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Bai Fu's long brows drew together slightly, his voice like ice and jade. "In that case, twenty lashes of the disciplinary whip, as a warning to others."

"Yes." Shen Ji bowed his head to the floor, then added, "Master, Little Junior Sister-"

He looked up, only to find that the black text above his little junior sister's head had vanished. He froze for a moment.

What happened?

That line was still there just now!

Qiaoqiao was puzzled: [Why is Eldest Senior Brother looking at me? Is there something on my head?]

Shen Ji was at a loss for words. "Nothing. I saw wrong."

This was truly strange. It seemed he would have to observe for a while longer. During that time, he would have to keep a close eye on his little junior sister...

"Qiaoqiao," Bai Fu spoke.

"Master."

"While I was in seclusion, have you been cultivating diligently?"

The Immortal Venerable had brought Qiaoqiao back when she was five. In her memories, her master had always been cold, an immortal high above her. As a child, she had often found all sorts of excuses to cling to him, and only occasionally managed to see him smile.

Not long afterward, her master had entered seclusion. Cultivation knew neither winter nor summer; that seclusion had lasted a full fifteen years, and she had not seen her master in over a decade.

After so many years apart, Immortal Venerable Wanghan's appearance had not changed at all. His bearing was cool and aloof, and he looked just like an immortal in a painting.

Qiaoqiao stared, entranced, for a moment. Only when her eldest senior brother coughed did she come back to herself and say obediently, "Master, I've taken very good care of A Xue."

Shen Ji hurriedly said, "Master, Little Junior Sister has been very diligent lately-"

He wanted to speak up for his little junior sister, only to see the corners of his master's lips lift almost imperceptibly. His master ordinarily never smiled or joked.

Shen Ji was stunned.

Master actually smiled?

Bai Fu said, "I understand."

Shen Ji: ?

That was it?

He wasn't going to ask why Junior Sister still hadn't reached Foundation Establishment, or about how she had slacked off in her cultivation all these years?

Having just been sentenced to twenty lashes of the disciplinary whip, Shen Ji felt the unevenness of the world.

The strand of Sword Qi within his little junior sister was a profound protective sword intent. In a crisis, it could unfold into a sword formation to protect its master. Normally, it lay hidden in her meridians, nourishing them.

His master cultivated the protective Sword Dao. In this world, only he possessed such powerful protective sword intent.

"If there is nothing else, you may withdraw," Bai Fu said mildly. "Qiaoqiao, stay."

Shen Ji glanced at Qiaoqiao and silently withdrew.

Once he left, Qiaoqiao remained, gazing absently at her incomparably handsome master.

Bai Fu said gently, "Qiaoqiao, have you been practicing sword moves with your eldest senior brother lately?"

"Mm."

"When you were little, I once said that when you grew up, I would give you a spirit sword that suited your hand. Is there one you want?"

Qiaoqiao blinked. "Can I have any sword I want?"

"As long as you can name it."

Had Shen Ji still been there, he would certainly have been astonished by what Immortal Venerable Wanghan's promise meant-of all the renowned swords in the world, whether supreme-grade or even immortal-grade, as long as Qiaoqiao wanted one, her master would find it for her.

Qiaoqiao thought for a moment. "I want that-"

She pointed at the white plum blossoms blooming outside the window, her expression utterly serious.

[A Xue said that true masters never use swords. If I want the presence of a master, I can't use an ordinary sword!]

She had yearned for the realm of plucking leaves and sending flowers flying for so long!

Hearing her thoughts, Bai Fu could not help laughing. She was still a little girl at heart.

He raised his hand, his white-edged sleeves with their silver patterns fluttering, and a branch of white plum blossoms landed in his hand.

"Take it."

"Thank you, Master!" The young girl smiled sweetly, her eyes curving, seeming to shimmer with starlight. She was lovelier than the flowering branch.

After she left, the relaxed smile on Bai Fu's face gradually faded.

He had actually returned.

He had returned to this year, when his disciples were all still well, Ethereal Peak had not yet fallen into decline, and his youngest disciple could still smile at him without a care.

There was still time for everything.

Outside the window, the white plum blossoms were in full bloom. His gaze darkened, turning an ink-dyed black, like a bottomless abyss, so deep it made the heart tremble.

Holding a branch of white plum blossoms, Qiaoqiao went happily down the mountain. She was just about to head back and show it off to A Xue when, passing the Service Hall, she unexpectedly bumped into a short, stout figure ahead of her.

The man's round belly quivered three times. He raised his brows and glared at her. "Which blind disciple dared to bump into me?!"

Qiaoqiao looked up. The person before her was actually Elder Chen.

This man could claim first place on the list of people the disciples of Ethereal Peak hated most.

Elder Chen was the managing elder of the Flowing Cloud Sect's Sect Affairs Hall. He oversaw disciple affairs for all the sect's peaks, including the distribution of monthly allowances.

Whenever the monthly allowances were distributed, he never failed to find some excuse to deduct a portion. The disciples all called him "Goose Plucker."

"What's that look in your eyes?" Seeing that this young disciple had bumped into him and was even looking at him with such disrespect, Elder Chen immediately flared up. "What an ill-mannered disciple! You dare offend this elder?"

He took out a ledger and wrote, "A disciple of Ethereal Peak disrespected an elder. This month's allowance will be reduced by ten percent."

Qiaoqiao: ?!

[You really are something. Already finding fault?]

[You really would pluck feathers from a goose flying past!]

Elder Chen lifted his triangular eyes and drawled, "Unrepentant. Another ten percent deducted."

Qiaoqiao was furious with him. Just then, a plain figure in blue robes stepped out of the Service Hall. Ning Shuang said, "Elder, please come inside to talk."

She gave Qiaoqiao a look, and Qiaoqiao immediately hid behind her.

"True Lord Ning." Elder Chen greeted her with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

Once inside the Service Hall, he sat cross-legged in a grand armchair and flipped through a thin ledger. "This month, Ethereal Peak's allowance will be reduced by thirty percent."

Ning Shuang's expression hardened. "Elder, what do you mean by this?"

Elder Chen lifted his triangular eyes, the fat on his belly quivering. "Exactly what I said."

According to sect rules, each peak's personal disciples received three hundred Spirit Stones and ten bottles of Essence-Nurturing Pills every month, while ordinary disciples received one hundred Spirit Stones and three bottles of Essence-Nurturing Pills. Yet the moment he opened his mouth, he wanted to deduct thirty percent! How were the disciples supposed to get by?

Ning Shuang suppressed her anger. "There must be a reason for deducting Spirit Stones."