Qin Ximo’s Meeting Gift

In Qin Ximo’s eyes, there were hardly any secrets left in Cao Xueyan’s body, so naturally she saw nothing particularly unusual.

Her soul was somewhat more resilient than that of an average Qi Refining cultivator, and it seemed to be innate rather than cultivated afterward.

But that wasn’t rare either.

Most cultivators, after establishing their Dao foundation, had the chance to compensate for some of their shortcomings without much worry.

However, this child’s constitution was indeed frail.

Judging by her cultivation method, it looked like something akin to the Xuan Yin Record.

Her body carried a heavy yin chill, which happened to be the favorite of many dual-cultivating demon cultivators.

In the future, encountering demons would require great caution — otherwise, a single misstep could mean eternal damnation.

“Yanyan!”

At this point, Xiao Menglan could only call Cao Xueyan over.

“This is our sect master, and your future martial aunt.”

Cao Xueyan put on a bewildered yet shocked expression.

“So this is actually… Disciple Cao Xueyan greets the sect master!”

As she spoke, she prepared to kneel.

The master of a sect held a lofty position.

Within the sect, aside from peak lords and elders, disciples meeting the sect master were required to perform this grand courtesy.

But before her knees could touch the ground, Cao Xueyan felt a gentle force lift her up.

Looking up, she saw Qin Ximo slowly withdrawing her hand.

She knew Xiao Menglan’s spiritual power — in fact, she was more than familiar with it.

The force that had just supported her clearly came from this sect master before her, someone both familiar and unfamiliar.

“You are now considered half my martial niece. In the future, there’s no need to perform such a great courtesy when meeting me.”

Qin Ximo smiled.

“My junior sister has not taken a disciple in hundreds of years. And now, without a word, she suddenly accepts you. There must be something extraordinary about you.”

These words were mostly for Xiao Menglan’s sake, to give her junior sister some face.

Truthfully, Qin Ximo was not very satisfied with Cao Xueyan.

Her constitution was not special, her spiritual roots were poor, and it was uncertain how long it would take her even to build a foundation.

To put it bluntly, she was hardly worthy of standing in a grand hall.

Qin Ximo placed immense importance on inheritance.

Even within the sect, she dismissed many disciples with sword talent.

She found one lacking in temperament, another lacking in comprehension.

What she sought was not a mediocre successor, but someone capable of leading the Qingyun Sword Sect back to the glory it had known thousands of years ago.

“This child has some talent in talismans. I’ve only taught her for a dozen days, and she already shows promise.

In a hundred years, she might well add another Tier Three Talisman Master to our sect.”

In front of her sect master senior sister, Xiao Menglan spared no effort in praising her disciple.

“Oh, truly?”

Qin Ximo showed a spark of interest.

Cao Xueyan’s soul was indeed tougher than most, making her a suitable seedling for talisman cultivation.

But as for Qin Ximo herself, she was ignorant in that path and had no way of verifying it.

In this situation, she chose to trust her junior sister.

After all, having been fellow disciples for centuries, Qin Ximo knew Xiao Menglan well.

She was not the type to boast without cause.

“Absolutely true!” Xiao Menglan said with certainty.

“If it is you saying so, then I believe it.”

Qin Ximo reached into her storage bag and pulled out a jar, placing it in Cao Xueyan’s hands.

Cao Xueyan was bewildered.

The jar was still sealed, yet she could already smell a rich and mellow aroma of wine.

The contents were obvious.

“This is wine I brewed myself. Consider it my meeting gift. Keep it well.”

Cao Xueyan nodded blankly and murmured her thanks.

Seeing her obedient and reserved manner, Qin Ximo suddenly found the child more pleasing to the eye.

Xiao Menglan raised a brow and scolded lightly.

“Senior sister, really now — who gives their martial niece wine as a first meeting gift? Are you trying to lead her astray?”

Qin Ximo put on an innocent face.

“You know me well. Other than the sword, I love only wine.

The swords I have collected, this child surely cannot use.

So what else could I give but wine?”

“Yanyan’s tolerance is poor. A few sips would knock her out. Even if this wine benefits her cultivation, she can’t drink much of it.”

“How could there be anyone in this world who cannot drink wine?”

Qin Ximo laughed heartily.

“A few more times, and she’ll learn.”

“Senior sister, don’t cause trouble.”

Xiao Menglan’s face darkened as she snatched the jar from Cao Xueyan and put it away.

“I’ll hold onto this for my disciple.”

“You had better not line your own pockets!”

“Senior sister! Don’t spout nonsense in front of your martial niece!”

“Fine, fine. I know you can’t take a joke.”

Qin Ximo restrained herself and spoke more solemnly to Cao Xueyan.

“In just over a month, it will be your initiation ceremony.

Consider this today’s gift a promise. When the time comes, I’ll personally prepare something for you.”

“Disciple is undeserving.” Cao Xueyan said.

“To be able to take Master as my teacher is already the greatest fortune of my life. I dare not ask for the sect master’s gifts.”

“That is not the right way to think.”

Qin Ximo admonished her.

“Cultivation requires companions, wealth, law, and land — a teacher is part of this as well.

Whatever I give you, accept it without hesitation.

Treat it as from your master.

If you feel guilty, then train hard.

Whether in cultivation or in talismans, as long as you achieve something in either, the sect’s effort in raising you will not have been in vain.”

“Disciple will remember your teaching!”

Qin Ximo originally wanted to go into Yaoyue Palace with Xiao Menglan to chat further.

But at that moment, she received a sudden transmission from an unknown source.

Her relaxed expression immediately turned grave.

“What is it, senior sister?” Xiao Menglan noticed Qin Ximo’s change and asked.

“An elder from the External Affairs Hall sent me an urgent message with the sect’s secret seal.

It says that demon cultivators have been running rampant recently, slaughtering both common folk and our disciples.”

“As always, can’t we just send some strong disciples down the mountain to eliminate them?”

“The elder also said that several long-reclusive Golden Core demons have appeared and caused havoc.

And worse, they’ve even provoked other sects besides ours.

Such unusual actions… these demons must be plotting something great!”

“So serious?”

Xiao Menglan was shocked.

Even Golden Core demons had emerged — this was no trivial matter.

“I’ve only been out of seclusion a few days, and already the demons are restless again.

Truly, there is never a moment of peace.”

Qin Ximo sighed, then regretfully bid her junior sister farewell.

“It seems we can only meet again another time.”

“Senior sister, rest assured. Leave the sect’s affairs to us.”

“With your words, I feel at ease.”

With that, Qin Ximo invoked her powers.

In the blink of an eye, she had flown dozens of miles away, vanishing without a trace.

Watching her senior sister depart, Xiao Menglan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Never in her life had she done anything to betray her senior sister.

But her ambiguous relationship with her disciple, so shameful and dishonorable, was something she could never let Qin Ximo discover.

All she could do was take one step at a time and conceal it as long as possible.

“Master, I still don’t know the sect master’s name. How should I address her in the future?” Cao Xueyan asked.

“You ask this… well, I suppose it’s fine for you to know.

Your martial aunt’s surname is Qin, given name Ximo.

In front of outsiders, you must still call her sect master.

But in private, you may call her Martial Aunt Qin. Remember that.”

“Disciple will remember.”

“This morning I went to Pill Peak to fetch some medicine for you to recover your health.”

Xiao Menglan produced a small porcelain bottle and placed it in Cao Xueyan’s hands.

“One pill each day. Dissolve it in hot water before drinking.”

Cao Xueyan accepted the medicine speechlessly.

Her frail body — wasn’t that entirely because of her master?