Qiqi craned her curious little head to look at the delicate-featured girl before her.
She had clearly been a kindly old granny just a moment ago. How had she suddenly turned into a big sister?
"I'm glad you're all right, Immortal Lord."
Madame Ping-no, Ping'er-looked at Qiu Bai's face and spoke with a smile.
"If you're all right, Immortal Lord, then the Emperor must be fine too."
"What could possibly happen to me? Sorry for making you all worry."
Qiu Bai spoke with a smile, neither denying nor confirming whether Morax had really been assassinated.
Instead, he spoke softly to Ping'er before him.
"Oh, and about Morax and me."
"Please don't tell the other Adepti. It's not time yet."
Ping'er nodded at his words. Since the Immortal Lord did not want to explain, she did not press him.
"Rest assured, Immortal Lord. I won't tell anyone."
"But this little girl you brought is rather interesting."
Ping'er crouched down and smiled at Qiqi.
"Tell your big sister what your name is."
But Qiqi still clutched Qiu Bai's trouser leg in fear.
"It's all right, Qiqi. This big sister is an Adeptus too."
Only after hearing Qiu Bai's reassurance did Qiqi step out from behind him.
She looked at the Adeptus before her with wide eyes and said, "My name is Qiqi."
Streetward Rambler was charmed by the little girl's cuteness too, and she rubbed Qiqi's head.
"That old granny appearance really didn't suit you."
Qiu Bai teased her from the side.
"What can I do? I've grown old too."
Although Adepti could take on the appearance of any age, they could not change their age at heart.
"You certainly don't look old."
Qiu Bai smiled as he spoke. He could not understand why Madame Ping chose to look like an old granny.
Morax was over six thousand years old, so why didn't he turn into an old man?
"By the way, I came here so you could teach Qiqi how to use and control the adeptal energy inside her."
"And get her a new outfit while you're at it."
"What she's wearing now doesn't really suit her anymore."
Qiu Bai looked at Qiqi. Dressed like a little zombie, she hardly looked like an Adeptus.
"Leave it to me."
After speaking, Ping'er took out a pot and smiled at Qiqi.
"Qiqi, hold out your hand toward this pot and silently tell yourself to enter."
"This pot contains a realm of its own, hidden from prying eyes. I'll teach you inside."
Ping'er levitated the Serenitea Pot over to Qiqi.
Qiqi glanced at Qiu Bai.
When she saw Qiu Bai nod, Qiqi held out her little hand toward the Serenitea Pot and silently repeated the instruction.
A flash of light followed, and Qiqi was drawn into the Serenitea Pot.
"Thank you, Ping'er."
Qiu Bai smiled at the girl in blue before him.
The night breeze stirred the clothes of Qiu Bai's clone.
Qiu Bai currently wore the appearance of the Adeptus of Yin-Yang and the Two Principles, leaving the girl momentarily entranced.
No wonder Cloud Retainer cares so much about the Immortal Lord. So that's why.
Ping'er thought with a curious feeling.
"In that case, I'll start teaching the little girl."
Ping'er smiled at Qiu Bai, then turned into a streak of light and entered the Serenitea Pot as well.
The Serenitea Pot settled naturally onto the nearby table.
Seeing this, Qiu Bai nodded slightly, then vanished from before the table in a streak of white light.
Elsewhere, Qiu Bai was walking toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
A streak of light flew over from the distance and entered his body.
Qiu Bai stopped, looking around at the bustling streets and brightly lit buildings before raising his eyes to the sky.
"That should take care of Qiqi's situation."
With that thought, Qiu Bai resumed walking.
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Hu Tao sat in a chair, surrounded by the funeral parlor's employees.
"Why isn't Qiu Bai back yet!"
"Could something have happened to him?"
At that thought, Hu Tao abruptly stood and began pacing anxiously.
"Director, logically speaking, Qiu Bai will be fine."
