Clear Mist Palace.
Empress Qin Yanru, wearing a white gown, arrived at Zhuge Nanzhi's secluded retreat. Her ethereal presence seemed to sway the plants and trees around her as soon as she landed.
"Empress."
Huan Wu, who was busy feeding fish in the water, quickly stood up and performed a bow. She looked a bit perplexed, "Your Highness has not yet emerged from seclusion."
"No worries," Qin Yanru lightly shook her head. She had already informed Nanzhi about the journey today and knew Nanzhi wouldn't waste any time.
As the pig who had courted his own 'big cabbage' was in the Wandao Sect.
Although it had been more than a month, Qin Yanru's expression darkened whenever she thought about how the woman's apprentice had slept with the apprentice she had raised with great effort.
Especially since Nanzhi was completely under the control of Lu Jin'an——Qin Yanru still couldn't forget the words "My husband still likes me" that Nanzhi said when she first returned to the sect.
Especially that expression of defending, which made Qin Yanru feel a sense of helplessness after raising him so many times.
However, what brought Qin Yanru some relief was that the 'big cabbage' she had raised didn't suddenly follow Lu Jin'an on a whim, but instead knew to return and was still honest with her master.
"No, she knows that coming back is what should be done, so how can I feel relieved?"
Qin Yanru rubbed her own temples, smiling with a sense of helplessness. This was the first time she felt speechless towards Nanzhi.
And...
She glanced at Han Wu standing obediently, her eyes filled with even more helplessness. From Han Wu, she had probed out many details, which made her even more amused by the 'big cabbage' jumping up to let the 'pig' do what it wanted.
Qin Yanru admitted that the apprentice of Empress Pei Wanyu was a beautiful person, but how could Nanzhi fall in love at first sight? No, it was because of his appearance.
How could one force someone into marriage at the very first sight?
Why didn't Lu Jin'an, who was stronger than Nanzhi, resist?
Did they look into each other's eyes, and then ‘clap’ and agree?
This is sheer nonsense!
"Alas~"
Qin Yanru sighed deeply and looked at the palace where Nanzhi was secluded, no longer thinking.
As for Xiao Li's flawless immortal body being killed by Nanzhi, she didn't think it was a big deal.
After all, Lin Mu is related to the upper realm, and Xiao Li is on his side. If she were there, she would also ruthlessly eliminate this threat without hesitation.
Even if Xiao Li were to be brought back, she would never become a part of the Clear Mist Palace. She would serve the upper realm sooner or later.
"Lu Jin'an actually seems to consider Nanzhi quite well. Knowing that Nanzhi went for Xiao Li, he gave Xiao Li the opportunity to make a choice."
Thinking about this, Qin Yanru's expression softened a bit. She hopes that Nanzhi doesn't throw his heart at Lu Jin'an's cold buttocks.
"My apprentice is so beautiful, if Lu Jin'an truly has the intention to play with him, I would definitely clean up the mess in front of that woman..."
Muttering to herself, Qin Yanru quickly looked ahead as she heard the sound of a door opening. She saw Nanzhi walking out with graceful steps.
She bent her waist in delicate steps, revealing her fair wrists through the light gauze. Her sapphire eyes, with gentle waves of light, revealed a classical and elegant beauty enhanced by subtle makeup, making her already classical and elegant features appear even more jade-like and floral.
A dress of light blue with a mandarin collar, paired with a soft smoke silk belt, gracefully outlined her delicate and graceful figure. The lightweight long robe she wore over it concealed some of her form, but the ice-white jade pendant on her waist added several splashes of color.
Qin Yanru's eyes brightened immediately, her 'big cabbage' indeed was watery and moving.
'This is natural beauty, it's not because of the little boy Lu Jin'an's nourishment.'
The thought suddenly popped into Qin Yanru's mind, and she quickly dismissed it, but... she had to admit that compared to when Nanzhi first left the Clear Mist Palace a year and a half ago, Nanzhi was undoubtedly more charming now.
"Master," Zhuge Nanzhi performed a bow, her demeanor tranquil and self-possessed, as ethereal and out-of-the-world as the crimson plum blossoms blooming on the snowy mountain, radiant and captivating.
Looking at Nanzhi's cold and aloof demeanor, Qin Yanru couldn't help but furrow her brow.
This is not right.
According to common sense, Nanzhi should be overjoyed and bursting with excitement about departing for Wandao Sect today, talking about "Lu Jin'an" all the time. How could she be in this state?
When she was enfeoffed as the Holy Maiden a few days ago, she was also absentmindedly muttering "husband." How could the excitement have worn off in such a short time?
Did she encounter some sort of problem in her cultivation?
Qin Yanru felt a bit helpless about her own state of mind. She had been silently scolding herself for constantly worrying about Nanzhi's unwelcome feelings towards Lu Jin'an, even though she already knew how he felt.
So she grabbed Nanzhi's fair wrist and examined it slightly, "Huh?"
Qin Yanru's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, "That's it?"
Moreover, her cultivation base was extremely solid with no flaw.
Qin Yanru knew that the "Great Dao of Forgetting Emotions" hinged entirely on the word 'comprehension', that the more perfectly one could forget emotions, the faster their progress would be.
Although she knew that Nanzhi was carrying an immaculate immortal body, she didn't expect her to break through two minor realms and reach the level of completion in such a short period of time.
Does Nanzhi have such a deep understanding of the two words 'forgetting emotions'?
Because of her love for Lu Jin'an?
Qin Yanru pursed her lips, confirmed that Nanzhi had not fallen into the Immutable Path before releasing her wrist.
But she still didn't understand.
If Nanzhi had such a deep understanding of the Path of Emotionlessness, why would she be in this cool and aloof manner now?
What's wrong?
Zhuge Nanzhi looked at Qin Yanru with a calm gaze: "Master?"
Qin Yanru smiled slightly, "You go with Han Wu first. I forgot to take something."
"Mm." Zhuge Nanzhi nodded lightly, leaving with Han Wu first step.
After watching Zhuge Nanzhi and Han Wu leave, Qin Yanru didn't leave but turned towards the Jingxin Pavilion where Nanzhi was secluded.
She wanted to look for clues within the Jingxin Pavilion to see what problem Nanzhi was facing.
After pushing open the door, Qin Yanru's expression gradually changed, filled with disbelief.
On the walls of the Jingxin Pavilion, there were neatly hung portraits of various postures: 'Master' in meditation, 'Master' in a daze, 'Master's back...'
There were countless more like these, covering every wall!
On the table next to it, a row of wooden and jade carvings of Lu Jin'an were neatly placed on it, one after another, filling up every inch!
Inside, on the more inwardly extended bed, a life-sized pillow lay quietly. The silk cover of the pillow was not embroidered with flowers and trees, but with a Lu Jin'an smiling face!
Dingling, dingling~
Light wind entered the house, ringing the wind chimes on the roof. Each of the fan-shaped paper pages suspended from the wind chimes still depicted Lu Jin'an with meticulous brushwork.
Qin Yanru lifted her foot and exited the threshold, closing the door and closing her eyes.
The sight of all those various 'Lu Jinans' in that instant made her, as the master of the Clear Mist Palace, feel an inexplicable chill and a startled palpitation.
Qin Yanru had never felt so unfamiliar towards Zhuge Nanzhi, the one she had been raising from a small child.
"Nanzhi?"
