CH 13

“Master?”

On the bed, the figure wrapped in blankets trembled as Zhou Xuanlan called out. He reached out his hand to lift the covers and said, “Don’t come closer.”

A muffled voice came from under the blanket, sounding somewhat hoarse and with a soft nasal tone that indicated just waking up.

It sounded as if someone had been bullied.

Zhou Xuanlan quickly withdrew his hand, remaining silent for a moment. Then he said, “Master, please extend your hand.”

After a while, a hand as white as jade emerged from the covers. The wrist turned, and the five fingers lightly waved in the air. “You go out first.”

Not wanting to face his disciple, Shen Liuxiang buried himself in the blanket. Though his vision was pitch black, his perception of the surroundings had sharpened.

There was a hand that reached out, cool with a breeze, and just then, another hand covered it, bringing a warm breath. The slender and powerful fingers firmly grasped his wrist.

Shen Liuxiang widened his eyes slightly, wondering why there was physical contact during their conversation.

He tried to pull his hand back desperately, but the person outside prevented it. In the struggle, half of his forearm was exposed in mid-air. The cold air brushed against his fair skin, and he faintly felt a gaze upon it. Shen Liuxiang’s hair stood on end.

“Master, please don’t move.” Zhou Xuanlan placed the pill in the finally calm hand. “This is a hangover pill. Your disciple just went to the Pill Peak to get it. Please remember to take two.”

Shen Liuxiang was stunned.

Huh?

He was just delivering medicine to him.

As the sound of the door closing echoed, Shen Liuxiang pushed aside the blanket, sat up, and stared at the pill bottle in his hand for a while. His nose twitched, deeply moved by the gesture.

His disciple was truly remarkable. Despite everything that had happened, he not only took care of him but also remembered to bring the hangover pill.

Shen Liuxiang swallowed the hangover pill, feeling the warmth flow smoothly down his throat.

He laid back down when the voice transmission device lit up. “Come meet me at Ye Ming Peak.”

The Sect Master had given an order, so Shen Liuxiang hurriedly dressed and rushed to Ye Ming Peak. He walked up the winding stone steps and found the figure at the mountaintop.

Dressed in a midnight blue robe, Ling Ye stood in an elegant pavilion, holding a scroll in his hand. Sensing Shen Liuxiang’s presence, he turned his head and gave a gentle smile.

“Come here,” he said.

Shen Liuxiang hurried over in three or four steps.

Ling Ye put away the book and grasped Shen Liuxiang’s wrist. His gaze unintentionally fell on the faint red marks on the wrist, which stood out against the fair skin.

He frowned slightly but chose not to speak. He merely placed two fingers on Shen Liuxiang’s wrist, probing for a while, and then said thoughtfully, “How long has it been since you last meditated and cultivated?”

Shen Liuxiang choked a bit and replied, “It’s been a while.”

Lingye released his hand. “As you’ve just entered the realm of Harmonization, it’s crucial to stabilize the chaotic spiritual energy within your body. You have been neglectful.”

Shen Liuxiang lowered his head slightly, pursing his lips without saying a word.

The feeling was akin to being scolded by a teacher for not completing an assignment, which didn’t feel good at all.

Ling Ye pointed to a nearby circular altar. “Go meditate there and don’t leave until it’s dark.”

Having said that, he picked up the book again, ignoring Shen Liuxiang.

Feeling helpless, Shen Liuxiang raised his head and found a spot on the circular altar where he could sit cross-legged.

Time passed slowly.

After reading the book for half an hour, Ling Ye glanced at the sky. There was still another hour and a half until it turned dark. With numerous tasks at hand, he couldn’t stay here to watch over Shen Liuxiang’s cultivation.

Leaving the pavilion, Ling Ye’s gaze fell upon Shen Liuxiang.

He seemed to be sleeping soundly.

Shen Liuxiang sat slanted, leaning his head against the cool stone carving. His loose long hair cascaded, with a few strands falling onto his shoulders.

Lips pursed, he must be dreaming about something.

Ling Ye observed for a long while. He took out a soft pillow from his storage bag, squatted down, lifted Shen Liuxiang’s head, placed the pillow underneath, and then quietly left.

“Ah-choo!” Shen Liuxiang sneezed, waking up from the howling cold wind. He glanced around and saw that the sky had already turned pitch black.

Rubbing his stiff neck, he gently moved his head, and a pillow fell to the ground with a soft thud.

Shen Liuxiang was momentarily stunned, gently touching the soft pillow with his fingers, and remained silent for a while.

Then, “Pfft” – he burst into laughter.

Hahaha.

To think that someone like Senior Brother would carry a small pillow with him. If word got out, the authority of Qing Ling Sect’s Master Ling would surely be diminished. Shen Liuxiang found a small handle to tease and laughed to himself, sneakily holding the pillow and making his way back.

Not familiar with the mountain peaks and it being nighttime, Shen Liuxiang released his spiritual awareness to explore the path. Inadvertently, he heard the sound of gushing water from a corner of Ye Ming Peak.

His heart stirred, and Shen Liuxiang hurried over.

