Chapter 74: A Transformed Sect and a Mother’s Heart

‘Did I… did I come to the wrong place? Is this really my Carefree Sword Sect?’

Ye Qingyuan gazed at the completely transformed sect before him, a slight daze clouding his eyes.

From a distance in the sky, the continuous mountain ranges of the Carefree Sword Sect were covered in thick snow, resembling a silver dragon lying dormant. This was no different from previous years; it was the norm.

What was unusual, however, was the festive atmosphere beneath the morning sun.

Crimson lanterns and colorful silks adorned every corner amidst the verdant pines and cypresses across the mountains, making it even livelier than the sect’s grand ceremonies.

Under the eaves of the seven main peaks’ halls, bright yellow tassels hung everywhere, and exquisite bronze bells tinkled softly with the breeze.

In the plaza before the main hall, a vermillion-lacquered lantern tower, several zhang tall, stood draped in colorful silks, shimmering brilliantly and presenting a truly magnificent sight.

Ye Qingyuan ascended the mountain’s stone steps towards Carefree Peak, his gaze sweeping over the connected red silks lining the path. He silently calculated the cost in spirit stones for such an elaborate display.

Suddenly, he raised a hand, stopping a passing female disciple.

“Qianqian, long time no see.”

“Wow, Sect Master! You’re back!”

The one he called out to was Lin Qianqian. A red and gold hair ornament was pinned in her teal side braid, making her appear especially festive. Seeing her old Sect Master after half a year’s absence, she exclaimed with delightful surprise:

“Sect Master, was your trip to the South Sea fun? Did you see any rare treasures?”

“Haha, this old man wasn’t on a pleasure trip.”

The old Sect Master stroked his beard and shook his head, then tentatively asked:

“Um, Qianqian, these decorations for the sect are…?”

“Oh, those were arranged by Senior Sister Yun, the acting Sect Master—I heard it was Daoist Hua’s idea!”

Lin Qianqian smiled brightly. “How is it? Doesn’t it feel especially festive for the New Year? Isn’t it beautiful?”

“…I was wondering about the spirit stones these cost…”

Ye Qingyuan pursued the question tactfully.

“Ah, Sect Master means that! Most of it was paid for by Daoist Hua herself. She said that since it was her idea, the sect shouldn’t have to bear the expense. Of course, we subsidized a little bit—is something wrong, Sect Master?”

Huff…

Upon hearing that ‘most of it was paid for by Daoist Hua herself,’ Ye Qingyuan finally let out a long sigh of relief, his heart settling. “It’s nothing, nothing at all. Qianqian, you go about your business. I’m going to find Ji Ling. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Sect Master! Goodbye, Sect Master!”

After bidding farewell to Ji Ling, Ye Qingyuan no longer delayed, flying directly towards Danxia Peak.

“Grandpa Sect Master! You’re back?”

The moment he landed in Danxia Peak’s brightly lit plaza, a tiny figure bumped into his sight. The girl had a pair of fluffy ears and wore a red embroidered jacket, dressed like a New Year’s painting doll. It was Ning Sixteen.

“Little Sixteen, hello.”

The old Sect Master chuckled as he ruffled her head, asking gently, “Is your Peak Master in?”

“Elder Ji is in the medicine room! Grandpa Sect Master, shall I take you there?”

Ning Sixteen looked up, responding with a clear, crisp voice.

“No need, no need, I’ll go myself.”

Ye Qingyuan waved his hand, walked through the brightly decorated plaza, bypassing the cheerful disciples, and headed straight for Ji Ling’s medicine room.

“Enter.”

Ji Ling’s voice came faintly from behind the wooden door, adorned with a ‘Fu’ character.

“Looking for me?”

She was still clad in black robes, one hand holding medicinal herbs, the other a scale, her head not even raised. Upon closer inspection, she was meticulously pinching a dark green snake scale with a golden sheen.

Even facing Ye Qingyuan, the Sect Master, she made no effort to hide her true nature, her tone as blunt as ever.

“Ji Ling, have you officially shed your identity as a demonic cultivator spy?”

Ye Qingyuan asked softly.

“Didn’t Yun Xueshang already send a report to you? Why ask this again?”

Ji Ling’s tone was cold and hard.

The medicine room fell into a silence.

A moment later, Ye Qingyuan slowly spoke, his voice filled with aged guilt:

“I’m sorry, Ji Ling. I didn’t consider your feelings. For all these years, I made you endure your hatred and deal with the murderer of Changge until now.

“As the Sect Master, I left the sect without authorization. If not for Rongrong’s prophecy, you might have fallen victim to that villain… I have wronged you.”

This Sect Master of the Carefree Sword Sect, a top cultivator in Shenzhou, actually bent his waist and lowered his head in the small medicine room.

Ji Ling finally looked up.

“Sect Master, there’s no need for this.”

