The Unyielding Bond

At the mountain gate, Shangguan Zhi’s aura surged like a relentless tsunami, causing the surrounding air to tremble under its immense pressure. Luo Bingning’s heart pounded like thunder. ‘Xiaocha did leave some traces behind…’ Without hesitation, she activated the Boundary-Crossing Talisman in her hand.

The talisman glowed, and a sudden gust of wind enveloped the once-quiet surroundings. Luo Bingning’s long hair danced wildly in the breeze, her hand steady as she held the golden talisman. Blue light and purple mist intertwined, and a colossal, electric arc-flashing spatial portal materialized in the sky.

Shangguan Zhi’s brow twitched in surprise. ‘A Boundary-Crossing Talisman?!’

Her aura momentarily weakened as she quickly retrieved the Sect Master’s token, activating the protective array to sever the portal in the sky.

Meanwhile, inside the Jade Maiden Sect.

The Peak Masters, unscathed by the commotion, sensed a towering aura of spiritual energy. ‘This is the Sect Master’s aura… Could it be that she has found the location of the Demonic Overlord?’

Elated, they released their spiritual senses, attempting to locate the Sect Master to offer assistance. Suddenly, a barrier blocked their senses, isolating them.

‘The Sect Master is at the mountain gate…’ Suddenly, a gigantic spatial tunnel appeared in the sky above the Jade Maiden Sect. They murmured, ‘This… is a Boundary-Crossing Talisman?!’

‘Could it be that the Sect Master has captured the Demonic Overlord, and they are trying to escape?’

Realizing the implications, their expressions turned serious. ‘Damn those demonic rats! They always resort to such underhanded tactics, fleeing at the first sign of trouble! Infuriating!’

On Zixia Peak,

Ling Qinxue gazed at the enormous spatial tunnel in the sky. ‘Blue light and purple mist…’ Whether it was her imagination or not, this Boundary-Crossing Talisman bore an uncanny resemblance to the one she had crafted for Bingning long ago.

At that moment, a phoenix-like shadow soared from the protective array, emitting a clear, resonant cry as it charged toward the spatial tunnel.

Boom—

The tunnel shattered, and an unusual purple light vanished into the void, appearing before Ling Qinxue. Her pupils dilated. ‘This… is the failsafe I left on the Boundary-Crossing Talisman I made for Bingning, meant to locate her position…’

‘What on earth is going on…’

At the Jade Maiden Sect’s mountain gate,

Luo Bingning held Xiaocha, lost in thought. ‘How could this happen? The protective array actually birthed a formation spirit and tore apart the spatial portal!’

Shangguan Zhi let out a sigh of relief. ‘Phew… Thank goodness it was intercepted. If they had escaped, with Xiaocha’s temperament, I might never see her again…’

She glanced at Luo Bingning, who stood protectively over Xiaocha. ‘Who would have thought this girl actually fell for Xiaocha, even using a Boundary-Crossing Talisman for her…’

Recalling Luo Bingning’s peculiar behavior, she murmured, ‘She used to detest Xiaocha, didn’t she? I must have been seeing things…’

‘Ugh… What a mess. This girl is my chosen heir, with exceptional talent and character. Unfortunately, she can be stubborn, and once she sets her mind on something, there’s no changing it…’

Her brow furrowed as her gaze shifted between Luo Bingning and Xiaocha. Given Xiaocha’s grave offense, as the Sect Master, she must act decisively, or risk losing the respect of her followers. Yet, if she punishes Xiaocha, Luo Bingning might flee with her again…

‘Then, the sect would be left without an heir, and I would have no explanation to give. Should I act as if nothing happened? But that’s too humiliating. Once Xiaocha awakes, she might laugh at me…’

Shangguan Zhi felt her head spinning. ‘Ugh… This Sect Master business is so tedious! Everything is so constraining. I miss the days when I was just the Sect Master’s personal disciple, with Master cleaning up after me.’

‘Then, I could lock Xiaocha in a dark room and have my way with her, making her submit to me completely. Together, our swords would be unstoppable, and we could conquer every beauty in the land, even the esteemed Empress. Roar~‘

From a distance, Luo Bingning watched Shangguan Zhi, who had suddenly fallen silent and was now grinning eerily. ‘Has the Sect Master gone mad from anger?’

Seizing the moment, she prepared to leave, but felt Xiaocha stirring in her embrace. Instinctively, she raised her hand to strike Xiaocha’s neck, but the blanket enveloping Xiaocha’s small form suddenly expanded and lengthened, pushing her arm away and allowing Xiaocha to slip out. Luo Bingning panicked. “Xiaocha, no…”

[Aha! Foolish Senior Sister, did you think you could strike me again? How foolish! Umm… If it weren’t for this unpredictable blanket, I wouldn’t be in this predicament.]

The soft, childlike voice echoed in both Luo Bingning and Shangguan Zhi’s minds. Shangguan Zhi, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to reality, murmuring, “Strange… Did I just hear that brat’s voice?”

Looking in Luo Bingning’s direction, she saw a small head emerging from the massive blanket. Her lips curled into a smirk. ‘Well, well! I was just wondering how to pry you away from Luo Bingning, and you’ve conveniently crawled out on your own! This time, I won’t hold back. I’ll make you pay for your actions! Especially for those photos!’

Her teeth ground together audibly as she vanished and reappeared next to the blanket.

[Hmm… Strange? Why has it suddenly grown dark?] Xiaocha’s head was bowed, her mind racing. A sudden, soft sensation on her neck made her shiver. “Mmm~” Before she could react, she was lifted high into the air.

“Oh no! Who is this? Let me go!” Xiaocha cried out, her legs kicking wildly beneath her flouncy skirt, her body swaying gently in the air.

Only when she saw the face before her did her expression turn pale. [O-Old Woman?!]

“No, I mean… Sect Master… What are you doing here?!” Facing the Sect Master and Little Eight, along with the two disciples still entangled, she felt a chill run down her spine, her head ducking into her collar.

[Uh-oh… What am I doing here?!]
[Has the Old Woman already seen the close-ups I made for her?]
[Aaah! ((>ω< ))o What do I do? What do I do? She’s probably already figured out it was me! I’ll be hung upside down for days, tortured endlessly…]
[Tortured with all sorts of delicious foods…]
[Ugh…]
[It’s all that stupid blanket’s fault! Otherwise, I would have escaped by now!]

Her round eyes darted about, desperately seeking a solution. Glancing at Luo Bingning, who had just freed herself from the blanket, her eyes brightened.

[That’s right! Senior Sister is still here! The Old Woman doesn’t have any proof, so she can’t force a confession out of me like before! Hmph!]

[Old Woman, even if you know it was me, what can you do about it? I have Senior Sister by my side now~] Her previously tense body relaxed instantly.

Shangguan Zhi listened intently to the strange voice in her mind, her curiosity piqued. ‘This is Xiaocha’s inner voice?’

‘How intriguing…’ She elegantly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her smile blooming like a dangerous flower in the night. She nodded slightly, her flawless face filling Xiaocha’s vision.

She gently tapped Xiaocha’s cheek with her fingertip and spoke softly, “Old Woman, was it? I heard you loud and clear!” Her voice was drawn out, the end rising playfully.