Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 185 – Disappearance of the real Beast Tamers

“Why does this daughter resemble Master Yiye Jiange so much?” A female desciple curiously asked.

Qing Shui’s countenance darkened, “Darn!”

“It would create a huge misunderstanding if this goes on.” Qing Shui felt as though he brought trouble to his goddess master, and he wouldn’t be able to wash himself clean even after jumping into the river.

“Master Yiye once said she wouldn’t accept any disciples. However, she actually accepted Elder Qing Shui as her disciple. A lone male and female staying together in Cloud Mist Peak?”

“Yup, isn’t that exciting if something occurs between the master and her disciple?” A female disciple spoke to another female disciple.

“How would we know? You can get Elder Qing Shui to be your master and try it out with him. Wouldn’t that be more exciting?” Another female disciple shamelessly added.

The original disciple that spoke was speechless, “…”

Shocked, Qing Shui stood there. Although he wasn’t afraid of rumors, Qing Shui was invested in this because it concerned his goddess master! This gossiping woman who loved to create something out of nothing and start rumors made him extremely unhappy as he noticed them.

When these people noticed Qing Shui’s sharp glance, they hurriedly departed the area!

Nothing spreads as fast as rumors. Soon, almost 80% of the Skysword Sect members already knew Qing Shui had brought a young girl up the mountains. Not only that, the goddess Yiye Jiange may actually be the mother of the child.

After the Elder’s Meeting, a group of elders smiled as they exited the great hall and noticed Qing Shui’s back view. However, when they saw the little girl who was peering about curiously and standing beside Qing Shui, they were so dumbstruck that their jaws dropped.

All of them gazed puzzledly at the astounded Yiye Jiange who was standing at the side.

At that moment, the White Crane hovered in the skies and cried out shrills.

Yiye Jiange glanced at the White Crane in shock before she slowly made her way to the side of the little girl. As she squatted down to converse with the little girl, Qing Shui couldn’t help but be stunned by the similarities between their “empire-toppling” faces and their extraordinary auras.

“Is your Father well?”

Qing Shui widened his eyes as he stared at Yiye. Why would she ask such a question? Could the rumors be true?

Luan Luan shook her head slightly, “I don’t know. There were many people that day wielding swords…”

At such a young age, she already knew what swords were, and seemed very obedient in front of Yiye Jiange. Could this be because birds of a feather flocked together or was it because of their bloodline?

“Quickly, tell Auntie your name!” Yiye gently embraced Luan Luan as her eyes were filled with sadness.

“My name is Luan Luan. Who are you and why are you so similar to Daddy? You have a different smell though.” Luna Luan’s eyes widened as she curiously regarded Yiye Jiange.

“Qing Shui, we will return together to Cloud Mist Peak first.”

After Qing Shui smiled at Baili Jingwei and the others, he carried Luan Luan and mounted on the Icesnow Crane together with Yiye.

“Auntie, is this big bird as powerful as my Little White?” Luan Luan jumped out of Qing Shui’s embrace and started ruffling the feathers of the Icesnow Crane.

“Little White?” Yiye Jiange asked, bewilderment apparent on her face.

Qing Shui smiled bitterly as he explained, “The mount of this little girl is a White-Feathered Condor.”

Yiye, with a face filled with affection, happily glanced at the little girl for a long time before whispering, “Big brother, do you see it? Luan Luan is together with me now.”

Transparent tears flowed down that peerless face of beauty as Qing Shui stared helplessly, unsure of how to react. It seemed to him that these were tears of happiness instead of pain.

“Master, are you okay?” Qing Shui lightly inquired after Yiye calmed down.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Qing Shui, how did you manage to find her?” Yiye Jiange gazed fondly at Luan Luan who was happily playing as she inquired.

Qing Shui recounted the whole story of how he met the little girl to Yiye.

