“Let’s see what we’ve gained this time.”
Mo Qingqing toyed with the golden-glowing bone in her hand.
She’d figured since she was moving out anyway, it would be a hassle to open it somewhere else and then pack everything up again, so she’d endured until now.
With a flicker of her mind, the barrier on the bone shattered, and with a “whoosh,” everything stored inside tumbled out, forming a small mountain in the empty living room.
The bone, its purpose fulfilled, turned into shimmering motes of light and completely faded away.
As the battle-hardened commander of a knight order, she had naturally amassed a wealth of spoils.
The sudden appearance of this mountain of loot almost completely blocked Mo Qingqing’s view.
Her elegant brows furrowed slightly.
“That’s a bit much… You take care of it.”
Not feeling like getting her hands dirty, Mo Qingqing casually dragged over a comfortable chair and sat down to watch leisurely.
“Yes.” Su Yun immediately replied, obediently running over to the messy heap and starting to organize it.
Most of the items here were beyond her understanding. The scrolls flickering with magical light, the oddly-shaped ores, the bottles and jars emanating dangerous auras—all were foreign to her.
So she could only sort them by intuition.
Things that felt like weapons went together, things that seemed like tools went together, and anything resembling materials went into another pile.
“Eh?” Su Yun’s movements suddenly paused.
She’d spotted something that absolutely shouldn’t have existed in this world.
A belt and a card box.
The familiar style made her dazed for a moment, but she quickly snapped out of it, only hesitating briefly before putting them in the “tools” pile.
She wanted them badly, but she knew perfectly well those didn’t belong to her, nor did she have any grounds to ask for them.
The pile only looked overwhelming, but Su Yun worked quickly and managed to sort everything into neat categories in just two or three hours.
“How’s your cultivation coming along?”
Mo Qingqing flipped casually through the organized spoils, asking offhandedly.
“You mean my mental world? I’ve only laid the palace’s floor, and, um…”
Su Yun was about to mention she’d run out of the potion Lin Mo gave her, but caught herself just in time.
Mo Qingqing, however, didn’t care.
“You mean that body-disposal potion your master made?” she said without looking up.
“Go ask her for more yourself. Hmm… her room should be 231.”
“Um… okay.”
Su Yun felt a surge of joy, hurrying over to nuzzle Mo Qingqing’s hand with her furry little head.
She knew too well what her only weapon was now.
With such an explosively cute appearance, if she didn’t take full advantage, wouldn’t that just be foolish?
Perhaps, for now, it really was all she had.
Besides, Mo Qingqing always seemed to fall for it. Every time, Su Yun could catch the barely noticeable, involuntary upward curve at the corner of her mouth.
Su Yun scampered over to the door, dialed the magic button as per the number Mo Qingqing gave her, and gently pushed the door open.
As soon as it opened, a rich, mellow aroma of alcohol swept over her.
“Hello…” Su Yun cautiously poked her little head inside to look around.
“Hmm? Come in.” Lin Mo’s lazy voice came from the adjacent bedroom.
“Sorry to bother you…”
Su Yun whispered, stepping lightly into the room where Lin Mo was.
“Come here, let Ancestor take a look.”
Lin Mo set aside her wine bottle, forcing what she thought was a kindly smile.
“Eh?” Su Yun was stunned.
That wasn’t just a joke… or a casual excuse?
She really wanted to accept her as a “grand-disciple”?
“Don’t be scared, I won’t eat you.” Seeing Su Yun frozen in place, Lin Mo prompted her again.
“Um… okay…” Su Yun’s furry ears trembled as she walked over, at a loss.
Lin Mo reached out and gently ruffled her fluffy little head, her expression softening into a satisfied smile.
Mmm, the sensation really was wonderful, even better than she’d imagined.
She even reached out to scratch under Su Yun’s chin.
How to describe it… The feeling was a bit odd, like she was being treated as a real little animal, but for some reason, Su Yun felt a strange sense of reassurance.
Lin Mo’s actions and gaze didn’t seem to carry any mockery.
That just made Su Yun feel even more bewildered.
“I know what you’re worried about.” Lin Mo seemed to see right through her.
“But here, since she’s said it, you are truly my grand-disciple.” As she spoke, Lin Mo, like performing a magic trick, pulled out a pile of treasures and set them before Su Yun.
Precious potions with no side effects that rapidly increased magic power, magic ornaments that accelerated absorption, a few life-saving scrolls inscribed with complex runes, and a delicate glass bead.
Su Yun recognized the bead—it was the tool Mo Qingqing had used earlier to store Aoun.
“There’s twenty thousand in here. If you run out, just come ask me for more.” Lin Mo ruffled Su Yun’s head again, her expression now almost grandmotherly.
This turn of events left Su Yun completely dumbfounded.
She was a little moved, but her deeply ingrained wariness wouldn’t let her fully trust it.
Why?
With her head lowered, only those three words kept echoing in her mind.
Why?
She was a witch, and Mo Qingqing’s master—why did she deserve such genuine affection?
Just because of a casual remark from Mo Qingqing?
She couldn’t understand it at all.
Still, it did her no harm.
“Thank you… Ancestor…” Su Yun whispered shyly.
“It’s nothing, come play whenever you have time.” Lin Mo pinched Su Yun’s soft cheek affectionately, eyes full of fondness.
Even if she was just being played, at least she was getting something real out of it.
Su Yun didn’t mind much.
It wouldn’t be the first or second time she’d been treated like a clown.
When she returned to Mo Qingqing’s place, she told her everything.
But after listening, Mo Qingqing’s face showed not a hint of surprise.
“Just keep it,” she said lightly.
“I might not have formally taken you as a disciple, but in name, you are. To her, you’re the real deal. Let’s each play our part.”
Mo Qingqing’s claim that Su Yun was her disciple was, in fact, a well-thought-out decision.
She’d long guessed that with Lin Mo’s temperament, she’d most likely take it seriously.
After all, since Mo Qingqing became independent, Lin Mo had grown lazier and more listless.
Sometimes, she’d hint about Mo Qingqing’s childhood, words laced with the hope that she’d either have a child or take on a disciple to keep Lin Mo company.
She… truly loved children.
After all, that’s what happens when you’ve lived for too long.