Spring passed and autumn arrived.
Time flew by.
The pitiful little beggar from that day on the street had now become like a pearl wiped clean of its dirt, radiating dazzling brilliance.
The eighteen-year-old Yan Qingge had extremely beautiful features, like red plum blossoms in the snow—cold and proud with an aggressive wildness.
Her red robes billowed dramatically, outlining her graceful figure like a flower bud about to bloom.
In Heavenly Mist Sect, she was the most dazzling red-robed sword immortal of the younger generation.
Her personality was arrogant and eccentric.
Not to mention ordinary disciples, even the sect elders were unwilling to provoke this killing god lightly.
She pushed open the door and saw Bai Qingran sitting at the table.
On the table were several dishes of steaming home-cooked food.
Only at this moment would the ice-cold expression on Yan Qingge’s face quietly melt away.
“Brother Qingran.”
This call was soft, sweet, and obedient.
If the disciples she had beaten heard it, their eyeballs would probably pop out in shock.
Although Bai Qingran was her master, Yan Qingge refused to call him by that title.
She found the words “master” too cold and distant, like an iron fence that forcibly separated the two of them with the status of teacher and disciple.
“Come quickly. These are all your favorites. Eat them while they’re hot.”
This warm, jade-like voice had been engraved into the depths of Yan Qingge’s soul after eleven years of listening to it, yet she never felt like she could hear enough.
Yan Qingge sat down and habitually took the bowl of rice Bai Qingran had already served for her.
Her eating manner was somewhat rough, carrying a jianghu air, but she only behaved this way in front of Bai Qingran, like a child who would never grow up.
“Eat slower. No one’s competing with you.”
Bai Qingran scolded her helplessly yet dotingly as he handed her a cup of warm water.
Yan Qingge tilted her head back and drank it all in one go, her actions bold and straightforward.
“Qingge, you’re already eighteen. You’re a young adult now, soon to be a woman who stands on her own. How can you keep being so reckless?”
“Hmph.” Yan Qingge lifted her head, pouting in dissatisfaction.
“I don’t want to. In front of Brother, I’ll always be a child. I don’t care, Brother has to take care of me forever. Oh, I just remembered! When I was little, Brother promised to marry me! Brother can’t go back on his word. You have to take care of me for a lifetime.”
“You…”
Bai Qingran shook his head with a light laugh, his eyes full of indulgence.
Yan Qingge chattered like a tireless little bird, sharing everything she had seen and heard that day, while Bai Qingran listened attentively beside her.
Peaceful days like this were ordinary yet precious moments they had shared countless times.
After the meal, Yan Qingge skillfully cleaned up the dishes and spent a long time acting spoiled with Bai Qingran before reluctantly heading to the sect to receive next month’s mission.
Before she left, Bai Qingran reminded her, “Qingge, don’t slack off on the ‘Calming Heart Art’ I taught you. This technique is extremely important for you.”
Yan Qingge responded with a muffled sound.
She didn’t like this technique.
It had no offensive power at all.
Every time she circulated it, she felt as if she was being forced into meditation.
The sensation was very strange, as if her passionate feelings for Bai Qingran were being forcibly frozen inch by inch with each revolution of the technique.
This eerie feeling filled her with inexplicable fear.
***
In front of the mission hall, disciples lined up in a long queue.
Everyone had furrowed brows and looks of impatience.
Some looked around boredly, while others wished they could grab the ants on the ground to play with.
Yan Qingge stood in the middle of the line.
The two female disciples in front of her were chatting animatedly, spitting saliva everywhere.
Although they tried to lower their voices, in the quiet atmosphere, their words reached Yan Qingge’s ears clearly.
“Who do you think is the most handsome male disciple in our sect?”
“Let me think… I think Yu Luo from the inner sect is pretty good. That gentle and charming appearance of his—you don’t know, last time I ran into him, he called me ‘Senior Sister’ in such a delicate voice. My heart almost melted. Do you think he might be interested in me?”
