Those Sword Sect disciples had never expected that the unorthodox woman they used to look down upon could have such greatly increased power in just one day.

After being stunned, watching Cui Xiaoxiao’s graceful retreating figure, they finally came to their senses and hurriedly chased after her.

Xiaoxiao charged straight toward the main hall of Jiuxuan Sword Sect. When she kicked open a tightly closed door, she finally saw Qin Lingxiao sitting cross-legged in meditation.

He no longer had the youthful appearance of more than two hundred years ago. His features showed the maturity of someone in his thirties, though his eyes seemed somewhat scattered, as if he had just awakened from a great dream and couldn’t quite connect with reality.

Xiaoxiao didn’t care about that. She strode over, grabbed Qin Lingxiao’s collar, and asked him word by word: “What exactly happened to Wei Jie?”

Qin Lingxiao stared at her blankly, as if his mind hadn’t turned around yet, only saying dazedly: “You… came back too?”

It seemed the Qin Lingxiao before her was like herself—his original soul had finally returned to his body.

Although he had been poisoned by snake venom two hundred years ago, he had traveled in soul form, so his current body should still be fine.

When Qin Lingxiao finally stabilized his soul, he said with difficulty, “You and I were both there and saw everything. Wei Jie… was already split by Dong Yuan…”

“Shut up! He wouldn’t die like that!” Xiaoxiao couldn’t listen anymore, and tears suddenly poured out.

Had he gone mad? To die so tragically, then somehow defeat Dong Yuan using some unknown method. She hadn’t even had a proper farewell with him…

Although she had returned two hundred years later, Xiaoxiao suddenly felt her heart was empty, and for a moment, she felt no interest in living.

Qin Lingxiao waved his hand to dismiss the disciples who had rushed into the hall, then ordered someone to brew warm tea for Cui Xiaoxiao. He brought the teacup to Xiaoxiao: “I once heard that in ancient times, there were deities who sacrificed themselves for the people, transforming into Buddha light to resolve human suffering. Perhaps Wei Jie was the same…”

These words couldn’t comfort Xiaoxiao. She slowly turned her gaze and glared at Qin Lingxiao, as if she might pull out all his hair the next moment and make him instantly achieve Buddhahood.

Qin Lingxiao took a deep breath, thinking about how to continue consoling Xiaoxiao.

Compared to Cui Xiaoxiao, Qin Lingxiao himself was quite happy inside. Life two hundred years ago had been too miserable—such a tragic youth should have cast shadows over his entire life.

But unexpectedly, after traveling back, everything was the same!

He was still the lofty sect leader of the world’s number one Sword Sect, with countless disciples under him, enjoying unlimited honor. And Xiaoxiao had become a widow waiting at the gate, now alone.

She was currently heartbroken and sad, which was inevitable, but life must go on. Food must be eaten, water must be drunk, and after grief, she would still need to find another man.

In this world now, was there anyone more suitable for Xiaoxiao than him?

After being beaten down two hundred years ago, Sect Leader Qin suddenly felt he was capable again, inevitably using gentle words to comfort Cui Xiaoxiao.

Just then, the hall door was kicked open again. The Palace Master of Liangyi Palace, Ling Zhishan, stormed in angrily. Seeing Qin Lingxiao and Xiaoxiao sitting very close together in an intimate manner, she immediately shrieked: “Shameless woman! How dare you seduce someone else’s husband!”

After saying this, she charged forward aggressively, preparing to attack Cui Xiaoxiao.

How could Qin Lingxiao allow this? He immediately blocked her and said coldly, “What nonsense are you talking about? Who is your husband?”

Ling Zhishan’s eyes immediately reddened as she glared: “Have you forgotten? We just got engaged, and you promised to marry me in ten days!”

Ah? Qin Lingxiao was immediately stunned. Since traveling back, his mind had been confused. He always felt things hadn’t changed, but some things seemed to have changed somewhat.

Like the engagement Ling Zhishan mentioned—in his original memory, this was something that had never happened, but now, hearing Ling Zhishan say this, he vaguely felt like he had gotten engaged to Ling Zhishan!

But when had this happened? It felt like a marriage had fallen from heaven…

Ling Zhishan didn’t care about that. Ever since that day when she fought with Cui Xiaoxiao and Xiaoxiao vanished into thin air.

