Lin Xinyi looked back at the grotto-heaven behind her and lifted her foot to leave.
But a familiar voice in the distance made her forcibly retract the step she had just taken.
“Sister Luo, even though that elder allowed us to look around, coming to find Master right now might be a bit too…”
Lin Xinyi listened to the familiar voice in the distance.
It felt recognizable, and at the same time, her body began to react strangely.
Hiding behind a tree, she cautiously peeked out—and sure enough, she saw a white figure in the distance wearing a black bamboo hat.
That was hair as white as a demon’s.
Just a single glance from afar made her body tremble.
Those fierce gray eyes sent chills down anyone’s spine.
“It’s her! It’s that girl!!”
Just one look from a distance made Lin Xinyi feel like she was about to explode.
She hid behind the tree, gasping for fresh air, never expecting her nightmare—Bai Qianqian—to appear here.
Hidden behind the tree, Lin Xinyi’s face had turned pale.
She finally managed to suppress the pounding in her heart, but her hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
Now that her Nascent Soul cultivation was completely gone, it was only natural to be this terrified.
Ever since Lin Xinyi had learned of Bai Qianqian’s terrifying methods, just seeing her brought back the nightmare of that night.
“I’m sorry, Master. I will turn you into an unconscious puppet and keep you by my side forever.”
Lin Xinyi still remembered that scene—Bai Qianqian apologizing while slowly walking toward her.
It was the most horrifying thing Lin Xinyi had ever seen in her life.
“Sister Luo, I do miss Master, but now might not be the right time…”
“I understand all that, but if I go to see Master right now, I’m afraid I’ll be so nervous I won’t know what to say…”
…
Lin Xinyi stayed hidden behind the tree, listening to the girl’s muttering.
It was obvious she was talking to Luo Qingyao—the remnant soul of an Immortal Venerable she carried with her.
Bai Qianqian began walking up the path along this peak.
Floating beside her was Luo Qingyao, the one she had been speaking to.
“Sigh, I really don’t get it. You were the one clamoring to see Lin Xinyi, the one who wanted to find her inside the sect. Now why are you getting all shy…”
“That may be true, but I haven’t quite prepared a surprise for Master yet…”
Bai Qianqian’s cheeks flushed slightly.
Her usually expressionless face was uncharacteristically animated.
Luo Qingyao floated beside her, speechless with exasperation.
But to make it up to Bai Qianqian, even if the girl wanted to pluck stars from the sky, Luo Qingyao would have to find a way.
After all, her own past actions had nearly caused Bai Qianqian to lose her will to live.
This time, she had to make amends—even if it felt a bit unfair to Lin Xinyi.
“I remember last time she brought me back, the grotto-heaven’s restriction was around here…”
“But I haven’t prepared any gift for Master. If I just barge in, wouldn’t that be…”
“Don’t worry. You showing up here is the best gift of all. I’m sure she’ll be moved to tears of joy the moment she sees you~”
Luo Qingyao floated over and gently patted Bai Qianqian’s shoulder in reassurance.
Meanwhile, Lin Xinyi hid behind the tree, tears streaming silently down her face, her body trembling with fear.
“Why am I so unlucky? Why do I run into her the moment I step outside?!”
Lin Xinyi forced herself to suppress her inner turmoil.
After all, the other hadn’t noticed her yet.
She took a deep breath to calm herself and then cautiously peeked at Bai Qianqian walking toward her.
“What am I panicking about? This is my territory. She can’t know it better than I do. And she hasn’t seen me…”
Lin Xinyi comforted herself silently.
But just as she finished, the sound of Bai Qianqian’s voice suddenly stopped.
Lin Xinyi was puzzled.
She peered through a small gap in the tree and saw Bai Qianqian standing motionless in place.
“Why did that unfilial disciple stop? Is she not coming? Good, good. Just go back.”
Lin Xinyi silently prayed that the other would just turn around and leave.
But Bai Qianqian was looking down at a screen that had appeared before her.
A pale blue panel, just like before, had materialized out of thin air.
Bai Qianqian didn’t understand what this thing was or what purpose it served.
But somehow, it always gave her unexpected information.
[Triggered Trait: Whenever Lin Xinyi appears within a 50-meter radius, her location and status information will automatically be displayed.]
[Lin Xinyi]
[Current Status: (Insufficient Inquiry Level)]
Bai Qianqian stared at the information in silence.
Luo Qingyao, who had been floating ahead guiding the way, continued on for a while before realizing that Bai Qianqian wasn’t following.
She turned back in confusion.
“What’s wrong, Qianqian? If you dawdle, you’ll have to wait longer to see your beloved Master~”.
Bai Qianqian showed no particular reaction.
She simply raised a slender finger, gently placed it to her lips, and smiled slightly—making a shushing gesture.
“Shh… I can feel Master’s presence~”.
At that moment, Lin Xinyi was still hiding behind the tree, unaware of the danger.
She only noticed that Bai Qianqian had suddenly stopped moving.
The girl’s strange behavior puzzled her.
