4: Chapter 4: Either die or stay by my side, the choice is yours.

Xu Ruyu's words caused Xiao Nianyin's expression to shift.

This mere Mortal actually wanted to have another go with her?

If looks could kill, Xu Ruyu would have already died ten thousand times over by now.

While Xiao Nianyin felt intense shame and anger, she felt even more caution.

Her current state was not right; the power within her body was in chaos, and she absolutely could not act rashly.

Furthermore, she needed to pry more information out of this Mortal—how did he get here? What exactly had just happened?

"Call it even?" Xiao Nianyin looked at him, a cold light flashing in her beautiful eyes. "Can this seat's purity be offset by the so-called first time of a mere Mortal like you?"

These words caused Xu Ruyu's heart to sink to rock bottom.

It was over; she was going to settle the score now.

However, Xiao Nianyin's next words were completely beyond his expectations.

"From this moment on, you are to act as if today's events never happened, and you are not allowed to tell anyone," Xiao Nianyin's voice was as cold as ice. "If you dare leak even half a sentence, this seat has a thousand ways to make you wish you were dead."

Xu Ruyu's whole body trembled as he nodded frantically. "I won't say a word! I definitely won't! I swear!"

"Swear?" Xiao Nianyin let out a cold laugh. "In this seat's eyes, a Mortal's oath is worth less than a penny."

She slowly stood up. Although the emptiness within her body left her almost unable to stand steadily, she forced herself to endure, walking toward Xu Ruyu step by step.

Each step was steady and slow, carrying a deliberate sense of pressure.

Xu Ruyu subconsciously backed away until his back hit a cold hall pillar, leaving him with no further retreat.

Xiao Nianyin walked up to him, the distance between them so close that they could feel each other's breath.

Xu Ruyu could smell the faint, delicate fragrance on her body, mixed with a trace of... the scent of blood?

"Listen, Mortal." Xiao Nianyin's voice was very low, yet every word was crystal clear. "You now know this seat's greatest secret—you have shared skin-to-skin intimacy with this seat.

And this secret is enough to make you die ten thousand times."

Xu Ruyu's breathing nearly stopped.

"But this seat will give you a choice now." Xiao Nianyin stared into his eyes; those beautiful eyes held no warmth, only cold calculation. "Either I kill you right now and let you vanish forever with this secret."

She paused, letting the weight of those words ferment in Xu Ruyu's heart.

"Or..." Xiao Nianyin's voice grew several degrees colder, "you stay by my side forever and become this seat's Personal Disciple.

From now on, your life is mine, and everything about you is mine.

Without my permission, you cannot leave the Hehuan Sect by even a single step, much less mention today's events to anyone."

Xu Ruyu was stunned.

Personal Disciple? This twist was way too fast.

"Why?" he asked subconsciously. "Why don't you just kill me? Wouldn't that be easier?"

Xiao Nianyin's heart stirred—this Mortal had actually asked the key question.

But she had already prepared her rhetoric; naturally, she wouldn't tell Xu Ruyu: 'If you fucking die, who am I going to get my several hundred years of cultivation back from?'

"Kill you?" A mocking smile curled the corner of her lips. "That would be too easy for you.

You ruined my purity; did you think a simple death could repay that? No, this seat wants you alive, to spend your life atoning for your sins."

She reached out, her icy fingertips lifting Xu Ruyu's chin, forcing him to meet her gaze.

"Besides, do you think this seat cannot see your uniqueness?" Xiao Nianyin's tone carried a hint of profound meaning. "For a Mortal to be able to... last that long before this seat, even making this seat..."

She stopped at the right moment, a perfectly timed flash of shame and anger crossing her face.

This was a carefully designed performance—she needed to make this Mortal fear her, but also make him believe she was keeping him because he had 'special qualities,' rather than for any other reason.

Xu Ruyu indeed fell for it.

He recalled his performance just now; it was indeed... abnormally long-lasting.

Could he really have some kind of special Physique? But he was just an ordinary corporate drone in his original world...

"I... I really didn't know..."

he murmured.

"This seat naturally knows you didn't know."

Xiao Nianyin released her hand and turned to walk toward the bed, her back to Xu Ruyu.

This action was both to hide her current weakness and to give Xu Ruyu time to think.

"Your Physique is very special. Although you are still a Mortal now, perhaps... you have value worth cultivating." Her voice drifted from ahead, carrying a tone of bestowed charity. "This is your only chance to live, and your only value."

Xu Ruyu fell silent.

He didn't want to die; he had only just undergone Transmigration and had only just seen this miraculous world.

And... if it was as this beautiful Sect Master said, and he had a special Physique, did that mean it was possible for him to Cultivate in this world and become one of those Cultivators who could fly and tunnel through the earth?

Once this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.

"I... I choose the second option." Xu Ruyu took a deep breath and looked up. "I'll stay and become your Disciple."

With her back to him, a barely perceptible curve formed at the corner of Xiao Nianyin's lips.

Excellent, the first step was a success.

She turned around, her face having already returned to its cold and majestic expression. "Remember, this is not a request; it is an order.

From this moment on, your life belongs to this seat.

If you dare harbor ulterior motives, or if you dare leak even half a sentence, this seat will make you regret ever coming into this world."

Xu Ruyu shuddered and nodded vigorously. "Understood! This Disciple understands!"

"In front of outsiders, you are to call this seat 'Revered Master'."

Xiao Nianyin said indifferently. Then, instead of directly telling Xu Ruyu to go behind the screen to change clothes as before, she raised her voice and gave an order to those outside the hall: "Qingzhu."

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, the maid Qingzhu, who had previously retreated, quickly appeared outside the hall doors. She responded respectfully through the doors, "This Disciple is here. What are the Sect Master's orders?"

"Go prepare a brand new set of Personal Disciple robes. They should be Moon-white with embroidered Hehuan patterns. For the size..." Xiao Nianyin's gaze swept over Xu Ruyu, "prepare them for a height of seven chi eight cun and a shoulder width of one chi one cun. Be quick."

Qingzhu, outside the hall, clearly faltered for a moment, her voice carrying an unmistakable note of surprise. "P-Personal Disciple robes? Sect Master, you mean..."

"Does this seat's word need to be repeated a second time?"

Xiao Nianyin's voice turned cold. Even through the hall doors, that invisible pressure caused Qingzhu to fall silent instantly.

"This Disciple wouldn't dare! This Disciple will see to it immediately!"

Qingzhu hurriedly complied, her footsteps receding quickly into the distance.

Inside the hall, Xu Ruyu looked at Xiao Nianyin with some confusion, not understanding why she didn't just let him wear existing clothes instead of going to the trouble of having someone make them now.

Xiao Nianyin, however, simply closed her eyes to rest, offering no explanation.

She naturally couldn't explain—this was both a test and a move in her game.

The test was for the reaction speed of the spies within the Sect; the move was to let everyone know that she, Xiao Nianyin, had taken a Personal Disciple—and a Personal Disciple for whom she had specially ordered custom robes with great ceremony.

Only in this way could she maximize the concealment of her current true state and shift everyone's attention onto this sudden 'Disciple'.

As expected, within less than half a stick of incense after Qingzhu left Ningyin Hall, several secret messages had already been sent through various channels to every corner of the Hehuan Sect.