Chapter 4

"Master Yue, the fragrant bath is ready. Would you like to bathe now?" Zuo Qingfeng's pleasant voice sounded from outside the door.

Yue Qing stood up: "I'll go now." He picked up Situ Ping and followed Zuo Qingfeng to the Soul Bath Cave.

The Soul Bath Cave was located behind the Human Soul Cave and was used for the three cave masters to bathe. Sometimes, they would also bring their female disciples for a couple's bath, so it was decorated very intricately. The ground was paved with warm jade, and there was a rockery in the center. To the south was a hot spring, with steam rising from the pool, and petals floating on the surface. There was also a spring on the top of the rockery, which formed a waterfall to the north, with clear and refreshing water.

Yue Qing untied his hair and took off his tattered robe. Seeing Zuo Qingfeng also undressing, he coughed awkwardly: "You don't need to serve me here. Go prepare some snacks."

Zuo Qingfeng bowed: "Should I make the lotus root powder cake again? I remember Master praised it highly."

Yue Qing patted Situ Ping's head: "It doesn't matter if I eat or not. After being here for half a day, the child must be very hungry."

Zuo Qingfeng said: "Then I'll bring a bowl of new cheese."

Yue Qing didn't know what cheese was, but he guessed it was something a child could eat, so he nodded and let her prepare it.

After undressing and removing Situ Ping's red bib, he carried him into the pool. The warm water slowly rose to his chest. Situ Ping was a bit scared and clung tightly to his arm. Yue Qing walked to the rockery and placed Situ Ping on a rock, starting to wash his legs.

Yue Qing could feel that Situ Ping was very afraid of him, even to the point of fear. He didn't dare to say a word, sitting obediently as Yue Qing washed his feet. Yue Qing asked: "What's your name?"

Situ Ping looked at him with wide, frightened eyes and slowly answered after a moment: "Situ Ping."

"Oh, Situ Ping, how old are you this year?"

Situ Ping thought for a moment: "Three, three years old."

"Good, you remember that. Do you know who I am?"

Situ Ping visibly trembled and said cautiously: "You, you are a god."

"Ha ha! How do you know I'm a god?" Yue Qing's mood was clearly much better. He picked up Situ Ping and placed him on a lower rock, letting the water cover his waist, and continued to wash his arms.

Situ Ping said: "My nanny used to tell me stories about gods, saying that those who can fly are gods."

Yue Qing patted Situ Ping's rosy face, which was steamed by the water: "Do you want to become a god who can fly like me?"

Situ Ping blinked: "Yes."

"Then you should call me Master, and I'll teach you how to fly. Is that okay?"

Situ Ping hesitated for a moment and nodded, calling: "Master."

"Good boy!" Yue Qing took out the Hundred Flowers Ointment to wash his hair and body, placing him on the rockery. As he washed himself, he said, "I'll teach you a set of incantations. If you can memorize them, I'll teach you how to fly. If you can't, Master will punish you. Listen carefully: 'My body has three treasures, essence, energy, and spirit. Essence transforms into energy, energy transforms into spirit, and spirit and energy return to the void, becoming ethereal.'"

Situ Ping sat obediently on the rock and repeated in a childish voice: "My body has three treasures, essence, energy, and spirit..."

As Yue Qing washed himself and taught Situ Ping the incantations, he found his mood improving. He carefully washed every inch of his skin several times, and the irritations of the past and the uncertainties of the future gradually dissipated.

He began to feel that he had no reason to be unhappy. As Yue Qing, he had gained a second life, transforming from a poor orphan who had to earn a living by selling things on the street to a god who could fly and live for a hundred years, something he had never even dreamed of. As Yue Qibin, he had the perspective of a god, knowing the direction of the Emei Sect's development, the next moves of the Three Immortals and Two Elders, and the locations of various treasures. Although he had only read half of the Emei series in the night market, he had a general idea of the direction. Combined with the先天神卦 (先天神卦, a mystical divination technique) passed down by his sect, he could seize the initiative before the Emei Sect acted!

"Tail and spine, jade pillow, spirit and energy in the three dantians, the three posterior and anterior gates, passing through the three and three to become a sage!" He recited the Wutai Sect's introductory cultivation method, and Situ Ping sat on the rockery, repeating it diligently. The clear child's voice echoed with the sound of the flowing water in the cave.

"Master Yue, the cheese is ready, along with your favorite lotus root powder cake and Immortal Drunkenness." Zuo Qingfeng entered with a food box, taking out a plate of delicately made cakes, a silver wine pot inlaid with gems, and a bowl of cheese, placing them on a jade table by the water for eating during the bath.

Yue Qing first looked at the cheese, understanding that it was made from milk. He took a small spoonful and tasted it, finding it sweet and rich with a strong milk aroma. He then took a piece of the lotus root powder cake, which was about the size of a thumb, and found it quite delicious: "You've put a lot of effort into this."

Zuo Qingfeng smiled: "If Master is satisfied, I am content." She then looked at the part of Yue Qing's body that was above the water and asked tentatively, "Master, would you like me to rub your back?"

Yue Qing waved his hand: "No, I'm almost done. You can go now."

Zuo Qingfeng's eyes showed a hint of disappointment, but she responded and left.

Yue Qing fed Situ Ping the cheese. Situ Ping was quite hungry but still said cautiously: "Master, you eat first."

"You eat. Master has already passed the fasting period, so it doesn't matter if I eat or not."

Situ Ping took another couple of bites: "Master, I can eat by myself."

"Really? My disciple is so capable. Show Master how you can eat by yourself."

Situ Ping took the spoon and carefully scooped the cheese into his mouth without spilling a drop.

Yue Qing praised him with a smile and let the child eat on his own. He swam a few laps in the water, then got out, dried himself, and put on the clothes Zuo Qingfeng had prepared for him: underpants, middle clothes, a long robe, a belt, socks, and thin boots. Each piece was both familiar and strange. His hair was not completely dry, so he tied it back with a silver thread.

By the time he was done, Situ Ping had finished the bowl of cheese. Yue Qing washed his head, face, and hands, and dressed him in a small jacket and short pants with shoes, then held his hand and walked out of the Soul Bath Cave. They followed the narrow corridor back to the Earth Soul Cave, where the Three Immortals of Mengu Slope were already waiting.

Night Roaming Taishui was about thirty years old, tall and thin, with a yellowish complexion. His hair, tied in a golden crown, looked like withered grass. He had long arms and legs and was very thin, wearing a yellow robe. White Ghost Face He Xiaoshan was short, only reaching Qi Deng's chest, with a deathly pale face and white hair, wearing a white scholar's robe. Ghost Shadow Xiao Longzi was even taller than Qi Deng but was as thin as a sheet of paper, easily blown away by a strong wind. His skin was also quite pale, but it had a faint blackish hue, like a corpse that had died from poisoning, cold and lifeless.

They had only a few decades of cultivation and had received much guidance from Yue Qibin in the past, so they were very polite to him. When he entered, they all gathered around: "Brother Yue, why didn't the Divine Infant Sword succeed?"

Yue Qing sat down, took the tea Zuo Qingfeng offered, and sipped it slowly, recounting what had happened. However, he did not mention that Xu Feiniang had saved him, as Xu Feiniang was currently in a "lying low" state, even getting close to the Emei Sect, often visiting Qi Shuming's wife on Mount Jiuhua. It was not a good time to reveal her yet. He only said that an old friend had happened to pass by and helped drive away Jiang Xuejun, saving him.

"Jiang Xuejun!" Qi Deng slapped the table and trembled, "Why is it that woman!"