Chapter 807 Month quickly flies by (6)
As they walked in, Yang Qing filled Mao Yunru in on his exploits over the past months and the following weeks, before finally finishing with his plans for Ma Yuan.
"If there is anything I can do to help, I would be more than willing to offer it.." Mao Yunru said as they turned the corner past the pond that housed Starlight.
The crab seemed to be at a crucial juncture in his cultivation as he refined the wisdom pearl Yang Qing had handed to him. The starlight crab was surrounded by a colorful water bubble that was flashed with a sharp refracting light.
"I had those thoughts.." said Yang Qing.
"Ma Yuan would need the abilities of your physique to help him master the technique once I come up with it. The purple mind path mist from your purple cloud physique will help lessen the time he needs to learn the art better than any other means I may employ. When the time comes, I will be relying on you, Mao Mao.."
"Mmmh.." Mao Yunru nodded softly with a pleased smile adorning her face that left Yang Qing slightly dazed at how breathtaking it was. He quickly tried to hide it before Mao Yunru noticed it. She would tease him endlessly if she noticed.
Ma Yuan caught sight of them when they were close to the courtyard. He looked to be just about ready to leave with his daughter for the Medical Valley.
Ma Yuan, as always was enthusiastic with his greetings as he sneaked in a few expressions to Yang Qing that only a fellow man would understand. He threw Yang Qing a few smiles here and there as he secretly alternated his gaze between him and Mao Yunru who was striking a conversation with Ma Ling.
The suggestive non-verbal cues that seemed to be saying,
"Yang Qing, I didn't know you had a pretty lady in your life. She yours?"
Yang Qing responded in kind with a humble bragging smile with his nose facing the high heavens.
"Of course she is!!"
After a short exchange, just as Ma Yuan was preparing to leave, Yang Qing said,
"Once you have taken Ma Ling to the valley, could you come back? There are some things I need to discuss with you.."
Noticing the seriousness in Yang Qing's tone, Ma Yuan nodded before he and his daughter left. Updated from n0velbIn.(c)o/m
"Why don't you just let him stay here as your gardener? Once we become judges and are assigned an abode, we are allowed to have staff to maintain it, should we wish to. The Order can provide, or you can have some entirely of your choosing.." Mao Yunru said as she made herself comfortable on one of the seats next to the fireplace at the front of the courtyard.
Yang Qing took out a jug of wine, poured himself and Mao Yunru a cup, and then took out the dishes he had bought at the two restaurants.
Only after he had taken the first sip, did he answer. A dejected sigh escaped his lips before he did so.
"This place...." Yang Qing paused as he used one of the burning sticks to point around. The stick burned with a blue-orange flame. It left a line of beautiful orange flames as Yang Qing used it to point around him.
"Ma Yuan will never be able to move on as long as he remains here. We helped save his daughter and he somehow feels indebted to us because of it, but, this place, will forever be a reminder of one of his best and worst memories. For them both..." he grimly said
"It was here that I announced his daughter was alive, but it was also here that I told him his wife had died.
The next hour was spent in awkward silence before Ma Yuan finally came back, saving the two. Detecting the awkward atmosphere between the two, Ma Yuan smiled slightly as he tried to excuse himself, but Mao Yunru got up, and said her goodbyes, speeding away immediately after like she was fleeing for dear life.
"Yang Qing, you and.." Ma Yuan grinned ear to ear. His line of question was all too obvious to Yang Qing.
Yang Qing embarrassed by his earlier display, avoided it as he used the remainder of his wine to clear his thoughts and wash away his shame before he finally turned to Ma Yuan offering him the seat opposite him.
"You must be wondering why I called you over. How is Ma Ling's recovery coming along?"
"Faster than expected. Miss Tan Jue estimates it won't be long before her memories start stitching themselves together, and the one-year timeframe may shrink as a result of it.." Ma Yuan said with clear excitement in his tone.
Even though he handled it better than before, he still found it difficult to pretend he was a stranger to Ma Ling so she didn't feel overwhelmed.
Yang Qing nodded as he clasped his hands together.
"Then it won't be long before you have to plan what's next for you both, once she fully regains her memories..."
Ma Yuan's gaze turned solemn when he heard those words. Why he threw himself into the farm work, other than his love for it, was to avoid the gut-wrenching worry he had every time he thought of what next.
The trauma of his wife and daughter being snatched away and him helpless to do anything about it still haunted him.
He couldn't help but wonder what if it happened again. Even with his cultivation base, he was still helpless to do anything. How much more helpless was he now that he was crippled? Could he protect his daughter as he was? As he was lost in the endless trepidation, he heard Yang Qing's voice, like an anchor pulling him out of the storm.
"For the next year, I will train you in every aspect possible, body, mind, spirit. Every part of you will be put to the forger. You may not be able to defeat a palace realm expert at the end of it, but you will be far stronger than you were when you still had your core. I can promise you that and you will also have more ways to protect your daughter.
However, it will not be easy, you will be pushed to extreme bounds. Are you willing to try, Ma Yuan?" Yang Qing softly asked.
Ma Yuan sat there dazed for a second before he shakily asked,
"Iis tHiss True? Will I really be able to protect my daughter?"
"Not against everything, but your means will be much better than before, and provided nothing unexpected happens, you'll also be able to live the entirety of your lifespan and watch her grow.
Besides with more time who knows what the future holds. There are treasures out there known to reform or give someone a new dantian. Who knows but as long as you're willing to live, there's always a chance.."
"I don't dare hope for something so extravagant, but as long as I can take care of Ling'er I am willing to try anything. I accept the offer. Please help me be able to take care of her!" Ma Yuan said as he bowed his head.
"Good, I will. Rest here tonight, and make use of the short reprieve. From tomorrow, your training begins.."
And just like that, a month quickly flew by. Yang Qing researched countless meditation arts for reference as he strived to create one for Ma Yuan.His grandfather and cohorts monitored every single change that happened to Ma Yuan from his treatment, while others like Mao Yunru, and even Dai Chen and Zhang Qingge who passed by joined in to train Ma Yuan's body and mind, and his understanding of his cultivation arts, sharing their own insights in the process.
Ma Yuan had severely underestimated how demanding it would be, but for his daughter's sake, he gritted his teeth and persevered through it all.