Inside the Bai family council hall, wisps of sandalwood incense curled into the air.
Clan Head Bai Heming sat in the primary seat, with three elders seated on either side.
Bai Qingxue stood in the center of the hall, briefly recounting the events of the annulment.
“...The engagement has been dissolved, and the Ye family has provided compensation. The matter ends here.”
Grand Elder Bai Songlin stroked his beard, his tone displeased. “Ye Feng is a waste who cannot cultivate. For him to annul the engagement in public damages your reputation. Did you really agree so easily?”
“He was the one who wanted to break it; why should I linger?” Bai Qingxue’s expression remained calm.
“Besides, we were planning to annul it ourselves anyway.”
“Even so, others will inevitably gossip.”
“A cultivator seeks the Great Dao, not the ‘face’ found in the mouths of others.”
The elders were momentarily silenced by her words. Bai Heming, however, gave a slight nod, a flicker of admiration crossing his eyes.
“What do you plan to do?” he asked.
“Leave Yunzhou and head to the Xuantian Sect.”
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly stiffened.
Bai Songlin frowned. “The Xuantian Sect is a major sect of the Eastern Region. Their entrance selection is extremely rigorous. Do you realize this?”
Bai Qingxue looked up and replied, “I know, but Yunzhou is too small—so small that there are no cultivation techniques suitable for me...”
Hearing this, Bai Heming gave her a deep, searching look. “Have you thought this through?”
“I have.”
After a moment of silence, Bai Heming slowly nodded. “In that case, the clan will not stop you. What do you need?”
“I ask the clan to arrange a flying boat for me and provide the necessary travel expenses.”
“I will handle the matter of the flying boat.” Bai Heming took a storage bag from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward her. “There are some spirit stones in here, along with a Frost Condensation Sword. It was something I obtained in my younger years; it’s useless to keep it now, so take it for protection.”
Bai Qingxue took it and scanned it with her spiritual sense. Three hundred spirit stones, and the sword was of high quality, its grade not low at all.
“Furthermore,” Bai Heming took out a jade box, “this Foundation Establishment Pill was left for you by your father. Since you are going out to make your way in a great sect, take it. You will need it in the future.”
Bai Qingxue took the jade box, her fingertips tightening slightly.
“Thank you, Clan Head.”
Bai Heming waved his hand, his tone slightly warmer than before. “You are the eldest daughter of my Bai family. The journey is long. I will arrange for several guards to accompany you. Once you reach the Xuantian Sect, if you encounter difficulties, remember to send word back. Though our family isn’t a massive clan, we are still your backing.”
Bai Qingxue nodded. As she turned to leave, the three elders also chimed in with various warnings to “be careful on the road” and “stay safe.”
Grand Elder Bai Songlin added one final remark: “Qingxue, you have been exceptionally talented since childhood, and the clan holds high hopes for you. On this journey, do not tarnish the name of our Bai family.”
Bai Qingxue paused briefly, gave a short affirmation, and stepped over the threshold.
...
By the time she returned to the Snow Courtyard, the sky had already darkened.
Bai Qingxue’s mother, Madame Zhou, was waiting in the courtyard. Seeing her daughter return, she hurried to meet her.
“Is the annulment settled?” She took Bai Qingxue’s hand, looking her up and down, fearing her daughter had suffered some grievance.
“It is settled.” Bai Qingxue let her look. “I plan to go to the Xuantian Sect.”
Madame Zhou froze, her eyes turning slightly red. “Why must you go so far so suddenly?”
“If I stay in Yunzhou, my cultivation will be stuck here forever. The Xuantian Sect has better techniques that might solve the impasse of my physique.”
Madame Zhou remained silent for a long time, her grip on her daughter’s hand tightening. “You’ve been like this since you were a child. Once you’ve made up your mind, no one can talk you out of it.”
“Mother...”
“I know, I know.” Madame Zhou forced a smile. “Once you’re there, remember to take care of yourself. No matter how important a technique is, it isn’t as important as your health.”
“I understand.”
Madame Zhou nagged a few more times before pulling a silk pouch from her bosom and pressing it into her hand. “These are some spirit stones I’ve saved up myself. It isn’t much, but take it for emergencies.”
Looking at her mother’s reddened eyes, Bai Qingxue didn’t refuse after all and put the pouch away.
“I depart in three days. The Clan Head will arrange the guards.”
Madame Zhou nodded and stood to leave. At the door, she looked back once more, looking as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only said, “Rest early,” and closed the door behind her.
...
Three days later, at the Yunzhou Ferry.
A medium-sized flying boat rested quietly by the dock. Its hull was pitch black, with formation lines carved into the sides.
Bai Qingxue wore a plain white dress, the Frost Condensation Sword hanging at her waist, her long hair held up loosely by a white jade hairpin.
Behind her followed two Bai family guards, one male and one female, both at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
“Miss, it is time to board.” The female guard, Song Yun, stepped forward.
Bai Qingxue nodded and stepped onto the flying boat. The vessel was divided into inner and outer cabins; she and Song Yun stayed in the inner room, while the other guard, Zhao Ping, stayed in the outer one.
Outside the window, the silhouette of Yunzhou City gradually blurred in the morning mist before finally vanishing.
The flying boat traveled smoothly for two days.
Bai Qingxue spent most of her time cultivating in the cabin, only occasionally going out to the deck for a breath of air before returning.
