It wasn’t that Shi Qingjun was being whimsical, but rather that dragging her younger self out from the long river of time to use as a doppelgänger... she couldn’t find any other reasonable explanation.

To have a child, this reason sounds absurd, yet it’s the most likely.

Shi Qingjun had never had the idea of leaving behind an offspring, but if she truly wanted a child... with her current body, it was impossible to nurture life, so a doppelgänger like Ah Qing would be extremely useful.

But Ah Qing’s actions didn’t seem like she wanted an offspring...

So Shi Qingjun was puzzled.

If it wasn’t to have a child, then was it simply to avoid her sight, adopting such a risky approach?

One must know, if Shi Qingjun were to act now and take Ah Qing’s doppelgänger, it would cause significant harm to Ah Qing’s true self.

"...Or is this really just a doppelgänger, refining heart..." Shi Qingjun raised her eyes to look at Ah Qing’s face full of emotion, then dropped her eyelids after a while.

Perhaps the consciousness that exists within this body isn’t the sect leader lady she was familiar with, but truly belongs to her younger self, possibly with the purpose of investigating something, or for refining heart, or maybe she had earlier discovered Xu Chang’an’s peculiarity, letting her younger self form a bond with Xu Chang’an?

This is very possible.

With the sect leader lady’s pride, Shi Qingjun still didn’t think she would take the stage to do such a thing, but if it was the doppelgänger’s consciousness, then it’s hard to say...

If it’s just a doppelgänger, then she truly has no need to pay attention to the other party, as a doppelgänger is not qualified to have an equal conversation with her.

However, whether it’s the true self or a doppelgänger, it still needs to be witnessed firsthand.

Shi Qingjun’s expression was serious.

She still needs to prepare for the possibility that the other is the true self’s consciousness — if that’s the case, after giving up the Dao Rhyme, she indeed needs to calmly face the other and have a good talk face-to-face.

"...Huh?" Shi Qingjun’s blinking frequency gradually increased.

At this time, she instinctively felt something was amiss.

Ah Qing was performing a dazzling sword dance on stage, yet she was thinking about discussing serious matters with the other...

Is this occasion suitable for talking about serious matters?

Shi Qingjun didn’t quite understand the ways of the world, so she didn’t think about it in detail, after the event occurs, it has to be accepted regardless.

Ah Qing’s downfall may be surprising, but could it be more unacceptable than Xu Chang’an’s Heaven-Reaching White Jade Purple Thunder?

She could accept the existence of Xu Chang’an, let alone a Demon Sect Lady who may have been changed by Xu Chang’an.

Shi Qingjun casually picked up an apple sliced by the ladies of Flower Moon Building nearby, taking a small bite, leaving petite teeth marks on the fruit while the slightly sour sweetness permeating her mouth brought a gentle smile to the corner of her eyes.

Like Ah Qing.

She too had changed a lot.

Eating the fruit, she quietly waited for the dance to end.

——

Ah Qing’s dance gradually reached its climax, just as Zhu Pingniang said... a good dance isn’t necessarily perfect; what Ah Qing needs to showcase is a diligent and serious attitude.

Of course, having perfect technique is ideal, but if speaking of heartfelt emotions... Ah Qing’s somewhat breathless appearance at this moment, compared to the perfect light and shadow earlier, is more moving.

The ladies of Flower Moon Building may not understand sword intent or sword technique; they simply found the previous sword shadow pleasing, yet Ah Qing’s breathless, quick breathing while still earnestly dancing with the sword now made people blush and hearts race.

"Ha—" Ah Qing slashed her longsword diagonally, the tender, charming voice coming from afar first.

As agreed earlier, she would show her charming side in front of Yun Qian, for this is what Yun Qian lacks and could likely gain her attention.

Ah Qing truly understood Yun Qian well.

Miss Yun indeed likes this.

In the fate beside Xu Chang’an, there’s not a truly charming woman yet.

Zhu Pingniang’s pretension doesn’t count, so Ah Qing hopes to become the one who surpasses zero.

"Rip."

At this moment, Ah Qing’s sword tip grazed the long skirt, the sharp edge instantly tore off a large piece of the hem, exposing her right leg completely to the air, the tight and smoothness accentuated beneath the torn fabric, appealingly beautiful.

With the dress’s destruction, the entire tone of the sword dance instantly changed, from beautiful scenery to a rather pitiful sentiment, under the light and shadow, Ah Qing truly resembled a fairy fallen into the mortal world.

And after the dress was torn, Ah Qing’s sword dance suddenly transformed, having already reached the Micro Realm of Unity of Man and Sword. Every sword strike seemed as though her entire person had become a blossom of sword flower, like a blooming flower, dividing into two, two into four, four into eight, finally forming a continuous sword shadow, endlessly intertwined, circling perpetually.

Such an exquisite swordsmanship.

Even Miss Lu was mesmerized... yet only she knew, where could she truly see any sword shadow?

Since Ah Qing tore her dress, her twists and turns became more frequent, so her eyes hadn’t left the other’s calf for even a second.

Yun Qian followed with a blink too.

This method is exactly what she wants to learn.

Her husband would like it.

Miss Yun noted this in her mind, then continued watching the sword dance, with an expression so serious that Xu Chang’an was surprised, even wanting to see what kind of dance could make Miss Yun so enamored.

He really looked over.

Then...

Immediately withdrew his gaze, his mouth twitching slightly.