270: Chapter 268 This contrast... is just too great!

"Hiss... Revered Master, be gentler, it hurts..."

Gu Qiuyue tilted her head slightly, her beautiful eyes glistening with a few tears due to the pulling sensation on her scalp.

"Shut up. Why weren't you afraid of pain when you were fighting over the blanket with Qingxue just now?"

Su Lin scolded her irritably, but his movements involuntarily became much lighter.

Bit by bit, he untangled those two completely different strands of hair.

"Relax."

"It's just untangling hair, why are you tensing up so much?"

"Oh, so Seventh Junior Sister knows how to feel bad for Revered Master now?"

Although Gu Qiuyue had her back to Mu Qingxue, she wasn't one to lose out in words. She let out a soft huff and intentionally leaned closer to Su Lin.

"Who was it that squeezed over in the middle of the night like a big block of ice, not only stealing half my blanket but almost freezing Revered Master's arm stiff? It's only because Revered Master has a good temper; if it were me, I would have thrown you out the window long ago."

"Nonsense."

"I did that to help Revered Master cool down from the heat of your low-quality spiritual wine. Besides, it's clearly your own terrible sleeping posture—clinging to Revered Master like an octopus—that made your hair such a mess."

"Who are you calling a bad sleeper?! I was afraid Revered Master would be cold and was warming him up! What do you know!"

"Enough!"

The dead knot that had been tangled for a long time was finally skillfully cut and perfectly separated.

Not a single strand of hair from either person was harmed.

"Phew..."

Su Lin let out a long breath, feeling that untangling hair was more mentally taxing than fighting a Mahayana Stage Cultivator.

"Alright, scatter now."

Su Lin clapped his hands and stood up, looking at the two stunning female Cultivators on the floor with disheveled clothes and messy hair.

"Thank you, Revered Master~"

Gu Qiuyue immediately switched to a sweet smile. She turned around and, without any hesitation in front of Su Lin, reached out her hands to casually tie her waterfall-like black hair behind her head.

As she moved, her already loose silk nightgown fell slightly open, revealing a breathtaking expanse of snowy white.

"Revered Master's fingers are so skillful. Just now, when you were touching my scalp, your disciple felt all tingly inside."

Mu Qingxue, on the other hand, stood up silently and quickly used her spiritual power to tidy her long hair meticulously.

Her cold gaze swept over Gu Qiuyue's nearly bursting scenery, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes.

"Shameless."

Mu Qingxue coldly spat out those two words, then walked to Su Lin's side and very naturally straightened the hem of his clothes, which had become slightly wrinkled from crouching.

"Revered Master, what would you like for breakfast? Qingxue will go prepare Ice Lotus porridge for you."

"Ice, ice, ice! All you know is eating ice every day. Revered Master's stomach is going to be frozen ruined by you!"

Gu Qiuyue rolled her eyes and grabbed Su Lin's other arm. "Revered Master, your disciple has already ordered the best Shixian Pavilion in Tianzhou City to prepare eighty-one Spiritual Dishes. I'll have them sent up right away!"

"No need to prepare anything."

"Qiuyue, didn't you say yesterday that there were some fun places in Tianzhou City?"

As soon as Su Lin finished speaking, Gu Qiuyue and Mu Qingxue were both stunned.

"Revered Master means..." Gu Qiuyue's eyes instantly lit up like two small suns. "You want to go shopping with us?!"

"Just the three of us."

Su Lin nodded.

It was rare that the others were quiet today; it would be good to go out and get some fresh air.

This was a perfect opportunity that only comes once in a hundred years!

"Too good!" Gu Qiuyue was so excited she almost jumped. "Revered Master, wait for me for the time it takes an incense stick to burn! I'm going to change my clothes! I'll definitely make sure you have plenty of Face when you take us out!"

After saying that, she rushed into the inner chamber like a gust of wind.

Mu Qingxue stood where she was, looking down at her unchanging white Flowing Immortal Skirt, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Revered Master... Is this outfit of mine too plain?" She asked a question about her appearance for the first time ever.

Su Lin looked at her cold and peerless Face and smiled gently, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"You look good in anything. This is fine, untainted by the Mortal World."

The tips of Mu Qingxue's ears instantly turned bright red. She lowered her head slightly, her voice barely audible: "As long as Revered Master likes it... Qingxue will always wear white."

...

Half an hour later.

On the bustling streets of Tianzhou City, an extremely eye-catching trio appeared.

Su Lin wore a green robe and held a folding fan. He had deliberately concealed his cultivation, looking like a wealthy Young Master out for a stroll.

To his left was Mu Qingxue. Although she wore a white veil, her cold, ethereal temperament and rare silver hair still drew frequent glances from passersby.

