After sending Du Yueyao back to her own home, Liu Qingyan personally helped wipe her body clean, then covered her with a quilt and lit the soul-nurturing incense.
She instructed the maid who had been following Du Yueyao to take careful care of her, then wrote a letter explaining the whole story from beginning to end, and had a guard deliver it to Du Yuruo in Yizhou Prefecture.
Returning to the Lu family home, Lu Zheng had Uncle Li arrange accommodation for a few people, then he personally cooked a lavish dinner. On top of that, he gave Hu Dalu and Gao Zhen each fifty jin of Wuliangye.
Hmm, Hu Zhou and Gao Junyu each got a hundred jin of Huadiao wine instead. After all, young people need to protect their stomachs and have children, so strong liquor is not good for them.
As a teacher, Lu Zheng felt like he had worn himself out with worry!
The next day, Hu Zhou and the others left happily in the morning, and in the afternoon, Du Yuruo’s wife arrived.
“Madam, please rest assured. Yueyao’s injuries are serious, but not fatal, and there will be no aftereffects.”
Liu Qingyan sat by the bed, administering acupuncture to Du Yueyao while speaking to Madam Du.
Madam Du nodded. “My husband showed me the letter from Young Master Lu and explained everything. Still, since Yueyao is still unconscious, I cannot feel at ease. I came to stay for a while, so I can help wipe her body and feed her meals.”
“Your deep affection as a mother is touching,” Liu Qingyan said understandingly. “Yueyao will likely remain unconscious for another two days. On the morning after tomorrow, once she has absorbed three days of the soul-nurturing incense, I will give her another round of acupuncture, and she should wake up then.”
“Thank you for the trouble, Qingyan.”
“It is no trouble. After all, Yueyao suffered because we asked her to…”
“No, no, I am not an unreasonable person. Without you all, Yueyao would probably have died without even knowing how.”
Liu Qingyan nodded with a light smile. “Once Yueyao recovers from this, it will not be so easy for others to manipulate her again.”
At this point, Madam Du looked at Du Yueyao with eyes full of both heartache and relief.
Heartache for her daughter’s ordeal, relief that she had turned misfortune into fortune. If only one could gain a century of cultivation without the suffering, how wonderful that would be. Why are there no such easy blessings in the world?
Jade Seal: ???
…
Leaving enough soul-nurturing incense for Madam Du to keep burning without interruption, Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan returned home together.
“The Yuan Saint Sect will not come looking for us again, will they?” Liu Qingyan asked with some worry.
“They will not,” Lu Zheng said. “The Saintess Xueyi is dead, and she died quietly alongside Zhao Wuji. The Yuan Saint Sect has no target for revenge, nor any need to venture deeper into Da Jing to find a vessel for possession.”
“They will not find us?”
“Uncle Fan Yubai has already eliminated that new sect sorcerer who tipped off Zhao Wuji,” Lu Zheng nodded. “As long as no saintess comes in person, Fan Yubai can handle it.”
“That is good,” Liu Qingyan said with relief. “It is getting late, so I will head back.”
“Head back where? Stay at home tonight.”
“Woo…”
…
Peach Blossom Grove.
“Lu Lang, you are so impressive. Even the saintess of the Yuan Saint Sect fell to you?”
“I heard the Yuan Saint Sect’s techniques have beauty and rejuvenation effects, making their saintesses look like celestial fairies. Was that Saintess Xueyi beautiful?”
“Hee hee, let me see just how mighty you really are, Lu Lang?”
“Wow… woo…”
Who would have thought Shen Ying would insist on comparing herself to that Yuan Saint Sect saintess? Lu Zheng had no choice but to let her experience his prowess.
…
Two days later, at the Du residence.
Incense smoke curled gently, filling the bedroom with a faint fragrance and haze. Just one whiff could refresh the spirit.
Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan arrived together, accompanied by Shen Ying, Fan Yubai, and the curious pair Liu Qingzuan and Ao Qian, who had come to check on things and join the fun.
Madam Du stood up to make room, and Liu Qingyan sat down. With each breath, she inserted eighteen silver needles into Du Yueyao’s head.
Lift! Twist! Rotate! Vibrate!
Drawing the soul-nurturing incense power she had absorbed into her body and stored within, it flowed steadily into her mind, replenishing her true spirit and nourishing her divine soul.
As the replenishment continued, the divine soul, which had fallen into slumber due to damage, gradually awakened.
What Liu Qingyan aimed to do was restore the spiritual power of the divine soul, allowing Du Yueyao to wake naturally. This way, she could absorb the soul-nurturing incense on her own afterward, healing her injuries faster.
After a quarter of an hour, Du Yueyao’s divine soul fluctuations grew stronger, yet she showed no sign of waking.
“Hmm?” Liu Qingyan let out a soft sound of surprise and paused her movements.
“What is it?” Madam Du asked hurriedly.
Liu Qingyan shook her head. “Yueyao is already conscious. She just actively signalled me to stop. It seems she is dreaming of something.”
“Why is that?”
“I do not know. Let us wait,” Liu Qingyan said, her eyes flickering. “I can sense Yueyao’s emotions. It seems to be something good.”
“Something good?” Fan Yubai blinked, his expression brightening. “Could it be that she reverse-devoured some of Saintess Xueyi’s divine soul and gained insight into the ‘Plain Woman Divine Blessing Method’?”
Liu Qingyan and Lu Zheng exchanged a glance and nodded. “It is possible.”
Fan Yubai’s face lit up with joy. “Turning misfortune into fortune, truly turning misfortune into fortune!”
Lu Zheng asked Fan Yubai, “But was not the ‘Plain Woman Divine Blessing Method’ that Saintess Xueyi cultivated an altered version? If Yueyao gains insight from it, will she not stray onto the wrong path?”
Fan Yubai shook his head. “No! No! Yueyao has already laid a foundation with the orthodox ‘Divine Blessing Method’, and besides, am I not here?
When the time comes, we will select the beneficial parts to follow, and with Saintess Xueyi’s cultivation insights, she will not only gain a century of cultivation directly, but her future practice will also proceed smoothly.”
Hearing Fan Yubai say this, Madam Du could not help but feel happy too. In that case, her daughter already had talent in this technique, and now her progress would accelerate. Did that not mean immortality was within reach?
No wonder she showed no interest in the young talents her parents introduced. How could ordinary people match her daughter?
Sigh, it was a pity their family had no connections to the cultivation world. Who knew what the future held for her daughter.
Madam Du glanced at Lu Zheng, then at Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying, and let out a sigh.
Fine, children have their own fortunes. She could not control it anymore. Let her be.
The group chatted idly for a bit and were about to leave the room to let Du Yueyao rest when they saw her eyelids flutter. She slowly opened her eyes.
“Sister Liu, Brother Lu!”
“Mother? You are here too?”
“Master, I am fine.”
Madam Du rushed forward and grabbed her hand, asking urgently, “Yueyao, how do you feel?”
Du Yueyao smiled. “I am fine now, feeling quite good. Mother, do not worry.”
Though her spirit seemed a bit weak, her complexion was indeed acceptable.
As Du Yueyao tried to sit up, Liu Qingyan quickly stopped her. “Your divine soul is still quite weak. Do not get up. Just lie there.”
“Alright.” Du Yueyao lay back down, her expression a little shy at first, then she said eagerly, “Oh, right. Just now in my dream, I met the founding ancestor of the Yuan Saint Sect. She said my ‘Plain Woman Divine Blessing Method’ was incomplete and helped me complete and perfect it.”
Fan Yubai: ???
“Who?”
“The founding ancestor of the Yuan Saint Sect, the Plain Woman!”
