79: Chapter 79 Flowing Clouds Return, Snowflakes Moved

As the morning light breaks, Liuyun Temple is shrouded in a faint mist, with Spiritual Qi permeating the air as the mountain gates and halls appear and disappear in the haze.

Inside the Sect Main Hall, the atmosphere is solemn.

Sect Master Jing Hong sits in the main seat, while Perfected Yunshui, the Second Elder, and the Third Elder sit below him on the left and right. Ling Hao and Chi Shuying sit at the head of the guest seats.

Jing Hong takes a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across everyone in the hall before finally landing on Ling Hao, his tone grave:

"Sect Master Ling, after discussions throughout Liuyun Temple, we have decided to formally submit to the Moonshadow Sect and become a subsidiary Sect!"

Upon hearing this, a look of surprise flashes across Ling Hao's face:

"Oh? Sect Master Jing, this is no small matter. Have you truly decided? And the Elders of your temple... they have no objections?"

His gaze pointedly sweeps over Perfected Yunshui and the other two Elders.

"We have no objections."

Perfected Yunshui is the first to speak, his voice steady, though his gaze toward Ling Hao holds a few more hints of indescribable respect than it did yesterday.

The Second and Third Elders exchange a startled look, clearly finding it hard to believe the hundred-and-eighty-degree turn in Perfected Yunshui's attitude.

But seeing that both the Sect Master and the Grand Elder have already made their stance clear, the two can only suppress the confusion in their hearts and nod in silence.

Seeing that the Elders have no opposition, Jing Hong feels slightly more at ease and continues:

"I have heard that the Moonshadow Sect collects twenty percent of resources from its subsidiary Sects. To show our sincerity, Liuyun Temple is willing to hand over... thirty percent!"

Ling Hao picks up his teacup, gently blowing on the floating leaves, neither agreeing nor disagreeing:

"Thirty percent? Sect Master Jing is quite generous. However, for a subsidiary Sect, the value lies in being of one mind. The amount of resources is secondary; the key is whether your temple is truly sincere in its submission and willing to follow the orders of my Moonshadow Sect?"

"That goes without saying!"

Jing Hong quickly responds, "Since Liuyun Temple has submitted, we shall naturally follow the Moonshadow Sect's lead and obey all of Sect Master Ling's commands without any second thoughts!"

"Good!" Ling Hao sets down his teacup, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"In that case, thirty percent it is. In the future, if Liuyun Temple encounters difficulties, the Moonshadow Sect will naturally not stand idly by."

"Thank you, Sect Master Ling!" Jing Hong and the Elders respond in unison. The atmosphere in the hall immediately softens, and both hosts and guests are pleased.

...

The massive cloud whale ship travels smoothly across the sea of clouds.

On the deck, Ling Hao is deep in thought.

Chi Shuying stands by the railing, her elegant brows slightly furrowed, her gaze somewhat distant.

Ever since leaving Liuyun Temple, she has felt a bit uneasy. The Sect Master... seems a bit distant? Is it because she ultimately held her ground last night and didn't let him...

She feels anxious about their relationship. Is he angry? But this morning in the hall when discussing the submission, his expression was as usual, showing no signs of displeasure. Yet now on the flying ship, he just stares into the distance, remaining silent.

Chi Shuying bites her lower lip, gathering her courage to say something. Even if it's just to ask why he's so quiet.

"Sect Master..."

Just then, Ling Hao's brow suddenly furrows as if he has sensed something. Without hesitation, he takes out a jade Talisman flickering with spatial fluctuations from his sleeve and speaks rapidly:

"Shuying, pilot the cloud whale ship directly back to the Sect. I have urgent business to handle!"

Before his voice even fades, the light from the jade Talisman surges, and Ling Hao's figure instantly vanishes from the spot, leaving behind only ripples in space.

Chi Shuying's outstretched hand freezes in mid-air, her words forced back down her throat.

She stares blankly at the spot where Ling Hao vanished, a surge of indescribable loss and grievance welling up in her heart.

As expected... he still minds, doesn't he?

Is it because last night... I didn't agree to his final request?

But... but I am Wanhe's Old Ancestor... this relationship... how am I supposed to handle this...

And...

Chi Shuying subconsciously raises her hand, her fingertips gently brushing against her soft lips, her cheeks heating up slightly.

Although she held the line at the final step last night, didn't she... also use another way... to help him find release?

He... how could he just leave like that? Without even letting her finish her sentence...

A trace of resentment quietly creeps into her heart.