To his right, Gu Qiuyue was even more high-profile. She had changed into a luxurious light purple dress. Although she wasn't decked out in gold and silver, the faint shimmer of Formations on her hem allowed those in the know to see at a glance that it was a priceless dharma robe woven from top-grade spiritual silk.

"Revered Master, look over there!"

Gu Qiuyue, like a cheerful lark, pulled Su Lin's sleeve and pointed toward a massive building ahead.

The building was octagonal, dozens of meters high, and built entirely of a crystal that emitted a hallucinatory glow. Four large characters were written on the lintel: [Illusion Moon Secret Realm].

"This is an ancient ruin that my chamber of commerce recently acquired."

Gu Qiuyue introduced proudly, "It's not for treasure hunting or fighting, but an 'Emotional Realm' specifically opened by an ancient expert to enhance feelings with their Dao Companion. There are no fatal dangers inside, but there are various wonderful trials for rapport and state of mind. It's now the most coveted dating Holy Land for Dao Companions in Tianzhou City! The tickets are booked up for ten years!"

When she said the words "dating Holy Land," Gu Qiuyue intentionally emphasized her tone and gave Mu Qingxue a provocative look.

Mu Qingxue let out a cold snort: "Trivial tricks that erode one's Dao Heart."

Although she said that, her body honestly leaned closer to Su Lin. Clearly, she didn't show any rejection of this "dating Holy Land."

"Let's go take a look."

Su Lin also became interested. He hadn't really seen an ancient ruin purely for entertainment.

Since the big boss was personally leading the way, there was naturally no need to queue.

Under the respectful welcome of the guarding Elder, the three of them stepped directly into the Secret Realm's highest-level entrance.

After a slight spatial fluctuation.

The scene before them suddenly opened up.

There was no sky here; above was a vast and brilliant galaxy. Starlight fell, illuminating a massive lake below with shimmering ripples.

The lake water was in a strange mirror-like state, so smooth there wasn't a single ripple. Walking on the lake surface was like walking on a giant mirror, with reflections clearly visible.

In the center of the lake grew a giant tree that reached the heavens. Its leaves were a pale pink, emitting a charming fluorescence.

"So beautiful..."

Even Mu Qingxue, who was accustomed to famous mountains and great rivers, couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

"This is called the [Heart-Reflecting Lake]."

Gu Qiuyue walked onto the lake and kicked the water. Ripples spread out, but her reflection didn't sway with the waves; instead, it showed a completely different scene.

"This lake water can reflect a person's truest inner emotions. If your heart and mouth are at odds, or if you have distracting thoughts, the reflection will become distorted and terrifying. But if your heart is pure, the reflection will show the scene you desire most."

Gu Qiuyue pointed proudly at her reflection.

Beneath the water's surface, Gu Qiuyue's reflection wasn't in her current standing posture. Instead, it was tightly hugging Su Lin's reflection, her Face overflowing with a happy and satisfied smile.

"Look, Revered Master, your disciple's heart is completely filled with you~" Gu Qiuyue took the opportunity to confess.

Su Lin glanced at her reflection and shook his head with a smile. This girl was actually quite candid and cute.

"Seventh Junior Sister, do you dare to come and see your reflection?" Gu Qiuyue turned and provocatively looked at Mu Qingxue, who was standing on the shore and hesitating to step forward.

"Usually you act like an iceberg, who knows what filthy thoughts you have in your heart. Are you afraid this Heart-Reflecting Lake will show that you're a hypocrite who's different on the inside?"

Provoked by her, a flicker of faint anger flashed in Mu Qingxue's cold eyes.

"I act openly and honestly, why wouldn't I dare!"

She took a deep breath, stepped out with her long legs, and stepped onto the mirror-like lake water.

The moment her feet touched the water.

The lake surface suddenly rippled with an extremely violent wave.

Immediately after, Mu Qingxue's reflection appeared in the water.

However, that scene left all three people present stunned.

Beneath the water, there was no iceberg Fairy, nor was there any cold etherealness.

The Mu Qingxue in the reflection was actually wearing an extremely bold, or even shameful, red bridal gown!

The gaze of the Mu Qingxue in the reflection was fervent, obsessive, and filled with a madness that wanted to completely consume the other person!

A deathly silence spread across the Heart-Reflecting Lake.

Gu Qiuyue looked at the Mu Qingxue in the water who was forcing herself upon someone, then looked at the real Mu Qingxue beside her, whose ears were already so red they were about to bleed and whose whole body was as stiff as a stone statue.

This contrast... was simply too great, wasn't it?

"Pfft... Hahahahahaha!!"

