In front of the small log cabin.
Liu Ningshuang’s words left Lu Ning slightly confused.
Suddenly, Liu Ningshuang turned her gaze toward A-Lin, shifting the topic.
“A-Lin, go into the mountains and gather some of the oldest spiritual fruits and holy medicines you can find. They are prepared for your Sister Lu Ning. Come back to this cabin to find her in one day.”
“Additionally, once that day has passed, you may follow your Sister Lu Ning and temporarily leave this forbidden land.”
Hearing that she could leave with Lu Ning, A-Lin’s large, watery black eyes instantly lit up.
Her previous fear of Liu Ningshuang was significantly diluted by this immense joy.
“Really?”
A-Lin’s voice was filled with pleasant surprise.
“I never go back on my word,” Liu Ningshuang replied indifferently.
“That’s great!”
A-Lin ran excitedly to Lu Ning, grabbing her hand and saying happily, “Sister Lu Ning, did you hear that? We can finally go out together!”
“Yes, I heard.”
Looking at her innocent and lively appearance, Lu Ning felt a wave of emotion in her heart.
“Then I’ll go pick the most delicious fruits for you right now!”
After saying that, A-Lin transformed into her true form and ran toward the depths of the mountain range.
Before leaving, she didn’t forget to look back and quietly mouth a warning to Lu Ning.
‘Watch out for that bad woman.’
Seeing her acting like a little adult, Lu Ning didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
As A-Lin’s figure completely disappeared into the bamboo forest, only Lu Ning and Liu Ningshuang remained in front of the small log cabin.
The atmosphere became somewhat subtle at that moment.
“Ning’er,” Liu Ningshuang spoke slowly, breaking the silence.
“Your disciple is here,” Lu Ning quickly responded.
“Follow me inside.”
As Liu Ningshuang spoke, she turned and walked toward the ordinary-looking log cabin.
“By the way, before you leave, I want to have a heart-to-heart talk with you.”
‘A heart-to-heart?’
Lu Ning’s heart stirred at those words.
She knew this might be an excellent opportunity for her to understand this mysterious Master and learn more secrets about this world.
She no longer hesitated and quickly followed her.
The two of them entered the cabin one after the other.
The furnishings inside were extremely simple—only a wooden bed, a wooden table, and two wooden chairs.
It was simple, yet it possessed a Daoist charm that hinted at a return to basics.
Lu Ning followed Liu Ningshuang into the cabin and sat on the wooden chair opposite her.
However, Liu Ningshuang did not sit down.
She simply looked at Lu Ning quietly, her eyes flashing with a profound meaning that was impossible to decipher.
“Master?”
Lu Ning felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze.
Liu Ningshuang did not speak.
She slowly walked behind Lu Ning.
Then, under Lu Ning’s stunned gaze, she reached out her arms and gently hugged her from behind.
….
A soft sensation instantly enveloped Lu Ning.
Her mind went blank.
‘What… what is going on? What happened to the heart-to-heart talk?’
Could this cold and ethereal Master, who looked like she didn’t belong to the mortal world, actually have such a passionate side?
After Lu Ning regained her composure, she assumed this was Liu Ningshuang’s way of expressing her true feelings for a disciple she hadn’t seen in 100 years.
However, before she could recover from this sudden “intimacy,” she felt Liu Ningshuang’s hands, which were originally just resting lightly on her shoulders, begin to move improperly.
Those hands slowly slid along the collar of her clothes.
“Mas… Master, what… what are you doing?”
Lu Ning’s voice trembled slightly.
“Do not be afraid.”
Liu Ningshuang’s voice sounded in her ear.
“I am checking your body for injuries.”
‘Is there really a way to check injuries like this?’
Lu Ning felt her cheeks begin to burn.
“You were previously injured by those scoundrels from the righteous path, and your foundation was severely damaged,” Liu Ningshuang’s voice rose again.
“Although you were lucky enough to recover to the Soul Transformation stage, the Heavenly Demon bloodline in your body is severely compromised. If it is not restored in time, it will surely become a huge hidden danger on your path of cultivation in the future.”
“I am now going to use the supreme demonic art of our Tianmo Sect to help you purify your bloodline and reshape your Dao foundation.”
“You only need to relax your mind and endure it for a while.”
Hearing this explanation, the heart hanging in Lu Ning’s chest finally lowered a bit.
So that was it.
She felt that an existence at her Master’s level wouldn’t bother lying to a junior.
Moreover, what her Master said made sense.
