“Still want more!”
At this moment, Chabao had completely let down her guard toward Miss Gan, clinging like a needy little koala, her arms tightly wrapped around Miss Gan’s slender waist as she looked up.
Her eyes shone with a longing for the Tanghulu.
“Mm-hmm.”
Gan Tang’s heart was captured by this display of complete trust.
She smiled warmly, expertly lifting the soft little Snow Wolf cub into her arms with one hand, while the other carefully fed the Ice Sugar Hawthorn Skewer to those tender lips.
“Shixiong, eat slowly, the whole skewer is yours.”
Chabao immediately settled down obediently, nestling comfortably in Miss Gan’s embrace.
Her tiny paws gently rested on the arm holding her as she nibbled at the glistening hawthorn balls in small bites, emitting satisfied “mm mm” sounds.
Even the tip of her fluffy tail swayed slightly in contentment.
Holding such a docile and soft little dumpling, Gan Tang felt a subtle oddity stirring in her heart.
Something about Shixiong today felt different, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
While she was pondering, Chabao had already finished the entire Tanghulu in Gan Tang’s hand, licking her lips—obviously not satisfied yet.
Gan Tang casually tossed the remaining bamboo stick into the storage bag for trash, then instinctively reached out to pat Chabao’s little head.
The little dumpling in her arms let out a soft, contented hum, a satisfied expression spreading across her face as her eyes narrowed slightly.
By now, even the thick-skinned Gan Tang had noticed that Shixiong was acting strangely… the aura was just too soft.
Previously, Lu Qiancha, though looking delicate and cute, always carried an air of maturity that didn’t quite match her body.
But now, she exuded a soft, adorable, and innocent aura.
If the previous Shixiong was like a little loli pretending to be an adult, always full of authority, the current one was completely like a soft, squishy cub, seeming like she could be won over with just one Tanghulu.
Watching from the side, Lu Qiancha was somewhat speechless.
She had been so cautious just moments ago, but now she was being held and was completely still.
“Miss Gan? Xiaoqiancha? What are you two doing standing there by the door?”
A clear, slightly puzzled voice came from the corridor ahead.
Xun Xue’s figure quietly appeared, her ice-blue eyes shifting between Chabao and Gan Tang.
“Eh?”
Chabao looked up at the sound, and when her gaze landed on that familiar tall figure, her pink eyes suddenly burst with indescribable joy.
“Mom—!”
A clear and affectionate call escaped her lips.
Without hesitation, she wriggled free from Gan Tang’s arms, bounding over in a few quick steps to stand beside Xun Xue.
“Hmm?”
Xun Xue looked at the little dumpling in front of her with some surprise, wondering if it was her imagination… but this little one seemed a bit… lively today?
Chabao clung tightly to Xun Xue’s waist with all her might, burying her little face in the fragrant collar of her robe and taking a deep breath.
“What’s this about?”
Xun Xue chuckled softly and patted Chabao’s head.
The cub lifted her face, pink eyes filled with pure joy and a touch of grievance, her voice thick with emotion:
“Mm… I missed you…”
The tone sounded like they had been separated for an incredibly long time.
“You missed me?” Xun Xue smiled, her fingers habitually smoothing down the soft blue strands of her hair.
“It hasn’t been that long. Didn’t you just cuddle me to sleep a few days ago?”
Chabao simply buried her little face deeper, emitting a muffled snuffle to express her attachment.
Lu Qiancha, who was watching the scene, was a little stunned.
She had originally thought that the Heart Demon didn’t inherit her own memories, judging by Chabao’s reactions.
But here with Xun Xue… could it be that the memories were selectively inherited?
At that moment, Chabao suddenly lifted her face in Xun Xue’s arms and stretched out her tender little arms.
Her pink eyes fixed unwaveringly on Xun Xue, her voice soft and sweet, laced with expectation:
“Mom—want a hug!”
That simple request stunned everyone present.
Whether it was Xun Xue or Miss Gan, deep down, Lu Qiancha was always a very reserved figure in their minds.
Especially for Xun Xue, she could actually feel that although Lu Qiancha called her “mother” in daily life, that emotion was more like a polite contractual formality.
Between them, there was always an invisible veil.
Lu Qiancha seemed to regard her more as a distant acquaintance than a close friend.
Not to mention actively asking for a hug, even initiating one was usually met with a push or two.
Although, more often than not, the end result was Lu Qiancha helplessly being held in Xun Xue’s arms…
Right then, Lu Qiancha, who had been watching, suddenly felt her vision darken.
A sharp wave of embarrassment surged like a tide over her heart.
Though Chabao was the one being clingy, this humiliation was all on her.
