“Bian Yun,” said Bian Yun.
Ye Wan taught Suisui to cup her hands in salute. “Suisui, come, pay your respects to Master Bian Yun. From now on, when Mother is busy, Master Bian Yun will accompany you. You must not be willful, do you understand?”
Bian Yun looked at Ye Wan in surprise.
“Master” was equivalent to a respected teacher. This was giving her a status honorable enough for her to stay by Suisui’s side, rather than being a servant.
“I understand!” Suisui replied loudly. She cupped her small fists and bowed in a milky voice. “Suisui pays respects to Master Bian Yun.”
She was just a small bundle, and today she happened to be wearing a set of red clothes, making her look even more like she was giving a New Year’s greeting.
Bian Yun raised her hand, and a glowing red envelope landed in front of Suisui.
“Wow! A red envelope!”
Suisui immediately raised her hand to grab it, but it dissipated the moment she touched it, turning into several smaller red envelopes. She immediately began chasing after them to tap them.
This gesture made Ye Wan have an even better impression of Bian Yun. Someone willing to take the time to play with a child couldn’t be all that bad; they should be able to get along with Suisui.
…
Having completed the task of finding a bodyguard herself, Ye Wan directly canceled the trade message on the Wide-Signal Jade Plaque.
After the mother and daughter packed their things, they went to return the small broom and bid farewell to Manager Lin.
Manager Lin directly transformed the small broom into a small hammer and gave it to Suisui. Only then did Ye Wan realize that the small broom was actually a fifth-grade spiritual tool capable of changing forms.
At this point, Ye Wan absolutely refused to accept it. It would have been fine if she could offer something of equal value in return, but the key was that she couldn’t. Everything else she had was gifted to Suisui by others and couldn’t be given away.
Although it’s the thought that counts, she couldn’t exactly give a basket of wild vegetables in return.
The mother and daughter left the Manager’s Building. Throughout the entire time, no one in the building discovered that a powerhouse had ever broken in.
With Bian Yun’s help, the two adults and one child arrived at the foot of the Wan Yan Sect’s mountain in the blink of an eye.
The sect’s gate stood majestic and towering. Lush spiritual trees were planted on both sides of the winding stairs. Their dense leaves swayed gently in the wind, making a rustling sound as if welcoming back disciples returning from their travels.
“I heard that walking up is beneficial for cultivation,” Bian Yun said, implying that she wanted Ye Wan to climb the stairs.
“That is a benefit meant for new disciples,” Ye Wan replied. Looking at the stairs that seemed to lead to nowhere, she politely declined.
Bian Yun picked up Suisui, and in an instant, they appeared before the sect’s gate.
Ye Wan: …
Honestly, sometimes there was no need to be so clear-cut about things.
Ye Wan circulated her spiritual power to her feet, and using that power, she arrived after a few leaps.
“Mother, hug,” Suisui said, reaching out her arms toward Ye Wan.
In a strange place, a child was still more willing to cling to the person closest to them.
Ye Wan hugged Suisui, took out her sect token for the gatekeeping disciple to inspect, and explained Bian Yun and Suisui’s identities.
The sect had a rule: children born to sect disciples could live at the Wan Yan Sect together after their kinship was verified. When they were old enough to cultivate, they could decide for themselves whether to join their mother’s sect or their father’s.
If a sect disciple had a servant under a master-servant contract, that servant belonged to the disciple personally and could also be brought into the sect, but this was limited to one person.
After Ye Wan explained the situation, the gatekeeping disciple led them to the Law Enforcement Hall in a business-like manner to verify the blood relationship and the master-servant contract.
Ye Wan hugged Suisui and walked slowly behind the disciple, while Suisui whispered what she thought were “secrets” into her ear.
“Mother, there are so many good-looking brothers and sisters here.”
“Mother, I see someone riding a big bird flying in the sky. He’s an adult; won’t he crush the big bird to death?”
“That is called a spiritual crane. It looks small, but it’s actually very big. Mother will take you for a ride on one in the future.”
“Wow! I want a ride, I want a ride. Suisui will bring them candy then.” Suisui was already starting to get excited.
A child’s innocent words were most heart-softening; at the very least, the expression of the disciple leading the way became less stern.
