Xia Xiang gave a thumbs up and stuffed another piece of cake into her mouth.

"What about Jiu Wu? What about the Alliance Leader and Jiu Lai? Should we go check on them?" the Swift Walker asked again.

Xia Xiang lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "I'd better not go back for now."

She knew she couldn't run away, but she hadn't figured out how to resolve these issues yet.

"The Alliance Leader isn't feeling well. If possible, you should go see him. He misses you terribly," the Swiftwalker sighed.

“Then I’ll go,” Xia Xiang replied immediately, looking up.

Then, somewhat hesitantly, she asked, "Where's Jiuwu?"

"You don't want to see him, do you?" the Swift Walker asked with a gossipy look. "Is it because of what happened in the forbidden area of ​​Demon Island? Hahahaha—"

He was depressed for a long time after he came back.

"Of course, I'm afraid he'll laugh at me for not seeing through such a simple trick and even getting myself into trouble, so I don't dare see him," Xia Xiang admitted, her neck stiff.

"Don't worry, even if you wanted to see him, you couldn't. He's in seclusion and won't be out for a while," the Swift Walker said with a smile.

"Phew~ That's good too." Xia Xiang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't you want to know why he went into seclusion?" The Swift Walker stared intently at Xia Xiang, not wanting to miss a single expression on her face.

Xia Xiang didn't think there was anything more to her seclusion than met the eye, and casually replied, "It's just cultivation, what else could it be?"

"To escape an arranged marriage!" The Swift Walker laughed heartlessly. "I never thought I'd be able to hear such gossip after living for over two hundred years."

"What marriage alliance?" Xia Xiang also looked like she was watching the show, but her mood inexplicably sank a little, and an indescribable emotion was growing in her chest.

Time flies! Jiu Wu must be an adult this year...

"The Alliance Leader's health is deteriorating day by day, and he's worried that Jiu Wu won't be able to keep those old men in check. So he specially chose the only daughter of the Huyan Jue Luo family in this generation for Jiu Wu—Huyan Qing, the cool girl who fought with you when you were a kid but never actually fought, and who was later scolded by her own elders."

Xia Xiang frowned slightly. "How could such a spot have fallen to their family?"

The Huyan Jue Luo family has always been the most loyal to the Iron Union Alliance, so why would they need a marriage alliance? Could it be because of what happened back then?

"You're angry!?" The excitement in the eyes of the Swift Walker was almost uncontrollable. Let this battleground rage on!

"Why should I be angry? I was just ignorant when I was little." Xia Xiang was still embarrassed when her childhood embarrassing stories were brought up.

"However, I think the Alliance Leader's decision is correct, but the choice of partner may not be so appropriate. Of course, it's not that I think Sister Qingqing is bad, what I mean is that the Huyan Jue Luo family is already loyal to the Iron Union Alliance, so what is the need for a marriage alliance?"

"Who knows? But Jiuwu also said he doesn't like Huyan Qing's type." Shenxingzhe opened another bag of potato chips, his eyes sparkling as he stared at Xia Xiang. "Jiuwu said he likes girls who are proud and aloof, sometimes a little clingy, and lively and cute."

"Well, he has quite a few types he likes," Xia Xiang raised an eyebrow with interest.

"With his womanizing ways, he might not even live to the same age as the Alliance Leader. Master told him to be more chaste; health is the foundation of everything."

"..." Now it was the Swift Walker's turn to be speechless. Did she not understand? Or... was she pretending to be stupid?

Actually, it's good that she's like this; children shouldn't think about such complicated things.

"Master, it's getting late, I'm going to see Uncle Alliance Leader." Xia Xiang put down the small cake in her hand, took out a bag, and packed up all the snacks on the table. "I haven't seen Uncle Alliance Leader in a long time, I'll bring him some souvenirs."

The Wanderer: "You can't take everything with you, what will your master eat?"

"The whole shop is yours, take whatever you want," Xia Xiang snatched the half-eaten potato chips from Shenxingzhe's hand. "I'm leaving now, Master. Come back to see you sometime~ Bye-bye~"

——Jiu Da Chang Lao Jia——

"Cough cough cough," the alliance leader's hair was almost completely white, and with an IV drip in his hand, he was still dealing with the pile of documents on his desk. "Xiangxiang, you're back, why didn't you come in?"

Xia Xiang, who was hiding behind a pillar behind the screen, had no choice but to show herself after hearing these words.

"How did you know?" Xia Xiang was somewhat hesitant to meet the gaze of this kind elder.

"Haha, you little girl, your personality and appearance have changed drastically. This ladylike demeanor is quite unlike you." The leader put down his pen with some emotion.

“I didn’t tell you that when you’re around, the hidden injuries in my body caused by the depletion of energy will feel much better.”

"Haha, when we were kids, we played a game of guessing who I am, and because of that, I could always guess it was you."

Xia Xiang: Back then, I was the only little kid around you, and Jiu Lai wouldn't play with you. Who else could it be but me? Is it possible that I've grown up now?

"Not funny, right? I was just joking." The leader smiled kindly. "Senior Godwalker contacted me and said you were coming."

"Have you seen your family yet?" the leader asked again when she didn't answer.

Xia Xiang gently shook her head, "I have a mission in the Gold Dimension and can't go back yet. Besides, it's hard to explain my appearance."

"Xiangxiang, thank you." The leader's eyes were a little moist, like an ordinary elder. "Thank you for letting your uncle see how you've grown up. Your uncle can die without regrets."

"I feel really guilty all these years. It's all because I didn't protect you well that you've been separated from your family for so long."

Hearing this, Xia Xiang felt even worse. She thought her elders would be disappointed in her because she couldn't protect the Iron Dimension.

It turns out this was just wishful thinking on her part...