Chapter 80 Serving the Master

He raised his hand to tidy his appearance.

Smoothing out his lapel.

Straightening his hair ribbon.

Wiping away non-existent dust from his face.

Then he stepped forward.

Passing through the Mountain-protecting Formation.

Passing through the path within the Purple Bamboo Forest.

Passing through that mountain road he had walked countless times, where he wouldn't get lost even with his eyes closed.

Every step was steady.

Every step was slow.

Like a prisoner walking toward the execution ground.

Like a moth flying toward a flame.

Cold Jade Palace.

The summit of Purple Bamboo Peak.

This entire palace was carved from ten-thousand-year cold jade; it was warm in winter and cool in summer, with spring-like weather all year round.

On ordinary days, it was as quiet as an empty hall.

But at this moment.

The palace doors were tightly shut.

The shimmering light of the Restriction on the door was clearly visible.

That was a Restriction personally laid down by Revered Master.

It cut off sound, cut off aura, and cut off all external interference.

It also cut off the path of escape.

Su Ye stood before the palace doors.

He raised his hand, wanting to knock.

His fingers hung in mid-air, pausing for three breaths.

Then he lowered his hand.

Taking a deep breath.

He raised his hand again.

This time he did not hesitate.

His knuckles rapped against the cold jade door, making a crisp sound.

Knock.

Knock, knock.

“Revered Master, your Disciple Su Ye requests an audience.”

There was no response from inside the hall.

Su Ye waited for three breaths.

He waited another three breaths.

Just as he was about to knock again.

Squeak—

The palace door opened on its own without any wind.

It didn't swing wide open.

It only opened a crack.

That crack was very narrow, so narrow that it could only allow one person to pass through sideways.

Like a squinting eye, playfully sizing up the uninvited guest outside the door.

Light spilled from the crack.

It wasn't the light of a candle flame.

The cold jade itself was a light source; the entire palace was shrouded in a warm, milky-white halo.

But at this moment, a different shade was mixed into that halo.

It was a very faint crimson.

Like the morning glow.

And also like... certain emotions that shouldn't be there.

Immediately following.

A faint fragrance wafted out from the crack in the door.

That scent was very light.

So light it was almost non-existent, so light that it would be overlooked if one wasn't careful.

But once captured, it could no longer be ignored.

It wasn't the scent of flowers.

It wasn't any kind of spice.

It was the unique body fragrance of the Taiyin Sacred Body.

Cold and clear.

Deep and quiet.

Yet carrying a fatal temptation.

Like a winter plum blooming alone under the moon; though one knows it cannot be plucked, it makes one unable to resist wanting to draw near.

Su Ye's breathing hitched for a moment.

Then.

That familiar voice drifted leisurely from the depths of the hall.

Cold and clear.

Languid.

The end of the sentence rose slightly, carrying a hint of... laughter that made one's bones go soft.

“Done fighting?”

“Finished showing off your might?”

“Since you have the strength to bully outsiders...”

A pause.

An extremely subtle moment of pause.

Within that pause were hidden ten thousand kinds of unspoken words.

“Then surely—”

“You have even more strength to come ‘serve’ your Revered Master?”

Serve.

These two words were bitten very lightly and softly by her.

As if held on the tip of her tongue and swirled three times before being gently spat out.

Su Ye swallowed hard.

He felt as if he were seeing a beautiful fox spirit who had cultivated for a thousand years.

Leaning languidly on a soft couch.

Nine fluffy snow-white tails swaying gently behind her.

She squinted her eyes, the tear mole at the corner of her eye shimmering under the candlelight.

She beckoned to him with a finger.

Slender jade fingers.

The nails were a faint pink, as if stained with peach blossom juice.

“Revered Master.”

Su Ye stood at the door, not stepping inside.

He lowered his gaze, his voice low and carrying twelve-thousandths of sincerity:

“Disciple has recently... been feeling a bit of discomfort in his waist.”

A pause.

“May I request a day off?”

The hall was silent for one breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

Then.

That voice rang out again, the tone still languid, yet adding a hint of danger:

“Request leave?”

“Denied.”

“Since your waist isn't well, then Revered Master will help you...”

“Properly ‘treat’ it.”

Treat.

These two words were spoken by her with many twists and turns.

Like biting down on the crispy sugar coating on the outside of a candied hawthorn.

Su Ye's expression changed slightly.

He instinctively took half a step back.

But it was too late.

An irresistible suction came from within the hall.

That wasn't spiritual power.

That was the natural attraction the Taiyin Sacred Body had for the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

His cultivation at the Nascent Soul Third Heaven was as light as a feather before this attraction.

“Revered Master—!”

He gave a cry of surprise.

His whole person was directly sucked inside.

Squeak—

Bang!

The palace doors shut heavily behind him.

The sound was muffled and resolute.

Like a cage being locked.

Immediately following.

A light purple Restriction light curtain rose from the palace doors.

That light curtain was layered, with a full thirteen layers.

Every single layer was a Restriction at the Soul Transformation Peak level.

Forget a Nascent Soul Stage Disciple.

Even if a Soul Transformation Stage Elder came, they wouldn't dream of shaking it in the slightest.

Inside the hall.

Lin Qingyue leaned on the cold jade couch.

