Chapter 235: Unforeseen Danger

It wasn't until Magu and Weizi'an had finished off the remaining mountain bandits that Master Xu and his disciples finally came back to their senses.

Looking at the corpses littering the courtyard, as well as Lu Qing's unwavering calm and the old doctor's gentle sigh, Master Xu realized his mistake.

He had truly misjudged them.

Chen Dafu and his companions were true masters of concealment.

No wonder they dared to travel with a young girl; Lu Qing and his group were incredibly powerful.

The previous group of mountain bandits had been fierce and strong.

Their leader had almost reached the Internal Organs Realm, and the dozen or so bandit chiefs following him were also warriors, some even at the Sinew Changing Realm level.

Add to that the advantage of their high ground and the powerful bows and hidden weapons of the other bandits, and it had been a dire situation.

Even a warrior like Master Xu, close to the pinnacle of the Internal Organs Realm, wouldn't have been able to guarantee the safety of everyone in the courtyard.

Yet, Lu Qing and his companions had instantly crushed this formidable encirclement.

Master Xu couldn't help but be astonished.

Whether it was Magu's fierce and powerful swordplay, Lu Qing's divine hidden weapon skills, or Weizi'an's sharp staff techniques, they all left him amazed.

And then there was the decisiveness with which Lu Qing and his group had killed.

All of this made Master Xu regard Lu Qing and his companions with a sense of mystery.

"Lu Qing, I never expected your skills to be so remarkable. I was unnecessarily worried," Master Xu marveled.

"They were just a few petty thieves. With your skill, Master Xu, dealing with them would surely have been simple. We are the ones who should apologize for our clumsy display," Lu Qing replied with a smile.

Xu Ping and the others were left speechless by his words.

While those mountain bandits had been no match for Magu and the others, the power they had displayed was real.

Some of them had cultivation levels even higher than Xu Ping and her siblings.

They knew that if they had faced those fierce bandits, their chances of victory would not have been great.

Yet, Lu Qing referred to such a group of cruel bandits as mere thieves, leaving Xu Ping and her siblings at a loss for words.

"Young Master, we have more corpses to deal with," Magu said, scratching his head as he looked at the bodies in the courtyard.

"Yes, it's a nuisance," Lu Qing agreed, looking at the corpses with a sense of helplessness.

There were even more corpses this time than there had been from the disciples of Flowing Cloud Sect they had killed on the road the other day.

Burying them would be even more troublesome.

He felt that he really needed to hurry up and perfect his method of destroying corpses.

Otherwise, after every battle, they would have to spend a lot of time dealing with the bodies, which was a waste of time.

Xu Ping and her siblings shuddered inwardly at Lu Qing's words.

They had already found Lu Qing and his companions' style of fighting strange—too decisive and with a level of coordination that didn't seem fitting for youths their age.

Now, hearing their conversation, they felt a chill in their hearts.

What did he mean by "more corpses to deal with"?

Did that mean Lu Qing and his group had killed many people before?

Lu Qing didn't notice the change in Xu Ping's expression.

Instead, he turned to Master Xu and said, "Master Xu, we will be staying here for the night. It wouldn't be appropriate to leave so many corpses in the courtyard. May I trouble your disciples to help us move these bodies out and bury them?"

Master Xu nodded. "Of course. Wen Bin, Wen Wu, help them move the corpses out."

"Yes, Master," replied Master Xu's disciples.

"Qing'er," the old doctor suddenly spoke up, "bury that girl's head separately and give her a proper resting place."

"I understand, Master," Lu Qing said, looking at the girl's head that had fallen to the ground. He sighed and wrapped it in a cloth bag, intending to bury it properly later.

With the sky not yet fully dark, everyone set to work moving the corpses out of the courtyard.

Xu Ping, being a girl and having already been through a lot of shocks, was excused from this task.

As the number of corpses in the courtyard decreased, Xu Ping's anxiety lessened as well.

She looked around and saw Xiao Yan holding Xiao Li quietly by the old doctor's side, her face calm without a hint of panic.

Xu Ping's heart stirred, and she felt puzzled.

She suddenly remembered that when the mountain bandits had surrounded the entire temple, Xiao Yan hadn't shown much fear either.

At least, she had been calmer than Xu Ping herself.

"Xiao Yan, aren't you scared? There are so many dead people here," Xu Ping said.

Xu Ping approached Xiao Yan and asked softly, "Are you scared?"

