Peace Before Departure, a Hidden Dragon Emerging from the Abyss

"Young Master Lu, what exactly happened? You can tell me now, right?"

In the mountains and forests, Lu Qing was carrying Madam Wei on his back when he asked a question.

There was some tension on his face.

Just now, Lu Qing suddenly arrived and told everyone to pack their things, saying that he would leave the mountain immediately.

Everyone was confused, but out of trust in Lu Qing, they did as instructed despite their nervousness.

Now, walking through the mountains and forests, Madam Wei finally couldn't suppress the questions in her heart.

"This morning, a Plain-Clothed Youth, the one I told you about yesterday, who stopped your Old Ancestor from fighting that mysterious Innate Realm Heaven's Secret Pavilion, came to visit my master, and brought some bad news."

"Your Wei Clan's Old Ancestor, who was at the Innate Realm, was ambushed by that mysterious Innate Realm. His heart meridian was injured by the Innate Sword Qi, and the injury was difficult to heal. If the sword wound is not treated in time, he will only have one year left to live."

Lu Qing explained slowly.

How could this happen?

Madam Wei and the others were greatly surprised upon hearing this.

"This was said by the Heaven's Secret Pavilion disciple named Zhi Rui. Judging from his behavior in the County Town a few days ago, he has no reason to deceive us on this matter, so it should be true."

Madam Wei and the others were immediately thrown into a state of confusion.

They had thought that once the Old Ancestor returned, things would settle down in the mansion, and they could wait peacefully for the day they could go home.

I never imagined that my Old Ancestor's injuries would have such a serious hidden danger.

After a while, Madam Wei calmed herself down and continued to ask, "Then why did Young Master Lu ask us to come out of seclusion this time...?"

Even though their Old Ancestor was seriously injured, the mother and son were of limited ability and could not help at all, so there seemed to be no reason for them to come out of the mountains.

"After hearing about your Old Ancestor's injuries, my master intended to go to the County Town to see if he could help alleviate your Old Ancestor's injuries."

But Madam also knows that the situation in the County Town is complicated now, and your family is probably on edge and very wary of outsiders.

If it were just the two of us, master and apprentice, visiting, we would not only fail to gain your trust, but it might also cause misunderstandings.

That's why I thought of asking Madam and Young Master to come out of seclusion and return to the County Town with us.

"Is your master confident in healing our Old Ancestor's injuries?" Madam Wei was overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Of course, I don't have complete confidence. Without personally diagnosing your Old Ancestor's injuries, it's hard to make any judgments, but we have to try, right?" Lu Qing didn't speak definitively.

But Madam Wei sensed a hidden meaning in Lu Qing's words.

If the Old Doctor wasn't confident at all, why would he take such a big risk to go to the County Town?

A glimmer of hope ignited in her heart. "Then I will express my gratitude on behalf of the Wei Clan to Young Master Lu and your esteemed master for their righteous assistance."

Madam Wei was extremely grateful.

Given the current situation of the Wei Clan, most people would avoid them like the plague and wouldn't dare to have anything to do with them.

It's already fortunate that they didn't kick someone when they're down.

She truly didn't know how to express her gratitude to people like Lu Qing who had repeatedly extended a helping hand to save her and her child, and even the entire Wei Clan.

The group walked through the mountains and came to Half-Mountain Courtyard after they emerged from the mountains.

The Old Doctor was already waiting in the courtyard.

Seeing everyone return, he smiled and said, "You're all back?"

Madam Wei had already dismounted from Lu Qing's back and gracefully bowed.

"Ning Yan has met the Old Doctor. You once saved my son from the brink of death. I am ashamed that Ning Yan was unable to visit you in person to express my gratitude."

"Hehe, it's nothing, don't worry about it."

The Old Doctor stroked his beard and chuckled.

"Greetings, Old Doctor."

At this moment, Wei Zi'an also stepped forward and bowed.

The Old Doctor looked at his complexion and nodded. "Your body has recovered well and you've become much stronger."

"Yes, I've been practicing martial arts with my master and Little Doctor Lu lately, and my health is much better than before!"

