I am Guhuoniao, not an umbrella demon, please do not disturb me.

A moment later, the whole family gathered around the dining table; everyone was there except for the little snake. Dong Qing seemed no different from usual, and seeing this, Bai Qingyu knew she had already made up her mind.

This is actually quite good. There are still one or two weeks before Tianyang Palace recruits disciples. During such a long time, she doesn't want to see Dongqing with a worried little face every day.

The meal was quiet but warm, and Bai Qingyu told Dong Qing about Xiao Lan's story.

Xiao Lan was a girl they met when they lived in the village. She caught the eye of a lord in the county town and became his concubine. This lord lived in this small county town. Bai Qingyu happened to meet this family when she was telling fortunes. It seemed that she was the lord's legal wife. She casually inquired and learned about Xiao Lan's current life.

Just as Bai Qingyu said, once Xiao Lan went to the mansion, her status was higher than that of a maid, equivalent to a high-ranking maid. The difference was that she had to serve the master every night, making her life miserable.

However, she did achieve her goal, leaving the small mountain village behind and from then on living a life free from worries about food and clothing, and able to eat her fill at every meal.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was relaxed and pleasant, and no one mentioned Feng Yuan and Dong Qing.

In the days that followed, Bai Qingyu noticed that Dongqing had become more diligent.

Back in the mountains, Dongqing did all the laundry herself, and only her own. During this time, she started offering to do Bai Qingyu's laundry and cooking, taking on many chores and leaving Bai Qingyu with plenty of free time.

The reason is actually quite simple: when the time for parting came, Holly finally learned what it means to cherish.

Cherish every day spent with Bai Qingyu.

He reduced his sword practice time each day, and spent his free time chatting with Bai Qingyu and massaging her shoulders.

Suddenly realizing how much she had wronged Bai Qingyu, Dongqing vowed that this departure was only temporary, not permanent. She promised to take good care of Bai Qingyu and provide for her in her old age once she had learned the necessary skills.

If Bai Qingyu knew that Dong Qing had this idea, she would definitely give her little head a few whacks. She was still young; in the demon world, being in her thirties or forties meant that for 99% of demons, it was just the beginning.

Despite her age, Bai Qingyu is practically a little girl among demons.

Living such a comfortable life, Bai Qingyu almost didn't want Dongqing to leave. Time flew by, and more than a week later...

Before dawn, the outside world became noisy. Families with children were all heading to the military camp in the east of the city, because starting today, Tianyang Palace and other major sects would be recruiting disciples.

Ten days later is New Year's Eve, and all the children who have passed the test must be taken to Shenhua Mountain before New Year's Eve.

Bai Qingyu also got up very early, sat in front of the bronze mirror to fix her hair, and then began to pack Dong Qing's luggage to make sure that nothing was forgotten.

Over the past few days, Dongqing has not told her about her choice, nor is it necessary. If she wanted to reject Fengyuan, she should have let Bai Qingyu leave a few days ago and set off from the county town to continue her journey.

After packing her things, Bai Qingyu pushed open the door and saw Dong Qing standing there. Upon seeing her, Dong Qing knelt down without a word, as if all her emotions had erupted at that moment.

"Auntie, I'm sorry."

·

Only when the time of parting truly arrives do we realize the peace and happiness of our past lives. We part today, not knowing when we will meet again. She said she could return to find her aunt when her cultivation reaches a high level, but cultivation is not a matter of a day or two, nor a year or two. The next time we meet might be ten years or twenty years from now.

The little girl, with red eyes and tears streaming down her face, couldn't control herself. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed, expressing her gratitude for Bai Qingyu's nurturing over the years. She said that she wouldn't be able to come back to take care of her aunt in the future, and she would definitely make it up to her then.

Bai Qingyu was already feeling heavy-hearted, and seeing Dong Qing's reaction almost made her lose control of her tears. In reality, the tears were evaporated by Dong Qing's demonic power as soon as they started to flow.

“Aunt, I want to go to Tianyang Palace to cultivate, but I promise that I will come down the mountain to visit you every year. When I have achieved great success in my cultivation, I will definitely stay by your side to take care of you and support you in your old age.”

Bai Qingyu was truly heartbroken. How could she just part ways with the child she had raised single-handedly? But Dong Qing's words instantly broke her composure, her eyelids twitching. What did she mean by "coming back to fulfill filial duties"? What did she mean by "taking care of her in her old age"? Was she that old? Anyone who didn't know better would think she was saying goodbye to her elderly mother!

These words lessened the somber atmosphere considerably, leaving Bai Qingyu unsure whether to laugh or be angry.

I really want to say that your aunt is not yet seventy or eighty years old. Even if she were, your aunt would still be considered a young girl among the demons!

Seeing how heartbroken Holly was, I decided to give up.

"Alright, it's not like we can't meet again. I wish my Dongqing will soon become a great sword immortal, so that he will have the strength to protect your aunt in the future."

Bai Qingyu helped the little girl up from the ground, patted her head, and gently comforted her.

