Chapter 11: Brief Freedom and an Uninvited Guest [Large Chapter]

The morning light pierced through the glazed windows of the bedchamber.

Lu Ning slowly opened her eyes.

A hangover-like fatigue still shrouded her, but unlike before, beneath that weariness there now lingered a faint sense of power.

She instinctively looked inward to her dantian.

Within that once desolate and lifeless sea of qi, a wisp of grayish-white true essence quietly floated.

It was like the first star in the night—small, yet bearing the promise of hope and rebirth.

The fusion of and had been even more astonishing than she had imagined.

“At last, I’ve taken the first step.”

Lu Ning let out a long breath.

The sensation of regaining her strength was so wonderful it left her intoxicated.

But every time she recalled the process of acquiring that power, her cheeks would uncontrollably flush.

That rebellious disciple, Gu Qinghuan, had used the excuse of “healing” to take full advantage of her.

“Every night, she insists on coming…”

Just remembering Gu Qinghuan’s last, clearly suggestive words before leaving made Lu Ning shiver involuntarily.

As she spiraled into wild and conflicted thoughts, the doors of the bedchamber were gently pushed open.

Gu Qinghuan’s figure appeared at the doorway.

Today, she wore a refreshing moon-white long dress, lessening her usual saintess dignity and adding the gentle charm of a girl next door.

She carried a food box in her hands, her face graced by a faint, easy smile as she walked in.

“Master, you’re awake?”

At the sight of her, Lu Ning’s body tensed up instinctively, her grip on the quilt tightening unconsciously.

“Judging by your spirits, last night’s ‘treatment’ must have worked well.”

Gu Qinghuan set the food box on the table, then naturally took a seat at the bedside.

Her gaze swept over Lu Ning and finally settled on her faintly flushed cheeks, the smile in her eyes deepening.

“You… what are you doing here?” Lu Ning asked warily.

“Naturally, to serve Master breakfast.”

Gu Qinghuan opened the food box and took out a bowl of steaming spirit grain porridge and a few plates of exquisite side dishes.

“I changed the recipe for today’s porridge, adding some ingredients to nourish your qi and blood. It’ll help consolidate the results of last night’s cultivation.”

She scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and held it to Lu Ning’s lips.

That all-too-familiar feeding play had begun again.

Lu Ning wanted to refuse, but her stomach betrayed her with a loud rumble.

The harmonization last night had drained much of her energy—she truly was starving now, her head spinning with hunger.

After a moment’s hesitation, she opened her mouth.

The warm spirit porridge melted in her mouth, fragrant and sticky, bringing a comfort that relaxed her whole body.

Gu Qinghuan watched her obediently sipping porridge, a hint of satisfaction flickering in her eyes.

“By the way, Master,” Gu Qinghuan said casually as she continued feeding her, “I may have to leave the sect for a while.”

“Cough, cough…” Lu Ning almost choked on her porridge.

She jerked her head up, hardly able to believe her ears.

That rebellious disciple who wished she could cling to her twenty-four hours a day was leaving?

“Where are you going?”

The question slipped out before she could stop it.

As soon as she asked, she regretted it.

What was with that tone?

Why did it sound like she was reluctant to see her go?

Gu Qinghuan clearly caught that trace of urgency in Lu Ning’s voice, the curve of her lips lifting higher.

“What’s this? Master, are you reluctant to let your disciple go?”

“Who… who would be reluctant? Go wherever you like—best if you never come back!”

Lu Ning retorted stubbornly, her face reddening despite her words.

“Heh.”

Gu Qinghuan was thoroughly amused by her contradictory expression.

She set down the bowl, gently pinching Lu Ning’s cheek; the soft touch was something she seemed unwilling to let go of.

“I don’t want to leave Master either. But, in order for your body to recover as soon as possible, I must make a trip to Baihuagu.”

“Baihuagu?”

Lu Ning’s brows knitted.

She remembered the name.

In the game, Baihuagu was a second-rate sect of mostly female cultivators, adept at cultivating spirit herbs and refining pills.

Their pills were famous throughout the cultivation world, especially a few legendary healing elixirs, worth more than gold.

“Our ‘treatment’ last night was effective, but ultimately just a temporary fix.”

Gu Qinghuan withdrew her hand, her expression turning serious.

“Your meridian injuries are too severe. Relying on the fusion of our powers alone is too slow. Furthermore, though the power of the Taiyin can repair your meridians, its coldness will leave hidden dangers in your body.”

“Baihuagu has a unique spiritual medicine called the ‘Nine Yang Blood-Melting Flower,’ a supreme yang item. If I can refine it, fuse it into my Taiyin power, and then transfer it to you, our harmonization will be much more effective.”

“With that, your recovery and healing speed will increase by at least several times.”

Lu Ning was moved by the explanation.

Several times faster?

That temptation was hard to resist.

Time was what she lacked most.

With dangers pressing from all sides in Tianmo Palace, she had to recover her strength as soon as possible to truly regain control.

“But Baihuagu is a righteous sect—will they give you the ‘Nine Yang Blood-Melting Flower’ so easily?”

Lu Ning questioned.

“Heh.”

Gu Qinghuan let out a soft, ambiguous laugh.

“That’s not something Master needs to worry about. I have my own ways to make them ‘willingly’ hand it over.”

Seeing the cold light flicker in her eyes, Lu Ning knew Baihuagu was in for trouble.

“This trip to Baihuagu is long—a round trip will take at least half a month, maybe up to a month.”

Gu Qinghuan’s tone carried a hint of reluctance.

“That long?”

Lu Ning was secretly delighted, though she dared not show it.

