Xun Xue watched the two little ones tangled together, sighed helplessly, and reached out to separate them.
She turned to Ling Wanbai, whose gaze was still a bit dazed, and gently reminded her, “Little Wanbai, you’re not allowed to bully your sister Qiancha. Do you understand?”
Ling Wanbai’s eyes were hazy; she did not reply, only gave a muffled “Mm,” as if still immersed in the subtle effect of the Shihu Zhulan.
Lu Qiancha, on the other hand, remained comfortably nestled in Xun Xue’s warm embrace, nibbling quietly on the Shihu Zhulan in her hand.
After that, things remained relatively calm. The only difference was that Ling Wanbai became especially clingy, always sticking close to Lu Qiancha.
Just as Lu Qiancha finished eating and was about to settle down to cultivate, an urgent knocking suddenly sounded from outside the hall.
Xun Xue’s delicate brows knitted slightly as she rose to open the door. Outside stood a Wolf Tribe messenger with an anxious expression, who gave a respectful salute before hastily speaking:
“Honored Immortal, His Majesty has urgent business and requests your immediate presence in the Yangxin Hall.”
Xun Xue was about to reply when she felt her sleeve being gently tugged. Looking down, she saw that Lu Qiancha had already come over at some point, taking her hand.
Her voice was soft yet firm, “Mother, let’s go together.”
“Alright.” Xun Xue did not say much, nodded, and, turning her hand, held Lu Qiancha’s small one, following the messenger toward the Yangxin Hall.
“Announcing—Xun Xue, Immortal Venerable, has arrived!” The guards at the door announced in a loud voice.
“Enter.”
Ling Ze’s steady voice came from inside the hall.
The two entered the hall. The messenger, having finished his task, withdrew to his original place.
Inside the Yangxin Hall, Ling Ze’s gaze lingered on Lu Qiancha for a moment before turning to Xun Xue. “Is this your daughter?”
“She is,” Xun Xue’s lips curved with a touch of pride as she gently shook the little wolf cub in her arms, “Isn’t she adorable?”
“Very adorable. When she grows up, she will surely be peerlessly beautiful.”
Ling Ze offered the compliment as a formality, then returned to the main topic, “That Yuren, Mu Feng, I have already thrown him under the Bingquan. Until his life ends, he will endure the punishment of bone extraction and marrow draining day and night, never to be released, to repay his crimes.”
Xun Xue nodded slightly, indicating she understood.
Ling Ze raised his hand, pointing to a bamboo scroll on the imperial desk. “This is the plan for dealing with the Eldest Princess, Ling Muxue. See if there is anything that needs to be reconsidered?”
Xun Xue stepped forward, picked up the bamboo scroll, and slowly unrolled it.
Clearly written on it: All cultivation abolished, Wolf Tribe identity stripped, exiled to the North Frontier, forbidden to ever set foot in the Wolfkin Territory again for all eternity.
“Such a severe punishment—will Ling Muxue accept it? Won’t she cause you trouble?” Xun Xue looked up at Ling Ze and asked frankly.
Ling Ze shook his head lightly, letting out a low sigh with an unclear meaning, “Heh… That daughter of mine, to this outcome…had not a hint of complaint.”
He seemed to see again before his eyes Ling Muxue’s dull, regret-filled gaze.
Upon hearing this, Xun Xue lowered her head and gently pinched Lu Qiancha’s soft cheek in her arms, softly asking, “Little Qiancha, are you satisfied with this result?”
Lu Qiancha nodded lightly, then snuggled deeper into Xun Xue’s embrace, her voice tired and soft, “Mother, I’m tired… I want to go home.”
A gentle smile blossomed on Xun Xue’s face, her voice as tender as water: “Alright, we’ll go home today.”
With that, Xun Xue held Lu Qiancha securely and turned to leave the Yangxin Hall. Returning to Shui Xian Palace, she found Ling Wanbai quietly resting on the bed.
Xun Xue asked softly, “Little Wanbai, we’re leaving. Would you like to come with us?”
“Yes.” Ling Wanbai replied succinctly, then quickly sat up, agilely jumped off the bed, and came over to Xun Xue, accurately grabbing the hem of her robe, “Where are we going?”
“Home,” Xun Xue replied.
“Okay.” Ling Wanbai nodded decisively, asking no more.
And so, the three of them set off on the journey back to Tianyuan Sect.
They traversed boundless snowy fields, swept across vast grasslands, and soared over lush forests.
After crossing most of the Eastern Continent, the three finally arrived at the mist-shrouded great protective array of Tianyuan Sect.
Lu Qiancha took out a Token to open the path. Xun Xue and Ling Wanbai followed close behind, the three entering in single file.
At this time, Tianyuan Sect was in the early summer, filled with warmth.
There was no trace of lingering snow inside the mountain gates; the vegetation was lush and full of life, a stark contrast to the cold desolation of the northern lands, as if they had stepped into another world.
Just as they reached the entrance to their little courtyard, Lu Qiancha immediately spotted a familiar figure in a moon-white Daoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk—it was her master, Xuanya.
Xuanya was standing solemnly to one side, instructing Gantang, who was dressed in a blue-and-pink dress, in sword practice.
Seeing the familiar whisk, a wave of warmth and joy surged in Lu Qiancha’s heart.
She immediately slipped down from Xun Xue’s arms, stretched her little legs, and ran up to stand behind Xuanya, reaching out with her small hand to gently tug at the hem of her master’s robe.
“Hmm?” Xuanya noticed the movement, slowly turned around, and saw the little wolf cub tugging her Daoist robe.
Her expression was as calm as ever. “You’re back? Since you’re here, go practice with Gantang.”
“Umm… Today, I don’t want to practice sword…”
Lu Qiancha’s cheeks flushed, showing a bit of shyness. Then she opened her tiny arms, raised her face hopefully, her voice sweet and expectant, “Master… I want a hug.”
Xuanya: “…?”
Xuanya was uncharacteristically stunned for a moment. She looked somewhat puzzled at her eldest disciple who was acting spoiled.
Suspicion rose in her heart—could this child have eaten something strange in the north?
Even in this young form, her temperament had always been steady, never would she say such coquettish words.
“Umm…?”
Lu Qiancha, seeing that her master didn’t respond, thought she hadn’t heard, so she stubbornly tugged Xuanya’s robe again, struggling to stand on tiptoe and stretch her little hands higher, her voice even clearer, “Master—hug!”
Xuanya frowned slightly, her gaze searching, but in the end she bent down and picked up the little wolf cub with both hands.
Then, she lifted her eyes and shot a sharp look at Xun Xue not far away, her gaze clearly questioning: What did you do to my disciple? Where has my mature, steady eldest disciple gone?
Xun Xue met Xuanya’s gaze and shrugged innocently, indicating she was just as baffled.
“Hu—” Wrapped in her master’s familiar cool aura, Lu Qiancha let out a satisfied sigh, her little face blossoming into a happy smile.
She rested her little head against Xuanya’s neck and murmured softly, “Master… Qiancha missed you so much…”
“If you missed your master, you ought to study diligently.”
Xuanya held the little wolf cub securely with one hand, while the other mercilessly raised her whisk and tapped Gantang’s arm with a light “pa,” her voice cold as she admonished, “Raise your sword straight! Stand tall! With such weakness, are you planning to tickle the enemy?”
“Yes, Master! Your disciple knows her mistake!” Gantang quickly corrected her posture, gritting her teeth and continuing to practice her sword.
“Good. Keep up that strength and practice two thousand more times, then you may rest.”
Xuanya nodded slightly, setting the standard for Gantang.