28: Chapter 28 is the personal instruction; you can sleep here tonight.

Xu Ruyu practically fled from Meixiang Court. It was not until he stepped onto the blue stone stairs leading to the main peak of Ningyin Hall and was brushed by the cool evening mountain breeze that he felt the sweet, cloying fragrance that had been clinging to him and making him restless, along with the inexplicable heat in his body, subside significantly.

He stopped, looked back toward the direction of Meixiang Court, nestled deep within the flowering trees and just beginning to light up, and patted his chest with lingering fear.

"Goodness, this Senior Sister Su... is just too terrifying."

Xu Ruyu muttered to himself, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

The feeling from just now, as if his Soul were about to be sucked away and his body completely out of his control, was even more terrifying to him than facing Lei Xuan's lightning.

Lightning was a visible danger, but Su Mei's methods invisibly eroded one's will, making one willingly sink into them.

"Good thing I ran fast..."

He secretly rejoiced at the clumsy excuse he had blurted out in his desperation; although embarrassing, it worked.

But... would Revered Master really wait for him to "eat"? Weren't all Cultivators supposed to have achieved Bigu (fasting)?

Thinking of this, Xu Ruyu became uneasy again.

He wondered if Revered Master would be angry when she discovered he had returned so quickly and used such a lousy excuse. Would she think he was useless, unable to even handle a fellow Senior Sister?

With complex emotions, he dragged his still-aching body step by step onto the wide platform in front of Ningyin Hall.

The hall doors were left slightly ajar, with a soft glow emanating from within.

Xu Ruyu carefully pushed open the heavy hall doors. A soft creak sounded, appearing exceptionally clear in the empty, silent main hall.

He poked his head inside and the first thing he saw was that plain white figure.

Xiao Nianyin was not sitting on her Sect Master jade throne, nor was she meditating in the quiet room; instead, she was standing quietly in front of that huge carved window on the inner side of the bedchamber.

Outside the window was the deep twilight and the sparse, gradually brightening stars. The night-luminescent pearls embedded in the hall emitted a soft light, casting her silhouette long and outlining a rare... sense of loneliness.

She stood with her back to the hall door, seemingly lost in thought while looking at something outside the window, not even noticing the sound of Xu Ruyu pushing the door open.

Xu Ruyu was surprised.

Wasn't it said that high-level Cultivators all had sharp Divine Sense and were aware of every movement within a hundred zhang? Although he didn't make much noise, this was her bedchamber. How could she not react to a person as big as him walking in?

He quietly lightened his steps and walked a little closer.

Looking from the side, he could see the beautiful lines of Xiao Nianyin's profile, which appeared somewhat unrealistically soft under the pearl light. However, those eyes, usually as cold as freezing stars, were now somewhat vacant, as if her spirit had wandered away, and her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, as if troubled by some difficult problem.

What was she thinking about?

A ridiculous thought that had occurred on the arena stage suddenly popped into Xu Ruyu's mind—a woman who had kept herself chaste for hundreds of years had suddenly had her innocence taken by him, a Mortal who had appeared out of nowhere, and she might have even lost some cultivation (although Xiao Nianyin hadn't said it explicitly, Xu Ruyu always felt her state at that time was not right). Would that kind of shock and sense of loss... make her hate and resent him?

Was that why she made him participate in that damn assessment, facing the hostility and challenges of so many people? Was this a disguised form of revenge? Or was it a test to see if he was worthy... or rather, if he could survive?

Thinking of this, Xu Ruyu felt guilty, and cold sweat began to break out on his back again.

Watching Xiao Nianyin's silhouette immersed in her own world, he suddenly felt that this Sect Master, who was usually unattainable, majestic, and cold, appeared somewhat... fragile at this moment?

This thought made him even more uneasy. The more one knew, the faster one died.

It would be safer to hurry back to that remote little guest room assigned to him.

Xu Ruyu held his breath, turned around on tiptoe, and intended to sneak out quietly before Xiao Nianyin noticed.

Just as his toes were about to touch the threshold—

"You're back?"

The cold voice suddenly sounded from behind. It was not loud, but it made Xu Ruyu stiffen all over, almost jumping up.

He turned around abruptly, feeling guilty like a thief, only to see that Xiao Nianyin had already turned around at some point. Those eyes, now clear again, were looking at him quietly. Her gaze was somewhat complex, seemingly retaining a trace of the confusion from when she had been lost in thought, but even more so, it was a type of scrutiny that Xu Ruyu couldn't understand.

"M-Revered Master!" Xu Ruyu hurriedly bowed to salute, his heart pounding, "Disciple... Disciple has returned."

Xiao Nianyin's gaze swept over him, seemingly pausing for an instant on his still disheveled robes, slightly pale complexion, and the undried sweat on his forehead.

She keenly caught a trace of a very faint, sweet, warm fragrance on Xu Ruyu that did not belong to Ningyin Hall. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, then quickly relaxed.

"Why did you return... so quickly?" Xiao Nianyin asked, her tone revealing no emotion. "Did your Senior Sister Su... not 'entertain' you properly?"

She said the word "entertain" with a slightly heavy emphasis, and her eyes seemed to deepen a little.

Xu Ruyu's scalp tingled, and he hurriedly explained: "She entertained me, she did!

