(Translator-San: An extra chapter because we got support from Daoist Pandopa, let's gave Daoist a thousand round of applause)
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Qiqi curiously tilted her little head, looking at the elegant young woman before her.
Just a moment ago, she had been a kind old grandmother. How had she suddenly transformed into a big sister?
"It's good to see that you're unharmed, Immortal Lord."
Madam Ping—no, Ping'er—smiled as she looked at Qiu Bai face.
"If you're safe, then Rex Lapis must be fine as well."
"What trouble could I possibly be in? I should be the one apologizing for making you all worry."
Qiu Bai smiled, neither confirming nor denying whether Morax had truly been assassinated. Instead, he spoke softly to Ping'er.
"By the way, regarding Morax and myself..."
"Please don't inform the other Adepti just yet. The time is not right."
Hearing this, Ping'er nodded. Since the Immortal Lord did not wish to explain, she would not press further.
"Rest assured, Immortal Lord, I won't speak a word of this to anyone."
Her gaze then shifted to Qiqi, and her expression became amused.
"However, bringing this little girl here is quite interesting."
Ping'er crouched down and smiled warmly at Qiqi.
"Tell big sister, what's your name?"
But Qiqi clung tightly to Qiu Bai pants, still wary.
"It's alright, Qiqi," Qiu Bai reassured her gently. "This big sister is also an Adeptus."
Hearing Qiu Bai confirmation, Qiqi finally stepped forward from behind him. She widened her eyes and hesitantly spoke.
"My name is Qiqi."
The True Lord of Song and Dust found herself captivated by how adorable this little girl was. She reached out and gently ruffled Qiqi hair.
Qiu Bai, watching from the side, couldn't help but tease her.
"That old granny disguise of yours really doesn't suit you."
Ping'er chuckled. "I can't help it. I've grown old."
Adepti could shift their appearances across different ages, but their hearts still carried the weight of time.
Qiu Bai laughed. "You don't look old at all."
He still didn't understand why Madam Ping chose to appear as an elderly woman. Even Morax, who was over six thousand years old, hadn't taken the form of an old man.
"Anyway, I brought Qiqi here so you could teach her how to control and utilize the Adeptal energy within her."
"Also, she could use some new clothes."
Qiu Bai glanced at Qiqi. Dressed like a little zombie, she didn't quite look like an Adeptus.
"Leave it to me," Ping'er said with a smile.
She then retrieved a teapot from thin air and turned to Qiqi.
"Qiqi, extend your hand toward this teapot and silently recite the word 'enter.'"
"This teapot contains its own miniature world. It will shield us from prying eyes, and I will teach you within it."
Ping'er gently floated the Serenitea Pot in front of Qiqi.
Qiqi glanced at Qiu Bai.
After seeing him nod, she hesitated for a moment before extending her small hand toward the teapot and silently reciting the command.
In a flash of light, Qiqi was pulled into the Serenitea Pot.
Qiu Bai smiled. "Then, I'll be counting on you, Ping'er."
Qiu Bai smiled as he gazed at the young woman in azure robes before him.
The night wind rustled through his clothes, brushing against his form.
At this moment, Qiu Bai had taken on the appearance of the Yin-Yang Immortal, an image so captivating that it briefly left the young woman in a daze.
"No wonder Cloud Retainer is so attentive to him… So that's why."
Ping'er found herself thinking, a trace of curiosity in her heart.
"Very well then, I shall begin guiding this little girl now."
Ping'er smiled at Qiu Bai before transforming into a streak of flowing light and entering the Serenitea Pot.
The teapot then gently settled onto a nearby table.
Seeing this, Qiu Bai nodded slightly, then turned into a flash of white light and vanished from the spot.
Qiu Bai was now walking toward Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
From a distance, a streak of light shot into his body.
He paused, looking around at the bustling streets filled with people and the buildings glowing with lantern light. Then, he lifted his gaze to the sky.
"With this, Qiqi matter should be resolved."
With that thought, he resumed walking.
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor
Hu Tao sat on a chair, surrounded by the employees of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
"Why isn't Qiu Bai back yet?!"
She pouted, brows furrowing.
