Chapter 30: The Little Daoist’s New Robe

Devoid of spiritual materials, this Daoist robe had been fashioned solely from mortal cloth. Qíngyǔ had initially planned to imbue it with a few strands of moonlight—the finest spiritual essence she could currently procure—but alas, that was no longer an option.

After a moment of contemplation, Qíngyǔ flipped her sleeve, producing a brush.

She then took some of the ‘Intent Ink’ (TL Note: A special ink imbued with spiritual will or intent) she had collected on previous occasions and, on the robe, inscribed the character ‘护’ (hù), meaning ‘protection’.

Following this, she carefully wove in a series of intricate restrictions, only then nodding with a flicker of reluctant satisfaction.

In truth, having completed this much, the Daoist robe would have been considered a top-tier protective artifact in her previous life. Yet, in this current world, she still harbored a faint, unsettling feeling that it wasn’t quite enough.

***

“Little Girl, come out and see your new clothes.”

“Coming!”

Last night’s events seemed to have left no discernible impact on the Little Girl, who remained as adorable as ever.

With a flip of her hand, she rolled up the larger Daoist robe, then used a wisp of wind to move it to the side and neatly fold it. Qíngyǔ then rose, shook out the smaller robe, and presented it before the Little Girl.

“What do you think? Is it pretty?”

As Qíngyǔ spoke, a touch of apprehension lingered in her heart.

“It’s beautiful!”

The Little Girl’s eyes shone brightly as she circled the Daoist robe, tugging at one part and then stretching another, as though it were some priceless treasure.

“This can hardly be called a treasure.”

‘At least, not yet a treasure.’

“Then, may I try it on?”

The Little Girl tilted her head, then took the robe and held it out in front of herself.

Qíngyǔ summoned a wisp of wind to support the hem, preventing it from dragging on the ground, and then scrutinized it carefully for a moment.

Logically, having bathed the girl several times, Qíngyǔ had a general understanding of the little one’s measurements and had even accounted for a bit of extra room, so it should not be ill-fitting.

“Go on, try it.”

“Mama, no peeking!”

“I’ve seen you while bathing, haven’t I? Hurry up and change.”

With a face lined with exasperation, Qíngyǔ playfully nudged the Little Girl, who was beaming with mischievous smiles and feigning a coy, ‘little woman’ demeanor, into the room.

Only then did Qíngyǔ return to her seat at the stone table, gazing at her own set of Daoist robes for a long time.

Ultimately, the issue stemmed from the scarcity of immortal and spiritual materials. If she possessed the moon-shrouding abilities common among cultivators in this world, she wouldn’t need to fret over such trivial matters.

‘My own set can be more casual,’ she mused. ‘As long as it’s wearable, it will suffice.’

‘Anyway, in this life, I’m not planning on taking a wife, so no matter how beautiful my clothes are, it wouldn’t be of much use.’

Lost in her thoughts, Qíngyǔ then heard the deliberately amplified rustling of cloth from inside the room, feeling her vision darken in exasperation.

‘What on earth does this little imp think about all day?’

After two loud coughs, the source of the noise quickly sobered up.

“Mama!”

“What now?”

But before she could even rest for a moment, the Little Girl’s call echoed from inside the room once more.

“I can’t tie the sash!”

“Wait there.”

‘This little rascal tells me not to peek, then needs my help halfway through getting dressed. Really…’

Qíngyǔ grumbled inwardly, yet her movements were swift.

And just as well. The moment she stepped inside, she saw the Little Girl tangled up in her clothes, which left her feeling both exasperated and amused.

“My dear Little Girl, how did you manage to get into such a state?”

The inner garment was draped over the outer robe, the jade sash was tangled in her hair, and the hair tie, which had been prepared, was nowhere to be found.

If not for the fact that only the little one had come in to dress herself, one might have thought Qíngyǔ was abusing her.

Seeing Qíngyǔ’s expression—a mix of exasperation and amusement—the Little Girl’s small face instantly flushed crimson like the morning clouds.

She excitedly ‘leapt’ twice, only to trip over her own feet. If not for her mother’s quick reflexes, she would have bumped her head on the bed frame.

“You little silly goose.”

Suppressing a smile, Qíngyǔ patiently helped her untangle her clothes, then dressed her piece by piece, tied the jade sash, and found the hair tie in a corner. As usual, she then fashioned the Little Girl’s hair into a neat ponytail.

