Returning to the Heavenly Yuan Sect

Seeing the two little ones stuck together in a ball, Xun Xue let out a helpless, light sigh and reached out to separate them.

She turned to Ling Wanbai, whose eyes were still somewhat glazed, and instructed gently, “Little Wanbai, you are not allowed to bully Little Sister Qiancha, do you remember?”

Ling Wanbai’s gaze was misty. She didn’t respond, only letting out a vague “Mmh,” seemingly still immersed in the subtle effects brought about by the Dendrobium and Pearl Orchid.

Lu Qiancha, meanwhile, continued to nestle peacefully in Xun Xue’s warm embrace, taking small bites of the Dendrobium and Pearl Orchid in her hand.

After that, things were fairly calm, except that Ling Wanbai became exceptionally clingy, always sticking tightly to Lu Qiancha.

Just as Lu Qiancha finished eating and was preparing to calm her mind for cultivation, a rush of urgent knocking suddenly sounded from outside the palace hall.

Xun Xue frowned slightly and rose to open the door.

Outside stood a Wolf Clan messenger with a hurried expression. After bowing respectfully, he spoke urgently: “Lord Immortal, His Majesty summons you for an urgent and important matter. Please proceed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation immediately.”

Xun Xue was about to speak when she felt a gentle tug on the corner of her clothes.

Looking down, she saw that Lu Qiancha had walked over at some point and taken her hand.

Her voice was soft and sticky, yet firm: “Mother, let’s go together.”

“Mn.” Xun Xue didn’t say much, nodding in agreement.

She held Lu Qiancha’s small hand in hers and followed the messenger toward the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

“Reporting—Immortal Xun Xue has arrived!” the guard at the palace gate announced loudly.

“Enter.”

Ling Ze’s steady voice came from within the hall.

The two stepped into the hall, and the messenger who had announced them retreated to his original post after completing his mission.

Upon entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Ling Ze’s gaze paused on Lu Qiancha for a moment before turning to Xun Xue.

“Is this your daughter?”

“Precisely,” Xun Xue’s lips curved upward slightly, carrying a trace of pride as she gently rocked the little wolf cub in her arms. “Is she cute?”

“Extremely cute. When she grows up, she will surely be peerlessly magnificent.”

Ling Ze offered a symbolic compliment before getting straight to the point.

“That demon Mufeng, We have already cast him beneath the Ice Spring. Before his lifespan is exhausted, he will suffer the punishment of bone extraction and marrow sucking day and night, never to be released for all eternity, to repay his sins.”

Xun Xue nodded slightly, indicating her acknowledgment.

Ling Ze raised his hand to point at a bamboo scroll on the imperial desk.

“This is the plan for dealing with the First Princess, Ling Muxue. Take a look and see if there is anything that needs reconsideration?”

Xun Xue stepped forward, picked up the bamboo scroll, and slowly unrolled it.

Written clearly upon it was: Abolish cultivation, strip of Wolf Clan identity, exile to the extreme northern frontier, never to set foot in Wolf Clan territory again for all eternity.

“With such a heavy punishment, how could Ling Muxue be willing? Won’t she seek you out to make a scene?” Xun Xue raised her eyes to look at Ling Ze, asking bluntly.

Ling Ze shook his head gently, letting out a low sigh of unclear meaning.

“Heh… That daughter of mine… toward this result… actually has not half a word of complaint.”

Before his eyes, Ling Muxue’s dim, lightless eyes filled with regret seemed to float up once more.

Hearing this, Xun Xue lowered her head to pinch the tender cheek of Lu Qiancha in her arms, asking softly, “Little Qiancha, are you satisfied with this outcome?”

Lu Qiancha nodded lightly, then buried herself deeper into Xun Xue’s embrace, whispering with a trace of fatigue, “Mother, I’m tired… I want to go home.”

A gentle smile blossomed on Xun Xue’s face, her voice as tender as water: “Alright, we will go home today.”

With that, Xun Xue held Lu Qiancha steadily, turned around, and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Returning to Shuixian Palace, they found Ling Wanbai resting quietly on the bed, lying on her stomach.

Xun Xue asked softly, “Little Wanbai, we are leaving. Are you willing to go with us?”

“Yes.”

