I Won't Tell Master

"Qingyi, time for your medicine."

"Master, I can do it myself."

"Look at you now, how can you drink it yourself? Open your mouth."

"Thank you, Master."

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

Although Jiang Qingyi had won first place in the New Blood Martial Competition, she was not lightly injured.

If not for the critical moment at the end when Jiang Qingyi comprehended the "Nine Leaves Sword" move from the Grass Character Sword Art, she might have lost her life.

"You, you must never overexert yourself 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.

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

"This is the spirit stones you earned by winning first place in the New Blood Martial Competition, including the ones I bet on and won, as well as the Dragon Spring Sword Sect's reward. It's all in there."

"Master, I don't need this. You should keep it," Jiang Qingyi returned the storage bag to Xiao Mo.

"Why wouldn't you need it?" Xiao Mo said with a smile. "In the future, you'll need to establish your Foundation, and after that, there's the Cave Mansion Realm, the Dragon Gate Realm, and so on. You'll need spirit stones for all of them."

"But Master needs them too."

"Me?" Xiao Mo reached out and gently patted Jiang Qingyi's head. "My realm has probably reached its limit."

"How is that possible? Master, you're only twenty years old! You still have plenty of time. I've heard many elders say that you are the youngest Nascent Soul Realm cultivator to date. You'll at least be able to attain the Immortal Realm in the future," Jiang Qingyi said excitedly.

Xiao Mo merely smiled and didn't reply.

In fact, Xiao Mo knew his own capabilities.

If he hadn't used the Heaven Continuation Art to help Jiang Qingyi reshape her spiritual roots and clear her meridians before.

Then Xiao Mo believed that his body, bolstered by his sword bone, could have at least attained the Immortal Realm.

But a year had passed. Although Xiao Mo's sword bone was fine, his foundation was damaged.

And he didn't have many years left to live.

Xiao Mo: "I told you to keep it, so keep it. If I need it, I'll ask you for it."

"Alright. Then this disciple will help Master keep a close eye on your little wallet. If Master ever needs anything, you must ask this disciple. Everything this disciple has is Master's."

"Okay."

Xiao Mo smiled.

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

Because Jiang Qingyi was missing a sword bone, Xiao Mo had forcibly constructed a false bone for her.

This bone was formed from Xiao Mo's spiritual power, so it required his constant maintenance.

Once Jiang Qingyi reached the Golden Core Realm, that false bone would be consolidated.

Another half a year passed.

Jiang Qingyi had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, peak completion, and could now attempt to establish her Foundation.

Xiao Mo personally guarded her during her breakthrough.

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

In an instant, thunder rumbled across the sky, and bolts of lightning struck down towards Jiang Qingyi.

An ordinary person undergoing the Foundation Establishment tribulation would only face three bolts of lightning.

But Jiang Qingyi faced a full nine bolts.

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

After entering the Foundation Establishment Realm, 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 in fifty years.

However, Xiao Mo also had to use the Heaven Continuation Art on Jiang Qingyi more frequently.

If this continued, Xiao Mo felt his remaining lifespan might be only forty years.

One day, the Dragon Spring Sword Sect assigned Jiang Qingyi a mission.

Disciples of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect in the Foundation Establishment Realm were required to undertake missions outside the sect.

Jiang Qingyi was no exception.

Xiao Mo secretly followed Jiang Qingyi as her protector.

However, Xiao Mo would not intervene unless it was a life-or-death situation. This was not only a rule of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, but also because a cultivator could only progress faster by experiencing life and death.

Jiang Qingyi didn't give Xiao Mo a chance to make a move.

Every mission Jiang Qingyi undertook was completed exceptionally well.

Her strength was considerable, even displaying a certain leadership talent.

Unknowingly, Jiang Qingyi had become the representative of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect's new generation of disciples.

Jiang Qingyi's reputation even began to spread throughout the land.

At the age of seventeen, Jiang Qingyi broke through to the Cave Mansion Realm.

Jiang Qingyi progressed at a rate of one realm every year and a half, leaving cultivators of the same period far behind.

On the day the young girl turned eighteen, Xiao Mo found an excuse to send Jiang Qingyi to Dragon Spring Town to buy wine.

While Jiang Qingyi was away, Xiao Mo quickly began setting things up in the courtyard.

Once finished, Xiao Mo waited on the path leading up the mountain for Qingyi's return.

A little over half an hour later, Jiang Qingyi ascended the mountain carrying the wine her Master had requested. She saw her Master standing beneath the moonlight, smiling in her direction.

A flicker of joy flashed in Jiang Qingyi's eyes as she happily ran over, holding up the wine jar. "Master, here's the wine you wanted. It's Aunt Wang's twenty-year Osmanthus Wine, and there was just one jar left."

"Mm, thank you," Xiao Mo said, taking the wine jar and handing Jiang Qingyi a black cloth with his other hand.

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

"Cover your eyes."

Jiang Qingyi blinked, then took the black cloth and covered her eyes.

Even though she didn't know what Master was planning, she trusted whatever he said.

"No peeking."

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

"Okay, you can take the black cloth off now."

After walking into the courtyard, Xiao Mo spoke.

The young girl removed the black cloth from her eyes.

What greeted her eyes was a very, very large Osmanthus cake.

A thin candle was stuck into the Osmanthus cake, with "Happy Birthday Qingyi" written on it.

"Master. This is..." Jiang Qingyi's eyes welled up.

"This is a custom from my hometown. We eat cake on birthdays. In previous years, either I was on a mission or you were on a mission during your birthday.

This year, we're both here, and it's your eighteenth birthday.

I originally wanted to use a cake, but the cooks in Dragon Spring Town don't know how to make them, so Master used Osmanthus cake as a substitute."

Xiao Mo explained to Jiang Qingyi.

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

"Mhm."

Jiang Qingyi closed her eyes, her hands clasped together as she made a wish.

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

"Does Master want to know what Qingyi's wish is?" Jiang Qingyi turned around, her eyes curved into crescents.

"Let me guess, you wish to reach the Golden Core Realm as soon as possible?"

"No."

"You want to eat grilled fish from the Drunken Immortal Tower every day?"

"Not that either."

"Then what is it?"

"It's..." As Jiang Qingyi was about to say it, she playfully turned around. "I'm not telling Master~"

Xiao Mo: "..."

Beneath the moonlight, Jiang Qingyi looked at her birthday cake, her eyes filled with tenderness. "Master."

"Mm?"

"Thank you."

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

"Who told me to be your Master."