33: Chapter 33 If Senior Brother Xu wants to see it, why bother sneaking around?

The crisp snap of that dry branch was no less than a thunderclap in the silent valley!

"Who's there?!"

A cold female voice, laced with righteous fury, pierced through like an icicle. Accompanied by a lock-on of Qi that felt almost physical, Xu Ruyu felt the surrounding air suddenly freeze. A bone-chilling cold shot straight from his tailbone to the top of his head!

Run! Run now!

Survival instinct overrode everything. Xu Ruyu no longer cared about anything else; he spun around abruptly, about to bolt into the depths of the dense forest!

However, he was still a step too slow.

He heard a sharp "splash" from the pool behind him, followed immediately by the sound of robes tearing through the air, swift as lightning!

An aqua-blue figure, like a ghost, crossed the clearing by the pool in a few leaps and bounds, blocking Xu Ruyu's path in an instant!

The resulting gust of wind made the surrounding bushes rustle loudly.

Xu Ruyu slammed on the brakes, nearly colliding with her. He stumbled back two steps and looked up in horror.

Standing before him was a woman who looked to be in her early twenties.

She had clearly leapt from the pool and dressed in a hurry. Her wet, black hair hadn't been fully tied up yet, with several strands clinging to her jade-white cheeks and slender neck.

She only had time to throw on an aqua-blue, wide-sleeved dress with a cinched waist. Water still dripped from the hem and cuffs, causing the fabric to cling tightly to her body, outlining breathtakingly graceful curves.

Her belt was only hastily tied, and her collar was slightly loose.

Her face was extremely beautiful. Unlike Xiao Nianyin's cold, ethereal beauty or Su Mei's natural charm, hers was a clear elegance mixed with a hint of heroism. Her brows were like distant mountains and her eyes like cold stars. Only now, those beautiful eyes were burning with raging fury and cold Killing Intent, staring fixedly at Xu Ruyu as if she wanted to swallow him alive!

"Where did this rogue come from?! How dare you peep at this young lady bathing?!"

The woman's voice was icy, filled with undisguised shame, resentment, and murderous intent. Her jade-like hand was already raised, with a faint, deep-blue watery light flowing in her palm, radiating a dangerous Aura.

Judging by her Aura, her cultivation was definitely not low—at least at the Foundation Establishment Stage or higher!

Xu Ruyu's Soul was Flying Away and his Spirit was Scattering in fear. He waved his hands repeatedly while backing away, explaining incoherently, "Mis—misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding, Miss!"

"I—I didn't do it on purpose!"

"I... I just wanted to come to the back mountain to find something to eat. I heard the sound of water and thought it was a stream, so I wanted to see if there were any fish..."

"I—I really didn't see anything! I swear!"

He desperately tried to recall the blurry scene from his brief glimpse to prove his "innocence," but the more he recalled, the more his cheeks burned, and he didn't dare meet her gaze.

"Looking for food? Catching fish?" Hearing this, the woman's anger flared even more, her pretty face covered in frost. "Is this Spirit Pool on the back mountain a place where you can just come and catch fish whenever you want? You still dare to quibble!"

"Peeping is peeping, and seeing is seeing!"

"What use is there in keeping those eyes of yours or your worthless life!"

She clearly didn't believe Xu Ruyu's lies, convinced he was a shameless lecher. The watery light in her palm grew brighter as she prepared to strike.

Xu Ruyu groaned inwardly, cursing his terrible luck today.

As he continued to retreat, he had a sudden flash of inspiration and blurted out, "I—I'm a newly initiated Disciple! Really! My name is Xu Ruyu!"

"I'm... I'm the Personal Disciple the Sect Master just took in yesterday!"

In his desperation, he could only bring up his Revered Master's name, hoping it would make her hesitate.

"Xu Ruyu?" The woman's movements paused slightly. A flash of suspicion crossed her eyes as she looked him up and down.

The news of the Sect Master taking a Disciple yesterday, as well as the subsequent incredible gauntlet of battles, had already spread throughout the Hehuan Sect. Naturally, she had heard of it.

Looking at the youth before her, although his clothes were ordinary (it was still that somewhat damaged Disciple uniform) and his appearance was quite handsome, his temperament... no matter how she looked at it, he didn't seem like the legendary "Sect Master's Personal Disciple" who "defeated the crowd of elites." Instead, he seemed rather foolish and panicked.

"You're that Xu Ruyu?" The murderous intent in the woman's tone diminished slightly, but her suspicion grew. Her gaze scraped over his face like a knife. "What proof do you have?"

"I... I live in the side hall of Ningyin Hall! Revered Master arranged it personally!" Xu Ruyu said quickly, adding, "If you don't believe me, you can ask Senior Sister Qingzhu, or... or just ask my Revered Master!"

He brought up Xiao Nianyin, hoping to intimidate her.

Upon hearing the words "side hall of Ningyin Hall," the last trace of suspicion vanished from the woman's eyes, replaced by an indescribably complex expression.

The condensed watery light in her palm quietly dissipated, and the Killing Intent around her was withdrawn. However, those star-like eyes still stared intently at Xu Ruyu.

Seeing that she seemed to believe him, Xu Ruyu breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his heart was still uneasy. He quickly continued to explain, "Miss, it really was a misunderstanding just now."

"I didn't see anything clearly, really!"

"I'll leave right now, right now!"

"I'm truly sorry for disturbing your leisure, Miss!"

Saying this, he prepared to slip away again.

"Wait."

The woman suddenly spoke. Her voice was no longer cold; instead, it carried a hint of... strange softness?

Xu Ruyu's footsteps paused. An ominous premonition rose in his heart as he turned his head stiffly.

He saw that the anger and frost on the woman's face had vanished without a trace, replaced by a faint smile that held a bit of playfulness and inquiry.

She even reached out to elegantly tuck a strand of wet hair behind her ear. This movement added a bit of charm to her already exquisite face, and the curves outlined by her wet clothes became even more breathtaking.

She took light steps forward. Instead of making way, she approached Xu Ruyu by two more steps. She was so close that Xu Ruyu could smell the faint scent on her—a mix of the pool's crispness and a woman's body fragrance.

"I was wondering who it was..." the woman said, her voice softening. Her eyes rippled as they swept over Xu Ruyu's face. "So it's Senior Brother Xu, who made such a splash yesterday and even broke through Madam Qingli's Great Fox Illusion~"

She said the words "Senior Brother" in a light, sweet tone with a hint of teasing, giving Xu Ruyu a case of goosebumps.

"Junior—Junior Sister, you overstate it... that was all luck, just luck..." Xu Ruyu gave a dry laugh, his body involuntarily leaning back as he tried to create some distance.

"Senior Brother Xu is too modest." The woman's smile deepened. Those star-like eyes now seemed to contain a pool of spring water as she gazed at Xu Ruyu. "Since Senior Brother is... interested in this place, why be so sneaky and hide behind a tree to peep?"

As she spoke, she pressed forward another small step. Xu Ruyu could now see the undried water droplets on her long, curled eyelashes.

"If Senior Brother wants to look..." The woman's red lips parted slightly, her voice dropping to an ambiguous, seductive whisper. At the same time, she raised her slender jade hand and actually placed it gently on her already loosely tied sash!

"How could I, your Junior Sister... dare to refuse?"

Before she finished speaking, her fingers moved slightly. That aqua-blue sash was actually pulled loose with a gentle tug!