Longevity Begins From Raising Disciples

Chen Ye expressed doubt about his little apprentice’s reaction.

This girl, where is she the sort to cry easily?

”Stop, stop, stop.”

Chen Ye struggled a bit before extricating his head from his apprentice’s embrace.

He looked at the apprentice with tears streaming down her face, then squinted his eyes, reached out a finger, and gently wiped the corner of the girl’s eye.

His fingertip rubbed together, the sensation not only unlike clear tears but even smelling somewhat pleasant.

Chen Ye brought his fingertip to his nose and sniffed, his expression darkening immediately. He sneered, ”No, Qing Jun, why does your tears... have a fragrance?”

Qing Jun, who was sobbing, realized things were going awry. Her eyes darted around, and her crying stopped abruptly.

”Ah, this, this...”

The girl retreated two steps, her two forefingers twisted together, and she hesitantly argued,

”True Dragon’s tears are supposed to be fragrant! Master, you don’t understand! Qing Jun is fragrant all over! If you don’t believe me, master, smell...”

”Second senior sister obviously discovered that master brought something tasty home, and only then pretended to be pitiful to win master’s favor, using some spirit water on her eyes.”

Beside her, Jin’er mercilessly exposed the girl’s poor acting, calmly interjecting,

”After all... everyone knows that the people of Huayue Mansion aren’t a match for master. They can’t bully master, even if Celestial Abyss is harsh, it won’t hurt master.”

”You’re talking nonsense! Jin’er, you big meanie!”

Qing Jun’s little calculations were exposed, and her face flushed red. She was about to cover Jin’er’s mouth in a huff,

”Qing Jun cares about master! It’s not just for the pastries!”

Chen Ye watched the two girls bicker, at a loss whether to be angry or amused.

Turns out, while he passionately acted for a while, these three girls saw right through it and were just watching their master make a fool of himself?

Not only had their cultivation advanced, but their minds spun faster too. Today’s apprentices, truly harder to trick.

”Master, have some tea to soothe your throat first.”

Zhiwei, who had quietly been watching, handed a cup of brewed spirit tea, along with a warm, clean damp cloth, with a gentle smile in her eyes:

”Though second junior sister is a bit of a glutton and mischievous, her eagerness to protect you when you took out the projection stone was not entirely fake. We apprentices know master has celestial powers, but with master alone in Celestial Abyss negotiating with Huayue Mansion, we disciples at the mansion worry day and night.”

”Zhiwei is thoughtful, rightly doted upon.”

Chen Ye accepted the cloth and wiped his hands, then sat beside the stone table.

She was speaking the truth.

Actually, Qing Jun’s concern wasn’t entirely an act. Upon seeing her master playing pitifully, she wanted to play along to please him.

”Alright, stop the act now. If you keep this up, the pastries I brought from Qi Kingdom will all go to Zhiwei.”

Chen Ye glanced at the two bickering girls.

Upon hearing the thought of losing the treats, Qing Jun quickly released Jin’er’s mouth and darted back to the stone table.

Her eyes glowed as she stared at the wax paper packages, nodding like a pecking chick: ”Qing Jun won’t make trouble! Won’t make trouble! Master’s pastries are the best!”

Alright.

No matter the pastries, as long as they go through master’s hands, they seem to taste better, right?

Chen Ye opened up the wax paper packages one by one.

Inside were various exquisite Qi Kingdom pastries, embellished with crystalline spirit fruits, exuding an alluring sweet aroma.

A few apprentices gathered around, savoring them slowly.

Chen Ye lifted his teacup and sipped, then said lightly:

”For the next two months, we’ll properly rest here at the Cold Scale Mansion.”

”This Duqing Sect is not like other places, especially our Greedy Sha vein; hidden arrows are hard to guard against. Though your cultivation is not trivial, you must remain vigilant. Whatever resources you need, whatever pills you’re lacking, just let me know, and use as you please.”

The girl propped her chin, muttering,

”Then master, when can we return to Lingyin Sect? It’s not that Lingyin Sect is much better, but Duqing Sect isn’t fun at all! Back in Lisong Valley, Qing Jun could still run around!”

Indeed.

To the apprentices, Duqing Sect inevitably seemed dull.

This place is full of Demon Cultivators, none are good people, while daily efforts and precautions against others make it far from ideal for wandering about.

Simply unsuitable for cultivators to reside long-term.

”You think we came to sight-see?”

Chen Ye chuckled lightly,

”It doesn’t matter if Duqing Sect is fun or not; our goal is to rescue Bai Li and return him to the sect. When we return to the sect, master will accompany you properly. But now, if you run around recklessly and end up fancied by some old demon for your pure blood, caught as a side dish for alchemy, where would master go to cry?”

”Who dares to eat Qing Jun! Qing Jun would punch them into little biscuits!” The girl waved her little fist, covered in pastry crumbs, assertively retorting.

Jin’er skeptically glanced at Qing Jun: ”Second senior sister said the same when she saw that Tribulation Cultivator full of poisonous sores, but ended up too grossed out to eat an extra bowl for dinner.”

”That was disgust! Not because I couldn’t beat them!”

Qing Jun huffed, she’d not want to dirty her hands! Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to snuggle up to master.

”Alright, endure for a while. We indeed can’t stay long in Duqing Sect.”

Chen Ye pondered,

”Probably two to three months... After two months, I shall head to Wuyang Palace. Once Bai Li’s body is found, we will promptly leave Duqing Sect.”