"All good things must come to an end. What is united will eventually be divided, and what is divided will eventually be united. After you go to Shenhua Mountain, focus on your cultivation and don't worry about anything else. Your aunt's strength is still quite formidable."

After packing my things, I carried my small bundle outside.

Bai Qingyu comforted her, "After you go to the mountain gate, you will have to learn to take care of yourself, just like you have these past few days."

"Focus on practicing your sword and cultivating your skills. It's not your place to slay demons and monsters for now. Don't be arrogant once your cultivation level improves. There are always people stronger than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. You must go all out against even the weakest opponent. Also, remember to finish off your enemies after you've killed them. Make sure they're dead before you leave, or they'll just keep coming back."

"There's one more thing, although I really don't want to say it, but I have to say it: sometimes you can't be so honest and straightforward. Wherever there are people, there's a social hierarchy. If you're honest and don't have many tricks up your sleeve, others will think you're easy to bully and will gang up on you."

"In short, don't go looking for trouble with others, but don't let others come looking for trouble with you either. If someone picks a fight, fight them or kill them if necessary. Your master's status is extraordinary, so don't be so cowardly."

"Remember this, especially when it comes to dealing with people, you must be careful."

"One should not have the heart to harm others, but one must be wary of others."

On the way to the barracks, which was also the place where Tianyang Palace recruited disciples, Bai Qingyu kept talking non-stop, earnestly giving advice. In the past, if she had spoken like this, Dong Qing would have let it go in one ear and out the other, but today she listened with extra care.

From a distance, the long queue could be seen.

The county town isn't big, and there are many families with children. Parents who have come in previous years are still unwilling to give up and want to try again, thinking that providing them with good food and drink for a year will instantly improve their child's talent. Anyway, it won't affect anything, so they'll just try their luck.

Tianyang Palace has a rule that children who fail in previous years cannot participate again for three years. But when this is said, the people in the city just ignore it. So many children have gone through so much time, how would you know that my child has been here before?

Therefore, the area outside the military camp appeared chaotic.

In reality, the recruitment of disciples in each prefecture and county is done on a rotating basis. This year it is the turn of one batch and the next year it is the turn of another batch. It is a helpless measure, after all, the manpower of Tianyang Palace is limited, and there is no way to cover every prefecture and county.

It's important to know that there are not only county towns, but also villages and towns under them. People in these small places usually have special disciples who go there to randomly check the talents and potential of children in the villages and towns, much like star scouting.

Bai Qingyu saw many familiar figures in the crowd; they were all people who had come to her for fortune telling.

Looking back now, I realize I was quite clever not to continue calculating like that.

There's absolutely no need for that. No matter what the outcome, these parents will eventually bring their children over. So why not just hand the villain over to Tianyang Palace? She can't stand being questioned by a group of angry parents.

Bai Qingyu didn't take Dong Qing through the back door, but instead joined the queue at the back.

Let Holly get a feel for the atmosphere first.

Bai Qingyu didn't attract much attention; everyone's focus was on the tents in Tianyang Palace, wondering which child had passed and which hadn't, and worrying about whether their own child would pass.

This is a chance to soar to great heights, even more powerful than becoming the top scholar in the imperial examinations. Becoming the top scholar at most leads to an official position, but being chosen by the Tianyang Palace is a completely different story—it means becoming an immortal! No official dares to offend them.

In fact, among all the sects recruiting disciples in the military camp, there were not only the Tianyang Palace family, but also five other sects of varying sizes.

The Tianyang Palace has the most people, and they aren't worried that all the good disciples will be taken by the Tianyang Palace, because the Tianyang Palace values ​​Dao Heart even more than talent. If someone has enough talent but lacks a Dao Heart, they won't be able to enter the Tianyang Palace. Therefore, they can recruit such geniuses.

Compared to Tianyang Palace, these smaller sects are far more ruthless. They engage in open and covert struggles, and without fighting, there are no resources. Killing and robbing are skills that everyone possesses, and underhanded tactics are just child's play. This "talent" of fighting among themselves seems to be ingrained in their very bones.

If Dongqing were to go to such a sect to cultivate, Bai Qingyu would absolutely not agree to it.

In the sky, Feng Yuan stood with her hands behind her back, nodding approvingly at Dong Qing. The more she looked at the child, the more she liked him. No wonder Yun Ru had considered taking him as a disciple; he was indeed a very good prospect. He was talented, had a strong Daoist heart, and was well-educated and reasonable.

“This child has met a good mother. How can I repay her for raising her without giving birth to her? Well then, let her have time to come down the mountain to visit her often.”

......

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There are too many updates at once. If there are any errors in the chapters, please point them out in the comments section.

Volume 1: Chapter 70 Farewell to My Child (4K)

Disappointed parents walked by, holding their children's hands. Some sighed, some cursed their children for being disappointing and wasting so much good food. Some even cursed the people of Tianyang Palace for being blind, saying that their child was so intelligent, how could he not have a pure heart?

