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

The night breeze drifted through the half-open window, bringing with it the cool scent of distant mountains, forests, and vegetation, and also dispelling the last wisp of smoke from the incense burner on the offering table.

In the courtyard, the branches of the old plum tree cast dappled shadows in the moonlight, swaying gently in the breeze and making a soft rustling sound.

Zuo Qingqiu let Xiaobai hug her for a while before gently patting her back.

Xiao Bai sniffed, lifted her little face from her arms, her eyes still red, like a frightened little rabbit seeking comfort.

She looked up at Zuo Qingqiu, the moonlight reflecting in her clear eyes, making them shimmer with moisture.

"Sister," Xiaobai suddenly remembered something, let go of her hand, wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve, and tried to put on a relaxed expression, "You...you've been sitting for a long time, haven't you? I'll go get you a basin of hot water so you can wash your feet?"

Zuo Qingqiu was slightly taken aback: "Wash your feet?"

"Yes!" Xiaobai nodded vigorously, a serious expression on her face. "I heard that when mortals are tired, soaking their feet in hot water can relieve fatigue. Sister, you must have been very tired just now. Washing your feet and relaxing will definitely do you good!"

As she spoke, her eyes held a glimmer of hope, along with a barely perceptible hint of caution, as if she were afraid of being rejected.

Looking into Xiaobai's bright eyes, Zuo Qingqiu felt a warmth spread through the corner of her heart that had been frozen by memories, thanks to this pure concern.

She truly doesn't need to wash her feet to cleanse her body. A Golden Core True Monarch possesses a flawless physical body, with an endless flow of immortal energy, untouched by dust and impurities. Let alone washing her feet, even if she didn't bathe for ten years, her body wouldn't accumulate a trace of filth; instead, it would naturally radiate a pure and ethereal aura.

But Xiaobai's words about "relieving fatigue" and "relaxing" seem to make some sense.

She wasn't physically exhausted, but rather her mind had undergone a period of reflection and upheaval, leaving her with an indescribable sense of weariness, as if her soul had been immersed in icy river water for too long and needed some warmth to dispel the chill.

"No need to trouble yourself..." She instinctively wanted to refuse, but when she met Xiaobai's big eyes, which instantly dimmed and were about to cry, the rest of her words got stuck in her throat.

"No trouble at all!" Seeing that there was a chance, Xiao Bai immediately perked up again, grabbing Zuo Qingqiu's sleeve and shaking it gently, with a hint of coquetry, "Sister, just let me serve you this once! You see, I usually can't help you much, I just eat and play... This is a rare opportunity! And washing feet is really good, cleanliness is secondary, the key is that it can relax people!"

Seeing her stubborn look that said, "If you don't agree, I'll cry," Zuo Qingqiu finally softened.

Oh well, it's just washing my feet.

Let her be.

"Alright." Zuo Qingqiu sighed softly, her tone carrying a hint of indulgence that she herself was unaware of.

"Yay! Big sister is the best!" Little White immediately stopped crying and started laughing, jumping for joy. She turned and ran outside, "Big sister, you go back to your room and sit down first, I'll be done soon~"

Watching her skip and hop away, disappearing through the doorway, Zuo Qingqiu shook her head, but a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Xiaobai's presence is like the only vibrant, warm color in this cold, old house.

She got up, left the main hall where the memorial tablets were enshrined, walked through a short corridor, and came to the room where she had lived as a child.

Pushing open the door, a scent of sun-dried cotton and a faint sandalwood fragrance wafted out. The room was small and simply furnished: a wooden bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a dressing table—all old items, yet spotlessly clean. The bed was covered with brand-new bedding, clearly a thoughtful touch from the Zuo family to welcome her.

She walked to the bedside and sat down, her fingers tracing the smooth wood grain of the bed frame.

Everything here has been preserved in its original state.

Unfortunately, things have changed and people are no longer the same.

She sat quietly, waiting. Moonlight streamed through the window paper, casting a hazy patch of light on the ground. The night was so quiet that she could hear the faint sound of her own blood flowing and the distant chirping of insects from the mountains and forests.

Before long, light footsteps and the sound of rippling water came from outside the door.

"Sister, I'm back!" Xiaobai carefully carried in a large copper basin filled with steaming hot water. A clean, soft cotton cloth was draped over the rim of the basin.

She placed the copper basin beside Zuo Qingqiu's feet, then squatted down, looked up at Zuo Qingqiu, her eyes sparkling: "Sister, lift your foot."

Zuo Qingqiu did as she was told, sticking her feet out from under her skirt.

Xiao Bai first helped her take off her shoes and socks. Her movements were very gentle, with an almost reverent seriousness.

When Zuo Qingqiu's pair of fair, jade-like feet, with their well-proportioned bones and flesh, were fully exposed to the air, Xiaobai couldn't help but let out a soft "wow".

The moonlight slanted in through the window, landing precisely on those bare feet.

Those were indeed an exceptionally beautiful pair of feet. The feet were slender and delicate, the ankles exquisite, and the skin so smooth it seemed to have been carved from the finest mutton-fat jade, gleaming with a warm luster under the moonlight.

Her toes were rounded like pearls, her nails were neatly trimmed and had a healthy pale pink hue. Her arches were beautifully curved, her insteps were smooth, and even the skin on the soles of her feet was so delicate that there wasn't a trace of roughness.

Without the calluses or scars left by years of cultivation and trekking through mountains and rivers, and even more flawless than the feet of most young ladies raised in seclusion due to the constant nourishment of spiritual energy.

"Sister's feet...are so beautiful," Xiao Bai murmured, reaching out her little hand to tentatively touch Zuo Qingqiu's instep.

It feels cool and smooth to the touch, like solidified fat, with a very faint fragrance, like the scent of bamboo after rain mixed with cold plum blossoms. It is not strong, but it is refreshing.

"Is this the foot of a True Lord?" Xiao Bai wondered curiously.

They don't seem any different from ordinary feet, five toes and a sole. Hmm... no, there are differences. At least my sister's feet don't smell of sweat; instead, they smell sweet, soft, and incredibly comfortable to touch, like the finest silk or warm jade.

She gently lifted Zuo Qingqiu's feet and placed them in a copper basin of just the right temperature. The hot water washed over her ankles, bringing a comforting warmth.

Xiao Bai squatted by the basin, rolled up her sleeves to reveal her fair and slender arms, and began to carefully wash Zuo Qingqiu's feet.

Her movements were very gentle, and she gently rubbed the instep, sole, and between the toes with her fingertips. Occasionally, she would imitate the motion of ordinary people pressing acupoints when washing their feet, even though she did not understand acupoints. She just felt that this would probably make her feel more comfortable.

The warm water, the touch of soft little hands, and Xiaobai's focused and serious expression, as if performing some kind of sacred ritual... all these combined to create a unique experience.

Zuo Qingqiu was initially a little uncomfortable.

Having cultivated for over two hundred years, she was already accustomed to being alone and doing everything herself, and was even less used to being served so closely.

But gradually, the warmth of the soaking water and the gentle massage from Xiaobai's fingertips seemed to penetrate her skin and seep into her entire body, allowing her tense mind to relax little by little.

She leaned against the headboard, her eyes slightly closed, savoring the long-lost warmth and comfort of being "human." It wasn't the comfort brought by the flow of spiritual energy, nor the exhilaration of breaking through realms, but a simple, almost mundane peace of being cared for and looked after.

It turns out that relaxing the mind and body is not limited to meditation and breath regulation alone.