Chapter 423: Initial Awakening

Ning Changjiu's dreams were orderly.

He could clearly perceive himself swimming in a sea, the water embracing him, gently caressing his body, without feeling cold or salty. And within the dark water, there seemed to be many darker things hidden.

He swam towards the dark objects floating in the sea.

Upon closer inspection, Ning Changjiu realized they were Soul Eaters.

Was he in the Sea of Reincarnation? Or was this a dream after losing consciousness?

He felt no danger, so he didn't ponder it further and swam towards the Soul Eaters.

The first thing Ning Changjiu saw was a monster with only half a body remaining. It looked like a patchwork of countless demonic beasts, possessing an eagle's beak, a rhinoceros's horn, and coarse, tangled fur all over its body. Its bloody pupils glowed faintly, staring fixedly at Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu stretched out his hand, wanting to connect with its consciousness, but found dozens of different voices arguing chaotically in its mind. Its self-awareness had collapsed amidst this disorder.

Ning Changjiu withdrew his hand and continued swimming forward.

In the darkness, every time he swam a certain distance, he would see similar beings. These beings had spent long years in the Sea of Ruins, and most had already merged with each other, becoming true monsters, incapable of communication.

However, some that still appeared to be independent demonic beasts retained a relatively complete consciousness.

Ning Changjiu attempted to communicate with some of these consciousnesses.

"Can you hear me?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"Yes."

"What were you in your past life?"

"An Omen Serpent."

"How long have you been here?"

"I don't know."

"Why are you here?"

"I was deceived."

"Deceived? By whom?"

"The ghost from above."

For most living beings, their first impression of the Dark Lord was that of a ghost.

"Where does the ghost come from?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"I don't know, but it resents this star," the Omen Serpent said.

"Resents this star?"

"Yes, it also resents the sun, and everything here. It cannot be trusted."

As the Omen Serpent spoke, its brief lucidity vanished. It opened its dark, gaping maw, lined with rows of stark white fangs, and lunged at Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu easily dodged it.

The Omen Serpent vanished into the darkness.

Ning Changjiu continued swimming forward, finding a few more relatively complete consciousnesses to communicate with. Their answers were all similar. Like the Omen Serpent, their lucidity couldn't last long; mentioning the ghost from above would plunge them into madness driven by fear.

Ning Changjiu instinctively swam upwards.

He could feel that the Sea of Reincarnation, which had been a dead sea, was now beginning to revive and flow.

After an unknown period, he could vaguely see starlight filtering in from outside. He knew he was approaching the edge.

Outside lay the Dark Lord and the starry sky.

In this vast sea, where only Soul Eaters now survived, Ning Changjiu floated alone.

"Senior Brother... Senior Brother!"

After a long time, the familiar voice of a young girl echoed in his ears.

"Xiaoling..." Ning Changjiu came to his senses.

He turned his head and saw a snow-white spiritual maiden floating behind him, her long hair tied at the end, swimming towards him like a mermaid.

Ning Changjiu's consciousness was also somewhat hazy: "Xiaoling, what are you doing here?"

Ning Xiaoling slowly stopped, her hands on her hips, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance. "Senior Brother! If you're going to faint, then faint properly! Why does your consciousness always run off to the Sea of Reincarnation? Every time, your junior sister has to fish you out... Oh, Senior Brother, why are you so restless?"

Ning Changjiu asked, "Have I come here many times?"

Ning Xiaoling nodded: "Hmm, if not five or six times, then seven or eight!"

Ning Changjiu said, "Perhaps something here is attracting me."

Ning Xiaoling looked around and said, "Attracting you? The Sea of Reincarnation has nothing but Soul Eaters and blind-scaled fish. Hmm... could Senior Brother want to go outside?"

As she spoke, the girl extended a hand and pointed towards the outside world.

Ning Changjiu looked at the faint starlight filtering through the boundary and nodded, "Perhaps."

Ning Xiaoling still had puffed cheeks: "You're not allowed to go outside! Everyone is waiting for you to wake up!"

"Waiting for me to wake up?"

Ning Changjiu recalled the scene before he lost consciousness.

He had defeated the Sword Saint and sheathed his sword.

Wind and light retreated from the Void Realm.

He spread his arms, closed his eyes, and fell freely from the Void Realm.

