“Wuwuwu… My little Qianqian, you’ve only been back for a few months, and the Spring Festival isn’t even over yet, but you’re leaving again. Your Master is truly worried—when you are out and about, you don’t know how to take care of yourself, and you’re following that cold woman Ji Ling. If she starves you out there, my heart will ache so much…”
On the plaza of Xiaoyao Peak, Yue Jue reached out to straighten Lin Qianqian’s clothes, looking exactly like a worried old mother.
“Master…”
Lin Qianqian looked at the qipao-clad woman in front of her, who had practically left her to fend for herself after picking her up and bringing her back to the Xiaoyao Sword Sect.
Seeing her reveal such genuine concern at this moment, Lin Qianqian’s nose tingled, feeling somewhat moved.
“Stop putting on an act. Your disciple broke through to the Late Nascent Soul Stage a few days ago, would she still be afraid of starving?”
Standing nearby, Ji Ling cast a sidelong glance at Yue Jue, who was wiping away non-existent tears, and let out an exasperated snort with her arms crossed.
“Besides, you don’t need to miss her—what, the Sect Master didn’t tell you? You also have to go on this trip to the South Sea.”
Yue Jue froze: “???”
“Why do I have to go too?! Didn’t they say at the Morning Meeting that having two Spirit Severing Stage Elders holding down the fort would be enough?”
She abruptly turned her head, her charming face completely devoid of tear stains:
“Isn’t it enough to have you and little Xuechang? What do you need me for?”
“Idiot.”
Ji Ling sneered:
“Yun Xuechang is personally entering the Secret Realm, how can she be counted among the Elders holding down the fort?”
She stared at the deeply reluctant Yue Jue with a mock smile:
“Could it be that your good disciple, who attended the Morning Meeting in your stead, didn’t explain it clearly? We all voted on it at the time—in the entire Sect, you are the one with the most free time. If not you, then who?”
“How am I the one with nothing to do? Ji Ling, don’t you dare ruin my reputation! I still have so many little disciples on Wanjian Peak to look after! What will they do without me!”
Yue Jue retorted immediately, then resumed her tearful and weeping facade.
“But Master… weren’t the little junior brothers and sisters you picked up all raised by me and the other older junior disciples?”
Lin Qianqian softly chimed in from the side:
“Normally, you are either fighting with the little junior brothers and sisters over pastries in the Dining Hall, or coming up with new ways to take them out to play—their studies have been almost completely delayed by you.”
“This disciple feels that if you come with me to the South Sea, Junior Sister Wang and the others might actually be able to teach the younger disciples a bit better during this time…”
“Lin Qianqian! You unfilial disciple! I have truly raised you in vain all these years!”
Yue Jue immediately started fake crying again, muttering things like “I was clearly giving them a happy childhood” and “how fun it is to steal children’s pastries just to see them beg.”
Ji Ling simply couldn’t bear to look at this person who had zero self-awareness as a teacher.
She turned to look at the bunny-eared girl beside her, her stern gaze softening a fraction:
“Sixteen, are all your things packed? It is time for us to board the Spirit Boat.”
“Mhm, everything is packed.”
Ning Shiliu replied softly, carrying an embroidered backpack, and then spoke up with some hesitation:
“Elder Ji… I, I want to say goodbye to Rongrong, is that okay?”
“Go ahead.”
Ji Ling gave a slight nod.
Taking a Spirit Boat from the Xiaoyao Sword Sect to the South Sea would take at least ten days or so.
Even though both Ning Shiliu and Hua Xiangrong were going to the South Sea, not seeing each other for over ten days—for two little girls who played together every day and were inseparable, it was indeed quite a long separation.
Having received permission, Ning Shiliu skipped towards another Flower Boat-shaped Spirit Boat on the plaza.
Hua Xiangrong’s family of three was standing right beside it.
“Rongrong, we will be boarding the Spirit Boat soon, and we won’t see each other for a long time.”
Ning Shiliu ran up to Hua Xiangrong, slowing her steps to a halt, her fluffy pale-gold bunny ears drooping slightly.
“It is okay, Little Pomegranate. In just fourteen days, we will be at the South Sea.”
Hua Xiangrong took her hand and comforted her:
“Besides, even on the Spirit Boat, I can ask my mother to take me to your Spirit Boat to play with you.”
