51: Chapter 51 Safekeeping for your master...

The bright moon rose in the east, by the Lunar Essence Pool.

Du Yuqing was immersed in the Lunar Essence Pool, which surged with milky white mist.

A bone-chilling cold and tearing pain washed over every inch of her flesh and bones without end.

Her delicate body trembled violently; sweat mixed with pool water soaked her disheveled hair, and her face was as pale as paper.

Ling Hao was behind her, using pure spiritual energy to continuously protect her heart meridians, guiding the difficult trajectory of the Pure World Glazed Body.

Ling Hao had truly underestimated the pain of cultivating the Pure World Glazed Body; the more this Cultivation Technique was practiced, the more painful it became!

Whenever Du Yuqing Cultivated, Ling Hao had to be by her side to assist.

Ling Hao sat cross-legged by the pool, his palms pressed firmly against Du Yuqing's cold, smooth back, concentrating fully on guiding spiritual energy to resist the violent power of the Lunar Essence.

He could clearly feel every spasm of the muscles under his palms, and his heart tightened for her resilience.

Time passed slowly amidst the extreme pain.

Just as Du Yuqing survived another wave of intense pain, she used all her strength to turn her head with difficulty.

The dense steam dampened her eyelashes, and her eyes, clouded with mist from extreme endurance, peered through the hazy vapor at Ling Hao behind her.

Her lips moved slightly, her voice weak but clear: "Revered Master..."

She paused, seemingly having almost no strength left to speak, yet she persisted in finishing her words, "Please... get into the water too... this way... the spiritual energy transmission... might be more direct... and more convenient..."

The air instantly stagnated. Ling Hao's palm, which was transmitting spiritual energy, paused almost imperceptibly.

Du Yuqing's reason sounded reasonable. Shortening the distance to reduce spiritual energy loss and mental exhaustion could indeed improve efficiency. But... both of them knew it well.

Du Yuqing was in the water, and Ling Hao was on the shore. Ling Hao's palm was steadily pressed against her back, and the spiritual energy transmission was unimpeded; this was not an obstacle.

This reason of being "a bit more convenient" was as fragile as the mist on the water surface.

After speaking, Du Yuqing did not look away. Those eyes, filled with pain yet unusually stubborn, stared straight at Ling Hao.

Deep within her pupils seemed to be suppressed some kind of scorching emotion that transcended the relationship between Revered Master and Disciple, mixed with a little anxiety about her own bold suggestion.

Under the clear, cold pool water, her delicate yet breathtakingly full silhouette, partially concealed by the ripples and mist, faintly outlined a captivating curve.

Ling Hao's heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat. Hidden beneath this clumsy invitation was a silent closeness and trust.

She wanted to be closer to him, amidst this purgatory-like pain.

Reason told Ling Hao he should refuse, but looking at the hidden vulnerability on her pale face, feeling her skin tense from pain under his palms, and those voluptuous curves close at hand, made even more mysterious by the moisture...

"... Alright."

Ling Hao's voice deepened, carrying a hint of hoarseness. He took a deep breath, released his palm from her back, and without the slightest hesitation, leaned forward.

With a splash, Ling Hao stepped directly into the cold, biting Lunar Essence Pool water!

Intense cold and energy impact instantly enveloped Ling Hao as well, but to him, it was painless and harmless.

He quickly approached Du Yuqing, the distance between them suddenly shortening until they could almost hear each other's breathing.

"Turn around." Ling Hao's voice sounded in her ear, carrying warmth, dispelling the chill on the side of her neck.

Du Yuqing obeyed, moving her body with difficulty in the water to face Ling Hao.

The ripples surged, and that full, thought-provoking silhouette, cleverly concealed by the mist and water patterns, rose and fell slightly with her movements, just inches from Ling Hao's chest.

Water droplets slid down her slender collarbone, disappearing into that deep cleavage that made one's blood boil.

Ling Hao's Adam's apple bobbed, and he forced himself to focus his gaze on her eyes.

He raised his hands again, and this time, his palms covered her smooth, cold, and slightly trembling shoulders, beginning a closer transmission of spiritual energy.

With this movement, his fingertips naturally slid across her rounded fullness. Both of their bodies trembled.