“Are you crazy? Look at yourself. Are you still drunk from last night’s spiritual wine?” The other person scoffed disdainfully. “If we’re talking about both looks and figure, it has to be Junior Brother Wu Ziming. Oh my, you should have seen it—the poetic talent he has when drunk, and that figure of his is simply peerless.”
The two argued with flushed faces while drooling, neither willing to admit that their “male god” was inferior to the other’s.
“Enough, stop talking. I’m just asking—who do you think is the unanimously recognized most handsome man in the entire sect?”
“What a stupid question! Who else could it be but Immortal Lord Bai Qingran!”
Hearing her master’s name, Yan Qingge’s brows furrowed tightly.
She loathed the feeling of Bai Qingran being discussed and evaluated by other women.
“Ah, what a pity. Immortal Lord Bai doesn’t accept disciples anymore. Otherwise, even if I had to die tomorrow, I’d be willing to be his disciple for just one day.”
Who do you think you are?!
Brother Qingran’s disciple can only be me… Yan Qingge roared madly in her heart, killing intent already dancing at her fingertips.
“Aiyo, if you ask me, what people envy most about Yan Qingge isn’t her strength at all! The most enviable thing is that she’s Immortal Lord Bai’s disciple. How can she have such good fortune?”
“I heard from others that the two of them, cough cough, you know what I mean?”
The two were getting too excited and completely lost control of their mouths.
Their words became increasingly dirty.
In their mouths, Bai Qingran’s situation sounded miserable.
“Why wouldn’t I understand? A man and woman living together alone, nominally master and disciple, but who knows what they’re actually doing behind closed doors? A pure and otherworldly immortal lord like Bai Qingran falling into the hands of a rough woman like Yan Qingge—tsk tsk tsk, he must be suffering. Who knows, at night, Immortal Lord Bai might be crying and begging for mercy just like those male pets.”
“Hehe, just listening to this makes my heart itch.”
“Is it really just your heart that’s itching?”
The two looked at each other, their faces full of extremely lewd smiles.
These vulgar words made several nearby disciples unable to hold back their snickers.
Their eyes flashed with twisted excitement.
Perhaps they were thinking the same thing.
“You two bastards! I’ll kill you!”
A thunderous roar exploded like lightning!
Sword qi swept across the entire area. Before the two disciples could react, they were sent flying by terrifying spiritual power.
The bored crowd around them was also knocked over. No one would be receiving their missions today.
***
“Yan Qingge! You are simply lawless! You actually used lethal force against fellow disciples! Did you want to kill them all?!”
Inside the Discipline Hall, Elder Ning roared in fury.
Yan Qingge was bound by the Immortal Binding Rope and forced to kneel on the ground, but flames of defiance burned in her eyes.
“Why punish me?! Why don’t you ask what kind of filthy things came out of their mouths about my master?! How they slandered our master-disciple relationship!”
“You still dare to talk back! Someone come! Give her the whip punishment…”
“Elder Ning, please wait.”
A fragrant breeze swept past, interrupting Elder Ning’s roar.
Bai Qingran entered slowly, dressed in snow-white robes.
He held an exquisitely crafted jade bottle in his hand.
“Elder Ning, this is wine I brewed myself. Please have a taste.”
Elder Ning’s furious expression froze. Looking at Bai Qingran’s clear, peerlessly beautiful face, she secretly swallowed.
This person was the dream lover of countless people in the sect; no one dared to deny him face.
“Immortal Lord Bai, you are too polite.”
“Elder Ning, I know the Discipline Hall has strict rules, but the reason Qingge attacked those two disciples was because they spoke disrespectfully about me… If we really investigate this matter thoroughly, which do you think is the heavier crime—damaging an Immortal Lord’s reputation, or injuring fellow disciples?”
His red pupils narrowed slightly. Each word carried heavy pressure.
Cold sweat appeared on Elder Ning’s forehead.
This kind of matter could be big or small.
If it really escalated to the Sect Master, she wouldn’t benefit either.
“Forget it. In consideration of Immortal Lord Bai’s face, Yan Qingge will be fined one month’s spirit stones. You may take her away.”
