243: Chapter 243 Three chances, it's a sure thing!

The atmosphere in the pavilion suddenly became subtle and ambiguous.

Yu Lingshuang's fingertips gently combed through the hair at Ling Hao's temples, her movements natural and fluid, as if she had practiced them a thousand times.

Her cold, clear gaze occasionally swept over Yu Linglong, seemingly carrying a hint of scrutiny and... a faint sense of superiority.

Watching this glaring scene, the suffocating frustration in Yu Linglong's heart, stemming from being forced into the position of Deputy Sect Master by her Junior Sister, grew even more intense.

Pouting, she retaliated by lightly scratching Ling Hao's leg with her toes, causing a faint itch.

Ling Hao naturally wouldn't indulge her; he grabbed one of her jade feet, tightened his five fingers, and gave it a firm squeeze.

Suffering this unexpected assault, Yu Linglong let out a cry of pain.

This reaction immediately drew the attention of Yu Lingshuang's cold gaze, a look that seemed to say: "Senior Sister, you're making too much noise."

Yu Linglong was filled with both shame and annoyance. She glared at Ling Hao with her peach-blossom eyes, then glared at Yu Lingshuang. Just as she was about to say something to regain some ground, she lowered her head and unexpectedly caught sight of a different scene.

The hand that Yu Lingshuang had originally been using to groom Ling Hao's hair was now slowly moving downward, entering Yu Linglong's line of sight.

Her slender, jade-like fingers, carrying a cool fragrance and a hint of elusive provocation, brushed across Ling Hao's abdomen.

The movement was natural, as if she wanted to brush the dust off his robes, but as for the intent behind it...

Yu Linglong's pupils constricted! "What is Junior Sister trying to do? Is she trying to grab my feet, or is it... what I just saw?"

A surge of inexplicable impulse rushed to her head! Without thinking of the consequences, Yu Linglong struggled with the left foot Ling Hao was holding, straightening it out and kicking precisely at Yu Lingshuang's descending wrist.

"Smack!" A crisp sound of skin colliding rang out.

Yu Lingshuang's wrist was knocked off course by this sudden kick, leaving it suspended in mid-air.

She raised her head and looked coldly at Yu Linglong with her icy blue eyes. No joy or anger could be discerned on her beautiful face, but the aura around her had grown noticeably colder.

Having succeeded with her strike, Yu Linglong felt a bit more gratified, but under Yu Lingshuang's icy gaze, she also felt a twinge of guilt.

She forced herself to remain calm, retracted her bare foot, and curled the corner of her mouth, but immediately realizing this action was too childish, she quickly stiffened her expression.

Yu Linglong turned her face away and said, "What are you looking at? I... I just felt like I'd been in this position for too long and wanted to straighten out."

As she spoke, the jade foot she had just used to strike swayed again under Yu Lingshuang's gaze.

This scene and this action were like a response to the sense of superiority Yu Lingshuang had displayed earlier.

Watching Yu Linglong's stubborn yet smug expression, and then looking at the expression on Ling Hao's face—one of extreme restraint yet obvious enjoyment—a trace of a smile flashed deep in Yu Lingshuang's eyes.

After Yu Lingshuang left, only Ling Hao and Yu Linglong remained in the pavilion. Yu Linglong wanted to stand up and leave, but she was once again pulled back by Ling Hao's large hand.

"You can leave if you want," Ling Hao said, raising his eyes to look at her with a wicked smile, "but you have to do me a favor first."

Yu Linglong felt her heart tremble under his gaze, and a deeper blush appeared on her charming face. She spat, "What do you want?"

Ling Hao used force to pull her closer and smiled, "My request isn't high. I'm very interested in the Cultivation Technique you taught that girl, Hua Youyou. Why don't you and I explore it together?"

Yu Linglong instantly understood what he was referring to! That so-called foot-based Body Integration Cultivation Technique—she had only taught it to Hua Youyou with the intention of teasing Ling Hao, and now he... was actually asking her to demonstrate it herself...

