Chapter 24: Preparing for the Child

After finishing her meal, Qingli felt pleasantly full and wandered around the mountaintop to digest.

The next morning, when she woke up, Qingyu had already gone down the mountain, but the kitchen had been prepared with breakfast for her.

Qingli called for her Master to get up, and they had breakfast together. Afterward, Qingming asked her to accompany him into the forest, taking an axe to chop down some trees.

As Qingli followed her Master, the little white dog trotted beside her. Noticing her Master scanning the surroundings, she curiously asked, “Master, what are you looking for?”

Qingming replied, “We need to add some furniture to the house. It’s inconvenient to buy it from the town, so we’ll make it ourselves.”

Qingli was puzzled. “Master, what furniture do we need? I feel like we have everything we need at home!”

Qingming glanced back at her. “The house may have enough furniture, but I think you lack common sense.”

Qingli sighed, feeling a bit hurt by his words.

“Master, do you really think you’re starting to dislike me? Don’t you remember that I’m your most cherished little disciple? The one with the best talent, the one who can inherit your teachings? Why do you seem so displeased with me now?”

Qingming couldn’t help but chuckle; he had never seen someone so brazen.

“Have you forgotten to prepare for the child? You’re the one who has overlooked that.”

Only then did Qingli realize he meant preparations for the baby.

She had indeed forgotten and hadn’t thought about it at all.

Now that she knew it was for the child, her interest was piqued. She eagerly asked, “Master, what are we going to make? A small bed? A little stool? We can also make some toys! Can you make all of those?”

Imagining a chubby baby sleeping in a small bed made her heart swell with affection.

“Master, we should also make a little cart so the child can sit in it while we push them around to play.”

“By the way, can you tell if my child will be a boy or a girl? I’m really curious!”

Qingming finally found a suitable tree and prepared to start chopping.

He turned to Qingli and said, “You can make whatever you want. Just wait over there while I chop the wood.”

Qingli obediently stepped aside, deep in thought about what else she needed to prepare for the baby.

Before long, a large tree fell, and Qingming chopped it down and shaped the wood, then loaded it into his basket.

“You go over there and pick some mushrooms; then we can head back.”

Qingming instructed Qingli.

Qingli nodded. Since her Master liked mushrooms and her Eldest Brother was a great cook, everything he made was delicious. Even ordinary mushrooms could taste amazing in his hands.

After walking just a short distance, she spotted a large patch of mushrooms. Qingli took out her bag and bent down to pick them one by one.

Meanwhile, Qingming was busy peeling the bark from the wood, revealing the white wood beneath.

After Qingming finished shaping the wood, he noticed Qingli had still not returned from picking mushrooms.

“Qingli, are you done yet? We should head back,” he called.

Picking mushrooms was so much fun that Qingli hadn’t paid attention to the time. Hearing her Master’s voice, she looked at her bag and realized she had collected a lot.

Seeing that there were still many mushrooms left, she wanted to continue picking but realized there were already too many for them to eat.

With that thought, Qingli picked up her bag and ran back.

“Master, I accidentally picked too many!”

Qingming looked at the large bag of mushrooms and sighed. “You’ll have to eat mushrooms every day for the next two months to finish these.”

Qingli laughed, “That’s alright! If we can’t eat them all, we can sell some down the mountain, or we can dry them out. Dried mushrooms can still be eaten!”

Qingming shouldered the basket and said, “Fresh mushrooms are the tastiest; dried ones aren’t as good.”

“Let’s go! Time to head back.”

Qingli obediently followed, with the little white dog scampering along behind.

Once they returned home, Qingli tossed the mushrooms into the kitchen and then grabbed a small knife, eager to help her Master make toys for the child.

“Master, I want to make a wave drum! I want to make it myself.”

Qingming responded, “You can make what you want; I’ll get started on the bed.”

The master and disciple began working on the wood pieces in the yard, and for a while, it was very quiet.

Meanwhile, down the mountain, after Qingyu finished purchasing everything, he stored the goods and headed to the medical clinic his Master had mentioned.

At Zhang’s Medical Clinic, Qingyu approached the counter, where an elderly man was busy dispensing medicine and consulting with patients. He patiently waited until the last customer left before speaking up, “Are you Doctor Zhang?”

Doctor Zhang nodded, sizing up Qingyu. Noticing his extraordinary demeanor, he politely replied, “Yes, young master. How may I assist you?”

Qingyu introduced himself, “I am Qingyu, sent by my Master to meet Yue.”

Upon hearing this, Physician Zhang hurriedly asked, “You’re a disciple of Master Qingming?”

Qingyu nodded. Physician Zhang’s expression became respectful at once, and he quickly said, “Please wait a moment. Jian Yue went out to deliver medicine to a patient and should be back shortly.”

