Chapter 233: Xihe Emerges from Seclusion

"Mother……"

Outside the Star Palace, Daoist Lu Ya had long received no reply from Xihe, still calling out "Mother" over and over, trying to awaken a hint of maternal love.

However, Xihe's maternal love was now almost completely filled by Huo Ling'er, so how could she have any mind to care for that foolish son outside?

"Mother, is that older brother outside? Or should we help him?"

At this moment, Huo Ling'er said, "If Mother doesn't help older brother, he'll be too pitiful!"

"My Huo Ling'er, you're so good!"

Xihe gently snuggled with Huo Ling'er.

Sometimes, fearing comparison, compared to this thoughtful little cotton-padded jacket in her arms, that foolish son outside really ought to be thrown away.

"But since Mother's little treasure has said that, let's go help that foolish child!"

Xihe said while holding Huo Ling'er, and with a wave of her hand opened the dust‑sealed gate of the Sun Star Palace that had been closed for a long time.

"Mother has left seclusion!"

Outside the gate, Daoist Lu Ya, who had been bitterly pleading, momentarily had tears welling up in his eyes.

"Mother still loves me; she can't bear to see me being bullied, she……"

However, Daoist Lu Ya hadn't been moved for long when his eyes suddenly widened, staring in disbelief at the baby in his mother's arms.

"Mother, she is……"

Although he had doubts in his heart, Daoist Lu Ya still couldn't help asking.

But before he could utter the question, Huo Ling'er's cry of "Brother" completely broke Daoist Lu Ya.

My mother, did she give birth to a younger sister for me?

The key is, who is this child's father?

It absolutely couldn't be my father, after all, this younger sister was just born not long ago, while my father has been dead for who knows how many years.

"Mother, you actually had a child with someone else!"

Daoist Lu Ya was completely dumbfounded.

"Hmph!"

Looking at her foolish son's dazed appearance, Xihe, who already had some dissatisfaction with him, couldn't help but let out a cold snort and said, "This is your younger sister Huo Ling'er; your younger sister calls you brother, yet you, as a brother, have no response at all—how rude you are!"

Feeling his mother's icy gaze, Daoist Lu Ya's heart trembled, and he hastily called out, "Ling'er younger sister!"

"Just that?"

Xihe grew even more dissatisfied, saying, "As an older brother, you don't even have a meeting gift—isn't that a bit too much?"

Upon hearing this, Daoist Lu Ya blinked slightly, his heart full of grievance.

I hadn't prepared in advance, after all, how could he know that he would suddenly have a younger sister?

But in order to appease his mother's displeasure right now, Daoist Lu Ya, with a pained expression, took out a date wrapped in flames.

"Ling'er younger sister, this is a fire date I found in the Chaos Sea; it has remarkable effects for cultivating fire‑attribute techniques—you definitely……"

Daoist Lu Ya was still explaining when Huo Ling'er snatched the fire date, stuffed it into her mouth, and began to chew.

"Thank you, older brother!"

Huo Ling'er chewed while giving Daoist Lu Ya a sweet smile.

Seeing this, the words on Daoist Lu Ya's lips were swallowed back down.

He wanted to say that this fire date needs to be combined with several special spiritual substances to unleash its maximum effect.

But now Huo Ling'er has eaten it raw, so what's the use of saying more?

"Ling'er, eat slowly, don't choke yourself!"

Xihe, holding Huo Ling'er, spoke gently.

"I know, Mother!"

Huo Ling'er replied.

Beside them, Daoist Lu Ya could hardly believe his ears.

After all, in his impression his father was stern and his mother strict, yet he never knew his mother also had such a gentle side.

"Let's go, why are you still standing there dazed?"

Suddenly, Xihe's impatient voice reached Daoist Lu Ya's ears.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Lu Ya reacted and hurriedly followed.

"Huh?"

At the same moment, the Tai Bai Golden Star on duty seemed to sense something and suddenly widened his eyes.

"The Sun Star Lord has actually emerged from seclusion!"

Stroking the beard on his chin, the Tai Bai Golden Star's eyes flashed with a thoughtful hue.

Immediately afterward, spiritual light flickered around him, and he transformed into a maiden's form, flying outward beyond the heavenly realm.

And when passing the Southern Heaven Gate, the guards stationed there immediately stepped forward to block him.

"Who goes there? His Majesty the Heavenly Sovereign has ordered that immortals must not descend to the lower realm without permission—please halt!"

Because of the incident involving the Yunhua Fairy and Princess Longji, the Heavenly Emperor has now imposed stricter bans on heavenly maidens, so these heavenly guards dare not be negligent.

However, the heavenly guard who had just spoken was promptly kicked hard in the rear by the captain of the heavenly soldiers.

"You're blind—you don't even recognize Elder Tai Bai Golden Star!"

The captain of the heavenly soldiers cursed, then put on a fawning smile toward the white‑clad maiden before him and said, "Elder Tai Bai, is there another assignment?"

"Yes, indeed there is a matter that requires a trip to the lower realm; do I still need to complete any formalities?"

The white‑clad maiden smiled faintly.

Upon hearing this, the captain of the heavenly soldiers' face tightened, and he said, "If it were anyone else, it would naturally be required, but Elder Tai Bai is His Majesty's envoy—how dare we look at you? Please, go ahead!"

Speaking, the captain of the heavenly soldiers made a 'please' gesture.

In an instant, a unit of heavenly soldiers immediately saluted, sending Taibai Jinxing down to the lower realm.

After Taibai Jinxing left, the heavenly soldier who had been kicked over and fallen to the ground stood up with a look of grievance.

You should know, in the lower realm he had once been a figure who had achieved the Dao and become an ancestor of a region; who would have thought that after cultivating for thousands of years and ascending to become an immortal, he would end up as a gatekeeper grunt?

Nowadays, he even has to endure such bullying—how can he bear it?

It's a pity that this heavenly soldier, who had once been a regional ancestor, merely felt a flash of anger in his heart, then immediately put on a fawning look toward his own captain.

"Captain, was that just now really Taibai Jinxing, the venerable lady? I clearly remember that Lord Taibai Jinxing is a kind-eyed and kind-faced old person—how..."

The heavenly soldier did not continue with what he was about to say.

After all, after ascending to the heavenly realm, this heavenly soldier learned a lesson: in the heavenly realm, one must never speak recklessly, otherwise offending someone of great stature whom one must not offend will lead to bitter consequences.

As for Taibai Jinxing, rumored to be an old man, he has now turned into a beautiful female immortal—no one knows what happened in between.

If it is some information that one ought not to inquire into, and if one speaks wrongly again, it might not just be a matter of a kick.

"Ah, Xiao Zhang, you've only ascended to the heavenly realm a few hundred years ago; it's not your fault for not knowing some things!"

The captain of the heavenly soldiers, speaking earnestly, patted the shoulder of the heavenly soldier surnamed Zhang and said.