Senior Sister Su was very enthusiastic and even invited Disciple to drink tea... It's just that, it's just that Disciple suddenly remembered that Revered Master had previously taught that one must Cultivate diligently and not be slack, and also..."

His eyes darted around, and his voice grew quieter, "And Disciple was indeed... a bit tired, so I wanted to come back early to rest, so I could prepare to begin Cultivating with Revered Master tomorrow..."

This explanation was full of holes; even he himself felt it had no persuasive power.

Xiao Nianyin listened quietly, without interrupting or questioning.

It was just that those cold eyes seemed able to see through all his embarrassment and guilt.

Xu Ruyu became increasingly uncomfortable under her gaze, and his head hung lower and lower.

After a long while, Xiao Nianyin gave a soft "Hmm," not revealing whether she believed him or not.

She shifted her gaze, looking back at the night scenery outside the window. After a moment of silence, she suddenly said: "Since you have returned..."

She paused, seemingly weighing her words. Her long, slender eyelashes drooped slightly, casting a small shadow on her eyelids.

"...Tonight, you shall sleep here."

"Huh?"

Xu Ruyu suddenly raised his head, thinking he had misheard.

Xiao Nianyin did not look at him, still standing sideways to him. Her voice was calm, but if one listened carefully, it seemed a tiny bit faster than usual, and also... not so steady?

"What this Seat means is," she added, her tone attempting to return to her usual indifference, but seeming somewhat powerless to do so, "Since you are already my Personal Disciple, your status is different.

That side hall is ultimately crude, and too far from my bedchamber; it is inconvenient for daily summons and guidance."

She finally turned around to face Xu Ruyu. The expression on her stunningly beautiful face remained cold, but her jade-like earlobes, under the halo of the night-luminescent pearls, seemed to faintly reveal a trace of a very faint, almost imperceptible crimson.

"The side hall of Ningyin Hall has already been ordered to be cleaned up, and all necessities are complete.

You... from tonight on, will stay in the side hall."

She slightly lifted her chin, as if stating a matter of course, trying hard to maintain the dignity of a Sect Master:

"As my Personal Disciple, you... you have this right, and it is necessary.

It is convenient for me to examine your lessons at any time, lest you... slack off."

After saying these words, a trace of strangeness swept through Xiao Nianyin's own heart.

In the past, these words would never have been spoken by her, Xiao Nianyin. Letting a man stay in the side hall of her own bedchamber? This was simply a fantasy.

But just now, seeing Xu Ruyu's appearance as he fled back from Meixiang Court in a disheveled state, with a bit of guilt and lingering fear, and remembering Lady Qingli's pointed words, as well as the unspeakable annoyance and... faint worry in her own heart, this thought just naturally emerged, and she spoke it out smoothly.

It was as if... as if in the depths of her heart, she had already faintly included his safety and movements within her own jurisdiction.

It was as if she could only be a little more at ease if she kept him under her own eyes.

This kind of strange thought, carrying a strong desire for control and a trace of unspeakable intimacy, made even Xiao Nianyin feel a bit startled.

What has... come over me?

Xu Ruyu, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded.

Sleep... sleep here? The side hall of Ningyin Hall?

Although it sounded like just an "employee dormitory" upgrade—moving from a remote little guest room to a luxury suite next to the boss's office—the significance was completely different!

This was the Sect Master's bedchamber!

For hundreds of years, except for maids, probably not even a male mosquito had ever come in!

He, a man, was actually going to move in?

Was this treatment... a bit too good? And the tone and expression Revered Master had when saying this, although she tried hard to remain calm, why did it feel a bit... unnatural?

Xu Ruyu looked at Xiao Nianyin's stunningly beautiful face, which still had no expression but seemed to faintly reveal a trace of tension, and then looked at the empty, magnificent, yet endlessly desolate main hall. His mind was in a mess.

"What? You are unwilling?"

Seeing him not answer, Xiao Nianyin slightly raised her brows, her voice carrying a trace of a very faint... displeasure?

"No, no, no! Willing! Disciple is willing!"

Xu Ruyu gave a start and hurriedly replied, "Thank you, Revered Master, for the arrangement! Disciple... Disciple will definitely Cultivate diligently and not live up to Revered Master's great kindness!"

Whatever, just agree first!

It was better than sleeping in that little broken room, and it was safe here!

Senior Sister Su wouldn't dare to break into the Sect Master's bedchamber to "invite" him, right?

Seeing him agree, Xiao Nianyin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief almost imperceptibly, but her expression remained indifferent: "Hmm. The side hall is over there, go yourself.

If there is no important matter, do not disturb my quiet Cultivation at will."

She pointed to a small door on one side of the main hall.

"Yes, Disciple takes his leave!"

Xu Ruyu, as if granted amnesty, hurriedly saluted, and then fled toward the small side hall door with quick steps.

Not until Xu Ruyu's back disappeared behind the side hall door and the door closed gently did Xiao Nianyin slowly let out a breath. Her back, which had been straight the whole time, seemed to relax just a little.

She raised her hand, her fingertips unconsciously stroking her slightly hot earlobes, and a trace of confusion and bewilderment flashed in her eyes.

Letting him move in... was it really for the sake of convenient guidance?

Or was it because of... something else?

The light of the night-luminescent pearls in the hall flowed, reflecting the peerless, solitary figure, and also reflecting the pool of spring water in her heart that had been quietly stirred and could no longer remain calm.