“Mhm.”
Ning Shiliu looked at the cute pink-haired girl in front of her and nodded.
‘This good friend of mine always has all kinds of novel ideas, is smarter than me, and is much better at interacting with people.’
Although she didn’t know how Rongrong could calculate such an exact number as “fourteen days,” Ning Shiliu was simply willing to believe her.
Hua Yan stood to the side with her arms crossed, watching the adorable sight of the two little girls huddled together, holding hands and whispering.
She turned to look at Ji Ling in the distance and used Telepathy:
[Elder Ji, are you really comfortable letting Little Pomegranate go to the South Sea as well? You clearly know about Rongrong’s prophecy—this trip to the South Sea involves an Immortal Artifact, and Evil Cultivators will be appearing. It is not safe.]
[You all feel safe letting Rongrong tag along, so what should I be afraid of?]
Ji Ling cast a glance at Hua Yan and replied:
[I have naturally prepared life-saving items for Sixteen as well. I will protect her.]
[Besides, since we have to pretend not to know the Evil Cultivators’ plans, we can only follow the usual customs of going to an ordinary Secret Realm—we must have elite disciples entering the Secret Realm, Elders holding down the fort, and also little disciples brought along to broaden their horizons.
The Evil Cultivators all know about my relationship with Sixteen. If I don’t bring her along, it would actually raise suspicions.]
That’s right. This time, Hua Xiangrong had told everyone in the Xiaoyao Sword Sect about the Evil Cultivators ahead of time, allowing everyone to prepare early.
After listening, Ye Qingyuan and the others agreed on a countermeasure—
To temporarily pretend not to know there is an Immortal Artifact in the Secret Realm, nor that the Evil Cultivators are coming.
Everything would proceed as normal, with the news circulating only among the core members of the Xiaoyao Sword Sect.
At the same time, they would secretly contact trusted Sects to avoid alerting the enemy.
[Alright, as long as you know what you are doing.]
Hua Yan nodded, and asked again:
[By the way, about the Immortal Artifact and the Evil Cultivators—looking at Elder Yue’s reaction, it seems you haven’t told her yet?]
[Heh, it is perfectly normal that that stupid woman, who only knows how to have her eldest disciple attend the Morning Meeting for her, doesn’t know.]
Ji Ling scoffed coldly, paused for a moment, and added:
[You don’t need to worry about this. I will naturally tell her once we reach the South Sea. This is to prevent her from hearing the news halfway through the flight and wanting to back out.]
[Uh… alright.]
Hua Yan nodded helplessly.
‘But it is strange when you think about it—rare things like an Immortal’s Secret Realm and an Immortal Artifact left behind by an ascended Immortal are appearing so frequently.’
In Hua Yan’s memory, it seemed that right around the time she was born, a Secret Realm allegedly related to the Shuangchen Immortal had appeared in the Northern Plains.
It was just that time, everyone who went to explore it supposedly returned empty-handed.
‘I wonder which Immortal left behind the Secret Realm this time, and what kind of powerful Immortal Artifact is hidden inside.’
‘Since Rongrong already said that Xuechang would have a great fortunate encounter in this Secret Realm, then after Xuechang gets the Immortal Artifact, it should be fine if I borrow it to play with, right?’
‘Anyway, my relationship with Xuechang is good enough now. After exploring the Secret Realm, maybe she will even be won over by me and completely fall in love with me.’
Thinking this, Hua Yan turned her head to look at the white-haired girl standing quietly beside her.
And the other party, just like every other time, accurately caught her gaze—and just like every time, returned Hua Yan a faint smile that was like melting ice and snow.
‘Hiss… Xuechang’s smile is indeed still as lethal as ever…’
Hua Yan turned her head back with a slight blush, secretly making a decision in her heart:
‘You can do it, Hua Yan! Strive to completely win over this blockhead before we return from the South Sea!’
Once all the disciples heading to the South Sea had gathered in the plaza, Hua Xiangrong and Ning Shiliu waved goodbye, and Lin Qianqian also finally managed to pacify her Master, who was still trying to throw a tantrum.
Everyone stepped onto their respective Spirit Boats together, departing from the mountains still covered in thick snow under the shining warm sun.
In the rare clear winter sky, the Spirit Boats turned into specks of flowing light, gradually disappearing into the horizon.