On the evening of the third day, Song Yun came to report. “Miss, a Ye family flying boat ahead has malfunctioned and requested to travel with us. The captain is asking for your opinion.”
Bai Qingxue’s brow twitched slightly. “The Ye family?”
“Yes. They came from the direction of Yunzhou and are also heading to Tianshu City. Their flying boat’s formation had an issue, making it impossible to continue flying.”
“It is fine.”
Half an hour later, the passengers from the Ye family boat were transferred over.
Standing by the cabin door, Bai Qingxue saw several Ye family juniors boarding one by one. The last to board was a figure in pale green—Ye Qingyao.
At the moment, a few strands of Ye Qingyao’s hair were loose, likely due to the turbulence from the malfunction. However, she didn’t rush off after stepping onto the deck. Instead, she steadied herself, lowered her head to straighten her sleeves, and then looked up to scan her surroundings.
Ye Qingyao’s gaze swept across the passengers on the deck, pausing slightly when it landed on Bai Qingxue.
Ye Qingyao looked at her for two breaths. In those two breaths, blurred images flashed through her mind, like looking through a layer of mist, unclear.
Then, Ye Qingyao lowered her eyes and gave a slight nod as a greeting before leading her Ye family maidservants toward the stern.
Her demeanor was proper, neither servile nor overbearing.
Bai Qingxue withdrew her gaze and returned to her cabin.
That night, there was a soft knock on her cabin door.
“Sister Bai, it’s me.”
Bai Qingxue opened the door to find Ye Qingyao standing outside, holding a bowl of lotus seed soup.
“I borrowed the kitchen to make this, thinking you might not have eaten yet.” Her voice was soft, but her gaze did not waver, looking at Bai Qingxue candidly.
“There is no need.”
“Sister Bai, please don’t overthink it.”
Ye Qingyao did not retreat as expected. Instead, she held the bowl out further. “Sister Bai, regarding the annulment the other day, my brother’s conduct was improper. I am here to offer an apology on his behalf.”
Bai Qingxue glanced at her and said indifferently, “There is no need to mention past events.”
“Then just consider it a chance meeting on the road, neighbors looking out for one another.” Ye Qingyao placed the bowl on a small side table by the door. “I will come for the bowl tomorrow.”
With that, she gave a slight curtsy and turned to leave.
Bai Qingxue looked down at the bowl of lotus seed soup, stood for a moment, and then closed the door.
The next morning, Bai Qingxue went to the deck for some air. The morning wind was piercing, making her sleeves flutter loudly.
She stood by the railing, gazing at the rolling sea of clouds below.
“Sister Bai.”
Ye Qingyao had approached her at some point, maintaining an arm’s length of distance. Today, she had changed into a pale yellow dress and redone her hair, looking neat and refreshed.
“Did you try that lotus seed soup yesterday, Sister Bai?” she asked.
“No.”
Ye Qingyao nodded without pressing further. She stood quietly to the side, watching the sea of clouds with Bai Qingxue.
The two of them stood in silence for fifteen minutes.
“Sister Bai,” Ye Qingyao suddenly spoke, her voice soft. “You don’t need to overthink it. It was just a bowl of lotus seed soup.”
Bai Qingxue glanced at her sideways but said nothing.
“I was borrowing the kitchen to make food anyway, so I just made an extra portion. It was no trouble.” After saying this, Ye Qingyao fell silent again, her gaze returning to the distant clouds.
They stood for a while longer before each returned to their cabin.
That afternoon, Ye Qingyao came again. This time, she brought osmanthus cakes, neatly arranged on a small plate.
“Sister Bai, would you like a taste?”
“No.”
“Yesterday you wouldn’t try the lotus seed soup, and today you won’t try the osmanthus cakes. Is Sister Bai piqued with me, or do you truly live above such worldly matters?”
Bai Qingxue looked at her, and Ye Qingyao looked back, a hint of a smile on her lips, calm and unhurried.
After a few moments of silence, Bai Qingxue picked up a piece and took a small bite.
“That is enough.”
Ye Qingyao’s eyes crinkled slightly, but she didn’t act as excited as before. She simply nodded. “Then I will make something else tomorrow.”
“...There is no need.”
Ye Qingyao had already turned to leave. Hearing this, she looked back with a smile. “Sister Bai, you say you don’t want any, but didn’t you just taste it?”
Bai Qingxue closed the door and stood behind it, looking down at the remaining half of the osmanthus cake in her hand.
A moment later, she finished it and placed the plate on the table.
That night, the moonlight was cold.
Ye Qingyao lay in the shared cabin at the stern, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
The maidservant beside her was already fast asleep. She rose quietly, threw on an outer robe, and walked to the window.
The flying boat passed through a layer of clouds, and the moonlight poured down, forming a river of silver-white light outside the porthole.
She inadvertently glanced toward the front—toward Bai Qingxue’s cabin.
A slender silhouette was reflected on the window paper, sitting perfectly still, likely cultivating.
Ye Qingyao stared at that silhouette for a while.
Her delivery of soup and cakes during the day was partly to apologize for her brother, but that wasn’t the only reason.
As for the other half of the reason, she couldn’t quite explain it herself. If she had to say, it was probably because she was thinking of the past...
Ye Qingyao sighed softly, turned, and went back to her bed.
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