Ye Ming Peak had a natural hot spring pool abundant in spiritual energy. It was mentioned in the book that Ling Ye would soak in the pool every day when he was at the sect. This place would be the setting for an unexpected development in the relationship between Su Baiche and Ling Ye.

Zhou Xuanlan was in his room, puzzled by the sudden summons.

His master stared at him with shining eyes and pointed to a maze ahead, saying, “Can you break this formation and quietly lead me inside without anyone noticing?”

Zhou Xuanlan had never been to Ye Ming Peak and was unfamiliar with the place. After a moment of contemplation, he reached out his hand and touched the formation. “It’s possible. This formation is quite simple.”

Shen Liuxiang’s face showed a relieved smile. Today, he would verify an earth-shattering secret.

A thin mist hung above the hot spring pool, and some clothes were piled up on the shore. A figure was submerged in the water, surrounded by a faint spiritual aura.

Using the vegetation to conceal their presence, Shen Liuxiang squatted down and casually picked up two fallen leaves, handing them to his disciple. “If you don’t dare to look, cover your eyes.”

Zhou Xuanlan’s face turned cold as if freezing.

To have him break the formation just to peep at someone bathing.

“Who is he?” In the dim night, they could only make out the figure of a man.

Shen Liuxiang whispered, “Senior Brother.”

Zhou Xuanlan widened his eyes slightly. “Master, you…”

Shen Liuxiang pressed his index finger against his slightly parted lips, silencing the words that were about to come out. “Shh, speak softly.”

The person in the pool was about to get up, so Shen Liuxiang quickly shifted his gaze. His intention was not to covet Senior Brother’s beauty but simply to unravel some doubts.

One of the reasons he managed to persevere and read this novel until the end was because the author set up a plot hole at the beginning, hinting that the main antagonist would appear in the demonic realm, controlling the fate of this world as the Black Dragon.

So Shen Liuxiang waited and waited, only to find that the ending didn’t even show a glimpse of a dragon tail.

Setting up a plot hole and not filling it in, shameless!

But in the later part of the book, the author mentioned that the Black Dragon had already appeared, characterized by a piece of reverse scale on its body. This sparked a discussion among the supporting male characters in the comment section.

Fans expressed their various opinions, arguing passionately, but unfortunately, they couldn’t reach a consensus even until the end.

Thinking of this, Shen Liuxiang glanced at his disciple, with a meaningful expression on his face.

People speculated about Ling Zongzhu, Ye Jianzun, Mo Zun, and others, and their arguments were well-founded. However, when it came to Zhou Xuanlan, the situation changed dramatically.

“Master Xuan has does it seven times in one night, effortlessly for seven days and seven nights. Indeed, the strength of the Dragon clan is beyond doubt!”

Shen Liuxiang remembered that the speculations at that time were along these lines.

Tsk.

Impressive.

Let’s applaud for Master Xuan.

There was a movement in the hot spring, and the figure in the pool slowly stood up. Shen Liuxiang’s gaze fell accurately on him, his eyes widened to the maximum. Just as he saw his senior about to emerge from the water, an indescribable pressure swept over.

The spring water turned into a cold sword, tearing through space and instantly attacking.

Discovered!

Shen Liuxiang’s heart trembled. He pulled his disciple behind him and activated his spiritual power to resist. “It’s me, Senior Brother!”

The suffocating pressure paused, dissipating into thin air.

The icy water sword, which was only an inch away from Shen Liuxiang, stopped in mid-air. Then, whether intentionally or not, it suddenly scattered, splashing him with water.

Shen Liuxiang was soaked like a drowned chicken.

He touched the water on his face and turned to look at Zhou Xuanlan, only to find that his disciple’s complexion seemed a bit off, perhaps frightened.

But at the moment, he didn’t inquire about it further. Senior Brother had already put on his clothes and walked over.

Zhou Xuanlan’s eyes were dim and unclear.

A strange feeling surged in his heart. His master’s first reaction was unexpectedly to shield him (ZXL) behind him (SLX)…

“What a coincidence, Senior Martial Brother,” Shen Liuxiang dryly chuckled.

Ling Ye’s gaze fell upon Shen Liuxiang, who was soaked in water, his clothes damp and his ink-black hair adorned with water droplets. He appeared quite disheveled.

A small act of punishment.

Ling Ye’s eyebrows raised slightly, and his expression eased a bit. “What brings you here?”

“I heard there is a hot spring pool in Ye Ming Peak, and Junior Brother wanted to give it a try. Unexpectedly, I disturbed Senior Brother’s leisure.”

Ling Ye wasn’t sure if he believed it or not, but he simply said, “In the future, if there’s something like this, just inform me beforehand. No need to sneak in late at night.”

Shen Liuxiang nodded like a chick pecking at food. “Yes, yes.”

Ling Ye’s gaze shifted to behind Shen Liuxiang, his brows furrowing slightly. He was about to speak when a clear phoenix cry resounded in the distant sky.

A vivid and lifelike fire phoenix was flying towards Qingling Sect.

A visitor from the Imperial Palace.