The clamor of Sunset Forest faded into silence. The valley of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well was once again shrouded in poisonous fog, as if nothing had ever happened. But for everyone who had taken part, the experience was one they would remember for the rest of their lives.
Dugu Bo took Dugu Yan and said his farewells first. Before leaving, Dugu Yan stood at the edge of Sunset Forest, her purple hair fluttering lightly in the wind. Her eerie green eyes fixed on Ning Xiaochun, and for once, a faint, gentle smile appeared on her face:
"Xiaochun, remember to come visit me in Heaven Dou City sometime! If anyone bullies you, just give them my name—Dugu Yan! Though... I might not be as useful as your Bing'er older sister."
She glanced at Shui Bing'er standing quietly beside them. Her tone held a hint of teasing, but also a trace of parting sadness that was difficult to notice.
"I definitely will, Sister Yanzi! Just don't get sick of me when I do!" Ning Xiaochun waved with a grin.
Dugu Yan gave a soft snort and said no more. She turned and followed Dugu Bo, her figure soon disappearing at the end of the forest path.
Next, it was Shui Bing'er's turn.
As they had agreed, until she turned eighteen, she could travel freely between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Skywater Academy. She would not be forced to remain at the sect.
Skywater Academy had a more suitable cultivation environment for her—the Cold Ice Lake—and as a core member of the Skywater Academy Team, she also needed to return for training and competitions.
The luxurious carriage of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect came to a stop in front of Skywater Academy's elegant blue-and-white gates.
Leng Ningshuang had received word well in advance and was waiting at the entrance with several instructors.
When she saw the denser, purer chill surrounding Shui Bing'er, as well as the faint fluctuations of Soul Power that seemed to have reached level thirty-six, shock and delight that she could barely hide appeared on her face.
She had known her disciple would gain something from this trip with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but she had never imagined the gains would be so immense! This was practically a leap to the heavens!
"Bing'er!" Leng Ningshuang hurried forward and took Shui Bing'er's hand. She was so excited she could barely get the words out. "Your Soul Power... and your aura... Good heavens! What rare treasure did the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect give you?"
Shui Bing'er shook her head slightly. Her cool face revealed little emotion.
"Master, it's a long story. Let me explain everything to you in detail later."
As she spoke, she turned back without thinking and glanced at the luxurious carriage parked in the distance, which bore the insignia of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The carriage curtain lifted at one corner, revealing Ning Xiaochun's smiling little face. He waved at her and mouthed two words: "Keep going."
Shui Bing'er's heart seemed to stir ever so slightly. She gave a faint nod in reply, then turned and followed Leng Ningshuang through the gates of Skywater Academy.
The carriage slowly started off, heading toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Xiaochun let the curtain fall and leaned back against the soft cushions, breathing out a long sigh. More had happened over the past few days than in all the six years before them. He needed time to process it all.
But as Shui Bing'er entered Skywater Academy, looking at its familiar campus, hearing the students around her whispering and gossiping, and feeling the moist aura of water-attribute Soul Power in the air, she suddenly felt... a little out of place.
What felt unfamiliar?
She walked down the tree-lined path toward the dormitories, looking at the Ice Crystal Flowers blooming on either side. Yet, without meaning to, her thoughts drifted to that small figure who was always chattering in her ear, calling her "Sister Bing'er," and hiding behind her whenever danger struck, yet somehow always producing an astonishing trump card at the crucial moment.
Without that little brat who was always circling around her with an ingratiating smile... it really did seem much quieter.
"Big Sister! Big Sister!"
A clear voice, sweet as an oriole's song, interrupted Shui Bing'er's thoughts.
A girl of about ten, her hair tied into twin ponytails and her appearance five or six parts similar to Shui Bing'er's, but with a much livelier, more spirited air, came running over like a gust of wind. She grabbed Shui Bing'er by the arm. It was Shui Bing'er's own younger sister, Shui Yue'er.
Shui Yue'er looked up at her, her round eyes full of worry and indignation. She looked Shui Bing'er up and down as if checking whether she had all her limbs.
"Big Sister! You're finally back! I heard everything! The people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect are awful! How could they do that? Just because they're rich and powerful, they forced you to become... to become some kind of child bride! Did they bully you? Did they do anything indecent to you?"
Shui Yue'er grew angrier with every word, until her little face flushed red. "No! I'm going to confront them! Skywater Academy may not be as powerful as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but we can't just let them bully us! Don't worry, Big Sister. I'll get you justice!"
As she spoke, she actually rolled up her sleeves and started to charge off.
Shui Bing'er hurriedly stopped her, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Yue'er, don't be rash. They didn't bully me."
"They didn't?" Shui Yue'er looked at Shui Bing'er suspiciously. "Really? Big Sister, don't lie to me! If you've been wronged, you have to tell me! I'm your closest sister!"
"Really, they didn't." Shui Bing'er repeated herself, her tone tinged with helplessness. But, for some reason, when she said the words "they didn't," her heart seemed to skip a beat, and her gaze wandered. She didn't dare meet Shui Yue'er's clear eyes.
She hurriedly changed the subject, concealing her momentary guilty unease. "Yue'er, let me ask you something."
"What is it?" Shui Yue'er was indeed distracted.
Shui Bing'er fell silent for a moment. Her ice-blue eyes gazed at the distant, shimmering Cold Ice Lake, and her voice held a trace of bewilderment and curiosity she herself had not noticed. "Yue'er... what do you think... love is?"
"Huh?" Shui Yue'er froze. She had never expected her usually aloof, dispassionate sister, whose thoughts were always fixed on cultivation, to ask such a question!
She blinked, looking at Shui Bing'er's slightly unnatural profile. A bold guess suddenly came to mind.
"Love..." Shui Yue'er tilted her head, trying to recall the scenes she had read about in storybooks.
"I guess it's... that feeling when your heart beats faster and your face turns red, when you want to see someone every moment of the day, when seeing them makes you happy and not seeing them makes you miss them... And when you instinctively want to protect them, so they don't get hurt..."
After saying all that, even Shui Yue'er thought it was a little mushy. She stuck out her tongue. "Anyway, that's what all the storybooks say! Why'd you suddenly ask?"
But Shui Bing'er did not answer.
She simply stood there, her ice-blue eyes seeming to hold something that was quietly melting away.
A racing heart? Blushing? Wanting to see him every moment? Missing him when he was gone? Instinctively wanting to protect him?
Before you continue