"Martial Uncle, are you leaving because the Sect Master misunderstood things about you?" Zhai Ge asked urgently.
"No." Lu Qing's tone was calm and even. "After so many years, my cultivation hasn't improved at all. It's time for me to go out and truly enhance myself."
"Where are you going?" Zhai Ge was silent for a moment before asking.
"Tian Ling Sect." Lu Qing did not hide anything. "Only Tian Ling Sect can help me grow quickly."
The words of persuasion lingered on Zhai Ge's tongue, but he couldn't utter a single one. Lu Qing had been at the Hundred Herbs Hall for many years. If he wanted to seek a broader horizon, as a junior martial nephew, Zhai Ge had no excuse to detain him.
"Did Tian Ling Sect send you an invitation, Martial Uncle?"
"Yes." Lu Qing said calmly. "If I stay here, I won't make any progress. I can't possibly have juniors surpass me while I remain stagnant."
"Juniors surpassing you?" Zhai Ge was greatly surprised. Had Xiao Man already surpassed Martial Uncle? Was that why Martial Uncle felt pressured, sought growth, and wanted to leave?
"Are you referring to Xiao Qin?"
Lu Qing suddenly smiled and looked at Zhai Ge. "In the future, her name will be renowned throughout the world. She will surely become the most remarkable person on the Cang Xuan Continent!"
"It seems Martial Uncle has high hopes for her."
"More than high hopes!" Lu Qing's voice was full of conviction. "She is all my hope!"
Zhai Ge didn't understand. Until Lu Qing departed, he hadn't grasped the full meaning.
"Third Martial Brother, why are you here?"
"Sect Master Brother, Martial Uncle has left and won't return!"
Sect Master Zhu Qing had locked himself in his room and refused to come out. He was almost driven to despair. The Divine Farmer's Cauldron was lost, and Martial Uncle had been angered away. He had lost both fortune and people!
Zhai Ge and Xuan Hu had tried to persuade him outside his door for a long time, but he still wouldn't emerge. He believed that his suspicion of Lu Qing stealing the Divine Farmer's Cauldron had caused Lu Qing to leave in anger. Now, with the Divine Farmer's Cauldron lost and without Lu Qing's presence, the Hundred Herbs Hall was in peril.
The Sect Master sighed continuously, pondering how to salvage the situation. But now, the whereabouts of the Divine Farmer's Cauldron were unknown, Lu Qing had vanished, and the trials for the Trial Ground were about to begin!
Zhai Ge knocked on the door for a long time with no response from within. He couldn't help but spread his hands. "Second Martial Brother, Sect Master Brother he..."
Xuan Hu wanted to smash the door open but restrained himself, considering the consequences.
"If only Junior Sister were here at this time!" Xuan Hu dearly missed Jun Fei'er's presence. Normally, Jun Fei'er was a bit unruly, with the only person she feared being Martial Uncle. Now that Martial Uncle was gone, the only one daring enough to barge into the Sect Master's room would be her.
"What, you miss me after only a few days away?" Speaking of the devil, Jun Fei'er's figure appeared at the courtyard entrance, and she hurried over.
"Junior Sister, you're finally back! Sect Master Brother he..."
Jun Fei'er instantly reached the door, kicked it open, and barged in. "Sect Master Brother, my disciple has been bullied!"
Xuan Hu and Zhai Ge hadn't had time to explain the reason before Jun Fei'er kicked the door in. The expressions on their faces were contorted, but this was exactly what they wanted. They immediately followed her in.
The Sect Master was slumped over his desk, looking utterly dejected. He raised his head to glance at Jun Fei'er, then continued to rest his head down. The Divine Farmer's Cauldron was lost, Martial Uncle had been offended. It was all over!
Jun Fei'er immediately grabbed Sect Master Zhu Qing by the collar. "Sect Master Brother, my disciple has been bullied!"
"Hmph, it would be more likely that she bullies others. Who would dare to bully her?" The Sect Master said irritably. If he didn't fear Martial Uncle Lu, whom would he fear? Martial Uncle Lu might have a way to find him back!
"Where is Xiao Qin? Who bullied her?"
"Xiao Qin was captured!"
Sect Master Zhu Qing shot up. Being captured, wasn't this just adding insult to injury?
"By whom was she captured?"
"I don't know." Jun Fei'er clutched the Sect Master's sleeve. "My disciple is so pitiful. While hunting in the Eastern Yue Forest, she encountered some demonic cultivators who intended to kill the disciples of Eastern Yue Forest. My disciple somehow ran into their hands. They insisted on killing my disciple. When a powerful expert arrived to help and broke the barrier, everyone came out, but my disciple was nowhere to be seen!"
"Do you know who the killer was?"
"I don't know either. I only know the opponent had very high cultivation and was killed by a mysterious man. But my disciple's whereabouts are also unknown. I'm worried something has happened to her."
"Junior Sister, you needn't worry about that." Zhai Ge interjected. "When Martial Uncle Lu left, he said that Xiao Qin would participate in the trials of this Trial Ground."
"Martial Uncle has returned?" Jun Fei'er's face lit up upon hearing that Lu Qing had returned. Xiao Man was with Lu Qing. If Lu Qing returned, it meant her precious disciple was also back. "Where is Martial Uncle? I'll go find him."
Zhai Ge furtively glanced at the Sect Master, hesitating to speak.
"Third Martial Brother, I'm asking you, where is Martial Uncle?"
"Martial Uncle has left."
"Left? Where did he go?" Jun Fei'er asked, bewildered.
"Sect Master Brother wrongly accused Martial Uncle of stealing. Martial Uncle left the Hundred Herbs Hall in anger and likely will never return," Zhai Ge said truthfully, feeling a prickling sensation on his scalp under Jun Fei'er's gaze.
"Sect Master Brother!"
Zhu Qing flinched. "I didn't suspect Martial Uncle. Martial Uncle misunderstood!"
"Sect Master Brother, what in the sect is something Martial Uncle cannot take?" Jun Fei'er asked with furrowed brows. "Let alone other things, even this position of Sect Master, Martial Uncle could have it if he wanted!"
The Sect Master's face instantly turned scarlet. "No, that thing cannot be moved!"
"What cannot be moved?" Jun Fei'er reprimanded. "The only person who cannot be harmed in the Hundred Herbs Hall is Martial Uncle. If anything were to happen to Martial Uncle, the Hundred Herbs Hall would be finished!"
The Sect Master fell silent. How could he not know what Lu Qing meant to the Hundred Herbs Hall? But at that moment, he had been so frantic about the news of the Divine Farmer's Cauldron being stolen that he had forgotten Lu Qing's importance.
"Now, tell me, what should we do?"
"Find... Martial Uncle to come back?"
"I'm afraid Martial Uncle won't return," Zhai Ge poured a bucket of cold water on them. "Martial Uncle said that the later generations surpass the former, and he cannot stand still. So he went to Tian Ling Sect."
"To Tian Ling Sect..."
Everyone fell silent. If Lu Qing had merely left in anger, he might have been persuaded to humble himself, apologize, and perhaps be convinced to return. But if he had gone to Tian Ling Sect, then they wouldn't even have the words to dissuade him.
"Martial Uncle went to Tian Ling Sect, so where did my dear disciple go?" Jun Fei'er asked abruptly after a long silence. "Martial Uncle can leave, but my disciple cannot be harmed!"
Zhai Ge and Xuan Hu stared at Jun Fei'er with disbelief. Wasn't it just moments ago that she said the Sect Master could be in trouble, but Martial Uncle Lu could not? And now, Martial Uncle could be in trouble, but your disciple absolutely cannot be!