A moment later.
“Mother!” Lu Qiancha, like a fledgling sparrow returning to its nest, dove into Xun Xue’s soft embrace, rubbing against her energetically.
Xun Xue ruffled her little head, then her gaze shifted past Lu Qiancha’s shoulder, landing on the silent, ghost-like figure at the door—the gray-haired loli Shrine Maiden.
“You are… the Shrine Maiden of the Great Spirit Sovereign?”
Xun Xue recognized her at a glance. She frowned and asked, “May I ask why the Shrine Maiden visits so late at night?”
“By the Divine Oracle of the Great Spirit Sovereign, I am to attend her at all times.”
Ling Wanbai gave a slight bow, her etiquette impeccable. Her voice was flat and emotionless, and she stood by the side, as still as a statue. “?”
Xun Xue’s expression was somewhat bewildered. This Shrine Maiden of the Great Spirit Sovereign had been in the Spirit Sovereign Temple for a hundred years and never once left.
Just what is this Great Spirit Sovereign up to?
Completely unable to grasp the situation, Xun Xue could only arrange for Ling Wanbai to stay in the adjacent room.
Afterward, she quietly asked the little wolf cub about her, and upon confirming there was no threat to Lu Qiancha, she finally relaxed.
***
Outside, wind and snow fell as ever.
Inside the bedchamber, warmth filled the air.
Lu Qiancha, having exhausted herself after practicing the Escape Technique, could no longer resist the immense fatigue and drowsiness welling up within her.
She curled up in Xun Xue’s embrace, inhaling that familiar scent of icy frost, and drifted into a deep sleep.
Several days flowed by like water.
During the day, Lu Qiancha never set foot outside, her mind wholly immersed in Dan Prescription Spiritual Essence. Now and then, she would sit cross-legged to cultivate, circulating her energy.
At night, she transformed into a phantom blue silhouette, practicing the Moonshadow Escape again and again in the snow-blanketed Martial Field.
Occasionally, when Xun Xue was in the mood, she would take her hand and stroll together through the bustling yet frigid night market of the royal city.
They would buy steaming hot Frost Boar Skewers, sweet and soft Red Bean Milk Custard, and other delightful treats.
Of course, Ling Wanbai never left Lu Qiancha’s side for even a step.
After spending several days with Ling Wanbai, Lu Qiancha discovered that the other girl was practically a rock—except when talking about the Great Spirit Sovereign, she showed almost no emotion at all.
Even when Lu Qiancha transformed into a wolf clan youth right before her eyes, the Shrine Maiden only let out a slightly surprised “Oh?”—and then showed no further reaction whatsoever.
Such days of peace and tranquility, however, were abruptly shattered by a hasty summons from the palace attendants.
A female official in palace garb, face pale and anxious, could barely maintain proper etiquette as she stammered in a trembling voice, “Xian Zun, Xian Zun! His Majesty—His Majesty urgently summons you!”
“Ling Ze is summoning me?” Xun Xue paused, her hand halfway to her lips with a piece of glistening Bingyu Cake.
She looked up at the window. The fine snow fell as before.
What does Ling Ze want with her?
If she counted the days…
Her brows gradually knitted together. Now definitely wasn’t the time for the Phantom Stone to mature…
Xun Xue told Lu Qiancha and Ling Wanbai to stay within Shui Xian Palace and not wander off, then set out alone for the palace’s side hall.
Inside the Hall of Nurtured Heart, the atmosphere was tense.
“Ling Ze, what do you want with me?”
Xun Xue spoke directly.
“It’s not good news.”
Ling Ze wasted no words, his expression grave as he, too, got straight to the point: “There’s been an anomaly in the secret realm behind the mountain.”
“Anomaly? Why now, of all times?”
Xun Xue’s brows knit tighter, her voice tinged with suspicion and alarm.
So-called anomalies meant that the spiritual energy tides of the secret realm had become chaotic, and the strength of the spirits and monsters inside would rise and fall unpredictably.
