. Earlier, You Qing mentioned the child’s parents. This child casually takes out a valuable item. His parents are certainly not ordinary people.

If they try to take advantage of this child again or force him to stay, it will likely create trouble later.

“Junior brother Meng, don’t you think…”

“What’s wrong with it? I have no selfish motives, even if his parents were here, I have my reasons.”

Since Immortal Meng has already taken the sword, he will never return it. He shakes his sleeves, cools his sword, and leaves. Seeing him leave, You Bufan wants to stop him but fails.

The Immortal Generals leave together, and when You Bufan looks back at the entrance, You Qing and Ming Qiao are already gone!

——————————————————

“Big brother, the sword.”

After walking out the door, Ming Qiao leans his soft, chubby face against You Qing’s shoulder, looking up at him and mentioning the stolen sword.

“I still can’t beat him.”

You Qing is four years older than Ming Qiao, he is much taller. He carries Ming Qiao, each step steady. He says, “In the future, I will defeat him and get the sword back.”

Ming Qiao: “Mm!”

Easily appeased, Ming Qiao’s eyes curve into a smile, and his bad mood over the stolen sword disappears. A cold wind blows by. Ming Qiao shakes his little cloak and covers You Qing with it.

You Qing’s eyes flicker slightly. He continues walking, carrying the child in his arms, heading toward a place where they can rest.

Two days later, on You Bufan’s birthday, he is taken away by the Immortal Generals under the envious gazes of the entire town. Ming Qiao witnesses this scene, he pouts, feeling no envy at all.

Ming Qiao runs back to the ruined temple from the street, holding out a piece of paper to You Qing.

“Big brother.”

“We can also cultivate immortality!”

What Ming Qiao hands over is a small advertisement for recruiting new members for a sect. The advertisement states that one can cultivate immortality by joining their sect.

You Qing glances at the advertisement and instantly recognizes that such recruiting sects are mostly scams. Just as he is about to explain this to the child, he sees Ming Qiao’s chubby finger pointing at a flower in the advertisement.

“Extreme-Yin Lotus, brother, Qiao Qiao wants to drink this medicine.”

You Qing: “…”

You Qing looks at the flower, then searches for the sect’s address in the advertisement. The address is quite far, a thousand miles outside of town.

“We’ll go later.”

You Qing folds the advertisement and gets up to hang the small cloak he just washed. After hanging up the cloak, You Qing doesn’t say goodbye to anyone, he carries Ming Qiao and calmly leaves the town where he has lived for seven years.

Just as they leave, not long after, the Immortal General surnamed Meng rushes in.

——————————————————

Author’s note:

Little Qiao Qiao: Let’s go out!