All the Senior Sisters Are in Seclusion
"But this girl's a bit too impulsive—barging into some stranger's cave mansion like it's nothing. That's no good. I've got to teach her a lesson, or her recklessness will land her in real trouble someday!"
Qin Changqing lurked in the shadows, pinpointed the formation's weak spot, and shattered it with a single strike.
The cave mansion's original owner couldn't have been too powerful; the formation they'd left behind wasn't all that sophisticated. And since Qin Changqing was breaking it from the inside, it was far easier than assaulting it from without.
As the formation vanished to reveal the entrance, Qin Mengxue's face lit up with joy. She rushed right in and soon spotted the items Qin Changqing had planted.
"Whoa, so many spirit talismans and elixirs... and even a top-grade magic tool! Totally worth the trip!"
Qin Mengxue excitedly scooped up the treasures.
Bzzz... bzzz...
Suddenly, the cave mansion trembled violently.
Qin Mengxue jumped in fright, glancing around wildly but seeing no one.
"Oh no, the cave's collapsing!"
She summoned her magic tool to flee, but a thunderous roar echoed from the entrance. The mountainside caved in, sealing it shut.
The entire mountain shook fiercely now, rocks plummeting everywhere. It looked like the whole cave mansion would be buried any second.
Qin Mengxue's face drained of color. With her current strength, there was no way she could blast through the entrance and escape in time.
"I'm done for!"
Regret flooded her. "This must be some trap the original owner set for intruders."
Suddenly, a figure appeared at her side, clamping down on her shoulder with an iron grip. "Let's go!"
A blaze of white light enveloped them both, and they vanished.
The world around Qin Mengxue sharpened from blur to clarity. She realized she'd escaped the cave and now stood on a vast plain.
Spotting the black-robed figure standing calmly to her left, she exclaimed in delight, "Senior, you saved me!"
This mysterious black-robed man had appeared several times before when she was in danger—immensely powerful, vanishing as swiftly as he came.
Once again, he'd pulled her from the jaws of death. Qin Mengxue brimmed with gratitude.
Qin Changqing grunted in acknowledgment, his tone grave. "Having opportunities is a blessing, but your recklessness will be your undoing. If I hadn't been nearby, you'd be finished."
A chill of aftershock ran through Qin Mengxue. She bowed her head in shame. "I wasn't thinking, Senior. Thank you for the trouble."
Qin Changqing waved it off. "It's a trifle. Remember this: the cultivation world is fraught with peril. Think three times before acting—don't turn fortune into fatal doom!"
Qin Mengxue nodded vigorously. "I'll keep it in mind!"
Satisfied she'd learned her lesson, Qin Changqing inclined his head. "This place is safe. I have matters to attend to—farewell."
With a flash of white light, he was gone.
"I have to cultivate harder. I can't keep making Senior worry about me. He won't always be watching... I need to be more cautious from now on!"
Qin Mengxue steeled her resolve, oriented herself, and soared off on her magic tool.
After aiding a few more children, Qin Changqing finally returned to Qingyun Mansion.
He shed the black robe with a long exhale.
He'd done what he could. Over these days, he'd forged bonds with many children. A few of the diligent, insightful ones had even taken him as their master, and he'd handed out plenty of treasures he'd gotten from the various immortal beauties.
Of course, he wouldn't spoil them rotten—that would only ruin them. They needed to taste hardship to grow. Trials were essential.
Qin Changqing only intervened at critical moments, helping them through crises while imparting lessons on survival. That way, they wouldn't stray from the path.
"Qihong's a tricky one..."
Qin Changqing frowned, thinking of the boy he'd just seen—Qin Qihong.
The kid had secret ties to demonic path cultivators. The contact was minimal for now, but it was still a hidden danger.
He was torn. He couldn't just confront the boy outright, so he'd have to watch from the shadows and steer him straight.
——
Taiqing Sect, Hall of Transmitting the Dao.
This was where preaching elders gave public lectures. Attendant elders and stewards came regularly to teach disciples and answer cultivation queries.
"Come to think of it, we haven't seen Eldest Senior Sister in ages!"
The disciples murmured among themselves.
"Yeah, it's been forever. I swung by her cave mansion a few days ago—empty."
"What'd you want with her?"
"Master just gave me a nice magic tool. Thought Senior Sister could use it, so I wanted to give it to her..."
The questioned disciple flushed.
Eldest Senior Sister was a renowned beauty of the sect—gorgeous and kind-hearted. Countless disciples pined for her.
"It's not just her. Second Senior Sister, Third Senior Sister—haven't seen them in ages either."
"Those two new little junior sisters with killer talent—remember them? They're MIA too."
"Weird, right? Not just them—some senior aunts, grandaunts, even great-grandaunts haven't shown up. They used to come here regularly to preach and lecture..."
"I asked Master. He said they're all in seclusion."
"Seclusion? All at once? Come on."
The disciples buzzed with speculation, sensing something off.
"Sigh, without Eldest Senior Sister around, I can't even focus on cultivating..."
A white-robed disciple moped.
"I confessed to Little Junior Sister the day she joined, and not only no reply, but now she's in seclusion? She's only at third layer Qi Refining—does she even need to seclude?"
The green-robed disciple beside him looked equally glum.
"Obvious, isn't it? She wasn't into you!" someone jeered.
"No way—I just didn't show enough sincerity!" The green-robed disciple was resolute. "I'll camp outside her cave when I get back. She won't come out? I won't leave. Sincerity melts stone—I'll win her over!"
These sighing disciples had no idea that the senior sisters and junior sisters they mooned over were currently lounging in some man's mansion, bellies swollen, sharing a leisurely pregnancy with the same fellow.
If they knew, they'd probably cough up three liters of blood in rage.
Suddenly, a middle-aged man landed outside the hall on a magic tool, leading in a six- or seven-year-old child. Heads turned their way.
"That junior looks unfamiliar."
"Oh, I know him. Uncle-Master Zhou's new disciple—Huang something. Top-grade spirit root."
"My martial uncle took three new ones too—all top-grade spirit roots. One Qin, one Lin, and another... Huang!"
"New recruits... Hey, notice anything? No Ascension Assembly lately—why so many talented new juniors?"
"Beats me. Sect doesn't just recruit through assemblies—who cares?"
"True... The preaching elder's here—quiet down!"