Chapter 135

“Master Lu, what exactly happened? Can you tell us now?”In the mountains, Lu Qing, who was carrying Mrs. Wei, asked. His face showed some tension. Just a moment ago, Lu Qing suddenly arrived, telling everyone to pack up and leave the mountain immediately. Although everyone was bewildered, they trusted Lu Qing, and despite their tension, they obeyed. As they walked through the mountains, Mrs. Wei could no longer suppress her curiosity. “This morning, a young man in plain clothes, the one I mentioned to you yesterday, stopped the battle between your ancestor and the mysterious Precelestial disciple from Tianji Tower. He brought some bad news to my master.” “Your Wei family’s Precelestial ancestor was ambushed by that mysterious Precelestial, and his heart meridian was injured by Precelestial sword qi. The injury is severe and if not treated in time, he has at most one year to live.” Lu Qing explained slowly. “How could this be?” Mrs. Wei and the others were shocked upon hearing this. “This was said by Zhiyue, the disciple of Tianji Tower. Considering his recent performance in the county, there’s no reason for him to deceive us about this matter, so it should be true.” Mrs. Wei and the others felt a turmoil in their hearts. They had thought that after the ancestor returned, the mansion would stabilize, and they could safely wait for the day to go home. Unexpectedly, the ancestor’s injury had such a serious hidden danger. After a while, Mrs. Wei calmed her mind and continued to ask, “So, Master Lu, what is the reason for us leaving the mountain?” Even if the ancestor was seriously injured, they, as a mother and son, had little ability to help and seemed to have no reason to leave the mountain. “My master, upon hearing about your ancestor’s condition, intended to go to the county to see if he could help alleviate the ancestor’s injury. But madam, you also know that the current situation in the county is complicated. Your family might also be on high alert against outsiders. If only my master and I go, it might be difficult to gain your family’s trust, and it could even cause misunderstandings. So, we thought of asking you and the young master to come out of the mountain and return to the county with us.” “Does your master have confidence in treating our ancestor’s injury?” Mrs. Wei asked with joy. “Absolute confidence is not there. Without personally diagnosing your ancestor’s injury, it’s hard to make any judgment, but we must at least try, right?” Lu Qing did not promise too much. But Mrs. Wei heard a hint of mystery in Lu Qing’s words. If the old doctor had no confidence at all, why would he take such a big risk to go to the county? A spark of hope ignited in her heart, “Then I thank Master Lu and your master for your righteous help on behalf of the Wei family.” Mrs. Wei felt immense gratitude. Given the current situation of the Wei family, most people would avoid them, not wanting to get involved at all. Not kicking them while they were down was already something to be thankful for. But Lu Qing and his master had repeatedly extended a helping hand, saving her and her son, and even the entire Wei family. She didn’t know how to express her gratitude. Searᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The group walked through the mountains, and after coming out of the mountain, they went directly to the Halfway House. The old doctor was already waiting in the courtyard. Seeing everyone return, he smiled, “You’re all back?” Mrs. Wei had already come down from Lu Qing’s back and bowed gracefully. “Ning Yan greets the old doctor. In the past, you saved my son from life and death, and I couldn’t thank you in person. I’m truly ashamed.” “Hehe, it was a small matter, no need to take it to heart.” The old doctor stroked his beard and chuckled. “Greetings, old doctor.” At this time, Wei Zian also stepped forward to salute. The old doctor looked at his complexion and nodded, “Your body has recovered well and has become much stronger.” “Yes, I’ve been practicing martial arts with my master and Lu Xiaodafu recently, and my body is much better than before!” Wei Zian clenched the wooden stick in his hand and said happily. “Good, very good.” The old doctor also noticed that Wei Zian’s temperament had changed a lot and was very satisfied. As for Mago, since he often came here before, he was already considered a familiar face, so he didn’t engage in much small talk, just saluted the old doctor. “Old doctor, when are we setting off?” After the greetings, Mrs. Wei asked. Ever since she learned about the ancestor’s injury, she had been feeling uneasy. “There’s no rush. You’ve just come out of the mountain, freshen up first, have lunch, and then rest well before we depart.” The old doctor said. Mago and the others had been living in a cave, where, although they had enough to eat and drink, other aspects were inconvenient. So they were now all looking a bit disheveled. Mrs. Wei also knew that their current appearance was somewhat improper and understood that saving the Wei family couldn’t be rushed. So she did not oppose the old doctor’s