10: Master, please come with me.

Before Grand Elder Zhang could finish his words, a bone-chilling killing intent descended with a roar!

Mu Qingxue turned abruptly, her gentle, watery eyes instantly transforming into an ancient glacial ice. The terrifying Void Refining Stage pressure, like a tangible mountain, heavily pressed down on Grand Elder Zhang.

"Thud!"

Grand Elder Zhang had no room to resist. His knees buckled, and he was directly forced to kneel on the ground, which instantly cracked. The color drained from his face, and his eyes were filled with extreme fear.

"Impersonating?"

Mu Qingxue's voice was devoid of emotion, each word seemingly squeezed from the frigid ice of the Nine Netherworlds.

"Grand Elder Zhang, do you mean to say that this Venerable One would mistake her own Revered Master?"

"Or are you suggesting that this Venerable One is foolish enough to be deceived by a mere Core Formation Stage Cultivator?"

"Have you forgotten how many imposters this Venerable One has killed? Hmm?"

"Di... Disciple wouldn't dare!" Grand Elder Zhang trembled all over, his teeth chattering.

Only then did he realize what a fatal mistake he had made.

Over the past century, Mu Qingxue's authority had long been ingrained. Within the Sect, who dared to question her decisions?

"You don't dare? You already have."

Mu Qingxue's eyes gleamed with murderous intent, "To question Revered Master is to question me.

According to Sect rules, insubordination and shaking the foundation of the Sect shall result in theabolition Cultivation being abolished, imprisonment in the dungeon, never to see the light of day again!"

As soon as these words were uttered, all the Elders and disciple present were horrified!

Just for a single question, the Cultivation of a Soul Transformation Stage Elder would be abolished?

This... this was too ruthless! The Sect Master's protection of this man had reached an unbelievable degree!

Just as Mu Qingxue was about to act, a warm hand gently rested on her shoulder.

"Enough, Qingxue."

Su Lin's voice remained calm, yet it seemed to carry a peculiar magic, causing the terrifying Aura that was about to erupt from Mu Qingxue to instantly recede like a tide.

She turned her head to look at Su Lin, the coldness and murderous intent in her eyes instantly melting away, returning to her obedient and gentle demeanor, even with a hint of grievance: "Revered Master, they don't believe you..."

"It's alright." Su Lin smiled faintly, "At the beginning, didn't you also doubt me?"

His gaze swept over the Elders who were as quiet as cicadas in winter, "During that great battle a hundred years ago, I was indeed dead. It's normal for you to have questions."

He didn't explain his experiences much; the gaze of one who was once a Grand Ascension Supreme, looking down upon all ages, naturally emanated, making the Elders not dare to meet his eyes.

"Let what happened today end here. She is your Sect Master; what you need to do is trust her, assist her, not question her." Su Lin's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, "You all may leave."

He was clearly just a Core Formation Cultivator, yet his words carried an undeniable tone of command.

The Elders exchanged glances, and finally, led by the Grand Elder, they bowed respectfully, then, filled with bewilderment and shock, transformed into streaks of light and hastily departed.

A storm thus subsided.

But everyone knew that an even greater storm was just beginning to brew.

The Qingyao Sect Revered Master's century-old heart of ice had been melted by a man.

That man claimed to be the legendary Supreme Su Lin, who had perished a hundred years ago!

This news, as if it had grown wings, spread at a terrifying speed to neighboring Sects within half a day, and began to wildly proliferate throughout the wider Cultivation world!

After the commotion subsided, Mu Qingxue returned to her clingy demeanor, staying by Su Lin's side every step of the way.

Su Lin looked at the immortal Sect that his disciple had managed so meticulously, feeling both relief and a faint sense of loss.

"Revered Master, what are you thinking about?"

Mu Qingxue keenly sensed the change in his mood.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly: "A Core Formation Stage Cultivation is still too low after all. If you weren't here, I probably wouldn't even be able to enter the Sect gate, let alone make them believe me."