“Thank you, Elder Ning.”
Bai Qingran helped Yan Qingge up from the ground, and the two left the Discipline Hall.
The night wind was slightly cool. Silver moonlight poured over Bai Qingran’s shoulders, adding a sacred aura that made his beauty even more breathtaking.
Yan Qingge followed closely behind him.
Her gaze was like an unbreakable shackle locked onto that moonlit figure.
She didn’t even realize that the infatuation in her black pupils had become thick and almost tangible.
Back in the room, Bai Qingran had Yan Qingge sit on a chair and brought out high-quality healing ointment.
“Qingge, are you hungry? The food is in the pot. I’ll warm it up for you later.”
Yan Qingge lowered her head, her fingers twisting her clothes tightly like a child waiting to be scolded by her parents.
She pursed her lips, her voice trembling slightly. “Brother Qingran, aren’t you angry with me…”
“Silly girl.” Bai Qingran gently stroked her hair with his warm palm. “I know you were protecting me. Our Qingge has grown up and knows how to protect Brother now.”
Bai Qingran smiled gently, his fox eyes curving slightly.
Yan Qingge’s heartbeat suddenly lost its rhythm. They were too close.
She could even feel the hot breath Bai Qingran exhaled, carrying that familiar warm floral scent.
Bai Qingran leaned forward slightly. His slender fingers dipped in the ointment and gently applied it to the wound on the side of Yan Qingge’s neck.
His snow-white strands of hair fell onto her shoulder, tickling her nose and making her heart tremble.
Beneath the white robes, one could faintly see Bai Qingran’s delicate, flawless fair skin.
Her mind went blank with a loud buzz.
Yan Qingge’s breathing quickened.
She knew she should look away, but her gaze seemed rooted in place, fixed firmly on him.
An absurd thought surged out like a hot spring in her mind: Hug Bai Qingran tightly and make those clear, gentle red eyes cry for her alone…
“All done.”
“Bro-Brother, I’m not hungry. I-I’ll head back first.”
Yan Qingge stood up abruptly and almost fled out the door.
She was afraid that if she stayed even one more second, she would do something irreversible.
The night wind was cool, but it could not extinguish the fire burning inside her body.
***
Late at night, Yan Qingge curled up on the bed, tightly clutching the slightly old rattle drum.
This was the first gift Bai Qingran had ever given her.
Her mind was in chaos.
The filthy words from the two disciples during the day echoed involuntarily in her ears, and the pure, flawless white figure she had just glimpsed appeared before her eyes again.
Dang lang dang lang.
The sound of the rattle drum rang out abruptly and urgently inside the room.
Yan Qingge closed her eyes tightly. Her cheeks burned fiercely.
The words that had made her furious earlier now added a strange, immoral pleasure.
“Master…”
She murmured softly, her voice carrying a trembling fear.
Yet this title she usually hated the most now acted like dry kindling, making the fire in her body burn even hotter.
Dang lang dang lang.
The rattle drum sounded faster and faster, matching the rhythm of Yan Qingge’s heart that felt like it would leap out of her chest.
No, this is wrong.
Yan Qingge, wake up! He is your master! He is the beam of light that illuminated your darkness, the god who saved you from hell!
But…
“Brother…”
Her tone was filled with desperate attachment.
It was precisely because he was her god! That was why… she wanted to seize him at all costs.
Dang lang dang lang.
The frequency and volume of the rattle drum reached their peak at this moment, like the mournful cry of a fully drawn bowstring about to snap.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Bai Qingran…”
The young girl’s body arched violently like a fish out of water, tensing for a moment before Yan Qingge collapsed limply onto the bed, gasping for breath.
Never before had Yan Qingge felt so dirty.
Under the twisted intertwining of guilt and desire, a sick obsession was born in her heart.
I’m already dirty. Then I’ll drag that flawless white down… and stain it until it becomes as filthy as me!
I’ll pull the god down from his altar! Make him cry in the mud!
And in the end, force him to find the last trace of warmth only on the body of his lowly believer…
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