Wei Zi'an gripped the wooden stick in his hand and said happily.

"Okay, very good."

The Old Doctor could also see that Wei Zi'an's temperament seemed to have changed a lot, and he was very satisfied.

As for Ma Gu, since he used to come here often, he was already an acquaintance, so there wasn't much small talk. He simply bowed to the Old Doctor.

"Old Doctor, when do we set off?"

After exchanging pleasantries, Madam Wei asked.

Ever since she learned of her Old Ancestor's injuries, she had felt uneasy.

"There's no rush. You've just come from the mountains, so go and wash up first, have lunch, and rest up before we set off," the Old Doctor said.

Ma Gu and his group had been living in a cave. Although they had no shortage of food and drink, other aspects were certainly inconvenient.

So now they all look travel-worn and rather disheveled.

Madam Wei also knew that their current behavior was rather impolite, and she also knew that there was no use in rushing to save the Wei Clan.

Therefore, he did not object to the Old Doctor's arrangement and went to wash up.

The Old Doctor had already prepared hot water for them. When Madam Wei and the others finished washing up and came out, they saw Lu Qing already busy in the kitchen, with the aroma of food wafting out.

"Sister, look so beautiful!"

Just then, Madam Wei heard a sweet and charming voice.

She looked down and saw a little girl standing in front of her, tilting her head and looking at her curiously.

Looking at the exquisitely beautiful girl before her, who resembled a little elf, Madam Wei felt a surge of affection.

She bent down, picked up Xiao Yan, and asked, "Little one, what's your name?"

"My name is Lu Xiaoyan, who are you, sister?" Xiao Yan asked happily.

"Oh, it's Xiao Yan. I'm not your older sister. Call me Auntie. I'm your brother's friend. My surname is Li."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wei immediately realized that the little girl was the Lu Qing's younger sister whom An'er and the others had been talking about.

She just hadn't expected Xiao Yan to be so beautiful.

Even the girls in the city are far less charming and lovely than her.

"Auntie?" Xiao Yan compared her appearance to the other aunties in the village, then asked with some confusion, "But none of the aunties are as young as you."

"Little one, you're so cute."

No woman would dislike being told she looks young, Madam Wei beamed with delight upon hearing these innocent and charming words.

Holding the sweet and soft Xiao Yan in my arms, I didn't want to put her down even more.

Xiao Yan also really likes this beautiful and kind aunt; she feels very close to her.

And so the two of them, one big and one small, began to chat happily.

His happy expression left Wei Zi'an, who was standing to the side, somewhat stunned.

This was the first time he had seen such a genuine smile on his mother's face since they fled from war.

"Xiao Yan, the food is almost ready. Set out the bowls and chopsticks and get ready to eat."

Just as the two were chatting happily, Lu Qing's voice came from the kitchen.

"Dinner's ready, Auntie. Please sit here, I'll go help my brother!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately jumped down from Madam Wei's arms and ran towards the kitchen.

"Let me help you too." Madam Wei followed her into the kitchen.

Then she saw Xiao Yan taking a bowl from the cupboard.

As for the kitchen, many dishes have already been prepared.

Several vegetarian dishes were placed on a small table next to it, and a pot with a lid was steaming inside, it was unclear what was being steamed.

On a Earthen Jar next to it, soup was simmering, while on a casserole dish next to it, chunks of deep red, glossy meat were stewing.

Looking at the dishes and smelling their rich aroma, Madam Wei couldn't help but swallow.

These days, hiding in the mountains, there is no shortage of food, but it is obviously impossible to eat well.

Seeing so many delicious-looking dishes suddenly made her feel a little hungry, even with her good manners.

"Madam, why did you come in? The kitchen is full of smoke, don't let it sting your eyes."

Lu Qing, who was tending the fire, saw Madam Wei and quickly said...

"Let me see if there's anything I can do to help," Madam Wei.

"No need, the dishes are almost ready. Madam, you just need to take out these vegetarian dishes. After I steam this fish, we can eat," Lu Qing said with a smile.

"Good."

