Qinhe Garden.

On the west side of the backyard, the residence of Zhenyang Sect’s male disciples.

Mo Xiaolan sat cross-legged on the bed, in front of her an orchid was blooming leisurely. Moments later, the orchid slowly dissipated, transforming into spiritual energy and returning to her body.

Mo Xiaolan opened her eyes, looked at the empty room, remained silent for a long time, and then got up to walk to the window, pushing it open to gaze at the deep night outside.

"Qin Gengyun and Taoist Friend Qiu, they must have reunited by now."

In a room not far away, Shi Ying tossed and turned, his mind filled with images of Junior Sister Ruo standing atop the head of a giant beast, her delicate yet dignified expression.

He turned over, only to find his junior brother also wide-eyed, startling Shi Ying:

"Junior Brother Liu, why aren’t you asleep yet?"

Junior Brother Liu’s eyes were empty, he chuckled softly: "Senior Brother Shi, you’re not asleep either?"

Shi Ying asked: "What are you thinking about?"

Junior Brother Liu retorted: "Senior Brother, what are you thinking about?"

Shi Ying fell silent, and so did Junior Brother Liu. After a long pause, they both spoke almost at the same time:

"I wonder what Junior Sister Ruo is doing right now?"

On the east side of the backyard, the residence of the female disciples.

Xu Caihe also tossed and turned, holding the clothing she prepared to gift He Zhiqiu. Beside her, Fang Xue yelped, Xu Caihe quickly said:

"Sorry, Senior Sister Fang, did I squish you?"

Fang Xue helplessly rubbed her injured leg that got squished, saying: "Junior Sister Xu, are you planning not to sleep tonight?"

Xu Caihe suddenly leaned over, whispered: "Senior Sister Fang, who do you think Senior Brother He is training with so late?"

Fang Xue yawned: "You don’t really want to know, let’s sleep, you’ll wake from the dream tomorrow."

Yunling Mountain.

Snow Moon Forest.

Originally lush and verdant, the forest now had only half remaining.

In the snow where that patch of forest had been leveled, a woman dressed in blue was gazing down.

On the ground was a very deep sword pit, surrounded by countless densely packed sword pits.

Wei Wan crouched down, extending her fingers to touch the sword pit, muttering:

"It really is the Thousand Sword Array."

At this moment, Wei Wan’s complexion was rosy, entirely unlike the pale face she showed during the day, clearly the so-called "excessive depletion" was all a pretense!

Wei Wan looked again toward the traces of fire burns around the sword pit, an unusual glint flickering in her soft water-like eyes.

"Thousand Sword Array, Li Fire... who exactly are you?"

At this moment, something trembled in Wei Wan’s arms, she quickly pulled out a pearl, which lit up, forming a light curtain.

In the light curtain, celestial mist filled the air, mountains vibrant with life, yet the sky was covered by layers of stone walls, revealing a huge cave.

A man was sitting in front of a waterfall, his back facing Wei Wan.

The next moment, a voice smooth as jade sounded:

"Ling’Er, is Mo’Er dead?"

Wei Wan’s body trembled, immediately kneeling on the ground, her forehead touching it, like a child who had done something wrong, no longer possessing the grace of Fairy Wenwan.

"Father, I’m sorry, I couldn’t protect my brother!"

"Ling’Er, you’ve forgotten how to address me again."

The man’s voice was calm, overriding the enormous sound of the waterfall, conveying clearly through the light curtain to Wei Wan’s ears.

Wei Wan’s shoulders trembled slightly, her voice anxious: "I’m sorry, Sect Leader."

The man continued to face away from her, his voice gentle: "Mo’Er was too unruly, acting beyond his abilities, naturally bringing trouble upon himself, you need not blame yourself."

Wei Wan hurriedly said: "Thank you, Sect Leader, for your forgiveness."

The man asked: "Have you found the whereabouts of the Cyan Lotus Sect Leader and Saintess?"

Wei Wan replied fearfully: "Not yet, I will intensify my search..."

