He’s the future protagonist of the entire Cultivation Realm!

As for Jin’er, she’s special too. With the Divine Fire’s help, her future cultivation path will be smooth, and she’ll become the first disciple under Master to reach Core Formation.

Hiss... if Jin’er forms her core, Chen Ye feels like he can strut sideways across the whole Yan Kingdom.

"This... Qing Jun and the others, they’re stronger than True Inheritor Bai?"

Mao Qingzhu found it a bit hard to believe.

She could hardly even bring herself to compare those two girls, Qing Jun and Jin’er, with True Inheritor Bai.

Could it be that Brother Ye was just trying to comfort her on purpose?

Chen Ye saw the doubt in her heart and said softly:

"How would I ever lie to you? Besides, if Qing Jun weren’t a once-in-a-generation genius, would Senior Xu value her so highly? As for Jin’er, she even repelled the Venerable of Emotion Crossing Sect back then."

"You’re just so worried that you’re getting confused."

He chuckled, his fingers gently stroking her porcelain-smooth cheek.

"Once we’re done here and Qing Jun and the others come back loaded with spoils, just don’t get too scared, that’s all."

Hearing how certain Chen Ye sounded, Mao Qingzhu let out a long breath; her tense, delicate body relaxed, melting into Chen Ye’s arms. She felt that the days of rushing about and worrying had mostly melted away in this warm embrace.

But just as her mind relaxed—

She suddenly felt a large, burning hot hand, at some unknown point already sliding up along her slender waist. The heat of his palm came through the thin fabric, aggressive and domineering.

"Mmm..."

Mao Qingzhu’s body trembled; the color that had just returned to her pretty face flushed scarlet again, even burning all the way to the tips of her crystalline ears.

She instinctively pressed a hand against Chen Ye’s chest, her limpid eyes full of shyness:

"Brother Ye, you... look at the timing... Qing Jun is still in danger, and outside there’s that Demon Cultivator watching like a tiger..."

Chen Ye looked perfectly calm, the corner of his lips slightly hooked:

"Sister Qingzhu, that’s where you’re wrong. Just like I said earlier, I have confidence in Qing Jun and the others, and I have confidence in my arrangements."

"If I were burning with anxiety right now, unable to sit still, that would mean the situation was out of control. On the other hand... doesn’t my calm just prove I’m absolutely sure of the outcome?"

Mao Qingzhu stared at him, stunned, yet she frustratingly couldn’t find a reason to refute him.

"You... you always have so many twisted arguments. And besides... this is Listening Wind Waterside Pavilion, and it’s broad daylight..."

"Which is exactly why I put up a Restriction."

Chen Ye let out a low laugh, no longer giving her a chance to speak.

He scooped the beauty in his arms up in a princess carry and strode toward the Cloud Bed.

"Ah!"

Mao Qingzhu let out a soft cry, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her burning face into the hollow of his neck, not daring to look.

...

"Uuu, I’m so tired! Qing Jun wants to sleep!"

Deep within the Withered Stone Forest.

The little girl lay sprawled on the ground in a big "大" shape, tongue lolling out without any image to maintain at all, like an exhausted little puppy.

How she wished Master were right by her side.

Then Master could hug and kiss her and lift her high in the air, and even give her a nice massage.

"Master lied to me... he said we were just picking up leftovers, but this is clearly hard labor!"

Qing Jun rubbed her sore little arms and muttered,

"We’ve been digging for so long and only found two spots... where did all the other treasures go? Did everyone else take them already?"

"You should be satisfied."

Zhiwei sat off to the side, carefully sorting and categorizing their spoils.

She glanced at the piles of loot all over the ground and smiled faintly.

"Just this one haul alone is worth more than an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s lifetime of savings. If it were anyone else, even if they dug three feet into the ground without sleep or rest, they might never find this kind of opportunity. Besides... didn’t you just say you wanted to bring all these treasures back to support Master? What’s this, you’re already whining about being tired when we’ve only just gotten started?"

"No way!"

At the mention of "supporting Master," Qing Jun instantly sprang up from the ground like a chicken injected with stimulants.

She patted her chest firmly, eyes full of resolve:

"Qing Jun isn’t tired at all! Qing Jun is super strong! Master works so hard every day—he has to teach us cultivation, make money for us, and also... also deal with those annoying bad women!"

Just thinking of Master possibly being bullied by bad women outside made Qing Jun clench her tiny fists until they cracked audibly.

"Master must be really worried about us right now. Maybe he’s so anxious he can’t even eat! For Master’s sake, Qing Jun has to endure! Even if I have to turn this whole Withered Stone Forest upside down, I’m going to bring tons and tons of treasures back for Master!"