She put down the snake scale in her hand and sighed deeply. “It was my own choice, and it has nothing to do with you.

“As for Changge’s death… that is a matter for later. And as the Sect Master, you absolutely had to go to the South Sea.”

“But all these years…”

“I’ve complained to you often over the years, but that was just human nature.”

Ji Ling stepped down from her seat and helped the still-bowed old man to stand.

“I wanted to gather more intelligence on demonic cultivators so I could better avenge Changge.”

“You stopped me from rashly withdrawing—whether from the perspective of the righteous path or the sect, you were not wrong.”

She paused, her voice softening a few degrees. “Although when Yun Xueshang brought her daughter to me, telling me I was in danger and urging me to stop, I did feel a long-lost sense of relief.

“The moment I personally ended Qing Luo… I felt an immense satisfaction throughout my body.”

She lowered her eyes, the emotions in her inky black pupils difficult to discern.

“Perhaps, if not for Rongrong’s prophecy, if Qing Luo had used important intelligence to lure me in the future, even knowing it might be a trap, I probably would have gone alone… I was truly too tired, so tired that I only wanted to kill her with my own hands, even if it meant dying together.”

“Ji Ling…”

Ye Qingyuan looked up at her, his gaze filled with sorrow.

“But now, Sect Master, you no longer need to worry.”

Ji Ling’s lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile—it still seemed a bit stiff for someone who never smiled. “Qing Luo wasn’t the only one who ambushed Changge. Although I can no longer be a spy, it doesn’t hinder me from continuing the investigation and avenging her.”

She shook her head, her tone gradually softening. “Besides… now, perhaps I’m also slowly beginning to understand Changge’s feelings back then. I also have a bond now; I don’t want to die so quickly.”

“A bond… are you referring to that child, Sixteen?”

Ye Qingyuan paused slightly, then understood.

“Yes,” Ji Ling nodded.

“When I discovered that Eight-Reversal Soul-Returning Pill had been mistakenly eaten by this little rabbit, I was indeed deeply pained. You stopped me and told me to raise her, and even let me name her.

“I didn’t want to give this little creature, who caused me such a heavy loss, my surname. So, I used ‘Ning,’ a homophone for ‘Ling,’ as her surname. As for Sixteen… it was merely because she was the sixteenth rabbit in that batch of test subjects.”

A memory surfaced in her eyes, then she smiled faintly—this smile dispelled her usual gloom, revealing a rare touch of tenderness.

“I just never expected that, in the days of raising Sixteen, I would slowly come to genuinely regard that shy and timid little creature as my own daughter…”

“Just like how Jiang Changge, who picked up Yun Xueshang back then, didn’t understand why she suddenly settled down, why she cared so much for and protected a little disciple brought in from outside.

“Now, I’m slowly beginning to understand.”

Her lips curved slightly, and a gentle light spread in her eyes. “That’s the feeling of a first-time mother. Once you become a mother and have a bond, this is what it feels like.”

***

Meanwhile, inside the Carefree Hall.

Hua Yan set down the documents in her hand and stretched luxuriously. Even wrapped in thick winter clothes, the girl’s graceful figure remained undeniable, her eyes filled with a lazy charm.

‘Hehe, while the old Sect Master was away these past few days, I thoroughly decorated the entire Carefree Sword Sect.’

A sly glint flashed in her light golden apricot eyes as her lips curved upwards.

‘When New Year arrives, I’ll drag Xueshang to stroll around with me, then we’ll stay up together on New Year’s Eve. With this rich festive atmosphere, I’ll see if she doesn’t get completely infatuated with me!’

‘And right now… only the last step remains!’

Thinking this, she turned her head to look at the serene girl beside her, whose white hair hung down as she focused on reviewing documents.

After preparing herself mentally, she deliberately cleared her throat, a hint of barely perceptible nervousness in her tone:

“Cough, cough, Xueshang… I have something I want to tell you…”

“What is it, Yan’er?”

Yun Xueshang looked up, extending a slender, well-defined hand to gently brush away the white hair falling by her temples, revealing her long, pale neck and delicate ear tips. This sight made Hua Yan’s heart skip a beat, her breathing momentarily catching.

Hua Yan snapped back to reality, feigning composure as she tilted her head and crossed her arms, a proud, playful curve on her lips:

“Cough, cough! It’s just… on New Year’s Eve, I know no one will invite you, and seeing you so lonely, I’ll graciously take pity…”

“Apologies, Yan’er, I have plans that day.”

“Since you’re so pitiful, it’s not like I can’t force myself to accompany y—”

Hua Yan suddenly stopped speaking mid-sentence.

“Eh? What… what did you say…?”

She looked at Yun Xueshang in disbelief, the smile on her face slowly crumbling, her expression appearing on the verge of tears from grievance.

“I said, I have plans on New Year’s Eve. Apologies, Yan’er.”

Yun Xueshang turned her head, her expression serious, and repeated herself.

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