"Could something have happened to him?"
As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she suddenly stood up and began pacing anxiously.
"Director, speaking from a rational perspective, Qiu Bai will be fine."
Zhongli, seated nearby, reminded her calmly.
Given Qiu Bai current strength, there was little in the mortal world that could truly hinder him.
"Zhongli, how can you be so sure he's fine?"
Hu Tao pressed both hands against Zhongli's desk, leaning forward.
Her large, plum-blossom eyes widened as she stared at him, unable to suppress her worry.
"But what if? What if something did happen?"
"What if he got into trouble?"
"It took so long to get a guest consultant who saves me from a ton of work, I can't afford to lose him!"
Yet, fretting over it wouldn't help.
Suddenly, like a deflated balloon, Hu Tao slumped onto the table, sighing in frustration.
Zhongli, sensing something, glanced at her and chuckled softly.
"Heh, Director, Qiu Bai is fine. He's already on his way back."
Hu Tao shot him a side glance.
She muttered under her breath, "Zhongli, you didn't even see him. How do you know? Do you have Clairaudience or something?"
"I'm back!"
At the crisp sound of the door opening, Hu Tao jumped up in surprise.
The voice was all too familiar.
There he was Qiu Bai, standing at the entrance.
Without hesitation, Hu Tao rushed over, her large plum-blossom eyes scanning him from head to toe.
After a long moment of inspecting him, she turned and shot Zhongli a suspicious look.
"Zhongli, don't tell me… You really have Clairaudience?!"
Hu Tao was inwardly surprised.
Zhongli also turned his gaze toward Qiu Bai, who was standing at the door.
"You're back, old friend."
Zhongli spoke with a faint smile on his face.
Qiu Bai nodded slightly in response.
"Qiu Bai, where have you been these past few days?"
"You left without telling us anything."
Hu Tao rested her chin on her hand, only asking after confirming that Qiu Bai was unharmed.
"Don't worry, Master. Nothing will happen to me."
Qiu Bai smiled at the mischievous Hu Tao.
At this point, he could confidently say that apart from the mysterious "Heavenly Principles," no one could detain him.
This was the confidence he had in his own strength.
"You rascal, next time you leave, let me know!"
"You made me worry for so long. Anyway, where's the Mora? The Mora?"
Hu Tao eyes widened as she scanned Qiu Bai clothes, but she saw no trace of Mora.
Seeing her like this, Qiu Bai smiled slightly. With a simple flip of his hand, a large chest appeared before her.
"Master, I've been gathering herbs and selling them these past few days."
"This chest contains a total of 2 million Mora."
Qiu Bai smiled at Hu Tao as he spoke.
Hu Tao's mouth nearly dropped open in shock.
"Unbelievable, 2 million Mora!"
"Just how many herbs did you gather to make this much money?!"
"Well, at least I won't have to worry in the future. Two days, and you earned 2 million Mora…"
Hu Tao lips twitched. That much Mora, how many herbs would that even take?
"Qiu Bai reassured me, but as for Zhongli…"
Hu Tao shot a glance at Zhongli.
Zhongli, of course, noticed and coughed lightly in embarrassment.
"It's getting late. You should rest, Master."
Zhongli turned his head and spoke calmly to Hu Tao, who was still standing by the door.
"This Master has been waiting for Qiu Bai for so long that I'm exhausted."
"I need to get a good night's sleep. Zhongli, you'll handle the preparations for the Rite of Parting tomorrow."
"You all should rest early too."
With that, Hu Tao yawned and headed upstairs.
Once she was gone, Qiu Bai sat down across from Zhongli.
"Morax, I met Xiao today."
Qiu Bai took a sip of tea and spoke to Zhongli in a calm tone.
"He didn't recognize my identity. I knocked him out and cleansed a small portion of his karmic debt."
"That should ease his suffering, at least for now. Once everything is settled, I'll completely remove it for him."
Qiu Bai understood that even if Xiao karmic debt was cleansed, his constant battles against monsters tainted with the remnants of fallen gods would only cause him to accumulate more.
Even so, if he could reduce Xiao suffering, that was the best help he could offer.
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