"Wait, Grandmaster Su!"
Sect Master Yun Tian shot forward toward the white lightning qi speeding from Su Qingyue's hand.
The moment she saw her junior block the attack, the woman immediately clenched her fist, causing the white lightning to explode.
A thunderous burst of energy erupted in the sky above the sect, forcing Yun Tian and the other elders backward.
Su Qingyue, however, stayed in the air, completely unaffected.
"Are you trying to protect a madman like Wang Wei, Junior Yun?"
"This junior did not come to protect him. However, the sect still needs him."
Su Qingyue fell silent. She glanced at Wang Wei once more before turning her gaze back to Yun Tian.
"I can train ten Core Formation cultivators into ten Nascent Soul experts better than him!" Su Qingyue said firmly.
"This junior understands Senior Su's capabilities. This has nothing to do with his cultivation," Yun Tian replied.
"This is about his talent and comprehension, Senior Su."
"Please reconsider the punishment for Core Elder Wang."
It was not only Yun Tian who pleaded. The other elders did the same.
They lowered their heads, cupped their hands, and begged for mercy from Su Qingyue, who was known for being cold, cruel, and heartless.
Su Qingyue remained silent, her eyes still fixed on Elder Wang Wei, who now looked utterly powerless.
He dropped to his knees and repeatedly slammed his forehead against the ground, begging for forgiveness. The other disciples gasped.
They all knew that Core Elder Wang held considerable authority within Tianyin, but before Su Qingyue, the sect's grandmaster, Wang Wei was clearly helpless.
Su Qingyue took a step forward and instantly vanished in a flash, reappearing before Wang Wei. Yun Tian and the other elders were visibly shocked.
"You are lucky that Junior Yun still values your talent and comprehension," Su Qingyue said coldly.
"I will not kill you."
Wang Wei forced himself to raise his head and look at her. His forehead was bloody from repeatedly striking the floor, his eyes full of tears, and his face looked miserable.
"Thank you for your mercy, Grandmaster Su!" Wang Wei praised.
"However…"
Su Qingyue raised her hand, forming a white qi orb at her fingertip. Once it took shape, she shot it directly into Wang Wei's forehead.
"That does not mean I won't punish you."
Wang Wei groaned in pain, crying out loudly as he clutched his head and chest, complaining about the burning sensation spreading through him.
Su Qingyue merely watched in silence as he received his punishment.
A burst of white qi spread out, felt by everyone there. A restriction array pattern appeared like a tattoo on Wang Wei's forehead, and the old, white-bearded man felt his body beginning to recover.
"What punishment have you given me, Grandmaster Su?" Wang Wei asked.
"The Three-Zhang Restriction Seal."
"What is that?" Wang Wei asked in confusion.
With a mere gesture of her hand, Su Qingyue directed a white thread from Wang Wei's forehead toward Mu Chen.
The two were now bound together, though not in any favorable way.
Yun Tian smiled, descending to stand beside Su Qingyue.
"I think... that is a good punishment for him."
"The Three-Zhang Restriction Seal is a specific restriction that prevents you from getting close to the seal's target. In this case, that mortal," Yun Tian said.
"If you force it, the seal will injure you, and it may even destroy your cultivation foundation."
Wang Wei narrowed his eyes. "He's just a mortal! Will Sect Master Yun really allow worthless trash like him to threaten the thousand-year pillar of Tianyin Sect?"
"Insolence! Do not question Grandmaster Su's decision!" Yun Tian shouted.
Su Qingyue said nothing. Yun Tian had already explained everything for her. She swept her hand to the side, calming the roaring thunder and black clouds, restoring the sect's sky to normal.
"Yun Tian," Su Qingyue called.
Yun Tian immediately turned. "Yes, Senior?"
"I do not wish to return to the ancient ruins. Send someone there."
Yun Tian nodded and cupped his hands in salute. "This junior will send the elders immediately."
Without another glance, Su Qingyue walked gracefully toward Mu Chen, who lay injured and powerless on the sect courtyard floor, surrounded by pools of blood that stained her beautiful dress.
Yet the woman felt no disgust.
After all, it was Mu Chen's blood, the man she desperately needed and desired.
