The sunset clouds roll over three thousand miles, and the cinnabar silk radiance flows through twelve rivers.
The Silver River crosses the sky with long star-waves, as the shaking stars of the jade palace fall into the mortal realm.
***
Ever since being taken away by Cloud-Weave Star Venerable, Qian Yu had kept her eyes on her nose and her nose toward her heart, following closely behind the other woman.
She walked with bated breath across the Sunset Star Sea, a place of secluded cultivation exclusive only to the Sect Master of the Luoxia Immortal Sect.
The Star Venerable wore a dress with wide sleeves that shimmered with Red Clouds Dao Patterns.
Her demeanor was gentle, and her expression was kind.
Her three thousand strands of black hair were fastened with a simple silver hairpin, making her look both beautiful and noble.
Qian Yu thought of her deceased Shizun.
When that drunkard wasn’t drinking, she possessed this same kind of temperament.
To be precise, her Shizun and the Sect Master of the Luoxia Immortal Sect before her were indeed fellow disciples.
Before she died, her Shizun had even entrusted Cloud-Weave Star Venerable to take good care of her.
Although… it seemed there hadn’t been much care at all.
Every time Qian Yu failed an assessment, it was only because of the words of elders like Elder Ling—to whom her Shizun owed a massive debt—that she was able to stay.
As for Cloud-Weave Star Venerable, this aunt in name only, Qian Yu had never even seen her since entering the Sect.
This was the first time.
“Little Yu, what do you think of this Sunset Star Sea?”
While her thoughts drifted, Cloud-Weave Star Venerable turned her head from the front, smiling with a gentle and affectionate expression.
“It is beautiful…”
Qian Yu’s small face stiffened, and a complex ripple inevitably rose in her heart.
Since her Shizun passed away, everything she had seen and experienced was either malice or being looked down upon from above.
It had been a long time since she had seen such a gentle smile, like a Shizun looking at a disciple, or a mother treating a daughter.
“That is good. From now on, you will stay here with me. I will personally teach you how to cultivate.”
Walking forward, Cloud-Weave Star Venerable stroked Qian Yu’s head, the smile on her face remaining unchanged.
She paused for a moment before continuing apologetically:
“Actually, when your Shizun passed away, she did entrust me to look after you. But over these years, for many reasons, I was unable to come and care for you personally. It is my fault. If you want to blame me, I am willing to bear your resentment.”
Qian Yu did not answer; she only pursed her lips and lowered her head in silence.
It was impossible to say she didn’t blame Cloud-Weave Star Venerable.
Her Shizun had died for the Sect, and as her biological Senior Sister, this woman had ignored her for over a decade.
Now, seeing her talent and Sacred Body, she had jumped out in a hurry to apologize.
Even being opportunistic had its limits.
If the difference in their cultivation wasn’t so vast, she would have directly voiced her mockery.
That was what she thought.
However, feeling the warm smile she hadn’t experienced in over ten years and looking at the genuine look of apology on the woman’s face, this little Half-Yao of the Fox Tribe, whose heart was full of anger, suddenly hesitated for a moment.
She knew that Cloud-Weave Star Venerable was cold-hearted, and as the master of a Sect, it was impossible for her to truly be a gentle and loving beautiful woman.
But this was the Cultivation World.
People were indeed bound by morality, but morality was defined by the Venerables.
Strength, power, and talent were the true right to speak.
As someone who possessed none of those things, she actually had no right to resent any existence.
If she took the offered path and chose to let bygones be bygones and accept Cloud-Weave Star Venerable, the woman could give her all the compensation, care, and even the motherly love she had lacked over the years.
No existence would be stingy with their affection toward a Sacred Body.
And as for not accepting…
Qian Yu actually didn’t have the option to not accept.
Nor would any existence be stingy about disposing of a Sacred Body that harbored resentment against them.
Sensing the changing expression on Qian Yu’s face, the softness in Cloud-Weave Star Venerable’s eyes instantly rippled out like spring water.
This existence, who was second to none as long as a Saint did not appear in the world, was now like a true teacher or mother.
Amidst the girl’s stiff and awkward demeanor, she pulled her into a warm and firm embrace.
“Good child. Please forgive me.”
She lightly brushed over Qian Yu’s soft fox ears.
Her fingertips were warm, carrying soothing Spiritual Power.
“From now on, this place is your true home. Everything your Shizun left behind, everything she didn’t finish teaching… I will make it all up to you. Is that alright?”
She spoke very carefully, very softly.
Noticing that Qian Yu was not very used to being held by her, she loosened her grip slightly, for fear of troubling her.
Perhaps, because this was not a faked affection, but one mixed with genuine guilt and the preciousness of something lost and found again.
Qian Yu’s rigid body melted slightly without a sound.
After an unknown amount of time, Cloud-Weave Star Venerable reluctantly let her go and said with a light smile:
“I almost forgot, you haven’t reached Inedia yet, have you? You must be hungry by now. Come with me; it just so happens that I want to personally cook a meal.”