"Revered Master..." Mu Qingxue's heart ached, and she quickly said, "You lost your Cultivation for our sake; it's only right for your Disciple to protect you!"

"That's true in principle, but I can't always hide under your wings."

Su Lin shook his head, a sharp glint belonging to a strong individual flashing in his eyes, "The most urgent task is to quickly raise my Realm; at the very least, I need the ability to protect myself."

Listening to Su Lin's words, Mu Qingxue fell silent.

She knew that what Revered Master said was true.

Revered Master was once a Grand Ascension Supreme who looked down on all living beings, but now he only had Core Formation Cultivation. She could only comprehend a fraction of the powerlessness brought by this disparity.

However, the path of Cultivation emphasizes gradual progress, with absolutely no shortcuts.

Even if Revered Master had the insights of the Mahayana Stage, the accumulation of spiritual power required painstaking effort.

Suddenly, a strange, somewhat fervent light flickered in her eyes.

Immediately after, a captivating blush rushed from her snow-white neck to her cheeks with a 'boom'.

But this flush was not purely from shyness; it was more like an irrepressible excitement, making her pretty face appear even more enchanting.

Her breathing quickened slightly, and the hand holding Su Lin's arm unconsciously tightened a bit.

"Revered Master, your Disciple... perhaps has a way." Her voice carried a hint of imperceptible tremor.

Before Su Lin could inquire further, Mu Qingxue made her move.

She formed a hand seal with her fingertips, and a soft yet solid light-green Spiritual Qi shield instantly appeared around Su Lin's body, enveloping him securely.

"Revered Master, please forgive this offense."

As soon as her words fell, Spiritual Qi surged around her, she wrapped her arm around Su Lin, and her entire being transformed into a startling streak of light, soaring into the sky!

The speed of this escape light was extreme, far beyond what a Core Formation Cultivator could withstand.

Su Lin only felt the scenery in front of him rapidly recede, turning into a blur of flowing light. The whistling wind rushed past his ears, but it was perfectly isolated by the Spiritual Qi shield on his body, and he felt no bumps or discomfort.

A moment later, the escape light abruptly stopped, and the two had already arrived at the foot of a very secluded cliff in the back mountain of Qingyao Sect.

Here, the Spiritual Qi was so dense that it almost materialized into mist, and the cliff walls were covered with unknown exotic flowers and plants. And in the center of the cliff wall, a stone door, hidden by vines, was faintly visible.

Su Lin's gaze, however, was instantly drawn to the invisible fluctuations around the stone door.

With his vision as a former Grand Ascension Supreme, he could tell at a glance that this place was laid out with layers upon layers of profound Formations and Restrictions.

These Formations were interconnected, possessing both concealment and defensive capabilities, while also having the effects of gathering and locking Spiritual Qi. Their exquisite craftsmanship and complex design were even more ingenious than the mountain-protecting Formation that enveloped the entire Qingyao Sect, by more than just one level!

"The Formations here..." Su Lin's eyes flashed with surprise.

Mu Qingxue saw that Revered Master had discerned the mysteries of this place at a glance, and a faint, proud smile appeared on her face. The flush of excitement deepened.

She took a step forward, waved her jade hand lightly, and a complex spell was cast upon the stone door.

Accompanied by a low rumbling sound, the stone door slowly opened, revealing a deep, long cave entrance. Inside, a shimmering treasure light flowed, and extremely pure Spiritual Qi rushed out.

"Revered Master, please follow me."

Mu Qingxue took Su Lin's hand and walked into the cave. Behind them, the stone door silently closed again.

She looked at the lingering surprise on Su Lin's face, and with a bit of a little girl's show-off and an inexpressible shyness, she softly explained:

"The Restrictions here have been perfected by your Disciple over the past century, little by little. Only I, in the entire Qingyao Sect, know about it."

"This place... is where your Disciple usually meditates and Cultivates."