After being stunned for three seconds, Gu Qiuyue suddenly burst into unladylike laughter. She laughed so hard she was doubled over, tears almost coming out, one hand clutching her stomach and the other pointing at the water.

"Oh my god! Seventh Junior Sister! Great Fairy Mu! Great Sect Master Mu!"

"This is what you call acting openly and honestly? This is your being pure and noble?!"

"So your usual cold and aloof appearance was all an act!! You're even more of a pervert than Fifth Senior Sister, hahaha!"

"Shut up!"

Mu Qingxue was mortified and wished she could find a hole to crawl into on the spot.

She stomped her foot hard, and her Mahayana Middle Stage Extreme Cold Law suddenly erupted.

"Crack, crack."

That miraculous lake water that could reflect the human heart was actually frozen solid by her into an indestructible block of ice!

The reflection was completely sealed beneath the ice.

Mu Qingxue stood on the ice, her Face, which was usually as cold as the Goddess of the Moon, now so red it looked like it would drip blood. She didn't argue back or turn to run; she just lowered her head and stared fixedly at the thick ice beneath her feet.

When awkwardness reaches its peak, it often gives rise to another extreme emotion—abandoning all restraint.

Suddenly, Mu Qingxue slowly raised her head, her gaze passing over Su Lin and falling straight onto Gu Qiuyue.

Gu Qiuyue was also stunned, but then, she seemed to understand something from Mu Qingxue's mortified yet slightly crazed eyes.

A brief exchange of Divine Sense happened in a flash.

Then, the two of them turned their heads in unison and looked at each other.

In that smile, there was the relief of taking off a disguise.

Standing to the side, Su Lin was still thinking about how to comfort his Seventh Disciple after her social death, lest her Dao Heart be damaged.

But when he saw these two Rebellious Disciples, who usually wanted to beat each other's brains out over jealousy, actually flashing this kind of eerie, sisterly smile at each other...

The galaxy overhead remained brilliant.

Countless fluorescent pink leaves fell like a heavy snowstorm.

What a calamity!

Had I known this would happen, I shouldn't have taken these two prodigies—who look well-behaved but are actually rotten to the core—as disciples!

...

After an unknown amount of time, the galaxy receded and the fluorescence dimmed.

On the Heart-Reflecting Lake of the Illusion Moon Secret Realm, the thick profound ice finally began to melt.

This was clearly like throwing a meat bun at a dog—no return!

"Alright, alright, Revered Master, don't be angry. If you get sick from anger, your disciple will be heartbroken."

Gu Qiuyue reached out her jade-like hand and stroked Su Lin's chest, her tone full of the smugness of someone who had gotten the better end of the deal.

Su Lin took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"The two of you usually draw swords in the Sect over the slightest disagreement. Why did you... why did you suddenly start acting so close yesterday?!" Su Lin was completely bewildered.

"A temporary alliance... is worth it."

"Exactly!" Gu Qiuyue snapped her fingers.

As a grand expert, he had thought that taking in a few stunning female disciples would allow him to enjoy his later years and experience the joy of being a teacher.

"Get... get up!" Su Lin forced his sore and weak waist to sit up.

Gu Qiuyue and Mu Qingxue glanced at each other and, for once, didn't argue, obediently getting up to tidy their appearances.

...

Half an incense stick later.

At the exit of the Illusion Moon Secret Realm.

The guarding Chamber of Commerce Elder was stroking his beard, waiting with a Face full of smiles.

"The Great Proprietor personally took her Dao Companion into the Emotional Realm. Coming out now, their feelings must be even stronger than before."

Gu Qiuyue casually tossed a heavy Storage Pouch into the Elder's arms.

"This Secret Realm is closed for business today. No one is allowed in to clean.

Leave everything inside exactly as it is," Gu Qiuyue ordered calmly, her tone returning to the majesty of the Southern Yu Female God of Wealth.

"Yes, yes, yes! This subordinate understands! I will definitely send people to guard the entrance strictly; not even a fly will get in!" The Elder nodded repeatedly.

What a joke. With the "traces" left inside by the Great Proprietor and Fairy Qingyao, even if he were given ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare let anyone in to see!

...

Walking out of the Illusion Moon Secret Realm, they were met with the bustling and noisy Mortal World atmosphere of Tianzhou City.

The sounds of peddling, beast-drawn carriages rolling over bluestone slabs, and Cultivators haggling over prices intertwined, filled with vibrant life.

Su Lin took a deep breath, feeling like he had finally come back to life from that suffocating Shura field.

"Where to next?" Su Lin turned to look at Gu Qiuyue.

Since he said he would accompany her to inspect her properties, she would naturally make the arrangements.