Thanks to [Qu Zhong Zhi Qu] for the Great God Certification, and thanks to all readers for the update-urging gifts. The number of people generating power with love has more than tenfold. Haji Huan isn't even going on blind dates anymore, using that time instead for the motivation to code more chapters.
By the way, tomorrow's plot might end up in the dark room; I'll see if I can control the scale... At this moment, Jingliu's heart is churning like lava.
When she heard that the boy actually wanted to take Qi Zhimu as his master, a taut nerve in her heart suddenly snapped, prompting her to instinctively speak up and cut off that potential future.
Master's disciple can only be me... and there can only be me... In this world, only I can call him Master... Only I can stand by his side rightfully as his disciple!
Anyone attempting to lay hands on this position is an intruder.
Even if it's just a wet-behind-the-ears youth, it's not allowed.
You want to take a master? Fine.
As long as you become my disciple, you will no longer be eligible to take Master as your teacher.
Separated by a generation, you can only ever call him Grandmaster... What a safe title.
Jingliu looked at the brightly smiling Jing Yuan before her, the corners of her mouth curling into an unconscious, eerie arc.
Trying to steal her master?
Dream on!
The apprenticeship ceremony was simple—so simple it could be described as crude.
Jingliu casually tossed a standard-issue longsword to Jing Yuan, just as Qi Zhimu had done for her back then.
Jing Yuan was a bit dazed; this was completely different from the apprenticeship process he knew... Shouldn't there be tea-serving and a series of... well, perhaps it was a simplified custom from other Xianzhou ships.
Thinking of this, Jing Yuan gripped the longsword and formally kowtowed in salute.
"Disciple greets Master."
Jingliu nodded, her heart feeling no waves at this address.
Having gotten his wish, Jing Yuan blinked and looked at the nearby Qi Zhimu with a curious gaze.
"Master, what is your... private relationship with Lord Qi Zhimu?"
Jingliu glanced at him and said indifferently, "Master and disciple."
"Ma... Master and disciple?!"
Jing Yuan's eyes widened, his mouth forming an 'O' shape.
He had never heard of this on the Luofu. So he had actually wanted to become his Master's junior brother just now...?
Once he realized, Jing Yuan immediately turned to Qi Zhimu and performed a grand salute.
"Jing Yuan pays respects to Grandmaster!"
Hearing the word 'Grandmaster', the gloom in the depths of Jingliu's eyes finally dissipated, replaced by a strange sense of pleasure.
Very good.
That is the title.
Don't even think about ever crossing the boundary that belongs to her.
Jingliu didn't notice the abnormality in her own mental state, but Qi Zhimu seemed to sense something, a flash of doubt appearing in his gaze as he glanced at his disciple.
She had always been cold and detached; aside from slaying Abominations and improving her strength, she had little interest in anything in the world.
Forget visiting a cottage three times—even three hundred times, if she didn't want to, there was no possibility of her changing her mind.
But now, not only did she agree, she agreed so abruptly, so... urgently.
It was just like she was protecting her food.
Protecting food... protecting food... Thinking of a certain possibility, Qi Zhimu was suddenly stunned, his brow twitching.
It couldn't be the onset of mara affliction, could it? There should be no reason for it.
While curing her heaven-deficient condition back then, he had also completely eliminated the possibility of her falling into mara in the future.
It was similar to the principle of a Short-Lived Species being vaccinated in childhood to produce antibodies for a corresponding disease.
In other words, as long as Jingliu wished, she could live on forever without being troubled by mara affliction.
After all... that was the last thing he could do for his disciple, as well as compensation for what he owed her.
The method to prevent or even cure mara affliction was something he had only ever used on her; as for the price, he would bear it himself.
Since it wasn't mara, then it could only be... feelings.
If that were true, Jingliu's feelings for him had already reached a morbid and frenzied level, which was not a good thing.
He could not drag his disciple into an abyss of no return.
Absolutely not.
Jingliu was equally unable to perceive what Qi Zhimu was currently thinking.
Her face was cold as she signaled that Jing Yuan could leave and return the next day to learn the craft.
Jing Yuan naturally left happily, his face full of smiles.
However, he soon found himself unable to smile.
Jingliu's teaching method was characterized by being simple and crude.
"Run 80 li; your speed must not fall below 40 li per hour. After completion, perform three thousand consecutive sword swings."
"No eating or sleeping until you finish."
There was no gradual progression. Jing Yuan was just a boy still growing; how could he withstand such torment?
In less than a week, his face was pale, and it was difficult for him to even crawl out of bed every day.
On the fifth day, he ended up directly in the Alchemy Commission's clinic.
The Healer in charge of diagnosis, upon learning the reason, instantly locked eyes with the accompanying Jingliu, their face filled with an indescribable expression.
It was as if they were saying: Who trains a disciple with the specific intent of working them to death?
Have a heart!
Jingliu remained unmoved. Once Jing Yuan had mostly recovered, she hauled him back to the Martial Arts Field.
Not allowing Jing Yuan to steal her Master was one thing, but she was not a person who broke her word.
Back then, she had asked her Master to teach her, and he did.
Now Jing Yuan asked her to teach him, so she would.
It was the tradition of the sect, perfectly legitimate.
Just when Jing Yuan thought he was going to die young, a savior appeared.
The war on the front lines was becoming critical, and Jingliu was ordered to set out on an expedition.
Before leaving, she only left a faint sentence.
"Do not slack off. When I return, I expect you to be able to complete 150% of the current training targets."
"..."
Jing Yuan was instantly stunned, but he remembered the way his Master had looked at him not long ago, with a faint, disdainful frown.
It was as if she were saying: How can you be so useless?
Thus, he could only respond in a low voice.
The moment Jingliu left, Jing Yuan crawled over to the Qingxin Residence and found Qi Zhimu in the courtyard.
"Grandmaster! Help me..."
The boy had two huge dark circles under his eyes, his little face mournful, looking so miserable that anyone who saw him would feel sad.
"Don't be in a hurry, speak slowly." Qi Zhimu signaled for him to drink a cup of tea first to calm down.
Seeing that his Grandmaster was actually going to pour tea for him, Jing Yuan was terrified. He hurriedly grabbed the teapot to pour it himself, then respectfully filled Qi Zhimu's cup.
Afterward, he honestly recounted his experiences over the past few days.
Qi Zhimu sighed helplessly.
Jingliu was copying the same set of training she had back then. The problem was, back then she had body-tempering medicinal baths as support, but Jing Yuan didn't... If he continued practicing like this, the child would eventually run into major problems.
Qi Zhimu set down his teacup and said gently, "During her Hunt expedition, I will set your training schedule. Give me your hand."
"Ah... Oh!"
Though he didn't understand why, Jing Yuan obediently reached out.
Seeing his Grandmaster actually taking his pulse, he couldn't help but feel curious.
After a moment, Qi Zhimu withdrew his hand and began to draft a training plan, sending it to Jing Yuan's jade message.
"If I have matters and cannot come in person, practice according to this. The pressure increments after you adapt are also marked. Come to me every three days for a new plan."
"Thank you, Grandmaster!"