Letter from Linchuan!
These four words brought an expression of excitement to Mu Qingge’s eyes. She raised her hand and grabbed the light ball the size of a longan, her five fingers tightly clasping it, concealing its radiance.
Then, she swept a cool gaze around, seeing that everyone was still asleep and hadn’t been disturbed.
She and Si Mo turned and left the camp, heading to a secluded place.
After walking a distance and confirming there was no one around, Mu Qingge finally released her tightly clenched hand, letting the light ball fly out. The light ball didn’t fly far but hovered in front of Mu Qingge.
Shortly after, the light ball flickered and transformed into a glowing human figure, appearing before her.
Fixing her gaze on that vivid yet ethereal figure, Mu Qingge’s eyes suddenly shrank, and she cried out involuntarily, "Grandpa!"
The figure before her was none other than Mu Xiong, who was far away in the Mu Mansion of the Linchuan Qin Country.
"Ge’er, have you missed Grandpa?" The ethereal figure suddenly spoke, as if he could see Mu Qingge standing in front of him.
"Qingge has missed Grandpa." Mu Qingge murmured.
When not seen, perhaps one doesn’t feel the longing.
But now, ’Mu Xiong’ was vividly standing before her, and she felt she missed home.
Scenes belonging to Linchuan, belonging to Qin Country, belonging to family and friends kept flashing through her mind.
"Ge’er, you’ve worked hard." ’Mu Xiong’ sighed with emotion. His little granddaughter left her hometown, ventured far away from family, and he could no longer protect her as he once did, something that weighed heavily on Mu Xiong’s heart.
"Ge’er, sometimes Grandpa thinks, knowing you’d face such hardship and bear so much responsibility, I’d rather exhaust this old body to raise you into a true prodigal, living a peaceful and simple life." ’Mu Xiong’ lamented.
This wasn’t empty talk, but the truth.
When Mu Qingge was not yet Mu Qingge, he had already prepared every backup plan for this sole ’grandchild’. Even if it meant sacrificing the entire Mu Family, he would ensure her safety.
If Mu Xiong’s care for her wasn’t genuine, it wouldn’t earn Mu Qingge’s true affections in return.
’Mu Xiong’s’ words brought tears and laughter to Mu Qingge. Knowing Mu Xiong couldn’t hear her, she still softly said, "The path this granddaughter chose, no matter how bitter or difficult, I must continue. Even if Grandpa is willing to let me be a prodigal, I am not willing myself."
’Mu Xiong’ took a deep breath, a hint of excitement in his expression. Mu Qingge even saw his hand, hidden in his sleeve, trembling slightly: "Ge’er, I received your communication talisman. After receiving it, I couldn’t calm down for several days. Liancheng’s death, after so many years, I’ve long let go. When you see your mother, tell her for me, nineteen years have passed, it’s time to let go. The departed are gone, she shouldn’t be too attached and must take care of her health. The dead cannot be revived, and Grandpa hopes that your father’s matter won’t cause anyone else harm, especially you. Additionally, tell her I know her leaving was not intentional, so I don’t blame her. Besides, she gave birth to you, this treasure for our Mu Family, which alone makes her a great benefactor to us. And..."
’Mu Xiong’ pursed his lips and fell silent.
It seemed his emotions were too intense, making it difficult for him to speak, forcing him to stop and calm himself before continuing.
Mu Xiong’s words brought a tinge of bitterness and warmth to Mu Qingge’s heart. She couldn’t match the old man’s tolerance and generosity. The broken Mu Family over the years was supported by his relentless effort.
Let’s not forget, back then, Mu Xiong also experienced the pain of losing his wife and sons. And it wasn’t just one son; he lost two, leaving only a daughter.
For Mu Lianrong, she lost not only her mother but also her idolized elder brother and her twin second brother.
It can be said that the three left at Linchuan Mu Mansion leaned on each other, bore the pain, and walked through it with strength.
"...Our Ge’er is also a sister now. Your aunt has given you a younger brother, a precious one with a big temper. When you return, you must properly discipline him. Did you know, when your cousin gets into trouble, your aunt can’t bear to scold him and uses you to frighten him, making him fear you since childhood. Oh, by the way, your cousin’s name is Xue Qingxiang." ’Mu Xiong’ spoke again, this time about the aunt’s family matters.
Mu Qingge let out a ’pfft’ of laughter, feeling somewhat helpless.
