A Sister’s Resolve and a Sweet Morning Kiss

“The Demon Lord?”

Hearing her daughter’s question, Liu Ruxin froze, a flicker of panic crossing her eyes. However, Lin Yi, oblivious to her mother’s momentary strangeness, continued, “Yes, my investigation revealed that among cultivators, there is only one individual who excels at ice manipulation, possesses a cultivation far surpassing the Void Refinement Stage, and can strike such fear into the hearts of the Profound Spirit Sacred Land’s elders. That can only be the Demon Lord, Moxi.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruxin visibly relaxed, her initial panic subsiding into a calm resolve. She gazed at Lin Yi and inquired, “So you believe Feiluo’s disappearance might be connected to the Demon Lord?”

Lin Yi nodded. “Precisely. Beyond this, I can conceive of no other possibility.”

“…And do you still intend to pursue this investigation?” Liu Ruxin asked, a hint of hesitation in her voice.

“Yes,” Lin Yi declared with unwavering conviction. “I am certain that if I press on with my investigation, I will find my brother!”

“But…” Liu Ruxin began, only to be abruptly cut off by Lin Yi.

“Mother, I understand your concern for my safety, and your fear that I might lose my life if I delve too deeply into this investigation.” Lin Yi met Liu Ruxin’s gaze, stating, “But I must do this. This is the only clue I have to bring my brother back.”

Witnessing the resolute determination in her daughter’s eyes, Liu Ruxin was momentarily stunned. After a long moment, she let out a soft sigh, conceding helplessly, “If that is truly your resolve, then I shall not stand in your way.”

“How, then, do you plan to proceed with your investigation?”

“Mother, surely you’ve heard that next month, our Sacred Land and the Demonic Sect will jointly dispatch Nascent Soul stage disciples to a secret realm situated at the border of the Eastern and Western Continents?”

At these words, Liu Ruxin’s expression froze once more, though this time, Lin Yi clearly discerned her reaction. Observing her mother’s obvious lack of knowledge on the matter, Lin Yi seemed to grasp something significant.

She clenched her fists, her face alight with indignation, her voice seething with fury. “Are those people from the Patrol Hall still preventing you, Mother, from stepping even a single pace outside your dwelling?”

“Those bastards!” With that, Lin Yi rose to her feet, donned her outer robe, and seemed poised to depart, intending to confront those individuals at the Patrol Hall.

“Wait, don’t go.” However, before Lin Yi could take more than a few steps, Liu Ruxin swiftly reached out and held her back.

“They currently possess no evidence, and are merely at the stage of suspecting my involvement with the Demonic Sect. At most, they can only confine me to my home. According to the Sacred Land’s regulations, they have not overstepped their bounds.”

Liu Ruxin gently pressed her daughter back onto the sofa and continued, “But if you go and quarrel with them, they might very well turn the tables on you, accusing you of provoking trouble and having you imprisoned.”

“So we’re just to let them bully you like this, Mother?” Lin Yi retorted indignantly.

“It’s hardly bullying; they’ve merely restricted my movements outside,” Liu Ruxin replied.

“That is bullying!” Lin Yi exclaimed. “To suspect you of involvement with the Demonic Sect without cause—what else could it be but bullying?!”

At this, Liu Ruxin nervously smoothed a strand of her dark, beautiful hair that had fallen across her chest.

“Let’s not dwell on this, Xiaoyi,” Liu Ruxin said, deftly changing the subject. “Didn’t you just mention that next month the Sacred Land and the Demonic Sect are dispatching Nascent Soul disciples to a secret realm?”

“Does this pertain to your upcoming investigation plans?”

Though slightly puzzled by her mother’s abrupt shift in conversation, Lin Yi didn’t dwell on it. She nodded and replied, “Yes, Mother, I intend to participate in next month’s secret realm exploration. Conveniently, my cultivation recently broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, making me eligible to join.”

“Once inside the secret realm, I will separate from the Sacred Land’s contingent and seek out any lone disciples of the Demonic Sect to make contact.”