Zhongli, seated nearby, offered the director a reminder.
With Qiu Bai's current strength, very little in the mortal world could hold him back.
"Zhongli, how do you know he's fine?"
With that, Hu Tao planted both hands on Zhongli's table.
She stared at Zhongli with her pretty, plum-blossom eyes wide open, unable to hold back her questions.
"What if? What if?"
"What if something happened to him?"
"I finally found a consultant who can save me more than half my trouble. Nothing can happen to him!"
But fretting would do no good. Hu Tao suddenly deflated like a punctured ball and slumped over the table.
Zhongli seemed to sense something. Looking at the ever-comical Hu Tao, he could not help chuckling softly.
"Hehe, Director, Qiu Bai will be fine."
"He's already on his way back."
Hu Tao gave Zhongli a sidelong glance.
She muttered, "Zhongli, how would you know when you haven't even seen him? Do you have ears that can hear for miles?"
"I'm back!"
With the crisp sound of the door opening, Hu Tao heard the newcomer's voice and sprang to her feet in surprise.
Sure enough, it was Qiu Bai.
Hu Tao hurried over and inspected Qiu Bai from front to back for a long while with her large, plum-blossom eyes.
Then she looked back at Zhongli.
Does Zhongli really have ears that can hear for miles?
Hu Tao thought in astonishment.
Zhongli also turned his gaze toward Qiu Bai, who stood at the entrance.
"You're back, old friend."
Zhongli spoke with a faint smile as he looked at Qiu Bai.
Qiu Bai looked at Zhongli and nodded in return.
"Qiu Bai, where have you been these past few days?"
"You didn't even tell us before going out."
Hu Tao cupped her chin, only asking after she had confirmed that Qiu Bai was unharmed.
"Don't worry, Director. I'll be fine."
Qiu Bai smiled at the mischievous Hu Tao.
He could now confidently say that no one except those mysterious "Heavenly Principles" could hold him back. Such was his confidence in his own strength.
"You! Remember to tell me the next time you go out."
"You had me worried for so long. Oh, right, where's the Mora? Where's the Mora?"
Hu Tao stared wide-eyed at Qiu Bai's clothes, but there was not a trace of Mora.
Seeing her reaction, Qiu Bai smiled faintly and flipped his hand over. A large chest appeared before Hu Tao.
"Director, I've spent the past few days gathering herbs to sell."
"There's two million Mora in this chest."
Qiu Bai smiled at Hu Tao as he spoke.
Hu Tao's mouth fell open wide enough to fit an egg.
"Incredible, incredible! Two million Mora!"
"Just how many herbs did you gather to sell for that much money?"
"Now I can rest easy. You earned two million Mora in just two days."
The corner of Hu Tao's mouth twitched. How many herbs had he sold to earn all that Mora?
"Qiu Bai has put my mind at ease, but Zhongli..."
With that, Hu Tao glanced at Zhongli. He naturally noticed and gave an awkward little cough.
"It's getting late. You should turn in, Director."
Zhongli turned his head and spoke calmly to Hu Tao by the entrance.
"I've been sleepy for ages, waiting for Qiu Bai."
"I need a good night's sleep. Zhongli, go prepare the Rite of Parting tomorrow."
"You two should get some rest too."
With that, Hu Tao yawned and headed upstairs.
Once Hu Tao had left, Qiu Bai sat down across from Zhongli.
"Morax, I saw Xiao today."
After sitting down, Qiu Bai took a sip of tea and spoke evenly to Zhongli.
"He doesn't know who I am. I knocked him unconscious and removed a small portion of his karmic debt."
"That should ease his suffering a little. Once this is over, I'll help him clear it away completely."
Qiu Bai knew that even if he cleared away Xiao's karmic debt, Xiao constantly fought monsters tainted by archon residue.
He would still accumulate karmic debt. But even so, easing his suffering would be the greatest help Qiu Bai could offer.
Before you continue