The Cold and Aloof Palace Master's Daily Demon-Slaying Life

Each word was like a knife, piercing Zuo Qingqiu's heart.

She opened her mouth, but found that she couldn't say anything.

Explanation? Saying that you did it to become stronger so you could protect her? Saying that you also had a hard time at Taihua Gate? All of these seem pale and powerless in the face of your sister's more than ten years of loneliness and grievances.

In the end, she simply placed the storage bag gently on the table and said softly, "Keep these things; you'll need them someday. I... I'll be going now."

She turned around and fled from the old house and from Cui Weishan as if she were escaping.

After returning to Taihua Sect, she buried herself even deeper in cultivation, almost to the point of madness. Only by constantly becoming stronger could she temporarily forget the pain and guilt in her heart.

-

Time flies like an arrow.

With the abundant resources of Taihua Sect, the meticulous guidance of Master Yuan Lei, and her own relentless efforts, her cultivation level advanced rapidly.

He was over forty years old and in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

Over sixty years old, in the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

At over ninety years old, he achieved the Great Perfection of Foundation Building.

At the age of 103, the Heavenly Tribulation of the Purple Mansion descended.

With her solid foundation and powerful lightning magic, she successfully overcame the obstacle, opened her Purple Mansion within her body, and her Purple Mansion Primordial Spirit entered, increasing her lifespan to 1,200 years. She officially became a Purple Mansion True Person and joined the ranks of high-level cultivators within the Taihua Sect.

Once her Purple Mansion was complete, she set off again, returning to Mount Cuiwei.

This time, she was a Purple Mansion cultivator, a True Person of the Taihua Sect. The Zuo family's attitude was completely different from last time. Although the clan elders were too ashamed to see her in person, they sent all the Purple Mansion cultivators in the clan to personally greet her. These Purple Mansion experts spoke with utmost respect, even with a hint of barely perceptible flattery.

But she paid no attention to any of that; her heart was entirely devoted to her younger sister.

When she stepped into the old house again, she saw an old man with white hair, a wrinkled face, and a hunched back.

That was Zuo Lengqiu.

He was just over a hundred years old, but due to his inferior aptitude, his cultivation was slow. He had been stuck at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining for decades and could not break through. His lifespan was coming to an end, and he had reached the end of his life.

The two sisters looked at each other across the courtyard.

Looking at her younger sister's aged face and the murky yet calm gaze in her eyes, Zuo Qingqiu felt as if her heart was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, the pain almost making it hard to breathe.

Is this the fate of those with the aptitude of Grade E?

Is this the result of her "abandoning" her sister back then?

"Sister, you're back." Zuo Lengqiu spoke first, her voice old and hoarse, yet carrying a strange sense of peace.

She walked over, leaning on her cane, her steps unsteady.

Zuo Qingqiu quickly stepped forward and helped her up.

What I found was a withered, emaciated arm with loose skin and covered in age spots.

"Leng Qiu..." Zuo Qingqiu's voice was choked with emotion.

"I'm fine." Zuo Lengqiu patted the back of her hand, smiled, revealing her sparse teeth, "I'm just getting old and useless. You...you're still so young, that's wonderful."

The two sisters sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard.

Zuo Lengqiu calmly recounted her life over the years.

After realizing that cultivation was hopeless, she stopped pursuing it and spent her days tending to flowers and plants, reading books, and occasionally strolling around the city. Out of respect for Zuo Qingqiu, her family didn't make things difficult for her, providing her with all the necessities she needed, but without much extra care.

"I used to hate you, sister." Zuo Lengqiu looked into the distance, her gaze distant. "I hated that you abandoned me, I hated that you stole all my talents at birth, preventing me from ever breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, leaving me to grow old and die like a mortal."

Zuo Qingqiu lowered her head, her fingernails digging into her palms again.

"But now, I don't hate anymore." Zuo Lengqiu turned his head to look at her, his cloudy eyes filled with relief. "Everyone has their own destiny. My destiny is perhaps just like this. Your destiny is in a higher place. I... am actually very happy for you that you have come this far and become a Purple Mansion True Person."

"Leng Qiu..." Zuo Qingqiu's tears finally fell.

"Don't cry." Zuo Lengqiu reached out and clumsily wiped away her tears with his rough hands. "You've done so much for me. The things you sent back all those years helped me a lot. I know you've always had me in your heart."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Zuo Qingqiu sobbed uncontrollably, like a child who had done something wrong.

"There's nothing to apologize for." Zuo Lengqiu shook her head. "You have your own path to walk. But... Sister, after I'm gone, you must live well, carrying my share with you, and see the sights I never got to see, okay?"

Zuo Qingqiu nodded vigorously, but couldn't say a word.

That evening, Zuo Lengqiu lay on a recliner and suddenly said, "Sister, do you still remember the lanterns?"

Zuo Qingqiu was taken aback.

When I was a child, my parents took me to the city to see the lantern festival twice.

Those were some of the few colorful memories of my childhood.

"I remember, what's wrong?"

"Today is the Lantern Festival. The lanterns in the city must be beautiful. If only... if only I could see the lanterns with my sister again..."

"Okay, I'll take you there now," she agreed immediately.

"Unfortunately, I can no longer walk, so this wish is probably impossible..." Zuo Lengqiu smiled bitterly.

"I'll carry you on my back."

Zuo Qingqiu squatted down in front of Zuo Lengqiu.

Zuo Lengqiu looked at her sister's straight back and shook her head: "You are now a Purple Mansion cultivator, how can you carry me, a dying mortal..."

"We are family. Among family members, there is no distinction between those from the Purple Mansion and those from mortals. There is only elder sister and younger sister." Zuo Qingqiu interrupted her, her voice firm. "Tonight, I am just your elder sister."

Zuo Lengqiu remained silent for a moment, and finally, slowly climbed onto her sister's back.

Zuo Qingqiu carried her on his back; it was very light, as light as a feather.

Instead of flying, she chose to walk, step by step leaving the old house, leaving Zuojiayu, and heading towards the distant city.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched their shadows long, overlapping them, as if they had returned to many years ago, to the little girl who was tired from walking and wanted her older sister to carry her.

As night fell, the Lantern Festival began.

The lanterns in the city are indeed very beautiful.

All kinds of lanterns hung along the long street: dragon lanterns, fish lanterns, lotus lanterns, revolving lanterns... their shimmering lights reflecting on the smiling faces of the tourists.

The air was filled with the sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts and osmanthus cake, along with the excited screams of children.

Zuo Qingqiu carried her younger sister on her back and walked slowly through the bustling crowd.

Zuo Lengqiu lay on her back, occasionally pointing to a particularly exquisite lantern and letting out a low exclamation.

"Sis, that rabbit lantern is cute..."

"Yes, it looks good."

"There are sugar figurines for sale over there... My parents used to buy them for us when we were little..."

"Want some? I'll go buy some."

"No need... Just take a look..."

"Sis...look over there...someone's releasing river lanterns..."

"Yes, I saw it."

My sister kept talking, her voice getting softer and softer until it was almost a murmur.