Unexpectedly, she had the potential to be a ’big bad wolf grandmother’, all thanks to her good aunt!
Her illustrious image, perhaps, had already been demonized in her little cousin’s young mind.
"Xue Qingxiang, it’s quite a nice name." Mu Qingge murmured.
She felt that Grandpa initially wanted to talk about her twin siblings but ended up introducing her cousin instead.
’Mu Xiong’ paused again. After a while, he continued, "Oh, Ge’er. Your friends came to the Mu Mansion not long ago to see this old man. They said they’re heading to the Middle Ancient Realm to find you and came to see me on your behalf. They’re thoughtful indeed."
Friends!
Mu Qingge’s heart stirred, and she immediately thought of Mei Zizhong, Zhao Nanxing, Shang Zisu, and Zhu Ling. Back at the Medicine Tower Branch, they had promised to travel the world together and leave Linchuan together.
Now, she had come a step earlier. Were they ready to come find her?
The thought of soon reuniting with her old friends added a touch of expectation in Mu Qingge’s heart.
’Mu Xiong’ continued speaking about Linchuan, Qin Country, the Mu Mansion, and Shao Fatty... Shao Fatty, surprisingly, got married to a lady from a prestigious family in Luodu. This was beyond Mu Qingge’s expectations.
She was somewhat curious about what kind of woman could hold onto Shao Fatty’s wandering heart, making him give up the flowers and grass outside.
In the end, ’Mu Xiong’ ran out of things to say and asked tremblingly, "Ge’er, how are your younger siblings? Do they look more like your father or your mother? Alas, I’m so confused. When your parents left, you were just a child, how could you remember their appearances? Ge’er, they are the flesh and blood of the Mu Family, your little siblings. As their elder sister, you must keep them in line, don’t let them disgrace the Mu Family. If necessary, you can scold or beat them without hesitation; grandpa will back you up. If there’s a chance... if there’s a chance, let them come back to Linchuan to see me, their grandpa."
"Ge’er, grandpa knows you’re upset. But let it go, our Mu Family members are not narrow-minded. No matter what, she is your mother. If you can’t get over it, at worst, I’ll scold her harshly on your behalf when I see her. Grandpa also knows you’re a child with your own ideas; I won’t interfere with you. You can do as you please, grandpa just hopes you won’t feel wronged or hurt yourself," Mu Xiong gently advised.
He seemed lost in memories, murmuring, "I still remember when you were only a few years old, waking up from a dream at night, holding your aunt, crying and calling for your mother..."
’Mu Xiong’ gradually faded, turning into a dim light, disappearing into nothingness.
Mu Qingge stood in place, knowing the Communication Talisman’s effect had ended.
’Grandpa, she’s your true granddaughter, not me.’ Mu Qingge silently responded to Mu Xiong’s last words in her heart.
Mu Xiong’s intention was clear to her.
Sang Xuewu and Sang Yichen were of Mu family blood; no matter what, they must acknowledge their heritage and become Mu Xuewu and Mu Yichen.
As for Sang Lanruo, Mu Xiong didn’t blame her, nor did he mind whether Mu Liancheng could be revived. After all, in his heart, that proud son of his had been dead for nineteen years.
Revival from death is too vague, even though he hoped for his son’s return, he knew the cost was high. If it meant the living had to lose something to bring back the dead, he’d rather give up such hope.
His words were meant for Sang Lanruo, as well as Mu Qingge.
Now, Mu Qingge was the person he cherished most. He didn’t wish for Mu Qingge to be harmed or put herself in danger because of this.
Even though Mu Xiong didn’t explicitly say it, Mu Qingge could sense his meaning.
Whether Mu Qingge forgave Sang Lanruo or accepted this mother, he wouldn’t interfere. Just advising Mu Qingge that she had yearned for a mother since childhood, not to let resentment make her miss the chance.
So Mu Qingge replied in her heart, she wasn’t the Mu Qingge who cried for her mother.
If she were the real Mu Qingge, she might forgive her mother after resenting her, yearning for the motherly love she lacked from childhood.
However, she was just a soul from another world that took her place.
She had no expectations or attachments towards Sang Lanruo.
"Xiao Ge’er, are you okay?" Mu Qingge’s silence made Si Mo somewhat worried.
Mu Qingge raised her eyes to look at him, saying with an odd expression, "You never told me the Communication Talisman conveys messages this way."