After walking for a while, Suisui saw a very fierce uncle standing in front of a building. Scared, she leaned on her mother’s shoulder and spoke in a tiny voice.
“Mother, there’s a black-faced uncle there.”
The black-faced uncle, True Person Shendu: …
The gatekeeping disciple leading the way silently lowered his head even further, fearing that the Law Enforcement Elder would see the unstoppable smile on his face.
Shendu stepped forward a few paces and stared at the little cub who called him a “black-faced uncle.”
Suisui was so scared that she covered her face with her chubby hands. Peeking through the gaps between her fingers, she saw that the black-faced uncle was still staring at her, so she immediately turned her head and buried it in her mother’s shoulder.
A smile flashed briefly across Shendu’s face. He scrutinized Ye Wan and then fixed his gaze on Bian Yun behind her, his expression becoming solemn.
He actually couldn’t see through this person’s cultivation level, nor did he know why she had signed a master-servant contract with a three-year-old milk baby.
With a cultivation level that even he, at the Soul Transformation stage, couldn’t see through, she would be better off as a guest elder than signing a master-servant contract. Who didn’t know that the Wan Yan Sect was short on people?
He had to notify the Sect Master about this.
In the solemn and majestic Law Enforcement Hall, Ye Wan set Suisui down. Suisui played hide-and-seek with the so-called “black-faced uncle” behind her mother. Every time she poked out her little head and encountered the black-faced uncle looking her way, she would quickly hide back.
Ye Wan looked at the Law Enforcement Elder, who was clearly playing along with her daughter. Where is your serious and mighty persona?
“I heard that a distinguished guest has arrived at our sect. No wonder the spiritual magpies at Beast Peak were chirping this morning.”
Chong Yuan, the Sect Master of the Wan Yan Sect, walked in from outside wearing a black-and-gold daoist robe. His gaze fell on Bian Yun—she was indeed at the same cultivation level.
Yesterday, he received a message from Chong Yun saying that someone wanted to trade Stop-Life Grass for an Integrative stage cultivator to act as a guard, and because no one was willing to consider it, the requirement was lowered to the Void Refinement stage.
Chong Yuan looked at Ye Wan. Could the disciple who posted the trade be her? After all, the first report of obtaining the Stop-Life Grass was about a mother and daughter.
He certainly wanted the Stop-Life Grass, but the sect’s talent was dwindling. There were only two Void Refinement stage cultivators in the Wan Yan Sect, including himself, and the other had left the sect. Otherwise, the duty of guarding the Guangjiao Pavilion wouldn’t have fallen to Chong Yun, who had only recently advanced to the Integrative stage.
“Outer disciple Ye Wan pays respects to the Sect Master.” Ye Wan bowed to the Sect Master.
“Mhm. I heard that this distinguished guest wants to stay at the Wan Yan Sect as well.” Chong Yuan adjusted his robes and sat down, looking very approachable and speaking kindly.
“Yes. This is Master Bian Yun, whom the child’s father left for Suisui. She will stay by Suisui’s side from now on.”
This was the cover story that Ye Wan and Bian Yun had agreed upon before returning to the sect. Suisui, believing she was part of this secret, also nodded her little head.
Chong Yuan followed her gaze and saw a small head poking out from behind Ye Wan, that round and chubby little face filled with curiosity.
To think she was such an exquisite and lovely milk baby? Like a bundle of spiritual energy, she made his weather-beaten old heart melt a little.
Chong Yuan stroked his mustache, stood up, and walked to Suisui. He squatted down, a kind smile appearing on his face. “Whose baby are you?”
Suisui stepped out boldly, raising her mother’s hand high with her small hand. “Hers! And whose father are you?”
Everyone: …
Is she already wise enough to return a favor at such a young age?
It was the first time Chong Yuan had encountered such a question, and it came from the mouth of a three-year-old child.
He laughed. “I am Qin Zixun’s father.”
Suisui tilted her head; she seemed to have heard that name somewhere before.
“Suisui doesn’t know him. How old is your child? Is he married?” Suisui asked with her small hands behind her back.
Ye Wan felt something was wrong; this sounded like the daily small talk village aunties used when they met someone they hadn’t seen in a long time.
Chong Yuan felt that this child was not only good-looking but also quite fun.
“He’s not married yet. He’s quite a grown man, but he does nothing but things that make me worry. What do you think I should do?” Chong Yuan just wanted to see how the child would respond.