After hesitating, Wei Wan said: "Sect Leader, weren’t the Cyan Lotus Sect Leader and Saintess already killed on Celestial Ridge Mountain? Why are we still..."

The man interrupted her: "Ling’Er, Mo’Er often whipped you, why did you never retaliate?"

Wei Wan quickly responded: "The Sect Leader ordered me to protect my brother, if he hits me, I dare not retaliate."

The man said: "In that case, I ordered you to find the Cyan Lotus Sect Leader and Saintess, why are you hesitating and delaying?"

Wei Wan’s complexion turned ghastly pale, her forehead heavily knocked against the ground, her voice trembling: "Sect Leader, I’ve made a mistake, please punish me."

"If you find them, the Cyan Lotus Sect Leader need not be kept, send the Cyan Lotus Saintess to where I am secluded."

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"And the Pure Spirit Body?" The man paused, then asked.

Wei Wan respectfully replied: "Once it left the Northern Wilderness, all traces disappeared, I will make every effort to find it."

"Ling, Mo’Er died seeking the Pure Spirit Body, I give you one month’s time."

With those final words spoken, the light curtain dissipated.

Wei Wan remained kneeling long after the light curtain faded, slowly straightening her body, yet her face was filled with bewilderment, her eyes looking confused.

"Father, why can’t you turn around and look at me..."

...

Narrow Rain Lane.

Slap, slap, slap!

Qin Gengyun sat at the table, watching as Qiu Zhihe pressed Liu Su onto the bed, raised her small hand, continuously smacking Liu Su’s butt.

Ouch, ouch!

Liu Su’s hands were held by Qiu Zhihe, leaving her with no option but to cry out, pitifully looking at Qin Gengyun.

Qin Gengyun turned his head, pretending not to see Liu Su’s pleading gaze.

After quite a while, Qiu Zhihe finally let Liu Su go, the little maid lay on the bed covering her butt, crying:

"Master, my butt got swollen from being hit by mistress, I can’t get up, wuu wuu, please hug me up!" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Upon hearing this, Qiu Zhihe raised her hand again, Liu Su quickly begged for mercy:

"Mistress, I was wrong, I was just joking, hehe."

With that she quickly climbed up, holding onto Qiu Zhihe’s arm: "Mistress, you’ve grown again here, no wonder Master took so long earlier!"

Qiu Zhihe looked at her coldly, Liu Su stuck out her tongue, finally daring not to speak further.

Only then did Qin Gengyun ask Qiu Zhihe: "Dear wife, I haven’t had the chance to ask you, weren’t you in the Cyan Lotus Sect’s relic? Why did you arrive at Zhenyang Sect ahead of us?"

In her heart Liu Su scoffed, Master you just knew to do that thing upon seeing mistress, naturally you didn’t have time to ask!

Beside them, Qiu Zhihe’s expression paused, she replied slowly: "I encountered the residual soul of Zhenyang in the Cyan Lotus Sect’s relic."

"What?!"

"The residual soul of Zhenyang?!"

"Didn’t that scoundrel already ascend? How could a residual soul still be in the world?"

Both Qin Gengyun and Liu Su were shocked, their eyes wide.

The world knew that Zhenyang Sect’s ancestor Zhenyang had ascended over five hundred years ago.

Having ascended, both body and soul should have been taken to the Immortal Realm.

Why would there still be a residual soul left in the world?

Qiu Zhihe recounted the events when she encountered Zhenyang’s residual soul, how he went mad and forced her into the teleportation array.

Qin Gengyun and Liu Su were skeptical, the matter was too astonishing, if Qiu Zhihe hadn’t said it herself, they would have thought it was nonsense.

Qin Gengyun organized his thoughts, finally speaking:

"Based on what you say, dear wife, the residual soul of Zhenyang must be waiting for his daughter. Judging by his reaction at the time, he seems to have mistaken you for his daughter, hence his madness."

Liu Su was puzzled: "But Sheng Tanglian’s divine statue looks nothing like mistress at all, Mo Xiaolan, however, looks exactly like Sheng Tanglian, how do you explain that?"