The sky receded further and further, and the sea drew closer and closer.

As he passed through the clouds, he vaguely saw two familiar figures rushing towards him in his spiritual mind.

Then, he felt himself fall into a warm embrace, and after that, he remembered nothing.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"It's been ten days, by my count." Ning Xiaoling sighed softly, took his hand, and said, "Oh, and Master has also been in a deep sleep."

"Master?" Ning Changjiu paused, surprised, and asked, "What happened to Master?"

Ning Xiaoling said, "I don't know either. Sister Xueci said that Master needs sunlight, so... Master is sleeping right next to you now. Sun Senior Brother, you must wake up quickly."

Ning Changjiu nodded gently. Holding his junior sister's hand, she expertly led him through the boundless darkness, swimming towards the central Netherworld Divine Palace.

Ning Changjiu asked, "Has anything happened recently?"

Ning Xiaoling thought for a moment, then shook her head: "No, nothing. With Sister Xueci and Baizang here, bad people wouldn't dare come."

"Baizang?"

"Yes, she's a cat now, very easy to bully."

"What about the Sword Saint? Is he still alive?" Ning Changjiu immediately thought of Ke Wenzhou.

He wasn't sure if his full-power strike had completely killed Ke Wenzhou.

Ning Xiaoling said, "Master and Sister Xueci went to search together, but they didn't find the Sword Saint's body... Perhaps the waves carried him elsewhere."

Ning Changjiu nodded and said, "Ke Wenzhou's internal organs were all corroded. At this moment, he's just a puppet shell. Even if he's still alive, he must be at his last gasp. When I wake up, I'll go find him myself."

Ning Xiaoling listened, smiling and revealing her delicate, porcelain-like teeth: "Mm! Senior Brother is the strongest!"

Ning Changjiu also smiled gently, saying softly, "This time, it was mostly thanks to junior sister... Junior sister has indeed grown up."

Ning Xiaoling's eyes curved, her smile like a blossoming flower. As she swam in the Sea of Reincarnation, beneath her pear-blossom-colored dress, her slender, undulating figure was like rippling waves. Her delicate, bare feet were slightly flexed inward, looking incredibly soft.

She held Ning Changjiu's hand and said, "Yes, I grew up with Senior Brother watching me, and Senior Brother... you also grew up with Xiaoling watching you."

Ning Changjiu remembered what happened earlier in the Sea of Reincarnation. "You even tricked me into calling you 'Sister'?"

Ning Xiaoling pressed her lips together and smiled, "Senior Brother's calling me that sounded so nice, you know."

Ning Changjiu sighed helplessly, "Junior sister was cutest when she was a little fox."

Ning Xiaoling feigned injustice, "It's okay, I can still grow a fox tail now."

"Hmm?"

"It's just... Master and Sister Xueci both can, so of course Xiaoling can too."

Ning Changjiu was slightly stunned. He looked at the pure maiden with the slender waist and gently swaying figure, saying, "Xiaoling, you really are a little fox spirit."

Ning Xiaoling said seriously, "Senior Brother, you said you'd marry Xiaoling when you grew up. You're not allowed to go back on your word."

Ning Changjiu looked at her, smiled and nodded, "Yes, I'll always be with you, junior sister."

Ning Xiaoling hadn't expected such a direct answer and instead became shy, whispering, "Well then, won't Xiaoling be mortified when she sees Master later... Senior Brother, you're so naughty."

Ning Changjiu smiled faintly. Immersed in the Sea of Reincarnation, his body and mind became increasingly relaxed.

Ning Xiaoling led the way for him.

"Ahead is the fierce Nether Monarch's Rage Current. A slight slip and you'll drown, Senior Brother, so stay close."

"This is the Great Desert of Souls; one can easily get lost alone. Hold onto junior sister with both hands."

"This is the most dangerous part, a gathering place for Soul Eaters. If you let your mind wander, Soul Eaters can easily invade your consciousness. It's like in many ghost stories, two people are walking hand-in-hand, and then one realizes the person they're holding has turned into a terrifying ghost... So Senior Brother, you must focus entirely on junior sister and not let your thoughts stray, okay?" Ning Xiaoling instructed him seriously and gravely.

"Really? It's very quiet here. Where are these rage currents, deserts, or Soul Eaters? I had no trouble when I came here," Ning Changjiu said, half-believing, half-doubting.