Qian Yu didn’t speak, but a moment later, looking at the dazzling array of delicacies before her, full of color, aroma, and taste, her trembling eyes revealed the turbulence in her heart.
This high and mighty Sect Master actually did personally prepare a meal.
“How is it? How does it taste?”
Sitting opposite Qian Yu, Cloud-Weave Star Venerable personally served her food, her eyes full of expectation.
“It is delicious…”
Qian Yu nodded. After one bite, the taste was countless times better than those “manufactured” by Gu Qinghan.
It was likely that she had truly put her heart into it.
“That is good.”
Like any elder awaiting a child’s evaluation, Cloud-Weave Star Venerable breathed a soft sigh of relief and then asked how Qian Yu had lived all these years.
As she spoke, she apologized once again.
She didn’t even hide the potential hypocrisy within her current behavior.
“Little Yu, I know you might still blame me, but I hope you understand that this is just how the world is. When you are strong, everything you see and hear will be gentle and kind.”
“I am indeed not a good elder, but I am by no means a fickle one.”
“As long as you choose to forgive me today, from now on, regardless of your talent—even if you turn back into a waste—I will take good care of you.”
“Spirit Stones, cultivation techniques, resources, divine abilities… as long as I have them, they are yours to choose from. I guarantee you will have even more than Nalan Yunyan.”
She spoke with sincerity that was almost naked, but it was because of this brutal honesty that her words gained quite a bit of credibility.
What else could Qian Yu do besides nod and be moved?
Her eyes were touched.
Her fingers gripping the tips of her chopsticks tightened slightly and then slowly relaxed.
After a long time, she met the sincere, unflinching soft light in the depths of Cloud-Weave Star Venerable’s eyes.
She turned her head away and nodded gently, as if reaching some kind of reconciliation with herself.
“Okay…”
Her voice was very small and light, but this time, the sense of stagnation in her throat was noticeably less.
The smile in Cloud-Weave Star Venerable’s eyes grew even gentler.
After finishing the meal with Qian Yu, she took her to see the Cave Residence she had prepared for her.
The Spirit Gathering Array, Heart Nourishing Array, training room, and alchemy room were all top-of-the-line for this era.
Considering Qian Yu’s age, she had even prepared many clothes, jewelry, and cosmetics that a young girl might like.
Even the storybooks and novels that most elders strictly condemned as “distractions that sap one’s ambition” were piled high.
“Most people say that the path of cultivation is only about hard work, but I do not think so. I would rather you be a happy and joyful child.”
Cloud-Weave Star Venerable led Qian Yu to sit by the bed.
She picked up a popular reading book from the Sect, stroked the gaudy cover that was completely out of character for her temperament, and smiled:
“The hardships on the road of cultivation have already been endured by your Shizun and me for you.”
“In the future, you can relax and play whenever cultivation becomes tedious. With my teaching and resources, your progress will not fall behind.”
Is this the feeling of having an elder at home…
No wonder Nalan Yunyan could be so confident, so dismissive of Spirit Stones.
This was all the confidence given by the person backing her.
Qian Yu lowered her head, her crow-feather-like eyelashes trembling slightly.
The sense of security given by Cloud-Weave Star Venerable was something others couldn’t provide.
With Nalan Yunyan, she needed to be cautious; with Gu Qinghan, she lived in constant fear.
Only by exhausting her wits could she perhaps trade for a small “reward” from them.
But the feeling Cloud-Weave Star Venerable gave her was completely different.
For so long, the woman had not even mentioned her talent or Sacred Body.
She simply told her how she could rely on her from now on and how she would compensate her.
In today’s Cultivation World, what kind of existence that had suffered bullying since childhood could withstand such a barrage of sugar-coated bullets?
In any case, a certain little Half-Yao with Fox Tribe blood couldn’t handle it.
After seeing so many truly heartfelt compensations, she was no longer so resistant to having her head stroked by Cloud-Weave Star Venerable.
After being taken for a bath, she even involuntarily leaned against the other woman’s shoulder and fell asleep.
“Heh…”
Feeling the steady breathing of the little Half-Yao on her shoulder, a nearly pathological smile flashed through Cloud-Weave Star Venerable’s eyes.
The Saint Physique Transplantation required the trust of the possessor.
The less the other party resisted, the easier it was to succeed.
And the Qian Yu beside her was unexpectedly easy to handle.
She had only displayed a bit of maternal love, and the girl began to feel at ease.
It was likely that in a short time, the level required for transplantation could be reached.
It was laughable that she had originally planned to melt the girl’s heart bit by bit.
Unexpectedly, like Shizun, like disciple.
As the disciple of a waste, Qian Yu was indeed just a shallow, love-starved child.
Even if she had a Sacred Body, it could not change her lowly nature.
A Sacred Body?
She was not worthy.