Facing Qing Yueqiu, who was exploding with jealousy and competing with Yu Xiaoyan, Pei Yuhang sighed to himself.
'His first disciple was always so cool-headed and composed. Why has she been so restless lately?'
"Alright, stop fighting. I have to go back and take care of Liyuan in a bit."
"We can talk about the tutoring later."
In the end, Pei Yuhang sidestepped the issue, deciding not to give anyone tutoring today. 'That should keep everyone happy, right?'
"Master, you're always playing favorites! I'm the one who—Hmph!"
When Yu Xiaoyan heard Pei Yuhang's words, she knew her plans had been completely ruined by Qing Yueqiu. She stomped her foot in anger and turned to leave.
The silver-haired girl watched her junior sister's retreating back, a triumphant glint in her eyes.
Just then, Pei Yuhang reached out and tapped her smooth forehead with a long finger.
"Yueqiu, you're a grown woman. Stop deliberately provoking Xiaoxiao."
Qing Yueqiu froze for a mont at the tap, then raised a hand to touch the spot.
Her long lashes drooped, casting a small shadow beneath her eyes, but her tone remained calm. "If I hadn't forced her to leave, Junior Sister would have pulled you into her room…
You must understand, Master, that what Xiaoxiao wanted you to tutor her in wasn't Swordsmanship."
As she finished, a smile blood on Qing Yueqiu's cold, beautiful face, like thin ice lting at the end of winter to beco a spring stream.
Hearing this, a flicker of movent crossed Pei Yuhang's eyes. He cleared his throat and said, "Yueqiu, you've learned to be bad!"
"Only a bad woman can capture you, Master. Who told you not to cherish the good ones?"
Qing Yueqiu's red lips curved. Her slender fingers firmly gripped Pei Yuhang's wrist, and she lightly scratched his palm with a fingertip, making his breath hitch.
BUZZ—
The Transmission Token at the girl's waist vibrated slightly.
Qing Yueqiu swept it with her Divine Sense and instantly read the ssage.
'Sister Yueqiu, let's begin the plan...'
Qing Yueqiu's crimson eyes glinted. She took Pei Yuhang's hand and said softly,
"Let's go, Master. We'll have our secret tutoring session at the Cold Spring~"
She leaned close to his ear, her breath as fragrant as an orchid.
"Xiaoxiao is probably still waiting outside my room to ambush . If I take you straight back, we'll be exposed."
Pei Yuhang's brows furrowed slightly, a hint of resistance on his handso face.
"Yueqiu, I just said I'm not giving anyone tutoring today…"
Seeing his first disciple's usually respectful gaze now filled with aggressive, predatory desire, Pei Yuhang took an uncomfortable half-step back.
The shadow Shang Miaoyan had left on him was too deep. Whenever he faced an assertive woman, his body would instinctively beco powerless to resist.
It would always surrender before his will could even react.
Qing Yueqiu had long since noticed this weakness of her master's.
The smile on her lips deepened. She suddenly pressed forward, her soft body clinging to his. Her slender arms wrapped irresistibly around his waist, pulling Pei Yuhang toward the Cold Earth Spring.
"Master, I wasn't satisfied that morning before you ran off… You have to compensate . That will be my 'tutoring'~"
Through her pestering and cajoling, Qing Yueqiu dragged Pei Yuhang to the entrance of the Cold Earth Spring.
In the dim passageway, a trace of reminiscence flickered in Qing Yueqiu's crimson eyes. She released her hold on Pei Yuhang and said softly,
"Master, this is where my image of you was shattered."
"Back then, I saw you and Ji Xichan in there… I was in so much pain."
"I never could have imagined that the master I had always admired, the one for whom I'd suppressed my own feelings, could be so… disheveled behind my back."
Qing Yueqiu's voice filled Pei Yuhang's eyes with guilt.
His thoughts returned to that rainy night. Faced with the silver-haired girl's suppressed confession, he could tell how tornted and torn his disciple, whom he had raised since childhood, had been at that mont.
It was his fault.
"I'm sorry, Yueqiu."
"I…"
Before he could finish, Qing Yueqiu reached out with her fragrant index finger and pressed it against his lips.
"Master, I don't bla you. I know it wasn't your fault."
"In fact, if I hadn't 'coincidentally' stumbled upon your true self back then, Yueqiu would never have found the courage to rise from the ashes and co this far with you."
Qing Yueqiu said with feeling, then took Pei Yuhang's hand and led him inside the Stone Gate.
"Master, can you properly compensate for my pain right here?"