Finally dressed, the Little Girl stood barefoot on the bed. She tilted her head and spun around, the green hem of her robe swaying like water, her small face lively yet with a touch of serene detachment, presenting the perfect image of a little Daoist practitioner.

“How do I look? Am I pretty?”

“My daughter is, of course, beautiful.”

‘My craftsmanship truly isn’t bad.’

Satisfied, she asked the Little Girl to spin around once more, checking if the clothes fit well from all angles. A hint of pride couldn’t help but rise in Qíngyǔ’s heart.

People are judged by their clothes, just as a Buddha relies on golden adornments (TL Note: A Chinese proverb emphasizing the importance of appearance or packaging).

The Little Girl, who had previously looked like a wild child in her tattered clothes, now possessed a certain elegance, like a young lady from a noble family or an ethereal Daoist.

“Then Mama should go and change quickly too!”

The Little Girl giggled, as if it hadn’t been her at all who had just been tangled up in a mess.

“Me?” Qíngyǔ pointed to herself, shaking her head. “I’ll just wear this one.”

It wasn’t that Qíngyǔ was being difficult; she genuinely didn’t feel the need to wear that Daoist robe.

“No, I want to see!”

The Little Girl immediately pouted in protest. Before Qíngyǔ could stop her, she padded barefoot out the door, and a moment later, came back in, clutching the other Daoist robe.

“I’ll help Mama get dressed!”

“You wait a moment…”

Unable to resist the little one, Qíngyǔ quickly pushed away the small hands that were fumbling all over her.

“What are you looking at?”

‘While changing, I keep feeling uncomfortable somehow.’

Qíngyǔ eyed the Little Girl, who was sitting properly on the bed, with suspicion.

“I’m helping Mama see if it fits!”

“You can only tell if it fits once I’ve changed completely. What good is staring now?”

‘Besides, I know my own measurements. If I couldn’t even make clothes properly with that knowledge, I’d have to write my name backward.’

‘Just change your own clothes, couldn’t you?’

Shaking her head, she finished changing her clothes. Qíngyǔ then extended her hand, conjuring a mirror from mist to examine herself, confirming there were indeed no ill-fitting spots.

“How is it? Does it look good?”

In the mist-mirror, the green robe draped her form, making the beautiful woman appear as graceful as a willow.

“Beautiful!”

The Little Girl’s eyes shone brightly as she eagerly rushed forward, embracing Qíngyǔ’s waist and rubbing against her haphazardly, as if searching for something.

“Don’t hug me so roughly. It’ll get wrinkled, and we’re going out soon.”

“Anyway, Mama has magic!”

“You haven’t even learned to summon wind, what are you talking about magic for?”

“Hehehe…”

Resignedly indulging the Little Girl’s whims and letting her hug for a while longer, the two of them finally locked the door and left the courtyard.

The morning sun had just risen. A cool breeze accompanied their figures as they turned through the alley, lending them a certain aura of hidden Daoists amidst the bustling city.

[The method you told me was quite effective! Mama really cheered up!]

Qíngyǔ, holding the Little Girl’s hand, naturally did not perceive this small, whispered conversation.

[Those little booklets… ahem, well, that’s what the books taught, anyway.]

[Why were both of you in such low spirits last night?]

[Because…]

Upon hearing this question, the Immortal Sword’s heart was filled with a thousand worries.

[You’re still too young; these matters cannot be told to you.]

[Why can’t you tell me? Haven’t I reached, you know, the early stage of Qi Condensation?]

[Not enough.]

[But you praised me for being powerful back then…]

[Compared to your peers, you are certainly powerful.]

[Then I still can’t help Mama?]

[No.]

‘In truth, if you were to leave her, that would help her immediately.’ The Immortal Sword kept the cruelest words hidden in her heart, not uttering a single syllable.

She did harbor a selfish motive; she needed the Little Girl to remain by Qíngyǔ’s side at this moment. It was the safest choice, at least until the girl gained the ability to protect herself.

[Then I need to continue cultivating.]

[Mm, keep it up.]

[Don’t talk like Mama.]

[Yes, yes, my Young Lady.]

Upon hearing the Little Girl’s words, the Immortal Sword felt a mix of guilt and amusement. She could only quickly affirm her, then retreat into her divine consciousness to rest.

The path of cultivation: one step slow, every step slow. In this second life, she was more than just one step behind.

She could only take things one step at a time, hoping… praying… that the strange ‘mortal woman’ by the Little Girl’s side truly possessed the ability to change the heavens and earth.