"..." Si Mo was at a loss for words. Was this the point?
Mu Qingge approached him, gritting her teeth and saying, "I remember when I sent the message to grandpa, I had just bathed, hair loose, and you were just as scantily clad sitting beside me."
Damn it! Although they got intimate that night, when the message was sent, she was still an untouched maiden.
If grandpa saw the image at that time, what would he think?
"Xiao Ge’er..." Si Mo blinked, feeling somewhat wronged.
Mu Qingge’s eyes widened, and a murderous intent appeared in her gaze.
"Xiao Ge’er, rest assured, our affair is already well-known in Linchuan, no one will laugh at you," Si Mo’s explanation was worse than no explanation.
Mu Qingge’s mouth twitched hard, and she punched Si Mo in the eye socket.
Si Mo didn’t dodge, enduring the punch head-on.
"Hmph." Mu Qingge turned and left proudly, no longer paying any attention to this cunning man.
...
Early the next morning, Mu Qingge called Sang Xuewu and Sang Yichen aside.
"I hope you can return to Linchuan once." Her words were non-negotiable, unlike Mu Xiong who gave people choices.
Since she could make it to the Middle Ancient Realm, what difficulty could there be for the two of them to head to Linchuan?
Sang Xuewu and Sang Yichen were quite startled by these words.
They exchanged glances, then both looked at Mu Qingge simultaneously.
Mu Qingge turned to face them and said unarguably, "One year, I’ll give you one year. No matter what means you use, return to the Mu Mansion in Linchuan to meet Grandfather. Also, you must change your surname to your father’s surname. Before I left Linchuan, Grandfather had already passed the position of Family Head to me. If you meet my requirements, I will permit you to be included in the Mu Family Tree. If you cannot, you will have no further ties with the Mu Family."
This was a command, not a negotiation.
Mu Qingge had always been tough, she could see that these two had the Mu Family in their hearts, so she gave this opportunity. If they regarded themselves only as people of the Sang Family, she wouldn’t even mention these two to Mu Xiong, to spare him disappointment.
"Eldest Sister, have you already contacted Grandfather? Can you let us speak a few words with him too?" Sang Xuewu immediately understood.
This reminder made Sang Yichen excited as well.
If Mu Qingge, this elder sister, had become his new idol, then Mu Xiong had always been a grand, heroic figure in his childhood memories, built up by his mother’s words.
For this loyal and courageous battlefield hero, Sang Yichen had always been very proud, taking pride in being his grandson.
Mu Qingge remained calm, and amidst their excited expressions, she said indifferently, "Meet my requirements, and you’ll naturally see him."
"But, but the teleportation array passed down by the Sang Family is already damaged and cannot be used anymore. The elders in the family wouldn’t open the passage to Linchuan for us. How do we get back?" Sang Yichen anxiously said.
Mu Qingge’s eyes flashed as she directed her gaze towards Sang Yichen.
His words caught her attention.
"Are you unaware of the Bitter Sea and the Wandering Soul Desert?" Mu Qingge squinted her eyes and asked.
Sang Xuewu and Sang Yichen exchanged a glance and shook their heads at Mu Qingge.
Mu Qingge lightly frowned, pursed her lips, and remained silent.
The Bitter Sea and Wandering Soul Desert connected to the Middle Ancient Realm; this was something known to anyone with some experience in Linchuan. Why, in the Middle Ancient Realm, did Sang Xuewu and Sang Yichen react as if they’d never heard of it?
’Little Ge’er, the spiritual pressure from Linchuan to the Middle Ancient Realm and vice versa is different. Although people from the Middle Ancient Realm can use this passage to enter Linchuan, most people won’t choose this arduous method. Teleportation arrays or temporarily opened passages are the usual methods for the Middle Ancient Realm to reach Linchuan,’ Si Mo’s voice echoed in Mu Qingge’s mind.
’I see!’ Mu Qingge roughly understood.
Perhaps the difficulty of traveling from the Middle Ancient Realm to Linchuan is several times greater. According to the common knowledge of people in the Middle Ancient Realm, it seems not worth spending so much effort and time to reach a barren place.
Thus, this method was gradually abandoned and not known to later generations.
"To reach the Linchuan Realm, you don’t necessarily need to seek help from others," Mu Qingge said to the two.