Half a month or even a month!

That meant she would have a long stretch of freedom!

No more being forced into embarrassing ‘play’ by this rebellious disciple, no more living in constant fear of her.

It was the best news imaginable!

“Master must take care of yourself.”

Gu Qinghuan, ignoring the joy in Lu Ning’s eyes, continued to nag as if she were a wife seeing her husband off.

“Though you have a wisp of true essence now, you’re still weak. While I’m gone, you absolutely must not try to forcibly mobilize demonic qi like last time—that’ll only exhaust your very core and worsen your injuries.”

“I’ve already given orders: Ying Yi will personally lead people to guard the bedchamber. No one is to approach. Your meals will be specially prepared, so there won’t be any issues.”

She rambled on and on, sounding exactly like a young wife worried for her husband before a long journey.

Lu Ning felt slightly exasperated but still nodded.

“Enough, I know. Just go already.”

Gu Qinghuan looked at her eager-to-send-her-off attitude and didn’t get angry, only let out a faint sigh.

“Master, do you want your disciple gone so badly?”

“Once I leave, there’ll be no one to help you with ‘treatment’ every night. The wisp of true essence you just regained—without the continuous nourishment of the Taiyin force, it’ll soon dissipate.”

At these words, Lu Ning’s heart sank.

Right!

How could she have forgotten something so important?

Her current true essence was a product of the fusion between their powers.

If she went too long without a supplement of the Taiyin force, all her painstakingly recovered strength would be for nothing.

Seeing Lu Ning’s face fall, Gu Qinghuan’s eyes flashed with the satisfaction of a plan succeeding.

She knew Master couldn’t do without her.

She reached out, twirling a lock of Lu Ning’s hair around her finger, her voice sultry and hypnotic.

“Still, Master needn’t worry too much.”

“I’ve left a ‘Taiyin Origin’ within your body.”

“This origin power will last you half a month. While it won’t improve your cultivation, it’s more than enough to maintain your current state.”

“When I return from Baihuagu with the ‘Nine Yang Blood-Melting Flower,’ we can resume our proper ‘treatments.’”

Lu Ning understood.

This was a slap followed by a sweet date.

This rebellious disciple had her thoroughly in her grasp.

“So… when are you leaving?”

Lu Ning’s voice was a bit dry.

“Right now,” Gu Qinghuan replied, rising to her feet.

“There’s some unrest in Baihuagu as well, so I need to hurry.”

She finished, giving Lu Ning a deep look, possessiveness and reluctance nearly overflowing from her gaze.

“Master, wait for me.”

She bent down and pressed a cool kiss to Lu Ning’s forehead.

“Remember our promise—you belong to me alone.”

“Before I come back, don’t let anyone else touch you—not even a single strand of hair.”

“Otherwise…”

She didn’t finish, but the threat was clear.

With that, she turned and left the bedchamber.

As the doors slowly closed, silence returned.

Lu Ning lay in bed, blankly touching the spot on her forehead that had just been kissed; it still felt faintly cool.

“She’s finally gone.”

She let out a long breath, her whole body relaxing.

Lifting the quilt, Lu Ning sat up in bed.

Without Gu Qinghuan’s constant supervision, even the air seemed fresher.

She decided to make the most of this time to familiarize herself with and consolidate that hard-won true essence in her dantian.

The next two days passed more comfortably than ever.

She spent most of her time meditating, guiding the gray-white true essence through her body over and over again.

Though her cultivation didn’t increase, she could feel her meridians being gradually repaired, her body growing lighter with each day.

In her spare time, she browsed ancient tomes in the study, trying to learn as much as possible about this world.

The long-lost peace and freedom gave her an illusion—as if she’d finally escaped danger and could cultivate steadily until she returned to her peak.

She even began to enjoy this life a little.

However, she was still the Sect Master of Tianmo Palace.

Trouble was never far away.

On the evening of the third day—

Lu Ning had just finished a meditation session and was preparing for dinner.

Suddenly!

“Dong——!!!”

A thunderous, muffled roar resounded from the sky.

In the next instant, the entire Tianmo Palace, even the whole Holy Mountain, trembled violently!

The teacup on the table crashed to the ground, shattering to pieces.

Lu Ning’s expression changed, and she hurried to steady herself by grabbing a nearby bookshelf.

An earthquake?

No, that’s not right!

At that moment, a series of urgent bells echoed through the entire Tianmo Palace!

“Dang——! Dang——! Dang——!”

It was the sect’s highest-level alarm—the Demon-Suppressing Bell!

Nine peals meant the very threat of annihilation!

Reacting instantly, Lu Ning rushed to the window and looked outside.

She saw that the sect’s mountain-guarding grand array had been fully activated—a colossal black barrier now enveloped the whole Holy Mountain.

And outside the shield, at the western horizon, a blinding golden light was rapidly approaching!

Within that golden radiance, she could just make out an unimaginably luxurious war chariot, drawn by nine golden flood dragons.

Behind the chariot marched a host of soldiers clad in golden armor, banners flying, killing intent soaring.

A golden chariot, nine flood dragons pulling, three thousand Jin Jia Shen Wei…

At the sight of this iconic procession, a name leaped instantly into Lu Ning’s mind.

The Dahuang Dynasty!

Princess Jing Linglong!

Why would she come here?

As Lu Ning stood in shock and uncertainty, the golden war chariot was already hovering outside the mountain-guarding array.

A cold, haughty voice, amplified by magic, swept through the entire Tianmo Palace.

“Where is Sect Master Lu Ning of Tianmo Palace?”

“Come out and die!”