When she returned to the Sword Sect, she discovered that Qin Lingxiao had fallen into a coma, sitting in meditation, and couldn’t be awakened no matter what.

Today, he finally woke up, yet he was mingling with Cui Xiaoxiao again. For daring to seduce her fiancé, she absolutely couldn’t forgive Cui Xiaoxiao!

But when she charged toward Cui Xiaoxiao again, Xiaoxiao suddenly felt nauseous and vomited sour water all over Ling Zhishan.

Ling Zhishan had guarded against everything except Cui Xiaoxiao using such a lowdown tactic against her. For a moment, she was so angry that she cursed on the spot.

When she tried to approach again, Cui Xiaoxiao started vomiting again, frightening the somewhat germaphobic Ling Zhishan so she didn’t dare get close.

When Qin Lingxiao was possessed by Dong Yuan, he knew Cui Xiaoxiao had blood decline syndrome. Seeing her vomit so severely, he immediately thought she might be having another episode. He quickly walked over to give Xiaoxiao tea to rinse her mouth, then helped check her pulse.

But this pulse check didn’t matter—Qin Lingxiao’s eyes grew wider and wider as he stared blankly at Xiaoxiao.

Xiaoxiao had checked her pulse before and felt it was stable, with no blood decline symptoms. After confirming that Wei Jie was truly gone, she had lost all interest in living and didn’t much care about her own life or death.

She was even thinking that if she left, would she meet Wei Jie again beside the Paramita flowers on the banks of the River of Forgetfulness?

So when Qin Lingxiao’s expression became so dazed and serious, she was too lazy to ask.

Qin Lingxiao desperately suppressed the sour water rising from his heart and carefully asked Xiaoxiao: “Do you know that you’re already one month pregnant?”

For a moment, the hall was completely silent. Xiaoxiao couldn’t believe it as she pressed her pulse. When she concentrated on feeling it, she discovered that wrapped within her pulse was a faint slippery pulse pattern. She was carrying Wei Jie’s flesh and blood!

The hall again exploded with Ling Zhishan’s shrieking curses: “You actually got her pregnant, and it’s been a whole month, yet you still got engaged to me?”

In her fury, the Palace Master of Liangyi Palace wanted to tear apart this heartless playboy from the Jiuxuan Sword Sect.

Qin Lingxiao couldn’t explain anything clearly. When he finally couldn’t stand it anymore and reached out to restrain the hysterical Ling Zhishan, he turned back to look—Cui Xiaoxiao had somehow already disappeared without a trace.

Heaven always played such tricks on people. Just when Xiaoxiao was in complete despair, it gave her a reason she couldn’t help but continue being strong.

She was carrying Wei Jie’s flesh and blood!

Although this child was unfortunate, destined to be like her—an orphaned child who would lose their father before even being born—this was the only precious thing Wei Jie had left for her. She was determined to let this child be born healthy.

So after leaving the Sword Sect, she returned to Lingshan Mountain.

When Xiaoxiao stepped onto Lingshan Mountain, the round stone like a laughing Buddha at the mountain gate remained the same, still bearing the curved smiling face that Yu Ling’er had carved.

Cui Xiaoxiao suddenly wondered if Yu Ling’er might still be in the Eternal Valley.

So she first went to the back mountain, but after searching two full circles, she couldn’t find the entrance. With no choice, she could only return to the front mountain.

Since the blood decline syndrome, she had hardly eaten any food. She was still immersed in sadness and still couldn’t eat.

But the little flesh and blood in her belly couldn’t be wronged, so Xiaoxiao had her senior brothers prepare meals, casually tossing them an ingot of silver and telling them to go down the mountain to buy rice and meat.

Senior Brother said huffily: “Our money-dissolving curse hasn’t been lifted yet—how can we buy rice and cook?”

While speaking, he unconsciously caught the silver ingot Xiaoxiao threw over. Unexpectedly, this silver didn’t turn to smoke and dust but stayed firmly in his hand.

Now, Second Senior Sister and Little Junior Brother all rushed over, each reaching out to touch the silver. The silver still didn’t scatter—their money-dissolving curse had somehow mysteriously disappeared!

