Hammer in her left hand, sword in her right, the eldest sister is connected to both worlds.

Xuanhuang Sect, Xuanling Peak Square.

Night fell, and the mountains and rivers were silent. However, the Xuanling Peak Square was brightly lit. As far as the eye could see, it was filled with busy Xuanhuang Sect disciples.

Xue Lan, dressed in black, walked slowly across the square, followed by a fair-skinned disciple wearing the robes of a law enforcement hall disciple.

The disciple was reporting to Xue Lan:

"Senior Sister Xue, arrangements have been made for the fellow disciples at the mountain gate. As soon as the spaceships from the various sects arrive tomorrow, they will be welcomed to the prepared accommodations."

"The disciples of the Enforcement Hall are ready to ensure that there are no conflicts between the various sects and the demon race."

……

Xue Lan nodded slightly, turned around and looked at the disciple behind her: "You did very well. You've worked hard these past few days."

The young man behind her bowed slightly in thanks to Xue Lan's praise, saying, "Senior Sister is too kind. It is what I should do."

Xue Lan spoke up again: "So what if it's your job? If you do it well, you should be praised."

The disciple's ears turned red instantly, and he lowered his head, saying, "Thank you, Senior Sister. Actually, Du Tao has a question in his mind."

Xue Lan waved her hand: "Ask!"

The boy named Du Tao mustered his courage and asked, "Senior sister... are the human and demon races really going to war against the demon race this time?"

Xue Lan sized up the boy before her, her voice as gentle as moonlight: "Now you've grown bolder, daring to ask anything?"

Du Tao immediately lowered his head: "Senior sister... I..."

To his surprise, Xue Lan didn't continue to blame him, but instead answered his question directly: "Soon."

A full-scale declaration of war against the demon race is imminent.

Those two simple words instantly excited the young man in front of her, his eyes burning with fighting spirit: "Senior sister, can I go to the battlefield?"

Xue Lan shook her head: "If the Enforcement Hall goes to the battlefield, what will happen to the Xuanhuang Sect?"

Du Tao immediately deflated. Xue Lan, seeing his state, teased, "Back then, you were the kind of boy who would tremble at the sight of a fellow disciple getting injured while taking on a mission. How come you've become so bold now?"

"They talk about slaying demons all the time, and going to the battlefield all the time."

Du Tao slowly raised his head: "Senior sister, I was just thinking... if only I had discovered Senior Brother Gong Yuan and the others' life lamps sooner..."

"Shut up!" Xue Lan shouted at Du Tao, then flicked her sleeve and said, "Don't mention this matter again."

Du Tao trembled slightly and fell silent.

Xue Lan then softened her tone: "The fault lies with the demons, not you. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, you should cultivate diligently and protect the sect."

Du Tao looked at Xue Lan and said, "This disciple will follow Senior Sister's teachings."

Xue Lan hated lecturing more than anything in her life. The girl's voice was gentle and cold: "Du Tao, there are thousands of cultivators who have died at the hands of demons. If their relatives and fellow disciples were like you every day, no one would be there to seek revenge for them."

"Go back and rest first."

The young man bowed and withdrew, leaving Xue Lan standing alone on the altar, like a black statue.

Only after all the disciples had left and the moon was high in the sky did the black "statue" move slightly, waving its sleeve to extinguish the candles in the square, and then walking down alone in the moonlight.

The events at Jiyue Mountain back then were too tragic; it trapped more than just Shen Suan Zhenren.

There are many other disciples of the Xuanhuang Sect; Du Tao is not an isolated case.

A person killed casually by the demons could be someone's beloved family member, someone's wife and children.

But they don't care about the suffering of those behind them. They only know how to kill.

Xue Lan returned to the dark and desolate Jiyuan Peak. She had been spinning like a top for over a month, and her return to Jiyuan Peak was not for rest.

Rather, it was to change into that sacrificial robe.

Tomorrow is the Ascension Ceremony.

