Early the next morning.
“Girl, today is your first day of school. You must be on your best behavior and stay out of trouble.
The academy will provide lunch, so make sure you eat well.
When school ends at 3:00 PM, Xuechang and I will come to pick you up.”
On the path in front of the academy, Hua Yan stood with her arms crossed, watching as Yun Xuechang bent over to meticulously straighten Hua Xiangrong’s ox horn buns.
She spoke her reminders in a leisurely tone.
After discussing it with Yun Xuechang, Hua Yan had ultimately decided to send Hua Xiangrong to the Xiaoyao Sword Sect’s academy.
After all, she could teach a few spells at most, but she was completely clueless when it came to academic subjects like the Four Books and Five Classics, astronomy, or geography.
This was likely the first time Hua Yan had willingly admitted there was something she “couldn’t do.”
As for Yun Xuechang… in Hua Yan’s eyes, she didn’t seem like the type who was cut out for teaching others either.
“Mm, I know. I’ll be good and study hard!”
Hua Xiangrong responded obediently, while simultaneously calling out to 099 in her mind.
‘099, find a movie for me to watch during class later. I want something yuri-themed.’
“Host, can’t we learn something seriously for once?” the little system replied, sounding quite helpless.
‘Oh, come on. I spent so many years in school during my previous life, and now I have to sit in a classroom again? If it were a cultivation class, I might listen, but who wants to hear academic lectures? Do you really expect me to listen to some old scholar drone on about ancient prose?’
“You only have yourself to blame for choosing this, Host.”
Even as 099 complained, it had already pulled a list of films from its database.
“Do you want to watch an animated movie? Super-Dimensional Kaguya-hime—this was released after you passed away in your previous life, so you definitely haven’t seen it.”
‘That’s the one!’
Unaware of the girl’s little scheme, Hua Yan looked at her obedient appearance and nodded with satisfaction.
‘Mm, she’s focused on her studies. As expected of my daughter.’
Standing side by side with Yun Xuechang, Hua Yan waved as she watched the pink-haired girl skip happily into the academy.
“Oh? Junior Sister Yun, you’re here to drop off a child too? This person… must be your Dao Companion, right? I wonder how I should address her?”
Just as they had sent Hua Xiangrong off, a female cultivator who had also just dropped off a child approached them. She appeared slightly older than the two of them, and her face was full of curiosity.
Yesterday, news of Yun Xuechang, Hua Xiangrong, and Hua Yan had spread through the Xiaoyao Sword Sect like the wind.
Everyone now knew that the sect’s Sword Head had a vibrant, red-haired Dao Companion whom she had only just revealed after years of “hidden marriage,” as well as a cute, pink-haired daughter who was already of school age.
Seeing the two of them together at the school, the female cultivator couldn’t resist coming over to strike up a conversation.
“Yes, Senior Sister Li. I’ve come to drop Rongrong off at school.”
Yun Xuechang nodded politely before looking at the person beside her.
“As for Yan’er—”
“Hello, I am Hua Yan’er, Rongrong’s mother.”
Hua Yan extended her hand toward the woman named Li with great poise. She didn’t address the “Dao Companion” comment, only stating her relationship with Hua Xiangrong.
“So it’s Daoist Friend Hua! It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Li Mei.”
Senior Sister Li shook her hand and then began to chatter with familiar ease.
“Rongrong is the daughter of you two, right? She looks so much like both of you! Oh, I’ve always wanted such a cute daughter. Unfortunately, my Zihan is a boy. I could still dress him up in girl’s clothes when he was little, but now that he’s older, he refuses no matter what I say.”
She shook her head with a sigh.
“By the way, this is Rongrong’s first time at school, isn’t it? She’s so well-behaved. When my Zihan had his first day, he cried and made a scene, refusing to go in. In the end, I had to pull out my scabbard and threaten to smack his bottom before he finally trudged inside.”
“How do you two usually teach Rongrong? Why don’t you let me learn a thing or two?”
Senior Sister Li looked at them expectantly. As soon as she finished speaking, several other parent-cultivators who were dropping off their children gathered around, echoing her sentiments.
