21: Liang Ming's "Trusting an Orphan"

“As I expected, Spirit Arrow Technique has reached Grandmaster Level.”

“I wonder how much its power has increased.”

“It shouldn’t be much weaker than the attack power of a Low Grade Magical Artifact.”

Ever since his Spirit Arrow Technique combined with Fireball Technique produced miraculous effects last time, he had increased his practice of Spirit Arrow Technique.

Spirit Arrow Technique consumed very little Qi, and with his Cultivation Level 4 Realm, he could use it continuously more than fifty times. Once his proficiency reached mastery, he basically no longer needed to chant incantations.

It was very convenient to practice.

He looked around, searched the courtyard, and quickly found a wooden stake.

Walking ten meters away, he pointed his hand, and a Spirit Arrow instantly shot forth.

“Bang!”

The Spirit Arrow directly pierced through the wooden stake, shot into the ground, and slowly dissipated.

“This…”

“This power should be comparable to a Medium Grade Magical Artifact for long-range attacks, right?”

A flash of ecstasy flickered in Zhang Qingxiao’s eyes; the power of Spirit Arrow Technique completely exceeded his expectations.

Used in conjunction with Fireball Technique, it was simply a perfect match.

After testing the power of Spirit Arrow Technique, Zhang Qingxiao became even more expectant of Ice Technique.

“Knock! Knock! Knock!”

“Daoist Zhang, I am Liang Ming. Could you please come out for a moment?”

Just as dusk fell, the courtyard gate of Zhang Qingxiao’s house was knocked upon, followed by a familiar voice.

Zhang Qingxiao, who was Cultivating, quickly stopped his Cultivation, got up, and jogged to the courtyard, opening the gate.

Outside the courtyard gate, Liang Ming stood at the entrance, his clothes stained with blood and his face pale.

Behind him followed his granddaughter, Liang Qiao’er, whose eyes were red, clearly having cried.

“Fellow Daoist Liang, Qiao’er, please come in.”

Seeing them in such a state, Zhang Qingxiao guessed that something must have happened at Liang Ming’s home, so he quickly invited them into the courtyard.

Liang Ming had not held back anything when he taught him Alchemy some time ago.

This allowed him to quickly master the method for refining Yellow Dragon Pill in a short period, saving him a lot of trouble.

Now that Liang Ming had come to his door, both emotionally and logically, he could not turn them away.

“Qiao’er, you go in. I need to say a few words to Daoist Zhang.”

Liang Ming stroked his granddaughter’s head, his face full of loving affection.

“Fellow Daoist Liang, let’s go inside and talk.”

Zhang Qingxiao gestured for Liang Qiao’er to enter the courtyard and continued to invite Liang Ming.

“Daoist Zhang, I don’t have much time left. I want to ask you to take Qiao’er as your personal maid.”

“These are my lifetime Alchemy experiences, as well as the Pill Formula for Qi Condensation Pill and Foundation Establishment Pill, and this Storage Pouch. I’m giving them all to Daoist Zhang.”

“I hope Fellow Daoist can agree to my request.”

As Liang Ming spoke, he was about to kneel but was pulled up by Zhang Qingxiao.

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Qingxiao still couldn’t bring himself to refuse and nodded slightly, agreeing to Liang Ming’s request.

Liang Ming knew his life was at its end and that he likely wouldn't see tomorrow’s sun.

He didn't follow Zhang Qingxiao into the courtyard. At the courtyard gate, he reluctantly glanced at Liang Qiao’er a few times, then bowed deeply to Zhang Qingxiao, turned, and left.

He came to Zhang Qingxiao this time not because he had no other friends.

It was just that the strength of those friends was relatively strong, and if he really sent his granddaughter there, he didn't know what the outcome would be.

Although he hadn't interacted much with Zhang Qingxiao, with his experienced eye, he could discern his character.

Furthermore, his granddaughter's strength was not low, and there was a possibility of her becoming an Outer Sect Disciple in the future, making staying with Zhang Qingxiao the best choice.

“Let’s go. We’ll go back to the room first and help you clear out a sleeping room.”

