Chapter 504: An Elder’s Concern

Speaking of Valley Master Nie, he had originally intended to comfort his daughter, saying that Zhang Xiaohua wished to leave the Scarlet Flame Pill to Nie Qianyu, so that she might increase her cultivation. Yet the moment Nie Qianyu heard this, her expression changed drastically.

Valley Master Nie forced a smile and said: “What is it, Little Yu? Did Father say something wrong?”

After quite a while, Nie Qianyu finally said softly: “What Big Brother Ren said is not wrong—among everyone in our Spring Rebirth Valley, I am indeed the one who most needs to improve my cultivation. But, Father, with my present martial arts, even if I were to take the Scarlet Flame Pill, it would still be impossible for me to catch up to you. And how, then, could I accompany Big Brother Ren as he roams the jianghu?”

Valley Master Nie burst out laughing. “You’re already thinking about roaming the jianghu?”

Nie Qianyu said shyly: “Why not? Big Brother Ren’s martial arts are so high. If I can’t measure up to him, how could I…”

“Hehe. If one Scarlet Flame Pill isn’t enough, then we’ll take two. If two aren’t enough, then three.”

Valley Master Nie said generously.

“Sigh.” Nie Qianyu let out a soft sigh. Though the flush on her face had yet to fade, she said: “Father, please don’t try to comfort me. Pills that increase cultivation are only effective the first time they’re taken; taking more after that is useless. I don’t believe Father doesn’t know this.”

There was a trace of awkwardness on Valley Master Nie’s face. “Ahem, well… taking it is still better than not taking it. This is also Big Brother Ren’s good intention—just accept it.”

As he spoke, he was about to press the jade vial into Nie Qianyu’s hand.

However, Nie Qianyu shook her head and pushed the jade vial back, saying softly: “Father, don’t deceive me. This Scarlet Flame Pill—you were planning to take it yourself, weren’t you?”

Valley Master Nie was startled, yet he still said: “How could that be? My Scarlet Flame Pill is kept in the pill chamber…”

Then, seeing the reproachful look in Nie Qianyu’s eyes, he shook his head and said: “Little Yu, sometimes being too clever isn’t necessarily a good thing. Sigh…”

Nie Qianyu raised her eyes and glanced out the window, then said: “Big Brother Ren has always been very clear about public and private matters. If he meant to give it to me, he would certainly have left one for me. Since he handed all the pills to Father, that naturally means they’ve been entrusted to Spring Rebirth Valley. And within Spring Rebirth Valley, perhaps everyone needs the Scarlet Flame Pill to increase their cultivation—but I alone do not, because five years of cultivation means nothing at all to a weak woman like me, whose martial arts have yet to reach completion. Isn’t that right, Father?”

Valley Master Nie did not speak. He only quietly looked at his daughter, who had already regained her composure.

Nie Qianyu spoke again: “Father’s inner strength has been stuck at a bottleneck these past few years, unable to advance for a long time. The method of circulating qi that Big Brother Ren taught is indeed very good, but Father’s cultivation is still limited and cannot be practiced to perfection. If aided by this Crimson Flame Pill, it would surely come about naturally—your inner strength would enter a new realm, and this pill-refining method would also succeed. Then our Spring Rebirth Valley would be able to refine true pills. But for you to give this pill to your daughter to take, it is truly only a drop in the bucket.”

After listening to his daughter finish, Valley Master Nie’s expression remained calm. He said softly: “Do you know, Little Yu, ever since your mother passed away, your face has never again shown a truly genuine smile. Sometimes I see you smiling very sweetly, but Father knows that in your heart you are not truly happy. This time, when you went out, Father knew there were risks. First, you are strong-willed and insisted on going. Second, Father also hoped that you could go out and see the world beyond, to open your heart. During the time when there was no news of you, Father’s heart ached terribly, and I often regretted that momentary decision of mine, fearing that something might happen to you. Father felt that he had failed your mother, who left us early.”

“But you returned safely. Not only did you fulfill your stubborn wish, but you also brought back your laughter. Do you know, Little Yu—when Father saw that faint smile of yours as you looked at Ren Xiaoyao, Father was very happy. Your smile is not as radiant as before, but Father knows that it comes from the heart, a joyful smile. That is the same feeling Father once had, back when I first met your mother.”

“So when Ren Xiaoyao was about to leave the very next day, Father agreed without hesitation to the suggestion your Uncle Yue put forward. I know that when your Uncle Yue raised that suggestion, he was already expressing dissatisfaction over how I had refused him back then, wanting to see how I would handle it this time. But Little Yu—if Father had not agreed, Ren Xiaoyao would have left at once. From your eyes, Father saw your despair, saw your sorrow. Father would rather stake the entire Spring Rebirth Valley than let you be hurt. Father only wants you to be happy, for you to have happiness.”

“Father also hopes that in these four or five months, you two can have a good beginning. Just for this beautiful beginning alone, Father is willing to take this risk…”

“But Father, your daughter is not some celestial beauty, and my martial arts are extremely weak. Although I’ve spent such a long time with Big Brother Ren, your daughter knows that his heart is not with me…”

Valley Master Nie smiled and said: “Little Yu, for a girl, being beautiful and pretty is of course important, and having excellent martial arts is also important. But in the end, these are only a few aspects. You also possess a kind of intelligence that other girls cannot match—this is your true strength. You mustn’t compare your own shortcomings with other people’s strengths.”

Then he asked: “Besides, does your Big Brother Ren already have a girl he fancies?”

“This?” Nie Qianyu hesitated slightly. “It seems like he does, and it also seems like he doesn’t. Your daughter can’t quite figure it out either.”

