"Brother Lu Qing, you’re back?"
When Lu Qing returned to the Grand Bazaar, Mago greeted him with a face full of joy, finally able to relax his previously tense heart.
Lu Qing had been gone for more than half an hour, and it would be a lie to say Mago wasn’t worried. Now, seeing him return safely, he felt relieved.
"Yes," Lu Qing nodded. "How are Mrs. Wei and the others?"
"They’re fine, just a bit frightened. Brother Lu Qing, that young man in white..." Mago asked.
"Already dealt with," Lu Qing said flatly.
Mago was shocked. Although he had anticipated this, hearing it confirmed by Lu Qing was still astonishing. That young man in white was of the Internal Organs Realm. Including him, two Internal Organs Realm experts had already fallen to Lu Qing.
Though it was partly due to that mysterious creature’s help, the creature was clearly under Lu Qing's command, so his strength should not be underestimated.
"By the way, Master Ma, it’s not safe here anymore. We need to relocate Mrs. Wei and the others," Lu Qing said.
The Black Wolf Gang had not hidden their tracks. Once the county town discovered their disappearance, they would send someone to investigate, which would lead them to the Grand Bazaar."But where can we move them?" Mago asked in distress. He knew keeping Mrs. Wei hidden in the house was no longer safe but didn't know where else to take them.
Lu Qing also felt troubled. Mrs. Wei and her son were like hot potatoes. No matter where they were hidden, it could bring disaster to those who sheltered them unless the people were not afraid of experts like Wang Cangyi of the Precelestial Realm.
After thinking, Lu Qing said, "It seems we have to hide them in the mountains."
The vast mountains made it easy to hide. Mrs. Wei had recovered from her injuries, and as long as they were well-prepared, they could hide in the mountains for a while.
"That’s the only way," Mago nodded. "Let’s go in and ask for Mrs. Wei’s opinion."
They went to the secret chamber.
"Young Master Lu!"
Mrs. Wei and her son were delighted to see Lu Qing. They had been worried when Mago said Lu Qing had gone after the enemy. Seeing him return safely, they were overjoyed.
"Madam, Young Master," Lu Qing nodded. "The villains have been dealt with for now, but it’s no longer safe for you to stay here..."
Lu Qing explained his plan to relocate them. Mrs. Wei thought for a moment and didn’t object. Since their whereabouts might be exposed, staying would be unsafe and could bring disaster to the nearby people. Moving was the best option.
With Mrs. Wei’s consent, the rest was easy. They packed essential supplies, with Lu Qing and Mago carrying them, and left through the secret passage with Mrs. Wei and her son.
Before leaving, Mago ordered Xiao Tian and the others to close the Grand Bazaar and find places to hide.
Exiting the passage, Lu Qing and the others were already in the mountains behind the Grand Bazaar. Lu Qing gave the pack to the young master and carried Mrs. Wei as they headed deeper into the mountains.
After some searching, Lu Qing found a hidden cave on a cliff more than ten meters high. After cleaning it, it served as a temporary shelter.
After everything was set, Lu Qing scattered a packet of medicinal powder at the cave entrance.
"Madam, you’ll have to bear with this for now. This powder repels insects and beasts, so with it here, ordinary wild animals and poisonous insects won’t dare to enter."
Having arranged everything, Lu Qing said, "No need to be polite," Mrs. Wei said quickly. "Given the situation, having a place to stay is already a great relief."
"I’ll bring supplies periodically. If you need anything, just let me know."
After settling Mrs. Wei and her son, Lu Qing prepared to leave. He wouldn’t stay in the valley, but Mago would remain with Mrs. Wei to assist them, as they had no experience surviving in the wilderness.
"Brother Lu Qing, let me see you off," Mago suddenly said.
"Alright," Lu Qing didn’t refuse.
They came to the cave entrance and leaped down to the valley floor. The entrance had a soft ladder made of old vines, but it was unnecessary for their skills.
"Master Ma, I see your movements are powerful and agile. You must be close to breaking through to the Tendons and Bones Realm," Lu Qing said, observing Mago.
"Indeed, after fighting that leather-armored youth, I felt I comprehended something about the Tendons and Bones Realm," Mago smiled, feeling fortunate.
He had been pursued by the leather-armored youth, using all his strength to escape. After surviving, his potential was unlocked, touching the Tendons and Bones Realm.
However, due to his shoulder injury, he hadn’t fully entered that realm yet.
"This is good news. I don’t have much to give you, but take this pill as a congratulatory gift," Lu Qing took out a white porcelain bottle and tossed it to Mago.
