"Your Excellency!"
When Tian Bai saw Shi Lan, delight spilled across his face. He hurried to his feet and went to greet her, assuming she had finished her seclusion and giving it no further thought.
Her growing years had stretched out, and her bones and frame had visibly shrunk. She looked no more than eleven or twelve, with clear black-and-white eyes and rosy cheeks.
Before, she had just barely reached Shi Lan's chest. Now she barely stood above her waist, and when she reached out, she could only wrap her arms around Shi Lan's leg.
"Master."
Hearing Tian Bai's voice, Bian Qin also awoke from her quiet cultivation nearby. Compared with Tian Bai, she was much more reserved. She did not approach, but stood at a distance, her expression serene. A hint of barely contained joy showed in her eyes, along with a trace of unease.
She had always been diligent in her cultivation, never slacking off for even a moment, all because she feared disappointing Shi Lan's expectations.
"You've made progress quickly."
Noticing Bian Qin's unease, a hint of warmth flickered in Shi Lan's eyes.
Bian Qin's past had been much more arduous than Tian Bai's. She had become High Priestess at a young age and shouldered the burden of the Green Ghost Rakshasa clan, so she was naturally more guarded and felt less secure.
Reassured by Shi Lan's approval, Bian Qin let out a quiet sigh of relief, unable to keep a little delight from rising in her heart.
In truth, Shi Lan had few expectations for how quickly Bian Qin and Tian Bai cultivated. She had never had a clear idea of what constituted fast or slow progress.
By her own standards, she even felt that her cultivation was progressing a little slowly. But it was obviously