Chapter 037: Supplying Books and Teaching

For the past three centuries, Qin Xuanxi had never given up her search for the whereabouts of the Flute Immortal, Zhong Lei. She had tried every possible means to uncover the truth behind the Wine Immortal’s death, but all her efforts had ended in vain. Thus, Zhong Lei became her last remaining lead in solving the mystery. Now, word had come from one of her disciples that traces of Zhong Lei had been found in the Netherworld Domain. Naturally, she had to go there herself.

As for the matter of settling little Su Yan, she no longer had the time to arrange a better place for the girl. For now, it would be best to let her stay with Song Ye. Besides, Su Yan was clearly fond of Song Ye, so in a way, this was her own choice.

Yet Qin Xuanxi had once promised Su Yan’s mother she would take her as a disciple and devote thirty years to guiding her. Although Su Yan, possessing the Celestial Radiance Physique, could never become a disciple of the Demonic Sect, Qin Xuanxi had to ensure her safety throughout those thirty years. So, she secretly placed a “Profound Realm Mark” within Su Yan’s body. With this mark, if Su Yan ever faced mortal danger, it would trigger automatically, transporting her into Qin Xuanxi’s Profound Realm, where her life would be spared.

In this way, even if Su Yan lived with the powerless mortal Song Ye, her life was still protected. However, the thought arose—should she also bestow a Profound Realm Mark upon Song Ye to protect his life as well?

The Profound Realm Mark could exist on three people at once. Qin Xuanxi had already used two; in theory, she could use the last on Song Ye. Then, if her nominal “little husband” ever faced life-threatening peril, he too would be transported into her Profound Realm and be safe for a time.

But in the end, she decided against it. She told herself that she ought not to concern herself with the safety of a mortal like Song Ye. After all, mortals lived no more than a hundred years; whether he died sooner or later, the difference was but a few decades. The very fact that she hesitated for several seconds over Song Ye’s safety was itself out of character.

She suspected Song Ye’s existence might well become a tribulation on her path of cultivation. Protecting him would do her no good. In the end, she placed the Profound Realm Mark only on Su Yan. As for Song Ye’s fate, Qin Xuanxi could not care less. He never listened to her, always calling her “little lady”—he deserved to die a thousand times for that alone.

She had to hurry to the Netherworld Domain and had no more time for such concerns. If she delayed, Zhong Lei might slip away again.

With that, Qin Xuanxi turned into the backyard, melted into a shadow, and vanished.

Song Ye soon discovered that Qin Xuanxi was gone. The small tea stall and the backyard could be seen at a glance; there was simply nowhere to hide. She could not possibly be playing hide-and-seek—she must have left.

A woman of her cultivation, at the very pinnacle of demonic power, could come and go as she pleased. Song Ye could do nothing to stop her. The problem was, this time she didn’t just leave on her own; she had left him with a burden—an almost three-year-old mute girl.

Song Ye was certain the mute girl must be connected to Qin Xuanxi—at the very least, she had brought her here. But what exactly was their relationship?

First, it could not be mother and daughter. The woman in the family portrait with the little girl, though beautiful, was not Qin Xuanxi. Besides, if the girl truly were her daughter, would Qin Xuanxi really leave her in Song Ye’s care?

Song Ye had also asked Duan Ling for some basic information about Qin Xuanxi. In Duan Ling’s eyes, the Demon Lord of Xuan Yuan, Qin Xuanxi, had been a murderous demoness for three hundred years, never once rumored to have had relations with any man. She could hardly have produced a daughter out of nowhere.

Indeed, in these three centuries, the deepest contact Qin Xuanxi had ever had with a man was probably this entanglement with Song Ye—though, for now, no one else knew about that.

Therefore, Song Ye concluded that Qin Xuanxi and the little girl had some connection, but not a deep one. Otherwise, she would not have left her here with not a word of explanation, simply vanishing on her own.

She had left swiftly and cleanly, but now Song Ye was left with a headache. Was he really expected to raise a mute girl, to be both her father and mother?

He had always lived alone, running beginner’s village errands, baking sesame cakes to have with tea—life had been simple, if plain. Now, with a girl in his care, he had a new responsibility, and his life would have to change. For now, as long as he could keep her fed and clothed, it was not so bad. But in a few years, she would need schooling and teaching—then things would become complicated.

Suddenly, Song Ye remembered the “Xuanqing Palace Invitation” he’d received from Immortal Su a year ago. He had never been able to use it, being unable to leave Qiu Yu Village. But perhaps the invitation could be used for the little girl—when she was older, he could send her straight to Xuanqing Palace to be trained. That would make things much easier for him. If she could become a disciple there, especially under Immortal Su, that would be the best possible future for her.

However, Xuanqing Palace was notoriously strict in recruiting disciples. Even with the invitation, it would depend on her aptitude for cultivation and whether she could win Immortal Su’s favor. Suddenly, Song Ye realized another thorny issue—the girl was mute. Xuanqing Palace only took one disciple in ten thousand. This year, in the entire Cheng County, they had only accepted Zhang Zixuan. Would they really accept a mute child?

As for Immortal Su Xiqiu, she was known for cherishing her reputation and would be unlikely to take a disciple born with such a flaw. But then, perhaps it was too early to be worrying about the girl’s future education.

...

By dusk, Duan Ling and the others’ master finally awoke, all thanks to the Sobriety Pill left by Gu Yiqing. Otherwise, their master would not have woken until the next morning.

“Have we reached Xuanqing Palace?” was the first thing Gu Xi mumbled upon waking, still in a daze.

“Master, not yet, but we’re close. If we set out now, we’ll surely arrive before dark!” said Zhou Nongshan.

Chen Huaiyin pouted. “If you hadn’t drunk so much and fallen off the crane, we’d probably be finishing supper at Xuanqing Palace by now!”

Gu Xi laughed heartily. “No wonder my head aches so much—I must have drunk too much!”