Lu Qiancha took a deep breath, forcing down the surging shame and annoyance.
Under Xun Xue’s scrutinizing gaze, she struggled to steady her voice, but a faintly aggrieved sob still slipped out bit by bit. “It’s… nothing.”
She turned her face away, her small hands secretly tugging at the wrinkled hem of her skirt behind her back. “I was just scolding the unworthy junior sister… that’s all…”
“Then… should I give you some privacy?”
Xun Xue looked at the two senior siblings with particular kindness, making a move to step back.
“No… need!” Lu Qiancha gritted her teeth and forced out the two words.
She no longer looked at Xun Xue, instead lowering her small face and taking out a heavy, polished Zitan Wooden Ruler from her Storage Ring.
The ruler hovered in midair, controlled by her spiritual awareness, radiating a cold aura of judgment as it pointed directly at Gantang.
“Hand.”
Lu Qiancha’s voice was flat and emotionless.
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
Gantang flinched slightly, steeling herself as she closed her eyes and tremblingly extended her delicate left hand.
“Slap—!”
The ruler’s edge carried a fine breeze, striking precisely.
A clear, vivid red mark instantly appeared on her tender palm.
“Ah!” Gantang gasped sharply, her eyes instantly reddening, but she dared not pull back her hand.
Nine crisp strikes echoed continuously in the silent room.
Gantang’s fingertips trembled uncontrollably, tears swirling in her eyes, but she didn’t dare make a sound.
“Go back to your room!”
Lu Qiancha retracted the ruler, her tone cold.
“Remember today’s mistake well.”
“……” Gantang felt as if she had been pardoned, clutching her swollen, aching palm, slipping out of the room like a frightened rabbit without daring to raise her head.
Lu Qiancha stood stiffly in place, listening as Gantang’s footsteps faded away.
Only then did her tense shoulders suddenly collapse.
Her legs went weak, and she collapsed onto the hard bed, burying her flushed face deep in the pillow—
Her mind replaying again and again the scandalous and utterly humiliating scenes from last night: the disheveled clothes, the white silk stockings clinging tightly to her legs, and the deadly slippery numbness at the soles of her feet…
“Ugh…” faint sobs were muffled against the pillow.
“Having a fight with junior sister?”
Xun Xue’s warm voice quietly broke the silence as she sat beside the bed, gently brushing a few stray hairs off Lu Qiancha’s face.
“No!”
Lu Qiancha snapped up like her tail had been stepped on, her blue eyes wet and clear as she panicked and explained, “It’s—junior sister… she was just… so unreasonable! She was wrong! I only…”
“Mmm~” Xun Xue raised a finger and softly pressed it against Lu Qiancha’s pouting lips, her smile gentle and knowing.
“Little Qiancha, Mommy understands what you want to say~” She winked and gently pulled Lu Qiancha’s awkward little body into her arms.
“Be good, get a good night’s sleep. Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
“Mm.”
Lu Qiancha responded softly, curling up in Xun Xue’s embrace.
Perhaps because of their shared bloodline, she felt an unprecedented sense of peace.
The little room grew quiet, with only soft breathing remaining.
After a long while.
“…That…” Lu Qiancha’s small hand gently tugged at Xun Xue’s robe, her voice faint as a mosquito’s buzz, laced with both longing and shyness.
“Mother… tail… tail massage…”
Xun Xue lowered her eyes, gazing at those blue ear tips trembling with anticipation in her arms.
A sly curve tugged at her lips as she leisurely replied, “Acupoint massage is excellent for unblocking the meridians, but overindulgence can harm the foundation. Only once a month, no more.”
“Mm mm…”
Lu Qiancha nestled deeper into the warm embrace, answering softly.
Though a bit disappointed, she strangely felt relieved—for now, she didn’t have to face that overwhelming, mind-shattering pleasure.
She closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.
***
The next day, Tiangong Peak.
The morning light was faint.
Xuanmo hummed a cheerful tune, steering her little boat, drifting leisurely over Tiangong Peak.
Looking down, she saw two figures busy at work in the clearing beside the peak’s lake—a large and a small one bustling with energy!
Lu Qiancha (as Senior Brother), dressed in a green robe, held a compass, focusing intently on lining things up; beside her, the blue-clad Gantang was laboriously swinging a shovel, energetically digging a foundation trench.