Suisui’s eyes darted around as she tried hard to recall what the village aunties and uncles had said.
“Ai ya! I can’t remember. Then you should just spank his bottom. When I’m not good, Mother always spanks my bottom.” Suisui gave the solution very seriously.
Ye Wan: …
Ye Wan dug her toes into the ground, pretending not to see the looks the others were giving her.
Chong Yuan couldn’t help but laugh and nodded. “That is a good method. To thank you for thinking of a way for me, I will give you a gift.”
He took out a spiritual beast bag. “There is a spiritual beast egg inside. If it can successfully hatch, there is a high probability it will be an eighth-rank spiritual beast.”
“It’s an egg? Is it tasty?” Suisui didn’t understand anything about eighth-rank or not; she only understood that there was an egg inside.
Chong Yuan: …
Chong Yuan stuffed the spiritual beast bag into the child’s arms. “Your mother will tell you how to turn an egg into a spiritual beast that can accompany you and play with you.”
Suisui’s eyes widened in surprise. Although she really wanted to take the egg out and see it, she looked at her mother first.
Mother had said that if someone gave her something, she had to ask an adult first before she could accept it.
Was Ye Wan the kind of person who wouldn’t know a good thing when she saw it? Absolutely not.
“Suisui, quickly thank the Sect Master.”
The spiritual beast egg had likely been in the Sect Master’s hands for who knows how long and hadn’t hatched yet. The Sect Master couldn’t bear to just throw it away, so he simply gave it to the child as a meeting gift.
Suisui had already recognized the Heavenly Dao as her father; surely this father wouldn’t have the heart to see his cub disappointed? If it didn’t work out, she would just find a spiritual beast for Suisui and claim it came out of the egg.
Suisui looked at the short mustache by the Sect Master’s lips and noticed there were no wrinkles. Having confirmed her impression, she decided he was someone she should call “Uncle.”
She bowed and cupped her fists in an adorable manner. “Thank you, Uncle Sect Master.”
With that milky-voiced “Uncle Sect Master,” Chong Yuan felt that his gift was a bit unethical. If the spiritual beast egg never hatched, wouldn’t the child think he was a liar?
“Ahem, you’re welcome.” Chong Yuan cleared his throat and turned to Bian Yun. “From now on, Master Bian Yun should consider the Wan Yan Sect her home. You will stay at Changliu Peak with the treatment of a guest elder. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask.”
He wondered what kind of background the child’s father had to be able to casually send a Void Refinement stage cultivator to be the child’s servant.
Ye Wan hadn’t expected this kind of treatment. The Sect Master was quite good at handling things.
Bian Yun nodded calmly. “Thank you.”
“Wow! Such a big egg!” Suisui’s exclamation sounded from beside them.
Ye Wan looked over and saw Suisui holding a spiritual beast egg that was almost as big as her tummy. The spiritual beast egg was a pale blue-grey color and looked like a giant version of a duck egg.
“Mother, can this egg really play with me? Then do I have to be its mother and nest on it?” Suisui held the spiritual beast egg up for her mother to see.
She was quite smart; she knew that the chicks in the village were all nested by big clucking hens. She had seen Brother Hu use a branch to poke a nesting hen, and then he was chased and beaten by his mother with a rod.
Ye Wan was worried she would drop the spiritual beast egg and stepped forward to take it. “Mother will tell you once we get back. For now, put the spiritual beast egg away; we still have things to do.”
Suisui obediently put the spiritual beast egg into the stone space to keep Little Suisui company. Others only assumed that Suisui had a storage bag inside her small crossbody bag; otherwise, how could such a large spiritual beast egg fit into that palm-sized bag?
Before hatching, a spiritual beast egg can be placed in any storage bag; only a hatched spiritual beast must use a spiritual beast bag.
Next, Shendu proceeded to verify the kinship between mother and daughter, as well as the master-servant contract between Suisui and Bian Yun. It was merely a formality.
…
Li Jiushu left a thread of divine sense inside the Xingluo Stone in the space. Once there was any change in the Xingluo Stone, he would know.
Feeling his divine sense being triggered, Li Jiushu slowly opened his eyes and gently waved his palm outward, throwing the succubus that was approaching him more than ten feet away.