"Mm."

Zhiwei looked at her little junior sister, brimming with fighting spirit, and the smile in her eyes deepened.

"We can’t let Master down."

Beside them, Jin’er was quietly organizing those Storage Bags while holding the little white fox in her arms.

Hearing her senior sisters talk, she paused what she was doing and stared off in the direction outside the Withered Stone Forest, a bit lost in thought.

"Senior Sister..."

Jin’er’s voice was soft and sticky-sweet, carrying a hint of uncertain worry.

"This is the first time the three of us have left Master and gone so far away for an adventure..."

"What do you think Master is doing right now?"

"Will he be... a little lonely?"

Hearing this,

Zhiwei’s movements paused slightly.

Qing Jun also stopped swinging her fists, tilted her head and thought for a moment.

"He probably will..."

Zhiwei said softly, the image of that warm, jade-like figure surfacing in her mind.

On normal days, it was always lively around Master: there was Qing Jun’s noisiness, Jin’er’s well-behaved sweetness, and then...

Now all of them had left, leaving Master alone, solitary and lonely.

Just picturing that scene was enough to make one feel a bit sad.

"Master..."

Qing Jun sniffled, a bit upset,

"Master is definitely sitting alone in the courtyard right now, looking at the empty rooms, drinking tea all by himself, thinking about us... woo woo woo, I really want to go back and hug Master! Qing Jun wants to tell Master that Qing Jun will never leave Master for the rest of her life!"

At this very moment.

In the hearts of these three simple disciples, their lonely, desolate, and cold Master was quietly bearing the sorrow of parting and the pressure of the outside world all by himself.

They had no idea.

Inside the Listening Wind Waterside Pavilion at this time.

Their pitiful Master was currently holding their dignified and virtuous Aunt Mao, rolling about on the Cloud Bed, indulging to his heart’s content.

If they learned the truth...

Qing Jun would probably be so mad she’d smash every treasure in this pit.

"Achoo!"

"Achoo!"

Inside the Listening Wind Waterside Pavilion, Chen Ye, who was in high spirits, suddenly sneezed twice in a row.

"What’s wrong?"

The beauty’s sweat had dampened her fine hair; her eyes were hazy as she looked at him with concern,

"Are you feeling unwell... we can... we can continue next time."

"It’s nothing. Sister Qingzhu, we’ve barely started—how are you already at your limit?"

Chen Ye rubbed his nose and gave a meaningful smile,

"I’m guessing those three little girls are talking about me."

"Talking about you?"

Mao Qingzhu snorted lightly, her lotus-white arms tightening around his neck,

"More like cursing you for being heartless, throwing them into a place like that to suffer."

"Not so."

Chen Ye chuckled under his breath,

"They would never badmouth their Master behind his back; they only miss their Master... For all we know, they’re feeling sorry that I’m all alone."

"You... can you really live up to their worry?"

Mao Qingzhu bit down on her lip, still unwilling to give up on persuading Chen Ye.

Chen Ye spoke with perfect confidence:

"What do you mean by that, Sister Qingzhu? Chen just doesn’t want his disciples to feel heartache... Sister Qingzhu, you wouldn’t want Qing Jun’s beloved Master to be less than fully satisfied, would you? Come on, stand up."

"Mmm..."

...

"Alright, enough being so sentimental."

Zhiwei went and hugged each of her two junior sisters in turn.

Ever since Qing Jun started sniffing and missing Master, it seemed to set off a chain reaction, making Jin’er rub her eyes too, her rims reddening.

And she herself had inexplicably begun to feel sad as well.

Only, right now was not the time to be missing Master.

"Since we miss Master, we have to work even harder."

"As long as we return laden with gains and safe and sound, that will be the greatest comfort to Master."

"Besides..."

Zhiwei’s gaze fell toward the entrance of the Withered Stone Forest, her eyes narrowing slightly,

"It seems some people don’t want us to have it so easy."

"Get ready."

"Next... we’ve got proper business to take care of."

Qing Jun and Jin’er, hearing this, immediately pulled their emotions back in.

"Proper business?" Qing Jun clenched her fists viciously. "You mean a fight? I smell it too... that disgusting stench is getting closer and closer! This guy must have been tailing us for a while now—looks like he wants to pick up our leftovers!"

"Mm."

Zhiwei rested her hand on the Gourd Sword; the long hair behind her fluttered without wind as she let out a cold smile,

"Since someone’s come calling, we’ll just... give him a proper welcome."