Lin Wan'er spying

As the dawn light faintly emerged, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the thick ice walls of Cold Jade Palace, refracting into a magnificent yet chilly halo.

Inside Cold Jade Palace, the charming and sweet scent in the air had not yet fully dissipated, intertwining with the year-round lingering coldness to create an exceptionally strange and ambiguous atmosphere.

On the massive cold jade bed, the originally neat and new brocade quilt was now in complete disarray, as if it had just weathered a violent storm.

Yun Yuzhen curled up in the corner of the bed, her back turned to Su Ye.

Her waterfall-like black hair was scattered over her rounded, fragrant shoulders, concealing a few faint red marks on her back.

Her breathing was long and steady, as if she were still deep in sleep.

But Su Ye could see clearly; those long eyelashes, trembling slightly like butterfly wings, had long since betrayed the panic and shameful indignation in her heart.

She was pretending to sleep.

Or rather, this high-and-mighty Revered Master simply didn't know what kind of face to use to confront the audacious, demanding 'Rebellious Disciple' from last night.

Su Ye didn't expose her, merely curling his lips into a playful arc.

He leisurely straightened his clothes.

Dressed in white robes as pure as snow, with a green jade belt at his waist and his dark hair tied high, he instantly transformed back into that gentle, jade-like, and upright Senior Brother of Taichu Holy Land.

If not for the lingering scent in the air, who would have thought that this refined gentleman had forced his own Revered Master into such a shameful state last night?

"Phew..."

Su Ye exhaled a long breath of turbid air, feeling the spiritual power surging like a sea within his body.

It was an unprecedented sense of fullness.

The Primordial Yin accumulated by the Taiyin Sacred Body over three hundred years was, for him—who possessed the Supreme Bone and the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art—simply the world's top-tier tonic.

Within his Dantian, the Golden Core, which was already the size of a pigeon egg, was now shining with even greater brilliance.

The Dao patterns engraved upon it had rapidly evolved from the original eight to a ninth one!

The Ninth Heaven of the Golden Core!

He was just one step away from the core shattering and the soul emerging, stepping into the Nascent Soul realm!

This was the overbearing nature of the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art, and also... the sweetness of defying one's Revered Master.

"Revered Master."

Su Ye straightened his hair and cap, turned to look at the graceful figure in the corner of the bed, and spoke in a gentle and respectful voice that left no room for fault.

"The day has dawned. Your disciple must go and guide the Junior Sisters in their cultivation, so I won't disturb Revered Master's rest any longer."

The figure on the bed clearly stiffened for a moment.

Then, a hand as white as jade but somewhat weak reached out from the brocade quilt, grabbed a jade pillow from the bedside, and hurled it fiercely toward him.

"Get out!"

Her voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of lingering passion, yet she forced herself to maintain the majesty of a Peak Master.

Su Ye effortlessly caught the flying jade pillow and placed it neatly back onto the side table.

"Revered Master worked hard last night; you should sleep a little longer."

"After all, detoxifying is extremely taxing on the mind and spirit. Your disciple understands."

"You..."

Yun Yuzhen suddenly turned around, the quilt sliding down half an inch to reveal a large expanse of snow-white skin beneath her delicate collarbones.

Her Phoenix eyes, usually cold and proud, were now filled with mist as she glared at Su Ye, as if trying to stare two holes into him.

"Rebellious Disciple! You got what you wanted and still act so smug!"

"If I ever break through this Restriction..."

Su Ye smiled.

His smile was as warm as a spring breeze.

He stepped forward slowly, leaned down, and gently planted a kiss on Yun Yuzhen's smooth forehead.

The movement was as natural as if it were a daily morning and evening ritual.

"If you break the Restriction, will Revered Master kill me again?"

"Unfortunately, the residual poison in Revered Master's body has not been cleared. You still need this 'antidote' of a disciple to be taken a few more times."

"I will be coming often these next few days."

After speaking, ignoring Yun Yuzhen's gaze of extreme shame and indignation, Su Ye straightened up and turned to leave elegantly.

