Chapter 17: An Unexpected Reunion and a Risky Alliance

“?”

Having heard Yun Xueshang’s words, Hua Yan froze on the spot.

Why had she agreed so readily? It defied all logic.

Hua Yan stared suspiciously at that almost flawless, cold face, as if trying to discern the truth hidden within.

She stared.

Yun Xueshang’s crimson eyes, clear as still water, met her gaze frankly, without a single blink.

‘It seemed… she wasn’t feigning anything?’

For some inexplicable reason, Hua Yan found herself drawing this conclusion from a face that usually remained frozen for millennia.

‘But why — Wait…’

‘Hadn’t Grandmother mentioned that Yun Xueshang was enamored with me? Otherwise, why would she have given birth to Rongrong?’

At this thought, Hua Yan’s lips involuntarily curved upward. She quickly pressed them together, stifling a laugh.

‘Ha! It must be! Yun Xueshang must still be yearning for me to agree so readily!’

‘She should have said so earlier! If only I’d known she was so deeply smitten, I wouldn’t have had to go through so much trouble. All I’d have to do is stand before her, and wouldn’t she obediently follow me back to the valley?’

‘Oh, Yun Xueshang, Yun Xueshang, you have finally met your match!’

The red-haired girl’s eyes shone with unconcealed triumph, sparkling as if about to overflow.

‘Wait, that still doesn’t seem right…’

She suddenly became alert.

‘According to the maid, Yun Xueshang clearly dislikes the Demonic Sect, even telling our child that they are evil cultivators…’

‘So why would she be willing to return to the valley with me?’

‘Did she not realize my origins back then? Or has love turned to hatred over the years, and she’s seizing this opportunity for revenge?’

‘If it’s the latter, wouldn’t I be in danger for trusting her so easily? What if she seizes a chance to strike me down with her sword?’

The smile in the red-haired girl’s eyes gradually faded.

‘For safety, I should feign agreement first, then slowly probe her intentions.’

‘Of course, if the opportunity arises, knocking her out and taking her back to the valley would be the best plan,’ she silently added in her heart.

“Good, then I’ll trust you.”

Hua Yan curved her lips, a half-smile playing in her eyes:

“I hope you’ll keep your promise.”

“Mm, I will.”

Yun Xueshang nodded earnestly.

“Yay! Mommy and Mother are finally friends again!”

Hua Xiangrong cheered, leaping out of Yun Xueshang’s embrace.

“So, Rongrong can stay with Mommy and Mother forever now, right?”

She took Hua Yan’s hand, pulling her next to Yun Xueshang, then clasped Yun Xueshang’s hand, looking up with a beaming smile as she asked.

‘This child…’

Gazes upon the innocent, radiant little face, Hua Yan’s anger towards her inexplicably dissipated by more than half.

“Mm, as long as Rongrong is well-behaved and doesn’t run off alone, Mother will always stay with Rongrong.”

She extended her free hand and ruffled Hua Xiangrong’s fluffy pink head.

“What about Mommy?”

The girl looked up at Yun Xueshang again.

“Mm, I’ll stay with you too.”

‘I will fulfill my duties as a mother and make up for all the years you and your mother have missed out on companionship.’

Yun Xueshang’s gaze softened slightly.

“That’s wonderful!”

The girl cheered, placing both their hands together. She then stepped back two paces, her eyes sparkling as she declared:

“Then Rongrong wants to see Mommy and Mother shake hands and make up! You have to hold tight for it to count!”

‘This…’

A soft, boneless, cool, and delicate touch from Yun Xueshang’s palm suddenly met hers, causing Hua Yan to freeze slightly.

‘Yun Xueshang… wasn’t she a sword cultivator? How could her hands be so… pleasant to the touch?’

It was entirely different from when her daughter held her hand. Now, grasping Yun Xueshang’s hand and meeting her gaze from such close proximity, Hua Yan felt a faint sweat break out on her palms.

Yun Xueshang, on the other hand, was somewhat bewildered. Hua Yan’s warm, soft touch radiated from her hand. Seeing the other woman look at her, she quietly returned the gaze.