Xiao Yan shook her head. "No, they were bad people, and Gege and Xiao Li will protect me, so I'm not scared."

Xu Ping was taken aback, not expecting such an answer from the little girl. However, Xiao Yan's words touched her heart.

"Xiao Yan, from what you're saying, have bad people tried to hurt you before?" Xu Ping asked, choosing to ignore Xiao Yan's mention of Xiao Li protecting her, believing it to be a child's imagination. After all, she herself used to think that a doll her mother made would protect her when she slept alone.

"Mhm, there were lots of them, but Gege and Uncle Ma killed them all," Xiao Yan nodded seriously.

Xu Ping drew in a sharp breath. She had guessed right; Lu Qing and the others had indeed experienced much slaughter, explaining their ruthless killing methods and the nonchalance with which they spoke of dealing with corpses.

No wonder they had mentioned having to deal with more corpses earlier.

With Lu Qing's exceptional strength and their combined efforts, they finally managed to move all the corpses out before nightfall.

Then, in a forest not far away, they dug a large pit and buried them.

As for the girl's head, Lu Qing found a good spot with favorable feng shui and buried it properly.

After burying all the corpses, they returned to the temple, where Lu Qing burned some medicinal herbs in the courtyard and the main hall to dissipate the bloody smell.

By the time they finished, the sky had turned completely dark.

"Miss Xu, after everything that happened today, I think we're all tired. How about we rest for the night and set off together in the morning?" Lu Qing suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea. My daughter has also been greatly frightened, and she needs a good rest," the chubby middle-aged man agreed.

At that moment, he realized something. Ever since they had killed the mountain bandits, Lu Qing had become less low-key and more assertive. Many decisions were now left to Lu Qing, and the old doctor no longer spoke up as often.

So, they divided the main hall into two sections and prepared their beds for the night.

A few moments later, behind a bamboo curtain, the old doctor and Lu Qing sat facing each other, surrounded by a strange aura that concealed their presence.

"Master, there's something I don't quite understand," Lu Qing began. "Why did you want to travel with Miss Xu and her group to Flowing Cloud Sect?"

This question had been on Lu Qing's mind the entire afternoon. After all, their trip to Flowing Cloud Sect was no small matter, and any misstep could lead to serious consequences. Given his master's usual character, he wouldn't typically want to involve others.

"I can't quite explain it either," the old doctor replied. "When we arrived at this Mountain God Temple this evening and came into close contact with Mr. Xu and his group, I felt a very strong premonition. It seems that they will encounter great danger in the near future and may all die."

"You felt a premonition, Master?" Lu Qing's heart skipped a beat. He knew that his master possessed the Light of Virtue and was blessed by the heavens. Thus, this premonition was likely more than just a feeling; it could be a warning from the heavens.

"Indeed, this premonition was so strong that it shook my very soul," the old doctor continued. "It seems to be related to something extremely important, so I wanted to see what it was about."

"Could the great danger be related to the mountain bandits we encountered earlier?" Lu Qing asked softly.

However, he quickly dismissed this idea. While the situation had seemed dangerous, the bandits' strength wasn't particularly remarkable. With Miss Xu's cultivation level nearing the peak of the Internal Organs Realm, she could have easily broken through even without their help.

It was her disciples who might have been in some danger, but that alone shouldn't have triggered his master's premonition.

"Could it be that this trip to Flowing Cloud Sect will truly bring great changes?" Lu Qing stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Miss Xu and her group were heading to Flowing Cloud Sect out of curiosity. With most of the sects in Yunzhou joining forces to confront Flowing Cloud Sect, everyone wanted to witness the spectacle.

But, given his master's premonition, this event might not be as simple as it seemed.

"Have you thought of something, Ah Qing?" the old doctor asked, seeing the thoughtful look on his disciple's face.

"I have a hunch, but I can't be sure," Lu Qing replied. "Since you've already agreed to Miss Xu's invitation, Master, we can just travel with them and find out along the way."

"I feel the same," the old doctor said. "I can sense that they are all righteous people. Since I've foreseen that they may soon face great danger, we should help if we can, especially since we're heading in the same direction anyway."

"I'll follow your lead, Master."

"Lu Qing smiled.

The Virtuous Light is truly miraculous. Master, ever since you entered the Innate Realm, the mystical abilities you've exhibited have become increasingly incredible.

This ability to discern good from evil is nearly on par with your divine ability to investigate."

