When she saw her handsome Master wolving down his food, Hua Qiyue retreated helplessly to one side and tried to cultivate. She was at the lower levels of the Dragon Diagram Realm. She did not know how long she would take to reach the middle levels. Her earlier promotion had been quick and enjoyable.

Her Spirit Summoning Art was only at Lv 3. She was still quite far away from Lv 4.

Her present power, however, meant that Hua Qiyue did not need to feel constrained when dealing with certain Qi Art masters. After all, she also knew Mourning Steps, Spirit Summoning Art and other special footworks and skills that Tianpi had trained her.

Even though she was at a lower level, she was still many times more powerful than a Qi Artist one level above her.

Hua Qiyue sat by the pond, converging the Spiritual Qi from the heavens and the earth. She began to cultivate slowly. Several hours pa.s.sed and nothing happened.

Previously, Hua Qiyue would improve by a small level after three or four hours of cultivation. That was why Tianpi called her a "perverse genius"!

Hua Qiyue saw those pure Spiritual Qi from the heavens and the earth course slowly through her meridians. They were neither fast nor slow. It did not look as if she was improving.

At the point of breakthrough, all these Spiritual Qi would gush around like torrential flood waters.

Finally, Hua Qiyue got out of her cultivation state, exhausted. She opened her eyes and stared into Tianpi's smiling, narrowing eyes.

Tianpi had a green stalk of gra.s.s in his mouth. His eyes arced and his diabolical face was full of mockery.

"What are you staring at? Haven't you seen a beautiful woman before? I don't know what's the problem... I didn't manage to break into the next level this time," Hua Qiyue complained.

Tianpi giggled and stared askance at Hua Qiyue. "You think that promotion now is as simple as eating rice in the past? That you can break through in three hours or four? Both Qi Artists and Spirit Summoners will find it more and more difficult to progress, the higher their cultivations. You should know that! Some people will remain forever at the lower levels of the Dragon Diagram Realm, not progressing to the next level. Some cannot even reach the lower levels... That's why Qi Artists at the higher levels of the Dragon Diagram Realm are rare presences in this world... "

Hua Qiyue heard him and could not help being disappointed.

Naturally, she would like herself to progress very rapidly and become as powerful as she could, so that she could face all difficulties in the future. She could not let Tianci suffer the tiniest injury.

At least, what happened in her previous life could not happen again!

"Only a hundred or so Qi Artists in Tianyuan Continent are at the upper levels of the Dragon Diagram Realm! Those include Qi Artists living in seclusion. Few Qi Artists hanker after fame and profit. That's why the Changlong Emperor values you so highly," Tianpi answered her, smiling.

Hua Qiyue nodded. It was because of the paucity of Qi Artists, and the fact that not everyone could become one, which made them so hot in Tianyuan Continent.

Of course, there were only three Spirit Summoners in Tianyuan Continent. Theirs were the most mysterious and respected profession in the world.

"In other words, it will take me much longer to break through in future?" Hua Qiyue frowned, helplessly tidying her hair, left disheveled by the Spiritual Qi she was drawing in.

Her move had a feminine allure in it. Tianpi's heart skipped a beat. He nodded, pretending not to have noticed. "That's right. However... it sometimes depends on luck. Even a genius will meet with a bottleneck. But you may be able to break through at certain points."

Tianpi said nonchalantly, patting his rotund belly satisfactorily. "The Plum Blossom Wine today is not bad. Bring me a few more flasks the next time!"

The corner of Hua Qiyue's mouth twitched. "You mean you drank both flasks?"

"How much is there in two? Not enough to fill my belly!"

"Very well, to treat my Master, I shall bring you six!" Hua Qiyue smiled and stretched her tired back. She had to go back and keep her son company. Right now, Tianci must be waiting for her on the couch after his bath!

Ever since he lost his memory, the young fellow no longer harbored a dark past. Now, he really regarded Hua Qiyue as his real mother.

As he watched Hua Qiyue disappear, Tianpi's smiling eyes seemed to be glazed over with yellow dust, losing all l.u.s.ter.

He felt an emptiness in his heart. He touched his chest where his heart was. Tianpi sneered coldly. "Devils are supposed to be totally heartless. Why do I feel something in me, a lingering feeling? Am I going to be released soon?"

Between the heavens and the earth, sunlight quickly paled, to be replaced by the faint, warm and personable light of spring. Divine flowers, rare herbs, ancient trees soaring into the sky.... What a perfect world.

——————

Hua Qiyue sat on the couch, watching the soundly asleep Tianci's little face. The young fellow wore the trace of a smile even when asleep. He looked very satisfied.

A transparent thread of saliva slowly dribbled out from the corner of his mouth. Hua Qiyue found him so adorable.

The impetus of her entire life was Tianci. She had learned Qi Art and Spirit Summoning Art only to ensure that the two of them wouldn't be facing any more manipulation and torture.

Hua Qiyue lay down, exhausted. When you reached a higher level in Qi Art, cultivation became harder. Sometimes, you would feel tired everywhere. All the cells and meridians in your body would ache as if something inside had burst.

This kind of pain would last only for four hours, but those four hours would be very hard to endure. Very few Qi Artists were women because the pain could not be endured by most women.