Behind him came the sound of Yun Yuzhen pounding the bed in frustration, along with a low, tearful curse.

"Bastard..."

...He walked out of the gates of Cold Jade Palace.

The biting cold wind mixed with snow particles lashed against his face, but it couldn't disperse the trace of satisfaction in Su Ye's heart.

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for breaking through to the Ninth Heaven of the Golden Core.]

[Ding! Detected that Yun Yuzhen has developed complex emotions toward the Host (40% Hatred, 30% Dependence, 20% Shame, 10% Subconscious Submission), villain points +2000.]

The System's notification sounded clearly in his mind.

Su Ye walked with light steps, treading through the snow.

Purple Bamboo Peak towered into the clouds, surrounded by mist, looking like a fairyland.

However, compared to the bustle of the other thirty-five inner peaks of Taichu Holy Land, this place was indeed much quieter.

Aside from a few outer sect handymen responsible for cleaning, there were only the four of them, Revered Master and disciples, on the entire peak.

But this was exactly what Su Ye wanted.

Fewer people made it easier to get things done.

Fewer people made it easier for him to turn this Purple Bamboo Peak into his personal back garden.

"I was delayed for a while at Tingxue Courtyard last night; I wonder how Little Junior Sister is doing now."

Su Ye thought to himself.

Lin Qianxue was a girl with a paranoid personality. With last night's stimulation and the catalysis of the Demonic Seed, she must be Cultivating with all her might right now.

That morbid psychological state of wanting to surpass everyone just to win a glance of favor from him, her Senior Brother... was the sharpest sword.

"However, I still need to spread the love evenly."

Su Ye shook his head, a faint smile on his lips.

He couldn't favor one over the other.

Since he gave Little Junior Sister 'hope' and 'treated' Revered Master last night, then today, he should naturally go see the Third Junior Sister who loved to get jealous the most.

He passed through a quiet purple bamboo forest.

Not far ahead was his Immortal Cave—Lingyun Cave.

This place was located where the Spiritual Veins of Purple Bamboo Peak converged; the Spiritual Qi was so thick it formed a mist, and the surroundings were planted with exotic flowers and herbs that remained vibrant even in winter.

However.

Just as Su Ye's figure rounded a large rock, his footsteps paused slightly.

Outside the tightly closed stone door of Lingyun Cave.

A charming figure in a water-blue immortal-retaining skirt was sneakily pressed against the stone door.

It was Lin Waner.

She had a graceful figure with a waist like a bundle of silk. At the moment, she was bent over without any regard for her image, her ear pressed tightly against the crack in the stone door, seemingly trying to hear the movement inside.

Because she was so focused, she didn't even notice the footsteps coming from behind her.

"Strange..."

Lin Waner whispered to herself as she listened, her voice soft and sweet, filled with a bit of confusion and anxiety.

"Why isn't there any sound at all?"

"Senior Brother clearly came back last night..."

"Could he have set up a soundproofing barrier inside?"

She bit her finger, her brow furrowed, and those large watery eyes were full of inner conflict.

"That new ice-face made such a big fuss last night, but Senior Brother didn't go to comfort her; instead, he came back to his cave..."

"Could it be that Senior Brother is preparing some surprise for me?"

"Or rather..."

Lin Waner's small face suddenly turned pale, as if she had thought of something terrifying.

"Is Senior Brother injured? Is he in seclusion to heal?"

"No, I have to go in and see!"

The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She raised her hand to strike the Restriction on the stone door.

But just as her hand reached mid-air, she hesitated and lowered it again.

"What if... what if Senior Brother is comprehending some peerless divine art? If I strike it and cause him to suffer Qi Deviation, what then?"

"Wuwuwu, but Waner misses Senior Brother so much..."

"We clearly just met yesterday, so why does it feel like it's been years?"

The young girl paced back and forth at the entrance of the cave, her skirt swaying gently with her movements like a blue lotus blooming in the wind.

That look of being torn between wanting to get close and being afraid to disturb was truly somewhat charmingly naive.

Su Ye stood under the shadow of the bamboo not far away, quietly watching this scene.

This was his Third Junior Sister.