If Mu Chen died, Su Qingyue would lose her chance to break through to a realm she had never even imagined before.
Her fingers lifted slightly, and Mu Chen rose into the air, wrapped in white qi. She extended her hand and touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat.
Weak.
"From this moment on, no one is allowed to disturb Mu Chen. He is my disciple!"
"We understand, Grandmaster Su," everyone replied in unison.
Su Qingyue slowly flew away, carrying Mu Chen within the embrace of her qi. Yun Tian narrowed his eyes and stared into the sky.
Another core elder, aside from Wang Wei, approached and whispered something to him.
"What makes Senior Su so interested in that mortal?" Elder Han asked.
Yun Tian fell silent, then let out a sigh, "No one knows... only Senior Su knows the reason."
***
Two days passed since the thunderstorm and black clouds brought up by Su Qingyue had shaken the sect's sky. The disciples and elders had returned to their normal activities.
The chirping of birds echoed brightly through the skies above Mount Jiuxiao. Deer descended the mountain and leisurely rested in the garden of a magnificent residence, the only one on Mount Jiuxiao.
Flowers bloomed in abundance, swaying gracefully whenever the mountain breeze drifted down. Drops of dew refreshed the leaves, and clean air filled the entire residence.
Fish leaped joyfully from the lake, creating gentle ripples that pushed the lotus flowers into motion.
Amid the balance and harmony of nature, a woman in a beautiful white-silver dress sat inside a pavilion at the center of the lake.
TING…
Su Qingyue's slender fingers gently plucked the strings of her zither, following the familiar melody she often played.
Each note released a soft pulse of qi that rang pleasantly through the air, soothing the ears, calming the soul, and drawing all living things into tranquility.
Inside Jiuxiao Lotus Residence, Mu Chen still lay on the bed, recovering.
His wounds had healed, his clothes had been changed, and the faint fragrance of incense filled the room, bringing a sense of calm and comfort as he breathed it in.
That afternoon, Mu Chen slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was the ceiling above him.
Where... am I?
Mu Chen coughed, his hand clutching his aching chest. The image of Wang Wei's barbed whip still haunted his mind.
He tried to calm himself, taking a deep breath to ease the unrest in his heart.
He glanced to the side and found that the room was incredibly spacious, filled with wooden furniture, artistic and oriental in design, as if he were staying in an ancient luxury inn.
As the blanket slipped aside, Mu Chen was startled to see his changed appearance. He was now wearing the same white-silver robe as Bai Han.
His curiosity deepened.
The man rose from the bed, opened the door, and descended from the second floor. Before reaching the main entrance, his steps suddenly halted.
Mu Chen eyes widened as a beautiful, soul-soothing melody reached his ears.
It was not coming from inside the house.
It was not a recorded sound.
That melody... was being played by someone pouring their entire soul into an instrument.
Is that sound coming from outside?
Mu Chen reached for the door handle and opened it.
He was immediately stunned by the beautiful scene before the house, where the lake and garden blended perfectly with nature.
The cool air brushed across his body and face. Birds flew above his head, singing joyfully as they followed the enchanting melody.
Mu Chen watched the beautifully feathered birds and saw them perched atop the roof of a pavilion standing in the middle of the lake, surrounded by blooming lotus flowers.
The pavilion curtain fluttered in the wind, revealing peerless beauty within.
A woman with flawless white skin and long black hair cascading softly down her back.
Her hands plucked the strings of the zither, satisfying Mu Chen's curiosity about the source of the melody.
"Master... Su?" Mu Chen asked softly.
Su Qingyue stopped playing. Her head turned gracefully, and a bright smile spread across her face. She rose to her feet and stepped out of the pavilion, lifting a hand to part the curtain.
"Mu Chen?" Su Qingyue greeted.
Mu Chen and Su Qingyue stood facing each other from a considerable distance. She remained near the pavilion while he stood by the front door.
Once again, Mu Chen found himself hypnotized by Su Qingyue's beauty as the sunlight shone upon her face.
I never imagined it.
A woman as beautiful and perfect as Su Qingyue... needs me.
Her smile was gentle, yet her dark violet eyes held something Mu Chen could not understand.
What... am I supposed to do?