Over a month away and Jialan Holy Land hadn’t changed a bit. After the luxury speedboat arrived at Holy Son Peak, Jialan Fairy headed back to Jialan Peak on her own. The Evil Consort teleported into the Dead City, and even Chen Xi retreated into the cave heaven. The time ahead belonged to the younger generation.
Yan Zhen scratched his head and called for the women to hop off the luxury speedboat. They landed on the mountaintop of Holy Son Peak before heading toward Jia Flame Cave.
Qingling looked this way and that, comparing the sights to the memories in her mind. She felt a wonderfully strange mix of emotions.
“Jialan Holy Land… I missed it so much.”
“Truly, it feels like another lifetime.” Zi Xunyi let out a sigh of her own. “Actually, it was another lifetime. Hehe.”
She laughed softly at her words.
Cai Lian held her energetic daughter’s hand and smiled as she watched her two sisters.
Nearby stood Long Ying, restored to her alluring mature beauty form. She held her head high, chest thrust out—especially those dragon horns of hers, jutting up proudly. She looked utterly pleased with herself.
Yi Xian’er perfectly understood Long Ying’s mood, so she quietly pulled out her Reflecting Light Mirror and captured the dragon girl’s foolish pose for posterity. It might prove useful later.
Jiu Youyue thought to herself that Xian’er was being mean. How could she bully such a cute and lovable little sister Long Ying? And so she, too, pulled out her Reflecting Light Mirror to record the moment.
Ji Ya, meanwhile, was preoccupied with thoughts of Aunt Mu and Jin Tong and Yu Nu. Her eyes kept drifting upward.
Before long, the group reached Jia Flame Cave. Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan, who had been left in charge, sensed their arrival and came out at once to greet them.
“Yan Zhen, you’re back?”
Yan Zhen stepped forward with a smile, taking one of their hands in each of his.
“Mentor, Aunt—thanks for holding down the fort.”
“Holding the fort is hardly taxing… Everything sorted?”
“Rest assured, it’s all taken care of.”
Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan gave Yan Zhen a thorough once-over. Seeing little change in him, they shifted their attention to Zi Xunyi and Qingling.
They knew Zi Xunyi well enough and offered a proactive greeting.
“Long time no see, Your Highness Zi Ji.”
Zi Xunyi offered a faint smile.
“Just call me Sister Zi Ji, Sister Yu Xuan.”
Mentor Yu Xuan smiled in return, thinking to herself that Zi Ji was every bit Zi Ji—graceful and noble, generous and poised as ever from their previous lives. That bearing alone outshone them all.
She turned next to Qingling, who seemed familiar yet maddeningly elusive in her memory.
“And who might this be?”
Yan Zhen jumped in with the introduction.
“Snake Goddess Qing Ling, Cai Lian’s clan sister. You remember her, don’t you, Mentor?”
Recognition dawned on Mentor Yu Xuan’s face.
“Ah, the Qingling Goddess. A pleasure.”
Qingling responded with impeccable courtesy.
“You’re Sister Yu Xuan, aren’t you? Sister Cai Lian’s told me about you. Qingling is fine—no need for such formality.”
Mentor Yu Xuan glanced at Cai Lian, catching the encouraging look in her eyes. A wave of instant fondness washed over her.
“Forgive my distance. Qingling sister—you live up to your title as the Snake God Clan’s goddess. You’re as strikingly lovely as Cai Lian… Oh, and allow me to introduce this one. She’s my aunt, Shui Bailan.”
Aunt? Qingling blinked in momentary confusion. She shot a glance at Cai Lian, who let out a deliberate cough or two. Understanding dawned, and a soft pink flush crept across her delicate features.
“Hello, Aunt. I’m Qingling. I’ll be staying here on Holy Son Peak with everyone for a while.”
Shui Bailan returned a gentle smile.
“You’re too kind, Qingling. Anyone who comes here is family. No need to stand around outside—let’s head in and chat.”
The group trailed after Yan Zhen into Jia Flame Cave, where the women settled into a lively circle, their voices chattering like a flock of songbirds.
Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan brought out fruits, tea, and refreshments to welcome the sisters and guests. They also sent messages to Yan Meng’er, Yan Ruyu, Mi Xue’er, and Xiao Xinyan, letting them know Yan Zhen had returned.
