After her parents left, Ye Ling did not stay in her room for long.
Concealing her figure, she noiselessly slipped through the corridors and headed toward the small forest she had loved most in her youth.
The forest was quiet and secluded. Coming into view was a winding path, one she had worn down step by step in her earlier years.
Upon the tree trunks and beside the bluestones, sword marks of varying depths remained, all of them imprints left behind by her painstaking cultivation back then.
However, so much time had passed that beside the old marks, many brand-new, clumsy sword paths had appeared. Winding and curving, they carried the earnestness of a beginner.
On the practice clearing in the forest, two Ye family youths of about twelve or thirteen were swinging their swords together.
Though they had not yet shed their childish innocence, their postures were exceptionally focused. During a break in their practice, one of the youths brought his sword to a halt and spoke with a smile.
“Sisi, what do you think? I wasn't lying, was I? Practicing in this spot, don't you feel like your sword is a bit lighter and swifter?”
The youth named Sisi did not even look up. Keeping his sword momentum going, he replied earnestly,
“Of course! This is where Cousin Ye Ling used to cultivate with all her heart.”
“If we train hard here, we might be able to become strong cultivators who can stand tall and protect the family just like her in the future.”
Over the past two years, the two of them had constantly listened to the clan elders praise Ye Ling's heaven-defying talent, and they had long since regarded this cousin of theirs as their lifelong role model.
Thinking about how the family was now thriving and rising step by step all because of Ye Ling, the two youths exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with passion.
After regulating their breathing for a brief moment, they gripped their longswords tightly again and resumed their arduous training.
Hidden in the shadows of the trees, Ye Ling watched silently for a moment. She did not step forward to disturb them, quietly turning around to return to her own courtyard.
Over the next few days, Ye Ling quietly stayed by her parents' side, keeping them company day and night.
Strangely enough, not a single person in the Ye family came to disturb her.
Curious, Ye Ling asked her parents about the reason. Only then did Ye Qingxuan and Wu Wanmei explain to her in detail about the family council that day and the rules the ancestor had established.
The clan had already sealed off the news of her return, with only the family head, the elders, and a few core disciples knowing about it.
Furthermore, the ancestor had strictly forbidden everyone from visiting her privately; trying to curry favor, seeking help, or disturbing her was completely prohibited.
Ye Ling nodded slightly after hearing this, understanding their intentions. The ancestor and the family head indeed had a long-term vision.
She then took out almost all the Houtian Realm pills and low-grade cultivation resources remaining in her storage bag and handed them to her parents.
She instructed them to keep a portion for their daily use and hand the rest to the family for unified distribution to support the training of the younger Houtian Realm disciples in the clan.
Since she was already at the mid-stage Xiantian Realm, these low-grade resources were of no use to her. Rather than letting them sit idle, it was better to nurture the younger generation of the family.
Her parents knew their daughter's personality well, so they did not refuse much and accepted them openly.
After spending a few warm days with her parents, Ye Ling no longer lingered in the comforts of the mundane world. She officially bid farewell to them and left the Ye family's estate.
However, she did not leave Baiyun City immediately, nor did she head straight back to the Qinglan Sword Sect.
With one person still on her mind, she headed straight toward the Baiyun City Lord's estate.
This time, she did not conceal her figure. Clad in a green robe, cold and transcendent, she walked with calm steps directly into the heavily guarded City Lord's estate.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared in the main hall.
The aides and managers in the hall were startled to see a figure suddenly materialize out of thin air, their hairs standing on end.
Just as they were about to shout and question her, they froze in place upon recognizing Ye Ling's face.
The Baiyun City Lord, who was sitting in the hall handling official business, looked up and saw her, his pupils contracting slightly.
He immediately stood up and quickly walked forward to welcome her, his posture extremely respectful.
“True Disciple Ye, your presence honors us. Please forgive the City Lord's estate for failing to welcome you properly.”
Compared to before, the young woman in front of him had undergone a complete transformation, her appearance and temperament vastly different.
Yet her features still vaguely resembled those of the Ye family genius who had once stunned the entire audience at the Heishui Commandery selection ceremony—Ye Ling.