"Are you questioning your junior sister?" Ning Xiaoling asked, placing one hand on her hip and frowning.

"Hmm... no," Ning Changjiu conceded.

Ning Xiaoling smiled sweetly and said, "Mm! Just follow junior sister. I can see many dangers that you can't, after all, junior sister is Lord Nether Monarch!"

Ning Changjiu sighed helplessly, "Alright, we'll listen to our Lord Nether Monarch."

So, along the way, Ning Xiaoling waved her delicate hands towards the empty space ahead, describing long passages of terrifying things, leading Ning Changjiu through the Sea of Reincarnation, both dangerously and safely, slowly returning to the Netherworld Divine Palace.

The Netherworld Divine Palace hung in the center of the Sea of Reincarnation, like a black moon.

The spiritual senior brother and junior sister held hands, swimming through the boundless darkness, and the great doors of the ancient Netherworld Palace opened for them.

"Senior Brother, don't go wandering off after you fall asleep this time," Ning Xiaoling admonished. "The Sea of Reincarnation is truly dangerous."

"Mm, got it." Ning Changjiu nodded, his consciousness sinking into his body, and soon he felt sleepy.

The palace doors closed.

Her spiritual body returned to its vessel. The young girl on the throne rubbed her eyes. She descended the steps, lifted the lid of a pot, looked at the simmering medicine within, scooped a small spoonful to taste, then put the lid back on.

She walked to the back hall, approached the large bed, and looked at the closely sleeping young man and girl, feeling both that they made a good pair and a pang of jealousy.

Ning Xiaoling sat by the edge of the bed, gently swinging her legs, watching them, completely unaware of the time passing.

In late autumn, the green vitality stored in the leaves had been completely stripped away by the wind. Dew still clung to the wild grass in the morning, and beyond the ancient Ling Sect's barrier, the vast sky was filled with thick, low white clouds.

On a chilly autumn day, Lu Jiajia flew back on her sword. In the quiet room on the cliff of the Ancient Ling Sect, Si Ming was drinking tea. She looked at Lu Jiajia, a slight smile playing on her lips, and poured her some tea.

Lu Jiajia tiredly stretched her body, sat down beside her, and took a small sip, moistening her lips.

"Any news from the Sword Pavilion?" Si Ming asked.

Lu Jiajia shook her head and said, "It's said that all the Sword Pavilion disciples have disappeared, no one knows where they went."

Si Ming's brow furrowed slightly in thought: "No one knew about the Sword Saint's defeat except us. How could the news have reached the Sword Pavilion so quickly? Could it be that Ke Wenzhou anticipated it?"

Lu Jiajia said, "That's impossible. Even we were still confused until the very end of that battle. If Ke Wenzhou truly had such foresight, how could he have lost?"

Si Ming nodded gently. After thinking for a moment, she sighed, "Alright, don't worry too much. Perhaps it's just a coincidence."

"Mm." Lu Jiajia also nodded.

The two drank tea together. The white-robed immortal, who had been traveling for days, stretched languidly, then leaned gently on Si Ming's shoulder. Si Ming sat upright, her posture elegant. Having spent a long time with Ye Changong, she had also adopted an air that was six parts tranquility, three parts dignity, and one part aloof pride.

"By the way, what was the original purpose of establishing the Sword Pavilion?" Lu Jiajia suddenly asked, setting down her empty teacup.

Si Ming replied, "According to Master, it was to resist the Unseeable."

"Resist the Unseeable?" Lu Jiajia was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, fourteen from the Sword Pavilion, seven from the Unseeable. It was exactly two to one," Si Ming said.

"The plan was thorough, but even in the end, this situation never came to pass," Lu Jiajia said.

"Indeed, it was just a fool's dream from the start," Si Ming said indifferently. "How powerful are we, the Unseeable? The mere Sword Pavilion cannot be compared."

Lu Jiajia nodded gently, "Fourth Junior Sister is right."

Si Ming's gaze shifted slightly, falling upon the white-robed immortal with half-closed clear eyes, leaning against her. "Fourth Junior Sister? Heh, Sister Jiajia, you probably don't know this yet, but I am now the only Senior Sister designated by Master."

"How is that possible?!" Lu Jiajia immediately sat upright.

