Chapter 194: Gu Qingxiao, The Troublemaker

“Huh?” Gu Qingxiao froze for a moment then finally snapped out of it and scratched her head in frustration.

“No! This isn’t fair! Mom, Dad—how come you two get to go off and cultivate and enjoy yourselves while I get left behind to watch the house by myself?”

Suddenly, a thought popped into her head. She looked excited.

“Hey, big brother, you wouldn’t really leave your poor little sister here all alone to look after the mansion, would you?”

Before she even finished speaking…

Gu Qingyi had already vanished into thin air with Dahuang. An echo drifted down from the sky above.

“Xiao’er, just stay and watch the house for us. When your cultivation’s strong enough, come find me at Sword Peak!”

Gu Qingxiao spun around, but as expected, there was nothing behind her but empty space.

“Unbelievable! So now they’re both gone and I’m the only one left to hold down the fort? Fine, that’s how it is!”

She stomped her foot hard, hoping it’d help her vent all that pent-up annoyance.

A good while later…

“Ugh, this is so boring.” She let out a long sigh. Then her eyes suddenly sparkled. “Wait a minute, can’t I just go visit Sister Lian’er at Heavenly Martial Sacred Land?”

She glanced back at the Gu Residence and shrugged like she couldn’t care less.

“Whoever wants to look after this place, let them! I’ll just tell Wang Ma and the others before I go. Easy!”

Once she made up her mind, Gu Qingxiao headed off at a jog straight for the servant’s quarters.

She stood before the door, didn’t hesitate for a second, and pushed it right open.

“Creak!”

“Huh?” A middle-aged woman turned around in confusion. “Who’s there?”

“Wang Ma, it’s me!” Gu Qingxiao hurried forward and grabbed the woman’s hand as she pleaded.

“Wang Ma, I’ll be going out for a while, so I’ll need you to keep an eye on things here and take care of all the affairs at the Gu Residence.”

Wang Ma looked flustered. “Oh, my young miss, where do you think you’re running off to? I heard you talking to the Master and Madam just now.”

“Madam told you to help out and look after everything in the house, didn’t she? How could you just up and leave? Absolutely not!”

Listening to all this, Gu Qingxiao nearly dropped to the floor, ready to throw a tantrum. She tried every trick she knew—pouting, sulking, even playing the pity card—but Wang Ma wouldn’t budge.

“Miss, there’s no use with those antics. Wouldn’t I know you by now?” Wang Ma shook her head and sighed.

“I’ve raised you for over a decade, I know you inside and out. So, go back to your room, young miss.”

Gu Qingxiao realized she was getting nowhere. So, with no other choice, she went for her last excuse.

“Wang Ma, honestly, I’m leaving to train! I’m already at the eighth realm of Sword Saint. If I break through once more, I can step onto the Divine Path!”

“Really?” Wang Ma’s face said she didn’t believe it, though she kept quiet out of respect.

“I swear it’s true, I swear to the heavens!” Gu Qingxiao nodded so vigorously it looked like her head might fall off, even putting up three fingers in mock-serious vow.

“Alright…” Wang Ma sighed. She watched Gu Qingxiao, understanding exactly what was going through her young miss’s mind.

But if she was being honest, she was just playing along herself. In the end, she’d always let Gu Qingxiao have her way. After all, she already saw everyone in the Gu Residence as family.

Out of everyone, she doted on Gu Qingxiao the most.

Her eyes narrowed as she snapped out of her thoughts. “Then go on, miss. I suppose I’ll trust you’re really going out to train. I’ll take care of the house for you.”

“Yes! Awesome!” Overjoyed, Gu Qingxiao bounced up and hugged Wang Ma, rubbing her face affectionately and bursting with excitement.

“Then Wang Ma, I’ll be counting on you! I’ll go out and cultivate now, bye!”

Before Wang Ma could react, Gu Qingxiao was gone in a flash. She hadn’t stuck around because she was afraid Wang Ma might change her mind.

“That girl, always in such a rush.” Wang Ma let out a heavy sigh. Suddenly, a thought struck her and she grew serious.

“Even if I let the young miss go, I still have to report everything to the Master and Madam.”

She turned and went back inside.

