Chapter Ninety-Two: Anticipation

“There’s no need to wait until he forms his Nascent Soul. If your master has a peak he fancies right now, I can arrange the move at once!”

Luo Tangyu instinctively ignored the wistfulness in Mu Yunjin’s tone.

To him, Mu Yunjin was still too immature of heart and mind. If Mo Qingli wanted to help his disciples improve their cultivation, the best choice was to find a place rich in spiritual energy.

Qu Yiqiu turned to look at Mo Qingli and asked, “Master, do you want to leave Little Peace Peak?”

Mo Qingli’s clear, spring-water eyes were calm and still, yet when they rested on Qu Yiqiu, a trace of tenderness appeared in them.

“Of course not. This is where Yiqiu and Yunjin grew up. As your master, I will not leave.”

Mu Yunjin’s pursed lips immediately relaxed, and he cried out in surprise and delight, “Master is the best! Yunjin doesn’t want to leave either!”

The three master and disciples shared a tacit understanding.

Only Luo Tangyu remained baffled. He opened his mouth, intending to persuade them.

Mo Qingli saw through his thoughts and raised a hand to stop him. “Sect Master Luo, my mind is made up. There’s no need to say more. No matter how many outstanding peaks the Heavenly Evolution Sect may have, none can compare to Little Peace Peak, which holds hundreds of years of my memories. Besides, Little Peace Peak is not as worthless as they imagine. Just as the three of us, master and disciples, and Zhou Chen are not as useless as they imagine. Little Peace Peak and all of us will one day stand before them again.”

His voice was like a clear mountain spring, bright and pleasing to the ear.

At his words, Luo Tangyu felt an inexplicable surge of joy and exhilaration, and anticipation shone in his eyes.

“I believe Senior Brother can do it!” Just as he had never believed Mo Qingli would fade into obscurity like this!

He could create miracles.

Qu Yiqiu and Mu Yunjin were infected by the atmosphere as well, and it seemed that within Mo Qingli’s firm yet gentle words, they could already glimpse a glorious tomorrow.

“I believe Master will definitely lead us to the Great Dao and defeat those who look down on us!” Qu Yiqiu clenched her fist with childlike seriousness, several familiar and annoying faces flashing through her mind.

“Mm-hmm! Yunjin believes in Master too, just like Senior Sister does!” Mu Yunjin imitated Qu Yiqiu and tightened his own small fist, his delicate little face scrunching into a stubborn, bun-like ball, soft and adorable.

Mo Qingli could not help but smile faintly. He walked over to Mu Yunjin and gently ruffled his hair.

Seeing that lovely expression, Qu Yiqiu could not help laughing as well.

Watching the warm, comfortable rapport between the three of them, Luo Tangyu felt a wave of warmth in his heart and suddenly understood their resolve.

In this cruel Five-Element Realm, such sincere master-disciple affection was truly hard to come by.

After a moment’s thought, Luo Tangyu no longer intended to persuade them to leave Little Peace Peak. Instead, he smiled slowly and said, “Senior Brother Mo has taken in a wonderful disciple. Yunjin’s aptitude is no worse than yours was back then!”

Mo Qingli looked faintly puzzled. He calmly adjusted Mu Yunjin’s hair, only to see the boy’s grape-dark eyes blinking at him guiltily.

Qu Yiqiu knew that Mu Yunjin’s aptitude had only revealed itself after he drank the Nine-Colored Deer’s blood; before that, Mo Qingli had not seen it at all.

Afraid that Mo Qingli might let something slip and arouse Luo Tangyu’s suspicion about Mu Yunjin’s identity, she hurriedly cut in. “Sect Master Luo, why are you only praising my junior brother? Am I not a good disciple of Master’s?”

Qu Yiqiu put on an aggrieved look.

Only then did Luo Tangyu remember Qu Yiqiu’s useless aptitude.

Had his words hurt her just now? After all, she was still only a young girl...

