“Mmm, well then, let me give this a try right away!”
Ling Xiaoyou held the Cloud Water Bow and looked at the large tree trunk.
In the center of the trunk was a target carved by Bai Shuanglian with a longsword.
Although the carving wasn’t very delicate, it was enough for Ling Xiaoyou to attempt some archery practice.
She took a deep breath, and soon after, her gaze became serious.
She slowly raised the Cloud Water Bow in her hands and looked toward the target.
Suddenly, Ling Xiaoyou froze.
She saw the white crosshair before her eyes quietly change, transforming into a reticle suitable for a bow and arrow, complete with trajectory drop indicators.
‘Wait, so this crosshair is actually quite useful!’
Ling Xiaoyou thought with pleasant surprise.
She aligned the reticle with the center of the target and slowly pulled the bowstring.
An aqua-blue arrow appeared on the riser as she drew.
Her small hand suddenly released the string.
The arrow instantly detached and sped toward the target.
Hearing the sound of the arrow hitting something, Ling Xiaoyou looked toward the target with anticipation.
The result of this shot left her both happy and disappointed.
She was happy that the arrow indeed hit the tree, but disappointed that although it hit, it didn’t land on the target.
It had only hit the tree trunk; strictly speaking, it was a miss.
However, her disappointment only lasted for a short while before being washed away by a greater surge of joy.
Ling Xiaoyou was actually a very easy girl to please.
For something she didn’t have high expectations for in the first place, any result — even if it was small — could make her happy for a long time.
“Bai Shuanglian, Bai Shuanglian, did you see? I hit it!”
Ling Xiaoyou grabbed Bai Shuanglian’s hand and excitedly pulled her over to the large tree.
Pointing at the aqua-blue arrow that was slowly dissipating, she spoke like a little girl showing off her achievement to a friend.
“I saw. It’s very good,” Bai Shuanglian said with a smile.
She understood that at this moment, she only needed to listen to Ling Xiaoyou’s joy and be happy along with her.
“Great! Since I can already hit the tree, if I keep working hard, I’ll surely be able to hit the target next!”
The result was very encouraging, and Ling Xiaoyou’s fighting spirit soared.
She prepared to redouble her efforts and aim more accurately in the future.
Watching the fired-up Ling Xiaoyou, Bai Shuanglian chuckled and rubbed the girl’s small head.
Then, as if sensing something, she paused for a moment and said to Ling Xiaoyou, “I need to take a call. Xiaoyou, practice by yourself for a bit.”
“Okay!”
Ling Xiaoyou nodded her small head, then once again drew her bow and notched an arrow, firing it toward the target.
Seeing this, Bai Shuanglian left and headed deeper into the forest.
After finding a suitable spot where she could keep an eye on Ling Xiaoyou to ensure no accidents occurred during her trial, while also ensuring she was out of earshot, Bai Shuanglian stopped.
She took out a Jade Talisman from her Space Ring.
The Jade Talisman was translucent and warm, shimmering with a distinct glow, and was inscribed with mysterious Runes.
This was one of the methods the Bai Family used for communication.
Although the Jade Talisman’s functions could basically be replaced by modern mobile phones now, the Bai Family still maintained the habit of using them.
Bai Shuanglian skillfully used her Spirit Power to activate the Jade Talisman.
A faint light emanated from it, forming a very thin curtain of light.
The curtain flickered for a moment before a gentle female voice drifted out from within.
“Lian?”
“It’s me, Mother.”
Bai Shuanglian answered the gentle voice, but her tone lacked any sense of closeness.
Instead, she sounded like she was speaking to a familiar stranger.
Bai’s Mother was clearly long accustomed to her daughter’s manner of speaking and didn’t mind.
She asked, “The topic is the same as last time. The Xuantian Martial Tournament is about to begin soon. When do you plan to return to the Clan?”
“No rush, Mother. My answer is the same. I still have matters to attend to here; I will return in a while,” Bai Shuanglian said, her expression softening significantly as she watched Ling Xiaoyou practicing her archery.
There was a silence on the other end, as if Bai’s Mother was weighing the truth of her words.
Just as Bai Shuanglian thought her mother would fall silent and end the call as usual, she suddenly heard the woman say, “Is it because of that little Spirit you’ve been so close to?”
Bai Shuanglian was stunned.
Her expression immediately turned serious, and she frowned as she asked, “Who told you, Mother?”
She had never mentioned Ling Xiaoyou’s existence to her family.
Either the Clan had been monitoring her, or someone who saw them together had reported it to the Bai Family.
“Judging by your reaction, it seems it’s true.”
Bai Shuanglian remained silent.
Even if she wanted to argue, it was too late.
Moreover, since her mother could ask, she clearly already knew.
Any attempt to hide it would only be a clumsy cover-up.
There was a pause as Bai’s Mother decided what to say next.
After a moment, her gentle voice spoke again.
“How did you meet?”
Bai Shuanglian froze again, surprised by the question.
She had expected her mother to immediately tell her to stay away from the girl, but instead, she was asking how they had met.
Refusing to answer now would only make her look guilty.
Bai Shuanglian felt she and Ling Xiaoyou had done nothing wrong, so she gathered her thoughts and replied, “Our meeting was an accident. She was being summoned during a Summoning Ritual…”
As she spoke, Bai Shuanglian felt herself drifting back to their first encounter, and a small smile touched her lips.
Though it hadn’t been long, she felt as if she had known Ling Xiaoyou for a very long time.
Of course, she skipped certain details.
If she spoke of those inappropriate things, Bai Shuanglian felt she would never have the face to return to the Bai Family again.
Bai’s Mother likely noticed the omissions, but she didn’t press the issue.
Instead, she asked, “What kind of girl is she?”
Despite being confused by her mother’s reaction, Bai Shuanglian felt a sudden urge to confide in her.
“She’s wonderful. Although she can be a bit of a tsundere, she’s very kind. Her smile is sweet and cute, and she makes me very happy.”
“Every moment I spend by her side, I feel as though time is far too short. I wish time could stay frozen in that moment forever.”