Having cultivated myself into an immortal, all I want to do is raise female disciples.

"I agreed... no, our relationship is purely platonic, not like we're old flames!"

"Really?" Yin Hanxue narrowed her eyes. "I don't remember our relationship being purely platonic?"

Ugh, here we go again.

Yunping realized that the originally docile cat Lin Yuan was about to transform into a fierce tiger and bite him.

"Hey, hey, hey, let's not talk about such messy and uncertain things at a time like this. Let's hurry up and think about how to get this girl out."

"Shouldn't you be the one to think about it?" Ye Yuchan rolled her eyes at him, then hugged Zhang Ruoxue beside her, "Just like when I kidnapped Ruoxue back then."

Zhang Ruoxue was taken aback, and then her pretty face turned red.

Ye Yuchan's words immediately reminded her of the scene when she met Yunping and the others. She hadn't even settled the score with that old rogue who had frozen her soul and taken the opportunity to touch her butt!

Before she finished speaking, Zhang Ruoxue's ashamed and indignant gaze swept over the crowd and glared at Yun Ping.

Well, a battleground is unavoidable.

Even the most seasoned rogue couldn't help but sigh and quickly changed the subject.

"That's not quite right. Taking Ruoxue away back then was purely an accident. Unlike now, this girl is as stubborn as an ox. Not only is she a bit self-righteous, but she also doesn't think about her master at all."

"If your favorite apprentice had stabbed you in the back so many times in front of you, she probably wouldn't have done such a stupid thing if she could have considered how you felt."

“That kind of pain can’t be covered up with just a few words of sympathy. Although we understand that she still can’t accept that her father poisoned her and plotted to kill her mother, that matter is in the past. The people who deserved to die are dead. We have to look forward and backward when we’re alive. If we fall into a pit one day, we can only blame ourselves.”

The old rogue's seemingly smug words actually contained a great deal of truth.

Yin Hanxuebing was well aware of these principles. She sighed and her stunningly beautiful face was filled with sorrow.

“Kui’er is a very strong-willed child. I’ve watched her grow up since she was little, and I know her personality and her stubbornness. She is just that kind of child, which is why I feel at ease entrusting her to Qingzhu. The Trial Brigade is the best place for her and the place where she can give full play to her talents.”

"To be honest, this is also my fault. If I had noticed Fan Dongyin's conspiracy sooner..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yunping interrupted Yin Hanxuebing.

"Don't say 'if only earlier,' or 'if only we had known earlier'—this kind of hindsight-based, unhelpful conclusion-based thinking—just tell us now, what are your thoughts?"

“My thoughts…” Yin Hanxue smiled bitterly, “What use are my thoughts anyway? I hope that Kui’er can get out of the shadows from now on and stop blaming herself. I hope that Kui’er can believe that I don’t blame her. I hope that Kui’er can live a good life. I hope that she will not owe me anything anymore.”

"She does owe you, and a lot of it."

Yunping's expression suddenly turned serious, and he stopped being so nonchalant. He straightened his back and stood up.

"She owes you far too much. Indeed, she could lock herself in this interrogation room until she dies. Once she dies, everything will be over, and all things will return to dust, people and things alike."

"But what she owes you will never disappear into nothingness. If the debt is not repaid, it can never be erased in this life or even in eternity. Locking yourself up until death is a cowardly act of escapism."

Yin Hanxue bit her lower lip tightly, staring at the young man in front of her in bewilderment, seemingly unable to understand why he would target Fan Luokui so much.

Perhaps it's true; he particularly disliked Fan Luokui's personality.

It makes sense. Fan Luokui's actions were indeed too naive and cowardly. Standing up and facing the situation was what she should have done.

But she chose to escape, in the most foolish way.

"But I don't want her to live her whole life burdened by the guilt she owes me... I don't want her to be like that."

"Excessive pampering can turn into spoiling."

Yun Ping released his hand from Lin Yuan's head, and then, under the little girl's puzzled gaze—

Boom!

He gave Lin Yuan a headshot.

"Ouch!"

Lin Yuan never expected Yun Ping to suddenly attack her. She crouched down, clutching her aching head, her big, bright eyes wide open, looking pitifully at Yun Ping.

She pouted, tears welling up in her eyes.

The adorable yet deadly charm of this head-covering, crouching defensive posture far surpasses that of a certain woman surnamed Ye!

Sure enough, elementary school students are the most...

Well, it's best to avoid saying that.

However, Lin Yuan's voice was already tinged with grievance and tears after being hit on the head by Yun Ping.

"Teacher...why are you hitting the kite?"

"It's just a small demonstration~" Seeing this, Yunping quickly squatted down and began to stroke Lin Yuan's head with a look of heartache. "I'm just demonstrating that I will only love our Yuan'er, not spoil her."

