Her demeanor was respectful without being servile, elegant without being affected.
At this moment, she had already resumed the honorific form of address for Chen Chang'an. In fact, compared to the superficial respect she had shown in the past, there was now a sincerity born of genuine regard.
The aura she carried in her every gesture drew an involuntary sigh of admiration from Chen Chang'an—this millennium of tempering had truly transformed her, casting her into a new mold.
She was no longer that rash little fox, but a true cultivator who had weathered the storms of the world.
Chen Chang'an tapped his fingertips lightly against the table, producing a crisp sound. "Since we have spoken this frankly, I shall be direct."
His gaze focused slightly, the candlelight dancing in his eyes. "I wish to ask you: in this past millennium, has anything happened in the Spirit Realm—any person or event that defied reason?"
His question was direct, without any preamble. He knew that the Bai Li of today had no need for such empty courtesies.
Bai Li lowered her eyes in thought, her long lashes casting faint shadows under the candlelight.
Her fingers gently traced the rim of the teacup, as if organizing her thoughts.
The room fell silent for a time, broken only by the chirping of insects outside the window and the occasional distant birdcall.
After a long while, she finally raised her eyes and said softly, "My cultivation is shallow, so I dare not speak rashly." Her voice was soft, yet every word was enunciated clearly. "But from my perspective..."
She paused, a strange look flashing through her eyes. It was a mixture of confusion and wariness, as if recalling something unpleasant.
"In these thousand years, the only event in the Spirit Realm that could be called unreasonable is—the Seven Kills Demon Sect, and..."
Her red lips parted slightly as she slowly uttered the name that struck terror into the heart of the entire Spirit Realm:
"The Demon Lord, Qin Ao!"
...
The candlelight flickered gently in the quiet wooden hut, casting the shadows of the two figures upon the wall.
Chen Chang'an committed the name to memory, then continued to gaze at the woman before him, who had undergone such a metamorphosis. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Then, what exactly happened in the Southern Frontier back then? Why did you enter the Candle Dragon Secret Realm?"
Hearing this, Bai Li's fingers unconsciously rubbed against the edge of her teacup.
Her gaze settled on the tea swaying gently in the cup, as if it reflected the shadows of the past. After a long silence, she sighed softly, her voice carrying a mix of relief and resignation.
"Actually, it is quite simple to tell." She raised her head, a self-deprecating smile gracing her lips. "My father married a woman I detested, and I was simply unwilling to accept it."
Her tone was calm, yet it caused Chen Chang'an to pause slightly. This answer was too blunt, almost too straightforward to be the explanation of someone who had weathered a millennium of changes.
"I was young and arrogant at the time," Bai Li continued, her gaze drifting into the distance. "I had just rushed back to the Southern Frontier when I heard the news of my father's intention to remarry. I couldn't even wait to be announced; I barged straight into his sleeping quarters."
Her voice was gentle, yet it allowed Chen Chang'an to envision that stubborn little fox of the past.
"I had a huge argument with my father." Bai Li's fingertips tapped lightly against the cup, producing a crisp sound. "I said many hurtful things, even... even cursing them to never find happiness." Here, her voice trembled slightly; evidently, this memory still filled her with guilt.
"And then?" Chen Chang'an asked softly.
"Then, in a fit of pique, I left Qingqiu." Bai Li gave a bitter laugh. "But the moment I stepped out of Qingqiu territory, I was targeted by a group of villains. They... claimed to be people sent by my father."
Her gaze suddenly turned sharp. "They had been lying in ambush there all along, just waiting for the moment I left home in anger."
Chen Chang'an frowned slightly. "Who were they?"
"Thinking back on it now, they were likely some unruly demon clans in the Southern Frontier." Bai Li shook her head. "They wanted to kill me to enrage my father, causing him to lose his reason and make decisions that would benefit them."
Her tone was terrifyingly calm, as if she were telling someone else's story.
But Chen Chang'an knew that behind this calm lay the sedimentation of a thousand years.
The anger, the grievance, and the confusion of those days had now all dissolved into a single sigh.
"You know what happened after that." Bai Li raised her head, her eyes gleaming with the light of wisdom. She now possessed the capacity to clearly see everything that had transpired back then. "I was hunted, strayed into the Candle Dragon Secret Realm, lost my memory, and only fully recovered it today."
She gently set down her teacup; the porcelain meeting the wood with a soft clink. "Looking back on my return to the Southern Frontier, I was too impulsive." A bitter smile surfaced on her lips. "Father's remarriage perhaps had his own reasons; my willfulness nearly caused a catastrophe."
Chen Chang'an watched her silently, offering no interruption. He knew that what Bai Li needed right now was not comfort, but a listener.
After a moment of silence, Bai Li stood up and offered a graceful curtsy. "It is getting late. I should take my leave."
Chen Chang'an nodded. "Are you returning to the Southern Frontier?"
To his surprise, Bai Li suddenly revealed a mischievous expression—the first time tonight she had shown a resemblance to her former self. "I don't plan on returning to the Southern Frontier for now."
She blinked, a glint of cunning in her eyes. "Even though I understand those things now, I still can't accept a woman I dislike being my mother."
This answer brought a smile to Chen Chang'an's face.
It seemed that even after a millennium of changes, certain stubbornness ingrained in one's bones would not alter.
"Then where will you go?" he asked.
"I plan to stay in the Immortal Spirit Valley for the long term." Bai Li said with a smile, her face rarely showing such maidenly liveliness. "The environment is secluded and the spiritual energy is abundant. Most importantly—" she deliberately lengthened her tone, "I am very comfortable living here."
She stuck out her tongue, an action that instantly returned her to the appearance of that mischievous little fox of the past. "So I must trouble Senior to look after me."
Chen Chang'an shook his head with a laugh, but he did not refuse.
He knew that although Bai Li had recovered her former liveliness on the surface, her heart was no longer that of the ignorant little demon from before.
Her choice to stay in the Immortal Spirit Valley surely came with her own considerations.
"As you wish." He waved his hand. "But I don't provide meals here."
Bai Li giggled, her laughter clear as a bell. "Then I'll go to Xing Cai and Ling'er to mooch a meal tomorrow!"
She said playfully, turning to walk towards the door.
Moonlight spilled through the crack in the door, gilding her silhouette with a layer of silver.
Just as she was about to step across the threshold, she suddenly turned back, the smile on her face fading slightly.
"Senior." Her voice was soft yet firm. "Thank you."
Those few words contained too many emotions that could not be put into words—
Chen Chang'an gave a slight nod and said nothing more. Some gratitude need not be spoken; some friendships require no explanation to be understood.
Bai Li smiled one last time, then turned and merged into the moonlight.
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