The City Lord immediately raised his hand, signaling all the aides and managers to dismiss themselves.
In an instant, only the City Lord, his personal butler Uncle Qin, and Ye Ling remained in the spacious main hall.
The City Lord cupped his hands once more, his tone warm and respectful.
“May I ask when True Disciple Ye returned to Baiyun City? What brings you to visit us today?”
Ye Ling returned the gesture slightly, her expression calm. “I only returned home recently. The clan did not make any public announcements, so very few people know.”
“I came today because I wanted to see Fuyue.”
In the nearly two years since she entered the Qinglan Sword Sect, despite the long distances and her busy cultivation, Qin Fuyue's image had always remained clearly imprinted in her heart.
Qin Fuyue was truly her first friend after coming to this martial world.
Returning home this time, she had distributed most of her resources to nurture her family, but she had specifically set aside a small portion of Houtian cultivation resources.
The Baiyun City Lord was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, and immediately turned to Uncle Qin, saying urgently,
“Uncle Qin, go quickly and call Fuyue over! Tell her Ye Ling is back and has come specifically to see her!”
“She will surely be overjoyed when she hears the news.”
Uncle Qin bowed in acknowledgment and hurried off to find her. Afterward, the City Lord looked at Ye Ling again, sighing with heartfelt emotion.
“True Disciple Ye, to be honest, I have always felt quite emotional about this. Fuyue is a child of decent talent.”
“In the past, she was quite easygoing and had no ambition for the martial path, always cultivating in a casual and lazy manner.”
“But ever since she returned from the Heishui Commandery selection with you two years ago, she has become like a completely different person.”
“Over the past two years, she has trained incredibly hard, forgetting to eat and sleep. Aside from eating and resting, she pours all her time into cultivation, working day and night without pause.”
“I know in my heart that this is mostly due to your influence.”
“Today, I would like to thank True Disciple Ye on behalf of my daughter.”
Ye Ling waved her hand gently. “Fuyue's sudden realization, self-discipline, and strength are all due to her own mental transformation.”
“I didn't help much, but seeing her so diligent and progressive now makes me genuinely happy for her.”
The two of them chatted briefly for a moment, and Uncle Qin had already rushed to the martial arts arena to deliver the message.
When Qin Fuyue, who was in the middle of hard practice swinging her sword, heard that Ye Ling was back and had come specifically to find her, she was instantly thrilled.
How could she care about practicing anymore? She casually sheathed her sword and ran outside.
Rushing into the hall, her eyes locked onto Ye Ling at first glance, her heart practically overflowing with joy.
She looked closely at her; Ye Ling had grown much taller, her appearance was even more stunning, and her skin was translucent and white as jade.
An understated, dense Xiantian aura swirled around her, imposing and extraordinary.
Yet that bone-chilling coldness that used to keep people at a distance had faded significantly, likely because she had made close friends in the sect and lived a fulfilling life.
Qin Fuyue was happy for her from the bottom of her heart. In the past, Ye Ling possessed peerless talent but was solitary, quiet, and not good at socializing.
Now, she was gradually becoming more cheerful and sociable, no longer walking alone. This change was even more gratifying to her than any breakthrough in cultivation.
She originally wanted to rush forward to embrace her and catch up, but looking down and noticing the thin layer of sweat from her practice, she feared it would be rude and improper.
Rushing close, she abruptly halted her steps and stood there with her hands at her sides. A thousand words clogged her throat, leaving her temporarily speechless.
The City Lord and Uncle Qin noticed the young girl's embarrassment. Exchanging a smile, they quickly rose to take their leave.
“There is still official business to handle in the estate, so we will leave first. Since you two haven't seen each other in so long, have a good chat.”
Before leaving, the City Lord even quietly winked at his daughter, with a hint of teasing.
Once only the two of them were left in the hall, Qin Fuyue raised her eyes to look at Ye Ling.
“Ye Ling, long time no see.”
The young girl's features were bright and beautiful as a flower, still as lively as ever, exactly as she had been when they treated each other with absolute sincerity.
Ye Ling curved her lips into a soft smile and replied calmly,
“Fuyue, long time no see.”
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