"Don't worry, she's not an outsider... She is Qingyue's mother," Zhu Baiyi spoke up to establish Qingyu's identity.
Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder's expression imdiately relaxed considerably: Oh, so not a mysteriously appearing stranger, but the Young Sect Leader's mother...
Just as this thought settled in his mind, he suddenly realized sothing was amiss—their Sect Leader was a woman! The Young Sect Leader was the Sect Leader's biological child, so where did this other mother co from?!
The Grand Elder found it utterly absurd for a mont. Just as he frowned, about to question this, he looked up and t Zhu Baiyi's gaze directed at Qingyu. The admiration and joy in her eyes couldn't be feigned, so he instantly determined that this person was indeed likely the Young Sect Leader's mother. As for how two won could conceive a child, or whether the woman before him was the Young Sect Leader's biological mother, these matters weren't particularly important anymore.
It must be said that having lived to such an advanced age, the Grand Elder certainly didn't lack experience. He quickly accepted reality and, discerning sothing from his Sect Leader's attitude, imdiately shed his aggressive deanor and once again beca amiable: "Ah, so fellow Daoist has such a connection with our sect. In that case, why not stay? The Sect Leader will certainly clear everything away to welco you."
What's he saying? How did it beco "clearing everything away to welco you"?!
A blush instantly surfaced on Zhu Baiyi's fair cheeks. She secretly glared at the Grand Elder, yet couldn't help looking expectantly toward Qingyu.
Qingyu didn't nitpick his words, but still felt sowhat uncomfortable under Sect Leader Zhu's gaze. She slightly averted her eyes and said coldly: "That won't be necessary. Today was rely a chance encounter. I have other matters to attend to and won't stay long."
As she finished speaking and prepared to leave, the Grand Elder quickly gave Zhu Baiyi aningful looks, gesturing for her to speak up quickly and keep the visitor—since she wasn't a stranger with ulterior motives, this suddenly appearing Great Achievent cultivator would naturally be an imnse help. Coincidentally, this person also had a connection with their Sect Leader, so the Grand Elder naturally hoped to keep her around, even feeling sowhat frustrated by his Sect Leader's hesitation.
Zhu Baiyi had no ti to marvel at the Grand Elder's swift change of face. She was reluctant to let Qingyu leave, so she pursued a few steps and grabbed her sleeve: "Wait, are you just leaving like this?" After speaking, she added an excuse: "Qingyue is at my place, don't you want to see her?"
Though they had only been separated for about a month—truly not a long ti for cultivators—Qingyu was still surprised that Yun Qingyue would be here.
Her departing footsteps slowed as she thought about this and asked: "Why would Qingyue be at your place?"
Due to her ancestral reversion lightning tribulation and subsequent rebirth, Yun Qingyue currently couldn't transform into human form, and her urgent priority was naturally to restore her cultivation. With her background, obtaining resources to quickly recover wouldn't be difficult whether she followed Qingyu back to Xuanqing Sect or Zhu Baiyi to Crimson Blood Sect—if the Sect Leader and Peak Master hadn't exhausted their resources in the underground world, with their status and wealth, they would have long provided sufficient resources for her recovery.
But Yun Qingyue had her concerns. She neither wanted to return to Xuanqing Sect and burden her master, nor did she want to go to Crimson Blood Sect and confirm rumors of her defection to the demonic path. So after considering all options, she chose a third path—remarkably deciding to follow the destitute tiger cub.
The two elders didn't interfere with her choice, but they understood her stubbornness and what such a choice signified.
Of course, once Yun Qingyue had made her choice, she wouldn't easily change her mind, especially not in such a short ti. Hence Qingyu's question, while Zhu Baiyi hesitated, unsure whether to tell the truth.
But if she didn't speak up, others would help her explain. The Grand Elder said: "It's because our Sect Leader was injured so days ago. The Young Sect Leader happened to learn of this news and rushed over to visit the Sect Leader." He didn't ntion a word about Yun Qingyue bringing dicine, or that the Sect Leader had already recovered.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Qingyu imdiately grew tense, her cold gaze lting: "Where are you injured?"
For it to alarm Yun Qingyue and make her rush over, one could imagine the injury wasn't minor.
With the conversation at this point, Zhu Baiyi naturally had to tell the truth: "I carelessly fell victim to Nine Abyss Sect's plot and injured my divine soul. But don't worry, Qingyue and her companion brought dicinal pills for treatnt, and I've recovered now."
Hearing this, Qingyu still wasn't entirely reassured. To her knowledge, Zhu Baiyi's cultivation was on par with the Nine Abyss Sect Leader's; if they were to decide a victor, it would take at least ten days to half a month. Although the previous battle was partly due to Zhu Baiyi's distraction, the speed at which she fell into a disadvantage was too rapid, making one doubt whether her claim of recovery was re bravado.
With thin lips pressed together, Qingyu stepped forward and suddenly raised her hand to grasp Zhu Baiyi's pulse point, sending a trace of spiritual energy into her body.
This action was truly bold, because any cultivator would naturally reject another's spiritual energy entering their ridians. The body would instinctively resist, and a cultivator's vigilance wouldn't easily trust.
Yet Zhu Baiyi suppressed her body's natural rejection, allowing Qingyu to examine her injuries, while Qingyu seed unaware of the impropriety of her actions—allowing others to invade one's body and divine soul was dangerous, and rashly invading another's body and divine soul was equally perilous. Especially when the other person's cultivation was even higher than one's own; if t with retaliation, she would certainly be the one injured.
