Chapter 93: I Will Definitely Protect You

Chapter 93: Chapter 93: I Will Definitely Protect You

Two hours passed quickly. After waking up, Liu Chen immediately began cultivating the Resting Technique.

After an hour, Liu Chen had gained four hundred Proficiency points. With another hour and a half of cultivation, his Resting Technique would advance to the Unique level.

Breakfast was uneventful. After eating, just as Liu Chen was about to start cultivating, his master and his master’s wife arrived in the bamboo grove.

"Go get ready. We leave in one incense stick’s time."

Mo Xuan’s tone was nonchalant. Liu Chen nodded and left at once; this time, he would have to change into his Inner Sect Disciple robes.

Although Liu Chen disliked it, the robes were a symbol of his status for the trial and would offer a degree of safety.

"You two go and get ready. Stay by my side."

Bai Qiulan looked toward Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong. The reason she had taken them in wasn’t just because of some small assistance they’d offered during her past travels in the mortal world. That was merely a pretext; the most crucial factor was that both she and Mo Xuan had wanted to raise daughters.

As their Cultivation grew, the chance of conceiving their own children diminished. Through a series of coincidences, Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong became their disciples. At first, they had only intended to train them as apprentices, but ever since Bai Qiulan saw a shadow of her former self in Ye Linglong, she had truly started to think of her as a daughter.

Although Mo Xuan never said anything outright, Bai Qiulan knew very well that Ji Suyao, who came from the Great Xia Royal Family but never quite fit in with the other heirs, was quite similar to Mo Xuan, who had also been an outsider in the Mo Family back in the day.

In that sense, they hadn’t taken on disciples, but younger versions of themselves. Even if the two girls’ Talent had been poor, they wouldn’t have cared. All that mattered was that they lived safely. The girls were vessels for their masters’ pasts and a way for them to mend old regrets.

Ji Suyao and Ye Linglong, who had been worrying about Liu Chen just a moment ago, quickly hurried off. Watching them go, Bai Qiulan sighed in resignation.

’Perhaps the two of them don’t realize it yet,’ she thought, ’but as someone who’s been there, I can see they’ve already grown deeply attached to their senior brother.’

’From a certain perspective, we’re raising Liu Chen as our son. He fits our every idea of what a son should be: exceptionally talented, yet gentle and kind to his own. In our eyes, he’s the perfect son.’

"That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s better than seeing them end up with some outsider."

Mo Xuan pulled Bai Qiulan into his arms. He wasn’t an idiot; if he still hadn’t figured out what his wife was sighing about after all this time, he probably would have been kicked out of the Bamboo Garden long ago.

"I feel so conflicted. I don’t want Linglong or Suyao to suffer even the slightest harm; I just want them to stay with me forever. But at the same time, I want Liu Chen to make a name for himself and become a true powerhouse, which will inevitably mean facing Life and Death situations."

Bai Qiulan felt a sense of helplessness. In her heart, it would be enough for her two "daughters" to stay by her side forever. Although they didn’t interact much openly, her favorite thing was to secretly watch them cultivate and live their lives. That alone brought her immense satisfaction.

But when it came to Liu Chen, all she wanted was for him to grow stronger. These two desires were in clear conflict.

"With Liu Chen’s Talent, we should be the ones worrying for everyone else."

Mo Xuan gently stroked Bai Qiulan’s back. He briefly considered Liu Chen’s current state. ’If anyone in Fire Dragon Valley picks a fight with him,’ he mused, ’they’re in for a world of hurt.’

"Tch. You wouldn’t understand. When you were out there fighting for your life, you never once considered my feelings."

Bai Qiulan reached out and pinched Mo Xuan. Her worries back then had been real, and she knew that for the next month, she would be consumed with anxiety over Liu Chen’s safety. Perhaps many years from now, when Linglong and Suyao looked back on this day, they too would feel a pang of retroactive fear.

"Alright, alright. Fighting is unavoidable on the path to becoming a true powerhouse. I promise you, whether it’s now or when we return to the Mo Family in the future, I will never let Suyao or Linglong be put in danger."

Mo Xuan endured the pain as he spoke. He could have used a bit of Spiritual Power to nullify the ache, but if he did that now, he’d probably be spending many nights to come watching the moon all by himself.

Bai Qiulan slowly pulled away from Mo Xuan’s embrace. The two acted as if nothing had happened as they waited for their three disciples to arrive.

Inside the Bamboo Garden, Liu Chen changed into his Inner Sect Disciple robes. They didn’t seem to fit well at first, but once he had them on, a current of Spiritual Power flowed from the fabric. The robes began to shift and adjust to his frame, and within moments, they fit him perfectly, as if tailor-made.

’I hope there’s still time.’

Liu Chen wasn’t focused on the robes; his mind was on another matter. ’The trial grounds definitely won’t be within Purple Cloud Valley, so there will be travel time. In another hour and a half, my Resting Technique will evolve to the Unique level. Then I won’t have to worry about anyone discovering my true Cultivation.’

When he returned to where his master and master’s wife were waiting, Liu Chen realized he was the last to arrive. His two junior sisters were wearing outfits he had never seen before.

Ji Suyao wore a crimson dress, looking every bit the female general of his imagination, lacking only a suit of armor. Ye Linglong, in contrast, was dressed like a legendary Fairy, her white robes giving her an ethereal beauty, as if she were carved from ice and jade.

As Liu Chen’s gaze fell upon his two junior sisters, they too were sizing him up. They had always known their senior brother to be gentle, but now, dressed in the robes of an Inner Sect Disciple, his aura and appearance were even more striking.

As the three disciples appraised one another, Mo Xuan and Bai Qiulan shared a brief glance, both shaking their heads slightly.

"Let’s go. It’s time to depart."

Mo Xuan spoke, shattering the atmosphere, and headed straight down toward the main valley.

Liu Chen silently followed his master and master’s wife, yet he still found himself at the rear of the group. His two junior sisters flanked their master’s wife, whispering to each other about something.

As they descended Purple Bamboo Peak, other disciples from the various bamboo groves joined their procession one by one. By the time they had left the peak entirely, their group had grown to nearly thirty Inner Sect Disciples participating in the trial.

"Junior Brother Liu, all the senior sisters around here have their eyes fixed on you. Want me to play matchmaker?" Yang Haichen whispered as he sidled up to Liu Chen.

Absorbed in thought about how to use the travel time to improve his Resting Technique, Liu Chen looked up at the speaker. He then glanced around at the other Inner Sect Disciples and saw that many of their gazes were indeed drifting toward him.

"Aren’t you worried about this trial, Senior Brother Yang?"

Liu Chen couldn’t help but ask. All the Inner Sect Disciples were looking at him, but Senior Brother Yang had only mentioned the senior sisters; he was clearly just teasing.

"I’m worried, but not that worried."

Yang Haichen was quite frank. If his only goal during the trial was to protect himself, he probably wouldn’t face any Life and Death situations. But if he wanted to make a name for himself, things would get dangerous.

He had only just become an Inner Sect Disciple. ’That sort of thing,’ he thought, ’is best left to the senior brothers and sisters who are planning to use this trial to break through to the Meridian Passage Realm.’

"Impressive, Senior Brother."

Liu Chen nodded, then resumed walking on his own.

"Don’t you worry, Junior Brother! If we run into each other, I’ll be sure to protect you!"

Yang Haichen called after him. At the head of the procession, walking alongside Mo Xuan, the Grand Elder of Purple Bamboo Peak shook his head in resignation.