Returning to Blizzard City

At that, Zhang Lexuan froze.

She glanced at Xue Mingqing, a hint of hesitation on her face. "Um... wouldn't that be a little inappropriate? After all... it's your home, isn't it?"

Seeing her reaction, Xue Mingqing smiled. Having lived through two lifetimes, how could he fail to see what Zhang Lexuan was worried about?

She was simply afraid of imposing on him.

With a soft chuckle, Xue Mingqing stepped forward and gently took Zhang Lexuan's hand. "All right, don't overthink it. Just come home with me. We've been together for so long—how are we any different from real siblings?"

As he spoke, Xue Mingqing gave Zhang Lexuan a playful wink.

Looking at the mischievous, boyish expression on Xue Mingqing's face, Zhang Lexuan fell silent for a moment. She gazed at the young man before her, warmth rising in her heart, then slowly nodded.

"Okay... In that case, I'll accept your hospitality."

"Aw, it's no trouble. Just don't complain that it's cold there..."

Several days later, Xue Mingqing and the others climbed down from the carriage outside Blizzard City.

For the return trip, he had originally planned to hire a carriage or something.

But just as he'd left Shrek City with Zhang Lexuan and Lu Xiaoxiao,

he'd come face-to-face with Wang Chao and the others, whom he hadn't seen in half a year.

Just as Wang Chao's six-man team had escorted him on his way there, Xue Ningxian had calculated the date of his return and arranged for them to meet him when he left Shrek Academy.

In short, whether he was coming or going, his dear mother Xue Ningxian had everything arranged down to the last detail.

Now that he had set foot once more on this long-missed frozen soil, Xue Mingqing felt an indescribable pang of emotion.

He looked up and gazed deeply at Blizzard City's towering walls, standing firm amid the wind and snow. They made him feel right at home.

With a soft laugh, Xue Mingqing opened his arms and gave the whole city a big hug.

"Blizzard City, I'm back!"

"Yes, yes, I know you're back. What, should I set off a couple of strings of firecrackers to celebrate?"

A familiar yet faintly strange, cool, ethereal voice rang out nearby. Xue Mingqing paused and turned toward it.

There, beneath Blizzard City's gates, stood his dear mother, Xue Ningxian. He hadn't even noticed when she'd arrived.

She stood amid the delicate snowfall, her long white hair and simple green lotus robe stirring in the wind.

Though half a year had passed, she was as radiant as ever, still looking like a cool, otherworldly fairy.

At that moment, she had her arms crossed. A faintly teasing curve touched her exquisite, cool face, and her emerald eyes studied Xue Mingqing with an amused, knowing look.

Seeing that expression, Xue Mingqing's face went red. He knew she'd witnessed his childish display in its entirety.

He coughed awkwardly and changed the subject.

"There's no need for firecrackers... Ahem, Mother, let me introduce you to someone..."

As he spoke, Xue Mingqing turned to look behind him, where two people were slowly climbing out of the carriage.

"This is Zhang Lexuan, my senior sister. Um... you could say she's the older sister I chose for myself."

At that, Zhang Lexuan gave a small nod. An awkward, uneasy look crossed her gentle face, and she offered Xue Ningxian a shy smile.

Xue Ningxian raised an eyebrow and gave Zhang Lexuan a once-over.

She'd known that Xue Mingqing's looks and talent would win the hearts of plenty of young girls. He'd only been away for half a year and had already brought home a girl of seventeen or eighteen. That was about what she'd expected.

But...

Xue Ningxian shifted her gaze to the woman behind Zhang Lexuan. She was a head taller than Zhang Lexuan, with a full, graceful figure and strikingly beautiful features.

She looked like a gorgeous woman in her early thirties, and her cultivation seemed to be at the Soul Saint level. Could her dear son really have gotten involved with someone like that, too?

"My name is Lu Xiaoxiao. The academy assigned me as this Little Monster's nutritionist. I'm responsible for his meals and medicinal baths. It's nice to meet you, City Lord Xue."

As if sensing the depth of Xue Ningxian's gaze, Lu Xiaoxiao turned and calmly explained herself.

At that, Xue Ningxian's eye twitched. She turned to look at Xue Mingqing.

She said nothing, but Xue Mingqing understood the meaning in her eyes.

"Care to explain?"

He coughed awkwardly and rubbed his nose.

"I'll explain when we get home. It's a bit complicated..."

Xue Ningxian said no more. After giving Xue Mingqing a long look, she turned and silently walked into Blizzard City.

Watching her go, Xue Mingqing shook his head helplessly. He looked at the two women behind him, each with a different appearance, yet both stunning beauties.

"Come on... Let's head home first..."

Neither woman said anything. They followed on either side of Xue Mingqing as they entered Blizzard City together.

Now that they were inside Blizzard City, they were at least on the territory of Xue Mingqing, the young city lord.

He first arranged for Lu Xiaoxiao and Zhang Lexuan to rest in guest rooms at the City Lord's Mansion. Only then did he follow Xue Ningxian to the main hall and dutifully explain everything that had happened over the past six months.

"So that's what happened, Mother."

In the main hall of the City Lord's Mansion, Xue Mingqing stood respectfully and laid out everything he had experienced, from leaving Blizzard City to his time at Shrek.

After hearing about Xue Mingqing's experiences, Xue Ningxian, half-reclining in her seat with her chin propped on one hand and her eyes closed, raised an eyebrow.

She slowly opened her emerald eyes and looked at Xue Mingqing with a complicated expression.

What was going on...? The more she heard about her dear son's experiences, the more something seemed off.

Mu En was Shrek's true leader. Having once been a student at Shrek Academy herself, Xue Ningxian knew a little about him.

Yet this very leader of Shrek had personally trained Xue Mingqing every single day for half a year, without fail, rain or shine.

He'd even arranged for all kinds of rare treasures to be served up as food, and had sent Lu Xiaoxiao, a Soul Saint-level auxiliary food-type Soul Master, to stay by Xue Mingqing's side.

Xue Mingqing was too inexperienced to see what was going on. Did she really need to spell it out for him?

Shrek Academy wasn't merely impressed by Xue Mingqing. It was practically treating him like an ancestor.

Rare treasures for every meal, Shrek's strongest old man as his teacher, and even a beautiful single woman at the Soul Saint level sent over to play a secretary-like role for him.

Weren't they blatantly showering him with resources and women, practically trying to tie Xue Mingqing to Shrek for good?

Xue Ningxian gave Xue Mingqing a long look and closed her eyes. She felt as exhausted as if someone were trying to snatch away her little cabbage.

She raised a pale, jade-like hand to rub her brow, then impatiently waved her other hand at Xue Mingqing.

"Go on, go on... Keep the resources Shrek gave you. Take them. Either way, they won't do you any harm."

Xue Mingqing nodded and promptly turned to leave.

Watching him go, Xue Ningxian rubbed her brow helplessly.

"Ah... Forget it. Anyway... becoming Shrek's leader has more prospects than staying here in Blizzard City as a little city lord..."

"Let him do as he likes..."

She closed her eyes briefly, then stood and began making arrangements for the other things Xue Mingqing would need to take care of now that he was back...