Valley Master Nie nodded and said: “Since it’s not clear, then that means there isn’t one. Little Yu, haven’t you always been strong-willed? Why are you losing your momentum at this moment? Ren Xiaoyao’s martial arts are now already beyond even Father’s ability to fathom. If he goes to the Incense Spreading Sect and studies there for several more years, then even if he doesn’t carry the Incense Spreading Sect’s banner, he’ll still be someone of note in the jianghu. That’s a real prized catch. You’ve been given the advantage of proximity—don’t you dare give it up!”

“Father, who’s a prized catch, and who’s trying to snatch him?” Nie Qianyu’s face flushed again, full of a young girl’s shy manner.

Seeing his daughter’s spirits brighten, Valley Master Nie knew his words had taken effect, so he did not dare say more. Instead, he took out another jade vial from his robes and said: “Little Yu, haven’t you always wanted to see the Incense Spreading Sect’s Jade Restoration Pill? Well then—this bottle contains it.”

“Really?” Nie Qianyu said in delight. “Did Uncle Yang give it to you? Why didn’t he mention it yesterday?”

Seeing that he had successfully diverted Nie Qianyu’s attention, Valley Master Nie laughed and said: “That Old Yang—just look at him. If he had it, he would’ve taken it out long ago. He’s nothing more than a steward from the Pill Expansion Hall, hehe. He even tried to keep it from me, thinking I wouldn’t know. The third time he came back, after he got drunk, he let slip the truth. He just goes out frequently, that’s all. His standing in the Pill Expansion Hall is quite ordinary. A steward? That’s merely a pretense when he’s sent out. How could he possibly possess a Jade Restoration Pill?”

“Huh?” Nie Qianyu was even more astonished. “Then could it have been given by the envoy? But that can’t be right either. Envoys of every generation are extremely cold and taciturn—they won’t even let people see their faces, let alone say a word. How could they possibly single out our Spring Rebirth Valley to give us such a sacred medicine for healing?”

Valley Master Nie blinked. “Little Yu, then you try to guess—how did I get the Jade Restoration Pill?”

Nie Qianyu shook her head. “Your daughter only knows it should have been given by the envoy, but as for why… she does not know.”

“Hahaha!” Valley Master Nie laughed heartily. “You don’t know? Today, Lady Kong came to the Inner Valley for a visit. When she saw Ren Xiaoyao, she remembered the matter of the arena match and reached out to test him. Inadvertently, she injured Ren Xiaoyao—and that’s when she took out…”

Before Valley Master Nie could finish, Nie Qianyu suddenly stood with a sharp “whoosh,” and said anxiously: “Oh Father! Why are you still laughing? Big Brother Ren was injured, right? How badly is he hurt? Did he take the Jade Restoration Pill? Can he still go to the Incense Spreading Sect tomorrow?”

A string of questions came so quickly that Valley Master Nie could only shake his head secretly. He grabbed Nie Qianyu and said with a smile: “Little Yu, sit down. Your Big Brother Ren is perfectly fine.”

Nie Qianyu froze. “Lady Kong took out the Jade Restoration Pill—how could he be fine?”

Valley Master Nie laughed and recounted everything that had happened at noon. Even though she knew Zhang Xiaohua was unharmed, Nie Qianyu still listened with her face paling. Only when she heard Zhang Xiaohua shamelessly say, “It’s nothing, just bit my lip,” did she finally spit out a “Pah!” and laugh. “This fellow, he absolutely cannot stand a loss. Lady Kong only wanted to test his skills, and he ended up finagling a whole Jade Restoration Pill from her.”

Immediately after, she asked with concern: “How many pills did Lady Kong give Big Brother Ren? How many did he give Father and Elder Zhang? How many does he have left for himself?”

Valley Master Nie waved his hand. “You already said it yourself—this fellow cannot stand a loss. There must obviously still be quite a few pills in his vial, otherwise he wouldn’t have given the two to us. Alright, then—this one will be for you. Your self-defense is limited, so if anything… it will also give Father some peace of mind.”

Nie Qianyu smiled. “No need, Father. Your daughter isn’t leaving Spring Rebirth Valley, so how could anything happen to me? You just keep it.”

Valley Master Nie shook his head resolutely. “If you don’t go out now, how can you guarantee you won’t go out later? Aren’t you still thinking about roaming the jianghu?”

“Father~” Nie Qianyu chided, but still reached out and took the jade vial of the Jade Restoration Pill.

But soon, Nie Qianyu grew puzzled. “Father, think about it—how could Lady Kong of the Incense Spreading Sect have thought to test Big Brother Ren’s martial arts? Even if it was just a test, her subordinates would surely have known their limits and would never have injured him. And even if Big Brother Ren hadn’t been hurt, could Lady Kong really not have noticed?”

These questions left Valley Master Nie speechless. Indeed—he had seen Lady Kong’s lapse clearly with his own eyes. Yet, first, he dared not speculate recklessly. Second, he believed that Lady Kong and Zhang Xiaohua had no real connection. And most importantly, he did not dare tell Nie Qianyu about Lady Kong’s lapse—he feared it might lead her to misunderstand. A girl caught in the throes of love hardly has rational judgment.

If anything were to happen because of such knowledge, it would be bad for everyone.

So, Valley Master Nie simply took out one of Zhang Xiaohua’s usual weapons and smiled. “As for this… I really don’t know.”

Nie Qianyu frowned, thinking to herself. Seeing her in thought, Valley Master Nie said: “Alright, Little Yu, Father is leaving. If you truly want to know why, you might as well ask your Big Brother Ren—perhaps he will know.”

“Sigh~” Nie Qianyu let out a soft sigh. “I’ll think about it some more.”

Valley Master Nie shook his head and turned to walk downstairs.

One jade vial, however, remained exactly where Valley Master Nie had been standing.