Lu Jiajia, whose status had been unshakeable in recent months, only receiving minor provocations from Liu Xiwang, couldn't believe it.

"How could Master appoint you as the Senior Sister..." Lu Jiajia gazed distrustfully at Si Ming's exquisitely beautiful profile.

Si Ming's lips curved into a faint, elegant smile. She picked up the teapot and slowly poured herself some tea. After taking a delicate, graceful sip, she looked at Lu Jiajia, her eyes sparkling with a smile. "Jiajia, don't you believe it? When Master wakes up, you can ask her yourself."

Lu Jiajia leaned closer to her, staring into her eyes, and said, "Sister Xueci, don't forget, I still have your slave mark. If you dare to disrespect your elder sister again, I'll..."

As she spoke, Lu Jiajia tried to manipulate the slave mark, intending to put Si Ming in her place.

But quickly, she froze.

She found that the connection to the slave mark in her consciousness had vanished!

Lu Jiajia cautiously watched Si Ming, biting her lip, caught in a dilemma.

Si Ming, however, hadn't noticed this. Still somewhat afraid of the slave mark, she feigned bravery and said, "We are sisters, not master and slave. Always threatening with this, Jiajia, you'll become a bad woman too."

Lu Jiajia gazed at her face, forcing a stiff smile, and nodded, "Mm, Xueci... Sister, you're right. I was impulsive just now. Our sisterly bond is deep; we should prioritize harmony."

Si Ming frowned slightly, finding her reaction a bit strange.

Lu Jiajia calmly took a sip of tea, then immediately stood up and said, "I'll go see if Changjiu has woken up."

With that, Lu Jiajia immediately got up and left in a hurry.

"Jiajia, you haven't taken your sword yet," Si Ming said, picking up the sword from the table and calling out beyond the quiet room.

Lu Jiajia didn't look back.

Si Ming found it somewhat inexplicable. She casually wiped Lu Jiajia's newly acquired sword, then suddenly remembered something and quickly felt her own leg. A moment later, she realized that during the time she had spent accompanying Master, the slave mark had imperceptibly melted away.

No wonder Jiajia left as if her life depended on it!

"Oh, you, Lu Jiajia," Si Ming suddenly realized, murmured, then immediately stood up and chased after her, intending to bring her back and teach her a good lesson.

Ning Changjiu also woke up on this clear and mild autumn day.

He was sleeping on a bed in the Netherworld Palace. The bed was so large it seemed boundless, and upon waking, Ning Changjiu had the illusion of being in a snowy field.

In the snowy field, a maiden was sitting with her back to him, her arms gently supporting her on the bed. Her soft, dark hair was spread out, tied at the end with a red string, simple yet elegant. She was looking up at the dome of the great hall, lost in thought.

The maiden sensed movement behind her, turned her head, and saw her Senior Brother open his eyes.

Ning Xiaoling stopped swinging her legs. She immediately took off her thin shoes and socks, climbed onto the bed, and quickly made her way to her Senior Brother's side, happily saying, "Senior Brother finally decided to wake up!"

Ning Changjiu looked at the girl's slightly red eyes, knowing that she hadn't slept well in a long time while waiting for him to wake up.

"How long... have I been unconscious?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"Half a month has passed," Ning Xiaoling said. "If Senior Brother's breathing hadn't been steady, everyone would have been terribly worried."

Ning Changjiu nodded. Just as he was about to speak, a voice suddenly echoed in his spiritual mind:

"You're finally awake? Let me out quickly!"

It was Liu Xiwang's soft exclamation.

Ning Changjiu looked directly into his spiritual mind and saw the short-haired girl in a black, fitted outfit sitting with her legs bent on the pure white spiritual mind, staring up at him, her small face expressing displeasure.

"You're awake too?" Ning Changjiu communicated mentally.

"I've been awake for ages... It was just beating a Ke Wenzhou, was it really necessary to sleep for so long?" Liu Xiwang said disdainfully.

Ning Changjiu said, "You little traitor, you're truly skilled at betraying your master and ancestors."

Liu Xiwang pouted, "And wasn't betraying master and ancestors something I learned from you?"

Betraying master and ancestors... Hearing that phrase, Ning Changjiu's heart tightened. He instinctively turned his head, looking to the other side.