The Primal Water Body, with a Water Spiritual Root.

Her personality was also like water: gentle, lingering, yet pervasive.

Most importantly... she was really clingy.

If Lin Qianxue was a tsundere yandere who needed to be conquered with neglect and stimulation, then Lin Waner was the kind of silly-sweet girl who would stick to you entirely if you just gave her a little sweetness.

Of course, the premise was that that bit of sweetness could only be given to her alone.

"Ahem."

Su Ye coughed lightly.

The sound wasn't loud, but in the silent purple bamboo forest, it was like a clap of thunder.

"Ah!"

Lin Waner at the cave entrance was so startled that her whole body jolted, and she bounced up like a frightened little rabbit.

She turned around in a panic, her foot slipping, almost falling over.

When she clearly saw the figure standing under the bamboo shadow, dressed in snow-white robes and smiling broadly, her originally startled little face instantly turned beet red.

"Se... Senior Brother?!"

Lin Waner stammered, her hands behind her back, nervously twisting her sash.

"You... why are you outside?"

"I... I thought you were inside..."

Su Ye stepped forward slowly, each step feeling as if it were treading on the strings of Lin Waner's heart.

He walked up to Lin Waner and looked down slightly at this petite Junior Sister who only reached his chest.

As the distance closed.

A clear and pleasant masculine scent wafted toward her, making Lin Waner's head spin and her heart beat so fast it felt like it would jump out of her throat.

"Third Junior Sister."

Su Ye's voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a hint of banter.

"Early in the morning, instead of Cultivating in your own room, what are you doing at the entrance of your Senior Brother's cave?"

"Could it be..."

He leaned in slightly, whispering into Lin Waner's ear, his warm breath fanning across her sensitive earlobe.

"...that you were peeping at your Senior Brother while he slept?"

"No! I wasn't!"

Lin Waner was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; she hurriedly shook her head in denial, her face turning so red it looked like it was about to bleed.

"I... I was just passing by!"

"Right! Just passing by!"

"This is the summit of Purple Bamboo Peak."

Su Ye reached out and gently helped her tidy a few stray hairs at her temples, his movements so tender they were intoxicating.

"Third Junior Sister, if you're just passing by, this detour is a bit far."

"And..."

Su Ye's gaze swept over her skirt, which was stained with a bit of dew; she had clearly been waiting here for a long time.

"If Junior Sister wants to see her Senior Brother, you can do so openly. Why do it so sneakily?"

"Or do you prefer this... thrill of doing things behind people's backs?"

"Senior Brother!"

Lin Waner was so embarrassed she stomped her foot and lightly hammered Su Ye's chest with her small pink fist.

"You're teasing me again!"

The punch was soft and lacked strength, feeling more like she was acting spoiled.

Su Ye took the opportunity to grab her wrist, enveloping that soft, boneless little hand in his palm.

It felt warm and smooth.

"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."

Su Ye reined in his playful intent, his gaze becoming deep and focused, as if at this moment, she was the only one in his eyes.

"Is there something you need from me?"

Being watched by such a pair of eyes, how could Lin Waner possibly withstand it?

Her little thoughts from before were instantly poured out like beans from a bamboo tube.

"I... I missed you."

She lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, yet carrying an unmistakable hint of grievance.

"As soon as that new Fifth Junior Sister arrived yesterday, you kept revolving around her."

"You even grilled meat for her and cleaned her courtyard..."

"Even at night... you didn't return to your cave at night."

At this point, Lin Waner suddenly looked up, her large watery eyes full of vigilance and inquiry.

"Senior Brother, where exactly did you go last night?"

"I've been waiting here all morning, and I haven't seen you come out of the cave."

"Did you... did you go to that Tingxue Courtyard?"

At the thought of that annoying Lin Qianxue from last night, Lin Waner's heart felt sour with jealousy.

What was so good about that woman, who was as cold as ice?

Wasn't she just good at acting pitiful?

How could she compare to herself, who knew how to be warm and caring, and even knew how to use her mouth... Lin Waner bit her lip, the rims of her eyes turning slightly red.