35: Chapter 35 Sect Master, I've come to deliver fish to Senior Brother Xu.

Xiao Nianyin’s back, carrying a faint, imperceptible weakness and coldness, disappeared around the corner of the corridor. Xu Ruyu remained where he stood, gasping for breath with lingering fear.

He patted his still-flushed cheeks, trying to shake the soul-stirring scene from the back mountain out of his mind, yet he couldn't help but glance worriedly in the direction his Revered Master had left.

Revered Master looks... like she's not feeling well? Is it because she didn't rest well last night? Or is it because... she actually discovered those messy bits of 'incriminating evidence' of his, and she's angry?

This thought made Xu Ruyu even more restless. He turned around dejectedly, preparing to slip back into the side hall and close the door to properly reflect on his actions.

However, just as he lifted his foot and before he could step onto the stairs of the platform in front of the hall, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye. On the flower path not far away, a figure in water-blue was gracefully walking toward Ningyin Hall.

That figure, that dress color... Xu Ruyu’s hair stood on end!

It was her!

The woman from the pool in the back mountain!

Why—why did she chase him all the way here?!

Could it be that she really refused to let it go and was coming to settle the score?!

Xu Ruyu was scared out of his wits; he didn't even dare to look closely, let alone confirm it.

Without a second thought, like a startled rabbit, he spun around and 'whooshed' into the open main doors of Ningyin Hall. Then, at the fastest speed of his life, he rushed toward the small door of his side hall, slammed it shut with a 'bang,' and frantically bolted it from the inside. Leaning against the cold door panel, his heart pounded wildly as he gasped for air.

It's over, it's all over!

She found the door!

She's here to demand justice!

This woman really wasn't going to let him off that easily!

That smiling appearance back at the pool must have been an act!

Now she's going to complain in front of the Sect Master!

Xu Ruyu wanted to cry but had no tears. His mind already began to imagine scenes of his Revered Master stripping him of his cultivation (though he didn't seem to have any) and expelling him from the Sect on charges of 'indecency towards a fellow Disciple,' or even worse.

Outside the hall, the owner of that water-blue figure—Qingyan—had just reached the platform in front of Ningyin Hall. She happened to see the entire sequence of Xu Ruyu’s panicked flight, as if he had seen a ghost, followed by the door slamming and bolting.

She was stunned for a moment, but then a flash of cunning and a deep smile quickly crossed her clear, bright eyes. She couldn't help but raise her slender hand to cover her slightly upturned lips.

This Senior Brother Xu... isn't he a bit too cowardly? His reaction is far too amusing.

She only wanted to... well, 'deliver some fish' and tease him a bit. To think he'd be scared like this?

Qingyan blinked, her interest in this legendary Personal Disciple of the Sect Master growing even stronger.

It seemed that life in the Hehuan Sect wouldn't be boring from now on.

Hiding behind the door, Xu Ruyu pricked up his ears to listen to the movement outside. In his heart, he prayed to every god and buddha he could think of, hoping the woman was just passing by and definitely wasn't there for him.

At the same time, he ranted frantically in his mind: Damn it, why are all the women in the Hehuan Sect the same? Senior Sister Su is like that, and this Junior Sister whose name I don't even know is the same!

She even chased me to Revered Master's living quarters! This is too terrifying! Is this place even safe to stay in anymore?

Just as he thought of his Revered Master, he heard that woman’s clear and pleasant voice from outside the hall, which she had intentionally raised a few notches:

“Qingyan, a Disciple under the Fifth Elder of the Hehuan Sect, is here to pay respects to Senior Brother Xu Ruyu!”

The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to be clearly heard inside the hall and by anyone nearby.

Xu Ruyu’s vision went dark, and he almost collapsed.

She really is here for me!

She even announced her name and lineage!

A Disciple of the Fifth Elder!

It's over, it's all over. There's no way to deny it now!

He paced around the room in a panic, wondering if he should rush out and try to stabilize her. He couldn't let her blabber about the 'peeping' incident, especially not let it reach Revered Master's ears!

Just as Xu Ruyu steeled himself and prepared to unbolt the door to 'surrender'—

From the direction of the Main Hall, that heavy door was once again silently pushed open.

Xiao Nianyin slowly walked out.

She seemed to have composed herself; her complexion was slightly better than before, but that cold, distant air and a hint of hidden fatigue still lingered between her brows.

She had changed into a new, plain white dress, pristine and spotless, though there was still a nearly imperceptible stiffness in her movements.

Her gaze first swept indifferently over the tightly closed side hall door (she had clearly heard the loud bang when Xu Ruyu shut it just now), and then landed on the clear and lovely young girl on the platform, who was carrying a small, dripping bamboo basket and wearing a water-blue dress.

When Qingyan saw Xiao Nianyin come out, the cunning smile on her face vanished instantly, replaced by an expression of respect mixed with obvious tension and awkwardness.

She hurriedly set down the bamboo basket and bowed properly in greeting: “Disciple Qingyan pays respects to the Sect Master!”

Xiao Nianyin’s gaze lingered on Qingyan for a moment, then glanced at the dripping bamboo basket by her feet, noting the few silver fish scales and green water plants peeking out from the top. Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

The Fifth Elder’s Disciple? Qingyan? She had some impression of her; she seemed to be a junior the Fifth Elder had thought highly of in recent years. Her Water Spiritual Root Aptitude was good, she practiced diligently, and her personality was said to be... rather lively.

Why would she run to Ningyin Hall at this time and specifically ask to see Xu Ruyu?

That inexplicable trace of annoyance and displeasure in Xiao Nianyin’s heart was like a stone thrown into a lake, the ripples spreading once more.