"Master obviously isn't as relaxed as he once was. He seemed to be hiding some secret. Of course, I don't know his true ident.i.ty, but what he's keeping from me is a new secret... What made him do that?" Hua Qiyue thought quietly to herself. Although she was lying beside Tianci, her heart was still full of unease.

Something even Tianpi was worrying about could not be good.

However, he did not tell her. Hua Qiyue had no way or ability to make him talk. Never mind, she had better just do her part as a disciple. Everything else could wait.

The next day, Hua Qiyue noticed that the Old Madame was in a bad mood. She kept her company for the whole morning. She kept telling her jokes and finally caused a smile to appear on the Old Madame's face. After lunch around noon, Hua Qiyue finally brought Tianci to Prince Nan's mansion.

It was because Yun s.h.i.+mo had asked specially for Tianci to be brought here. Hua Qiyue did not want to disappoint her son.

The young fellow liked Yun s.h.i.+mo so much. He even called him Dad in his dreams...

After bringing Tianci to the doorstep of Prince Nan's mansion, Hua Qiyue began to grin. "Tianci, go in by yourself. Mother needs to visit Grandpa Ji. I will bring you home when I return."

Hua Qiyue had contacted Ji Zhong and his people after the compet.i.tion. They understood her situation and told her to resolve Tianci's problem first.

Now that everything was in order, Hua Qiyue had to give the Ji family an answer.

Tianci wrinkled his handsome brows. He asked childishly, "Mother, aren't you seeing Dad together with me?"

"Mother has no time. I will come for you in the afternoon. Be good. Go in!" Hua Qiyue caressed his head gently and left heartlessly in the carriage. Tianci sighed like an adult. He entered listlessly. He had wanted to give Dad a chance to get close to Mum, but Mum had left him at the doorstep instead.

The two door apprentices heard the conversation between the mother and son and their jaws fell to the ground!

Tianci had just entered when he saw Yun s.h.i.+mo drifting out like a cloud. He was so graceful, leaving no trace behind. He was sauntering leisurely around the courtyard.

He was like a totally unblemished immortal. His profoundly dark pupils were clear as the cloudless sky. Tianci became happy the moment he saw Yun s.h.i.+mo. He forgot about Hua Qiyue abandoning him.

"Dad!" The little fellow opened his arms and dashed into Yun s.h.i.+mo's.

Yun s.h.i.+mo felt a warmth in his heart. A tinge of complicated emotion flashed across his profound pupils, disappearing almost instantaneously.

He caught and lifted the onrus.h.i.+ng Tianci, fondling his head gently. "Where's your mother?"

"Mother has gone to see Grandpa Ji. She says she has an important matter to see to. She asks me to see Dad myself!"

Tianci blinked his lucid, inky eyes and smiled. He was a child but bright. He riveted his eyes quietly on Yun s.h.i.+mo's face.

Yun s.h.i.+mo's countenance fell a bit and he snorted coldly in his heart. "What an irresponsible woman! She simply left her son here. Obviously, she doesn't wish to see me!"

That woman was such an ingrate. After all, wasn't he Tianci's benefactor? Now she avoided him like the plague, as if it would kill her to see him once. He did not feel good at all!

"But Mother promised to come here for supper!" Little Tianci smiled slyly. Yun s.h.i.+mo's dissatisfaction alleviated somewhat. For some reason, he no longer felt so much resentment.

"Alright. Dad's got it."

He answered quietly and carried Tianci into his mansion. Bingyi by his side kept shaking his head. Oh dear, that's the end. My good master has become a kid's dad! The pitiful Prince Nan was still unmarried. Yet this perfect man now had a son. All the infatuated girls in the capital would be devastated.

Yet Bingyi stared at the disappearing man and boy, Yun s.h.i.+mo with Tianci in his arms... they were so intimate, so harmonious, like white clouds and blue sky, crimson flowers and green willow leaves, perfectly intergrating into a pure, natural scenic painting...

Sigh. Never mind. Master has been bewitched. As a servant, how could he save his master?

The gentle, lovely scene dispelled some of Bingyi's prejudice toward Hua Qiyue. It seemed engraved in his heart. Even in the ensuing upheavals, it remained the most distinct, most memorable scene he could remember...

——————

Hua Qiyue headed for Ji Zhong's private rooms and found them having lunch. Hua Qiyue had already notified Butler w.a.n.g of her visit today at Ji Zhong's.

Now, it seemed that they were deliberately waiting for her to take her meal with them.

"Sister Qiyue, you are finally here! We've been waiting for a long time!" Ji Jing jumped up joyfully and went up to pull Hua Qiyue's arm.

Hua Qiyue smiled apologetically and cupped her fists. "I'm so sorry, I'm late. Old Mr. Ji, Brother Ji, Sister Ji, please forgive me."

Ji Zhong rose with a smile. "Don't be so courteous, Princess Jinghua. Please sit!"

Ji Yang stared at Hua Qiyue from the corners of his eyes. Although Hua Qiyue's beauty had charmed him, he still felt much resentment when she was asked into the family as a disciple.

Ji Yang was still young. He did not know how to hide his feelings. Nothing escaped Ji Feng's eyes.

"That's right. It's good that you are here, Sister Qiyue. We are really looking forward to your company!"

Ji Jing happily showed Hua Qiyue to her seat. The waiter quickly served her tea. After that, Ji Feng's gentle face turned toward Hua Qiyue with a smile. "Qiyue, we have something to tell you."

---------------

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