To his left, a pure, delicate little girl lay quietly. A thick quilt covered her face up to her cheeks, revealing only the upper half of her graceful nose. Even in sleep, she seemed to emit an invisible, flowing radiance.

"Senior Brother? Why are you spacing out?" Ning Xiaoling stretched out a hand and waved it in front of his eyes.

Ning Changjiu came back to his senses. He looked at his junior sister's elegant face, instinctively wanting to reach out and touch her hair, but felt his entire body aching, finding even the act of raising his hand difficult.

Ning Changjiu asked, "Where are Jiajia, Xueci, and Xiaoli? Where did they go?"

Ning Xiaoling said, "Xiaoli is in seclusion cultivating in a building. Master Jiajia went to investigate matters related to the Sword Pavilion, and Sister Si Ming has been searching for the Sword Saint's body these past few days, but with no results."

Ning Changjiu looked at Ye Changong's small figure and asked, "What about Master? Is Master... alright?"

Ning Xiaoling shook her head: "Xiaoling doesn't know either. Master Sister is very, very cold right now, and we've tried many ways to warm her up, but nothing has worked."

Ning Changjiu lay there for a while, and after regaining some strength, he reached out, slowly bringing his hand closer, then touched the back of Ye Changong's hand.

After thousands of years, this was the first time their skin touched, but Ning Changjiu felt nothing more than an icy chill to the bone.

Ning Changjiu tried to hold her hand.

It was like holding a piece of extremely cold ice; the chill was infectious, and soon a thin layer of frost covered Ning Changjiu's lips.

He released her hand, the bone-deep cold lingering on his fingertips.

Ning Changjiu wasn't sure, but in his Violet Mansion, the Golden Crow was eagerly stirring, as if proclaiming itself to be the perfect remedy for this cold affliction.

"This... this is Fairy Chang'e?" Liu Xiwang whispered.

A figure from mythology was right beside her, and Liu Xiwang was still somewhat nervous.

"Mm," Ning Changjiu responded.

Ning Xiaoling looked at him, took the hand he had just used to hold Master's, cupped it in both her hands, and breathed warm air onto it to warm him up.

Ning Changjiu asked, "Did Master say anything else?"

Ning Xiaoling said, "Sister Si Ming only said that Master needs the sun."

Ning Changjiu said, "Help me up."

Ning Xiaoling immediately leaned over, embraced her Senior Brother's shoulders, and lifted him, grumbling about how heavy he was.

Ning Changjiu wanted to dispel the cold for Ye Changong, but Xiaoling first brought over a bowl of hot medicinal soup, knelt by his side, and said, "Senior Brother, drink your medicine first. Don't faint again in a bit."

Ning Changjiu nodded gently. The girl scooped up the medicine, blew on it to cool it slightly, then spoon-fed it to Ning Changjiu, spoonful by spoonful.

In his spiritual mind, Liu Xiwang watched the scene, scoffing and vehemently criticizing Ning Changjiu for having no moral boundaries.

Ning Changjiu looked at the short-haired girl with clenched fists in the pure white spiritual mind and smiled faintly.

After being fed the medicine, a little warmth finally returned to Ning Changjiu's tired body. He took a deep breath, and the spiritual energy in his Qi Sea revived, flowing through his meridians and acupoints.

Ning Changjiu summoned the Golden Crow.

Whenever the Golden Crow was summoned, Xiaoling would always remark on its growth.

On the bed, Ye Changong's sleeping face was utterly peaceful.

Whenever Ning Changjiu saw her, his mind would often fall into a daze.

He would recall Chang Xi cutting the cassia tree in the Guanghan Palace, and Fairy Chang'e with her cool demeanor and hair styled like rabbit ears. These figures overlapped with the exquisitely beautiful little girl before him, as if sculpted from moonlight, creating a constant sense of unreality.

During his decisive battle with the Sword Saint, when the Sword Saint asked him who he was, he firmly stated that he was Ning Changjiu.

If the same question were asked of Master, how would Master reply?

Ning Changjiu looked at the girl's tranquil sleeping face and fell into a brief trance. The tides of the Southern Sea still echoed illusively in his ears, and he still harbored an unshakeable underlying worry concerning the Sword Saint and the Dark Lord.

Ning Changjiu manipulated the Golden Crow, allowing it to settle on Ye Changong's body.