‘Oh no! Kiss her! Kiss her! This is a perfect opportunity to just go for it!’ Hua Xiangrong, who had already retreated to the side, picked up the plate of pastries Lin Qianqian had set down.

She stuffed pastries into her mouth while screaming wildly in her mind.

“Host, stop stirring up trouble!” 099’s helpless voice echoed in her mind.

“Alright! We’ve already held hands!”

Hua Yan snapped back to reality, shaking Yun Xueshang’s hand. She then turned to glare at the pink-haired furball who was still eating pastries.

For some reason, even though the other girl was just eating pastries, seeing her leisurely demeanor made the anger Hua Yan had just suppressed flare up again.

“No more eating!” She snatched the plate away. “It’s almost dinner time, and you’re still eating snacks? Do you want to eat dinner tonight or not?!”

With that, she unceremoniously dumped the remaining pastries from the plate into her own mouth.

“Wahh—Mother, you stole my pastries!”

“What’s wrong with stealing yours? I haven’t even settled the score for you sneaking out today! Not spanking your bottom is being lenient with you!”

Hua Yan exclaimed, her words muffled, as she single-handedly subdued the flailing, wailing pink-haired furball, while holding the empty plate high with her other hand.

Watching the mother and daughter bicker, Yun Xueshang blinked, a faint smile unconsciously gracing her lips.

“Alright, Rongrong, don’t be angry with Mother,” she said softly, gently picking up the struggling girl and soothing her. “How about I take you to a big feast later?”

As she gently stroked the girl’s hair, she looked up at Hua Yan, who had swallowed the pastries and was now proudly standing with her hands on her hips.

A shallow smile rippled in her clear crimson eyes, and the unintentional tenderness within them made Hua Yan stare blankly for a moment.

“You… come along too,” the white-haired girl softly invited, the smile in her eyes still present.

“How about we invite Junior Sister and Daoist Qu, find a restaurant, and have a good meal?”

***

The private room was filled with a warm fragrance, and the round table was laden with specialty dishes from Furlong City: golden, crispy lamb chops, steaming mushroom stewed chicken, several stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a pot of local highland barley spirit wine.

“Come! Congratulations to Daoist Yun and Daoist Hua on your long-awaited reunion! Congratulations on your family’s reunion! I’ll toast to you both first!” The petite, black-haired girl was the first to raise her cup, her voice clear and crisp.

After a soft clinking of cups, Qu Linglong tilted her head back and drained her cup of wine.

“Ha, refreshing!” She set down her wine cup and looked at the family of three with a cheerful smile. “From the looks of it, have your affairs been resolved perfectly?”

“Mm.”

Yun Xueshang set down her wine cup, which she had only lightly sipped, and nodded in response. “I have promised her that once this demon-extermination mission is complete, I will return home with her to meet her grandmother.”

“Oh?”

Qu Linglong blinked, her mind instantly becoming active.

‘Meet grandmother…? If this Daoist Hua Yan’er is truly from Hundred Flowers Valley, then her grandmother must be the old Valley Master?

Taking a wife back to meet the parents… that doesn’t sound like something a child born out of wedlock would do…’

‘Could it be that this Miss Hua Yan’er wants to use Daoist Yun’s identity to go back and contend with that Hua Yan for the position of Young Valley Master?

Should I continue to befriend her? I’m just a businesswoman, I don’t want to get caught up in Hundred Flowers Valley’s succession struggle…’

Though these thoughts ran through her mind, the smile on her face did not diminish in the slightest.

“Hahaha, I knew Daoist Yun would never be irresponsible! Your deep affection for each other is truly enviable, congratulations, congratulations!” She said, toasting Hua Yan again, who returned the toast with a smile.

“Oh my, I just wonder about your past story. How exactly did you fall in love, and how did you… hmm, have Rongrong?” Qu Linglong winked at Hua Xiangrong, who was holding a cup and sipping milk, her tone full of gossip.

“That’s right, Senior Sister! How did you two end up having Rongrong?”

