After the spiritual energy was restored: Goddess girlfriends came knocking.

The day after Lin Chu left, Cang Yao got up very early.

She swept the yard inside and out.

Mr. Chen sat on the porch watching her busy herself, thinking of telling her to take a break, but he knew it would be no use.

It was already noon when I finished.

Cang Yao walked up to Mr. Chen, took off her apron, folded it neatly, and placed it on the stone table.

"Sir, I need to go home for a while."

Mr. Chen looked up at her and nodded.

"I'll be back when Lin Chu returns," Cang Yao smiled. "Remember to eat on time while you're home alone. There are pickled radishes in the kitchen, in the second jar. The rice is in the jar, and the flour is in the cloth bag next to the rice jar—"

"Alright, alright." Mr. Chen waved his hand, his voice a little rough, but his eyes were slightly red. "I'm not so old that I can't cook."

Cang Yao chuckled, then turned to greet Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao stood up from under the eaves, carrying a small bundle on her back, and went over to hug Mr. Chen.

"Grandpa Chen, please take good care of yourself! I'll miss you!" Little Yiyi said with reluctance.

Mr. Chen affectionately ruffled her hair and replied repeatedly, "Don't worry, don't worry."

After saying goodbye, Xiao Xiao followed behind Cang Yao with her head down.

As she left the courtyard, Cang Yao looked back.

I took a deep breath and turned to walk towards the stream.

Cang Yao walked ahead along the way, her steps light and quick.

"Xiaoxiao, this seclusion might be a little longer."

Xiao Xiao followed behind her and hummed in agreement.

"But it's okay, Lin Chu will be gone for several months anyway. By the time he comes back, I'll be out of seclusion too." Cang Yao counted on her fingers. "Last time I waited for him, this time he'll wait for me. It's fair."

She laughed again after she finished speaking, and turned to look at Xiaoxiao: "By the way, do you know that there are bridesmaids at weddings? You can be my bridesmaid."

Her small steps faltered for a moment.

"I heard that the bride wears a red dress on her wedding day, and the bridesmaids also wear new clothes." Cang Yao was already considering the fabric and color, saying as she walked, "I'll make you a light blue dress. Isn't light blue your favorite color? The fabric is the kind I saw at the market last time, the one with the subtle pattern—"

"Sister," Xiao Xiao said, her voice a little hoarse.

"Um?"

"It's nothing." Xiao Xiao turned her face away, pretending to look at the withered grass by the roadside. "Green is nice. I like green."

Cang Yao didn't notice her unusual behavior and continued walking forward, still pondering her next move.

Xiao Xiao followed behind, watching her sister's back as she walked and gestured to show off the style of her wedding dress.

Watching her count on her fingers who she would invite on her wedding day—Aunt Wang, Aunt Qin, Aunt Sun, the village chief, and Magistrate Liu.

She forcefully swallowed back the sour taste that rose to her throat.

Upon returning to the Dragon Court and passing through the barrier, the seawater automatically receded to make way for them.

Deep within the Hidden Abyss Pavilion, the door to the forbidden chamber had been opened, and the spirit-gathering array inside glowed with a ghostly blue light.

Cang Yao stood at the entrance of the forbidden room for a while, then looked back at Xiao Xiao.

"I'm going in."

Xiao Xiao stepped forward and took out a small cloth bag from her sleeve.

When you open it, you'll find a round pill inside, gleaming with a faint golden light.

"Sister, this is a Spirit Gathering Pill I found in the Qianyuan Pavilion's storeroom. It will be more effective if you take it before going in."

Cang Yao took the pill and examined it closely, asking, "Where did you get this?"

"I found it in the storeroom. It's just sitting there anyway, so I might as well give it to my sister." She spoke in a light voice, her lips curving slightly, before lowering her head and pretending to adjust her cuffs.

Cang Yao didn't think much of it.

She put the pill in her mouth, chewed it twice, swallowed it, waved to Xiaoxiao, and turned to walk into the forbidden room.

The stone door slowly closed behind her.

Xiao Xiao stood at the doorway, looking at the stone gate.

The forced smile on her face gradually disappeared. She squatted down, hugged her knees, and buried her face in her arms.

"I'm sorry, sister." Her voice was muffled in her knees, and her small shoulders trembled slightly.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them.

It was very light; stepping on the coral-paved corridor made almost no sound.

Xiao Xiao suddenly looked up and saw Ao Tianxin standing not far behind her.

She was dressed in plain white clothes and was looking down at Xiao Xiao, who was squatting at the door of the forbidden room.

Xiao Xiao quickly stood up and wiped her tears haphazardly with the back of her hand, but the tears kept flowing back out and she couldn't stop them.

"Teacher—I—I gave it to my sister—did I—?"

She spoke haltingly, and her voice broke at the end.

Ao Tianxin gently shook her head: "This is not your fault, it is Lin Chu's decision."

"But--"

"Even if you refuse, he will find another way, another opportunity, and he will definitely make Cang Yao take this pill." Ao Tianxin's voice was very calm, as if stating a fact that had been destined long ago. "You helped him and you also helped your sister. If she didn't take it, given her personality, if she realized something was wrong halfway through her breakthrough, she would definitely forcefully stop, and then it wouldn't just be her foundation that would be damaged."

Xiao Xiao lowered her head and didn't say a word, her tears falling onto the coral stones at her feet.

"So you didn't harm her, you saved her."

Xiao Xiao wiped her face vigorously with her sleeve, raised her head, and looked at Ao Tianxin with red eyes: "Sister and Brother Lin Chu—will we ever have a chance to meet again?"

Ao Tianxin looked at her.

Her bloodshot eyes were brimming with tears, but more than that, they held a look of expectation—like someone clutching at the last straw, waiting for someone to tell her that the straw wouldn't break.

Ao Tianxin reached out and gently placed her hand on the little head.

Her palms were warm, different from the way Lin Chu rubbed her hair, but equally reassuring.

Then she turned her head and looked at the forbidden room where Cang Yao was in seclusion.

Raise your right hand, spread your fingers slightly, pinch a few times, and then slowly lower it.

"We'll meet again."

His little eyes lit up.

"But—alas." Ao Tianxin's voice was very soft, so soft it was as if she were talking to herself, "It's fate, it's destiny."

Xiao Xiao tilted her head and looked at her, not quite understanding the meaning of the last sentence.

But upon hearing the words "we can meet again," the biggest weight in my heart was lifted.

She wiped away the last tear with the back of her hand and sniffed hard.

It's good to be able to meet, no matter how long it takes.

Ao Tianxin withdrew her gaze, took out a small cloth bag from her sleeve, and handed it to Xiao Xiao.

The bag wasn't big, but it was heavy.

"Here are Spirit Gathering Pills and a few auxiliary medicines for advancement. Your talent is not weak, but you are a bit playful on weekdays. From today onwards, cultivate diligently and stop being lazy."

Xiao Xiao took the cloth bag and nodded vigorously.

"Your sister has a long road ahead, and each step will be more difficult than the last," Ao Tianxin said, looking at her. "If you want to help her, first make yourself stronger."

"I will." The small voice still had a nasal tone, but the tone was firm. "I will definitely cultivate hard and help my sister in the future."

Ao Tianxin looked at her and nodded gently.

He then sighed, turned around, and disappeared into the depths of the corridor.

A tiny figure stood at the entrance to the forbidden room.

She tucked the small cloth bag into her bosom, placed it close to her heart, and then sat cross-legged at the entrance of the forbidden room.