Under the young woman’s meticulous care, Ling Xiaoxiao grew up, taking on all sorts of daily chores—laundry, grocery shopping, cooking—with remarkable skill. Her extraordinary culinary talent, in particular, had completely won over the young woman’s heart.
After dinner one evening, the young woman couldn’t help but sigh, “Xiao’er, with your ability to handle both household duties and social graces, I wonder which lucky boy will get to enjoy your company in the future.”
Hearing this, Ling Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Sister, don’t joke like that. If I ever get married, what will you do when you’re craving my cooking?”
The white-haired girl reacted as if her tail had been stepped on, quickly defending herself. “I’m just maintaining a clear state of mind. Cultivators have long lifespans, but if we forsake all human joys just for the sake of immortality, then…”
Before she could finish, Ling Xiaoxiao cut in. “Then it’d all be for nothing—you’ve used that excuse so many times already. Besides, I’ve already said I’ll stay by your side forever. And you promised you’d never leave me either!”
The young woman puffed up her cheeks indignantly. “It’s not an excuse! Earthly attachments might not aid cultivation, but they also make one less susceptible to inner demons. Especially for the Chongming Clan, who already have naturally long lifespans.”
Hearing this, Ling Xiaoxiao’s eyes softened, warmth flooding her heart.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” she muttered, pretending to be annoyed as she lowered her head to clear the table—though the corners of her lips curled upward.
“And don’t forget, you used to cling to me calling me ‘Mommy’ all the time. Now that you’re older, you’ve switched to ‘Sister’ and even dare to tease me. In a few more years, will you start calling me ‘Little Sister’?” the young woman joked.
Ling Xiaoxiao paused in her movements, straightened up, and looked down at the white-haired girl.
Then, with a mischievous grin, she said, “I think ‘Daughter’ could work too…”
The white-haired girl’s face flushed with embarrassment, her teeth clenched as a wave of indignation rose from her dantian to her chest, causing a visible tremor.
Pointing accusingly at Ling Xiaoxiao, she cried, “Oh, you little—how dare you turn the natural order upside down?! Bring me the board!”
A slender green bamboo ruler instantly flew in from the study, radiating a rich aura of vitality.
Back when she was teaching Ling Xiaoxiao, the young woman had briefly run a private school in a nearby human village, and this ruler had been her disciplinary tool. To avoid harming the children, she had refined it into a magical artifact—no matter how hard it struck, it wouldn’t cause serious injury.
Of course, most of those strikes had landed on Ling Xiaoxiao, who was always picking fights with the boys. Today, she was going to remind Ling Xiaoxiao of the virtues of respecting one’s elders and upholding filial piety.
“Sister~ I was wrong~”
“Oh? What exactly were you wrong about?”
“I should’ve called you ‘Little Sister’ first.”
Whack!
“Mmm~” Rather than pain, Ling Xiaoxiao let out an inappropriate sound, her gaze at the young woman brimming with expectation.
The young woman stared in disbelief at the girl she’d raised, a flicker of unease passing through her. She hastily tossed the ruler into Ling Xiaoxiao’s hands and retreated into the study.
……
The young woman often spent time in the study poring over ancient texts. A pen pal had sent her a copy of Shan Hai Zhu, which surprisingly contained information about the legendary [Spiritual Sea].
The Spiritual Sea was said to be the source of all spiritual energy—its waters were liquidized qi. Some claimed that the Great Demon had remained in this realm specifically to search for the [Spiritual Sea].
For two years, the young woman and her unseen correspondent had worked to uncover the Spiritual Sea’s true location. Yet, they had found nothing.
The world’s geography had long been fully mapped, and there was no trace of the Spiritual Sea anywhere. It was like chasing a mirage—all their efforts had ultimately been in vain.
Today, the young woman couldn’t find the book and frantically searched the study.
“Xiaoxiao, where did you put Shan Hai Zhu?”
“On the top shelf—can you reach it?” Ling Xiaoxiao hurried into the study.
Inside, she found the white-haired girl stubbornly straining on her tiptoes, determined to retrieve the book by herself despite her height.
After several failed attempts, she refused to give up.
“Sister, let me help you. Relax, okay?”
Ling Xiaoxiao crouched slightly, then lifted the white-haired girl face-to-face.
With one hand braced on Ling Xiaoxiao’s shoulder, the young woman reached for the book—while Ling Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to bury her face in the other’s chest, even sneaking in a nuzzle when she wasn’t paying attention.
“Alright, put me down now.” The white-haired girl’s face flushed as she smoothed out her robes.
Once Ling Xiaoxiao left, the young woman stared thoughtfully at the bookshelf, her gaze inadvertently meeting Xue Ji’s.
Lilith muttered, “There’s no way Ling Xiaoxiao didn’t do that on purpose.”
Xue Ji didn’t respond, her brow furrowing. “Why are we still seeing the study’s perspective even after Ling Xiaoxiao left?”
Lilith finally realized something was off, her expression turning horrified. “This viewpoint… it’s like we’re watching from the bookshelf’s perspective.”
A while later, the young woman left the study, stretching outside.
The viewpoint followed her.
‘What is this… surveillance?’ A chill ran down Xue Ji’s spine as she looked at the small house—now resembling a meticulously disguised cage.
……
Night fell, and the scene remained centered on the white-haired girl.
However, tonight, she didn’t sleep. When the night deepened, she slipped out through the window.
The perspective shifted again—this time to Ling Xiaoxiao moving through a bamboo forest, following the path the young woman had taken.
Xue Ji sensed a growing unease, one that quickly fermented into fear and rage.
‘Shifu actually kept something from me!’
‘She promised to stay with me forever!’
“Liar, liar, liar! You big liar!”
After searching for a while, Ling Xiaoxiao finally detected her master’s aura. Carefully, she crept forward.
Gradually, she heard voices—a man and a woman, chatting and laughing merrily.
Ling Xiaoxiao stealthily approached, peeking out from her hiding spot.
What she saw was the last thing she wanted: her master, sneaking out behind her back… to meet a man!
The sight of the handsome, dashing youth sent a surge of murderous intent coursing through her.
Her consciousness began to blur, and Xue Ji noticed the scene tinting red.
“Who’s there?!” The white-haired girl’s voice rang out.
At the last moment, Ling Xiaoxiao regained her senses and fled.
‘It’s him!’ Xue Ji’s mind reeled. The young man in white robes was none other than the cultivator from the Hero’s Party.
That cultivator… had actually met Xue Ji in her past life!