Ling Wanbai immediately responded concisely and comprehensively.

She propped herself up with her small hands to sit, jumped agilely off the bed, and arrived at Xun Xue’s side in a few steps, her small hand accurately grabbing the corner of her clothes.

“Go where?”

“Home,” Xun Xue answered.

“Okay.” Ling Wanbai nodded crisply and neatly, not asking about the destination.

Just like that, the three of them set foot on the return journey to the Tianyuan Sect.

They traversed the vast snowy domain, skimmed over boundless grasslands, and flew across lush forests.

After crossing more than half of the Eastern Continent, the three finally arrived before the cloud-shrouded Mountain Protecting Grand Array of the Tianyuan Sect.

Lu Qiancha took out a token to activate and open the path, with Xun Xue and Ling Wanbai following close behind; the three entered in single file.

At this time, it was early summer in the Tianyuan Sect, warm and pleasant.

Inside the mountain gate, traces of snow were long gone; the vegetation was verdant and lush, brimming with vitality. It was a world apart from the bitter cold and desolation of the Northern Region, as if they had changed to a different heaven and earth.

Just as they arrived outside their own small courtyard, Lu Qiancha saw a familiar figure dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk—it was precisely her master, Xuan Ya.

Xuan Ya was standing solemnly to the side, instructing Gan Tang, who was dressed in a blue-pink dress, in sword practice.

Seeing that familiar horsetail whisk, a wave of joy like a warm current surged instantly in Lu Qiancha’s heart.

She immediately slid down from Xun Xue’s arms, moved her short little legs, and ran thump-thump-thump to stand behind Xuan Ya, extending a small hand to gently tug at the hem of her master’s robe.

“Hm?”

Xun Ya sensed the movement and slowly turned around, her gaze falling on the little wolf cub dragging her Daoist robe.

Her expression remained indifferent as always. “Back? In that case, go cultivate together with Gan Tang.”

“Mmh… Today, don’t want to practice sword…”

Lu Qiancha’s small face was slightly red, carrying a bit of coyness.

Immediately after, she opened her small arms, looked up with her small face, her voice carrying a sweet stickiness of expectation.

“Master… want hug.”

Xuan Ya: “…?”

Xuan Ya paused for a rare moment.

She looked somewhat blankly at her eldest disciple who was acting coquettishly before her eyes, doubts springing up in her heart like clumps of grass.

Did this child eat something strange in the Northern Region by mistake?

Even having turned into this young appearance, her temperament has always been rather steady; she absolutely would not say such spoiled words…

“Mmh…?”

Seeing her master make no move, Lu Qiancha thought she hadn’t heard clearly.

She tugged persistently at the corner of Xuan Ya’s clothes again, tried hard to stand on her tiptoes, stretched a pair of small hands even higher, and made her voice a few degrees clearer.

“Master—hug!”

Xuan Ya frowned slightly, wearing an inquisitive expression, but ultimately bent down and extended her hands to lift this little wolf cub steadily into her arms.

Immediately after, she raised her eyes, casting a sharp gaze toward Xun Xue not far away.

The question was written clearly and plainly in her eyes: What did you do to my disciple? Where did my mature and steady eldest disciple go?

Receiving Xuan Ya’s look, Xun Xue shrugged her shoulders rather innocently, indicating that she was equally baffled.

“Huu-mmh~”

Enveloped by her master’s familiar cool and clear aura, Lu Qiancha let out a sigh of satisfaction, a happy smile rippling across her small face.

She rested her small head in the hollow of Xuan Ya’s neck, whispering softly: “Master… Qiancha missed you so much…”

“…Since you missed your master, you should study diligently.”

Xuan Ya held the little wolf cub in her arms steadily with one hand, while the other hand mercilessly raised the horsetail whisk.

Smack.

She tapped it lightly on Gan Tang’s arm, scolding with a cool voice:

“Sword level! Body straight! So soft and powerless, do you want to tickle the enemy?”

“Yes, Master! Disciple knows her wrong!”

Gan Tang hurriedly corrected her posture, gritting her teeth as she continued to swing her sword in practice.

“Mn, not bad. Maintain this level of strength. Practice another two thousand times, then rest.”

Xuan Ya nodded slightly, setting the standard for Gan Tang.