Sensing that Su Qian and Su Lingling had calmed down, Lin Muxue pushed open the door and walked in.
Her expression was as usual, or perhaps not quite normal—there was a hint of worry when she looked at Su Lingling…
“You two finished talking…?”
“We finished, Master!” Su Lingling replied at once!
Lin Muxue nodded, but still hesitated before asking Su Lingling, “Then Lingling, do you know… I…”
“I love Sister and Master the most!” Su Lingling cut in with a bright smile before Lin Muxue could finish.
Lin Muxue paused, but couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from rising. She received Su Lingling’s answer.
“Then both you and Qianqian must work hard at cultivation. I’ll do my best to always be your favorite Master.”
This was Lin Muxue’s promise to the sisters—especially to Su Lingling.
Hearing these words, Su Lingling pondered for a moment, then looked at Lin Muxue and said seriously,
“No matter what happens, no matter how our identities change, Master will always be the one who cares about me and Sister. You’ll always be the Master I love most!”
At that moment, all three of them smiled, speaking in riddles with tacit understanding, but clearly, the knots in their hearts had already been untied.
“Sis, while that Chu Youtong has run off, how about we go out for a walk? Of course, Master has to come with us, or it’ll be too dangerous!”
“Sure! We can’t stay cooped up in the Sect forever. What about Master? Can you come?”
“Master will protect you. As long as I’m here, I won’t let what happened last time happen again…” Lin Muxue made her vow right there.
“So much has happened lately… I really need to cultivate harder after this~” Su Qian made up her mind, but for now, she decided to spend time with her little sister and Master~
That night, Su Qian completely smoothed out the knots in her heart together with her sister and Master.
The Night Market was dazzling with lights, the cries of vendors and laughter weaving a warm and cozy net.
Three beautiful women, each with different looks and ages, strolled hand in hand through the glow of lanterns…
As the moon slowly rose and then sank to the west, the bustling Night Market gradually closed down, and the crowds dispersed.
The three of them, satisfied, left the market and headed back toward the Sect.
Su Lingling landed on the ground of Sword Heaven Peak, stretched lazily, “Mmm—so happy! Playing with Master and Sister was so much fun! While I’m still in a good mood, I’m off to cultivate~”
“I’ll come with you—”
“Sis, keep Master company. I still think, after all, I love Master and Sister the most~” Su Lingling left those meaningful words, then left with a playful laugh.
‘I’m really still curious. That Saintess of Hehuan Sect gave me something… If Sister is there, it’ll be awkward to check. Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since last time…’
As Su Lingling left, only Su Qian and Lin Muxue were left, staring at each other.
“Master… maybe we can really talk this time, talk about the things we never faced before…” Su Qian looked firmly at Lin Muxue, determined to resolve all her knots tonight!
Lin Muxue looked back at Su Qian, and seeing the resolve in her eyes, she knew it wasn’t the time to run away…
“Then… come back to my room with me. Maybe it’s time we had a real talk.”
……
On the way, the air grew briefly tense. Lin Muxue was the first to break the silence:
“Qianqian…”
Hearing Lin Muxue call her, Su Qian shook her head.
“Tonight, think of me as Su Ling. Ever since I left that time, the next time we met, it was already with swords drawn. This time… let’s treat it as our first true reunion.”
“So… it’s been a long time, Master!”
Su Qian walked ahead, hands behind her back, half turning her face to flash a gentle smile at Lin Muxue.
The wind happened to blow, lifting a few soft strands of hair across her faintly flushed ear.
Lin Muxue’s heart skipped a beat.
Her lips unconsciously curved in the same gentle arc, her voice trembling slightly with the joy of regaining what was lost:
“It really has been a long time. Welcome back…”
……
Back in the Cave Dwelling, Su Qian, for the first time as Su Ling, quietly listened to Lin Muxue pour her heart out.
Lin Muxue sat beside Su Qian, recounting how panicked and lost she felt after Su Ling left without a word, how she suppressed all doubts within the Sect, doing her utmost to search for Su Ling’s traces.
When she finally found Su Ling again, it was when he wanted to cut off their Karmic Thread.
Lin Muxue chased him in a panic, only to watch him vanish before her eyes—body, soul, and karma all gone.
She had thought her mastery of the Cause and Effect Path had reached its peak, but precisely because of that, when karma vanished, her despair was all the deeper!
But thankfully, not long after, a faint connection appeared.
She felt like a drowning person who’d grasped the last rope, searching desperately until she found Su Qian, now transformed into a little girl, and brought her back into her tutelage.
After that… she lost her Disciple once again.
She lost her most beloved Disciple once more… In her despair, she wandered in a daze, searching, searching, searching…
Now, looking at the self-reproaching Su Qian, Lin Muxue pulled her into an embrace:
“Now, finally, I’ve found you again. Welcome back, Su Ling—Su Qian, my Disciple.”
Su Qian felt a droplet fall onto her face.
Master was crying. She had almost never seen her usually composed, sometimes naive Master shed tears.
“Master, I’m here. I’ll always be your Disciple, and I’ll never leave you again.”
Su Qian gently patted Lin Muxue’s back, soothing her softly, until Lin Muxue’s mood steadied.
“Sorry, I didn’t control my emotions just now,” Lin Muxue said apologetically.
Su Qian gave a gentle, shallow smile, raising her hand as much as she could, and like she used to comfort her younger sister, stroked Master’s head.
Lifting her head with a smile, thinking back on Lin Muxue’s confession just now, she realized how much she owed her Master.
“Master.”
“Qianqian, what is it?”
Lin Muxue looked over at Su Qian, only to see her eyes gently closed, lips slightly parted.
Lin Muxue’s heart raced, but she worried she might be misunderstanding, and feared she’d hurt Su Qian again…
“No need to worry, Master. This is my wish, not a reflex, but sincere love. I hope Master won’t reject me now…”
As Su Qian spoke, her voice and head gradually lowered…
But suddenly, she felt her chin gently lifted.
She gazed straight into Lin Muxue’s eyes, who also stared straight back at her: “I’ll never reject my Qianqian!”
Warmth surged through Su Qian’s heart, her smile blossoming like a peach blossom.
Closing her eyes again, soft lips drew near, and Su Qian took the initiative.
Lin Muxue was inexperienced, so this time, let me lead… With this thought, Su Qian took the lead, prying open her lips and teeth, her arms wrapping around Lin Muxue’s neck…
This kiss would last long—long enough to express all of Su Qian’s remorse to Master…
Elsewhere, Su Lingling, hiding under her covers, heart racing, flipped open the Shu.
She was gradually beginning to understand the book’s strange nature…
“If I change the face below to Sister’s, and then this one…”
As the faces on the page changed, steam seemed to rise from Su Lingling’s head, her face flushed red, and one hand slowly left the book’s page—
“Tonight… I’ll indulge myself a little. Sorry, Sister…”