---

Somewhere tens of thousands of miles away, a sharp sword light cuts through the forest. Qin Zhaoxue's face is pale as she pilots her Flying Sword in a pathetic flight for her life.

From time to time, she throws out second-grade Talismans—fireballs, ice spikes, and vines explode, slightly hindering the wretched Cultivator who is relentlessly pursuing her.

"Hahaha, little beauty, you can't escape! Just give yourself to this seat obediently!"

Ying Buqi laughs weirdly, though he is kept somewhat busy by the Talismans. He doesn't dare to take them head-on and can only maintain a certain speed while following behind.

Qin Zhaoxue's heart is full of regret; she was careless, spending Spirit Stones so freely that she ended up being targeted.

After being kissed by her Revered Master Ling Hao that day, she chose to flee in panic. Once her mind had calmed down a bit, she flipped through every novel she had ever written but never found the word "moe."

That vague impression must have been a spark of inspiration while she was brainstorming new plots; it had never actually been put into writing!

And that flute music under the moon... the melodies from her past life that she played, her Revered Master was always able to accurately capture the true meaning within them.

Furthermore, she had overheard the Eldest Senior Sister mention by chance that when she first joined the Sect, Revered Master had taught her a Cultivation method called the "Geometric Symmetry Method."

Geometric symmetry?

That was definitely not a term that should exist in this world!

The answer became incredibly clear at that moment.

Her Revered Master, Ling Hao, was also a Transmigrator just like her! And he had been keeping it from her the whole time!

The impact of this discovery left her with complex and difficult-to-explain feelings—she couldn't tell if it was resentment, disappointment, or... a trace of secret joy mixed in?

To untangle this mess, she had taken a simple Sect mission to clear her head, but she never expected to encounter such a disaster.

As the last Talisman in her hand burns out and her spiritual power nears exhaustion, Qin Zhaoxue's face instantly turns deathly pale, and despair surges over her like a tide.

In a daze, she remembers the plot of her novel "The Cold Master is Only Gentle to Me"—the female lead Qin Zhaoxue is being hunted, and at the brink of death, the male lead Ling Han arrives riding on light like a descending god, wiping out the powerful enemies with a wave of his hand before pulling her into his embrace...

At this moment, she actually gives birth to the same hope.

Revered Master...

She crushes the distress jade Talisman the Eldest Senior Sister gave her before she left. But... Revered Master is tens of thousands of miles away at Liuyun Temple; even if he senses it, how could he possibly arrive in time?

Ying Buqi walks toward Qin Zhaoxue step by step.

A flash of determination crosses Qin Zhaoxue's eyes. My heart belongs to Revered Master, and my body belongs to Revered Master. It's just a pity that last time...

If she can make it back this time, she will definitely give herself to him!

As for now... Qin Zhaoxue no longer hesitates, circulating her Qi to reverse her Meridians.

At the very instant she triggers her spiritual power!

"Die!"

An icy, familiar voice like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens suddenly explodes!

An invisible Sword Qi seems to be born from the Void Realm, instantly tearing through the sky and accurately piercing through the center of Ying Buqi's forehead!

A single strike explodes his head, and his body is obliterated!

Qin Zhaoxue doesn't even see how the figure appeared before she feels herself falling into a solid, familiar, and warm embrace.

"Are you alright?"

Ling Hao's voice carries a hint of urgency as he looks down at the Disciple in his arms.

"I'm... I'm fine..."

Qin Zhaoxue's voice is as faint as a mosquito's hum, her body trembling slightly from the massive shock of surviving a disaster.

She lifts her head, staring blankly at Ling Hao who is right in front of her.

That handsome face is now clearly filled with worry. The shock of the hero saving the beauty, the intense sense of destiny from her novel plot perfectly overlapping with reality, and the fragility of being pulled back from the edge of Hell—these three emotions are like a crashing wave, instantly destroying all the defenses and concerns in Qin Zhaoxue's heart.

Her long-suppressed love and attachment for her Revered Master reach an unprecedented peak at this moment!

Qin Zhaoxue suddenly stands on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around Ling Hao's neck, and her soft lips press against Ling Hao's slightly cool, thin lips.

Ling Hao is instantly stunned, his pupils dilating as his body stiffens for a moment.

Last night he had forcefully pinned Chi Shuying against a wall, and in the blink of an eye, he was actually being... forcibly kissed by this usually gentle and reserved second Disciple?!

PS: The book is being tested. I beg all you readers to provide some free gifts as motivation, thank you. If it's okay, I hope you can give this book a review. Many thanks.