She could feel that although the power in her body was strong, it was chaotic and impure, making it difficult to control completely.
If she could receive help from a powerhouse who had surpassed the Great Transcendence stage, it would naturally be for the best.
With this thought, Lu Ning completely relaxed her mind.
However, as time passed, Lu Ning gradually noticed something was wrong.
Liu Ningshuang’s movements became increasingly intimate and bold.
An indescribable heat slowly rose from within Lu Ning’s body, making her brain go blank.
“Mas… Master…”
Lu Ning’s voice trembled, and a thin layer of mist covered her eyes.
“Aren’t we… aren’t we purifying my bloodline?”
“We are,” Liu Ningshuang’s voice whispered in her ear, carrying a hint of playfulness.
“We are purifying your bloodline right now.”
“This technique is called the Nine-Turn Heavenly Demon Art, the supreme secret method of our Tianmo Sect.”
“It can transform a cultivator’s seven emotions and six desires into the purest original demonic Qi, thereby achieving the miraculous effect of purifying the bloodline and tempering the soul.”
“However, this technique requires two people to cultivate together to achieve the best results.”
Hearing this, Lu Ning remembered the Joyful Union Canon that Su Yuexi had forced her to practice back in Baihuagu.
Although the names of the two techniques were different, their core cultivation methods were strikingly similar.
Both achieved the goal of increasing cultivation through that kind of intimate “exchange.”
“Master, you… you…” Lu Ning’s eyes widened as she looked at Liu Ningshuang in disbelief.
She never expected that her Master, who seemed so detached from the world, would use this method to “guide” her cultivation.
“What? My dear disciple, you seem unwilling?”
The corners of Liu Ningshuang’s mouth curled up slightly.
Looking at Lu Ning’s embarrassed and angry expression, the mischievous streak in her heart grew stronger.
“Ning’er, you should think carefully.”
“It is only because of your Master’s kindness that I am personally guiding your cultivation.”
“If you miss this opportunity, there won’t be another.”
As she spoke, she increased the pressure of her hands.
Lu Ning’s body shuddered violently.
“Master…”
Lu Ning’s voice carried a hint of pleading.
However, Liu Ningshuang turned a deaf ear.
She slowly turned Lu Ning’s body around, making her face her.
Then, under the gaze of those tearful eyes, she spoke slowly.
“Ning’er, do you know why your cultivation fell so drastically? Because your Heavenly Demon bloodline was not pure enough.”
“And my Heavenly Demon bloodline is the purest source in this world.”
“As long as you can obtain a trace of the source power from me, your cultivation will progress by leaps and bounds.”
“Now…”
“I am giving you this opportunity.”
“Don’t you want to restore your cultivation as soon as possible?”
“Then take it from me.”
As her voice fell, she gently cupped Lu Ning’s face.
An unknown amount of time passed.
When this long “guidance” finally came to an end, Liu Ningshuang wore a satisfied smile, as if she had finally achieved her heart’s desire.
One day later.
When Lu Ning walked out of the small log cabin, A-Lin was already waiting at the door, holding a large pile of spiritual fruits and holy medicines.
She looked at Lu Ning, who appeared somewhat exhausted but had an unusually rosy complexion and a hint of charm in the corners of her eyes.
Her large, watery black eyes were full of confusion.
“Sister Lu Ning, what… what happened to you?”
“Did that bad woman bully you?”
“No… no.”
Lu Ning quickly shook her head.
“I just… I just received a day of personal guidance from Master, and I gained a lot.”
As she spoke, she felt the new power surging within her body.
Peak Soul Transformation!
The boost from Liu Ningshuang’s source power was terrifying.
In just one day, Lu Ning’s cultivation had jumped from the middle Soul Transformation stage to the peak Soul Transformation stage in one go!
Although the process was hard to talk about, the harvest was immense.
“Really?”
A hint of suspicion flashed in A-Lin’s eyes.
She felt that Sister Lu Ning looked strange.
But she couldn’t say exactly what was weird about her.
Right at that moment, Liu Ningshuang’s cold voice drifted out from inside the cabin.
“Ning’er, I leave the matters outside to you.”
“Remember, resolve the troubles of the Tianmo Sect as quickly as possible, and then come back to find me.”
“At that time, I will personally guide you to restore your cultivation to the Great Transcendence stage in the shortest time possible.”
“Of course…” Liu Ningshuang paused, her voice carrying a playful smile.
“If you dare to stay outside too long and refuse to come back…”
“I… will personally go and bring you back.”
