Boom!
If her earlier suggestion about being his "Madam" had been a sudden crack of thunder, then what she said now was nothing less than being blasted by five bolts at once.
Xie Zhaolin, Mo Yan, and even You You inside the bracelet all felt like they'd been charred inside and out. Their souls nearly flew right out of their bodies.
Be her intimate companion? Elder Chou actually set her sights on her directly?
This wasn't an implication anymore, it was a blatant invitation to intimate dual cultivate.
But Elder Chou was a Golden Core elder talking like this to a Martial Nephew who'd just returned and looked like she was only at the Qi Refining stage?
Xie Zhaolin was genuinely stunned.
Elder Chou's style wasn't just bold. It was completely unrestrained and utterly without limits.
What was she even trying to do? Was she really that desperate, or did she have some other plan? Plan for what? On the surface she was just a Qi Refining disciple.
Absurdity and caution surged through her at the same time. Her thoughts spun fast, but she didn't dare show even a hint of hesitation. She staggered back with a gasp, her face draining of color as she put on a look of pure terror and disbelief. Her voice trembled so hard it nearly cracked.
"Elder Chou, please, don't tease this disciple like that." She clutched the edge of her robe with both hands as if she'd been hit with something catastrophic, her eyes going red in an instant. "This disciple is dull and weak, I don't dare, I absolutely don't dare climb up to Elder Chou. If word gets out... this disciple can only die to prove my innocence."
She delivered the performance perfectly, playing a timid Qi Refining disciple scared senseless by a senior's outrageous words. She even squeezed out a few real tears.
Mo Yan watched with horror.
Elder Chou seemed briefly surprised by Xie Zhaolin's extreme reaction, but that surprise quickly turned into something sharper and more interested.
Instead of backing off, she stepped closer and reached out as if to wipe Xie Zhaolin's tears. Her tone turned strangely gentle and coaxing.
"Oh my silly little Martial Nephew, why're you crying? Your Martial Uncle really does feel heartache for you." Her eyes shone as if she were admiring a fine piece of porcelain. "With your talent and that pure spiritual aura... staying with Senior Brother Mo is wasting your brilliance. Follow me instead. Pills, techniques, resources, everything you need. I'll make sure your cultivation soars.
As for your reputation?" She let out a low laugh full of scorn and wildness. "As long as we both want it, why care what others say? In the Cultivation Realm, strength is the only truth."
Xie Zhaolin backed away again until she almost hit the corner of the room. Her voice was trembling as she cried, "No, it's not right. Elder Chou, I'm begging you to let me go. My Master taught me everything... I can't... I really can't..."
Right then, Elder Chou's gaze drifted toward Mo Yan, who'd already gone pale. Something unsettling flashed in her eyes. She suddenly giggled. Her eyes flicked between Xie Zhaolin and Mo Yan with a chilling sort of excitement.
"Oh, I understand now." She made a face like she'd just solved a puzzle and lightly tapped a finger toward the two of them. "If you feel lonely... letting him join isn't impossible."
Her eyes swept across Mo Yan with blatant suggestion.
"The three of us can comprehend a supreme method together. Yin and yang complementing each other, wouldn't it be wonderful? Your improvement will skyrocket. Don't worry, your Martial Uncle will personally guide you, I'll let you two experience a bliss you've never known."
Silence.
A heavy, lifeless silence.
Xie Zhaolin froze completely. Her mind went blank. She could even hear You You inside her sea of consciousness gasping sharply.
Three... the three of them?
Together?
And bliss?
Even after two lifetimes, nothing had prepared Xie Zhaolin for something this insane. It scorched her brain clean.
What in the world was inside this elder's head?
This wasn't boldness anymore. This was insanity without definition.
For once, Xie Zhaolin was so overwhelmed she nearly broke character. She'd lived for centuries and had never met someone this ridiculous.
Mo Yan trembled all over, his face turning ghostly pale.
Three people together? The moment he imagined it, he felt like his magic core was about to split.
The atmosphere twisted into something weird, tense, and suffocating.
Xie Zhaolin knew they couldn't let this continue. Elder Chou clearly didn't act by any normal logic, and if they stayed here any longer, who knew what horrifying idea she'd come up with next.
So she made a decision.
She burst into tears with a wail sharp enough to crack stone, sounding completely devastated.
"Elder Chou, if you keep this up, I'll go find the Sect Master right now and let him judge this matter!" She cried loudly and shoved toward the door as if she'd been cornered and had no choice left.
It looked reckless, but it was the best escape. Mentioning the Sect Master might make the lunatic hesitate.
Sure enough.
When Elder Chou saw Xie Zhaolin about to run to the Sect Master, her brows twitched almost imperceptibly.
Although she behaved wildly, she clearly didn't want this blown up in front of the Sect Master.
"Ah, child, why're you so dramatic? I was only joking with you." She instantly switched to a helpless, doting expression and lifted a hand to stop her half-heartedly.
"Fine, fine. Your Martial Uncle still has things to do today, so I won't disturb your rest." She glanced deeply at Xie Zhaolin, then let her gaze linger on Mo Yan. A faint, meaningful smile tugged at her lips.
"Think over what I told you. If you ever change your mind, come find me anytime."
With that, she finally stopped pressing the issue. She flicked her sleeve and sauntered out gracefully. As if all her shocking words had just been a harmless joke.
Only after her figure disappeared past the courtyard gate did the tension loosen.
Xie Zhaolin instantly dropped the crying act. Her expression turned calm and cold enough to freeze a lake.
"M... master?" Mo Yan whispered, still shaking. For a moment he'd truly believed his life was going to end in the most absurd way imaginable.
Xie Zhaolin didn't answer right away. She strode to the door, confirmed Elder Chou had gone far and left no surveillance, shut the door, and sealed the entire room with several layers of isolation barriers.
Only then did she turn, her gaze sharp as blades.
"You're sure" she said in a low, icy voice, "that when she used to chase you, she only talked boldly and never forced you? And she never mentioned anything... as ridiculous as three people cultivating together?"
===
Hey darlings~ ✧.ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ
I finally made a Discord server! Sorry if it looks a bit messy or awkward, I've never actually made one before lol.
The main reason I made it is… I just really wanna interact with you all! Maybe I just wanna share updates about my life, something funny I found, or my little thoughts/impressions on the chapter I'm currently translating (aka tiny spoilers wkwkwk) ヾ(≧▽≦*)o And a bunch of other stuff too~
I mean, I can't really do that on Webnovel, right? And AO3 is kinda similar…
Also, since I started uploading on AO3 after hitting the project limit on Webnovel, I kinda ended up with two separate "reader groups" (you know what I mean, right? >w<). So I thought, why not bring everyone together in one cozy place? Plus, it's easier to chat about translations or Webnovel stuff in general.
I'd be super happy if you joined 🥺
75sprU6DdD
See you there~ ✧*.