In the bamboo grove courtyard of Jiyuan Peak, Xue Tong sat listlessly tending a bowl of noodles, fanning away insects with a fan. He was so sleepy he was hanging upside down with his head drooping.

When she saw Xue Lan walking up the bamboo path in front of her, she wished she could just dump the noodles into his mouth and go back to sleep.

Xue Lan looked at the person sitting in the middle of the courtyard and the bowl of noodles on the table. A barely perceptible warmth flickered in her dark eyes.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Xue Lan asked.

[To wait for my living father!] Xue Tong pushed the bowl on the table in front of Xue Lan with annoyance: "Qinghe said she would come to do your makeup at Yin Shi (3-5 AM), and you're only coming back now. Are you not planning to sleep?"

Xue Lan sat down, took the bowl, and picked up a wavy noodle with the chopsticks on the side.

"Is this something from the Xuanhuang Sect?" the girl asked, somewhat puzzled.

"If it's not poisonous, then eat it!" Xue Tong suddenly jumped up, and Xue Lan quickly scooped up a mouthful of noodles and stuffed it into her mouth: "It's delicious."

Xue Tong didn't talk to her, muttering things like, "She really is an ingrate, I won't cook instant noodles for her anymore."

After finishing the bowl of noodles, Xue Lan almost ate even the leftover seasoning bits at the bottom. Only then did she cautiously raise her hand: "I'm the one, Blue-Eyed Wolf."

Xue Tong looked at her: [A blue-eyed wretch?]

Xue Lan nodded: "Ice blue."

Xue Tong came to the conclusion that feeding the hungry Xue Lan in the middle of the night would result in a dim-witted wolf king.

After finishing their noodles, Xue Lan went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, and then sat in the courtyard with Xue Tong to watch the moon.

Xue Lan asked Xue Tong, "Aren't you going to sleep?"

Xue Tong retorted, "Don't you sleep either?"

"I am a practitioner, I don't need to sleep."

Xue Tong retorted: "Am I still a machine? Why would I need to sleep!"

Xue Lan felt that Xue Tong and Ji Jinjin were becoming more and more alike. She was no longer the little sister she liked.

If Xue Tong knew what she was thinking, she would definitely jump up and yell at her.

You used to raise me like a little pet in Shihai, but now I'm your little sister?

shameless.

The two walked a distance in silence in the middle of the night, watching the moon in the sky.

Xu Qinghe saw this scene when she arrived.

She asked sincerely, "Are you practicing cultivation?"

Xue Lan shook her head: "Look at the moon."

Xu Qinghe looked up at the moon tonight, and it was indeed bright and clear, but the moon at the Xuanhuang Sect was not like this.

Finally, the aloof Yue Xiu rolled his eyes at Xue Lan: "All you do is fool around with kids."

Xue Lan stated that she was completely innocent.

Xu Qinghe opened a small box she had brought, inside which was a white jade pendant.

"This is for your ceremonial robes tomorrow. Get up, let me comb your hair."

Xue Lan obediently sat up straight, letting Xu Qinghe do as she pleased.

Xu Qinghe tied her long hair, which she had kept loose for more than a decade, into a round bun on top of her head.

Xue Lan shook her head: "My hair is too long and a bit heavy."

Xu Qinghe chopped at her head with a comb: "Don't move."

Xue Lan straightened her back immediately.

Xue Lan saw Xu Qinghe open the second box, inside which was a small silver crown, shaped like a half-open lotus flower. It looked exquisite and delicate.

But she didn't think that way when the crown was placed on her head.

"Qinghe, my neck."

"No talking."

……

It wasn't until the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon that Xue Lan changed into her elaborate sacrificial robes. Xu Qinghe placed the white jade pendant on the girl before her and removed the red beads from her ears.

A bell rang from Xuanling Peak, and a pillar of light rose from the peak. A hole appeared on the distant horizon, revealing the scenery beyond the cave.

One after another, flying boats sailed in from outside the Xuanhuang Cave Heaven. Xu Qinghe nodded to Xue Lan: "Go."

Xue Lan nodded and flew towards Xuanling Peak.