“Sigh!” Yiye Jiange sighed as she glanced at Qing Shui with some conflict in her gaze before she slowly spoke, “Do you remember when I told you that I was an orphan? Actually, I had a family before which was from the Westeria Continent. Not only that, I was from a clan of beast tamers. The Yiye Clan was forced to work for the strongest clan in the Westeria Continent, but we refused. After that, the strongest clan from the Lion King Mountains wanted to arrange a marriage with our Yiye Clan, but we refused again. Who would have thought that they actually used that as an excuse to destroy the Yiye Clan?”

Qing Shui stared in disbelief at Yiye Jiange. He didn’t interrupt her because he knew that the story was not finished.

“Although my Yiye Clan isn’t big, we could still be considered a real beast-taming clan. However, because of the surprise attack, we had no way to defend ourselves. My father exhausted all his efforts to allow me and my brother to escape. I rode the Icesnow Crane away, while my elder brother rode the White-Feathered Condor.

“After escaping from the disaster, I have always been alone, and had no idea where my brother was. In the end, the Icesnow Crane brought me to Cang Lang Country in the Greencloud Continent and that was where I met my master. Earlier, when I saw this little girl as well as the White-Feathered Condor, I knew straight away that this was the daughter of my brother. She resembles him too much, but sadly it seems that my brother has already…” Yiye bitterly continued.

“The little lass could already be considered blessed by the gods by having a kin such as you.” Qing Shui smiled.

“I still have to thank you for taking care of her.” Yiye smiled after she recovered. However, the smile seemed slightly forced.

“There’s no need to thank me. The little lass calls me her Daddy. I even feel that she’s my real daughter, but I don’t know how long this would last.” Qing Shui gazed at the little girl as he spoke.

Yiye Jiange laughed after she heard what Qing Shui said. This big child actually became a father figure for the little child in half a year?

“Qing Shui, how did you manage for this past half-year as you brought the little lass with you all around?”

Qing Shui told Yiye everything, including how he helped the little lass tailor her clothes, taught her how to read, trained her in martial arts, and even wiped her little bum.

Yiye quietly listened, as a soul-stirring and radiant smile blossomed on her face.

This was especially so when she heard Qing Shui teach the little lass how to read and write, and even how he wiped her bum. She couldn’t help but feel warmth in her heart. After all, the little lass was part of her Yiye Clan. The gaze she used to look at Qing Shui got increasingly gentle.

In an instant, the Icesnow Crane descended upon Cloud Mist Peak.

“Master, the White-Feathered Condor of Luan Luan is unable to ascend up the mountains. Luan Luan said there’s an exceptionally strong demonic Qi in the mountains.” Qing Shui recalled Luan Luan’s words.

Luan Luan’s Seven Aperture Mystical Heart was able to hear the voices of demonic beasts and even understand what they were thinking.

“Hehe, there’s a golden ape at the peak of Xiantian. It’s the guardian beast of our Skysword Sect. I will go seek him out later, and it will be alright.” Yiye laughed.

Indeed, she was from a beast tamer clan!

“Oh ya, Luan Luan has two other Xiantian Beasts.” Qing Shui explained. The White-Feathered Condor saved two generations of the Yiye Clan, Luan Luan’s father and Jiange.

“Two other Xiantian Beasts? The Seven Apertures Mystical Heart?” Yiye’s eyes flickered with a brilliant light, but yet sadness could also be seen in the depths of her pupils.

Qing Shui nodded his head as he stared at his master, entranced by her features. He blanked out, thinking of nothing and just stared at Yiye Jiange dumbly.

“Have you seen enough? Let’s go. Look how far the little lass ran off.” Yiye’s eyes were clear as she regarded Qing Shui. She intentionally disrupted Qing Shui, even though she didn’t know what he was thinking.

“Hehe, forgive me Master. Suddenly, I felt an unknown happiness as I thought of you embracing the beautiful Luan Luan earlier.” Qing Shui spouted some nonsense as he explained.

“Let’s go!”

Qing Shui gazed at the adorable Luan Luan, who had already ran far ahead.

“Master, when would the Inter-sect Exchange Competition begin?