Lin Qianqian also asked curiously. Her Senior Sister usually only focused on cultivation and sword practice, a veritable immortal untouched by worldly affairs. It was truly hard to imagine that she had such a passionate romantic past.

“Actually…”

“Actually, it’s nothing! We simply became acquainted through a fight!” Yun Xueshang was about to speak when Hua Yan quickly interrupted, shooting her a warning glare.

“Mm.”

Yun Xueshang met her gaze and nodded quietly.

“Ohh~ I see~”

Qu Linglong stroked her chin, her mind unable to help but wander.

‘So, Daoist Yun had a sparring match with this Daoist Hua when she was traveling down the mountain? And as they sparred and sparred, they ended up sparring in bed?’

‘Impressive, impressive. As expected of a sword cultivator, even their romance is so passionate…’

“Wow! So you developed feelings for Senior Sister through fighting? Then Daoist Hua, you must be really powerful!” Lin Qianqian’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Hua Yan.

“Just average, merely at the late Nascent Soul stage.” Hua Yan’s lips couldn’t help but curl high, her tone full of pride.

‘Hmph, I’ve been cultivating day and night for the past ten years, so I’m no longer what I once was! Yun Xueshang, you must surely now—’

“Wow! That means you’re at the same realm as Senior Sister! Daoist Hua, you’re so amazing!” Lin Qianqian’s cheer, however, caused Hua Yan’s upturned lips to suddenly stiffen.

‘Are you kidding me?! Back then, Yun Xueshang was clearly one realm lower than me! I cultivated diligently every day, how did I not only fail to surpass her but also get caught up to by her?!’

“Then, Daoist Hua, would you like to join us in exterminating demons?” Just then, Qu Linglong suddenly extended an invitation.

‘Late Nascent Soul… she’s actually one minor realm higher than Daoist Lin and I. This Daoist Hua’s talent is truly remarkable…’

‘I heard that the Young Master of Hundred Flowers Valley spends his days idling about and causing trouble, so his cultivation must surely not compare to this Daoist Hua Yan’er…’

‘In that case, this succession struggle in Hundred Flowers Valley isn’t something I can’t get involved in! I’ll gamble on it! I’ll establish a good relationship with her first!’

“With a master like Daoist Hua joining us, our mission progress will definitely speed up significantly. This way, you can also return home with Daoist Yun to meet her parents sooner, isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?” Qu Linglong said with a smile, her tone full of persuasion.

‘Hmm… that makes sense.’

‘If I slowly wait for Yun Xueshang to complete the mission, who knows how long it will take. It’s better if I join personally to speed up the process.

Moreover, by staying by her side, I can carefully observe her intentions and see if she is truly willing to return to the valley with me.’

“Good. Exterminating evil is the inherent duty of us cultivators, and I naturally cannot shirk it.” Hua Yan spoke righteously, raising her wine cup.

“Even without this relationship between Yun Xueshang and me, I would never stand idly by!”

“I will go with you all!”

“Yay!”

Amidst the enthusiastic applause of Lin Qianqian and Hua Xiangrong, Hua Yan raised her cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Yun Xueshang quietly turned her head to look at her. Under the warm yellow lamplight, the red-haired girl’s expression was spirited, and the wine trickled down her upturned neck, glistening softly.

‘So, this is the kind of person she is…’

Yun Xueshang gently blinked.

She didn’t truly understand this red-haired girl who had suddenly entered her life. After all, their only encounter had been that one time at the Joyful Union Sect.

Agreeing to return with her was primarily out of a mother’s responsibility. She still knew very little about the daughter who had appeared out of nowhere, or about Hua Yan herself.

But at least for now, it seemed her daughter’s other mother was a good person.

And her own daughter was a well-behaved and adorable child.

A faint smile blossomed in the white-haired girl’s clear eyes. She picked up a piece of lamb chop with her chopsticks and gently placed it in Hua Xiangrong’s bowl:

“Here, Rongrong, eat more, don’t go hungry.”

“Mm! Thank you, Mommy!”

The pink-haired girl looked up, returning a sweet smile.