Inkflow Spire.

It stood tall as a peak wreathed in clouds that carried the scent of ink and paper.

In her cramped living quarters, Sun Yuying snapped awake.

She stared silently at the ceiling for a short minute.

Being a messy sleeper, her bed and hair were already in disarray from the little sleep she managed to get. With tired eyes, she bore a striking resemblance to a sleep-deprived sloth as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

The white-haired beauty muttered, “I feel so exhausted.” She looked somewhat sad, but it wasn’t truly because of her lack of sleep.

Sleeping was something I really struggled with as a child. I can’t fully recall, but I think my mom used to sing me songs to help me sleep at night. I had this fear that if I closed my eyes, everyone would disappear by the time I woke up. And things got even worse after the Dragon Township Incident.

I couldn’t sleep for two whole years… just touching the bed brought back haunting memories.

If it wasn’t for Chief Xiu, I don’t know how I would’ve coped. And just when I thought my sleep struggles would eventually ease up, my last run-in with Yuan Po made it nearly impossible to even close my eyes. The fact that he took my hair meant he could’ve done anything to me, and honestly…

Her shivering hands tightly hugged her body as though she were trying to console herself. Even now, she couldn’t hide the fear in her body language.

I don’t think I have the strength to fight back.

The only time I’ve truly slept peacefully since the Dragon Township Incident is when I was with… Y-, Yang Wei…

A small smile appeared on her face; one she herself didn’t know of.

She stretched her arms and let out a yawn before making her way to the mirror, taking gentle steps.

“Another stressful morning,” Sun Yuying sighed, gazing at her reflection. She looked nothing like the elegant woman every disciple in the Inkflow Spire admired. Instead, she appeared rough and unkempt. Scratching her lower back, she absentmindedly licked her tongue, tasting only the bitter residue of the early morning.

Sun Yuying grumbled, “I’m too tired for this.”

She grabbed a bowl of water to splash on her face. After refreshing herself, she surveyed her reflection again, finding herself a bit more presentable. “That’ll do,” she decided, heading to her neatly folded pile of clothes to grab her jogging attire.

…

Sun Yuying stepped out of her place and began jogging across the grassy plains of the Inkflow Spire, weaving through the forested areas. She kept her pace moderate, mindful of keeping her breasts from bouncing too much to avoid drawing unwanted attention from men. Not one for male attention, she took care not to do anything that might invite it.

“Ah, I just remembered…” she muttered to herself between breaths as she jogged along.

I’m supposed to meet with Lin and Feiyan today…

Eventually, she reached a stream and stopped to catch her breath. Kneeling by the water, she gazed at her reflection, lost in thought.

“I wonder how he’s doing,” she murmured.

After all that craziness in that other world, I guess I was supposed to go see him and ask how he’s doing… But, like, does it really make sense for me to do that? We’re not exactly friends, and he didn’t bother coming to see me either. Maybe he’s back to condensing his supreme sword again? I remember some disciples saying he went into seclusion after that heavenly dao ball game…

A faintly soft expression crossed her face, a departure from her usual impassive demeanor in public. A small smile crept onto her lips as she leaned over the stream to splash some water on her face. Suddenly, she felt a touch on her shoulder, and her instincts kicked into high gear. Whirling around, she condensed a dragon sword, its fiery blue hue blazing to life.

“Who dares?!” she demanded.

Her blade was already pressed against the neck of her target.

To her relief, it was only a junior disciple, looking utterly terrified. “G-good day, S-, Senior Sister,” he stammered out.

Sun Yuying lowered her sword, dispersing it, but maintained a stern demeanor. “N-next time, be more careful when approaching someone,” she admonished the young man with a firm tone. Chapter Explore:

Though she was at fault for overreacting, she had no intention of apologizing, and the junior disciple knew better than to ask for one.

The junior disciple suddenly bowed his head and respectfully shouted, “Uh, uhhh, Chief Xiu wants to speak with you at the Elder Hall!”

Sun Yuying appeared slightly surprised and responded, “O-okay then, you can go.”

The junior disciple raised his head and promptly dashed away, not wasting a single moment. Truth be told, he was simply afraid that Sun Yuying might lash out again for no reason and attack him.

Glancing back at the stream, Sun Yuying pondered, “Why does she want to see me all of a sudden?”

…

A few moments later, Sun Yuying found herself standing in the Elder Hall, her hands clasped behind her back as a sign of respect. Glancing around, she noticed that the hall was empty except for Xiu Yulan, who sat on a chair resembling a wooden throne. Sun Yuying clenched her fist in her palm and bowed her head respectfully. “Greetings, Peak Chief Xiu,” she murmured.

When she raised her head, she was surprised to see Xiu Yulan standing before her. Feeling a bit confused, Sun Yuying hesitated, unsure of what to say. “Uhm…”

Xiu Yulan smiled warmly and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Yuying, I just wanted to congratulate you on your breakthrough to the Spirit Gathering realm, especially without the aid of the sect’s resources,” she said kindly. “I already plan to discuss it with the third matriarch, let’s see if you can finally be promoted to the Inner Sect.”

Sun Yuying’s smile brightened, her eyes sparkling with joy at the recognition. However, her excitement was tempered when Xiu Yulan pat her head gently and mentioned, “But… that’ll be after we’ve finished receiving our guests, White Serpent Sect.”

Frowning slightly, Sun Yuying didn’t want to wait that long, but she knew she had to accept whatever decision was made as long as her advancement was assured. “Okay, I can wait,” she said, though her enthusiasm waned.

Xiu Yulan nodded once. “Good. You may leave now,” she said gently.

Sun Yuying hesitated before speaking up again. “Wait, really? That’s all?” she asked, surprised by the brevity of their interaction.

Xiu Yulan elegantly raised an eyebrow. “Of course. Were you expecting something else?” she asked with a graceful tilt of her head.

Feeling a bit awkward, Sun Yuying began playing with her fingers, glancing around nervously. “W-well, usually Chief Xiu sends messages by letter, so when you said you wanted to see me, I thought it was something of utmost… importance,” she explained.

Xiu Yulan smiled warmly. “Well, *shrug* your advancement to a Spirit Gathering cultivator is important to me, so of course I wanted to speak with you in person.”

Sun Yuying smiled, though it seemed she was holding back tears. Her voice cracked with heavy emotions as she replied, “T-thank you, Chief Xiu…”

“It’s fine,” Xiu Yulan replied with a chuckle. Her expression suddenly serious, and she asked, “Have any of the women from the White Serpent Sect attempted to speak with you?”

Confusion creased Sun Yuying’s face. “No? W-why would they?” she replied.

Xiu Yulan pressed further, “Do you recognize any of them? Maybe from their appearance or the way they speak or act?”

Sun Yuying shook her head, even more puzzled. “No, not really.”

“Hmm…” Xiu Yulan nodded thoughtfully, as if mentally noting Sun Yuying’s responses. “Okay then, you may leave,” she said, turning away.

Sun Yuying hesitated before asking, “I-is there a problem?”

“No, not at all,” Xiu Yulan replied straightforwardly.

Although Sun Yuying sensed that something was bothering Xiu Yulan, she didn’t feel it was her place to pry if Xiu Yulan wasn’t willing to share. Quietly, she exited the hall.

Alone again, Xiu Yulan let out a small, worried sigh.

Honestly, what is wrong with you Yurong… don’t you want to speak with her? How long does she have to suffer alone before you realize she needs her mother. Or perhaps, has she simply embraced the lifestyle of being in that sect? No, I refuse to believe that…

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