Lu Qiancha felt that the image of her dignified Shixiong had cracked a little.
Now, she somewhat regretted letting Chabao out to play.
Xun Xue stared blankly into those close, longing pink eyes.
The first absurd thought that crossed her mind was—this child… was possessed?
Chabao, seeing Xun Xue’s delayed response, dimmed the sparkle in her eyes and pouted her small mouth in grievance.
Tears began to well up and swirl in those pink pupils as a pitiful whimper escaped her throat.
“Mom, don’t want Qiancha anymore?”
“Impossible!”
Her daughter’s nearly tearful expression pierced Xun Xue’s heart like a sharp dagger.
Her chest tightened fiercely as she immediately tightened her arms, pulling that soft little body into an airtight embrace.
Her warm palms hurriedly and tenderly patted the trembling back, her voice anxious and full of heartbreak:
“Mom would never abandon Xiaoqiancha. Don’t cry, okay?”
Chabao gave a heavy-nosed, obedient “Mm.”
Her tense body completely relaxed, curling up like a delicate, fragile cloth doll, peacefully nestled in the warm embrace.
At that moment—
A strange resonance suddenly blossomed without warning between their touching skin.
Xun Xue abruptly felt the dormant Origin Bloodline Power inside her body stir, mingling with the profound Xianli flowing through her.
It was as if an invisible hand was pulling, spontaneously and eagerly… surging toward the small body in her arms.
“?!”
Xun Xue’s expression changed sharply, her ice-blue pupils instantly constricting.
She instinctively delved into her Divine Sense—
A faint golden Bridge of Blood Qi, containing Life Essence and the power’s origin, had extended from within her, firmly establishing itself over the Dan Tian core of her daughter in her arms.
Even more astonishing was that she could clearly “see” a similar but much smaller pale blue spiritual flow being drawn by her vast Xianli into the blood bridge, forming a subtle yet stable energy cycle.
“Bloodline Link?!” Xun Xue’s voice trembled with undeniable shock as she stared intently at Chabao.
“This Return-Heart Binding Pact technique… where did you learn it?!”
This was a secret passed down within the Snow Wolf Royal Clan.
It could bind the life and blood of close kin together, allowing them to watch over each other.
If one was in danger, the other could instantly sense their location and summon Origin Bloodline Power to aid.
It even subtly boosted their cultivation speed…
“Hehe~” Chabao peeked out from Xun Xue’s arms and playfully winked her right eye.
“Mom taught me!”
“Ah?”
Xun Xue was even more stunned by this.
“I taught you?”
“Mm-hmm!”
Chabao nodded vigorously, her pink eyes filled with absolute trust and dependence on Xun Xue.
Xun Xue frowned deeply upon hearing this.
She had no memory of teaching Lu Qiancha this secret technique…
Wait, could it be that this method was naturally imprinted within her own Essence Blood, and Lu Qiancha had unconsciously absorbed it?
Looking down at her daughter, lost in thought for a long moment, Xun Xue could only come to this conclusion.
Otherwise, there was no other possibility.
She sighed helplessly as she gazed at Chabao in her arms.
In truth, she was reluctant to use this technique on Lu Qiancha.
Because its side effects… were rather severe.
She was a little afraid that because of this technique’s side effects, Lu Qiancha would grow to resent or distance herself from her.
Xun Xue gently lifted Chabao’s feet off the ground, cupping her under the armpits to raise her up so they were perfectly eye-to-eye.
Looking into those innocent and naïve eyes, her tone was more serious than ever, with a faint, barely perceptible worry:
“Xiaoqiancha, do you know the side effects of this technique?”
“I do!”
Chabao nodded, tilting her head as she looked at Xun Xue, puzzled.
“Mm… what’s wrong?”
Upon hearing this, the deep worry in Xun Xue’s eyes instantly melted away.
Knowing the consequences… was enough.
With that thought, Xun Xue reached out and patted Chabao’s little head.
Though it was just a casual touch, Lu Qiancha suddenly felt a strange sensation.
She could actually feel the Xianli inside Xun Xue’s body!
Not only that, but her Ling Power had formed a nexus with Xun Xue’s Xianli, linking them together.
Though she could only sense it, unable to control the other’s Xianli.
And her own Ling Power was like a tiny drop in the vast ocean of Xun Xue’s Xianli.
Through the nexus, this drop was drawn by the ocean and had already become part of it.
At this moment, Xun Xue could fully control Lu Qiancha’s body through Ling Power.
No, more accurately, Lu Qiancha felt as if she had become a part of Xun Xue, capable of being manipulated at will.
This feeling terrified Lu Qiancha.
If Xun Xue wanted to, she could easily turn her into a puppet, completely under her control.