Three days later.
"Lin Xiao! Yan-jie and I are heading out to hunt our third spirit rings. Are you coming with us, or staying here to wait?"
Ye Lingling cheerfully burst into Lin Xiao's room.
She was just about to lift his covers—
—but suddenly noticed the bed was empty.
She blinked.
"…Where is he?"
She checked the corridor. Then the main hall. Then the side courtyard...
"Mom! Something terrible!"
"Lin Xiao's gone!"
Ye Lingling's panic echoed through the house.
In the rear courtyard, Ye Qingxian was practicing Ba Duan Jin. She glanced over calmly.
"Quit your shouting."
"He left this morning. He didn't die."
"…He left?"
Ye Lingling froze.
A wave of bitterness welled up in her chest.
Her eyes stung, as if a mist had risen in them.
Tears swirled in her eyes, barely held back.
She had just made a new friend besides Yan-jie…
Why did he have to leave so soon?
Ye Qingxian looked at her with surprise.
"…Why are you crying!?"
Then, realizing what was happening, she let out a half-laugh, half-sigh.
"What are you getting so emotional about!?"
"Lin Xiao's just gone for a short trip. He has a friend in Tianshui City—a pretty close one. It's the school holidays now, so he went to visit. He'll be back soon."
Ye Lingling stared at her blankly, tears still clinging to her pale cheeks.
The joy came too fast.
She burst into laughter through her tears.
"You scared me! I thought he wasn't coming back!"
But her relief didn't last long.
She looked up and saw Ye Qingxian staring at her with arms crossed and a suspicious glint in her eye—clearly analyzing something.
Her face flushed red instantly.
"Mom! You're not allowed to tell anyone about this!"
Ye Qingxian nodded solemnly.
"Alright. My lips are sealed."
Still flustered and embarrassed, Ye Lingling stomped her foot and hurried off to escape Ye Qingxian's teasing gaze—
Only to walk right into Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo, both already geared up for their trip.
Dugu Bo was muttering something to himself.
"I knew reserving a spot early would pay off…"
Ye Lingling felt her soul leave her body.
Social death. Worse than death itself.
Her brain buzzed blankly. Her pupils lost focus.
Thankfully, Dugu Yan didn't mock her.
Instead, she turned to Ye Qingxian and asked:
"Auntie Ye, who did Lin Xiao go see in Tianshui City?"
"Oh, some young girl around his age. Name's Shui Bing'er. Lin Xiao said they met on his way to Heaven Dou City, and she's been very kind to him."
Ye Qingxian added thoughtfully,
"I did find it odd—he says he's an orphan, but he wears a soul tool ring and dresses quite well. Now it makes sense. He's got himself a little rich girl."
She meant it as a joke, but the reaction she got…
Both Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan fell silent.
The air grew a little still.
Noticing the mood, Ye Qingxian waved a hand.
"You two have your own mission—go on, go hunt those spirit rings."
"With Poison Douluo accompanying you, I won't tag along."
Dugu Bo took the girls and departed.
Ye Qingxian watched them leave, sighing softly.
"Lingling's personality is like that. Timid and sensitive. She can't rely on Yan forever. She'll have to grow on her own eventually."
As for the emotions of young people—
Ye Qingxian had always believed in letting fate take its course.
Adults meddling in children's hearts never ended well.
Besides, right now… they were all just friends.
She herself had lived freely all these years without attachments.
"…But still, if that Lin Xiao brat gets taken away, I'll be a little annoyed."
Life rarely goes as we wish.
And to walk through the mortal world…
how can one remain untouched by the dust?
The steady rumble of a carriage came to a stop.
"Young Master Lin Xiao, we've arrived."
A warm, elderly voice spoke from outside.
Lin Xiao stepped out and bowed slightly to the speaker.
"Thank you, Uncle Li."
Uncle Li's full name was Li Cangsong. His spirit was the Coiled Snake Staff, and he was a Level 64 Soul Emperor.
He owed Ye Qingxian a debt—perhaps even his life.
And she trusted him completely.
So it was him who was sent to escort Lin Xiao on this trip.
Uncle Li smiled kindly.
"No need to be so polite, Young Master."
It was, strangely, the first time Lin Xiao had ever been called young master in his life.
And honestly? It didn't feel great. It felt… weird.
He stepped down from the carriage.
In the distance, through the flurries of falling snow, the gates of a city loomed.
Above the entrance, in bold ancient characters, were the words: Tianshui City.
Once inside, the streets were lined with beautifully carved ice sculptures.
It seemed to be a cultural tradition here.
All around were young women—elegant, vibrant, full of life.
Some walked in pairs, others in groups.
"Golden thread woven through snow willows,
Laughing words carry soft fragrances away."
So many beautiful girls—it was dizzying.
Very few boys were seen on the streets.
But that made sense. Tianshui City was home to an elite all-girls advanced soul master academy: Tianshui Academy.
Most likely, Shui Bing'er would attend it after graduating from her primary soul master school.
As Lin Xiao wandered, he suddenly noticed whispers all around him.
And the occasional giggle.
Dozens of curious glances followed him.
He unconsciously touched his fiery red maple hair.
…Right.
In this city of snow blues and icy whites, his bright red hair stood out like a bonfire.
"That little guy is so cute…"
"Right? Long hair, delicate face—like a little doll."
"Too bad he's not my little brother…"
"What if we put him in a dress? He'd be adorable!"
"Hahaha! Shh, don't let the little guy hear us!"
Lin Xiao's good mood vanished in an instant.
His face darkened.
His first bad impression of Tianshui City
came from these boundaryless big sisters!
"Wait… is he mad?
That's even cuter!"
"I wanna squish his cheeks. Think if I bribe him with candied hawthorn, I can lure him home?"
"Silly, don't you see he's got an escort?"
Lin Xiao shut out the evil murmurs.
Winter's cold was nothing—
These girls' words chilled him more than snow ever could!
Using the address Shui Bing'er had written him, Lin Xiao asked a kindly old man for directions and hurried off.
"Young Master Lin Xiao," Uncle Li called from behind, "why the rush? Not enjoying the sights of Tianshui?"
He himself was relaxed, treating this escort as a mini vacation.
Tianshui was beautiful, after all.
"I'll look around later," Lin Xiao muttered, grumpy. "Let's just get to the Shui residence first."
Uncle Li chuckled.
"Missing her already?"
Lin Xiao: "…"
It wasn't longing.
It was the desire to escape temptation before he lost his patience!
After a few twists and turns, they reached the Shui Estate.
Lin Xiao approached the guards at the gate and smiled politely.
"Excuse me, would you please inform Miss Shui Bing'er that Lin Xiao is here to see her?"
Just then—
A familiar voice called out behind him.
"Lin Xiao-gege!?"
It was Shui Bing'er!
Granny Shuiyuehua stood behind her.
Clad in a sky-blue dress, Bing'er looked like a snow princess descended from a painting.
Her fair, delicate face lit up with joy.
Lin Xiao smiled warmly.
"Miss Shui Bing'er. Granny Shuiyuehua."
"It's been a while."
Because once you've pinky promised—
You don't break that vow.