However, when she saw the clearly suppressed smile on the young man’s face, Tai Lingxuan snapped back to reality in that instant.
He was messing with her!
This little brat!
Immediately, a wave of shame and anger surged up, intertwining with the flames already burning in her heart, burning even hotter.
“Fine, you little rascal, daring to tease even your master!” Tai Lingxuan said, flustered and irate.
“Tonight, I’ll have to properly punish this rebellious disciple of mine!”
“Ah, I was just joking, Shizun. This disciple knows his mistake.”
Chen Yuyang began to beg for mercy.
“Less talk, rebellious disciple!”
With a rustle, the sound of fabric rubbing against fabric, Tai Lingxuan suddenly rolled over, straddling the young man, looking down at him from above.
Her eyes were filled with affection, her cheeks unusually flushed from shame and anger, and her body trembled slightly from this bold move, either from nervousness or excitement.
Finally, this day had come.
And what satisfied Tai Lingxuan the most was that, in a sense, he had initiated it…
She didn’t know what the future held, nor how many moments like this there would be, but for now, Tai Lingxuan only wanted to cherish the present and enjoy it.
Tai Lingxuan buried her head, slowly leaning down, her gaze focused and earnest.
Chen Yuyang supported her waist, looking at her with complicated feelings, a mix of emotions.
….
He, too, had finally taken this step.
That night, all worries were set aside, and they entwined with each other.
In the morning, a few rays of light seeped through the cracks in the window.
Chen Yuyang silently got up and dressed.
Tai Lingxuan still lay in bed with her eyes closed, a satisfied expression on her face.
Chen Yuyang glanced at the somewhat messy room.
Clothes scattered on the floor, the tilted table, and even by the window…
Although they had confessed their feelings, last night was indeed too indulgent.
Shizun… had really been holding back too much.
It was a good thing he had mentally prepared himself, or else he might not have been able to handle it.
Straightening his collar, Chen Yuyang was about to leave when his wrist was grabbed by a hand.
Tai Lingxuan slowly opened her eyes, still a bit dazed, but looked at him seriously and asked, “Are you leaving?”
Chen Yuyang nodded.
“Mm.”
“How long until you return?”
Tai Lingxuan pressed, her fingers unconsciously tightening.
“At fastest, one month; at slowest, two months. It won’t be long,” Chen Yuyang replied softly.
“Good.”
Tai Lingxuan nodded lightly, her gaze resting on the young man with a hint of reluctance.
After a moment’s hesitation, Tai Lingxuan added, “Be careful when you’re in the Tianyunzhou territory. Don’t offend the Qiankun Sect, understand? Even if you can’t stand them, let me take revenge in the future.”
“This disciple understands. Shizun, rest assured.”
Chen Yuyang nodded in agreement.
“Also, about us…” Suddenly, Tai Lingxuan changed the subject, her expression turning serious.
“Don’t let it spread outside. And when others are around, don’t act too close to me. You must still observe the propriety between master and disciple.”
Chen Yuyang thought for a moment and understood her concerns.
The Hehuan Sect had only just begun to improve its reputation, and if word got out that the sect master was having an affair with her own disciple, it would be a huge blow to the sect’s prestige.
“This disciple understands!”
Chen Yuyang nodded solemnly, but inwardly he felt helpless.
He hadn’t expected that even after confessing, this relationship still couldn’t be brought into the open.
Seeing his expression, Tai Lingxuan knew that Chen Yuyang was reasonable, so she continued, “As for your matters with your senior and junior sisters… you handle that yourself. I… I know you have deep feelings for them, and I won’t stop you… But…”
She paused, a complex look flashing across her face.
“Just don’t cause any pregnancies.”
This sudden remark caught Chen Yuyang off guard.
“Shizun, you don’t mind?”
“How could I not mind!”
Tai Lingxuan snorted lightly, but her gaze softened.
“But… I said before, most of them are pitiful girls with no background or status. If they married out, I’d worry they’d be bullied or looked down upon. But if they’re with you, I can rest easy… It’s just too good for you.”
As she spoke, Tai Lingxuan sighed helplessly and gave the young man a reproachful glare, but there was no real anger.
Chen Yuyang was taken aback.
He remembered Shizun had mentioned something similar before, but he hadn’t thought much of it at the time.
So she had been hinting at this even back then?
Chen Yuyang scratched his head a little sheepishly, then his expression turned serious.
“Shizun, rest assured. I won’t let them down.”
Even though, in reality, besides Yunlian, he hadn’t had any substantial relationship with the other senior and junior sisters.
And what happened with Yunlian that night was just a one-time indulgence.
Over the past six months, she had deliberately kept an appropriate distance, not wanting him to take responsibility for her.
But at this moment, Chen Yuyang’s promise was sincere, and it included them as well.