"Focus your mind, concentrate on circulating the Cultivation Technique." Ling Hao's voice was deeper than the pool water, carrying a hint of tension.

Du Yuqing gave a low "Mn," closed her eyes, and her long eyelashes fluttered uneasily like butterfly wings.

The moment Ling Hao's palms covered her again, her tense body seemed to relax strangely, even moving slightly closer to his chest without leaving a trace.

The cold pool water seemed to be soothed by the suddenly rising body temperature and the silent, ambiguous atmosphere between the two, becoming less bone-chilling and unbearable.

However, Ling Hao discovered that trying to calm his mind to guide the Cultivation Technique was now... countless times more difficult than when he had been separated by the pool water earlier.

And at the corners of the young girl's mouth, who was almost drowned in pain, a fleeting, almost imperceptible curve seemed to flash.

The moon was high in the sky, atop Haoran Tower.

A night breeze blew past, bringing a hint of coolness, allowing Ling Hao's chaotic thoughts to settle slightly.

But the stunning curves in his mind and the warm touch from when they were pressed together in the Lunar Essence Pool still lingered.

From the first time he helped her with Body Tempering until now, the two had maintained a tacit understanding. Until this time, with Du Yuqing's request...

Ling Hao was not unfeeling; he naturally understood what that close temperature and reliance meant. It was just that...

His gaze subconsciously turned toward the direction of Fuqu Courtyard. Tonight, he already had an appointment, and he had promised the other party.

At this moment, Ling Hao could only temporarily suppress the ripples in his heart.

"Ding! The Pure World Glazed Body Cultivation Technique has been split. Please click to view details..." The System's notification sound rang out at the right time, pulling Ling Hao's thoughts back.

He focused his mind on the System screen that appeared before him: "Lingbo Jade Foot Art," "Taixu Mianyu Technique," "Plain Hand Dragon Catching Art," "Cherry Lip Spirit Passing Method," "Spirit Snake Heart Entwining Scripture," "Standing Body Mountain Shaking Art," "Heavenly Fragrance Bewitching Scripture"...

Although the Pure World Glazed Body was of a high rank, the difficulty of Cultivation was monstrous, and the requirements for Aptitude were harsh, making it almost unsuitable for other Disciples in the Sect who did not possess a special Physique.

Therefore, Ling Hao directly had the System break it down into these seven Heaven Rank Cultivation Techniques.

Although in terms of rank alone, these seven Cultivation Techniques were much inferior to the complete Pure World Glazed Body, each one pointed directly to the mysteries of different parts of the human body and was exceptionally exquisite; if placed in the outside world, they would be enough to cause countless Cultivators to fight for them crazily!

"The Cultivation Techniques are ready, next I need to precisely match them with the Disciples' talents..." Ling Hao mused, casually clicking on the [Special Buildings] category in the Sect Master's point shop.

Golden Lotus Workshop, Mianyu Tower, Yingyu Terrace, Tiangong Pavilion, Qingtian Pavilion, Tianxiang Pavilion... Peculiar buildings that vaguely corresponded to the names of the Cultivation Techniques came into view.

Ling Hao tapped his fingertips repeatedly, consuming a large number of points without hesitation. Soon, on Houde Peak, several brand-new buildings with distinct styles and flowing light rose from the ground. Strange fluctuations radiated out, causing nearby Disciples to look over and exclaim in surprise.

"Done!" Ling Hao withdrew his gaze with satisfaction. Having solved the major matter of the Sect's Cultivation Technique Legacy, his mood lightened a bit.

"Then, next..." He cast his gaze again toward Fuqu Courtyard, a smile curling at the corner of his lips, "Time to keep the appointment."

Fuqu Courtyard, outside the guest room. The voice of Chi Wanhe, slightly hesitant, could be faintly heard: "Old Ancestor... really... do we really have to do this?"

Immediately following was Chi Shuying's affirmation, carrying a hint of mischievous laughter: "Listen to the Old Ancestor, you can't go wrong! It's guaranteed to make your Revered Master... mmm-hmm."

The voice afterward lowered, leaving only Chi Wanhe's response, sounding shy and timid, as soft as a mosquito's hum: "Alright... alright then..."