Could it be that Master’s curse had finally reached its time limit? For a moment, the fellow disciples were overjoyed and went down the mountain together to shop.

This left only Xiaoxiao alone in a daze: Master Tang Youshu had also soul-traveled to two hundred years ago, but his body had indeed died of old age. He probably couldn’t return. So the curse on the fellow disciples probably wasn’t lifted by the Master—could this money-dissolving curse really have a time limit and naturally dissolve when the time came?

Soon, the fellow disciples returned with their shopping complete—pork, duck, chicken eggs, and various grains and oils, everything they needed.

Unfortunately, their cooking skills hadn’t improved at all. Xiaoxiao already had a poor appetite, and eating the tough pork and flavorless stewed vegetables made her even less willing to eat. She forced herself to drink a bowl of porridge, then continued back to the rear mountain to search.

No matter how she searched, she still couldn’t find that secret realm entrance. Perhaps after Wei Jie’s death, Tang Youshu hadn’t found any way to cure the little fox either, and they… had also departed together…

Everything she experienced two hundred years ago seemed unable to connect when she returned two hundred years later. Now with the flesh and blood in her belly unstable, she didn’t dare to exert herself too much.

But once the pregnancy stabilized, she would seek out the Wei family and the Demon City clan members carefully. From their mouths, she could learn clearly about the aftermath of those events.

But recuperating during pregnancy on Lingshan Mountain was too difficult! The three fellow disciples’ cooking was truly terrible, each one worse than the last.

Xiaoxiao really couldn’t stand it anymore and asked Second Senior Sister to go to the tavern down the mountain to buy ready-made meals for her.

Senior Brother Ji Wuqi heard this and inevitably made some cold, sarcastic remarks about being delicate and hard to care for. Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking this time.

Xiaoxiao flicked her sleeve and hung him on the tallest tree in front of the courtyard.

Cui Xiaoxiao had been a master to their grand-master and a grand-master to their master two hundred years ago, creating both the Talismonger Sect and Huanxi Sect.

She was no longer the soft pushover who had just taken over the sect and was somewhat clueless.

She coldly told Ji Wuqi, who was hanging in the tree branches and crying loudly: “As a Talismonger Sect disciple, you show no respect to your sect leader. If that’s the case, you can abandon the mountain gate yourself and seek elsewhere—I absolutely won’t stop you! But if you still want to improve your skills in the Talismonger Sect, then reflect properly and think about how many disrespectful sins your mouth has committed!”

After saying this, she sent an immobilization talisman flying over. Ji Wuqi immediately became stiff and rigid, hanging in the branches, swaying, trembling in the wind with his mouth wide open and unable to close, quietly drinking cold wind all night.

The next day, with the sect leader’s permission, Ji Wuqi was rescued by Little Junior Brother using a ladder.

After this, Ji Wuqi first angrily wanted to pack and leave the mountain, but halfway through packing, he cried pitifully while hugging Little Junior Brother.

Finally, he showed some proper measure and respect that a sect leader attendant should have in front of Cui Xiaoxiao.

There was no choice—Cui Xiaoxiao seemed to have opened her spiritual apertures, and her abilities had grown frighteningly. When the Palace Master of Liangyi Palace brought her disciples to cause trouble.

Cui Xiaoxiao casually tore some paper figures and turned beans into soldiers. The Palace Master of Liangyi Palace’s hair was completely pulled apart by the little paper figures.

When the Liangyi Palace people fled in embarrassment, the three fellow disciples were also completely convinced by this sect leader’s junior sister.

During this period, Qin Lingxiao used the excuse of apologizing for Ling Zhishan and came to seek an audience several times, but was blocked by the barrier Cui Xiaoxiao had set up.

Xiaoxiao didn’t want to see anyone. She locked herself in her bedroom all day. When she closed her eyes and lay on the bed, her mind constantly swirled with many memories from two hundred years of intertwined past.

Although everything seemed unchanged when she returned, careful as Cui Xiaoxiao was, once she suppressed her sadness and noticed various oddities, such as many old scars suddenly missing from her body.

These old scars were left when Xiaoxiao wandered the streets with her adoptive father as a child, getting beaten when their con games were discovered. She could tell stories about almost everyone.

