novelraw Chapter 106 - 105: Master Was in Your Room All Night?
Chapter 106 - 105: Master Was in Your Room All Night?
The first pale light of dawn appeared on the horizon, its rays piercing the faint morning mist and glinting off the coarse chains that connected the archipelago of floating islands.
RUMBLE—
The massive chains slowly tightened, pulling the individual floating islands together to form one enormous landmass.
At the same time, several Elders with the air of transcendent sages arrived, treading upon the clouds. With a simultaneous wave of their hands, the mountains and rivers across the entire Celestial Lock Floating Island trembled violently. At the island's center, the ground cracked open, and a vast, disc-shaped dueling arena shot up from the earth like a bamboo shoot.
Tens of thousands of spectator seats encircled the dueling arena. In addition, thousands of fingernail-sized recording crystals drifted above the grounds like schools of sardines or swarms of jellyfish. When the martial tournament officially began, they would capture the events from every angle and broadcast the footage to projection Crystal Stones throughout the entire Dao Sect.
After setting up the tournament grounds, the leading Elders stood high in the air, looking down at the arena below. One of them chuckled and said, "This year's martial tournament is probably going to be exceptionally boring."
"Indeed. With Chen Tiansheng's disciple, that Miss Ji, participating, everyone else is just a stepping stone. A tournament with a predetermined champion and no suspense can't possibly be interesting."
"I just hope Chen Tiansheng tells that girl to go easy on them. We don't want her destroying the Dao Hearts of the Dao Sect's promising young talents."
In just a few words, the Elders had settled on the tournament's outcome, convinced that no one could possibly take the title of champion in this year's Sect Grand Competition besides that young woman.
But soon, a dissenting voice spoke up.
"You old geezers are all saying Ji Xichan has it in the bag, but I wouldn't be so sure!"
"The Cold Sun Sword Immortal's disciple just retrieved the sword of Dieyin Fairy from three thousand years ago from the Divine Sword Pavilion last month. With that, combined with her Innate Sword Bone, she might just be able to go head-to-head with that monster, Ji Xichan."
The one who spoke was none other than an old acquaintance of Pei Yuhang—Elder Liu.
The other Elders still disagreed with Elder Liu's point of view. They felt that while the Ancient Sword from the Divine Sword Pavilion, once wielded by an Ancient Cultivator, was indeed powerful, the young disciple couldn't possibly master it and unleash its full potential.
And so, they simply exchanged knowing smiles. Everything would be decided in the arena.
「 」
COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO—
A piercing cry rang out from the clouds, echoing across the vast expanse of the Dao Sect.
Yu Xiaoyan opened her eyes. After quickly washing up, she threw on her simple Daoist robe and pitter-pattered over to Pei Yuhang's room. The pigtails at the back of her head bounced like a rabbit's ears, giving her a very lively air.
"Master! The golden rooster crowed! The martial tournament is about to start!"
The young woman shouted as she pushed open her master's door without the slightest hesitation, her eyes filled with anticipation.
'It was as if she hoped to see her master just waking up, maybe catch an accidental glimpse of his vigorous young body, and from there, begin a wonderful future with him that went beyond their master-disciple relationship.'
But when the door swung open, the room was empty.
Judging by the unlit candlestick on the bedside table, it seemed the room had been empty all night.
'So... Master didn't spend the entire night in Qing Yueqiu's room, did he?!'
Yu Xiaoyan's eyes widened. 'This is bad,' she thought. Just as she was about to draw her sword to break down her Senior Sister's door and catch them in the act...
CREAK—
...Qing Yueqiu's door opened. A demurely dressed, silver-haired young woman walked out slowly. Her complexion was rosy, and she looked refreshed and invigorated—a complete transformation from the wretched state she was in when she was rescued last night with one foot in the grave.
'And... I don't know if it's just my imagination,' Yu Xiaoyan thought, 'but Qing Yueqiu seems even more beautiful, as if she's been nourished by some precious tonic.'
Yu Xiaoyan gulped, her eyes flickering as a terrifying possibility vaguely crossed her mind.
She scurried over and sniffed at Qing Yueqiu from left to right like a puppy. Only after confirming that her Senior Sister didn't carry the mature, faint fragrance of a woman who had just "blossomed" did she finally let out a long sigh of relief.
'Thank goodness, thank goodness... Qing Yueqiu didn't get what she wanted.'
But that didn't mean her suspicions about Qing Yueqiu were gone.
Yu Xiaoyan's eyes narrowed, and she asked with a hostile look:
"Master was in your room all night yesterday?"
"He was."
Qing Yueqiu's expression was neutral as she gave a faint nod.
She even took the initiative to ask Yu Xiaoyan in return, "Master spent all of last night healing my injuries. He's exhausted now and is resting on my bed. Does my Junior Sister find anything inappropriate about that?"
Yu Xiaoyan had never been challenged like this by Qing Yueqiu before. She was momentarily stunned, unsure how to respond.
Qing Yueqiu reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and walked right past the dumbstruck Yu Xiaoyan.
"If there's nothing else, Junior Sister, then come with me to the martial tournament. We can talk more after it's over."
"..."
Yu Xiaoyan watched Qing Yueqiu stride away, her long legs carrying her off, and couldn't help but clench her fists.
'That cow of a Senior Sister... seems more confident now. Damn it, what are you so smug about?! So what if you spent one night in the same room as Master!'
The pert young woman stomped her foot resentfully, her pigtails whipping about behind her in irritation.
Before she left, she carefully poked her head back into Qing Yueqiu's room. Seeing that her master was indeed resting on the bed, fully clothed, and finding no suspicious odors or mysterious wet stains, she finally departed, her mind at ease.
「 」
By the time the two sisters arrived at the dueling arena via Sword Control, the place was already a roaring hub of activity. The stands were packed with spectators, and high above the arena, a Dragon and a phoenix danced together in the sky. The grand spectacle made it clear that the martial tournament was the most important event of the Sect Grand Competition.
"Senior Sister, are your injuries healed? Are you sure you'll be alright to compete in the martial tournament today?"
Yu Xiaoyan asked suddenly, looking at Qing Yueqiu, who was resting with her eyes closed.
'She didn't quite understand. Master had looked so worried and distraught when he brought Qing Yueqiu back last night, so how could he be at ease letting her compete today?'
'Could it be that Senior Sister snuck out while Master was sleeping?'
'If that's the case, it wouldn't be so bad,' Yu Xiaoyan mused. 'Senior Sister makes Master angry, and then I can cheer him up. As her stock falls, mine will rise. Master will definitely grow to like me more and more.'
Qing Yueqiu had no idea that her little Junior Sister was secretly delighting in her own petty schemes. Of course, even if the Qing Yueqiu of today had known, she likely wouldn't have cared much.
Her state of mind was a world away from what it had been yesterday.
Qing Yueqiu opened her eyes. Her crimson irises betrayed no emotion, appearing serene yet profound, like a bottomless ancient well. They gave off an instinctual sense of danger, yet one couldn't help but be drawn to them, unable to look away.
"Don't worry, Junior Sister... After being treated by Master, I feel better than I ever have before."
The silver-haired young woman touched her chest and took a deep breath.
She thought back to waking at dawn, to lifting the white cloth from her face and seeing the man, utterly exhausted, collapsed on top of her.
A faint blush spread across her snow-white, swan-like neck.