Chapter 33: Nowhere to Turn for Help

Under Xuanyuan Jiong’s gaze, Chen Juenian relied on his past-life memories to barely whip up a plate of cookies for her.

As the saying goes, as long as you add enough sugar, it’s hard for something to taste bad.

At worst, it might just be cloyingly sweet.

“Mmm, it’s delicious.”

Xuanyuan Jiong munched on the cookies, her eyes fixed intently on Chen Juenian standing by the table.

‘Sure, it’s a bit too sweet, but this was made by my own Nian’er!’

Brimming with deep affection, Xuanyuan Jiong finished the entire plate of cookies.

“Nian’er, come here.”

Understanding Xuanyuan Jiong’s intent, Chen Juenian grabbed a stool and sat down beside her, shoulder to shoulder.

Leaning her head against her son, Xuanyuan Jiong’s heart finally found peace.

“Nian’er, can you tell Mother if you met anyone you liked at the Thousand Arms Sect?”

Aside from Elder Li and Mu Qiu Ying, Chen Juenian couldn’t even remember what most of the other Thousand Arms Sect members looked like.

And he dared not mention Mu Qiu Ying, so he could only answer:

“No.”

“What a shame…”

“Mother, Nian’er is only at the Foundation Establishment Stage now. How could they ever—”

Before he could finish, Xuanyuan Jiong pressed a finger to his lips.

“Nian’er, don’t talk about yourself like that!”

Even though she knew her child had broadened his horizons and likely fully understood his own situation, Xuanyuan Jiong still couldn’t bear to hear such words.

Her child had to be the best.

“Mm, whatever Mother says.”

Outside the warm little courtyard, Xuanyuan Mingye hovered in the night sky, gently shaking her head.

Xuanyuan Jiong refused to return to the Xuanyuan Clan, even though she had guaranteed that Xuanyuan Lan wouldn’t interfere and use Xuanyuan Nian as a tool to marry into another family.

Living in this little courtyard in the First Stratum Beyond the Heavens might seem carefree, but this peace wouldn’t last forever.

‘I’ll keep looking for a way…’

—

Although Chen Juenian knew Xuanyuan Jiong was doing it on purpose, he said nothing.

‘Sleeping together is fine. My mother hasn’t seen me for so long—if I refused now, she’d be heartbroken.’

Unlike Mu Qiu Ying, Xuanyuan Jiong’s embrace was gentle, without causing Chen Juenian any discomfort.

“Nian’er, can you give Mommy a kiss?”

Without a hint of hesitation, Chen Juenian lightly planted a kiss on Xuanyuan Jiong’s cheek.

“Is that enough?”

“Mm. Nian’er’s the best!”

Basking in this tranquility, Xuanyuan Jiong fell asleep peacefully.

—

A single strand of white hair became Mu Chunxiang’s only hope.

Though the protective talisman it was once tied to had shattered, this white hair, used as a ribbon, had survived.

Tying the white hair around her wrist, Mu Chunxiang watched it glisten before her eyes in the moonlight.

‘Live well.’

That encouragement had become a curse she had no choice but to bear.

Just as she was lost in her sorrow, Mu Chunxiang suddenly received a voice transmission.

-Pavilion Master, Elder Xuanyuan of the Huangxue Heavenly Palace seeks an audience.-

-What does she want?-

‘Elder Xuanyuan of the Huangxue Heavenly Palace… That should be the genius of the Xuanyuan Clan, right?’

Over six hundred years ago, when Mu Chunxiang secretly ran the Linlang Pavilion using the Commerce Law taught by her Master, she had already heard of Xuanyuan Mingye’s name.

If it were just that, she wouldn’t have paid much attention.

The key was that Xuanyuan Mingye was also her younger sister’s friend.

According to her sister, Xuanyuan Mingye had once survived together with her in a Secret Realm when Mu Qiu Ying was still at the early Refining Void Stage.

During that time, they, who had no prior connection, supported each other, successfully obtained opportunities, left the Secret Realm, and became close friends.

How close?

There was a very high chance Xuanyuan Mingye was Mu Qiu Ying’s only friend.

She wants the Pavilion Master to help a young boy open his meridians.-

I’m not seeing her.-

“…”

It was much as Xuanyuan Mingye had expected, but she hadn’t anticipated the Pavilion Master of the Linlang Pavilion would refuse so bluntly.

‘What now?’

Besides the two Great Emperors she could meet, and the one she could barely speak to thanks to her connection with Mu Qiu Ying, the other seven Great Emperors either she had never met, or had met once but never seen again due to their elusive whereabouts.

Stepping out of the most bustling cultivator gathering place in the Ninth Heaven Beyond the Heavens, Xuanyuan Mingye returned to the Huangxue Heavenly Palace with a heavy heart.

‘Is this world just too cruel to Xuanyuan Nian?’

She really wanted to help Xuanyuan Nian.

Not just because she liked the child, but also because of Xuanyuan Jiong.

If just being away for less than two months left Xuanyuan Jiong so despondent, what would happen if little Nian, only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, passed on before her…

Xuanyuan Mingye dared not think about it.