Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 309 307: Holding Hands with Yueqiu in Front of Qianqian

At last, the appointed time for their meal arrived. Lin Qianyan stood at the prow of her ship, her hands resting gently on the railing as she gazed eagerly toward the Spiritual Ship that belonged to her Brother Pei.

Night had already fallen, and the bright white light of the full moon cast a radiant glow upon her face.

A mix of unease and anticipation filled Lin Qianyan's beautiful eyes. Finally, two familiar figures appeared in her line of sight.

It was her Brother Pei and his first disciple, Qing Yueqiu.

Lin Qianyan was about to greet them, but her gaze fell upon something that made her freeze—their hands were tightly clasped together.

Her pupils constricted slightly, her eyes seemingly locked onto their intertwined hands, unable to look away.

Pei Yuhang's palm was broad and strong, while Qing Yueqiu's fingers were slender and long. Their fingers were tightly interlocked, as if they were made for each other.

Lin Qianyan's heart sank. It felt as if something was caught in her throat, and her breathing grew short.

'Is... is this appropriate?'

The thought surfaced in her mind uncontrollably.

Pei Yuhang was Qing Yueqiu's master, so a close relationship between them wasn't entirely unheard of. But Qing Yueqiu was no longer an ignorant little girl. She was a grown woman, elegant and poised, with a unique feminine charm in every movement.

'At her age, to still be holding her master's hand... isn't that a bit too intimate?'

Lin Qianyan's brow furrowed slightly as an indescribable, complex emotion welled up inside her.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened on the ship's railing, the tips turning pale.

The night wind seemed to have grown a little colder. It rustled her robes, but it couldn't blow away the unease in her heart.

"Qian... Qianqian, thank you for going to the trouble of preparing a meal for Yueqiu and me."

Pei Yuhang's voice rang out as the two of them drew near. Lin Qianyan's heart trembled, but she suppressed her discomfort, forced a smile, and waved at them.

"Brother Pei, you're finally here~"

Her voice was as gentle as ever, yet it carried an imperceptible tremor.

"Sorry, Qianqian. We kept you waiting."

Pei Yuhang let go of Qing Yueqiu's hand and spoke in a low voice.

Lin Qianyan shook her head, trying to keep her voice calm. "No, I just arrived myself."

Just then, the silver-haired girl looked up and gave her a sweet smile. "Saintess Lin, it's been a while."

Lin Qianyan forced a smile and said, "Calling me Saintess is too formal. Yueqiu, you can just call me Sister Lin."

"Yueqiu... you should call her Sister Qianqian."

Only after hearing her master's words did Qing Yueqiu nod. "Sister Lin."

"Alright, let's go eat. We shouldn't let the food get cold..."

With that, Lin Qianyan turned and walked away with hurried steps. Her white skirt fluttered lightly, and her retreating figure looked somewhat desolate.

Pei Yuhang watched her retreat, his brow furrowed and a complex look in his eyes. He secretly sent a telepathic message to Qing Yueqiu:

You little brat, I told you to be more discreet, but you just had to come over holding my hand... Now look, you've upset Qianqian.

Hearing this, Qing Yueqiu raised her beautiful, crimson eyes, a sly smile playing on her lips.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze fluid and teasing, laced with a hint of provocation.

Is Master's heart aching for Sister Lin? I suppose so. When Sister Lin is melancholic, she looks so pitifully lovely that even other women would feel for her, to say nothing of a master who still has lingering feelings.

Pei Yuhang was rendered speechless by her words. His expression darkened, a flash of helplessness and anger in his eyes.

You wretched disciple, you're getting more and more wicked! Just wait until we get back, I'll punish you according to the sect's rules!

Hearing the word "punish," Qing Yueqiu couldn't help but swallow, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.

She lowered her head, though a smile remained on her lips. Her voice was soft, with a hint of playfulness.

Then Yueqiu will be waiting for Master's punishment~

As she spoke, she took advantage of Lin Qianyan's back being turned to them and sneakily placed a hand on Pei Yuhang's waist.

Her fingertips tapped lightly before her hand quickly slid down to his butt and gave it a firm squeeze.

Caught completely off guard, Pei Yuhang's body stiffened. He instinctively clenched his legs and let out a low grunt.

Hearing the sound, Lin Qianyan stopped and turned around, her eyes filled with confusion and concern.

"What's wrong, Brother Pei?"

Pei Yuhang suppressed his panic, forced a strained smile, and said in a somewhat hoarse voice,

"Oh, it's nothing, nothing. I was just meditating for too long, so my legs are a little weak..."

Hearing this, a look of pity flashed in Lin Qianyan's eyes. She said softly,

"I see. Brother Pei, you don't have to train so hard. If you need any Spirit Pills, just tell Qianqian."

Pei Yuhang nodded and forced a smile.