The Golden Crow illuminated her face faintly, every strand of her beautiful hair clearly discernible.

The Golden Crow could tear apart almost all darkness and dispel almost all cold.

At this moment, bright light poured into Ye Changong's body.

The dense, unyielding cold current was slowly melting away.

Before Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling could rejoice, they discovered another problem: the Golden Crow couldn't warm Ye Changong's entire body simultaneously, and the thawing of her frozen bloodline was only temporary. As soon as the Golden Crow moved elsewhere, the cold immediately returned, covering that spot with frost.

"Senior Brother... what do we do?" Ning Xiaoling had initially thought that all problems would be solved once her Senior Brother woke up, but now she couldn't help but feel worried again.

Ning Changjiu strained to control the Golden Crow, making its light envelop every inch of Ye Changong's skin.

The light permeated her like water, always winning against the cold, but quickly the cold would resurface.

Ning Changjiu struggled for a while, but to no avail, his face pale from exhaustion.

Ning Xiaoling bit her lip, extremely nervous, and desperately suggested, "Could it be that Master's clothes are blocking the light...?"

Only Ye Changong remained quietly lying there, oblivious to hot or cold.

In his spiritual mind, Liu Xiwang also said, "This is clearly just treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Any more effort you put in will be in vain."

Treating the symptoms, not the root cause...

This phrase immediately enlightened Ning Changjiu.

"Where's the Moon Laurel?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"Hmm?" Ning Xiaoling was startled.

"The moon branch... the piece Senior Brother used to carry," Ning Changjiu explained.

Ning Xiaoling said "Oh," then quickly bent down, flipped open the pillow, and retrieved the moon branch, which had already frozen solid.

With the moon branch in hand, Ning Xiaoling felt an icy coldness to the bone, and her body involuntarily trembled.

Ning Changjiu took the moon branch and held it. It was like a starved person in deep winter holding ice and snow; a chilling sensation shot from his palm directly into his mind, suddenly clearing his thoughts.

As Ning Changjiu felt this chill, the image of the Guanghan Palace's swaying silhouette on the grey-white Moon Prison appeared in his mind.

The Golden Crow flew over, took the branch, and flew away.

The Golden Crow pressed the moon branch beneath itself, light spread over it, and its wings covered it.

The action rather resembled the Golden Crow hatching an egg.

Even the Golden Crow, entirely composed of light and heat, couldn't help but shiver.

But fortunately, the solid ice on the moon branch slowly melted under the golden light, and the lingering chill around Ye Changong finally grew thinner and thinner.

Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling observed for a while, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

After accompanying Master for a while, Ning Changjiu felt his body stiff. Xiaoling helped him up to get out of bed and walk around, alleviating the fatigue that had built up in his bones.

The senior brother and junior sister walked arm-in-arm, cautiously.

"Senior Brother."

"Hmm?"

"When Master recovers, Senior Brother... will you take Xiaoling?"

Ning Xiaoling looked up, her bright, sparkling eyes fixed on him.

Although they had discussed this in the Sea of Reincarnation, speaking of it face-to-face inevitably brought some shyness.

"Hmm..." Ning Changjiu nodded slightly and said, "When Jiajia arrives, let's discuss it together."

"No need to discuss it with Master," Ning Xiaoling whispered. "If Senior Brother feels psychological pressure, Xiaoling has a way."

"What way?"

"Like this: Xiaoling puts on Master's clothes, then turns her back to Senior Brother. Senior Brother, just waking up and sleepy, sees the familiar silhouette and thinks it's Master Jiajia, so he hugs her. After a moment of intimacy, Senior Brother realizes his mistake, but by then, it's too late! The arrow is on the string, it must be shot! By then, the rice will be cooked, and Master won't be able to say anything." Ning Xiaoling explained logically and eloquently.

In his spiritual mind, Liu Xiwang bit her finger, her pretty face flushed crimson, unable to believe such words came from such a pure little girl.

Ning Changjiu mused for a moment, just about to offer his opinion, when suddenly three knocks sounded at the door.

"Xiaoling, what are you talking about?"

A clear, cold voice rang out, the door pushed open, and a fairy in snow-white clothes slowly walked in.

Ning Xiaoling was as if struck by lightning, frozen in place. She lowered her head, as if searching for a crack in the ground to disappear into.