But when Xiaoxiao forced herself to bathe, she suddenly discovered that some places that should have had scars were smooth and tender, without any trace of scarring.

Xiaoxiao was extremely puzzled and even found a large mirror to look—the injuries on her back were also gone…

She still remembered that when she was intimate with Wei Jie, he had asked about these injuries. She had joked then that trees have growth rings, and her body should also have some marks of growth…

She still remembered how the man’s thick eyebrows had furrowed then, and he had silently kissed each scar one by one…

But now these scars had disappeared along with Wei Jie, just like her confused mind, where new and old memories mixed, making her uncertain whether those memories of being beaten in the past were real.

In the blink of an eye, the flesh and blood in Xiaoxiao’s belly had grown to four months, and she would soon start showing. But the child in her belly seemed to take after her, being extremely finicky and increasingly picky about food. Even the food Jiang Nanmu bought from the town tavern didn’t suit the child’s taste.

But she couldn’t trouble her fellow disciples too much. At worst, she would eat more of what tasted good and less of what didn’t.

This day, Second Senior Sister again brought a full tray of food, earnestly urging Xiaoxiao to eat more: “This was made by the new cook on the mountain. See if it suits your taste?”

It seemed Second Senior Sister, seeing that Xiaoxiao couldn’t eat, had gone to great trouble and hired a cook for the mountain.

Xiaoxiao still had no appetite, and being pregnant, she was very lazy. She smiled reluctantly to thank Second Senior Sister and told her to just put the tray on the table in the room.

After the Second Senior Sister left, Xiaoxiao wanted to continue lying with her eyes closed in confusion, but the aroma of the food was fragrant.

She rarely had an appetite, so she got up to eat some. There was no choice—she didn’t need food, but the child in her belly couldn’t live on spiritual energy alone!

Today’s dishes were very much to her liking. The sweet and sour pork glistened with oil, and the glazed shrimp balls looked crispy on the outside.

Xiaoxiao was truly enticed by the aroma and picked up chopsticks and a bowl, putting a piece of pork in her mouth.

This dish looked ordinary but was hardest to make well, especially achieving that perfect texture of crispy outside and tender inside with just the right sweet and sour balance—it was very difficult to control precisely.

But today’s dish was made to perfection. With just one bite, the tender meat juices inside began flowing out.

Xiaoxiao quietly chewed, then put another piece in her mouth, followed by a shrimp ball.

After tasting three or four dishes on the tray, she suddenly stood up and rushed toward the kitchen in her slippers.

In the Talismonger Sect’s small kitchen, Jiang Nanmu was talking with the new cook when she saw the sect leader with her long hair loose, having run out of her slippers and rushing barefoot into the kitchen. With a pale face, she looked around blankly and asked: “Who made today’s food?”

Jiang Nanmu thought Xiaoxiao had tasted something wrong and quickly cowered in guilt: “Please don’t be angry, Sect Leader. I was hasty—when I came to the small kitchen, I saw dishes already arranged on the tray and thought the cook had finished preparing the meal, so I took it to you. But I just asked the cook and learned she had suddenly become drowsy and dozed off, not having prepared anything yet. What you ate… I don’t know who made it. Did you taste something wrong? Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

Something wrong? Of course, it was wrong! The fresh flavors of those dishes still lingered on her tongue—they tasted the same as the dishes Wei Jie had personally made for her in her memory!

Next, Second Senior Sister and the cook hugged each other and cowered in a corner of the kitchen, watching Cui Xiaoxiao like a little madwoman, overturning boxes, dumping lids, searching in water vats, stoves, and various corners, calling out while searching: “Wei Jie! Come out! I know you’re here!”

In the kitchen, besides the crackling of the stove fire, there was no other sound.

Jiang Nanmu looked worriedly at the state of her sect leader’s junior sister. Somehow, ever since she had disappeared for a day and night, the cheerful girl in her memory had become so melancholy.

And she was mysteriously pregnant with someone’s child. Watching Cui Xiaoxiao’s belly grow day by day, she still refused to say who the father of her child was.

Now she was going crazy searching through boxes and cabinets—truly possessed by some evil spirit…

The cook who had just arrived on the mountain couldn’t stand the eerie atmosphere of summoning spirits. She pulled off her apron, muttering “I can’t do this job,” took her luggage, and hurried down the mountain.

