One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

"Old...Old Celestial Master!" Nie Lingfeng quickly bowed in respect. Cold sweat poured down his back. "That...about Mo Yulan...it was due to my poor upbringing; Xiaoyun was just being immature..."

As he spoke, he frantically winked at Xiaoyun, who was still clinging to Chen Duo's leg—come here quickly! Call for help!

Xiaoyun did sense it. This white-bearded old man who suddenly appeared had a scent that made her feel comfortable and at ease. It was different from others.

She released Chen Duo, tilted her head, and boldly looked at the smiling old man.

The old celestial master was also observing her. His gaze lingered on her golden-red eyes for a moment, then fell upon her silver hair. A thoughtful glint flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"Hello, Grandpa!"

Xiaoyun suddenly smiled. A sweet smile. Then, imitating Nie Lingfeng's earlier gesture, she cupped her little hands and made a respectable bow. Her movements were crooked and awkward, cute yet comical.

"Oh! Good, good boy!" The old master's smile widened, his eyes almost disappearing with laughter. He stroked his beard and nodded repeatedly.

He took two steps forward and squatted down.

Nie Lingfeng's eyelid twitched.

"You're Xiaoyun? Hmm. A good name." The old master chuckled. "Clouds drift and unfurl, free and at ease. Good, very good."

Xiaoyun seemed to understand the word "good." She laughed even more happily. Not afraid of strangers, she stretched out a small, white, and tender hand and touched the old master's big white beard that hung down to his chest.

"Wow--"

Hehehe...

The old celestial master wasn't annoyed. He let her touch it, and even asked cheerfully, "Little Yun, do you like Longhu Mountain?"

"I love it!" Xiaoyun nodded vigorously, her silver hair swinging back and forth. "Mountains! Tall! Birds! Many! Flowers! Fragrance!" She counted on her fingers, spitting out each word one by one, trying her best to use her limited vocabulary to list all the wonderful things on the mountain.

"If you like it, that's good. If you like it, that's good." The old master smiled so broadly that his eyes disappeared. He seemed to have completely forgotten about that precious black magnolia.

He stood up, his gaze lingering on the bandages wrapped around Nie Lingfeng's body and the still-pale face of Chen Duo. He nodded slightly.

"It seems you've been seriously injured this time." He paused. "Come in, let's talk inside. Lingyu, bring some tea."

"Yes, Master."

A clear, resonant voice rang out from the side. Another person appeared under the pine tree—a young Taoist priest, dressed in a white robe, with an upright posture, a handsome face, and an air of gentle refinement. He bowed to the old Celestial Master, then nodded slightly to Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo. When his gaze swept over Xiaoyun, his eyes widened for a fleeting moment, but he quickly regained his composure.

Zhang Lingyu. The last disciple of the Celestial Master.

The quiet room was very clean.

A set of celadon teaware sat on the wooden tea table. Zhang Lingyu knelt beside it, slowly and deliberately handling the teapot, rinsing the cups, and brewing the tea. The aroma of the tea quickly filled the air. Xiaoyun sat next to Chen Duo on a cushion, holding a small cup of warm honey water that Zhang Lingyu had poured for her. She sipped it slowly, but her bottom kept shifting, clearly unable to sit still.

Those big, golden-red eyes darted around. She looked at the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, then at the strange and unusual magical artifacts on the shelves—Nie Lingfeng's heart followed her gaze, afraid that she might climb up and touch them if she was happy—then she looked at the white-bearded old man opposite her, who was smiling and staring at her, and then at the handsome young man in white next to him.

Nie Lingfeng gave a brief account of his trip to Southeast Asia. He didn't go into detail about Xiaoyun's background, only saying that she was a surviving experimental subject rescued from a laboratory, had amnesia, and now, like a fledgling bird, was fixated on him and Chen Duo. He also mentioned that he had taken a month and a half off work to stay here and take care of the baby.

The old master listened, his fingers tapping lightly and heavily on his knees. A smile remained on his face, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable.

He only spoke after Nie Lingfeng had finished speaking.

"I see. The 'Council'... the 'Holy Blood'... are becoming increasingly rampant."

He paused for a moment. His gaze then fell on Xiaoyun. Xiaoyun was secretly reaching out her little paw, trying to reach for a beautifully arranged tea snack on the coffee table.

The deep meaning in the old master's eyes dissipated.

"This little girl is incredibly intelligent," he said slowly, stroking his beard. "Her natural talent... is unparalleled in my life. Within her, there is an extremely pure, gentle, yet deeply hidden life force. It's different from the domineering and fiery one of your 'Qilin Child,' and also different from the Gu techniques that have merged with life force in young friend Chen Duo. It's closer to... the primordial life force."

Nie Lingfeng's heart tightened.

"The pendant around her neck is even more interesting," the old master continued. "Even I, an old Taoist priest, cannot discern its material or origin, but the gentle, protective power within it is undeniable."

As expected. In front of someone like the Old Celestial Master, Xiao Yun's special qualities couldn't be hidden at all.

"Old Master, you have keen insight," Nie Lingfeng quickly replied. "Xiao Yun... her situation is special. It was a coincidence that brought us together. She has lost all her memories and her mind is like a child's. Apart from being closer to me and Chen Duo, we haven't found anything else unusual. We also can't detect any supernatural energy fluctuations."

He deliberately emphasized "temporarily" and "undetectable." The explanation was also a reminder.

"Hehe, it's alright." The old Celestial Master waved his hand and smiled. "Since we've met by chance and you've come to my Longhu Mountain, you are guests. A month and a half isn't a long time, but it's not short either. You can stay here in peace. There are a few quiet guest rooms on the back mountain, where you won't be disturbed. It'll be perfect for this old man to have more time to look at these interesting little children."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Xiaoyun. The affection in his eyes was undisguised.

