The tall one and short one paid no attention to Baili Xiaosheng at all, desperately begging Baili Weisheng instead.

Baili Weisheng finally spared them a glance—and suddenly burst out laughing, saying nothing at all.

At this point, more than a few people present grew suspicious of something—could this wretched scholar be planning to leave again?

“Master!” Baili Xiaosheng exclaimed in alarm.

Baili Weisheng looked over, puzzled. “Why so loud? Calling for ghosts? What is it?”

“Master, you… where are you going?” Baili Xiaosheng asked timidly.

“The matter here isn’t even settled yet, and you’re already thinking about leaving?” Baili Weisheng shot back.

Baili Xiaosheng was left speechless, unable to argue back.

“Meng Duo’er, why don’t you just use your barrier to seal this place off forever? Settle it once and for all,” Baili Weisheng said.

Meng Duo’er froze, unable to say a word for a long moment.

Seeing this, Baili Xiaosheng looked up at the sky in exasperation—she really couldn’t bring herself to like this woman. She genuinely wanted to give her a good scolding: if you like Master, be a little more proactive about it! Just throw yourself at him already and be done with it!

All this hesitation, all this careful, timid dancing around—that was never going to be Master’s type!

“The scholar has a point. Sealing this place off settles everything once and for all,” Situ Haonan quickly agreed, still holding the unconscious Situ Jing’er in his arms.

Ziqing nodded too, wrapping an arm around Meng Duo’er’s shoulders, smiling. “Duo’er, what do you think?”

“Mm, that works,” Meng Duo’er said seriously, nodding. In truth, she hadn’t been dazed—in that split second, she’d had a strong, overwhelming feeling that the scholar was going to leave.

As she spoke, she waved her hand, uttering a soft “Break,” and the barrier surrounding them instantly dispersed, sunlight flooding in fully, warm and bright.

The tall and short brothers immediately surrounded Baili Weisheng, clinging to him desperately, refusing to let him go.

Baili Weisheng said quietly, “All right, I’ll give you the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Go find your coffins.”

“Really?” the tall one whispered.

Baili Weisheng nodded. Though they’d spoken softly, everyone nearby still heard clearly.

“Great, we’re going right now!” the tall one said with delight, dragging the short one along. In moments, the two of them vanished through the massive palace doors behind them.

At this, Baili Weisheng turned back and gave Meng Duo’er a faint smile—the kind of smile that could captivate anyone with a single glance. Meng Duo’er found herself completely dazed, unsure what he was about to do.

As he kept smiling, Baili Weisheng suddenly realized something was wrong and cried out sharply, “The barrier, you fool!”

Meng Duo’er startled, snapping back to her senses, and immediately cast a massive barrier, sealing the remaining bloodline clan tomb completely!

And at nearly the same instant, the tall and short brothers, flying out at top speed with their coffins slung over their shoulders, slammed straight into the barrier with a resounding thud!

At this, Meng Duo’er burst out laughing despite herself, and everyone else joined in with hearty laughter as well.

“My so-called master is a complete cheat and a swindler—and they still wanted to become his disciples?” Baili Xiaosheng said, laughing.

Baili Weisheng shot her a look but didn’t bother arguing.

The tall one and short one pounded desperately against the barrier from inside, shouting themselves hoarse—but unfortunately, no one outside paid them any mind.

Ziqing tilted her head back, squinting into the sunlight, basking in it for a long moment before letting out a soft breath. She wrapped an arm around Jun Buli’s shoulders and said with a smile, “Let’s go, son. Let’s head home.”

Jun Beiyue carried Yaotiao in one arm, wrapping the other around them as well, saying flatly, “Home.” Jun Buli’s heart warmed at the words. He looked over at Yaotiao, who was grinning foolishly, utterly innocent and blissfully happy, her mouth unable to close. “We’re going home!”

Baili Xiaosheng grabbed Guxi’s arm and clung to Baili Weisheng from the other side, one of them on each arm.

“Master, let’s go back to Duku,” Baili Xiaosheng pleaded pitifully.