“That’s right, Junior Sister Yun. Please share some parenting tips so we can benefit as well!”
Er…
Hua Yan and Yun Xuechang looked at each other, both appearing quite lost.
‘What should we do, Yan’er? What are we supposed to say?’
Yun Xuechang’s telepathy reached her, her cool voice laced with a hint of panic.
After all, both she and Hua Yan were brand-new mothers. Where would they get “parenting experience”?
‘How—how should I know?! I’ve only been a mother for how long?! Just… just make something up to get through this?’
Hua Yan hurriedly replied via telepathy. She cleared her throat, stepped forward, and spoke.
“Ahem. Actually, teaching a child isn’t that difficult.”
“Mm-hmm,” the parents nodded in unison.
“To put it simply, it’s about teaching according to the child’s nature. You have to handle specific situations flexibly; you can’t be too rigid, but you can’t be too relaxed either.”
“Mm-hmm.” The parent-cultivators felt this made sense.
“Furthermore… you must communicate with the child more! Every child is different. You have to put your heart into it to teach them well.”
“Mm-hmm.” Everyone grew pensive.
“Ultimately, when it comes to methods, you shouldn’t always focus on how others do it. What works for one family might not work for your own. As long as your original intention is for the child’s well-being, no matter how the methods change, the core remains a heart full of love for your child!”
“Mm-hmm!” The parents nodded repeatedly.
…
‘But why do I feel like Yan’er said so much without actually saying anything at all?’
Yun Xuechang tilted her head as she watched Hua Yan talk animatedly in the middle of the crowd.
It seemed… she was just repeating similar, empty phrases over and over?
Watching the red-haired girl get more excited as she spoke—even starting to gesture wildly with her hands—Yun Xuechang blinked, a faint smile quietly gracing the corners of her lips.
……
“Phew, I finally managed to bluff my way through. Honestly, I’ve only been a mother for two months total, and I haven’t even been in this female body for very long. How would I know anything about parenting?”
After coaxing Yun Xuechang’s senior sisters away and leaving the academy, Hua Yan curled her lip and turned to the woman beside her.
“Mm, thank you for your hard work, Yan’er.”
Yun Xuechang nodded and then asked softly, “I plan to return to Mianyun Peak to cultivate. Do you have any plans, Yan’er?”
“Me? I’m planning to head over to your Xiaoyao Sword Sect’s library to browse. I want to find a few storybooks to read.”
Hua Yan waved her hand. Before her voice had even faded, she flew off using Sword Kinesis, leaving only her drifting words behind.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll head back on my own later.”
“Mm.”
Watching her receding back, Yun Xuechang nodded silently.
‘Wait… does our Xiaoyao Sword Sect’s library actually have storybooks?’
The white-haired Fairy tilted her head, unable to figure it out. She usually only read sword manuals and never cared for other miscellaneous books.
After thinking for a long while without any memory of such things, Yun Xuechang simply stopped brooding.
She stepped onto her Autumn Water Sword and flew toward Mianyun Peak.
……
In the past, she had always practiced and cultivated on the peak alone.
Soaring through the sky on her sword, the familiar mountain range and the small courtyard on the summit gradually drew closer.
Now… though she was currently alone…
As the morning light spilled down, the white-clothed, white-haired Fairy began her sword forms in the courtyard. Every move and every stance carried the fierce intensity of wind and thunder.
But someone would return. Someone would be there to accompany her.
Once she finished a set of sword techniques, she stowed her sword, poured herself a cup of fresh water, and tilted her head back to drain it.
Now, she was no longer alone.
As the slightly sweet, cool water slid down her throat, Yun Xuechang lowered her lashes, a shallow smile rippling in her eyes.
……
Meanwhile, on Wanjian Peak.
“So, Daoist Friend Hua came to me to ask about the matters of Mianyun Peak?”
Lin Qianqian looked at the person before her with a look of surprise.
Standing in front of her was none other than the vibrant, red-haired Hua Yan, who had just told Yun Xuechang she was going to the library to find storybooks.
At this moment, she was frowning slightly, her tone serious.
“Yes. I want to know exactly what happened to Xuechang’s Master and her fellow disciples.”