“Speaking of which, I’ve already signed you up for the Genius List Battle. It starts in four months.”
Tai Lingxuan nodded and changed the subject, her tone serious.
“Now that you’ve reached the Nascent Soul realm, you have the right to compete with the top geniuses.”
“Our Hehuan Sect must make a name for itself this time! You work hard, boy!”
Tai Lingxuan stared at Chen Yuyang.
Unlike the previous pill conference where she discussed with him, this was a genuine sect task, an order from the sect leader, not to be refused.
Chen Yuyang had wanted to find an excuse to refuse, but with Tai Lingxuan putting it that way, he couldn’t say no.
He could only nod in agreement.
“Alright, Shizun… This disciple will do his best.”
After chatting casually about sect matters for a bit longer, Chen Yuyang didn’t linger.
His figure vanished, and he soon returned to the inn where he was staying.
The simple barrier outside his room showed no signs of disturbance.
It seemed Yan Luo and Yunlian had been well-behaved and hadn’t come to bother him.
Chen Yuyang stretched, working out the stiffness in his muscles, and pushed open the window.
The cool morning air and the noise from outside poured in, refreshing him.
He quietly extended his spiritual sense.
In the rooms on either side, both women were cultivating.
Chen Yuyang silently released a trace of his own aura, signaling to them that he had finished his seclusion.
Almost simultaneously, the two women in the adjacent rooms paused, and soon their spiritual senses swept over him.
Not long after, there was a knock on the door.
Before Chen Yuyang could open it, Yunlian pushed it open and walked in, her eyes bright.
“Shixiong, Shixiong, are you done with your seclusion? Are you ready to break through?”
“I’ve already broken through,” Chen Yuyang said flatly.
“What do you mean you’ve already broken through?”
Yan Luo poked her head in, looking at Chen Yuyang in surprise.
“It’s only been one night! And if you broke through, where’s the commotion? What about the Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation?”
Yunlian also snapped to attention, nodding repeatedly.
“Yeah, Shixiong, did you undergo the heavenly tribulation? Why didn’t we feel anything at all?”
“I left the city last night and underwent it,” Chen Yuyang said casually, walking to the table to pour himself a glass of water.
“No wonder.”
Yunlian nodded as if in realization, leaning in a little closer to examine Chen Yuyang’s complexion.
“I was wondering why your face looks a bit paler than usual. So it was from the tribulation last night. Must have been quite taxing, right? I bet you’re a bit… something.”
Chen Yuyang’s hand holding the glass paused almost imperceptibly, then he continued drinking as if nothing was wrong.
“Mm, it was indeed quite taxing. The lightning tribulation was stronger than expected.”
But in truth, Chen Yuyang knew that his pale complexion was purely because of Shizun.
Yunlian nodded, moving even closer.
She quickly sniffed the young man’s clothes, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
Shixiong smelled of another woman.
And it was a somewhat familiar scent—subtle and elegant with a faint trace of allure, almost like… Shizun?
Ah, that’s right.
She had almost forgotten.
Shixiong possessed that secret technique to instantly traverse tens of thousands of miles.
So he had gone to Shizun to protect him during the tribulation, and on the side… ended up in bed with Shizun?
Hmph, bad Shixiong, sneaking a taste behind her back.
And Shizun too—clearly it was me… Ah, forget it…
What more could I ask for?
Someone like me, if I were with Shixiong, would only bring disaster upon him…
This was a relationship with no future from the start…
Yunlian thought, gripping the hem of her clothes, her lips pressed together.
Yan Luo, however, was completely unaware.
She just found it strange that Yunlian had suddenly gone quiet.
She turned to Chen Yuyang and asked, “So what do we do next? Keep traveling?”
“Traveling where?”
Yunlian finally spoke again, shooting a meaningful glance at Chen Yuyang.
“Shixiong just went through a tribulation and expended so much. Of course, he needs to rest for two days.”
“Speaking of which, Shixiong, would you like your junior sister to go to the city market and buy some nourishing spiritual items? To help you recover properly?”
As she spoke, Yunlian’s gaze locked onto the young man.
Under Yunlian’s stare, Chen Yuyang felt a chill run down his spine.
He unconsciously averted his eyes and took another sip of water.
This junior sister… seemed to have noticed something.
But… so what if she did?
“No need to go to such trouble, Shimei.”
Chen Yuyang put down the glass, his tone natural.
“I’ll just recover simply. In two days, we’ll head to Wuji City. There’s an ancient array disc left by a great cultivator of antiquity there. It can be freely studied. Maybe we’ll find an opportunity or two.”
Chen Yuyang thought carefully—his unease actually stemmed from guilt.
But Shizun and his junior sister were both people he cared about.
If his junior sister really asked about it or got angry, he wouldn’t make excuses.
He just had to follow his heart and do what wouldn’t leave him with regrets.
That was enough.