Chapter 34: Deep Affection Between Master and Disciple

The moment Gu Qinghuan saw Lu Ning, all her anger and murderous intent dissolved into boundless astonishment and an indescribable ecstasy.

Her Master… had actually been tied up like this.

The golden rope outlined every exquisite curve of her figure, and that stunningly beautiful face was full of confusion and helplessness.

This appearance…

This look of being at someone’s mercy, so pitiful and vulnerable…

Gu Qinghuan felt her own breathing quicken.

She had never seen her Master like this before.

It was even more exciting and intoxicating than the “sickly Master” she’d once seen in the Heavenly Demon Sect’s bedchamber.

“Mas…Master…”

Gu Qinghuan’s voice trembled ever so slightly.

Step by step, she walked over, crouched down, and reached out to touch Lu Ning’s cheek.

At this moment, Lu Ning finally recovered from the sudden turn of events.

She stared at her “good disciple” who had appeared out of nowhere, eyes flickering with all sorts of complicated emotions, and was inwardly shaken.

“Qing…Qinghuan?”

Lu Ning tentatively called out.

At the sound of her Master’s voice, Gu Qinghuan’s body jolted.

The next moment, she could no longer suppress the feelings in her heart.

She lunged forward, hugging Lu Ning tightly in her arms.

“Master!”

“Your disciple has finally found you!”

Her voice had a hint of tears, overflowing with the joy and lingering fear of a reunion after loss.

“Disciple missed you so much… I think about you every single day…”

She buried her face in Lu Ning’s embrace, greedily inhaling that familiar scent that haunted her dreams.

Lu Ning was at a loss from the sudden hug.

She could feel Gu Qinghuan’s body trembling slightly, and the arms wrapped around her held her with surprising strength.

Though the posture was awkward due to being tied up, Lu Ning still felt a rare warmth and comfort from the embrace.

“I… I missed you too.”

Lu Ning hesitated, but still replied as her disciple wished.

After all, she still needed to rely on the other to escape this troublesome place.

Hearing Lu Ning’s answer, Gu Qinghuan was visibly stunned.

Then she looked up, and the cold clarity that once filled her eyes was now replaced with surprise and disbelief.

“Master, you… what did you just say?”

“I said, I missed you too.”

Lu Ning repeated, looking at her.

“That’s wonderful… That’s wonderful…”

Gu Qinghuan was so overjoyed she began to cry, cupping Lu Ning’s face and pressing a heavy kiss onto those vermilion lips she’d longed for day and night.

“Master, don’t worry. Your disciple will take you away from this wretched place right now!”

“No one will ever take you from me again!”

As she spoke, she began working to undo the imitation Binding Immortal Rope on Lu Ning.

Seeing this, Lu Ning also let out a sigh of relief in her heart.

At last, she could leave this wretched place.

She’d had enough of being imprisoned and toyed with like a caged canary.

“Qinghuan, we need to hurry. We’re still in the Imperial Palace.”

Lu Ning urged her.

Right now, she just wanted to get out of the palace as soon as possible, find a safe place, and properly restore her cultivation.

“Mm, don’t worry, Master.”

Gu Qinghuan responded, but her movements suddenly slowed.

Her fingertips lightly traced the golden rope, and her gaze became somewhat strange.

Looking at Lu Ning tied up in such a shameful position, and the breathtaking curves accentuated by the bindings, the flames in her eyes—just barely subdued—blazed up once again.

And this time, they burned even hotter than before.

“Master…”

Gu Qinghuan’s voice turned a little hoarse.

She leaned close to Lu Ning’s ear, warm breath brushing softly by.

“This look of yours…”

“Is truly tempting your disciple.”

At that moment, Lu Ning’s body went rigid at her words.

[Tempting?]

[Tempting you, my foot!]

Lu Ning was screaming in her heart, but her face showed only confusion and helplessness.

“Qinghuan, what… what are you talking about?”

“Master, don’t you understand?”

Gu Qinghuan chuckled lightly, her fingertips trailing along the golden imitation Binding Immortal Rope, slowly roaming over Lu Ning’s body.

Lu Ning instinctively tried to dodge, but her body was bound—she couldn’t move at all.

Gu Qinghuan was very pleased with Lu Ning’s reaction.

Lu Ning’s cheeks flushed bright red, both embarrassed and angry.

This rebellious disciple!

She’s even worse than Ji Linglong!

“Heh.”

Watching her Master’s look of utter humiliation and helplessness, Gu Qinghuan’s possessiveness and desire for conquest were immensely satisfied.

She just knew, this was her favorite version of Master.

The one who looked cold on the outside but was endlessly soft inside, who’d blush and have her heart race with just a little teasing.

“Master, tell me…”

“Who tied you up like this?”

There was a chill of murderous intent in her voice.

“No matter who it was, I’ll make her pay a hundred—no, a thousand times over.”

Hearing this, Lu Ning’s heart stirred.

She knew this was the best chance to change the subject and escape as soon as possible.

“It… it was the Empress, Ji Liuyun.”

Lu Ning replied quickly.

“She locked me up here, and said when the banquet ended, she’d come back and ‘interrogate’ me properly…”

When Gu Qinghuan heard this, her beautiful eyes narrowed, a dangerous light flickering within.

“Interrogate?”

“She’s not worthy.”

“Master, you belong to me.”

“Only I can ‘interrogate’ you…”

As she spoke, her hands moved faster, venting the fury in her heart.

“Qinghuan! Don’t… don’t do this…”

Lu Ning’s voice was tinged with tears.

“Master, rest assured.”

Gu Qinghuan’s tone softened again.

“Your disciple is just checking your body for you.”

“To see if any wicked women left anything dirty behind.”

She acted as if inspecting her own territory, not leaving a single spot unchecked.

Lu Ning was made so weak by her actions she didn’t even have the strength to resist.

All she wanted now was for this tormenting “inspection” to end quickly.

“All right, Qinghuan, hurry and untie the rope. We have to leave right away.”

Lu Ning pleaded.

“Yes, it’s time to go.”

Gu Qinghuan nodded, seeming to know that now was not the moment for such things.

At last, she got to work, untying the rope.

The instant the rope was undone, Lu Ning felt all the strength drain from her, and she collapsed limply into Gu Qinghuan’s arms.