Nie Lingfeng felt a sense of relief. "Thank you, Elder Celestial Master!"

Staying at Longhu Mountain was the best arrangement he could think of at the moment. It was a blessed land, teeming with experts, and safe. He and Chen Duo could recuperate in peace. Xiao Yun could also run wild in a clean place. Incidentally—if the Old Celestial Master was in a good mood, perhaps he could offer a few words of guidance.

"However," the old master changed the subject, smiling at Nie Lingfeng, "the flowers and plants of my Longhu Mountain, and those old objects passed down from our ancestors, can't withstand this little brat's repeated 'liking' things. Lingfeng, you'd better take good care of them."

Nie Lingfeng's smile froze. "Yes, yes, yes, this junior will definitely keep a close eye on her! I will absolutely not let Xiaoyun touch anything again!"

He was already starting to plan. Should he go down the mountain to buy some toys? Picture books? Building blocks? Anything would do, as long as it could distract this little devil.

"Also," the old master picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked casually, "Have you checked on Junior Brother Tian?"

Nie Lingfeng's expression immediately turned serious.

"I've gone to see him." He nodded, a genuine smile of joy spreading across his face. "Uncle Tian's complexion has improved considerably. Although he's still unconscious, his face is rosy, and his breathing is steady and strong. Most importantly... Uncle Tian's previously atrophied and crippled limbs have regrown. Although they're still quite thin, like a newborn baby's, the bones, meridians, and muscles are beginning to take shape. This..."

He paused for a moment, his voice a little strained.

"This is simply a miracle."

A hint of relief and emotion flashed in the old master's eyes. He sighed.

"Yes, a miracle. This is all thanks to the bottle of 'Qilin Essence Blood' you left behind. The immense vitality and power of creation contained within it far exceeded our imagination. Combined with the secret elixirs and formations of my Longhu Mountain, it was possible to reconnect severed limbs and restore vitality." He paused. "Junior Brother Jinzhong is also in a deep state of rest, absorbing the medicinal power and rebuilding his foundation. His awakening is only a matter of time."

A complex mix of emotions welled up within Nie Lingfeng. He had left behind that bottle of essence blood, a blend of his own heart's essence and the origin of the Qilin True Fire. Ultimately, he had held onto a sliver of hope—a desire to repay Elder Tian's past kindness. Now, seeing Elder Tian truly recovering, he felt that whatever he had done back then had been worthwhile.

"Old Celestial Master."

Nie Lingfeng took something out of his pocket. A jade bottle. Slightly smaller than the last one. He kept it close to his body, sealed in a specially made bottle to prevent his aura from escaping. Within the crystal-clear jade, a faint crimson-gold luster could be seen flowing.

"This is a bottle of 'essence blood' that I recently refined. Its potency... may be stronger than the previous bottle, but it's also more potent." He handed over the jade bottle with both hands. "I came here firstly to visit Uncle Tian, ​​and secondly to give you this. Perhaps it will be of greater help to Uncle Tian's recovery."

The old celestial master's gaze fell on the jade bottle. His eyes narrowed slightly.

He could sense it.

This power is purer and more intense than the previous bottle, yet at its deepest core lies a gentle, rejuvenating vitality.

This is no ordinary Qilin essence blood. Something else has been mixed in—something of extremely high quality.

"This is..." The old master took the jade bottle. Upon touching it, a warm yet profound sensation spread through him. His expression became more solemn.

"It's because I had some fortuitous encounters this time, which improved my bloodline power. It was condensed by fusing with something else," Nie Lingfeng vaguely explained. He didn't mention the "Phoenix Feather." But he knew the Old Celestial Master certainly understood the significance of this bottle.

Then his expression became more serious than ever before. He looked at the old Celestial Master and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Remember this. This one bottle is more effective than ten of the previous ones. Do not use it as before, according to the dosage! Uncle Tian's body is still recovering, and his meridians and internal organs are still fragile; they cannot withstand such a potent medicine. It must be diluted a hundredfold—a thousandfold—and administered gradually. Guided by a gentle array, it should be absorbed slowly. Otherwise, it will not only be ineffective but could also lead to disaster."

The old celestial master paused slightly in the hand holding the jade bottle.

He gave Nie Lingfeng a deep look. From the other man's eyes, from that heavy, almost suppressed tone, he understood.

He nodded slowly and carefully tucked the jade bottle into his sleeve.

"I understand." His voice deepened. "Ling Feng, you are kind. This item is a great favor to Longhu Mountain and to my fellow disciples in Jinzhong."

"You flatter me, Elder Master. Uncle Tian has also been kind to me. This is simply my duty as a junior."

"Um."

The old master said no more. Some things are better left unsaid.

He turned his head, his gaze falling on Xiaoyun again.

While everyone was talking, Xiaoyun secretly hid her honey water cup under the cushion. Chen Duo discovered it and quietly took it back. She was a little dejected now, her lips drooping.

"Little Yun, come here."

Hearing the old master call her name, Xiaoyun's attention was immediately drawn. She looked at Chen Duo. Chen Duo nodded slightly. Then she looked at Nie Lingfeng. Nie Lingfeng gave her a wink—be obedient.

Xiao Yun climbed up from the prayer mat. With her short legs, she ran to the Old Celestial Master. She tilted her head back, her big, golden-red eyes blinking as she looked at him.

"Grandpa, is her name Yunyun?"

"Hehe, yes, Grandpa is calling you."