My little sect, which disappeared a thousand years ago, has become a sacred site!

Looking at her like this, Gu Changyuan's last bit of anger at her for recklessly burning her life vanished, leaving only boundless heartache and sorrow.

He didn't speak, but simply reached out and gently grasped Ye Qingxue's trembling, cold hand that was suspended in mid-air with his warm and strong palm.

The real, warm touch instantly spread throughout Ye Qingxue's entire body.

Her hand trembled suddenly, her fingertips instinctively curling up, only to be gently enveloped by that palm again.

Gu Changyuan saw that she was still somewhat dazed, with empty eyes, as if she had not yet recovered from the huge shock.

Without further hesitation, he gently pulled his apprentice, who was half a head shorter than him and appeared unusually thin and fragile, into his arms.

Ye Qingxue did not resist, nor did she make any unnecessary movements.

She let herself be enveloped by that familiar and reassuring aura, gently resting her forehead against Gu Changyuan's firm chest.

Her hands, which were initially slightly supporting her, seemed somewhat helpless, but soon, as if she had lost all her strength, they fell down and gently grasped the corner of Gu Changyuan's robe.

She seemed to want to say something, to express the thousand-year search and wait, to recount the despair and resolve she had just felt, and to ask where her master had been for the past thousand years, and whether he was well...

Countless words were stuck in his throat, but he couldn't utter a single one.

Only the slight trembling of her body betrayed the surging emotions within her that were almost overwhelming her.

Suddenly, a warm, broad hand, with familiar strength and warmth, gently landed on her head.

Just like countless times a thousand years ago, with comfort and encouragement, I gently stroked her hair, one stroke at a time.

Immediately afterwards, a voice, more mellow and gentler than she remembered, rang out above her head, clearly reaching her ears:

"Xue'er, you've done a great job. You've had a tough time all these years. I'm back. From now on, even if the sky falls, Master will be there to hold it up."

The voice was very soft, but it instantly opened the floodgates of emotions that had been sealed off in Ye Qingxue's heart for thousands of years.

"bite--"

Ye Qingxue felt as if something in her mind had snapped, or as if something had been taut and supporting her.

At this moment, I can finally relax peacefully.

All the strength, all the forbearance, all the pride, all the responsibility... crumbled in the face of that one "You're back".

Hot tears welled up in my eyes without warning.

At first, it was just a silent slide, with the shoulders trembling slightly.

But soon, the emotions that had been suppressed for too long could no longer be controlled.

She buried her face deeper into Gu Changyuan's chest, clutching his clothes tightly with both hands, and let out a sob, which then turned into an uncontrollable, loud cry.

She cried so hard her whole body trembled, and she was incoherent.

It was as if it wanted to release all the pressure of the past thousand years, all the aimless wandering, all the exhaustion from maintaining appearances, and all the fear of facing despair and death...

Everything was released.

Just like before, even if I was hurt, even if I was wronged, even if I was still young.

She never sheds a tear in front of her junior brothers and sisters, always maintaining the composure expected of a senior sister.

A person secretly hides in the bamboo forest behind the mountain, or curls up in a corner where no one notices, burying their face in their knees and crying softly and suppressedly.

And each time, it seemed that the master could always "just happen" to pass by, or "accidentally" discover her.

He didn't say many comforting words, but simply sat down beside her, gently put his arm around her shoulder, and let himself lean against his not-so-broad but unusually comforting embrace.

Gu Changyuan didn't speak, but quietly felt the trembling and release of his disciple in his arms, his right hand still gently stroking her hair.

While comforting Ye Qingxue, he turned his gaze to Yue Lingxi and Luo Qingchen behind him.

The two women had red eyes and tears streaming down their faces, their expressions a mixture of shock and joy, just like when they first met Bai Ling'er.

Gu Changyuan could clearly feel the longing in their eyes. If Ye Qingxue hadn't been holding him tightly and taking up all the space, they probably would have pounced on him like Bai Ling'er had.

If only his arms were longer... Gu Changyuan suddenly had this inopportune thought, so he could pull all three of them close at once and pat them on the head...

Immediately afterwards, he seemed to see a bizarre scene where his arms suddenly stretched out several meters long, encircling his three disciples like vines.

He was so shocked by his own imagination that his lips twitched, and he quickly shook his head to banish the strange image from his mind.

A streak of light descended, and Bai Ling'er arrived, carrying Gu Xing'er.

When she saw Ye Qingxue sobbing in her master's arms, she was first stunned, then her eyes quickly filled with tears, and an indescribable sense of longing and emotion welled up in her heart.

Since Master disappeared, I have never seen Senior Sister look like this.

If you were to ask why she had seen Ye Qingxue cry, it would be because Xiao Bai Ling'er was secretly watching from the side at that time.

Bai Ling'er suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, quickly walked to Yue Lingxi and Luo Qingchen's side, and asked softly:

"Lingxi, Qingchen, are you alright? How are your injuries?"

Yue Lingxi raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her voice still choked with sobs, and shook her head:

"Third Senior Sister, I'm fine. My soul was just slightly affected by the backlash from the formation, but it's nothing serious."

Luo Qingchen wiped away her tears, the weariness in her eyes lessening considerably, and a faint smile appeared on her face:

"Senior Sister Bai, I'm fine too."

Today, although the Celestial Sacred Land, the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, and the Heavenly Demon Sect are located in the human, demon, and monster realms respectively, they are already deeply bound together by their common master, Gu Changyuan.

The thirty founding disciples under Gu Changyuan have interacted frequently and fought side by side over the past thousand years, and are already as familiar with each other as brothers.

In terms of common titles, they do not distinguish between sects and arrange their fellow disciples and fellow disciples according to the general order in which Gu Changyuan accepted them.

Ye Qingxue did not let herself cry for too long.

A thousand years of trials have taught her to quickly control her emotions.

After the pent-up emotions were released, reason quickly returned.

She sniffed gently, stopping her tears, and slowly got up from Gu Changyuan's embrace.

Even though her eyes and nose were still red, and the tear stains on her face were still wet.

She stepped aside, glancing at Yue Lingxi and Luo Qingchen with a meaningful look.

Gu Changyuan understood her meaning. He kept his arms outstretched, looked at her gently, and softly called out:

"Lingxi, Qingchen."

Upon hearing that familiar yet unsettling call, Luo Qingchen took a small step back, clearly wanting Yue Lingxi to go first.

Yue Lingxi did not refuse. She quickly stepped forward and almost threw herself into Gu Changyuan's open arms, tightly wrapping her arms around her master's waist and burying her face in his shoulder.

Unlike Ye Qingxue, who needed to vent, she was more seeking confirmation and reassurance.

She quickly composed herself, released her grip, took a step back, looked up at Gu Changyuan with a tearful yet incredibly clear and reassuring smile, and then turned to give her seat to Luo Qingchen.

Seeing this, Luo Qingchen no longer hesitated.

She stepped forward and gave Gu Changyuan a brief, dependent hug as well.

She then released her grip, stepped aside, and looked relieved and joyful.

Now that Master has truly returned, there is still a long future ahead, and plenty of time for Master and disciple to spend together. There is no need to rush.

Just then, four auras of half-immortals kept approaching, seemingly attracted by the aura here.

When they arrived, Ye Qingxue and her group recognized the other party's identity. The four half-immortal city lords of the outer city and outer domain were all beings at or above the seventh level of half-immortal.