"Yes, I know."

Only then did Lin Qianyan turn back around and continue walking.

Once she was a safe distance away, Pei Yuhang immediately turned his head and glared daggers at Qing Yueqiu.

You wretched disciple! I never should have given in to you last night! You're getting more and more audacious!

Where did my sweet, well-behaved little Yueqiu go?!

But Qing Yueqiu wasn't the least bit afraid. Instead, she blinked playfully, a triumphant smile on her lips.

Master, the sweet and well-behaved Yueqiu of the past wouldn't get to eat any "meat." Only bad girls get to eat "meat." And who's to blame, when Master just happens to like the naughty type~?

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes full of cunning and provocation, as if to say, 'What are you going to do about it, Master?'

Seeing her like this, Pei Yuhang felt both angry and helpless. He could only sigh to himself, shake his head, and hurry to catch up with Lin Qianyan, lest his disciple continue to harass and "bully" him.

On the outside, Lin Qianyan's Spiritual Ship appeared to be the same size as Pei Yuhang's, but its interior contained a highly advanced Space Array that compressed the space within, making the actual area much larger than it seemed.

On the way to the dining hall, Lin Qianyan warmly invited Pei Yuhang and his disciple to stay on her Spiritual Ship, which would make things more convenient.

However, considering how Yueqiu had "turned to the dark side" and become a bad girl, Pei Yuhang tactfully refused.

It would be troublesome if Qing Yueqiu deliberately made loud noises at night to get Lin Qianyan's attention and cause trouble.

Besides, Lin Qianyan was a Void Refining Cultivator herself. If he were to 'do things' with Yueqiu in her territory, sooner or later, she would discover the traces they left behind.

Lin Qianyan looked a little dejected after being turned down by Pei Yuhang, but she wasn't surprised by the outcome.

After giving herself a silent pep talk to keep trying, she put on a smile for Pei Yuhang and led him and Yueqiu to the dining hall.

"Sword Immortal Pei."

Ji Xichan, who had been waiting for a long time, rose stiffly to her feet. Her hands were folded in front of her, her fingertips unconsciously fidgeting with her sleeves, revealing a hint of unease.

Evidently, after being "driven away" by Pei Yuhang, the young woman had lost her former assertiveness. Now, all she wanted was his forgiveness so she could return to his side.

Ji Xichan's voice was soft and tinged with anticipation. Her shimmering eyes were fixed on him, as if awaiting his response.

However, Pei Yuhang merely gave a cold, slight nod, his gaze not lingering on her for even a moment, as if she were thin air.

The light in Ji Xichan's beautiful eyes instantly dimmed, like a candle flame blown out by the wind.

Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she forced the words back down.

Despite this, she suppressed her disappointment and shamelessly tried to sit next to Pei Yuhang for the meal.

Her steps were light, as if afraid of disturbing something. Her fingers rested gently on the back of the chair as she was about to sit down—

"Sorry, Miss Ji, this seat is taken."

Qing Yueqiu's voice was as clear as a silver bell, tinged with an unquestionable finality.

She moved with a light step, sweeping past Ji Xichan like a gust of wind and taking the seat next to Pei Yuhang first. Her movement was graceful and unhurried, as if the seat had always belonged to her.

After sitting down, Qing Yueqiu turned her head and gave Ji Xichan a charming smile, revealing her neat, pearly-white teeth.

Her smile was as bright as the spring sun, but her eyes held a faint trace of provocation, as if making a silent declaration.

Ji Xichan's eyes narrowed. Her sharp instincts told her that something about Qing Yueqiu was different.

She looked at Qing Yueqiu's rosy complexion and the new, mature allure between her brows, and her heart sank.

What did you and Pei Yuhang do last night?

Hearing Ji Xichan's telepathic message, Qing Yueqiu glanced up at her nonchalantly.

Take a guess~

Ji Xichan clenched her teeth. Looking back, she felt she had fallen for one of Qing Yueqiu's cunning traps.

'That bitch must have provoked me into starting a fight on purpose, just so she'd have a perfect excuse to get me driven away!'

'And once I was gone, you could sink your demonic claws into your own master and do whatever you wanted, couldn't you!'

'You depraved disciple, defiling your own master and scorning your heritage!'

Ji Xichan's chest heaved with rage, but having learned her lesson the hard way several times, she didn't dare act rashly again. She could only sit off to the side, sullen and dejected.

Seeing Ji Xichan look as crestfallen as a defeated dog, Qing Yueqiu snorted softly, her beautiful eyes filled with triumph.

'All you wicked women used despicable means to monopolize Master back then, but it was just for a moment's pleasure. If you can't win his heart, you're just sealing your own fate!'

'A woman who only knows how to seize what she wants by force and trickery is nothing but scum. The bitterness you feel now is just you paying back the debt you owe!'