Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 189 - 188: Qing Yueqiu's Killing Intent

"At the very least, Master, you changed my life."

Pei Yuhang's expression faltered when he heard this.

"Don't you believe me, Master? To me, you're the most important person in my entire life!"

Seeing Pei Yuhang's delayed response, Qing Yueqiu thought her resolve hadn't fully reached him. She took a step forward, drawing closer.

But then, FLICK—

A finger flicked against the young woman's forehead, making Qing Yueqiu let out a soft cry and clutch the spot.

"You silly girl. I'm supposed to be guiding your cultivation, yet here you are comforting me instead."

Pei Yuhang teased with a smile.

But seeing his eldest disciple clutching her head with a slightly aggrieved look, his mood genuinely brightened.

Yueqiu's concern warmed his heart.

'So I mean that much to her?'

At that thought, Pei Yuhang became even more determined not to let Qing Yueqiu see his vulnerabilities. 'I should just let myself remain a grand and stalwart figure in her eyes. I can't let the idol she worships crumble into dust. That would be far too cruel to her.'

Pei Yuhang forced a smile. "Don't worry, Yueqiu. I... haven't actually run into any trouble. I was just complaining for the sake of it, just a random sigh. Older Cultivators like me tend to get sentimental over nothing."

"Really? But you looked so lost and troubled just now, Master."

Qing Yueqiu refused to believe it. The way her master's eyes had glazed over, his brows tightly knitted, couldn't have been fake.

'He must have run into some kind of trouble!'

"Besides... you aren't even two hundred years old, Master! You're so young. Why would you say you're getting on in years?"

Qing Yueqiu had a stubborn streak that compelled her to get to the bottom of things. As her master, Pei Yuhang was pleased she had such a persistent spirit. But right now, faced with a disciple who was relentlessly chasing an answer, he was starting to get a headache.

Still, as her master, he had the right not to answer her questions.

"Yueqiu, have you mastered your Sword Dao yet?"

"Has your cultivation progressed?"

"Have you awakened the Sword Spirit in Luminous?"

Pei Yuhang's tone was suddenly stern as he questioned Qing Yueqiu, and the young woman's eyes began to shift evasively.

"I'm sorry, Master... I still need a little more time."

"If you know you need more time, why are you pestering me with irrelevant questions? Hurry up and get back to your cultivation!"

"Oh."

Although Qing Yueqiu desperately wanted to say that her master's problems were not irrelevant, upon hearing Pei Yuhang's severe tone, she subconsciously straightened up and didn't dare to talk back.

After addressing a few of his eldest disciple's questions about her cultivation, Pei Yuhang sent her away.

Qing Yueqiu was reluctant to leave so quickly. She wanted to use the teaching opportunity to stay by her master's side a little longer.

But having grown accustomed to being an obedient, compliant child in front of Pei Yuhang, Qing Yueqiu didn't dare to voice her true desires.

In the end, she simply offered Pei Yuhang a reserved bow of thanks before departing with her sword, a little dejected.

As she walked, the silver-haired young woman sighed from time to time.

Even though her questions about cultivation had been answered, she wasn't happy. She now had a new puzzle to solve.

'What on earth is Master so worried about?'

'Mistress has started her re-cultivation smoothly and no longer needs a vast amount of Heavenly and Earthly Treasures to recover. The Cold Palace Sword Mansion isn't short on Spirit Stones anymore, and Master himself has returned to the Divinity Transformation realm...'

'So what else could possibly be making him so anxious?'

Qing Yueqiu wanted to get closer to her master's heart, and to do that, she had to understand him.

She suddenly recalled that the Saintess of the Yin Yang Sacred Land had arrived at the Dao Sect yesterday, and her master had been the one to officially receive her.

It seemed her master had worn a pained expression ever since he returned from welcoming that Saintess.

'Could it be related to that?'

'I remember... the Saintess from that lecherous sect of female cultivators is named Shang Miaoyan.'

In that instant, a flood of terrible rumors came to Qing Yueqiu's mind.

After all, years of propaganda from the Righteous Dao had painted the licentious Yin Yang Sacred Land as a Demon Cave where men were squeezed dry. The female cultivators within were said to capture exceptional men from all over the world, who would then be trapped in a state where they could neither live nor die...

'With a man as uniquely handsome as Master, how could the Saintess of that Sect possibly restrain herself?'

'Could it be—that Business Saintess used her official position to threaten Master into doing something?'

At this thought, Qing Yueqiu's heart began to hammer in her chest.

An unprecedented panic seized her, like a giant hand closing around her heart.

Though her rational mind knew her master would never do such a thing, her thoughts kept drifting toward those vile images.

Her hand tightened on her sword's hilt, a scarlet glint flickering in her crimson eyes.

'If I find out someone dared to bully my master... even if she is a Saintess, I'll kill her!'

...

...

Bei Lingyin stood on the sightseeing Flying Ship provided by the Xuanyuan Dao Sect for the Yin Yang Sacred Land's delegation, watching the rolling mountains below with a distinct lack of interest.

Beside her, a disciple from the Xuanyuan Dao Sect was introducing the cultural landmarks of their sect.

However, the little coquettes from the Yin Yang Sacred Land found the "tour guide" himself far more appealing than some boring cultural lesson.

"Young Daoist, how many years have you seen? Have you found a Dao Companion yet?"

"Young Daoist, do you think I look better in a red dress or a black one? Or... in nothing at all?"

The young Daoist, who was only at the Golden Core Cultivation realm, had never faced such an onslaught.

Gazing at the magnificent expanse of pale flesh before him, he thought to himself, 'My senior brother was right, these Female Cultivators from the Yin Yang Sacred Land really are a bunch of wicked Demonesses! So wicked... Good thing I slipped a Thousand-Mile Diarrhea Pill into senior brother's cup this morning. He was so 'regretfully' ill that I had to take over this assignment!'

'Otherwise, with his level of self-control, he would've been eaten alive by this flock of Witches. It's better that I, his junior brother, bear this burden all by myself!'

'How boring.'

Bei Lingyin averted her gaze, her eyes filled with contempt.

As an important spy planted by Yama Hall to sabotage the alliance between the two sects, she was naturally a cut above the rest.

She was born with a Divine Ability: the "Heart Eye."

By observing with her Heart Eye, she could, to a certain extent, peer into the thoughts of others.

This had also caused Bei Lingyin to learn the hard truths of life and the fickle nature of people from a young age. She had stopped believing in emotions, trusting only the blade in her hand.

People lie. Blades don't.

Suddenly, a faint, bloody scent drifted into Bei Lingyin's nostrils on a gentle breeze.

Her red eyes widened in disbelief.

'A descendant of the Rakshasa Race? Here?'

Bei Lingyin tossed her shoulder-length silver hair, using her Heart Eye Pupil Technique to lock onto the source of the intangible bloody scent.

It was a residence shrouded in drifting white snow, one that looked rather shabby and antiquated. It stood in stark contrast to the brilliant and splendid Cave Mansions she had seen along the way, appearing far too restrained and low-key.

According to their young Daoist guide, that place was apparently the Cave Celestial Mansion of the Cold Sun Sword Immortal.