The cloud boat sliced through the drifting white clouds like a sword.
Protective arrays on both sides enveloped the vessel, pressing a faint white trail through the layers.
Today’s weather was excellent.
Visibility from the cloud boat was perfect.
Through the portholes, the scenery below looked like scattered raindrops—towns and villages shrinking rapidly in the rushing wind.
Su Zhan had spotted their destination from afar: rounded green mountains encircled by several smaller peaks.
Springs from the mountain streams flowed downward, beside an ancient-style little town.
Though called a town, it was larger than an ordinary settlement—probably because of its advantageous location on a major trade route, which made it look especially prosperous.
To avoid drawing attention, Su Zhan guided the cloud boat down beside a river channel outside the town.
Only after all the girls had disembarked did she cast a spell to shrink the cloud boat and store it in her storage ring.
“Wow, it’s so beautiful here… It seems even prettier than the sect!”
“That’s because you’ve stayed in the sect too long, so everything looks good to you.”
“The fish in this little pond are even bigger than the ones Elder Liu raises. Can I catch one and take it back to the sect?”
“No, unless you want Elder Liu to assign you extra homework. Plus, they smell too fishy.”
“Then, Senior Sister, can we catch fish and roast them to eat?”
“No, what if you get a stomachache?”
The girls found everything fascinating.
Right after jumping off the cloud boat, they gathered by the riverbank to play.
A few bolder ones even planned to take off their shoes and socks to wade in and catch fish.
“You can only take off your shoes and socks and play for a bit. No bathing here.”
Xia Liu yawned as she sat on the bank, speaking lazily.
“Unless you want your clothes stolen by some pervert and your bodies seen by one.”
“Senior Sister Xia is scaring us. That sounds like the Cowherd and Weaver Girl story.”
Someone stuck out their tongue at Xia Liu.
“Besides, we’re cultivators. We’d notice if anyone approached.”
“No taking off clothes either! Hey! You over there—tie your outer robe properly! You bunch of idiots, you think this is the sect’s bathing pool?”
Xia Liu glared.
She spotted a girl who had directly untied her outer robe and jumped into the small pond, and couldn’t help shouting.
Su Zhan looked over.
The girl’s outer robe had wide sleeves, with two layers of clothing underneath.
While it wasn’t easy to expose anything, once wet it still revealed the faint, hazy outline of a young girl’s body.
Although the place was some distance from the town, it was impossible for it to be completely deserted… Moreover, this scene made Su Zhan feel a bit uncomfortable.
Before transmigrating, she had never even held hands with anyone, let alone seen a group of lovely young ladies playing and splashing in the water.
So she could only sigh helplessly and walk a bit farther away to keep watch for the girls.
“You all rest here. I’ll go scout around.”
After leaving those words, Su Zhan turned and left.
She planned to find some dry firewood nearby.
After all, it was early spring, not midsummer.
It would be good to light a fire to warm up.
Catching a cold would be bad.
Once Su Zhan had walked a little farther, the originally restrained girls completely let loose.
They jumped into the water with cheers, splashing and playing with each other.
“Watch your step, everyone. Don’t overdo it. You there—who told you to lie in the river pretending to be a fish? No swimming! This isn’t a hot spring!”
Xia Liu felt a headache coming on.
These girls were fearless when they got rowdy.
After shouting several times without effect, she got annoyed too.
She bent down by the water’s edge, scooped up a handful of water, and splashed it fiercely at the playful girls.
“Ah, Senior Sister is so sneaky! Sneak attack!”
“Eek, Senior Sister Xia, we’re sorry!”
“Hehe, Senior Sister, take this!”
The girls squealed as they were splashed.
The timid ones tiptoed and dodged left and right, while the bolder ones tried to splash back in retaliation.
In the splashing sounds, crystal-clear water droplets flew through the air, scattering and landing on long hair, sliding down cheeks, then dripping slowly from chins.
“Aaaah! You little brats are asking for it! I’m going to fight you!”
Xia Liu, face soaked, shouted angrily.
She quickly kicked off her shoes and socks and jumped into the pond, lunging claws-out toward the main culprit.
The girls shrieked and laughed as they scattered.
Their ages were not far apart, and they still had childish hearts.
They soon tangled together in play, until in the end everyone’s collars were soaked through and their long hair was messy and disheveled.
Su Zhan returned only after the girls had tired themselves out playing.
She carried an armful of dry firewood.
Seeing the girls with smiling eyes but shivering like wet kittens, she sighed helplessly.
She split the firewood into two piles and lit them both.
The warm firelight drew another round of cheers from the girls.
It really was like a spring outing.
Though they were all charming girls in their teens, they were as innocent as little children.
Even a small bit of happiness was enough to fill them with joy.
No wonder so many heaven-blessed prodigies who had been raised in the sect from birth ended up tricked by mortal boys once they descended the mountain.
The mortal world was indeed far more enchanting and happy than the bitter cultivation in the mountains.
“Come up, all of you. Don’t catch a cold.”
Su Zhan said softly to the girls.
Xia Liu led the girls ashore.
Under her arrangement, she divided them into two groups to dry off by the fires.
The girls crowded tightly around the fires, body against body, which was actually a good way to stay warm.
They each had at least one or two spare outfits, so there was no worry about having to wear wet clothes all day.
The scenery was too beautiful.
Su Zhan averted her gaze.
Listening to the soft laughter and playful noises of the girls beside her, she found the tallest rock in the distance and sat down.
Xia Liu followed Su Zhan.
The space around the fires was limited and already packed with the girls.
Luckily, Xia Liu could summon spiritual flames, so providing warmth for herself alone was no problem.
“Sigh, a bunch of carefree little troublemakers, only good at causing chaos.”
Xia Liu found a rock for herself and plopped down.
The water from her skirt and sleeves quickly soaked the stone beneath her.
She reached out and wrung her sleeves with effort.
“I said taking care of kids is troublesome. Next time I definitely won’t come.”
She grumbled, pulling her knees together and spreading her feet to widen the area warmed by the spiritual flames.
“Junior Sister occasionally letting loose isn’t bad either.”
Su Zhan said softly.
“If one loses their liveliness, what’s the difference between a person and a puppet?”
“How come those words sound so weird coming from Senior Sister’s mouth?”
Xia Liu complained, then coughed awkwardly.
“And I wasn’t letting loose—I was teaching these ignorant brats about respect for elders and hierarchy. That’s called establishing authority. Otherwise, how am I supposed to manage them later?”
“But I didn’t say the one letting loose was Junior Sister Xia.”
Su Zhan smiled lightly.
Xia Liu glared at Su Zhan, snorted in dissatisfaction, and decided not to pay her any more attention.
She hugged her knees to her chest, hiding her face behind her legs.
Her clasped hands gripped tightly, but her fingertips fidgeted restlessly.
“I already took a walk around the town earlier and booked rooms. Once you junior sisters warm up a bit, we can head in.”
Su Zhan said.
“…Got it.”
Xia Liu mumbled sullenly.
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