Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 236 - 234: Yueqiu, You Are a Bit Extreme

"Master, Senior Sister has been absent from morning lessons for fifteen days now. Her seclusion is cutting it a bit close, don't you think? Two days ago, Elder Liu even sent someone to her door to inform her that the Sect's Secret Realm is about to open."

...

Pei Yuhang fell silent for a moment before speaking softly, "Don't worry. Your Senior Sister knows what she's doing. She should be out of seclusion by now."

"Out of seclusion? Then why hasn't she come to see you, Master? Senior Sister may seem reserved and aloof, but she's actually secretly passionate. She loves clinging to you the most~"

Yu Xiaoyan teased, but Pei Yuhang didn't respond.

After a long moment, Pei Yuhang finally spoke.

"Xiaoxiao, go back and write out the Sword Formulas I taught you today from memory three thousand times."

"Huh? Master, why are you suddenly giving me homework?!"

"Go on!"

Seeing Pei Yuhang's expression suddenly darken, Yu Xiaoyan didn't dare say another word. She could only mutter, "Fine, I'll write it," before leaving, dejected.

After Yu Xiaoyan left, Pei Yuhang's gaze softened as he looked into the depths of the bamboo forest to one side.

"Yueqiu, you've avoided me for more than ten days. Are you finally willing to see me?"

CRUNCH~

The soft crunching of dried bamboo leaves being stepped on sounded out.

A jarring flash of red appeared before Pei Yuhang. No, the color wasn't from the dye of her clothes, but... 'Dried blood?'

Pei Yuhang's eyes widened in surprise as he caught the faint, yet distinct, scent of blood in the air.

"Yueqiu, what happened to you?!"

Other than her paler complexion and the deeper crimson of her eyes, the silver-haired young woman before him hadn't changed much from over ten days ago.

And yet, to Pei Yuhang, who had spent day and night with Qing Yueqiu, she exuded a powerful sense of unfamiliarity... an aura of bloodlust, coldness, and apathy that made him feel as if the woman before him was merely a puppet bearing Yueqiu's face.

Overcome with worry, Pei Yuhang rushed forward and took Qing Yueqiu's hand.

The young woman didn't flinch, allowing Pei Yuhang to hold her hand and probe her body with his Divine Sense.

Pei Yuhang was then astonished to discover that not only was Qing Yueqiu's body free of any hidden injuries, but her physical constitution was terrifyingly strong. The blood coursing through her veins roared like a mighty river, a level of purity that even Body Cultivators who specialized in strengthening the flesh could seldom hope to achieve.

Furthermore, a far more dangerous power lay dormant within the young woman's body, one that made even Pei Yuhang instinctively wary.

But no matter what Yueqiu had become, to Pei Yuhang, she was still his eldest disciple.

Just like any elder in the world.

Pei Yuhang had no time to dwell on what Qing Yueqiu had done to undergo such a transformation. His gaze was fixed on the network of fine scars covering her palms and arms, and his heart clenched with a sharp pain.

"Yueqiu, why would you do this to yourself?"

"If you want to get back at me, there's no need to hurt yourself like this."

"If you truly hate me, then run me through with your sword! As long as it vents the anger in your heart, it will be fine."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of reaction finally appeared in Qing Yueqiu's icy, machine-like red eyes.

She looked up, gently reaching her hand toward Pei Yuhang.

Thinking his disciple was about to strike, Pei Yuhang calmly closed his eyes. In the end, however, he only felt Qing Yueqiu's gentle caress upon his face.

"I'm sorry... Master. I've spent the past fifteen days in constant battle. I just emerged from a sunless gladiatorial arena, and I find I've almost forgotten how to speak... I've made you worry."

Qing Yueqiu's voice was slightly hoarse. Her eyes, as she looked at Pei Yuhang, held nothing but deep infatuation.

"Master, you've misunderstood me. I could never hate you. I only have love for you."

"Even if mountains of corpses and seas of blood lie in my wake, I would never harm a single hair on your head, Master."

As she spoke, her delicate, silver-white eyelashes, tinged with pink, trembled. She closed her eyes, seemingly awaiting Pei Yuhang's response.

But in the end, all her somewhat dry lips felt was the biting wind, without the blessing of a single drop of moisture she desired.

Qing Yueqiu opened her eyes, lowering the fingertips that had been caressing Pei Yuhang's face.

Her smile was one of helplessness and sorrow.

"Master, it's not that I don't understand. It's that you can't bring yourself to understand... You love me dearly, Master, so you can't bear to hurt me. And I love you dearly, so I can't bear to force you."

"Is this really as far as we can go?"

Pei Yuhang lowered his head, not daring to meet Qing Yueqiu's pleading gaze.

"Let's... let's head to the Dao Sect's main gate. Elder Liu just sent a secret message. It's time for you to depart. The Dao Sect is sending twelve Nascent Soul prodigies, including you, to explore a Secret Realm in the Kunlun Mountain Range. You might encounter disciples from other sects. Among them could be enemies of the Dao Sect, or even enemies of mine. You must be extremely careful."

Qing Yueqiu looked at Pei Yuhang, who was avoiding her gaze and trying to hide his guilty conscience behind official matters. She gave a bitter smile and said softly, "Fine... Since you can't seem to figure this out, Master, I'll give you some more time."

"Is Ji Xichan among the disciples the Dao Sect is sending this time?"

Hearing this, a bad feeling bloomed in Pei Yuhang's heart.

"You intend to go after her?"

"Can't you bear the thought, Master? Weren't you threatened into submission by that bitch? If so, then I will naturally make her pay the price. For a woman who has sullied your honor, even death cannot wash away her sins!"

Qing Yueqiu made no attempt to hide her killing intent. The bloodthirsty gleam in her eyes startled even Pei Yuhang.

"Yueqiu, your obsession is too deep. Be careful you don't stray onto the wrong path."

"Don't worry, Master. I know what I'm doing... More importantly, are you really telling me you can't bear for me to kill Ji Xichan?"

"Why? Is it because she's slept with you so many times that you've developed feelings for her?!"

Qing Yueqiu took an aggressive step forward, causing Pei Yuhang to subconsciously retreat...

Of course, he couldn't tell Yueqiu that Ji Xichan's and Yu Xiaoyan's lives were currently bound together... He was afraid that if Qing Yueqiu learned the truth, she would become even more extreme.

But seeing her master's retreating step, Qing Yueqiu seemed to understand something. She gave a silent, mirthless smile, and it was as if all the strength had drained from her body.

Pei Yuhang fell silent as well, finally saying:

"Several days ago, Ji Xichan had a stroke of insight and entered death seclusion to break through to the Divinity Transformation realm... She will not be in the Nascent Soul group heading to the Secret Realm."

Qing Yueqiu sighed softly, as if lamenting a missed opportunity.

"She's already breaking through to Divinity Transformation? She cultivates so quickly. Is it thanks to your dual cultivation, Master? Oh... I'm not blaming you, Master. Please, don't mind me."

Pei Yuhang knew Qing Yueqiu was resentful, but he didn't know what to say. He could only hope to make it up to her as much as possible after she returned from the Secret Realm.

"Let's go. I'll see you off. Once you're in the Secret Realm, you'll be on your own. Though I have faith in your strength, Yueqiu, please remember this: recklessly fighting for a momentary victory is not the way of the wise. The one who survives to the end is the true winner."

Pei Yuhang imparted his wisdom to Qing Yueqiu along the way.

However, when Qing Yueqiu heard the words "the one who survives to the end is the true winner," her scarlet eyes flickered, filling Pei Yuhang with a sense of foreboding.

'This girl... She hasn't misunderstood me again, has she?'