After Madam Wei brought the dishes out, Xiao Yan steadily carried a large stack of bowls out of the kitchen.

"Xiao Yan, let Auntie help you."

Madam Wei looked on in alarm and quickly said...

"No need, Auntie, Xiao Yan can do it!" the little one refused.

Xiao Yan had consumed the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid and absorbed the Primal Qi White Mist condensed from the rules of heaven and earth during the Old Doctor's breakthrough, so her physical condition was exceptionally good.

In terms of strength alone, she is probably stronger than many teenagers in the village.

So carrying a few bowls is a very simple thing.

Once the bowls and chopsticks were set out, Lu Qing's fish was also steamed.

Soon, a large table full of dishes was neatly arranged.

"Alright, dinner is ready."

When Lu Qing placed the freshly steamed fish in the center of the table, he clapped his hands and said...

As for Xiao Li, she was already enjoying a bowl of fish in some corner outside.

"A Qing's cooking skills are getting better and better."

The Old Doctor, sitting in the main seat, smiled.

"Yes, my brother's cooking is the best!"

Xiao Yan sat on her little stool, looking very proud.

As for Ma Gu and his group, their eyes widened at the sight of the large table of delicious-looking dishes.

Steamed fish, chicken soup, braised rabbit, fried small fish, stir-fried vegetables—how long had it been since they'd had these hot dishes? "Brother Lu Qing, what kind of dishes are these?"

Ma Gu pointed to the red, glistening, steaming chunks of meat in the casserole and asked.

"This is braised pork, and it tastes pretty good," Lu Qing replied.

"Alright, don't be shy, let's eat."

At this point, the Old Doctor spoke up and first picked up a fried small fish.

Seeing that the Old Doctor had started eating, the others also picked up their chopsticks.

Ma Gu and Wei Zi'an were the first to reach for the braised pork in the casserole.

There was no way around it; those trembling, glistening chunks of meat were just too tempting.

They each picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in their mouths. Feeling the melt-in-your-mouth texture and the rich aroma of the meat, their eyes widened involuntarily.

Neither of them had ever tasted such delicious meat before.

"Little Doctor Lu, what kind of meat is this made of? Why does it smell so good?"

Wei Zi'an couldn't help but ask.

"This is pork. I bought it from the butcher in the next village this morning," Lu Qing said with a smile.

"Is pork really this delicious?" Wei Zi'an asked, somewhat incredulous.

After this period of training, he is no longer the pampered young master who felt nauseous at the mere mention of pork.

But I still can't believe that the meat from that filthy-looking pig is so delicious.

"Ordinary pork can't be braised to this rich aroma, but this braised pork has undergone some special processing by me, so it tastes better than ordinary pork."

These days, Lu Qing often walks in the mountains. By occasionally using his Supernatural Ability to explore, he has discovered several plants that can replace certain seasonings from his previous life.

This allowed his culinary skills to be better utilized.

Now, he can make this braised pork dish taste about 80-90% of what it tasted like in his previous life.

Seeing her son eating so heartily, Madam Wei, who was not particularly interested in the greasy meat, couldn't resist picking up a small piece to try.

Then, she was surprised too.

This braised pork looks greasy, but it's actually not greasy at all. On the contrary, it's incredibly fragrant and goes perfectly with rice.

The group tried several other dishes and were even more surprised.

The chicken soup was delicious, the steamed fish was sweet and fresh, the fried fish was crispy and fragrant, and even the vegetables were very tasty.

The taste of each dish exceeded their expectations.

So everyone ate their meal to their heart's content, leaving no leftovers.

Even the last bit of broth from the braised pork was used by Ma Gu and Wei Zi'an to mix with rice and finish it all.

Even the well-mannered Madam Wei couldn't resist drinking an extra bowl of chicken soup after she was full.

"Brother Lu Qing, I'm really starting to regret not staying at your place for meals before. I've missed out on so many delicious dishes!"

After a hearty meal and drinks, Ma Gu looked regretful.

"Haha, it's not too late to go later, it's just a matter of having a few more chopsticks," Lu Qing laughed.

