Chapter 9: I Won't Tell Master

"Qingyi, time to take your medicine."

"Shifu, I can do it myself."

"Look at the state you're in right now; how could you possibly drink it yourself? Open your mouth."

"Thank you, Shifu."

In the courtyard at the peak of Lingqian Peak, Jiang Qingyi lay on her bed, opening her small mouth as Xiao Mo fed her the herbal medicine, spoonful by spoonful.

Although Jiang Qingyi had won first place in the New Blood Tournament, she had been severely injured.

If she hadn't grasped the "Nine-Leaf Sword" technique from the *Grass Sword Manual* at the final, critical moment, she likely would have been wiped out entirely.

"You, you must never try to be a hero again," Xiao Mo sighed.

Jiang Qingyi didn't answer, merely sticking out her tongue playfully.

After finishing the medicine, Xiao Mo placed the bowl on a wooden tray and handed Jiang Qingyi a storage bag.

"Shifu, what is this?" Jiang Qingyi asked curiously.

"These are the spirit stones you earned from winning first place in the New Blood Tournament, including the ones I won from betting on you, as well as the rewards from the Longquan Sword Sect. It’s all in there."

"Shifu, I don't need these. You should keep them," Jiang Qingyi said, trying to return the bag to Xiao Mo.

"Why wouldn't you need them?" Xiao Mo said with a smile. "In the future, you'll need to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, and after that, the Cave Abode realm, the Dragon Gate realm, and so on. You will need spirit stones for all of it."

"But Shifu needs them too."

"Me?" Xiao Mo reached out and gently patted Jiang Qingyi's head. "My cultivation path has likely reached its end."

"How is that possible? Shifu, you are only twenty years old; you have so much time ahead of you. I've heard many elders say that you are the youngest Nascent Soul cultivator to date. You could at least reach the Immortal realm in the future!" Jiang Qingyi said excitedly.

Xiao Mo just smiled and didn't answer.

In truth, Xiao Mo knew his own limits.

If he hadn't used the *Heaven-Extending Manual* to help reshape Jiang Qingyi's bones and clear her spiritual meridians, he believed that his own body, bolstered by his sword bones, could have at least reached the Immortal realm.

But a year had passed. While the sword bones within Xiao Mo were fine, his foundation had been damaged.

Besides, he didn't have many years left to live.

Xiao Mo said, "If I tell you to keep it, then keep it. If I need anything, I'll ask you for it."

"Alright... then this disciple will look after the little purse for Shifu. If Shifu ever needs anything, you must ask me. Everything I have belongs to Shifu."

"Fine."

Xiao Mo smiled.

Two months passed, and Jiang Qingyi's injuries were mostly healed. Xiao Mo continued to help her reshape her bones.

Because Jiang Qingyi was missing a sword bone, Xiao Mo was essentially forcing the construction of a false bone for her.

This bone was composed of Xiao Mo's spiritual energy, so it required his constant maintenance.

Once Jiang Qingyi reached the Golden Core stage, that false bone would finally consolidate.

Another half-year passed.

Jiang Qingyi had reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining and was ready to attempt the Foundation Establishment stage.

Xiao Mo personally stood guard for her.

After consuming the Foundation Establishment pill, Jiang Qingyi broke through.

In an instant, thunder rolled across the firmament, and bolts of lightning struck down toward her.

Ordinary people only faced three bolts of lightning during their Foundation Establishment tribulation.

But Jiang Qingyi faced nine.

If Xiao Mo hadn't been fully prepared, utilizing all sorts of treasures and pills for tribulation crossing, Jiang Qingyi would have been in grave danger.

After entering the Foundation Establishment stage, Jiang Qingyi's cultivation speed became even faster than before.

This was a good thing.

The faster Jiang Qingyi cultivated, the higher her realm would be fifty years from now.

However, Xiao Mo had to use the *Heaven-Extending Manual* on her more frequently.

At this rate, Xiao Mo felt he might only have forty years of life left.

One day, the Longquan Sword Sect assigned a mission to Jiang Qingyi.

All Foundation Establishment disciples of the Longquan Sword Sect were required to go on missions.

Jiang Qingyi was no exception.

Xiao Mo followed her secretly as her guardian.

However, unless it was a life-or-death moment, Xiao Mo would not intervene. This was not just a rule of the Longquan Sword Sect; it was because a cultivator could only progress faster after experiencing life and death.

Jiang Qingyi never gave Xiao Mo a chance to intervene.

She completed every mission exceptionally well.

Her strength was formidable, and she even displayed a certain talent for leadership.

Before anyone realized it, Jiang Qingyi had become the representative of the new generation of Longquan Sword Sect disciples.

Her reputation even began to spread throughout the world.

At the age of seventeen, Jiang Qingyi stepped into the Cave Abode realm.

She was advancing a realm every year and a half, leaving her peers further and further behind.

On the day the girl turned eighteen, Xiao Mo found an excuse to send her to Longquan Town to buy wine.

Taking advantage of her absence, Xiao Mo hurried to decorate the courtyard.

Once finished, he waited on the path leading up the mountain for her return.

Over half an hour later, Jiang Qingyi came up the mountain carrying the wine her master had requested. She saw him standing under the moonlight, smiling as he looked in her direction.

Joy flashed in Jiang Qingyi's eyes. She ran over happily and held up the jar: "Shifu, the wine you wanted. Auntie Wang's twenty-year-old osmanthus brew—there was exactly one jar left."

"Mm, thank you." Xiao Mo took the jar, and with his other hand, produced a black cloth, handing it to Jiang Qingyi.

"Shifu, what is this?" Jiang Qingyi asked curiously.

"Blindfold yourself."

Jiang Qingyi blinked, then took the cloth and tied it over her eyes.

Though she didn't know what her master was planning, she did whatever he said.

"No peeking now."

Xiao Mo took Jiang Qingyi's small hand and led her forward.

"Alright, you can take the blindfold off."

After they walked into the courtyard, Xiao Mo said.

The girl untied the black cloth from her eyes.

What greeted her was a very, very large osmanthus cake.

A thin candle was stuck into the cake, and on it were the words: "Happy Birthday, Qingyi."

"Shifu... this is..." Jiang Qingyi's eyes shimmered.

"It's a custom from my hometown. You're supposed to eat cake on your birthday. In the past few years, whenever your birthday came around, either I was on a mission or you were.

This year, we happen to both be here, and it's your eighteenth birthday.

I was supposed to use a cake, but the cooks in Longquan Town don't know how to make one, so I used an osmanthus cake instead."

Xiao Mo explained to her.

"Make a wish, then blow out the candle, and the wish will come true."

"Mm-hmm."

Jiang Qingyi closed her eyes and pressed her palms together to make a wish.

Three breaths later, the girl opened her eyes and blew out the candle.

"Does Shifu want to know what Qingyi's wish was?" Jiang Qingyi turned around, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Let me guess, is it to reach the Golden Core stage as soon as possible?"

"No."

"Is it to eat the grilled fish from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion every day?"

"That's not it either."

"Then what is it?"

"It's..." Just as Jiang Qingyi was about to say it, she turned around playfully, "I won't tell Shifu~"

Xiao Mo: "..."

Under the moonlight, Jiang Qingyi looked at her birthday cake, her eyes filled with tenderness: "Shifu..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Xiao Mo reached out and gently patted his disciple's head

"Who else would I be, if not your Shifu?"