He had just been reborn when he was imprisoned by his nemesis, the Empress?

Shen Qingyao looked at Xu Yi, who was still dizzy and staggering, and was sweating profusely with anxiety.

"What are we going to do?!"

Shen Qingyao forced down her panic and took a deep breath to bolster her courage.

"Yes, let's go find someone. That old bastard Yang Wanshan definitely has a way!"

She pulled the dazed Xu Yi into her arms, the little guy's head resting on her shoulder, muttering something under his breath.

"Sweet...more..."

Without thinking twice, Shen Qingyao kicked the door open.

Then, with a light touch of his toes, he transformed into a streak of light and raced towards the direction of Ningxue Peak.

On Ningxue Peak, inside the Second Elder's residence.

Dozens of young people dressed in the robes of the Sword Sect sat cross-legged, closing their eyes and circulating their internal energy.

An elderly man with white hair, holding a short black and gold stick, paced back and forth among his disciples with his hands behind his back.

boom!

With a crisp sound, the short stick struck a female disciple in blue robes precisely on the buttocks, causing her to stiffen.

Yang Wanshan blew on his beard and said with dissatisfaction.

"This is chaos! The spiritual energy is all going astray! You bunch of brats, this is the worst class I've ever taught!"

He sheathed his short stick, put his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky, and sighed deeply, his tone filled with reminiscence and pride.

"Back when I was your age, I was hailed as the strongest male cultivator of the younger generation in Shenhai Prefecture!"

"I mastered this technique in just one month, and even slew a peak fourth-tier demonic beast, becoming famous throughout the region!"

"And what about you? You've been practicing for three months, and you're still stumbling around even at the beginner level. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?!"

He paused, then became even more smug.

"Back then, even Elder Shen Qingyao, who was the former deputy sect leader and the current sect leader's younger sister, was involved."

"Everyone who sees me gives me special treatment and respectfully calls me Senior Brother Yang!"

No sooner had the words left her lips than a clear, yet somewhat domineering, female voice suddenly rang out.

"You idiot Yang, get out here right now! I have urgent business with you!"

The disciples who were practicing their cultivation were all interrupted. They opened their eyes, exchanged glances, and secretly used their spiritual power to transmit their thoughts.

"That voice... doesn't it sound like Elder Shen Qingyao, who recently returned to the sect?"

"Pfft, is this what it means to give our master some leeway?"

A round-faced disciple suppressed a laugh and transmitted his voice.

A tall disciple next to him suppressed a laugh and responded.

"Hey, Master loves to brag a little, you know that."

Although Yang Wanshan couldn't hear his disciples' voice transmissions, he could guess what they were saying from their faces, which were flushed from trying not to laugh.

His face flushed red, and he roared angrily towards the courtyard gate.

"Who dares to call me that?! Are they tired of living?!"

Before the roar had even faded, his figure had already transformed into a blur, instantly flying to the courtyard gate.

Shen Qingyao stood at the door, holding Xu Yi, her face as black as the bottom of a pot, her eyes icy as she stared at him.

"Who are you calling a idiot?"

Upon seeing the dazed Xu Yi in her arms and meeting Shen Qingyao's gaze, Yang Wanshan's arrogance diminished, and he quickly used his spiritual power to transmit his voice.

"Oh, Qingyao, let's talk this out."

"I'm teaching my students right now, can't you give me some face? So many students are watching, where am I supposed to put my old face?!"

Shen Qingyao was too lazy to waste words with him. She glanced at Xu Yi in her arms and quickly transmitted her voice.

"Stop talking nonsense and get Xu Yi treated quickly, he's drunk."

Upon hearing this, Yang Wanshan looked down at Xu Yi in Shen Qingyao's arms, nodded, and flicked his finger, sending a soft cyan spiritual energy into Xu Yi's brow.

In a short while, the blush on Xu Yi's face faded, and his breathing became much more steady.

Yang Wanshan then transmitted his question telepathically.

"Are you crazy? The young sect leader is so young, and you actually gave him alcohol? If the sect leader finds out, he'll skin you alive!"

Shen Qingyao's eyes flickered, and she hurriedly used telepathy to explain.

"I didn't give it to him! He drank it by mistake!"

"Also, you're not allowed to tell anyone about what happened today, especially not to my sister, or I'll burn your yard down!"

After saying that, she didn't give Yang Wanshan a chance to refute her, and turned into a streak of light while holding Xu Yi.

After a while, Xu Yi slowly opened his eyes, his head still feeling a little dizzy.

He looked at Shen Qingyao, who was holding him in his arms, and blinked his big, confused eyes.

Shen Qingyao immediately put on a fawning smile and chuckled.

"Hey, you're awake? How are you feeling? Do you remember what just happened?"

Xu Yi rubbed his head, thought for a moment, and said firmly.

"I drank the wine, and it was your wine, since Master would never put wine on the table."

Shen Qingyao was so frightened that she quickly waved her hands and shook her head like a rattle drum.

"No, no, no, no! You didn't drink! There wasn't a single drop of alcohol!"

"You must be hallucinating from practicing your sword too much! When your master comes back later, you can't tell on him."

Xu Yi's eyes darted around, deliberately teasing her.

"Then beg Brother Yi, and he won't say anything more."

Shen Qingyao's face darkened, and she glared at him through gritted teeth.

"You rascal! How dare you take advantage of your martial uncle?"

But thinking of the terrible consequences of her sister's return, she chickened out, winked at Xu Yi, and gently rubbed her cheek against his little face.

"I...I beg you...Junior Nephew, please have pity on me and don't tell your master, okay?"

Xu Yi felt a little uncomfortable as she rubbed against him, and quickly waved his hand.

"Hey, hey, don't rub against me. Master will be jealous if he finds out. I won't say anything."

Shen Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief, picked up Xu Yi and quickly returned to the mansion, even taking him for a thorough bath.

......

An hour later, Shen Yunshu returned home after finishing his sect affairs.

Seeing Xu Yi in the yard, a gentle smile appeared on her face, and she squatted down to clap her hands at him.

"Yi'er, come here quickly, your master brought you some spiritual fruit."

Xu Yi obediently ran over and threw himself into Shen Yunshu's arms, nuzzling his little head against her neck.

Shen Yunshu gently touched his forehead, then slowly picked him up, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and reluctance.

"Yi'er is getting taller and taller. In a few more days, even Master will have trouble holding him."

Shen Qingyao, standing to the side, quickly forced a smile and nervously echoed her.

"Yeah yeah......"

After a while of tenderness, Shen Yunshu carried Xu Yi into the room and placed him on the bed.

Then open the drawers on the dressing table, remove the bracelets, hairpins and other ornaments, and arrange them one by one.

Just as she was about to make Xu Yi his favorite food, she caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye that something seemed to be missing from the drawer.

She frowned slightly, and upon closer inspection, immediately realized something was wrong.

The pair of white socks she always wore and the anklet that Shen Qingyao had given her a few years ago were gone.

Who stole it?

Shen Qingyao? Impossible, she's not mentally ill.

Is that Yi'er?

The thought flashed through Shen Yunshu's mind, but she immediately dismissed it.

Yi'er is just a little child; he certainly wouldn't take her personal belongings to do anything bad...

With a sense of doubt, she scanned the area with her divine sense.

Then, a faint blush appeared on her fair face.

The thing...the thing is in Yi'er's little clothes pocket...