Dust swirled as if they were embarking on a grand construction project.
“L–u–Qiancha–!” Xuanmo nimbly flipped, landing lightly on the soft grass beside Lu Qiancha Senior Brother, excitement bubbling over as she slapped her shoulder.
“Fantastic news! Your wine! It sold! And—” she held up her fingers, shaking them vigorously before Lu Qiancha Senior Brother’s eyes, “ten bottles! Ten bottles sold for ten Top-Grade Spirit Stones each!!”
The focused Lu Qiancha Senior Brother’s wrist trembled, the compass needle wildly spinning.
She whipped her head around and stared incredulously at Xuanmo’s triumphant smile for three full breaths before managing to say, “…Shigu, you really are… a prodigy!
To turn something worth five Mid-grade Spirit Stones into two hundred times the value… such a genius should be the chief supplier at the merchant guild, a true waste not to be.”
“Oh, it’s nothing, nothing!” Xuanmo beamed from the compliment, then curiously looked at the sweat-slicked little Gantang beside her.
“What are you two up to…?”
“Shigu,” Lu Qiancha (as Senior Brother) composed himself and cupped his hands respectfully.
“I want to build a residence here for Senior Sister Xun Xue, and beside it, erect an alchemy furnace.”
“Oho…” Xuanmo waved her hand grandly, full of zeal.
“Don’t bother with the fuss. I’ll send a few skilled disciples from Tianquanfeng later. They’ll build it quickly and beautifully!”
“Isn’t it troublesome to bother the senior brothers and sisters so much?”
Lu Qiancha Senior Brother hesitated.
The construction fees on Tianquanfeng were notoriously expensive.
With the need to buy a Danlu and refine the Rebirth Pill, every spirit stone had to be carefully budgeted.
“What’s the trouble! It’s just a few words!”
Xuanmo waved her hand dismissively, then said to Lu Qiancha Senior Brother, “I’ll handle this. You have other things to do.”
“Please instruct, Shigu.”
“Previously, Kuanlan Sect placed an order with me for thirty bottles of Chengxin Yulu wine, to be completed by the end of next month.”
Xuanmo chuckled, continuing, “You just focus on brewing the wine. Leave these trivial matters to me. We won’t be taking that thirty percent profit from you for nothing.”
“Thank you so much for your support, Shigu!”
Lu Qiancha Senior Brother bowed deeply, this time with heartfelt gratitude.
“I’ll go look for a better Danlu for you in the next few days.”
Xuanmo smiled brightly, boarding her cloud boat, humming her tune as she vanished into the light and clouds once more.
Watching the cloud boat disappear, Gantang then sneakily shuffled over to Lu Qiancha Senior Brother, tugging at her sleeve and looking up with eager eyes.
“Senior Brother… those brothers from Tiangong Peak will come to work… does that mean I don’t have to dig mud anymore?”
“Mm.” Lu Qiancha Senior Brother nodded.
“Woohoo—! Long live Senior Brother!!!”
Gantang instantly turned into a runaway wild rabbit, tossing aside her shovel and rushing toward her grass hut without looking back!
Watching the gleeful figure disappear, Lu Qiancha Senior Brother couldn’t help but shake her head and smile.
This little junior sister was still that carefree, silly self—unchanged.
Only, as her thoughts drifted, the ridiculous scenes from yesterday suddenly slammed into her mind—
Her cheeks uncontrollably burning hot, she hurriedly shook her head, trying to chase away those images.
What strange things are going on in that junior sister’s head?! To have done such things yesterday…
She hoped those ten strikes with the ruler would teach her a proper lesson.
Taking a deep breath of the cool morning air, she turned back to the little hut.
Since the construction had been handed over, she would first finish the order the Shigu entrusted her with.
On the desk, various spirit materials and Ling Fruits were neatly arranged.
Following the recipe, she added them into the Ding one by one, ignited the fire, and began refining, waiting for the internal liquid to dissolve.
The Jade Bottles gently shook, with incantations guiding the flow of spiritual power.
The clear, pure brew was accurately poured into thirty Jade Bottles.
The bottles were sealed softly, a flash of spiritual light sealing the contents.
In less than three hours.
The last Jade Bottle was carefully placed into a Storage Bag.
Lu Qiancha exhaled deeply, just waiting for the Shigu’s next visit to hand over the bag.