Ji Ya sent a message to Aunt Mu as well.
Moments later, Aunt Mu appeared first, Jin Tong and Yu Nu at her side. Yan Meng’er and the others followed close behind. The cheeky little cousin, thrilled to see Cousin Yan Zhen after more than a month apart, launched herself at him with unrestrained glee.
“Cousiiin~~~”
Yan Zhen caught the heedless girl and settled her on his lap before cutting straight to the chase.
“How’s the cultivation coming along?”
Yan Meng’er had a whole spiel ready, but his question snuffed it out like a candle. She mumbled guiltily.
“Meng’er didn’t slack off! I cultivated seriously every single day.”
Her progress was middling at best. Her talent set firm limits, and while she put in honest work, it fell short of all-out desperation. Mystic General suited her well enough; Mystic King would demand Yan Zhen’s Imperial Bloodline to achieve.
Yan Zhen sighed inwardly but encouraged her aloud.
“Good enough if you’re making the effort.”
Yan Meng’er blinked hopefully.
“Then can Cousin give Meng’er a reward?”
Yan Zhen rolled his eyes.
“No gains and you want a reward? Keep dreaming!”
He unceremoniously deposited her in the empty seat beside him, drawing muffled laughter from the women.
Only then did Yan Meng’er clock it: another of her previous life’s sisters-in-law was present, along with a new face—a pretty girl just as petite and cute as herself.
Yan Ruyu cringed at her foolish cousin’s antics and pretended not to know her. She took a seat nearby and snuck peeks at Yan Zhen. Mi Xue’er and Xiao Xinyan mirrored her.
Yan Meng’er’s cheeks colored. She scrambled up and hurried over to greet what had been a sister-in-law in her past life—now a sister.
“Sister Zi Ji, do you… remember me?”
Zi Xunyi inclined her head gracefully.
“Naturally. Cousin Meng’er, Sister Ruyu—we’re all reincarnators here. No need for stiffness.”
Yan Meng’er, Yan Ruyu, and Mi Xue’er visibly relaxed at that. Xiao Xinyan, however—the lone non-reincarnator—felt her tension ratchet up. She sensed she couldn’t quite fit in.
Fortunately, Mentor Yu Xuan spotted her discomfort and made the introductions, covering Zi Ji and Qingling.
“The Heavenly Goddess and Snake Goddess… Little Uncle’s something else.”
Aunt Mu stood behind Eldest Miss with Jin Tong and Yu Nu, murmuring privately to her.
The women formed their little cliques. Even Yi Xian’er, the expert loner, traded idle chatter with Jiu Youyue. Everyone talked and snacked, the mood buoyant yet cozy.
Yan Zhen watched them mingle in harmony and felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Idly, he tossed treats to Long Ying.
Mature form or not, her habits remained unchanged. She was still a bottomless pit.
Bored Yan Yan, meanwhile, leaned against her mother concubine’s shoulder and dozed off.
Yan Zhen smiled to himself. For all the Eighth Continent’s thicker Mystic qi and richer resources, he preferred it here.
This was home.
Night fell. After sorting rooms for Zi Ji and Qingling—and fresh from his bath—Yan Zhen noted the women still had girl talk to share. He tactfully withdrew and made for Rain God Peak to visit the Yu Shizun.
Inside Rain Master Mansion, space ripped open. Yan Zhen stepped through the rift, his feet touching down by the lake’s edge. He strolled across the water to the central tree hollow, only to find its mouth shrouded in a veil of water-mist restraint seal.
Puzzled, he heard the Yu Shizun’s ethereal voice drift out from within—tinged with uncharacteristic panic.
“Wait, Yan Zhen. Don’t—don’t come in yet.”
?
Curiosity piqued, Yan Zhen tested the restraint. His current power let him shred her casual seal with ease. A flick of his finger, and the mist dissolved.
Peering inside, he beheld a flawless, nude figure entwined in swirling currents of water. She was clearly in the midst of her bath.
Oh…
Yan Zhen recalled then that she always bathed in this tree hollow. He’d learned as much when she’d taught him to draw rain talismans.
Yu Shizun whipped her head around, eyes flying wide in shock. Yan Zhen hurried to explain.
“Uh… I didn’t mean to.”