Bai Qingyu saw a child whose talent and Dao heart were both lacking, and the parents were sitting on the ground, making a scene and demanding another test. It must be that the test equipment of Tianyang Palace was broken, otherwise it would not have failed. In the end, the couple was dragged out, howling and screaming that they had been murdered and that they needed help.

Bai Qingyu queued up to the front and saw the contents of the tent, which gave him a general understanding of the disciple recruitment test process: a sensing stone and an old book. The sensing stone could reveal the strength of the test taker's talent; the stronger the light emanating from the stone when the hand was placed on it, the stronger the talent.

That book tests one's moral character; it can reveal at a glance whether one's heart is kind or evil.

There was nothing wrong with the things that tested talent, but Bai Qingyu felt that the test of Dao heart was inappropriate no matter how he looked at it. How could Dao heart be measured like that? But thinking about it, it made sense. It was probably the fastest and most accurate method. The results might not be accurate, but it was enough if it was right eight or nine times out of ten.

As long as we keep things under control and prevent too many people with ulterior motives or impure intentions from going up the mountain, the overall atmosphere will be fine. A few bad apples won't spoil the whole bunch at Tianyang Palace; they'll just make the bad apples stand out. We can just flick them away.

In a small military camp with more than a dozen large tents, one can see the full spectrum of human nature in a short period of time.

Those who succeed are ecstatic, while those who fail are dejected.

Dongqing looked left and right, feeling inevitably nervous, completely forgetting that she could use the back door, and the back door of the main road to heaven.

The tension lessened the sadness of parting.

The line in front of them grew shorter and shorter until finally it was Dong Qing and Bai Qingyu's turn. Standing in front of the tent, a female voice came from inside, a disciple of the Tianyang Palace, "Next, please come in."

Dongqing's small hands gripped the hem of her clothes, her eyes clearly tense. At that moment, Bai Qingyu suddenly took her hand and stepped forward to lift the curtain.

Looking up, Dong Qing saw Bai Qingyu's encouraging gaze. Her expression shifted, and she gritted her teeth as she walked into the not-so-large, dilapidated tent.

There were only two people in the tent: a female disciple in a Taoist robe sitting at the table and a male disciple standing behind her like a bodyguard. It is worth mentioning that Bai Qingyu actually recognized this male disciple; he was Lin Yimiao's senior brother and the eldest disciple of the man named Li Wujiang.

Unexpectedly, Bai Qingyu brought Dongqing with him. Li Wujiang opened his tightly closed eyes, looked deeply at Bai Qingyu, and then looked away awkwardly. He saw his lips move slightly, but he couldn't say the words.

"Oh, Dongqing, are you here for the test too? You want to go to Tianyang Palace to cultivate with your senior sister, right?" The female disciple's bored expression turned into joy, clearly showing that she had a good relationship with Dongqing.

"Yes, Sister Qiushuang, I also want to cultivate in Shuangshan. Elder Feng said that after I pass the test, I can go and become her disciple."

"Elder Feng?" the female disciple asked in confusion, as she had no idea that such an elder existed.

What she didn't notice was that Li Wujiang's eyes behind her had changed.

"it's me."

As soon as the female disciple finished speaking, the curtain on the other side of the tent was lifted, and Feng Yuan stepped in, not looking old and frightening, but rather like a younger version of herself.

Their appearances were different, but their aura and attire didn't lie. The female disciple sitting behind the table jumped up, almost breaking out in a cold sweat. "Peak, Peak Master."

“Hmm.” Feng Yuan nodded, her gaze softening as she looked at Dong Qing. “Dong Qing, go ahead and try. Don’t be nervous. Actually, Tianyang Palace has already lowered its standards quite a bit. As long as the spirit stone can light up, even if it’s just a tiny bit, you can pass. The same goes for the Daoist book.”

Dongqing nodded nervously and tentatively placed his hand on the translucent, glass-like stone on the table.

"Remember not to use spiritual power," Feng Yuan reminded him.

Dongqing is different from the other children; she has already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and if she releases her spiritual power, the spirit stones will become ineffective.

Without releasing any spiritual power, Dongqing simply placed her hand on it and felt a tingling sensation spread to her palm. Then, the spirit stone under her palm became brighter and brighter, and the seven-colored light directly illuminated the entire tent, with light even shining through the gaps in the tent.

When cultivators from other sects outside saw this, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in astonishment. They were utterly shocked, thinking that this talent might just be destined to make him the eighth disciple of the Heavenly Sun Palace.

He silently prayed that the young disciple's Dao heart wouldn't pass the test, so that perhaps his sect would still have some hope. Even if there was no hope, he couldn't give it to Tianyang Palace.

In reality, the reason Dong Qing's light is so exaggerated is because she has cultivation. If she didn't have cultivation, the light would be weaker. Of course, even if it were weaker, she would still be considered a monstrous talent. Such talent is one in a hundred years.

"Is it...is it okay now?" Dongqing asked weakly.

"That's fine, let's try another one," Feng Yuan said.

Everyone expected Dongqing to display such talent; anyone in the tent could see it. The key wasn't in that talent, but in the Taoist scriptures.