Reflected in the spring water, her porcelain-white skin glowed with a pearly luster. The white mist that escaped her parted cherry lips mingled with Pei Yuhang's breath.
Her ruby-like eyes, usually crystal clear, were now veiled in a hazy mist. They held a hint of shyness, yet they stared at him with stubborn intensity.
Pei Yuhang watched the shimring, ghostly light of the Cold Spring play across her face, illuminating her delicate features in flickering light and shadow. His throat bobbed. Though the air here was bitingly cold, he felt his mouth go dry.
"Alright."
The mont the hoarse word left his lips, Pei Yuhang's fingertips were already touching the Jade Fork that held up the girl's silver hair.
This Jade Fork was a birthday present he had given to Yueqiu.
Back when Yueqiu discovered him frolicking with Ji Xichan in the Cold Spring, she had placed this sa Jade Fork on the ground outside the Stone Gate, signaling that she knew about his hidden side.
It was a signal for him to go find her.
Now, after so many twists and turns, he was holding this Jade Fork once again.
As the Jade Fork was removed, a cascade of silver hair fell like the Milky Way. At the sa ti, a white robe also fell.
After so long, the spring water beneath the Cold Palace Sword Mansion was about to get hot again.
...
...
Yu Xiaoyan stood in front of the door for a long ti without seeing any sign of her senior sister. The girl, who had been planning to corner her for an explanation, couldn't help but frown.
'Senior Sister is gone… Don't tell she tricked into leaving just so she could run off with Master!'
The girl's pretty face darkened.
"Yu Gu Nan, have you noticed that Senior Sister has gotten more and more scheming since she ca back from the Northern Desert?"
'I don't know if Senior Sister is scheming, but I do know that you've always been very petty, little sister.'
"…"
Choked by her sister's retort in her Sea of Consciousness, Yu Xiaoyan's expression soured even more.
'That annoying pest!'
"Shouldn't you be on my side? If I win Master's favor, you'll get a piece of the action too. What good does it do you to mock all the ti?"
'Seeing my scheming little sister unhappy makes happy.'
"Get lost!"
Yu Xiaoyan blocked out the voice in her Sea of Consciousness and stomped angrily toward the courtyard of her master and his wife.
Qing Yueqiu hadn't co back. She was going to see if that woman was hiding in the master's room for "tutoring"!
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
"Coming."
Her master's wife's gentle voice ca from inside, accompanied by the sound of light footsteps drawing near.
Yu Xiaoyan's originally gloomy and preoccupied face instantly brightened. Her expression changed in a flash, revealing two sweet dimples.
CREAK. The wooden door slowly opened.
"Master's Wife~!"
Yu Xiaoyan chirped sweetly, like a cheerful little lark.
"Oh, it's Xiaoxiao. What brings you here?"
Ye Liyuan chuckled at the sweet call and reached out to affectionately ruffle Yu Xiaoyan's hair.
After her greeting, Yu Xiaoyan tilted her head up and peeked behind Ye Liyuan.
"Master's Wife, have Master and Senior Sister co back?"
"Ah Han went out this morning and hasn't returned. As for Yueqiu… I haven't seen her in days. Do you need them for sothing?"
Ye Liyuan shifted slightly to the side, revealing the empty courtyard behind her.
Seeing that the people she was looking for weren't there, a gloomy look flickered in Yu Xiaoyan's eyes.
After quickly deceiving her naive master's wife and sending her away, she wandered alone down a path of white pebbles, starting to wonder. 'If Master and Qing Yueqiu aren't here with Master's Wife…'
'…where else could the two of them have gone for tutoring?'
'The back mountain, the Cold Earth Spring…'
'It seems those are the only two places.'
'So, which of the two places are Master and Qing Yueqiu in?'
"They must be having their secret tutoring session on the back mountain!
Senior Sister has been drinking hot water and using a brazier these past few days. Her cultivation must have run into a problem, making her afraid of the cold.
That being the case, there's no way she would go to an extrely cold and yin place like the Cold Earth Spring!"
Yu Xiaoyan clapped her small hands, amazed at her own world-shaking brilliance!
She imdiately got up and headed for the back mountain.
"Qing Yueqiu, you scher! How dare you trick so you could have Master all to yourself! I'm coming to catch you both right now!"
...
As Yu Xiaoyan made her way to the back mountain, Pei Xiaohan, who had left earlier, was not idle either.
Sister Yueqiu was now keeping Elder Pei occupied.
She had to complete the final step of the plan: bring Lin Qianyan over.
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