“I believe I can glean some clues regarding the Demon Lord and my brother from those Demonic Sect disciples.” A beacon of hope ignited in Lin Yi’s eyes.

Observing her daughter’s hopeful demeanor, Liu Ruxin felt a pang of helplessness internally, though she allowed no trace of it to show on her face.

“Since you have made up your mind, take this.” With that, Liu Ruxin produced a jade pendant and offered it to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi accepted the pendant and examined it. It was a piece of exceptionally smooth jade, exuding a faint warmth upon touch. The front of the pendant was intricately carved with a snowflake motif, while the reverse featured an open oil-paper umbrella.

“What is this…?” Lin Yi looked curiously at her mother, hoping for an explanation of the pendant.

However, Liu Ruxin had no intention of elaborating, merely stating, “If you encounter danger, crush it. It will ensure your safety.” Having said her piece, Liu Ruxin offered Lin Yi no further opportunity to question, turning and retreating into her own room.

Lin Yi was left alone, scrutinizing the jade pendant in her hand.

Early morning. The breakfast stall had already opened its doors. Feiluo and Moxi sat at a table, savoring their freshly made breakfast.

“Slurp~” Feiluo scooped up a spoonful of tofu pudding, and without a care for the steam rising from it, gulped it down in one eager mouthful. The sweet tofu pudding melted in her mouth like ice beneath the sun, its delightful sweetness dissolving into her heart. The tender, springy texture made Feiluo close her eyes in pure enjoyment.

‘Hmm, sweet tofu pudding has its own unique charm, doesn’t it?’

Pondering this, Feiluo scooped up another generous portion of tofu pudding and popped it into her mouth.

Moxi picked up a steaming soup dumpling, bit into its skin, and delicately sipped the broth from within. After she had finished the broth, Moxi ate the now deflated soup dumpling in small, refined bites, her elegant demeanor a stark contrast to Feiluo, who was ravenously devouring her meal beside her.

Moxi then picked up another soup dumpling and offered it to Feiluo’s lips.

Without so much as a glance, Feiluo opened her mouth wide and took the soup dumpling, chopsticks and all, into her mouth.

Moxi gently withdrew the chopsticks Feiluo had held in her mouth; they gleamed with a crystalline sheen.

Feiluo chewed the soup dumpling in her mouth, the broth mingling with the meat filling like perfectly synchronized partners performing a ‘soup dumpling’ duet on her palate.

Next, Feiluo watched as Moxi picked up a small shumai and placed it into her own mouth.

Seeing Moxi use the very chopsticks she had just held in her mouth, Feiluo’s chewing paused, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

‘Did Moxi just…?’

‘Did she just indirectly kiss me?!’

“What’s wrong?” Noticing the sudden cherry-pink flush on Feiluo’s face, Moxi asked curiously.

Feiluo remained silent, simply staring, red-faced, at the chopsticks in Moxi’s hand.

Moxi glanced at the blushing Feiluo, then at the chopsticks in her own hand, and immediately understood the cause of Feiluo’s flush.

“My dear disciple, your blush is a little late,” Moxi teased. “You should have been blushing when you took the soup dumpling I offered you and held the chopsticks in your mouth earlier~” A slight smile played on Moxi’s lips.

“Eh?!” Only then did Feiluo realize that she had been the one to hold Moxi’s chopsticks first, meaning their indirect kiss had happened much earlier.

Consequently, Feiluo’s face deepened in color, becoming so crimson it seemed as though blood might drip from it.

As she recalled holding the chopsticks Moxi had used, Feiluo felt a subtly sweet taste spread through her mouth.

“By the way, do I taste good, my dear disciple?” Moxi playfully inquired.

“Delicious!” Feiluo blurted out instinctively, without a moment’s thought.

Then, under Moxi’s knowing, amused gaze—a silent “Oh my, oh my”—Feiluo clapped her hands over her scarlet face and glared at Moxi, cheeks puffed out in indignation.