"I'm sorry for your concern, Grand Tutor. Please tell Mu Zhi that I will not be leaving the palace, so she shouldn't worry too much," Xuan Ming suddenly said to the Grand Tutor's retreating figure.

The Grand Tutor stopped, but instead of turning around, he raised his hand slightly and waved it to indicate that he had heard Xuanming's words.

He then continued walking forward, his footsteps gradually fading into the distance until they disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Xuanming looked in the direction where the Grand Tutor had left, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

He knew that the Grand Tutor cared about and worried about him, but at this moment he could not give any more promises or guarantees.

He could only silently hope that Mu Zhi would understand his decision and believe that he would protect himself.

With the Grand Tutor gone, the palace returned to tranquility. Xuanming stood alone, his thoughts drifting far away.

A moment later.

"Why aren't you coming in? What are you standing there for?" Xuanming said expressionlessly.

He was already sitting at the table, reaching out to pick up a book that Mo Beichen had given him earlier, and continuing to read it.

The book looks a bit old, with the corners of the pages slightly curled up, clearly showing signs of being frequently read.

Shadow walked in quickly with his head down, then immediately knelt on the ground and whispered his apology, "Your Highness, I know I was wrong. Please punish me."

Xuanming sighed deeply, his tone tinged with helplessness and exhaustion: "Get up. How can I blame you? Do you expect me to blame you for stopping me from dying? Forget it, you were just doing your duty."

Shadow stood up and nodded respectfully, saying, "Thank you for your kindness in not blaming me, Your Highness."

Xuanming waved his hand, signaling him to step back, and instructed, "Alright, go and do as the Grand Tutor arranges."

The shadow nodded again, indicating it understood, and then made a gesture towards the shadows. Immediately afterward, two figures silently departed.

As the two auras disappeared, the room fell into a brief silence.

Xuanming silently looked at the book in his hands, his eyes revealing a deep sense of contemplation and worry.

After a while, Xuan Ming suddenly raised his head, his gaze fixed firmly on the rain outside the window. He took a deep breath and then slowly said, "Also, investigate the specific situation in the disaster area. I need to know every detail." His voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Upon hearing Xuanming's order, Shadow immediately replied respectfully, "Yes, Your subordinate will do it right away."

Sumeru Continent.

On the highest tower of the Sumeru Palace, stood two small figures.

One was wearing a small red cloak, and the other a small white cape. The two little creatures kept gazing into the distance, their eyes filled with unconcealed disappointment.

Looking at the snow-covered landscape in the distance, Mo Zhiyuan pitifully tugged at her brother's sleeve, "Brother, can't Father and Mother really come back to celebrate the New Year with us?" Her voice was choked with sobs, and her eyes were full of disappointment.

Mo Zhiyuan lowered her head and whispered, "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Why haven't Father and Mother come back yet? I miss them so much."

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a soliloquy.

The little girl's eyes reddened, like a little rabbit's, her big, bright eyes filled with a misty haze. She sniffed, trying hard not to let the tears fall, but she still couldn't help but sob.

"Little sister, Father and Mother must have been delayed by something. Perhaps they are preparing a New Year's gift for you?" the brother comforted her, gently patting Mo Zhiyuan's shoulder.

"I don't want gifts, I just want Father and Mother to come back." Mo Zhiyuan suddenly burst into tears, her tears sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the cold ground. She gripped her brother's hand tightly, as if only in this way could she feel at ease.

Mo Junye looked at his younger sister with heartache, knowing that she missed their parents very much.

Although he hoped his parents could return as soon as possible, he understood that some things were beyond his control.

"Alright, stop crying. When Father and Mother come back, they'll be heartbroken to see you crying so sadly," Mo Junye said gently, wiping away his sister's tears and trying to calm her down.

Mo Zhiyuan looked up at her brother, her eyes still filled with sorrow. But she knew he was right; she didn't want her parents to worry. So, she slowly stopped crying and silently gazed into the distance, praying for her parents' early return.

Mo Junye felt extremely distressed seeing his younger sister crying. He gently patted Mo Zhiyuan's shoulder to comfort her, saying, "Yuan'er, don't cry. Father and Mother will definitely come back. Even if they're not here, your brother is still with you."

Mo Zhiyuan looked up at her brother with teary eyes, "But, I still miss Father and Mother so much..."

Just then, a white dove flew over and landed on Mo Junye's shoulder. Mo Junye took the letter from the dove's leg, opened it, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

"Yuan'er, it's a letter from Uncle Xiao from Luoxia Land!" Mo Junye handed the letter to Mo Zhiyuan.

Mo Zhiyuan quickly wiped away her tears and took the letter to read it carefully.

Well, she still can't recognize all the characters on it.

Thinking this, the little boy pitifully clutched the letter, tilted his head slightly, and looked at his older brother with a wronged expression.

Mo Junye couldn't bear to see her looking so pitiful, so he immediately read the contents of the letter to her.

The letter stated that Xiao Jue had been delayed due to some miscellaneous matters in Luoxia Land, but he would return to the capital as soon as possible before New Year's Eve.

"Wow, Uncle Xiao even prepared a gift?"

"Yes, Uncle Xiao said he searched for this gift for a long time, and we will definitely like it."

They also prepared a special New Year's gift for them.

Mo Zhiyuan burst into laughter through her tears, her face beaming with joy: "That's wonderful! I've often heard my uncle mention Uncle Xiao, but I've never had the chance to meet him. It's just a bit of a shame, though, that Father and Mother can't come back this time."

Although their parents were not around, receiving Xiao Jue's letter significantly improved the mood of the brother and sister.

Mo Junye smiled and comforted her, "According to the description in the letter, you should be able to see Uncle Xiao tomorrow. Haven't you always wanted to learn the most powerful martial arts from Uncle Xiao? Now you finally have the chance." Hearing this, Mo Zhiyuan excitedly said, "Yes, I want to learn martial arts from Uncle Xiao! Brother, let's go back quickly, Sister Yuntao said that standing too high can easily cause a cold." After saying that, she tightly grasped her brother's hand and couldn't wait to walk towards the stairwell.

Seeing his younger sister's anxious look, Mo Junye couldn't help but chuckle and tease her, "Silly girl, that's called the loneliness of the top."

He let Mo Zhiyuan lead him forward.

My younger sister is obsessed with martial arts and follows her grandfather around like a little shadow all day, but she has no interest in studying. She's been trying to memorize the Three Character Classic for so long, but she's only learned the first six lines.