Hearing this, Lu Ning quickly promised she would return as soon as possible.
After leaving the small log cabin that had left her with a psychological shadow, Lu Ning felt the whole world had become fresh again.
Although her body still felt sore from the “personal guidance,” the surging power within her gave her an unprecedented sense of peace.
Peak Soul Transformation!
The feeling of having this power in her hands was truly wonderful.
For Lu Ning, coming to the forbidden land behind the mountain for three days had allowed her to advance from the middle Nascent Soul stage to the peak Soul Transformation stage.
This leap in cultivation was simply too massive.
If it were an ordinary genius cultivator, it would take several years to achieve this.
Although the peak Soul Transformation stage still wasn’t enough to handle her rebellious disciple, with A-Lin around, subduing one rebellious disciple was still doable.
“Sister Lu Ning, are we leaving now?” A-Lin’s voice pulled Lu Ning back from her thoughts.
Her large, watery black eyes were full of longing and expectation for the outside world.
“Yes, let’s go.”
Lu Ning nodded.
She took A-Lin’s hand and walked to the massive black stone gate.
She once again pressed the Sovereign Token into the groove of the stone gate.
Hum—
The stone door slowly opened.
A dazzling light shone through the gap, causing A-Lin, who had lived in the forbidden land for many years, to subconsciously squint her eyes.
“Let’s go.”
Lu Ning pulled A-Lin and stepped out of the forbidden land that was full of unknowns and dangers.
When the two returned to the familiar path in the back mountains of the Tianmo Sect, Lu Ning felt a surge of emotion.
It had only been a few days, but it felt as long as a century.
“Wow! Sister Lu Ning, is this what the outside world looks like?”
A-Lin was like a curious newborn baby, fascinated by everything around her.
She touched the wildflowers by the road one moment and chased a butterfly the next, playing happily.
Looking at her innocent behavior, Lu Ning couldn’t help but show a doting smile.
“A-Lin, we’re going back to the Sovereign Hall first.”
Lu Ning’s voice was very gentle.
“Once I’ve handled the sect’s affairs, I’ll take you for a proper walk.”
“Mm-hmm!”
A-Lin nodded heavily.
Then, she naturally hugged Lu Ning’s arm, pressing close to her.
Lu Ning didn’t refuse.
She knew A-Lin was very dependent on her, and she also needed A-Lin’s pure trust to comfort her battered soul.
The two talked and laughed along the way as they walked toward the Sovereign Hall.
However, they hadn’t gone far when they heard panicked discussions coming from nearby.
“Have you heard? Those so-called righteous alliances are about to reach our mountain gates!”
“It’s more than that! I heard the Holy Lord of the Xuantiān Holy Land, the Master of Wanjian Mountain Manor, and the Mistress of the Miaoyin Pavilion—those three big figures have all come personally!”
“It’s over, it’s over! This time, our Tianmo Sect is probably really finished!”
“What are you afraid of! We have the Sovereign! And the Holy Maiden! They will surely lead us to defeat those insidious villains!”
“That’s easy to say, but the Sovereign has been missing for three whole days and hasn’t returned from the forbidden land. The enemy is numerous, with no fewer than 100 Great Transcendence experts. How… how are we supposed to fight them?”
Listening to the disciples’ discussions, Lu Ning’s brow furrowed slightly.
It seemed the situation was even worse than she had imagined.
The righteous forces were truly determined to uproot the Tianmo Sect this time.
However, Lu Ning wasn’t worried.
Although she only had peak Soul Transformation cultivation, she had a top-tier fighter at the peak of the Great Transcendence stage by her side.
The only thing she needed to consider now was how to explain A-Lin’s identity to the people in the sect.
She couldn’t very well tell them that she had kidnapped an ancient vicious beast from the forbidden land, could she?
After all, A-Lin’s identity as a Dark Qilin was a bit too much for people to handle.
Just as Lu Ning was secretly calculating in her mind, a cold and familiar aura suddenly approached from ahead.
Immediately after, a black figure appeared in front of them.
The person was Gu Qinghuan.
She had sensed Lu Ning’s aura and rushed out from the Sovereign Hall immediately.
When her gaze landed on the petite young girl holding Lu Ning’s hand and intimately clinging to Lu Ning’s arm, her eyes, which had previously held a hint of joy, were instantly covered in murderous intent.
Her gaze was like she was looking at an intruder who didn’t know their place and was coveting her property.
In the next moment, Gu Qinghuan’s voice slowly rose.
“Master, who is she?”