Threads Chapter 453-Shell 1

Regretfully, they did not catch Gan Guangli and Su Ling in any kind of compromising position. When they emerged from the Cathedral, Su Ling’s ears were puffed straight up, and her tails flicked rapidly. She was clearly on edge with nerves. In contrast, Gan Guangli sat serenely by the lunar siphon.

“She’s been like that since we called in the change to the siphon, hasn’t she?” Ling Qi accused.

Su Ling stiffened, and her left ear flicked furiously. “Course I did. I know how things get with you, Ling Qi!”

Suyin, who had climbed down from Xinghong’s arms, much to his disappointment, returned him to storage. “Come now, Su Ling. We both know it is only when your luck and hers combine that things go mad.”

“She’s not wrong.” Sixiang drawled.

Yuck. Bathtime now.

Qiyi had been downright sullen after she’d unwound herself and they’d left the muck.

Thankfully, neither of her friends chose that moment to look at her. Instead, it was Gan Guangli who found himself under their twinned gazes.

He coughed into his fist. “I have no experience with the question!”

“You’re coming with me next time,” Su Ling demanded. “Getcha all the experience you need.”

“Who says there’s going to be a next time?” Ling Qi wondered.

Su Ling scoffed.

That was fair. It might be a while, but she didn’t doubt they’d venture out again as a group.

“I will prepare myself for tribulation,” Gan Guangli vowed.

“You’d better,” Su Ling said darkly. She scrubbed a hand through her hair. “So, did everything work out down there? Can see you’re not hurt, and nothing’s exploded, but…”

“The underworld breach is sealed off.”

“And I’ve reached an accord with the spirit of the site,” Ling Qi followed up. “We’ll be building a shrine here at the entrance of the cave, but access will be restricted to the inside. Myself and one other person. In exchange for some as yet defined maintenance, we’ll be granted some access to the crystal on the upper layers.”

“Most excellent!” Gan Guangli praised. “Shall I begin removing the siphon?”

“Please do.” Suyin put a hand to her temple. “I would like to return to Shenglu soon. This expedition has been a bit too much exercise for me.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Ling Qi demurred. “I think it’s just the right amount.”

“Hush, you. My physical cultivation is fine.”

Su Ling smirked. “Cause I’ve kept on you about it.”

“Thank you, Su Ling,” Suyin said dutifully.

“Someone’s gotta drag her out into the sun once in a while,” Sixiang teased. “Girl’s gonna go translucent.”

“I am sure Ms. Li has a fine cultivation regime!” Gan Guangli piled on.

Li Suyin crossed her arms, unamused. “Enough of that. Gather the siphon. I will be getting a footbath before dawn.”

Bath. NOW.

***

Ling Qi was sad to see Su Ling and Li Suyin go, but they had their own lives and their homes and projects to get back to, and she wouldn’t deny them that. So, she had bid them farewell with a smile as the sun dawned the next day, and turned her attention back to her duties at Shenglu.

After making her report to Cai Renxiang, of course. She had to let her liege know they were sitting on something ancient beyond words. She might have been losing her touch at surprising her liege though. Either that or Renxiang was becoming inoculated against her tales.

Regardless, she now had a writ to cover the cost of a simple barrier over the cave entrance and a minor outpost for long ranging patrols. She’d probably be overseeing that for the rest of the week.

“Haha! Indeed, Miss Biyu, I AM very tall!”

As a result of both of them lingering to report to Renxiang, Gan Guangli had finally met her family. Honestly, Biyu hadn’t looked so starry-eyed since she had flown the girl up to the room of their old house.

Her little sister was up against the railing dividing the outer walkway from the training yard, hands on the rail and stretched up onto her tiptoes to peer over, wide-eyed and gleeful. Mother was behind her, still lingering near the doors inside.

Since they had only been lightly sparring, Gan Guangli was only some five meters tall.

“Can I go up?” Biyu pleaded.

What was this? Ling Qi was right here! She hovered at the same height as Guangli’s head, and her hair was fanned out and sparkling under the light of the early morning sun in the way that usually made her little sister’s eyes sparkle.

“Oh, no,” Sixiang deadpanned. “Little sis is cheating on Big Sis.”

“Ah, Biyu, you should not pester Lord Gan and your elder sister,” Mother scolded. “I am certain they are busy.”

“Awwww.”

“If Madam Ling is not against it, we were just wrapping our spar up,” Gan Guangli offered.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Ling Qi nodded grudgingly.

Her mother sighed and rubbed her forehead. Ling Qi could see she wasn’t really worried about Biyu; by this point, her mother understood how difficult it was for them to be harmed while Ling Qi was nearby. Biyu crashing head over heels down the stairs while running in the halls had just left her crying in confusion. It hadn’t made her mother’s scolding any less severe though.

“Very well, if Lord Gan will allow it,” Ling Qingge relented.

“Haha, of course!” Gan Guangli crouched down and held out his open palms like a platform.

Biyu leapt on them and giggled with delight as Gan Guangli made a show of slowly standing up, raising her higher and higher into the air. Biyu turned a bright smile to her, waving furiously. “Hi, Sis! I can fly, too! See?”

“Of course you can,” Ling Qi agreed.