Such a test of tacit understanding and trust, the two perford naturally without even exchanging a glance. They might have considered it ordinary, but observers could clearly see the deep affection and friendship therein.
The observing Grand Elder stroked his beard with satisfaction: Excellent, it seems the Sect Leader might successfully bring back a Great Achievent cultivator to the sect.
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Qingyu hadn't co alone and had prior arrangents with her fellow disciples, so she naturally needed to leave. However, since Yun Qingyue was also here, she planned to see her, and incidentally check if her resources were still sufficient.
For Zhu Baiyi, this was already an unexpected joy, and she imdiately delightedly led Qingyu back to the demonic vessel.
Before this, the two small creatures standing inside the vessel had already witnessed the developnts. While others might not know that Qingyu had advanced to Great Achievent and could be deceived by her disguise, how could Yun Qingyue, who had been raised by her master since childhood, not recognize her sword energy? Thus, having learned early on that her master had arrived, she had been waiting in the demonic vessel.
With the four reunited, Qingyu scanned the increasingly beautiful Swan Goose and slightly nodded: "Not bad, your cultivation is recovering quickly."
Hearing this, Yun Qingyue maintained a composed expression, not perceiving her master's words as praise. After all, this was a case of rebuilding her cultivation; the normal bottlenecks of cultivation didn't exist, and she could naturally increase her cultivation as long as she accumulated enough spiritual energy.
On the contrary, Jiang Mo, upon hearing these words, secretly puffed out her chest with evident pride—the senior sister's rapid cultivation growth was entirely due to her feeding and nourishnt. See, she had taken such good care of her senior sister that her feathers were bright and lustrous, stunningly beautiful!
The little tiger's subtle movents didn't escape the eyes of the two elders. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with helpless amusent.
Having seen Yun Qingyue's condition and mindful that her fellow disciples were waiting, Qingyu didn't plan to stay long at the demonic vessel. So she got straight to the point and directly asked: "Have you used up the treasures I left for you last ti? If they're not enough, just tell ."
For Jiang Mo, both Qingyu and Zhu Baiyi were elders once removed, connected deeply only through her senior sister. Therefore, while she might feel reluctant to spend points on the Sect Leader, she also wouldn't actively seek anything from either of them. Thus, when faced with Qingyu's inquiry, she naturally didn't ntion anything, nor did she think her senior sister should make any requests.
Sure enough, Yun Qingyue didn't intend to ask her master for anything: "It's not necessary, Master. We don't lack anything." Since she had begun successful cultivation and ventured out to gain experience, she had never actively asked her master for resources.
Hearing this, Qingyu's expression grew complex as her gaze swept over the two: "Very well, as you wish. You're both still young; more experiences are beneficial."
Zhu Baiyi had never raised a child herself, so although she knew Yun Qingyue was her daughter, she always lacked sothing in her actions. At this mont, she rarely realized her role as a mother and also spoke up: "Qingyue, your urgent priority now is to restore your cultivation. You just visited my treasury; if there's anything you need, feel free to take it."
However, Yun Qingyue didn't intend to accept this kindness. After expressing her gratitude, she brought out the items she and Jiang Mo had selected from the treasury. Though these resources were valuable, with the Spirit Nourishing Pill Jiang Mo had given earlier, it could be considered an equal exchange.
Seeing this, Zhu Baiyi frowned: "You only took these? Isn't that too little?"
As she spoke, Zhu Baiyi removed the storage ring from her hand and directly pushed it into Yun Qingyue's possession: "These are items I've newly collected since returning. They're quite practical; take them for now."
Unable to refuse further, Yun Qingyue had to accept. Qingyu observed but said nothing, then after a while stated: "I should go now."
Hearing this, Zhu Baiyi visibly deflated, asking: "Must you leave? Can't you stay? No one here has discovered your identity."
Qingyu shook her head, glancing at Yun Qingyue and Jiang Mo, not avoiding anything: "I didn't co alone this ti; several senior brothers accompanied ." She paused briefly, then added: "Regarding the alliance, we leave no evidence; it all depends on mutual understanding. Xuanqing Sect only sent a few of us."
Xuanqing Sect's attitude was very clear—they were both wary of Nine Abyss Sect yet unwilling to rashly disrupt the situation. Thus, the lower-ranking disciples remained uninvolved and unaware, while only a few high-end combatants concealed their identities to provide assistance—in the cultivation world, the power gap was enormous, where even ten thousand Foundation Establishnt cultivators couldn't defeat a single Nascent Soul cultivator. Therefore, although not many ca, no one could say Xuanqing Sect was being perfunctory.
Zhu Baiyi naturally had no complaints about Xuanqing Sect's arrangents, but felt sowhat disappointed about Qingyu's impending departure: "I see. Don't worry, Ah Yu, you and I have always had great understanding."
Qingyu neither confird nor denied this statent. Afterward, she offered a few more words of advice to Yun Qingyue before eventually departing on her sword.
In a cabin on the eighth floor not far away, the Grand Elder sat by the window brewing tea, happily calculating in his heart how adding another Great Achievent cultivator to the sect would be like adding wings to a tiger. However, before the spiritual tea could touch his lips, he saw a sword light fly past overhead. Though the rapidly retreating figure offered only a fleeting glimpse, having just t her, he easily recognized her identity.
The Grand Elder imdiately dropped the teapot and rushed to the window, watching the distant sword light with an expression of absolute anguish.
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