She wasn't wearing those solemn palace robes today.

She only wore a plain white sleeping robe.

That sleeping robe was as thin as a cicada's wing, and her exquisite curves could be vaguely seen inside.

Her three thousand strands of black hair were scattered at will, spread across the jade pillow like water plants or dark clouds.

She rested her head on one hand, looking down at Su Ye who had been sucked in.

The tear mole at the corner of her eye flickered in the dim light.

Like a tear.

And also like a smile.

“Revered Master, calm down! You must stay calm!”

Su Ye was sucked to the front of the couch, barely managing to steady himself.

He took a step back.

His lower back pressed against the cold jade table.

There was no way to retreat.

He raised his hands, making a defensive gesture.

When that gesture was made by him, it didn't look like defense.

It looked more like surrender.

“Disciple knows his mistake!”

His voice was sincere and his expression earnest.

If one ignored the hint of a smile at the corner of his eye that couldn't be hidden, it was practically perfect.

Lin Qingyue did not speak.

She just looked at him.

Her gaze started from his forehead and slowly moved downward.

Eyebrows and eyes.

Bridge of the nose.

Lips.

Jawline.

Adam's apple.

Lapel.

That new moon-white robe looked exceptionally good on him today.

Only the collar was slightly crooked.

It had been pulled crooked when he was sucked in just now.

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

Then.

She raised her hand.

That hand was so white it was nearly transparent, her fingertips tinged with a faint pink.

She extended her index finger.

Gently hooking his lapel.

Pulling downward.

Riiip—

The sound of fabric tearing.

Crisp.

Piercing.

Su Ye was stunned for a moment.

He looked down.

Watching his new celestial silkworm silk robe, which he had worn for less than three days, rip open in a long gash from the collar to the chest.

The tear was as neat as if cut by a knife.

A cold wind poured in, causing a field of goosebumps to rise.

“Revered Master... this one was newly bought...”

His voice was a bit airy.

Lin Qingyue looked down at the tear, appearing quite satisfied.

Her fingertips were still hooking that piece of torn fabric, her finger pads inadvertently brushing against the skin of his collarbone.

It was cold.

His body temperature had always been slightly higher than average.

While her hands were always cold.

Cold and heat met.

He trembled slightly.

“Newly bought?”

Her voice was very light, as if talking to herself.

“Then that's just right.”

She raised her eyelids.

In those autumn-water eyes, the candlelight was reflected, and so was his face.

“Out with the old.”

A pause.

“In with the new.”

Su Ye's throat tightened.

He wanted to say something.

Wanted to beg for mercy.

Wanted to admit his mistake.

Wanted to explain that there were extenuating circumstances regarding the Divine Weapon Peak matter.

But he opened his mouth.

And couldn't say a single word.

Because her other hand had already covered his lower back.

Across that thin, torn layer of fabric.

Her icy palm pressed against his warm skin.

She pressed down gently.

“Didn't you say your waist wasn't well?”

Her voice carried three parts languor, three parts concern, and three parts of something he didn't dare investigate closely.

“Revered Master will help you massage it.”

Su Ye: “...”

He closed his eyes.

The wind in the Purple Bamboo Forest seemed to have become even noisier.

Outside the mountain gate.

Lin Waner and Lin Qianxue stood side by side at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion.

They had already categorized the spoils of war and registered them in the records.

Three hundred High-Grade Spirit Stones.

One thousand two hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Low-Grade Spirit Stones... someone of Elder Cangsong's status would find it embarrassing to carry Low-Grade Spirit Stones; there wasn't a single one.

Forty-seven bottles of Medicinal Pills, covering various effects such as healing, Qi recovery, realm breaking, and foundation strengthening.

Nineteen volumes of Cultivation Technique rubbings, including three volumes at or above the Earth Rank.

Seven Magic Treasures, with grades ranging from Profound Rank High Grade to Earth Rank High Grade.

Additionally, there were various Artifact Refining Materials, Talismans, and several Formation Plates.

Lin Waner held the ledger, checking off each item one by one.

Her small face was flushed with excitement under the candlelight.

“We're rich, we're rich, we're rich...”

She muttered to herself, her eyes curving into two crescents.

Lin Qianxue held her sword embryo, standing quietly by the window.

She didn't look at the ledger.

Her gaze passed through the window lattice, looking toward the mountain Peak.

The lights of the Cold Jade Palace were still on.

Through those heavy Restrictions, swaying shadows of light could be vaguely seen.

She lowered her eyelids.

The sword embryo in her arms had quieted down at some point.

That burning vibration had already subsided.

As if even it knew.

Tonight was not its hour.

Wind passed through the bamboo forest.

Rustling loudly.

Lin Waner checked off the last item and closed the ledger with satisfaction.

She gave a big stretch and let out a yawn.

“Senior Sister, do you think Senior Brother can... still come back for dinner tonight?”

Lin Qianxue did not answer.

She just looked out the window.

Moonlight was like water.

Purple bamboo was like ink.

After a long time.

She spoke softly.

Her voice was very light, as if afraid of waking something.

“He'll be back.”

She said.

It was unclear whether it was an answer or a prayer.

The night deepened.

The lights of the Cold Jade Palace did not go out all night.

This night.

Was destined to be long.

—But that is a story for later.