With his questions answered, Lu Qing and the old doctor each retired for the night.

Their entire conversation had gone unheard by any third party.

The night passed without incident, and the next day, Lu Qing rose early to prepare breakfast in the courtyard.

"Young Master Lu, you're up early," the chubby middle-aged man said as he heard the activity outside.

"Mhm, Master Ma and I take turns keeping watch. I usually take the latter half of the night, so I figured I'd prepare breakfast while I'm at it, for Master and the others to eat when they wake up.

Perfect timing, Mr. Xu. I've made enough for you all, so please join us."

Lu Qing replied as he busied himself with the preparations.

"Then we won't stand on ceremony."

The chubby middle-aged man first expressed his delight, then sighed, "It seems like you didn't sleep at all last night, Young Master Lu, getting up this early."

"When traveling, one must always be cautious. We're used to it," Lu Qing replied.

"Indeed, when journeying, one must be vigilant and cautious about everything. Unfortunately, my few good-for-nothing disciples are not as vigilant as you, Young Master Lu. Last night, they slept like logs.

If there had been another surprise attack like the one we faced yesterday, they probably would've been the first to die."

The chubby middle-aged man shook his head and sighed.

How could his disciples be so different from Chen Dafu's?

Looking at Lu Qing, not only could he cook exceptionally well, but he also took care of night watch duties without any need for Chen Dafu to worry, handling everything flawlessly.

In comparison, his disciples were truly as dull as pigs.

"Perhaps Brother Wen and the others were too exhausted from traveling yesterday," Lu Qing said with a smile.

During their casual chat the day before, Lu Qing had learned that the chubby middle-aged man's three male disciples included two brothers surnamed Wen—Wen Bin and Wen Wu—and another named Su, all of whom had followed him since they were young.

"There's no need to make excuses for them, Young Master Lu. I don't have high expectations of them anymore. If they could have half your ability, Young Master Lu, I would be content," the chubby middle-aged man said, shaking his head.

Wei Zi'an, who had just woken up and walked out of the hall at that moment, paused upon hearing these words.

'This Mr. Xu sure has high expectations,' he thought. 'To expect them to have Lu Qing's level of skill? Even our Wei family's ancestors wouldn't dare say such a thing.

And here you are, an Internal Organs Realm cultivator, dreaming big.'

"Zi'an, go call Xiao Yan and Xiao Li. Tell them breakfast is ready," Lu Qing said when he noticed Wei Zi'an.

As Wei Zi'an re-entered the hall, the chubby middle-aged man also said, "Then I'll go call my useless disciples."

There was a hint of emotion in the chubby middle-aged man's voice as he called his disciples.

In the past, without any comparison, he hadn't thought much of it.

But now, seeing how outstanding Lu Qing was, and with the other disciples present, he couldn't help but feel disappointed in his own disciples.

So, when calling them, he couldn't help but be a little harsh.

As a result, when Xu Ping, the last one to wake up, saw the bruises on her senior brothers' faces, she was curious.

"Senior Brother Wen Bin, what happened to your faces? Did you bump into something while sleeping last night?"

The chubby middle-aged man immediately shot a glance at him.

Feeling his master's gaze, Wen Bin stiffened and forced a smile, "Yes, we slept too soundly last night, and accidentally bumped into each other while turning over."

"All three of you bumped into each other?" Xu Ping asked, puzzled.

Wen Bin hesitated, "Yes, yes, we slept behind the deity's platform; it's too narrow there, so we bumped into each other when turning."

"Oh, then you all need to be more careful in the future."

Xu Ping nodded and continued eating. The food Lu Qing made was truly delicious. Even something simple like meat porridge was exceptionally tasty.

It was just a pity that he was a bit cold and distant; otherwise, he would be perfect.

Seeing that Xu Ping didn't ask further questions, the three senior brothers breathed a sigh of relief, feeling embarrassed.

Indeed, they had been too rude that morning.

While Chen Dafu and the others were already up and about, and Lu Qing had even prepared breakfast, they were still asleep.

It was no wonder their master was angry with them.

Lu Qing and the others found this situation amusing but didn't expose their senior brothers.

After breakfast, everyone packed their luggage and set off.

This time, their journey proceeded without any incidents.

Two days later, Lu Qing and his group arrived outside a bustling town.

"Flowing Cloud Town, Chen Dafu. We're finally here," the chubby middle-aged man said happily, looking at the stele outside the town.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end