Mago caught it awkwardly and asked, "Brother Lu Qing, what is this?"
"These are Tendon Strengthening Pills given to me by Chief Wei, beneficial for those in the Tendons and Bones Realm," Lu Qing said.
"Tendon Strengthening Pills?" Mago was shocked. He had heard of these precious pills.
"Brother Lu Qing, this is too valuable," Mago said hastily.
"No worries, it’s useless to me now. Keeping it would be a waste, so you should have it."
The main effect of Tendon Strengthening Pills is to assist Tendons and Bones Realm cultivators, enhancing their potential. But after using the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid and absorbing the Elemental Mist from his master’s breakthrough, Lu Qing’s potential had reached its limit.
The Tendon Strengthening Pill, though good, could no longer improve his potential. For him, it was better to give it to Mago.
Lu Qing appreciated Mago as a friend who could aid him in his cultivation journey.
"Brother Lu Qing, then... I will shamelessly accept it."
Holding the bottle, Mago felt moved. Such precious pills were rare even in his family. Usually, only large clans and sects could make them. Small forces could only buy them at a high price.
Though Mago held a good position in his family, he wasn’t from the main line and couldn’t make the family spend a lot for him. Lu Qing giving him such precious pills so easily made Mago deeply touched.
"Alright, as friends, no need for thanks. And Master Ma, remember, you must wait until you’ve stabilized your foundation in the Tendons and Bones Realm before refining this pill. Otherwise, the strong medicinal power could harm your body," Lu Qing advised.
"I understand."
Mago was startled; he hadn’t known about this.
"I’ll leave now. I’ll come back in a few days. You stay here and rest."
With that, Lu Qing left, quickly disappearing into the mountains.
Watching him go, Mago was dazed for a while before climbing the vine ladder back to the cave.
"Mago, did Young Master Lu leave?" Wei Zian asked.
"Yes, he said he’d visit in a few days."
"What’s in your hand?"
Wei Zian noticed the bottle in Mago's hand.
"This is a Tendon Strengthening Pill given by Brother Lu Qing. Your family once gave it to him," Mago explained.
"Tendon Strengthening Pill? Young Master Lu didn’t use them?" Mrs. Wei was surprised.
She had personally picked those pills from the family pharmacy. She didn’t expect Lu Qing not to use them.
"Brother Lu Qing said they were no longer useful to him, so he gave them to me," Mago explained.
Mrs. Wei was silent for a while. She remembered hearing from Mago that Lu Qing’s martial skills might have reached the Tendons and Bones Realm. If so, those pills must have been very helpful to him. She didn’t expect he hadn’t used them, increasing their family’s debt to him.
Wei Zian was also conflicted. Finally, he said, "Mago, can you teach me martial arts?"
"What?" Mago thought he misheard.
"I asked if you could teach me martial arts."
Seeing Mago’s confusion, Wei Zian repeated, "I know the guards at home are better, but they aren’t here. I don’t know if we’ll ever return to the Wei family. If enemies come for us, I don’t want to just watch helplessly. I want the strength to protect my mother."
Mago was surprised by Wei Zian’s seriousness. Mrs. Wei was equally astonished, not expecting her son to say such things.
In the past, Wei Zian despised training. He would complain about the slightest hardship and often skipped training, leaving the martial artists at home helpless. Despite the family's resources, he barely reached the Qi and Blood Realm with only superficial skills.
Now, seeing her son ask to learn martial arts, Mrs. Wei was both shocked and relieved. She realized her son's face had become much more resolute.
Feeling gratified, Mrs. Wei stood up and bowed to Mago, "Master Ma, since Zian has this heart, as his mother, I shamelessly request you to accept him as your disciple."
"Madam, I can’t accept this!" Mago was shocked, quickly refusing.
A true master-disciple ceremony was not taken lightly
. Mrs. Wei wanted Wei Zian to officially become Mago’s disciple, but Mago didn’t dare to accept.
"It’s not too much. You’ve risked your life for us many times. Zian becoming your disciple is a blessing," Mrs. Wei pleaded.
"Madam, don’t praise me too much. I know my limits," Mago smiled wryly.
"But if Young Master sincerely wants to learn, I can teach him, as long as you don’t mind my crude skills."
"Zian, thank Master Ma."
"Thank you, Master!"
Wei Zian knelt and kowtowed to Mago, calling him Master.
"This..."
Mago was flustered. By the time he wanted to stop Wei Zian, it was too late.
Suddenly, Mago found himself as Wei Zian’s master, feeling bewildered.
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