"Tell me, what's gotten into you today?"
"It's one thing to refuse to share a bathing pool with me, but now you won't even let your own sister undress for a bath?"
At that, Xue Luo's sister spun around, planted both hands on her hips, and glared at Xue Luo in displeasure, her chest bare.
"I... I..."
Xue Luo stammered, at a loss for an answer.
"Xuanyuan Xueluo, surely you haven't started despising your sister now that I'm old and my pearls have lost their luster?"
Xue Luo's sister suddenly looked hurt.
"Sister, what nonsense are you talking about? I haven't! I just thought... I was just afraid you'd catch a chill!"
After racking her brains, Xuanyuan Xueluo finally found an explanation.
At that, Xue Luo's sister burst out laughing, then turned and stepped down into the bathing pool, waving a hand as she said:
"Your sister is a genuine Martial Venerable Realm warrior. Never mind that the weather's still warm-even in the depths of winter, I wouldn't feel cold."
By the time she finished, she had immersed herself in the warm water and let out a long sigh.
"Little Xue, don't worry. I'm only here to keep you company and chat, not to force you to go back and marry that young prince."
Resting her head against the edge of the Hot Spring Pool, Xue Luo's sister gazed across at Xuanyuan Xueluo with a gentle smile.
"Sister..."
Xuanyuan Xueluo, who had been terribly tense because she still had someone beneath her bottom, immediately relaxed at her sister's words.
"Xue Luo, although women in our Ningyuan Kingdom can join the army, and there's no shortage of Goddesses of War in its ranks who can hold their own against men, I really don't want you to take this path too."
Xue