Zhang Qingxiao didn't have many rooms here. Besides the one he slept and performed Alchemy in, the other rooms were filled with miscellaneous items and needed a good tidying up to be habitable.

“Yes, Master.”

Liang Qiao’er quickly settled into her role.

Before coming, her grandfather had instructed her to adjust her attitude and adapt to her current identity.

She was over twelve and almost thirteen. Children living here matured early.

Knowing the cruelty of this world, being able to follow Zhang Qingxiao, have food to eat, and live stably was already very rare, and she dared not have any other extravagant hopes.

“Don’t call me Master. Call me Brother Zhang, or Brother Fellow cultivator Zhang.”

Zhang Qingxiao also had a headache now, unsure how to get along with this little girl for the time being.

He couldn't possibly treat her like a maid.

To him, a twelve-year-old girl was just a child.

“Brother Fellow cultivator Zhang, let me tidy up.”

“At home, I always helped Grandpa tidy up the rooms and do chores.”

Upon reaching a room next to the main hall, the little girl immediately began tidying up.

Seeing her skilled movements, Zhang Qingxiao couldn't help but nod slightly and joined in the tidying.

Half an hour later, the room was spotless.

All the miscellaneous items were moved to other rooms by the two of them.

Then, Zhang Qingxiao brought a brand new set of bedding from his bedroom.

“Tonight, you’ll have to make do with staying here for now.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll get you a better bed.”

Zhang Qingxiao usually lived alone, so where would he find an extra bed now?

It was already good enough to find a door panel to use as a bed.

“Thank you, Brother Fellow cultivator Zhang. This is already very good. There’s no need to get a new bed.”

Liang Qiao’er waved her hands repeatedly, speaking very obediently and sensibly.

“Alright, get some rest early.”

Returning to his own room, Zhang Qingxiao rubbed his head and finally could only sigh helplessly.

He had no other way to deal with Liang Qiao’er’s situation for now, so he could only take her in.

Liang Qiao’er’s performance tonight was much better than he had expected.

Although Liang Ming doted on this little granddaughter, he hadn't taught her nothing.

Moreover, the little girl, at twelve years old, was already at Qi Refining Level 3. Even if she often took Yellow Dragon Pill to Cultivate, her talent wouldn't be too bad.

If he started nurturing her now, he might even be able to Cultivate a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Thinking this, Zhang Qingxiao slowly began to accept this reality.

He took out the Storage Pouch Liang Ming had given him and began to infuse Qi into it. It took about a third of his Qi before he established a mental connection with the Storage Pouch.

The Storage Pouch was the most common type, only three cubic meters in size.

Inside the space, besides Liang Ming’s Alchemy experience and the Pill Formulas for Qi Condensation Pill and Foundation Establishment Pill, there were also four jade bottles and a slip of paper.

The slip of paper recorded the quantity of Medicinal Pills in these jade bottles: thirty Pi Gu Pill, twenty Yellow Dragon Pill, fifty Golden Marrow Pill, and ten Qi Condensation Pill.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated on the paper, Zhang Qingxiao could guess that these were all prepared for Liang Qiao’er.

It wasn’t stated because Liang Ming knew very well that if Zhang Qingxiao didn’t want to give these Medicinal Pills to Liang Qiao’er, writing it down would be useless.

Not writing it down, on the contrary, might make Zhang Qingxiao give Liang Qiao’er some Medicinal Pills out of consideration for all the items he left behind.

“He truly put a lot of thought into this.”

“Fellow Daoist Liang, rest assured. I will not mistreat Liang Qiao’er when it comes to Medicinal Pills.”

Zhang Qingxiao kept fiddling with the Storage Pouch, putting things in and taking them out, taking them out and putting them in.

After playing for about half an hour, he felt somewhat bored.

He put all the Medicinal Pills he had refined these days, his Magical Artifact longsword, and the Talismans he carried into the Storage Pouch.

He sat cross-legged on the bed and continued to Cultivate.

In the middle of the night, hearing exclamations from the neighboring courtyard, Zhang Qingxiao immediately woke up, rushed out of his room, and without bothering to open the courtyard gate, he directly jumped over the wall and flipped into Zhou Yun’s home.