At once, guilt and apology welled up in him. He turned quickly to Qu Yiqiu and said, “That was my mistake. Yiqiu, you’re just too well-behaved, too outstanding, so I accidentally forgot about you!”

Qu Yiqiu rolled her eyes, and after seeing Mu Yunjin and Mo Qingli tacitly on the same side, she deflated. “Still, Sect Master, you do have good judgment. Though my aptitude is a little lacking, and I can’t compare with Junior Brother’s Ten Thousand Beast Flame Dominion Body and fire spiritual root, I’ve done no less for Master!”

“Yes, yes, yes. Yiqiu is the finest senior disciple on Little Peace Peak!” Luo Tangyu laughed and soothed her along.

Mo Qingli smiled with closed lips. He truly believed Qu Yiqiu had given too much. In a gentle voice, he said, “Yiqiu and Yunjin are both good disciples of mine. No matter what your aptitudes may be, I will spare no effort to help you ascend to the upper realm!”

Luo Tangyu’s smile faltered, and surprise and shock flashed quickly across his face.

When he had gone along with Qu Yiqiu’s words, it had only been to indulge a child. But when Mo Qingli spoke like that, it was a real promise.

Mu Yunjin was also a little startled, though he quickly returned to his blank, innocent look.

Qu Yiqiu froze slightly, then put her hands on her hips in pride. “Master has Master’s path, and disciples have disciples’ paths. I don’t need Master to exhaust himself helping me—I can rely on my own ability to ascend to the upper realm!”

“Yunjin is the same!” Mu Yunjin hurriedly chimed in with childlike earnestness.

Luo Tangyu widened his eyes, then shook his head and laughed. “The disciples taught by Senior Brother Mo really are no ordinary lot. But children are children—how could they know how perilous and hard the path of cultivation truly is?”

Mo Qingli pressed his lips together lightly and said nothing.

He knew that Qu Yiqiu and Mu Yunjin were not speaking idly, nor merely being childish.

Still, as their master, he would certainly clear the obstacles from their road.

“Daylight is fading. Another day is ending.”

Hands clasped behind his back, Luo Tangyu gazed at the last glow of sunset outside the cave residence and sighed.

“Yes. Tomorrow will be a brand-new day.” Mo Qingli looked meaningfully toward the setting sun at the edge of the sky.

Luo Tangyu nodded. “I imagine news that Senior Brother Mo has recovered will already have spread to every peak and every sect. Tomorrow, I, this sect master, am going to be busy indeed, ha-ha-ha!”

“Thank you for your trouble, Sect Master Luo,” Mo Qingli replied softly.

Qu Yiqiu followed his gaze and looked out as well, seeing only the towering, cloud-wreathed Nine Sword Peak.

Mu Yunjin looked at Qu Yiqiu’s graceful figure, and a flash of crimson suddenly passed through his eyes. In that instant, a very different silhouette overlapped with Qu Yiqiu’s back within his gaze.

He drew his eyes back at once and tapped his drowsy head.

Then, just as Luo Tangyu was turning back around, he placed a hand on Zhou Chen’s forehead and wiped away the sweat with careful tenderness, exposing only one side of his face to them.

Luo Tangyu chuckled. He had thought for a moment that Mu Yunjin was secretly up to some mischievous little trick. He really had been the sect master too long; he was becoming suspicious of everything.

He turned his eyes back to Mo Qingli and Qu Yiqiu and smiled. “It’s getting late. I should head back now!”

Mo Qingli gave a slight nod. “Very well.”

“I’ll see Sect Master Luo out.” Qu Yiqiu did not forget her place as a junior and answered obediently.

Luo Tangyu laughed with satisfaction and waved a hand. “No need. You should rest well. I can make my own way back! Ha-ha-ha!”

With that, he strode away.

“Sect Master Luo really is a good person,” Qu Yiqiu said wistfully after he left.

“Yes. Fortunately, he protected you today,” Mo Qingli said gravely as he turned to face her.

Qu Yiqiu seemed to guess what he was about to say, and quickly changed the subject. “Master, how did you know something happened to us in the main hall?”