Seeing their serious expressions, Mu Qingge continued, "At the southernmost point of the Southern Continent, there is a sea. By crossing that sea, you can reach the Ancient Witch Country in the Linchuan Realm."
This was the route she had taken, and it was the safest route.
The tribes over the Bitter Sea, the Sea Demons, had connections with her. As long as they had her token, it should be easy to pass through the sea, as long as they guarded against attacks from spirit beasts in the sea.
Moreover, considering the strength of people from the Middle Ancient Realm, dealing with those sea spirit beasts should be more than sufficient.
Once they entered the Ancient Witch Country, no unexpected incidents would occur. Finding Jiang Li would naturally ensure their safe passage to the Mu Mansion in Qin Country.
This was the safest route, costing only time and determination.
If they didn’t possess this bit of determination and courage, how could they talk about returning to the Mu Family?
"Really?! That’s great! I thought we needed to find a teleportation array to enter the Middle Ancient Realm." Sang Yichen immediately exclaimed excitedly.
Sang Xuewu also showed a beautiful smile and said to Mu Qingge, "Big Sister, since there is a route, we can walk back. After things here are settled, we will return to Fusha City to see Mother, explain everything to her, and then set off for Linchuan immediately."
"When we leave, we will also ask our grandfather to change our surname back to Mu. From now on, I will be Mu Yichen!" Sang Yichen immediately added.
"Grandfather?" Mu Qingge squinted her eyes slightly.
Sang Yichen nodded and said, "Yes, our grandfather is also your grandfather, the current Family Head of the Sang Family."
So Sang Lanruo was the daughter of the Sang Family Clan Leader, no wonder the Sang Family went through so much effort to find her and bring her back to the family.
Mu Qingge understood a little more in her heart.
"Originally, I only planned to give you a year, but according to the route I mentioned, from leaving the Southern Continent’s coast to reaching the Ancient Witch Country in Linchuan, it would take almost a year. Therefore, I will extend it by another six months. Six months is enough for you to reach Qin Country’s Mu Mansion from the Ancient Witch Country," Mu Qingge said to the two.
She insisted on them returning to Linchuan just because of a sentence in the message from Grandfather, hoping that these two grandchildren whom he had never met could go back to the Mu Mansion in Linchuan to acknowledge their ancestors.
Thus, she set this as a condition.
If they accomplished this, she would acknowledge these siblings.
Although there was no childhood bond, with the recognition of this title, she would bear the responsibility of being the eldest sister.
If they failed, then Sang Xuewu and Sang Yichen should stop pursuing her. The best would be for everyone to part ways like strangers.
...
After giving instructions, Mu Qingge ordered to set off for the Dark Abyss Pond.
This time, however, Mu Qingge didn’t let others accompany her but instructed them to meet up with Mo Yang’s group. Only she and Si Mo proceeded to the Dark Abyss Pond.
"The cultivation of the Two-headed Bone Flood Dragon has reached the Golden Realm Third Layer. Be careful during the battle," Si Mo reminded on the way.
Mu Qingge was taken aback for a moment, then replied with a confident smile, "I like challenges, you know that, Si Mo."
Si Mo paused, then smiled gently and said, "Qingge, I like that about you."
With a beautiful smile, Mu Qingge lifted her head and said, "Hmm. I don’t want to lose my fighting spirit."
Si Mo chuckled softly, not offering any further explanation for his earlier statement as they continued their journey.
Her whole expression more relaxed than before, Mu Qingge said, "If you enter first and create a disturbance in the pond, it will appear. Once you enter the Ancient Witch Country, there will be no accidents, and you will easily find Jiang Li, who can safely bring you back to the Mu Mansion in the Qin Country."
This is the safest route; all it requires is time and determination.
If they lack even this much determination and courage, talking about returning to the Mu Family is futile.
"Is it really true?! This is wonderful!" Sang Xuewu exclaimed happily.
"Since there’s a way, we’ll find it and return. Once things are settled here, we’ll ask our grandfather to change our last name to Mu. Then I will be Mu Yichen!" Sang Yichen declared.
With that, Mu Qingge smiled beautifully, her expression one of encouragement and pride.
She knew that someday they would succeed, they just needed time and determination.
With her mind set, she ordered to head towards the Dark Abyss Pond.
But before they set off, Mu Qingge quietly whispered to Si Mo, who was standing next to her, "You take the lead and stir up the water in the pond, it will appear. As soon as it appears, we’ll take action."

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