arrangement and went to freshen up. The old doctor had already prepared hot water for them. After they washed up, they saw that Lu Qing was busy in the kitchen, with the aroma of food wafting from within. “Miss, you look so beautiful!” At this moment, Mrs. Wei heard a sweet voice. She looked down and saw a little girl standing in front of her, tilting her head and looking at her curiously. Seeing this little girl, who looked like a carved jade statue, Mrs. Wei’s heart filled with affection. She bent down to pick up Xiao Yan and asked, “Little one, what’s your name?” “My name is Lu Xiao Yan. Miss, who are you?” Xiao Yan asked happily. “So, you’re Xiao Yan. I’m not your sister. Call me Aunt. I’m your brother’s friend. My surname is Li.” Mrs. Wei immediately understood that this little girl was the one An’er had talked about, Lu Qing’s sister. She just didn’t expect Xiao Yan to be so pretty. Even the girls in the city couldn’t compare to her delicate and lovely appearance. “Aunt?” Xiao Yan compared her to the aunts in the village and was a bit puzzled, “But aunts aren’t as young as you, right?” “You little darling, you’re so cute.” No woman wouldn’t like to be called young, and Mrs. Wei was immediately all smiles hearing this innocent remark. Holding the soft and sweet Xiao Yan, she didn’t want to let her go. Xiao Yan also liked this pretty and kind aunt, finding her very affectionate. So, the two of them happily chatted. Their cheerful demeanor made Wei Zian, who was watching from the side, a bit dazed. Since the escape, this was the first time he saw such a genuine smile on his mother’s face. “Xiao Yan, the food is almost ready. Set the table.” As the two chatted happily, Lu Qing’s voice came from the kitchen. “It’s time to eat. Aunt, you sit here. I’ll go help my brother!” Xiao Yan jumped out of Mrs. Wei’s arms and ran towards the kitchen. “I’ll help too.” Mrs. Wei followed her into the kitchen. Then she saw Xiao Yan taking bowls from the cupboard. As for the kitchen, many dishes were already prepared. Several vegetarian dishes were placed on the small table, and the pot was steaming with something inside. Next to it, a clay pot was simmering soup, and a nearby casserole was boiling bright red meat. Looking at these dishes and smelling the rich aroma, Mrs. Wei couldn’t help but swallow. These days, hiding in the mountains, although they didn’t lack food, eating well was impossible. Now, suddenly seeing so many delicious-looking dishes, even she, with her upbringing, felt a bit greedy. “Madam, why did you come in? The kitchen is smoky; it might hurt your eyes.” Lu Qing, who was tending the fire, saw Mrs. Wei and said hurriedly. “I came to see if there’s anything I can help with.” Mrs. Wei said. “No need, the dishes are almost ready. You just need to take these vegetarian dishes out. Once the fish is steamed, we can eat.” Lu Qing smiled. “Alright.” After Mrs. Wei took the dishes out, Xiao Yan also carried a stack of bowls out of the kitchen. “Xiao Yan, let Aunt help you.” Mrs. Wei, feeling worried, said hurriedly. “No need, Aunt. Xiao Yan can do it!” The little one refused. Xiao Yan had taken Earth Vein Spirit Liquid and absorbed the elemental mist that gathered when the old doctor broke through, so her physical condition was excellent. In terms of strength, many kids over ten years old in the village might not match her. So carrying a few bowls was a simple task. Once the tableware was set, Lu Qing’s fish was also ready. Soon, a table full of dishes was neatly arranged. “Alright, time to eat.” When Lu Qing placed the steamed fish in the center of the table, he clapped his hands. As for Xiaoli, it had already found a corner outside and was happily devouring a bowl of fish. “Ah Qing’s culinary skills have improved a lot.” The old doctor sitting at the main seat smiled. “Yes, my brother’s food is the best!” Xiao Yan, sitting on her little stool, said proudly. As for Mago and the others, their eyes widened at the sight of the delicious dishes. Steamed fish, chicken soup, braised rabbit, fried small fish, stir-fried vegetables—these hot dishes were things they hadn’t eaten in a long time. “Brother Lu Qing, what dish is this?” Mago pointed to the red, steaming meat in the casserole. “This is braised pork. It tastes quite good.” Lu Qing answered. “Alright, no need to be polite. Let’s eat.” The old doctor said, picking up a fried small fish first. Seeing the old doctor start, the others also picked up their chopsticks. Mago and Wei Zian first reached for the braised pork in the casserole. The quivering, shiny meat was too tempting. After each took a piece and put it in their mouths, they felt it melt with a light press, filling their mouths with the aroma. Their eyes widened. They had never eaten such rich meat before. “Lu Xiaodafu, what meat is this? How is it so delicious?” Wei Zian couldn’t help but ask. “This is pork. I bought it from the butcher in the neighboring village this morning.” Lu Qing smiled. “Is pork this delicious?” Wei Zian found it hard to believe. After his recent training, he was no longer the delicate young master