In the following days, whenever mealtime came, whether in the kitchen, corridor, or dining room, there would always be a tray of carefully prepared dishes placed before the Talismonger Sect disciples.

Those flavors were all the tastes Xiaoxiao had longed for. But it was always “seeing the dishes but not the person.”

However, what was comforting was that Xiaoxiao’s appetite got better and better. Each time, she could eat the food completely clean. Her gaunt cheeks became plump again, not looking at all like someone pregnant—rather, her complexion was even more radiant.

This day, just as she finished the last shrimp ball, Ji Wuqi came to report: “That Sect Leader Qin from Jiuxuan Sword Sect is here again. No matter how we drive him away, he won’t leave—he’s just standing at the mountain gate.”

Cui Xiaoxiao put down her chopsticks: “With an honored guest visiting, how can we let him wait long? Quickly invite Sect Leader Qin!”

Qin Lingxiao actually hadn’t expected that Xiaoxiao would be in a good mood today and actually agree to see him.

He quickly arranged his hair crown and collar, then went gracefully in white to see Xiaoxiao.

When he saw Xiaoxiao, Qin Lingxiao had expected to see a haggard beauty, but unexpectedly, she still had a rosy complexion and radiant appearance.

What he wanted to say was nothing more than expressing an apology to Ling Zhishan while also stating his feelings. Although Xiaoxiao was carrying someone else’s child, if she needed someone to care for her, he would do so without hesitation and would never abandon her.

Xiaoxiao listened steadily, personally pouring a cup of fragrant tea for Qin Lingxiao and patiently asking: “Tell me, Sect Leader Qin, how would you care for me?”

Qin Lingxiao seemed not to have expected such a question from Xiaoxiao. He was stunned and paused before saying: “I’ve already made things clear with Ling Zhishan and broken our engagement… I had various wrongs toward you and Wei Jie before, so I’m determined to compensate and care for you and your child. If you’re willing, my previous words still stand—I’ll marry you as my wife and treat the flesh and blood in your belly as…”

Before he could finish, Xiaoxiao spoke: “Good. When?”

“Ah?” Xiaoxiao agreed too quickly. Qin Lingxiao couldn’t react for a moment and stared blankly at Xiaoxiao with his mouth half open.

Xiaoxiao said quietly: “What? Not sincere? Just polite words?”

Qin Lingxiao was put on the spot. He felt that if he changed his words now, it would seem like he was disdaining the child in Xiaoxiao’s belly and wouldn’t show his sincerity.

Xiaoxiao didn’t force him: “I just want to find a father for the child—it doesn’t matter who. If you’re unwilling, don’t force yourself. I can find someone else…”

Qin Lingxiao rarely had opportunities to stand tall in front of Cui Xiaoxiao—now was a rare chance to show responsibility!

Thinking this, he seemed to be encouraging himself and slapped the table: “Of course it’s sincere! You should know my feelings for you are genuine, it’s just that before you always toward…”

Again, before Qin Lingxiao could finish, Cui Xiaoxiao interrupted: “Good. You’ve seen that my belly is growing larger—if we delay further, it can’t be hidden. Prepare the wedding quickly, keep everything simple, the sooner the better!”

Qin Lingxiao hadn’t expected that the current Cui Xiaoxiao had completely shed her sadness and was completely like someone desperate to marry.

He also knew that if not for Wei Jie dying in battle with Dong Yuan two hundred years ago, he would never have gotten this opportunity.

So after confirming that Xiaoxiao really would marry him, Qin Lingxiao finally showed joy and went back excitedly to prepare.

When Cui Xiaoxiao announced her plan to marry Qin Lingxiao at the Talismonger Sect’s dinner, everyone in the sect was shocked. Ji Wuqi nearly choked rice up his nose.

Jiang Nanmu carefully asked: “Junior Sister, didn’t you refuse to marry him before? Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

Cui Xiaoxiao said matter-of-factly: “In all the world, is there a more heroic man than the Jiuxuan Sword Sect leader? If I don’t marry him, should I marry someone hiding in the gutters who won’t come out? By the way, hang up the Talismonger Sect’s happiness characters and red lanterns early—the kitchen, corridors, and dining room should all be touched with festive spirit!”