On a winding mountain path, a slightly baby-faced young girl hurried along with a small bamboo basket on her back.
There were quite a few things in her basket, but she had been strong since childhood and did not find it heavy.
Who else could she be but Ji Li?
Her eyes had been swollen from crying for the past few days, and only today had the swelling finally gone down completely.
After learning that Lu Xun had not died, she had volunteered to take on the responsibility of caring for him.
Ji Li had now changed into the robes of a Demon Sect Outer Sect Disciple, which counted as a uniform.
If this were Earth, it could affectionately be called a school uniform.
The robes of a Demon Sect Outer Sect Disciple were simple: black garments with no patterns at the cuffs and no other colors anywhere on them.
Even the belt was black, outlining Ji Li's slender waist.
At the same time, the slimmer her waist was, the more it accentuated the magnificent grandeur of a certain place.
She was currently making her way to the Back Mountain Study.
A very inconspicuous piece of jade hung from Ji Li's waist. This jade served as a pass, allowing her to come and go freely.
Ordinarily, an Outer Sect Disciple like her was not qualified to enter the Small Study. But Lu Xun currently needed someone to care for him. When she volunteered, Mao Nanbei personally selected her.
Otherwise, was I supposed to have Second Senior Sister and me take care of him?
I'm only good at cutting off heads with one stroke. I really don't know how to take care of people.
Compared to the Demon Sect's outer peaks and the various Main Peaks, the mysterious Back Mountain seemed rather delicate.
Though this mountain was extremely tall—taller than any Main Peak—it somehow gave people a delicate impression.
The feeling was subtle. It was like seeing a woman over two meters tall; it would be difficult to describe her as delicate.
Yet after climbing the mountain, Ji Li's feeling only grew stronger.
The mountain was like a giant potted plant, as though every inch of it had been meticulously trimmed.
Whether it was the rocks along the mountain paths or the surrounding flowers, grass, and trees, everything possessed a beautiful elegance.
Ji Li muttered, "I must be overthinking it. Maybe this mountain simply grew this way. How much time would it take to meticulously tend an entire mountain peak? Who in the world would waste time like that?"
She continued along the narrow path for a while before spotting a small stream.
Tiny fish and shrimp swam in the stream. They were all the most ordinary kind, yet they seemed full of life.
Several large stones lay in the stream, allowing people to step across it.
With a light leap, she crossed the stream, bouncing along with the bamboo basket on her back.
After crossing the stream, she still had to pass through a sea of bamboo.
Though her Qi Devouring Art had only just reached the beginner stage, she already knew some lightness skill. If this were not the legendary Back Mountain, which filled her with reverence, she might have used her lightness skill to leap between the bamboo stalks.
"This whole bamboo forest is really beautiful!"
Though it was not her first time seeing it, she could not help praising it in her heart once more.
Even just the rustling of bamboo leaves in the breeze was a sound she could never tire of hearing. She felt she could sit quietly atop a large stone in the Bamboo Forest for an entire day.
As she passed through the Bamboo Forest, just as on every previous occasion, she saw a woman meditating among the bamboo.
The woman sat cross-legged atop a stone with her back to Ji Li.
She wore black as well, but for some reason, it looked like a black Daoist Robe.
Her hair was black too, yet it was tied in a Daoist bun. After coiling up her hair, she had inserted a simple Wooden Hairpin into it.
How should she put it? She really gave off the impression of a Daoist nun.
Whenever Ji Li came here, the woman would be meditating in the Bamboo Forest.
When Ji Li left, she would still be meditating.
Ji Li could only ever see her from afar, only her back, and had no idea what she looked like.
With the bamboo basket on her back, Ji Li bent at the waist in salute. As she did, the things in her basket nearly fell out, and she quickly hitched it up.
"Greetings, Martial Grand-Aunt."
After paying her respects, she continued onward.
The first time Ji Li had come to the Back Mountain, Mao Nanbei had led the way.
When she encountered the Daoist nun-like woman and learned that she was Mao Nanbei's Second Senior Sister, Ji Li hurriedly saluted her, but the woman gave no response.
The little girl later told her, "Second Senior Sister doesn't like talking, and she likes peace and quiet. Leave as soon as you finish paying your respects. Don't disturb her."
After passing through the sea of bamboo, she saw the legendary Small Study.
The Small Study truly was not large. It did not feel like an immortal residence at all; instead, it resembled the little home of a hermit in the mountains.
Mao Nanbei was currently sitting in a wicker chair outside the cottage, basking in the sun.
After all, she was a cat. Cats did enjoy sunbathing.
Her eyes were slightly narrowed, and she really did look like a contented little kitten.
Ji Li saluted her. "Greetings, Little Martial... ah, greetings, Martial Grand-Aunt."
Mao Nanbei nodded in satisfaction.
Compared to Little Martial Grand-Aunt, she preferred being called Martial Grand-Aunt.
What about me is little?
Go on, tell me what about me is little?
Demons who had just taken human form more or less retained a child's innocence. Children always wanted themselves to be a little older.
Although I lost a beautiful mount and somehow gained a Little Martial Brother, this feels pretty good. That was Mao Nanbei's inner thought.
Her Little Martial Brother was handsome, so bringing him out gave her some face too.
"Martial Grand-Aunt, shall I go in?" Ji Li asked Mao Nanbei.
The little girl nodded. Her cat ears twitched in the breeze as she continued basking in the sun, looking lazy and relaxed.
After entering the Small Study, Ji Li did not dare wander around. Instead, she went straight into the room where Lu Xun lay.
Lu Xun was still unconscious, but his body was no longer such a mangled mess.
After Sect Master Shen Yan learned that Mister had accepted this disciple, he reluctantly fed his newly appointed Little Martial Uncle a rare spirit pill.
People often used the six words "revive the dead, regrow white bones" to describe miraculous pills and medicines. This spirit pill was not capable of the first three words, but it could accomplish the latter three.
When Shen Yan took it out, the surrounding Peak Lords were all startled.
He was bald to begin with, without even eyebrows or eyelashes. Coupled with his pained expression, he looked exactly like a sorrowful braised egg.
But thanks to that pill, Lu Xun's body's surface had at least recovered. His internal injuries had not yet fully healed, but they would soon.
Ji Li's bamboo basket contained a pile of daily necessities, such as fresh clothes for changing.
The Demon Sect provided its disciples with quotas. Lu Xun now held an exalted status, and his daily necessities were far better than Ji Li's by who knew how much.
But once Ji Li's cultivation grew deeper and she successfully became an Inner Sect Disciple, things would improve greatly for her too.
She took out the things from the bamboo basket, hung up Lu Xun's clothes, and neatly arranged some daily necessities.
Before her family had been exterminated, she too had been the young mistress of her household, the kind with servants to wait on her.
She had never served anyone else in her life, yet now she did so willingly.
She was actually quite unaccustomed to these tasks, but the moment she saw Lu Xun's face, she was immediately filled with energy again.
She took a small porcelain bottle from her robes, poured out a pill, and fed it to Lu Xun.
This had also been given by the Sect Master.
Lu Xun needed to take one every three hours to help his injuries recover.
When her small, soft hand touched Lu Xun's lips, her face could not help flushing slightly.
These pills dissolved as soon as they entered the mouth. Otherwise, Ji Li would have needed to think of some special way to make the unconscious Lu Xun swallow them.
Still, why did she feel a little disappointed about that?
"What should I do next?" she thought as she looked at Lu Xun.
Have you all watched the military parade, gentlemen!
Still asking for recommendation votes and tips—charge for the signed-contract rankings!
Before you continue