who felt nauseous at the thought of pork. But he still couldn’t believe the dirty-looking pork could be so delicious. “Ordinary pork wouldn’t be this flavorful, but this braised pork, with some special preparation, tastes better than regular pork.” In recent days, while roaming the mountains, Lu Qing often used his abilities to find several plants that could replace certain seasonings from his previous life. This improved his culinary skills significantly. Now, he could make this braised pork taste almost as good as it did in his previous life. Seeing her son eating so heartily, Mrs. Wei, who wasn’t initially interested in the oily meat, couldn’t resist trying a small piece. Then she was also surprised. The braised pork looked greasy but wasn’t fatty at all. Instead, it was rich and incredibly appetizing. They tried other dishes and were even more astonished. The chicken soup was delicious, the steamed fish was sweet, the fried fish was crispy, and even the vegetables were very tasty. Every dish’s flavor exceeded their expectations. So they all ate to their heart’s content, leaving no leftovers. Even the last bit of braised pork sauce was mixed with rice by Mago and Wei Zian until it was finished. Even Mrs. Wei, with her refined manners, couldn’t resist having an extra bowl of chicken soup after she was full. “Brother Lu Qing, I regret not staying for meals before. How many delicious dishes have I missed!” After the meal, Mago looked regretful. “Haha, it’s not too late. It’s just an extra pair of chopsticks.” Lu Qing laughed. “That’s for sure. Even if you don’t invite me, I’ll come and eat shamelessly.” Mago joked. Seeing this, Wei Zian looked envious. If his family lived in the city, he would also want to come and eat often. However, he thought for a moment. Now Mago was his master. As a disciple, it was reasonable to visit the master frequently, right? So occasionally coming to Lu Xiaodafu’s place for a meal would be normal, wouldn’t it? Wei Zian felt clever and was pleased with his own wit. Even Mrs. Wei was tempted by this idea. But she knew that once she returned to the mansion, it wouldn’t be easy to come out again. For a while, everyone’s mood lightened up after this meal, almost forgetting about the journey ahead to the county. But they couldn’t avoid what they had to face. After the meal, the old doctor, after a moment of silence, finally said, “Ah Qing, go and prepare. We should get going.” “Yes, Master.” Lu Qing nodded and went out to make preparations. Because of the presence of the Tian Cang Sect, they couldn’t go to the county openly this time. They needed to disguise themselves properly. So Lu Qing went to the village to borrow clothes for Mrs. Wei and Wei Zian and dressed them up. He also went to Grandpa Zhang’s house next door and borrowed his gentle ox and cart, loading it with some herbs. After everything was ready, Lu Qing carried his war blade and a covered bamboo basket, and brought Xiao Yan onto the cart. Yes, this time, he decided to take Xiao Yan along. This trip to the county was dangerous, and he and his master didn’t know what might happen. Xiaoli would follow them too. Leaving Xiao Yan alone in the village wasn’t safe. They had always depended on each other. So this time, they would go together. He and his master wouldn’t let anyone hurt Xiao Yan as long as they stood. “Brother, where are we going?” Xiao Yan, sitting on the cart, was excited. “We’re going to the county. You always wanted to see the city, right?” “To the city? Great!” Xiao Yan was delighted. She had never been to the city. “Mrs. Wei, please help look after Xiao Yan on the way.” Lu Qing said to Mrs. Wei, who was also on the cart. “I will!” Mrs. Wei, now dressed like a village woman, held Xiao Yan tightly. She didn’t expect Lu Qing to bring Xiao Yan. But she felt Lu Qing’s determination and knew that persuasion would be useless. She could only resolve inwardly that unless she died, she wouldn’t let Xiao Yan be harmed. Once everything was set, the old doctor drove the cart, and with a shout, the wheels rolled, slowly heading out of the village. Lu Qing, Mago, and Wei Zian walked alongside. The villagers didn’t know what Lu Qing and the others were going to do, nor did they know Mrs. Wei’s true identity. They thought they were all going to the city with the old doctor. So, seeing them off, they just gave a few reminders without much emotion. Now, with Lu Qing’s strength, they weren’t worried. The cart reached the village entrance, and the old doctor stopped. Lu Qing walked up, tied three red strings to a tree under the letter stone. “Master Lu, what is this?” Mrs. Wei asked when Lu Qing returned. “It’s a village tradition. Anyone leaving the village ties a red string to the tree...” Lu Qing briefly explained. But his simple words made Mrs. Wei’s heart tremble. She held Xiao Yan tighter. Mago and Wei Zian also looked more determined. They made a silent decision in their hearts. The whip cracked, and the cart moved again, slowly heading forward. The cart passed through the forest, startling a flock of birds into flight ahead. Table of content