"Definitely. Even if you don't ask me to stay, I'll shamelessly stay and mooch meals from you," Ma Gu joked.

Wei Zi'an, watching from the side, looked on with envy.

If his family didn't live in the city, he would have liked to come over for meals more often.

However, after thinking about it, he realized that Ma Gu was now his master.

As a disciple, it is only natural for me to visit my master often, isn't it?

It would be perfectly normal for them to accidentally come over to Little Doctor Lu's place for a meal or something, right?

Unconsciously, Wei Zi'an felt pleased with his own cleverness.

Even Madam Wei almost considered it upon hearing this.

Unfortunately, she knew that once she returned to the manor, it wouldn't be so easy for her to get out again.

For a moment, the mood of the group became relaxed because of the meal, and they seemed to have forgotten about their upcoming trip to the County Town.

But what must be faced will eventually have to be faced.

After finishing the meal, there was a moment of silence before the Old Doctor finally spoke, "A Qing, go and get ready, we're about to set off."

"Yes, Master."

Lu Qing nodded and then went out to make preparations.

Because of the presence of people from the Heavenly Azure Sect, they naturally couldn't just swagger through the County Town this time.

The necessary disguise still needs to be done.

So Lu Qing went to the village and borrowed a set of clothes for Madam Wei and Wei Zi'an, and put them on.

Then they went to Grandpa Zhang's house next door and borrowed his gentle Big Ox and oxcart, loading some medicinal herbs onto them.

After everything was ready, Lu Qing, carrying War Blade and a covered bamboo basket, carried Xiao Yan onto the oxcart.

That's right, this time, he decided to bring Xiao Yan along too.

The trip to the County Town was fraught with danger, and neither he nor his master knew what might happen.

Xiao Li would go with them, leaving Xiao Yan alone in the village; he was worried about that.

The brother and sister had always depended on each other for survival.

Let's set off together this time.

In any case, he and his master would never allow anyone to harm Xiao Yan before they fell.

"Brother, where are we going?"

Xiao Yan sat on the oxcart, somewhat excited.

"We're going to the County Town. Haven't you always wanted to visit the city? This is the place for you."

"Go to the city? Great, great!"

Xiao Yan immediately became happy.

She had never been to the city before.

"Madam Wei, please take care of Xiao Yan along the way," Lu Qing said to Madam Wei was also sitting in the oxcart.

"I will!"

Madam Wei, now dressed as a village woman, held Xiao Yan tightly in her arms.

She hadn't expected that Lu Qing would bring Xiao Yan along as well.

But she sensed Lu Qing's determination and knew that persuasion would probably be useless.

She could only silently resolve in her heart that unless she died, she would never let Xiao Yan be harmed.

After everything was ready, the Old Doctor drove the oxcart ahead, gave a shout, and the wheels of the oxcart began to turn, slowly heading out of the village.

Lu Qing, Ma Gu, and Wei Zi'an walked alongside them.

The villagers were unaware of what Lu Qing and his group were about to do, let alone the identities of Madam Wei and her son.

They assumed that they had all gone to the city with the Old Doctor.

So when he saw Lu Qing and the others set off, he didn't have much of an emotion other than giving them a few words of advice.

Lu Qing is now very powerful, so they have nothing to worry about.

The oxcart arrived at the village entrance, Old Doctor stopped the cart.

Lu Qing stepped forward, took out three Red Rope from under the stone slab at the base of the Letter Tree, and tied them to the tree.

"Young Master Lu, what's going on?"

When Lu Qing returned, Madam Wei asked.

"This is the custom in our village for people leaving the village. Everyone who leaves the village has to tie Red Rope around their neck..."

Lu Qing gave a brief explanation.

However, those few simple words made Madam Wei's heart tremble suddenly.

He held Xiao Yan even tighter.

Ma Gu and Wei Zi'an, who were standing to the side, also became more determined.

He made a decision in his heart.

With a crack of the whip, the oxcart started moving again, slowly advancing forward.

As the oxcart passed through the woods, a flock of startled birds suddenly took flight.