She picked up a Sound-Transmitting Stone and began relaying every detail since Mr. and Mrs. Shen Yue had left the house.

A thousand meters away from Sky Sword Mountain lay a quiet and mysterious peak. It looked almost like a hidden paradise—an ideal place to retreat from the world.

Inside a mysterious cave there, two figures sat cross-legged, each holding a glowing piece of Jade Essence.

They were none other than Gu Ran and Shen Yue, who’d just left the Gu Residence. As soon as they arrived, they began refining the Jade Essence.

Suddenly, a Sound-Transmitting Stone in Shen Yue’s pocket chirped abruptly, cutting into their meditation.

Shen Yue slowly opened her eyes and pulled out the stone. After listening to Wang Ma’s message, she was momentarily stunned.

She frowned, muttering quietly.

“That Xiao’er. I told her to take care of the household, and in the blink of an eye she’s run off again. She really won’t let me have a moment’s peace!”

Gu Ran, hearing this complaint, opened his eyes and gently pulled Shen Yue into his arms. He spoke softly.

“And who’s got our Yue’er so worked up? Just say the word and I’ll teach them a lesson!”

“Don’t get me started.” Shen Yue massaged her temples, sighing heavily as she focused on Gu Ran.

“Who else but your precious daughter? Besides, would you really discipline Xiao’er? If you so much as try, you won’t hear the end of it from me!”

“Uh…” Gu Ran scratched his head awkwardly. He put on a straight face. “Well, if it’s our little darling, then I guess I’ll let it slide.”

“How could I ever bring myself to punish her? I barely have time to spoil her as it is. Yue’er, don’t be upset.”

“Here, let me give you a shoulder rub.” Gu Ran began gently massaging Shen Yue’s shoulders.

Shen Yue sighed again, laying her hand over her flat stomach. “I’ve decided: if our next child is a girl, I’ll name her Gu Xian’er!”

“And this time I’ll make sure she gets a proper upbringing—no growing up as wild as her big sister, that’s for sure!”

……

Meanwhile, on her way to Heavenly Martial Sacred Land, Gu Qingxiao’s nose started to itch so badly she had to stop.

“Ah-choo!”

She sneezed several times in a row.

“What the…? Is someone talking about me? Why am I sneezing so much? Or am I catching a cold? Never mind, I’d better hurry up and find Sister Lian’er!”

She wiped her nose with her finger, sighed, and picked up her pace, disappearing down the road.

……

Inside the cave.

“Huh?” Gu Ran paused what he was doing and asked, sounding confused, “Yue’er, how do you know whether it’ll be a boy or a girl?”

Shen Yue hesitated. “Um… call it mother’s instinct. Either way, boy or girl, my answer’s still the same: it has to be a girl!”

“Haha, as long as you’re happy, I’m happy with a daughter too.” Gu Ran smiled awkwardly, then picked up where he’d left off massaging her.

“Mmm…” Shen Yue softly closed her eyes, whispering, “A little more to the left. There—that’s it. Ran-ge, you wouldn’t want anything to happen to our child, right?”

“Huh?” Gu Ran froze, his voice tinged with suspicion. “Of course not, what are you getting at?”

A sly smile crept across Shen Yue’s lips as she opened her eyes and shot Gu Ran a quick glance.

“Then keep rubbing my legs. My leg’s gone numb, and if I’m uncomfortable, my mood takes a hit. And if I’m in a bad mood, it rubs off on the baby!”

Gu Ran stiffened as if lightning had struck him, but quickly knelt down and began massaging Shen Yue’s legs and shoulders with the utmost care.

“How’s the pressure, Yue’er?” He grinned at her.

Shen Yue pretended to mull it over. “Hmm… not bad, I’ll give it a passing grade. When I’m happy, even the baby’s happy too.”

“As long as you’re happy, that’s what matters!” Gu Ran smiled, then suddenly paused. “Right, we should get back to refining this Jade Essence.”

“Jade Essence, huh?” Shen Yue glanced at the glowing Jade Essence nearby, not bothered at all. “No rush. If only we had a pot of tea right now…”

“Sure, sure…” Gu Ran just kept massaging, saying nothing more.