"Hmm...is that so? Is this demonstration important?" Feeling the warmth of Yun Ping's palm, Lin Yuan immediately calmed down, squinting her eyes to enjoy the caress. "If it's important, then Yuan'er won't be angry with Teacher anymore!"

“Of course it’s important.” Yunping’s eyes curved into crescents as he stroked Xiao Lin Yuan, but turned his head to Yin Hanxue Bing. “Spoiling and pampering are two completely different kinds of love. Perhaps this is your way of showing your affection for her, but excessive affection will only harm her.”

"So, Xiao Bing'er, your journey as a teacher is still very long~"

……

"Looks very... well."

Yin Hanxue shook her head and gave a self-deprecating bitter laugh, "Perhaps I'm just not suited to be a master."

"After all I've said, you should have some thoughts by now, right? And you've always harbored some kind of hope for that girl named Fan Luokui, haven't you?"

The young man spoke with such certainty, as if he was convinced that he would never make a mistake.

Those dark, gleaming eyes seemed to be filled with a wise light, and that black light pierced through Yin Hanxue's body, reaching straight into her soul.

Under Yun Ping's all-seeing gaze, Yin Hanxuebing spoke again.

"I have always hoped that the next palace master will be Kui'er."

"She has great talent and, although she is straightforward, she is very determined on the path of cultivation. Moreover, I really see the shadow of Xin Kui in her. Both of them, mother and daughter, are my favorite disciples and my most promising successors."

"I've thought a lot about Kui'er, searching for a lot of materials to help her improve her cultivation level, finding the best forging iron to create her own magical artifacts, guiding her through her doubts about cultivation techniques, and teaching her everything she can and wants to learn..."

“At first, I only wanted her to succeed as the palace master, but later, I grew to love the feeling of watching her grow step by step, so I think everything I gave was worthwhile.”

Having said that, Yin Hanxue took another deep breath to calm herself down.

She looked at Yunping, her tone pleading.

"So, if there's anything she truly owes me, it's only that initial hope—the hope of becoming the master of the Northern Ice Palace..."

"Perhaps I really spoiled them too much. As for the rest, I really don't think they owe me anything."

Yunping narrowed his eyes and asked solemnly.

"So, what she owes you is the position of the Palace Master of the Northern Ice Palace."

"Yes, if I had to say what she owes me, it would be this."

……

silence.

Endless silence.

Yunping remained silent, as did Yin Hanxuebing.

Everyone seemed to be waiting for something.

Ye Yuchan stared at Yun Ping's handsome face. At this moment, he was no longer joking around, but turned around with a serious expression.

Facing the door to the interrogation room.

Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he struck the gong.

dong dong dong.

There was no response from inside the door.

But the old rogue unconsciously put on a smile.

He took a deep breath and shouted.

"Did you all hear that? If you did, come out right now!"

Say goodbye to your second mother.

next moment.

bump!

The interrogation room door was suddenly kicked open.

Completely unable to control her emotions, the girl rushed towards Yin Hanxuebing, grabbed the woman who was standing there dumbfounded like everyone else, and cried out in heartbreaking sobs.

Eh?

"Wha...what's going on?!"

Ye Yuchan stared in shock at the semi-transparent barrier in front of the interrogation room door. "This... you old rogue, didn't you block out all the sound?!"

"Who would do something like that..."

Yun Ping looked at Fan Luo Kui, who was hugging Yin Han Xue Bing, with a smile on his face. His words just now were purely to lure out this girl.

If we follow the normal process of comforting her, who knows how long it will take to resolve this girl's inner conflict.

No matter what they say, Fan Luokui might think it's a pre-arranged script and that they're not being sincere, thus developing a distrust of Yunping and the others.

Only Yin Hanxuebing can untie the knot in Fan Luokui's heart.

The knot in my heart was caused by Yin Hanxuebing, and it must also be untied by Yin Hanxuebing.

When dealing with a girl like Fan Luokui, constantly comforting her with phrases like "It's okay, I don't care" or "It's alright, I don't blame you" is absolutely useless. You have to use some means to make her eliminate her guilt.

This method is that hope.

In fact, Yunping could sense that Fan Luokui was completely blown away after hearing Yin Hanxuebing's words, especially the line "The only thing you owe me is the position of Palace Master of the Northern Ice Palace."

In this way, Fan Luokui will move forward with the goal of repaying her debt, and all her guilt and self-blame will be transformed into motivation to move forward.

And now...

Looking at Fan Luo Kui, who was crying loudly in Yin Han Xue Bing's arms like a newborn baby, and at the tears that slightly glistened in the eyes of the ever-cold Twenty-One Extreme, Yun Ping's lips curled up slightly.

He looked down at Lin Yuan, who was still occasionally touching her head, and then looked up at the two female disciples who stood still, watching the scene of master and disciple embracing with satisfaction.

The old rogue smiled faintly.

"As expected... being a teacher is the best."