Moreover, anomalies could change the very conditions for entering the secret realm, or even alter the realm itself—a once easy path could become impassable.
“Heaven’s will is unfathomable.” Ling Ze’s voice carried a trace of unconcealable helplessness as he pushed a beast-hide document, edged with the Wolf-head Golden Seal, toward Xun Xue.
“Take a look.”
Xun Xue unfurled the scroll, her fingers swiftly skipping over the flowery words of praise and merit, her gaze sharp as a blade, cutting straight to the core:
“Yesterday, the Heavenly Mechanism Battalion, responsible for monitoring the secret realm behind the mountain, reported: Spiritual energy inside has dropped sharply, only two-thirds of the previous amount remains.”
“And further: Cultivators above the peak of the Convergence Stage are now repelled by the realm’s spiritual power and cannot enter.”
Xun Xue’s fingers tightened around the edge of the scroll.
A drastic drop in the realm’s spiritual energy meant a severe reduction in Phantom Stone yield…
And the ban on high-level cultivators entering—it was like pulling the rug out from under them.
“The access to the secret realm behind the mountain will still be open to your group. I will reassign a squad from the Rinbing Battalion to assist you…”
Ling Ze’s voice was steady and powerful as he lifted his gaze, looking into the deep blue of Xun Xue’s eyes. “The rest is up to you.”
Xun Xue nodded, all her emotions hidden deep in her eyes. “Understood.”
Ling Ze had done all he could.
If she told little Qiancha about this, she would surely be heartbroken.
Carrying heavy thoughts, Xun Xue’s steps grew heavy as she returned to Shui Xian Palace.
She pushed open the palace doors.
Xun Xue: “???”
Her mind was filled with question marks. The scene before her instantly shattered her usual composure.
On the warm carpet within the hall, two entwined figures lay together, their clothes slightly disheveled.
And underneath—it was her own blue-furred little wolf cub.
Time rewinds to just after Xun Xue left.
Lu Qiancha finished cultivating and took out a Shihu Zhulan, preparing to take a bite.
“Hm?”
Just as she was about to “crunch” down, a cold gaze—locked onto the Shihu Zhulan in her paw.
Ling Wanbai, who had been standing in the corner like an ice sculpture, now moved to her side.
For the first time ever, a hint of curiosity flickered in those calm, water-like eyes.
She looked at the Shihu Zhulan in Lu Qiancha’s paw and asked curiously, “What is that? It smells so good.”
“Shihu Zhulan. Haven’t you tried it before?”
Lu Qiancha tilted her head in surprise.
“No.”
Ling Wanbai shook her head honestly, her gaze glued to the plant. “Usually, I only eat fresh fruit or jerky. I’ve never seen this before.”
Lu Qiancha looked at the crisp, cool-scented plant in her hand, then at the other girl’s eternally cold and ascetic face.
With a “ding,” a wicked idea suddenly popped into Lu Qiancha’s mind.
The mischievous little wolf is online.
Hmph, you pounced on me before and even smacked my head—today I’ll get my revenge!
Lu Qiancha was already imagining how embarrassing this little gray wolf would look, rolling and acting spoiled in her own arms.
Thinking this, a sly smile slowly blossomed on the little wolf cub’s lips.
Lu Qiancha generously handed the Shihu Zhulan to Ling Wanbai and said sweetly, “If you want it, go ahead and eat. I have lots more.”
“How… do you eat it?”
Ling Wanbai looked at the Shihu Zhulan in her hand, puzzled.
“This is delicious. Just gnaw on it, it’s really crunchy. It even has a unique, sweet, and fresh fragrance.”
Lu Qiancha coaxed patiently.
“Alright.”
Ling Wanbai answered crisply, then unhesitatingly bit into the tender middle section.
Crunch.
The Shihu Zhulan in Ling Wanbai’s mouth gave a crisp sound—refreshing, icy sweet, with a lingering aftertaste.