“What’s she doing? Can’t she just go back quietly?”
Lin Xinyi just wanted to hurry and find Yun Yiyi to deal with Qin Huaiyin.
But now Bai Qianqian was blocking her only path.
It was maddening.
She leaned out a little to get a better look.
Bai Qianqian was standing with her head down, seemingly poking at something in the empty air with her fingers.
“What is that girl doing?”
Lin Xinyi was curious.
She tried to see more clearly—and just as she looked closely, Bai Qianqian suddenly raised her head and looked directly in her direction.
Lin Xinyi’s eyes met hers instantly.
She also saw that faint, knowing smile on Bai Qianqian’s face.
Lin Xinyi whipped back behind the tree, clamping a hand over her mouth, not letting a single trace of her presence escape.
“Why? Why did she suddenly look this way? Did she find me? No, impossible. I have a qi-concealing magic tool on me…”
The more Lin Xinyi thought, the more confused she became.
At the same time, she could hear footsteps approaching from behind.
She was starting to panic.
Bai Qianqian walked with light steps toward that large tree.
“Master~ are you here…?”
Bai Qianqian reached the tree and looked sharply behind it.
But the person she expected was not standing there.
Her expression returned to its usual cold indifference.
“Not here…”
She glanced at the trampled weeds around—clearly someone had been here.
But when she looked down at the screen beside her, the red dot indicated that the target was right here.
“Has this thing malfunctioned…?”
A hint of confusion appeared on Bai Qianqian’s face.
She turned to leave.
Lin Xinyi, meanwhile, covered her mouth tightly, staring at Bai Qianqian who was barely ten meters away.
The other needed only to take one more step forward to see her.
[Concealment Veil]
[Spirit Grade Magic Tool]
[When draped over the body, it conceals one’s presence and blends one’s form into the surroundings. Without powerful divine sense, it cannot be detected.]
At the last second, Lin Xinyi remembered this magic tool.
It had been gathering dust in her storage space—she had always considered it useless.
After all, Lin Xinyi was notoriously arrogant when going out.
She was always the one bullying others; she never needed to hide.
But now, unexpectedly, it came in handy.
When she saw Bai Qianqian turn and walk back, Lin Xinyi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Sigh. Why am I so unlucky? The moment I step out, I run into this demon star.”
She wanted to peek out to see how far the other had gone.
But the moment she stuck her head out from behind the tree, she met a pair of gray eyes—eyes devoid of any color.
The two of them gazed at each other softly.
“Bai… Bai Qianqian…!!”
The moment Lin Xinyi saw those eyes, she was so nervous she couldn’t even speak properly.
She opened her mouth to call the girl’s name, but no sound came out.
“Master, good morning~”
“Ah!!”
Back in the rain pavilion, Qin Huaiyin’s fingers moved swiftly across the strings of her pipa.
Beautiful music rippled outward in layers.
When the piece ended, she seemed to hear something.
She walked to the grotto-heaven’s entrance and opened the restriction.
But stepping outside, she saw nothing unusual—only trampled grass and a tree beside it with a few fresh scratches on the trunk.
“Sigh, I think I heard Master’s voice. She must really hate me. She’s only been gone a moment, and she’s already taking her anger out on the tree…”
Qin Huaiyin glanced at the scratches on the tree.
Sensing nothing amiss, she returned inside the grotto-heaven.
But on the other side of the tree, Lin Xinyi’s hands were bound with chains.
Her eyes were vacant.
Even her breathing had become unnaturally calm.
“Master, be quiet.”
Bai Qianqian’s gray-white eyes seemed to hold some kind of power.
Lin Xinyi lay blankly in her arms, her soft body exuding a strange, alluring fragrance.
Just burying her face in that silky hair made Bai Qianqian feel more energized.
“Mas… ter… Master… Master’s body is so soft. Ah, I’m touching Master’s hand…”
Bai Qianqian’s eyes narrowed slightly as she continuously caressed the soft, delicate beauty in her arms.
Lin Xinyi’s eyes were lifeless, allowing herself to be manipulated.
But strangely, at this moment, Lin Xinyi was fully conscious.
“Why? Why can’t I move? Help! Help! Someone save me?!”
Lin Xinyi screamed internally, but her body was like a doll.
Though her consciousness was awake, she could do nothing.
Despair began to set in.
It was the same hopeless feeling as before—her body uncontrollable, allowing Bai Qianqian to fully indulge in her “Master energy.”
When slender fingers gently parted her soft robes, Lin Xinyi’s body was already in the other’s grasp.
Bai Qianqian gently bit the earlobe by her cheek while her fingers slowly traced that exquisite form.
“Finally… I can touch Master…”
Luo Qingyao watched the scene from the side, crouching, not knowing what to say.
This was clearly not a moment for her to interject.
“Qianqian, you… um… try not to leave spiritual energy residue outside. It’ll be troublesome to clean up later…”
“Don’t worry, Sister Luo. Master will take all of it. Won’t you, Master…?”
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