A full month had passed since Lin Xiao and the others had left.
At the Ye residence, the first snowfall had already fallen, marking the true start of winter.
Outside the window, the northern wind howled. Thick snowflakes fluttered down like feathers. Heaven Dou City lay cloaked in white, silver beneath the skies.
In the wind and snow… someone waited for a traveler's return.
Dugu Yan had been staying with Ye Lingling during this time. After school, with nothing better to do, they spent their days gazing out windows, counting stars and clouds—longing for Lin Xiao's return.
"Yan-jie, why hasn't Lin Xiao come back yet?"
"He's not back, so he's not back. What kind of question is that?"
"Yan-jie… do you think spirit defects can really be cured?"
"…I don't know."
"Yan-jie—mmph!"
Before Ye Lingling could say more, Dugu Yan reached out and squished her cheeks hard.
"Can you please act more like your school self and chill out for once?"
"You ask me, but who the hell do I ask!?"
"You're so annoying!"
Ye Lingling looked at her pitifully.
"…Okay. Then let me ask you something else."
"When you zone out all the time, what are you thinking about?"
Dugu Yan's forehead twitched with a vein of frustration.
"I'm thinking about your giant melon head!"
Ye Lingling was a study in contrast. At school she was the definition of "ice queen" from afar, and painfully shy up close. But in front of Dugu Yan, she was like a chatterbox aunt nagging non-stop!
Every word out of her mouth was reserved just for Dugu Yan!
"Lingling, if you keep this up, I swear—at school you'll eat lunch alone."
"Nooo, Yan-jie! Don't do this to me!"
Ye Lingling panicked.
Only at Dugu Yan's side did she feel safe. Eating alone was torture—it felt like the entire school was staring at her.
She'd rather die.
And what if some guy tried to talk to her!?
Without Yan-jie, she'd be defenseless!
"You say you're socially anxious," Dugu Yan said, rolling her eyes. "But weren't you pretty talkative when we first met Lin Xiao?"
"That's different. He's just a kid. And kinda cute, honestly. He looks more like a pretty little girl."
Ye Lingling mumbled the last part guiltily.
"If Lin Xiao heard that," Dugu Yan warned, "he'd probably fight you."
"Pfft, I didn't say it to his face!"
"And besides—they're all off traveling now. We're at my house. Even if I shouted it, who's gonna stop me? Hmph!"
Dugu Yan didn't bother responding.
"Unbelievable.
You're a timid little mouse, but you love acting like the big sister when Lin Xiao's around.
If not for me, you'd have slipped up a long time ago!"
Ye Lingling suddenly added, "Yan-jie, did you know? Lately, Lin Xiao's been getting letters from some girl. One after another. And each one is super detailed and thoughtful."
Dugu Yan froze slightly and turned back to look at her.
"There's a girl writing to Lin Xiao? But… isn't he an orphan?"
"Who knows. Maybe it's an old friend."
"How do you know it's a girl? Did you open one!?"
"Of course not! But they all smell faintly sweet. And the envelopes are pretty and elegant. Obviously not from a boy!"
"Yan-jie, do you think it's Lin Xiao's little girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend? At that age? No way!"
Dugu Yan scoffed, flustered.
Ye Lingling twirled her pale finger with a sly smile.
"That's where you're wrong. Lots of kids already understand love. Some even have boyfriends and girlfriends. Grown-ups think it's all just play, though."
"If they've known each other since young, you'd call that 'childhood sweethearts'!"
Dugu Yan's face turned a little red.
"…Does that mean we count as childhood friends?"
"Ew! Yan-jie, we're both girls, it doesn't count!"
They chatted away, still speculating about the mysterious girl sending letters to Lin Xiao.
What did she look like? How old was she?
Neither noticed the change outside the window.
Among the endless white of snow and frost, a bright streak of red appeared—vivid and brilliant, like an autumn maple set ablaze.
Ye Lingling caught it in the corner of her eye. She blinked, stunned, lips parted in silent awe.
Dugu Yan followed her gaze.
In the swirling snow, three figures approached—one tall, one mid-sized, one small—and among them, a head of fiery red maple hair burned brightly through the storm.
Inside the main hall.
Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan had just taken their celestial herbs.
Their spirits were undergoing evolution.
The room had grown warm.
Dugu Yan's toxin accumulation had never been severe, and Ye Qingxian had already proven that the Nine-Hearted Begonia's curse could be broken, so the atmosphere was relaxed.
Half an hour later—
Both girls completed their spirit evolution.
Dugu Yan's Emerald Phosphor Serpent now had a silver horn atop its head. Its body was more compact than Dugu Bo's Gold-Horned Jade Serpent Dragon, and a silver core had condensed within. Its venom wasn't as potent as Dugu Bo's, but it still had astonishing potential.
Ye Lingling's Nine-Hearted Begonia now mirrored Ye Qingxian's exactly.
Its healing strength had evolved completely.
Both girls were overwhelmed with joy.
"My spirit power reached level 30!"
"Mine too! I can still feel a ton of energy stored inside!"
Lin Xiao smiled calmly.
"Well? I didn't break my promise, did I?"
"I told you to wait for good news—didn't I come back with it?"
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling both rushed over.
They pounced on Lin Xiao's maple-colored hair and began ruffling it wildly.
"Little Lin Xiao, you really came through!"
"You're basically a lifesaver for both me and Yan-jie!"
Lin Xiao's face darkened.
He slapped their hands away.
"Don't call me 'Little Lin Xiao' anymore!"
"Then what should we call you?" Ye Lingling teased.
"…How about Little Little Lin Xiao?" Dugu Yan added, her cool face suddenly glowing with laughter.
"Call me Lin Xiao!" he huffed.
Behind him, one yellow and one purple spirit ring appeared.
"Or call me Lin Xiao-ge! From now on, I've got your backs!"
Wait... a millennium ring!?
Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan's jaws dropped.
His second spirit ring is a millennium ring!?
How was that even possible?
Lin Xiao didn't like to show off—except today. Watching the two girls' stunned expressions brought him a strange satisfaction.
"Told you. Call me 'Lin Xiao-ge' now,
and I'll take care of you both when I'm powerful.
Invest early, right?"
Just as he was bragging—
Two delicate hands grabbed his arms and legs.
"Lingling! This guy's too full of himself—let's toss him out and turn him into a snowman!"
"Agreed!"
The two girls dragged him out back and flung him into a snowbank.
He vanished from sight.
Both burst into laughter, giggling non-stop.
"BOOM!"
Suddenly, flames exploded from the snow pile.
Lin Xiao burst out holding two giant snowballs—one in each hand.
His throws were perfectly aimed, slamming into Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling's pretty, smug little faces.
"Oh, it's on, Lin Xiao!"
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling charged the yard, grabbing snow by the handful to launch a counterattack.
Chaos ensued.
In the warmth of the inner house, Ye Qingxian and Dugu Bo listened to the laughter from the back courtyard.
Both wore subtle, quiet smiles.
"Hahaha, let the kids play," Dugu Bo chuckled. "I'm too old for that."
"Senior Poison Douluo, you're always welcome here," said Ye Qingxian. "Let Yan Yan stay a few more days. It's no trouble at all."
"You're too kind, Master Ye…"