“Yes, Master, let’s head back to Duku and see how things are—Lady Jinjiao is still there waiting for word from us!” Guxi added, quite earnestly.

Surprisingly, Baili Weisheng nodded.

Meng Duo’er suddenly felt at a loss. Was this the moment they’d part ways? Where would she go?

At this point, Situ Haonan, still holding the unconscious Situ Jing’er, spoke up. “No need to rush off just yet—now that you’ve all made the trip to Xijing, and the capital’s so close by, why not come back with me for a visit? Yelu Qianqian will have my head if you don’t.”

“We really should go, or she’ll have my head too,” Ziqing said with a laugh.

At this, Meng Duo’er’s heart settled somewhat—at least they could travel together a bit longer.

No one had any objections, and so the group set off. Just before leaving, Baili Weisheng and Meng Duo’er both turned back at the exact same moment, without meaning to.

Baili Weisheng glanced at Meng Duo’er but said nothing, instead shouting toward the tall one and short one, who were still yelling and pounding inside the barrier. “Behave yourselves in there! If anyone dares to bully you, just invoke this scholar’s name!”

These words, without question, were a great reassurance to the two brothers—at least now, no one in the bloodline clan would dare touch them, given how much everyone feared this group.

Hearing this, the two brothers finally relaxed, waving from a distance in farewell.

Once Baili Weisheng finished speaking, he turned his head to look at Meng Duo’er. “What are you looking at?”

“I… I…” Meng Duo’er stammered, unable to find the words. What was she looking at? She just wanted to look at the bloodline clan, wanted to think about how being immortal and indestructible seemed impossible after all.

“That kind of endless, undying existence—it’s not an easy thing to live with. Go live your own life well,” Baili Weisheng said flatly, turning and hurrying to catch up with Ziqing and the others.

Meng Duo’er pressed her lips together, suddenly feeling an overwhelming urge to cry.

So he’d known all along what she was thinking. He’d seen through her again—even this, he’d seen through completely.

But he didn’t know that when she looked back at the bloodline clan, she had only one thought in mind: she wanted to stay, to guard this place forever.

To guard a measure of peace for Xijing, and at the same time, to guard her own dream of an undying, unwavering love, one that could never be hurt.

At the thought, the corners of Meng Duo’er’s lips curved up in a faint smile, and she strode forward to catch up with the others.

Back at the Xijing royal palace, the moment Yelu Qianqian laid eyes on everyone, her sheer excitement startled the whole group.

This woman, well into middle age by now, still carried herself with the same bold, boisterous, larger-than-life energy she’d always had.

After a lively, joyful reunion, she finally allowed everyone to go rest.

Ziqing’s family of four was given the quietest courtyard. After a bath, they lounged lazily on bamboo recliners on the terrace, resting.

Ziqing and Jun Beiyue chatted idly. Jun Buli slept. Yaotiao rolled around beside him, back and forth, entertaining herself, thoroughly enjoying it.

Suddenly, laughter drifted over—the sound arriving before the person herself. It was Yelu Qianqian.

Yaotiao poked her head out from beside Jun Buli, whispering timidly, “Brother, why is Aunt Qianqian laughing like that? It’s scary.”

“She’s just happy. Go play. She’s here to see Mommy,” Jun Buli said, pressing Yaotiao’s little head back down, continuing to lie with his hands pillowed behind his head, eyes closed, dozing.

But Yelu Qianqian’s very first words upon entering made him bolt upright at once.

“Han Ziqing, you liar! Seven or eight years ago, didn’t I tell you to let your son know my daughter liked him the moment you saw him? And you never said a word!”

By the time Jun Buli bolted upright, Yelu Qianqian was already standing in front of Ziqing, hands on her hips.

This had, in fact, happened—many years ago.

Ziqing’s mouth twitched. “That… it didn’t really matter that I didn’t say anything, did it? Earlier… in the bloodline clan’s tomb, your… your daughter said it herself.”

“She said it herself? What did she say?” Yelu Qianqian asked, suspicious.

“She said… she wants to marry—”

Before Ziqing could finish, Yaotiao suddenly shouted, “Mommy, Brother’s trying to run away!”