Qingyu gave a slight nod. Thinking of Qingli’s pregnancy, he turned to Physician Zhang and asked, “Could you prescribe some medicine to help stabilize the pregnancy?”

Physician Zhang immediately nodded and turned around to fetch the medicine for Qingyu.

Not long after, a girl of about seventeen or eighteen walked in. She wore coarse linen clothing, and her hair was entirely tied up. Her round little face was quite full.

“Uncle Zhang, I’ve finished delivering the medicine to the Liu family.”

Physician Zhang quickly said, “Jian Yue, Master’s disciple has come to pick you up. Go get your things ready and follow him.”

Jian Yue was momentarily stunned, then her face lit up with joy.

“Really? Does that mean I’ll finally get to meet my true savior?”

Qingyu looked at the young girl, his brows slightly furrowed. He couldn’t help but think she might not be very reliable—her temperament seemed far from steady.

Qingyu didn’t know what his Master had told her, and since he wasn’t sure, he didn’t speak rashly. He merely said she would understand once they arrived.

With Jian Yue in tow, Qingyu picked up the items he had purchased and began making his way up the mountain.

“Young Master, why did you buy so many chickens and geese?”

Jian Yue glanced curiously at the cages filled with chickens and large geese.

Qingyu gave the same response: she would understand once they got there.

Jian Yue was brimming with excitement along the way, oddly cheerful. Qingyu didn’t pay her much attention, but she didn’t seem to mind.

However, as the path grew more remote and they climbed higher into the mountains, she couldn’t help but say, “Young Master, you’re not some kind of swindler, are you? Would a master really live up here? Could this be a bandit’s lair?”

Qingyu sighed helplessly and replied coolly, “Miss Jian Yue, have you heard of the Seven Mystic Sect?”

Jian Yue immediately nodded. “Of course I know. Master said that the one I’m to follow in the future is the Sect Leader of the Seven Mystic Sect—my true savior. He also told me that if I study diligently and train hard, then once I meet the Sect Leader, and if she’s willing, she might take me in and let me officially become part of the Seven Mystic Sect.”

Jian Yue had witnessed the Master’s abilities with her own eyes—he was like an otherworldly sage. To join such a mysterious and powerful sect was a blessing beyond compare. Over the years, she hadn’t slacked off at all; she had been diligently practicing martial arts and studying medicine.

The only issue was that she truly had no talent in medicine. No matter how hard she tried, she never seemed to improve much. Fortunately, she was gifted in martial arts. Every master who had trained her said she was a natural. Now, even her instructors were no match for her.

She just didn’t know whether the Master would be satisfied with her current skills.

Qingyu said, “As a secluded sect, the Seven Mystic Sect is naturally located in a hidden place. You don’t need to worry about me being a swindler. Judging by your skills, your martial arts are quite good. Even if you couldn’t defeat me, escaping wouldn’t be difficult. So if I were a fraud, you’d have every chance to get away.”

Jian Yue nodded in agreement. “You make a good point.”

“Then, Young Master, are you a member of the Seven Mystic Sect?”

Qingyu nodded. “Yes.”

Jian Yue was instantly overjoyed!

“You’re the Master’s disciple? How many disciples does the Seven Mystic Sect have?”

Qingyu replied calmly, “Two.”

Jian Yue didn’t believe it. “Two? How is that possible? For such a powerful sect, shouldn’t there be lots of disciples?”

Qingyu replied, “What matters is quality, not quantity. If they’re useless, having more doesn’t help.”

Jian Yue nodded. “That’s true.”

“But still, isn’t having only two people in the Seven Mystic Sect a little too few?”

She couldn’t help but say it aloud.

Qingyu didn’t respond this time. He was carrying too much and was utterly exhausted—he had no energy left for talking.

Jian Yue, on the other hand, wasn’t carrying anything. She looked completely relaxed, not a drop of sweat on her face, not even out of breath.

Only when Qingyu fell silent did Jian Yue finally notice that his breathing was uneven, and he was panting heavily from fatigue.

“Young Master, let me carry some of it for you! You look really worn out,” she said.

Qingyu was just about to refuse when Jian Yue reached out and took the chicken cage from his hands. “This isn’t heavy. Give me another one.”

As she spoke, she also took the three large geese from his other hand.

“Young Master, how much farther is it? I can’t wait!”

Jian Yue was full of curiosity about the Seven Mystic Sect.

Qingyu said, “Almost there. We’ve made it halfway.”

“What? Only halfway?”

Jian Yue hadn’t expected it to be this far.

The two chatted all the way up the path. When they finally reached the large boulder, Qingyu sat down to rest.

He never wanted to come down the mountain again—he was completely worn out!