"You!" She was filled with shame and annoyance, her charming peach-blossom eyes widening.

"What? Elder Linglong was so diligent when teaching her Disciple, but now that it's your turn to practice, you're getting cold feet?"

Ling Hao deliberately provoked her, pressing down with his hand with moderate force.

Yu Linglong bit her lower lip, looking at Ling Hao's teasing and expectant gaze, her heart caught in a battle between heaven and man.

He seems... to really like it? The light in his eyes couldn't be faked... A trace of inexplicable pride and secret impulse quietly sprouted.

No! This bastard, not only did he indulge his Junior Sister in plotting to make me this exhausting Deputy Sect Master, but now he wants to take full advantage of me? Despicable!

But... Yu Linglong took a deep breath, suppressing the roiling Qi in her blood. She forced a smile onto her charming face, and as her eyes darted, she actually exuded a soul-captivating allure: "Hmph... why wouldn't I dare? I'll agree to it."

She agreed, taking a deep breath and trying her best to appear calm.

Her jade feet were freed from his clutches. Under the moonlight, those jade feet hung in the air, the golden bells jingling softly.

"Hmph, I hope you can hold on, Sect Master. Otherwise, I'll be very disappointed..."

The moon rose into the sky. "The Qi force is loose, the form is scattered, and the intent is unfocused," Ling Hao commented with a frown. "Come on, Linglong, you're very weak. With this level of comprehension, how do you teach your Disciple?"

A flush flew to Yu Linglong's face. In her shame and anger, she exerted force from the soles of her feet, channeling a trace of Origin-driven golden lotus Qi, and used the "dot-kneading" technique from that Cultivation Technique to "kick" at Ling Hao.

Ling Hao nodded, satisfied. "Hmm... that's a bit better, but the point of force application is still wrong. Your heels are floating, and the force is superficial. Your comprehension of this Cultivation Technique isn't much after all." He continued his sharp-tongued remarks.

"Shut up!" Yu Linglong said angrily. She had never used this Cultivation Technique before, so naturally, she wasn't very familiar with it.

But her inner stubbornness had also been triggered; she fumbled and struggled, trying to find the most effective striking point.

Ling Hao dodged left and right, but he was boxed into a certain range, unable to move easily.

"Hiss—you've got something there! This trick for suppression is actually quite good," This made Ling Hao feel like a bird in a cage. Although Yu Linglong's strength and methods weren't skillful, she had the advantage of a superior Physical Body, so...

This made Ling Hao feel threatened. But as time passed, Yu Linglong became a bit flustered. "You... why are you so stubborn! You're so... so hard to tame!"

"That's because you aren't putting your heart into it, teaching me carefully." Ling Hao's voice was hoarse, his burning gaze fixed on her. "You need to focus, feel my weaknesses; only then will you have a chance to defeat me..."

Yu Linglong felt her whole body burning under Ling Hao's words and his scorching gaze. She let out a low cry: "Stop talking!"

As a dignified Body Integration tenth-layer cultivator, to have her own Cultivation Technique pointed out by him—it was simply mortifying!

Ling Hao chuckled. "Understood. Hmph, I didn't expect Elder Linglong to be so impatient when teaching this Sect Master..."

In the pavilion, the sound of golden bells intertwined, the lingering echoes intense, circling the rafters and echoing in the night wind for a long time.

It wasn't until the moon was high in the sky, its clear radiance at its peak, that the bell sounds suddenly stopped! Immediately after, a moon-white figure flew out from the pavilion, heading straight for the mountain peaks deep in the night.

A short while later, Ling Hao sauntered out of the pavilion. A curve played on the corners of his mouth, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing against his palm. Looking in the direction where the white figure had vanished, he muttered to himself: "Since she agreed to this... I still have three chances..." "It's in the bag!"