As expected... these female Disciples all have very sharp noses.

Xu Ruyu, this suddenly appearing 'hot commodity,' already had people impatiently flocking to him.

First it was Su Mei, and now it’s this Qingyan.

However... Xiao Nianyin thought again, this might not be entirely a bad thing.

Everyone's attention was being drawn to Xu Ruyu, focusing on him as the sudden 'Sect Master's Personal Disciple.' Naturally, the attention on her own recent abnormalities as the Sect Master would decrease.

This was beneficial for concealing the fact that she had lost her cultivation and for buying time to recover.

Only... as soon as this thought arose, a complex sense of bitterness welled up in Xiao Nianyin’s heart. Keeping Xu Ruyu by her side was originally intended to have him attract attention and serve as a cover.

But now that she actually saw someone starting to 'take action,' she felt... somewhat uncomfortable.

Especially since her current safety actually depended to a large extent on this youth she had known for less than a day—the one who had also taken her purity.

Originally, she had planned to pull Lady Qingli into the situation, using the Taihu Clan powerhouse's prestige and their old friendship to secure protection and time for her recovery.

She hadn't expected Lady Qingli to leave so decisively, giving her no chance at all.

Right now, Xu Ruyu—the one most familiar with her weakened state and who inexplicably carried her Saint Realm Foundation within him—had become her only possible 'protective talisman,' though she wasn't even sure of him herself.

If she pushed him away or let him get too far, once something happened on her end...

Perhaps the most fundamental solution was still to take back her lost cultivation from within Xu Ruyu’s body as soon as possible.

As this thought arose, scenes from the darkness of the side hall last night—absurd, intense, and leaving her body aching even now—uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.

Xiao Nianyin felt her ears burn and her heart skip a beat. She hurriedly forced the thoughts away, not daring to dwell on them further.

She composed herself and redirected her gaze toward Qingyan, who was still maintaining her bowing posture and looking rather nervous. Her voice returned to its usual cold and flat tone:

“Qingyan? Why are you looking for Ruyu?”

Hearing the Sect Master’s question, Qingyan became even more nervous.

Facing this ice-cold Sect Master who was famous throughout the Cultivation World—the supreme existence of her own Sect—no matter how lively her usual personality was, she felt immense pressure at this moment.

She stole a glance, quickly peeking at Xiao Nianyin’s expressionless face, before hurriedly lowering her head again. Her fingers unconsciously toyed with the corner of her clothes as she stammered her reply:

“Re—Reporting to Sect Master... Disciple... Disciple is here to de—deliver fish to Senior Brother Xu.”

“Deliver fish?”

Xiao Nianyin’s brow arched slightly, her tone giving away nothing of her feelings.

“Ye—Yes.”

As if she had found her reason, Qingyan nodded quickly and pointed to the bamboo basket by her feet. “Just now... just now Senior Brother Xu was by the Spiritual Pool in the back mountain and sa—said he wanted to eat fish!”

“I thought that since Senior Brother Xu is a newcomer, he might not be familiar with the Sect’s environment, so... so I caught a few and brought them to him.”

She tried to make her tone sound natural and helpful, as if she were just a kind-hearted fellow Junior Sister.

Hiding behind the side hall door with his ear pressed against the crack, Xu Ruyu breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Fortunately, it seemed this Junior Sister Qingyan didn't plan to report him directly? Was she using the fish delivery as a subtle way to remind him? Or did she have other motives?

However, Qingyan’s next words immediately sent his heart right back into his throat!

After giving her reason for delivering the fish, Qingyan seemed afraid that Xiao Nianyin would misunderstand, so she quickly looked up, waving her hands and adding with 'urgent' tone:

“Sect Master! Please don't misunderstand! I’m really not here to settle scores with Senior Brother Xu! I don’t blame Senior Brother Xu for peeping—”

Her words came to an abrupt halt, as if she had suddenly realized she had let something slip. She slammed her hand over her mouth, her beautiful eyes widening. Two red clouds instantly flushed across her face, and her eyes darted toward the side hall in panic before she quickly lowered her head, looking like a picture of regret and bashfulness for 'oops, I said the wrong thing.'

However, behind her covered hand, the corners of her mouth curved up almost imperceptibly.

“Boom—!”

Behind the side hall door, Xu Ruyu felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. His entire body froze, and his mind went blank.

Delivering fish...

Not here to settle scores...

Doesn't blame Senior Brother Xu for peeping...

These three sentences strung together, especially that final, abruptly cut-off word 'peeping,' were a hundred times more lethal than a direct accusation!!!

Wasn't this just a blatant case of 'the lady doth protest too much'?! This Junior Sister Qingyan, she was doing it on purpose, wasn't she?! She was definitely doing it on purpose!!!

Xu Ruyu’s vision went dark; he could already see his Revered Master’s instantly freezing gaze and the terrifying low pressure emanating from her. His legs went weak, and he almost slid down the door to the floor.

On the platform in front of the hall, the moment Xiao Nianyin heard the word 'peeping,' the aura around her turned bone-chillingly cold!

Her cold eyes, like ten-thousand-year-old ice, first shot a sharp, knife-like look at the bowed and seemingly ashamed Qingyan. Then, slowly and with an invisible pressure, she turned toward the tightly closed side hall door—which, in her eyes, now seemed to reek of a guilty conscience.

The air seemed to freeze at this moment.

Even through the door panel, Xu Ruyu could feel that ice-cold, piercing gaze, making him feel as though he had fallen into an ice cellar.

It's over... it's all over...