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In the early morning at Ming Valley, the sky was just beginning to brighten. Two little figures, with bundles on their backs, stealthily made their way down the mountain like thieves.
Meanwhile, the adults inside were still sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the children’s escape.
The two little ones dared not make a sound as they quietly continued their descent. Finally, once they had exited the valley, they exchanged relieved glances and shared a secretive smile.
“Little Brother, we finally made it out! You’re the best!”
Mengmeng had long wanted to leave the mountain, but Yangyang had insisted they wait, saying it was too early and they might be discovered. Besides, they needed to ensure they could protect themselves before heading down.
Over the past few days, the two had been training day and night. During the day, they practiced with their master, and at night, they quietly practiced drawing talismans. After such diligent effort, they had made rapid progress and felt confident in their ability to fend for themselves. It was time to sneak down the mountain.
The two children were quite adept at lightness skills. Once they had left the valley, they swiftly made their way down the mountain. They needed to hurry; if their master discovered they were missing, he would surely come after them. If they were caught and taken back, escaping would be much more difficult.
The little ones didn’t dare to stop. Once they reached the small town at the foot of the mountain, they immediately hired a carriage, saying they wanted to go to Furong City to find their mother.
They couldn’t stay in the small town for long, as it would be easy for them to be found. They needed to get to the next location as quickly as possible.
The two children had familiarized themselves with the Southern Kingdom’s territory and even drew a map, marking the places they wanted to go.
When the two little ones went to rent a carriage, the owner was quite surprised. Upon learning there were no adults accompanying them, he took pity on them and arranged for a trustworthy and reliable driver, even giving them a discount.
Who could resist the charm of these two adorable and beautiful little ones? Not to mention, they were on a quest to find family, which made the owner feel even more sympathetic and eager to help them.
…
In Ming Valley.
When morning came, no one noticed that two people were missing from the household. Everyone went about their usual routine, waking up early to prepare breakfast and wash up.
But when Jian Yue noticed that the two children hadn’t gotten up yet, she felt puzzled. Usually, they would be up by this time. Why were they still sleeping so late today?
With breakfast almost ready, she decided to go to their room to check on them.
“Mengmeng, Yangyang, wake up! Breakfast is ready!”
Jian Yue knocked on the door, but when there was no response, she grew concerned. Worried they might be ill or something, she pushed the door open.
To her shock, the room was empty.
Jian Yue’s heart sank, and she hurriedly opened the other door—also empty.
Panic set in.
“Master, Mengmeng and Yangyang are missing!”
Jian Yue’s voice became sharp with anxiety.
Qingming, who had been meditating, instantly opened his eyes and hurried towards the children’s room, while Qingyu, who was in the kitchen, dropped what he was doing and ran over.
“How could they be missing? Where did they go?”
Qingming said as he rushed over.
The group stood in the empty room, stunned.
Qingyu noticed a piece of paper on the table and hurried over to pick it up.
“Master, Uncle, Auntie Yue, I went with Little Brother to find Mother. Don’t worry! After this long period of training, our martial arts and talisman skills have improved a lot. We can definitely take care of ourselves. Master, Uncle, Auntie Yue, goodbye!”
The handwriting was crooked and shaky; if it weren’t for their familiarity, one might not even recognize what was written.
Qingyu handed the note to his master and sighed helplessly. “These two little ones snuck down the mountain and left a note.”
Qingming read it and felt exasperated. These audacious children—was there anything they wouldn’t dare to do? They would surely drive him to frustration one day.
Jian Yue worriedly said, “What should we do? They’re so small and alone down the mountain. It’s too dangerous!”
Qingyu looked towards his master, waiting for his instruction.
Qingming replied angrily, “What can we do? Let them learn the hard way. They’ll realize that the world outside isn’t just fun and games. Leave them be!”
Qingming walked out and sat at the dining table, then turned to scold the two adults. “You two! It’s early morning, and the children are gone without you even noticing! Did you sleep that deeply? How could you not see two living people walking right past you? If a thief came in one day and stole everything, you’d still be sleeping!”
The two adults, who were being unjustly blamed, looked innocent but didn’t dare to speak.
Qingming sighed, glanced at the note left by Mengmeng, and said helplessly, “Hurry up and eat breakfast! After eating, head down the mountain to look for them. If they like playing down there, let them have their fun before returning.”
Hearing this, the two hurried to the kitchen to fetch breakfast. After hastily eating a couple of bites, they began to pack their bags in preparation for heading down the mountain.
Qingming watched as everyone left the mountain, feeling a sense of loneliness wash over him. He didn’t want to stay here alone anymore.
He turned to Qingyu and said, “You all go find the two children, and while you’re at it, inform Qingli. I’m going down the mountain too. With all of you gone, it feels pitiful to leave me here alone. I’ll go to Xiagu to spend some time with my old friends. You all can have some fun down here for a couple of years, and if you feel like it, come find me in Xiagu when you’re done in the Southern Kingdom.”
Qingyu looked surprised. “Master, you’re leaving too?”
Over the years, Qingming had grown accustomed to the noise around him. Now that everyone was leaving, he couldn’t bear to stay alone, so he might as well go out for a change.
“Yes. Is it only allowed for you to go out and have fun while I’m not allowed?”
Qingyu shook his head. “I’m just surprised! Master, you have friends in Xiagu?”
Qingming smiled. “I have friends everywhere. Alright, you all go first! I’ll pack up and follow.”
With that, Qingyu and Jian Yue headed down the mountain.
Meanwhile, Mengmeng and Yangyang were nearing Furong City.
After traveling for most of the day, they were hungry and asked the driver to stop for a meal.
As they passed a tea shop, the driver stopped and asked the two little ones, “There’s a tea shop here; can we take a break?”
Mengmeng lifted the carriage curtain and took a look, then nodded. “Alright, thank you, Uncle. We’ll rest here and have something to eat before continuing.”
The driver had been charmed by the two children along the way and was quite fond of them by now.
After hearing this, he smiled and pulled the carriage to a stop.
Tea shops along the way usually didn’t offer much in terms of food, just tea and light snacks to quench travelers’ thirst and fill their stomachs.
Mengmeng and Yangyang ordered a pot of water and some snacks, then sat at a table to enjoy their meal.
As they ate, the two little ones looked around at their surroundings.
At that moment, a luxurious carriage pulled up and stopped in front of the shop. Two elegantly dressed women stepped out, one of whom had a noticeably large belly, indicating her pregnancy.
Behind them followed several maidservants.
The two women entered the shop and happened to sit right next to Mengmeng and Yangyang.
Mengmeng gently nudged her little brother and whispered, “Little Brother, do you see that lady? She’s surrounded by a dark, ominous aura!”
Yangyang nodded and replied, “Sister, when we’re out, we shouldn’t meddle in other people’s affairs.”
Mengmeng blinked, puffing out her cheeks in disagreement. “No way! Mother and Master both said we need to accumulate merit; it will benefit us!”
Yangyang fell silent but glanced at the pregnant woman, who seemed to have a serious aura about her.
The two women beside them were conversing.
“Cousin, we need to be cautious about the food here. We should inspect it before eating.”
As she spoke, the woman took out a silver needle and dipped it into the tea and snacks. After confirming they were safe, she allowed the pregnant woman to eat.
The pregnant woman smiled warmly at this. “It’s fine; you’re always so careful.”
The two appeared to have a good relationship.
However, Mengmeng noticed that the silver needle was enveloped in thick dark energy, and as it was dipped into the tea and snacks, that dark energy transferred onto the food.