Su Xuan felt the warmth of Lu Zhiyi’s face as her hair brushed against the back of his hand, sending a ticklish sensation straight to his heart.
He tentatively reached out and pinched her cheek. It felt incredibly smooth and supple.
At his light touch, the young girl seemed to realize something. Her body trembled slightly, and she hurriedly and bashfully clutched her robe, covering the view of her chest.
“Mas… Master, do I need to keep soaking?” she asked in a small voice, burying herself in the water.
Seeing her like this, Su Xuan snapped back to his senses. His little apprentice had likely just been a bit dazed earlier, which was why she had let him touch her. He couldn’t let her think he was some kind of pervert.
“Oh… no, that’s enough for the Medicinal Bath. I’ll come back tomorrow to help regulate your Meridians. You’ll be able to start cultivating soon.”
He stood up and walked toward the door.
“Get some good rest today. I’m heading out.”
Before stepping out, he couldn’t resist glancing back with a hint of longing. He rubbed his right hand together and let out a soft sigh.
‘Looks like I’ll have to give it another chance to show off tonight.’
Lu Zhiyi waited until her Master had left before surfacing from the water. Her small face was bright red, feeling terrifyingly hot.
‘How could I say something so embarrassing?’
‘I’m going to die of shame. I’m going to die of shame!’
‘I hope Senior Sister doesn’t find out, or she’ll tease me to death…’
Thinking this, she lowered her head like an ostrich. She peeled off her soaked nightgown and took a dry cloth to wipe herself down.
When she touched the spots Su Xuan had touched earlier, a slight numbness washed over her. Her face grew even redder, and her eyes became a bit daze as she reminisced.
‘When I felt like I was on fire earlier, Master’s hand was so cool. I couldn’t help but rub against him… like… like a puppy.’
‘Did Master notice everything back then? Did he see?’
‘And that pinch he gave me… was he…’
Lu Zhiyi quickly changed her clothes and curled up by the side of Su Xuan’s bed, her heart thumping wildly.
After a long while, she frustratedly ruffled her hair.
“Ugh… so embarrassing.”
—
Su Xuan pushed open the door to find the bright moon hanging high in the sky. The night had grown deep.
In the late autumn, the evening breeze was quite chilly, yet it carried a refreshing quality. It didn’t just bring a cold sensation to the damp spots on his chest; it also blew away the lingering flickers of desire in his heart.
Lin Zhiwei was still in the courtyard, practicing the Sword Moves from the manual one by one.
The moonlight draped over her head, and the ground beneath her was covered in withered branches and fallen leaves that danced in a chaotic flurry.
Dressed in white, she looked like a graceful Celestial Maiden. As the moonlight brushed past her exquisite profile and descended toward her chest, it illuminated a pale, cold glow against the warmth of her skin.
Su Xuan watched her, momentarily unsure of where to look. He felt that his right hand might need to show off twice tonight.
“Ahem…”
After watching for a while, he suppressed the urge to keep staring and coughed lightly to announce his presence.
“Master.”
Lin Zhiwei snapped out of her state and halted her sword.
“Not bad, Zhiwei. You’ve already got the hang of it. Have you fully mastered this sword manual?”
Su Xuan nodded and walked over to her.
“Something still feels off…”
As he approached, Lin Zhiwei’s eyes locked onto his chest. Her nose twitched slightly, and she felt a jolt in her heart.
She saw the water stains on Su Xuan’s chest and sleeves. There was no way such a large patch could have been an accidental splash. More importantly, he carried Lu Zhiyi’s body fragrance!
Having lived with her Junior Sister for so long and spent countless nights sleeping in each other’s arms, she was far too familiar with that scent.
‘Could it be…’
She had originally thought that Master simply preferred her Junior Sister’s obedience and thus favored her more.
Now it seemed it was definitely not as simple as mere favoritism!
‘But why didn’t Junior Sister resist? Could she also…’
Lin Zhiwei’s willow-like brows gradually furrowed. If things were developing in that direction, she didn’t know how to accept it or where she fit in.
“You, you just think too much. You’ve trapped yourself.”
Su Xuan didn’t notice his eldest apprentice’s abnormality. He walked in front of her with his hands behind his back, putting on the air of a profound expert.
“Because you think too much, you never know what you should do. You’re lost in a fog of confusion…”
He sighed softly as he looked at the scattered debris on the ground, acting every bit the part of a patient, guiding teacher.
Internally, however, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
A single sword manual had left her confused for several days. If he found more Cultivation Methods later, wouldn’t she be unable to see through them for the rest of her life?
‘Is this the Peerless Sword Bone?’
‘It seems pretty average. I have her right where I want her.’
‘Think too much… Hah.’
Lin Zhiwei stood behind him, her eyes narrowing slightly as her heart grew conflicted.
‘Is this also a case of me thinking too much?’
‘He keeps fooling me, treating me like a child?’
“Then what should I do?” she asked, gritting her teeth.
“As long as there is a sword in your heart, any move is correct. However the manual is drawn, that’s how you do it!”
Su Xuan took the sword from her hand. Mimicking the movements from the manual, he thrust it fiercely into the air, his tone heroic.
“If once isn’t enough, do it ten times! As long as you want it, you will surely succeed!”
Lin Zhiwei watched his uncoordinated movements. They lacked the stability, precision, and ruthlessness a Sword Cultivator’s strike should have. She had no idea what he was trying to express.
He spouted one grand principle after another, yet it was all just a brush-off.
Compared to the effort he spent on her Junior Sister, she probably didn’t even receive one percent.
She instinctively turned to look at the light in Master’s room. A bitter smile appeared on her face as she felt a strange tightness in her chest.
“Thank you, Master. Zhiwei understands.”
Taking a deep breath, she replied calmly.
“Oh… it’s good that you understand. Once you’ve learned this, let me know quickly. I’ll find another Cultivation Method for you.”
Su Xuan turned back gracefully and handed the sword back to her.
“Alright.”
Lin Zhiwei took the sword and nodded.
“It’s late. Master should rest early. I’m going back to sleep as well.”
As she finished speaking, she walked quickly toward the kitchen without looking back.
‘No reaction even after I taught her?’
‘Is she getting colder the more I teach?’
Su Xuan watched her back, feeling speechless.
Fortunately, he had learned another trick. Once Lin Zhiwei finished practicing the sword manual, he would treat her just like his little apprentice and give her a Cultivation Method that was impossible to practice.
Wouldn’t that solve everything once and for all?
Thinking about how he would one day no longer have to worry about the threat they posed, a wave of relief washed over him.
Just then, the door opened, and Lu Zhiyi stepped out timidly, having changed her clothes.
“Mas… Master, could you help me pour out the water? I’m going to sleep after I finish cleaning up.”
Her voice sounded a bit strange when she started, so she quickly cleared her throat.
Su Xuan was in a good mood, so he helped her. Together, the two of them strained to pour the medicinal liquid, which had turned into clear water, outside the courtyard.
“Thank you, Master. See you tomorrow.”
Lu Zhiyi clapped her hands and gave him a sweet smile.
“Wait, actually…”
As if remembering something, she trotted back into Su Xuan’s room. When she came back out, she held several damp items in her arms.
“Mas… Master, see you tomorrow!”
With that, she waved her little hand and ran back into the kitchen.
Su Xuan felt a sweetness in his heart. He instinctively flashed a smile and waved back at her.
Then, he sighed with emotion.
“Look, see how well-behaved she is?”
“They’re both apprentices from the same sect, but why is there such a massive difference in personality?”