Azure Sky Peak, Bathing Pool.
Ever since hearing from Ying Qianqian last night that Azure Sky Peak had a large bathing pool, Ye Luqing had been wanting to come try it.
This bathing pool was reserved exclusively for Direct Disciples. And since the Senior Sister, Bai He, was swamped with duties after becoming an Elder, and the Junior Sister, Ying Qianqian, was still diligently practicing her spell arrays…
Well, tonight, she had the whole pool booked just for herself!
“Pwah…”
She leaned against the warm, smooth jade walls, her body completely relaxed, submerged in the pool water. Her exquisitely lined, pinkish shoulders and neck peeked above the surface.
Her long cyan hair was casually pinned up, loosely piled atop her head. Only a few stray strands had escaped, plastered wetly against her smooth neck and cheek, adding a touch of languid ease.
“This is the life…”
She let out a long sigh of relief, as if the entire day’s fatigue was melting into the pool water. She even felt a sense of freedom and ease, as if she’d returned to Earth.
In the next moment, however—
BOOM! BOOM!
A dull, ear-piercing roar, like a sudden thunderclap blasting flat from the ground, rudely tore through the comfort and tranquility inside the bathing pool.
“What the…”
Enemy attack?
Subconsciously, Ye Luqing instantly activated her spell array, Profound Yellow True Qi pouring out from her Dantian.
Her Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Art was now fully at the Major Achievement stage. Combined with the remaining Profound Yellow True Qi from the Profound Yellow Pill, she could casually suppress cultivators at the Golden Core Stage, even Early Nascent Soul Stage.
Granted, this was the dojo of her Shizun Bai Yuhan, with other Spirit Transformation or even Void Comprehension Elders stationed here. But a mere bathing pool wouldn’t attract a cultivator from the Upper Four Realms. Whoever came must be some small fry.
Now was the perfect time for her to show off her skills.
“What scoundrel dares to attack… t-t-tack…”
Ye Luqing’s voice gradually trailed off.
Standing not far in front of her was Xiao Qingxuan, her face cold and clear.
Hiss…
A bead of cold sweat slowly slid down her forehead.
This one… she truly couldn’t beat.
Not just a few dozen strands of Profound Yellow True Qi—even a hundred strands wouldn’t be enough to defeat Xiao Qingxuan, who was at the Half-Step Spirit Transformation Stage.
The type who could kill her nine times in a second.
She had indeed learned this Earth-Tier Technique, but that didn’t mean she could unleash its full power.
Somewhat awkwardly, Ye Luqing withdrew the array runes of the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Art. Then she watched Xiao Qingxuan walk toward her step by step, resembling a walking ice sculpture.
The plain robe was soaked through by the pool water, but Xiao Qingxuan paid it no mind.
Her fair skin appeared half-veiled through the wet robe, even more alluring in its semi-transparency.
Ye Luqing’s pretty face flushed. Even though her soul had adapted to the form of this girl’s body, she still felt shy seeing a city-toppling beauty like Xiao Qingxuan.
Could it be… precisely because she had adapted to this body, she was being influenced by the original host?
“A-Qing, what are you doing?”
“M-Making loli soup…”
She averted her gaze, trying to mask her lapse with a joke.
Even though she hadn’t wanted to see her these past few days…
“Loli soup, huh…”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qingxuan scooped up the water in front of Ye Luqing’s chest and, right in front of the latter, drank it down directly.
“Gulp…”
After drinking it, she even nodded at the dumbfounded Ye Luqing.
“Delicious.”
Perhaps because Ye Luqing had been bathing here, the water indeed carried Ye Luqing’s body fragrance. Upon entering the mouth, it tasted like sweet, holy water.
Ye Luqing was greatly shaken, frozen in place.
No way…
You’re actually drinking it?
Watching Xiao Qingxuan plunge her entire head into the water like a floating corpse, seemingly intent on drinking the whole pool, Ye Luqing hurriedly pulled her up.
“Stop drinking, Senior Sister Xiao, stop drinking!”
She forcefully yanked Xiao Qingxuan’s head out of the loli soup.
Looking at Xiao Qingxuan, who had a cyan strand of hair stuck to the corner of her mouth and a completely expressionless face, Ye Luqing couldn’t help but mutter inwardly.
Something’s wrong.
This is completely different from the Xiao Qingxuan in her memory.
It was like she’d drunk some fake alcohol, recognizing only her own stubborn reasoning, completely deaf to anyone else.
She wrapped herself in a bathrobe and pulled Xiao Qingxuan onto the edge of the pool, simultaneously using a body-cleansing spell to dry the water from her plain robe.
“Senior Sister Xiao, why did you come looking for me so late?”
Before she finished speaking, she suddenly felt her face being cupped by the other’s hands.
Wh-what’s going on?
Ye Luqing immediately felt like she was facing a formidable enemy, afraid this unstable Xiao Qingxuan might give her a sword strike.
“S-Senior Sister Xiao?”
“Not Senior Sister Xiao…”
Xiao Qingxuan paused. Her icy fingertip traced across Ye Luqing’s face, finally stopping at those pink, tender lips.
“I want to hear you call me sister.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Luqing froze. A trace of disappointment flickered in her eyes.
So what Xiao Qingxuan really wanted to hear was still the way the original host addressed her.
She had called Xiao Qingxuan “Sister” before, but that was when she wanted to. Not when she was forced.
But as the Destined Female Lead’s “substitute,” she had no choice.
“I’ll call you that, but you have to answer a question for me.”
“Fine.”
“…Sister, why do you seem a little different from this morning?” She voiced the doubt in her heart.
Only by grasping more information could she deal with Xiao Qingxuan in this state.
“This is the ‘Supreme’ heart method from the Emotionless Sword Lineage. It’s the state of entering Desireless Emotionlessness, focusing solely on one’s goal, undisturbed by emotions,” Xiao Qingxuan replied, her tone utterly devoid of inflection.
So that’s it!
Ye Luqing’s eyes widened slightly as she suddenly recalled a setting from the original work.
In the original, Xiao Qingxuan indeed had such a state.
She would occasionally use it in battle. Once activated, she would slaughter gods and buddhas alike, slaying across realms as easily as a home-cooked meal.
But why was it activated in a non-combat situation?
Because Xiao Qingxuan wanted to focus on her goal?
“What is your goal?” She looked up and asked.
However, Xiao Qingxuan just looked at her faintly, like a beautiful, moving ice sculpture.
Tch.
Won’t answer without being called sister, huh…
“Sister…” Ye Luqing had no choice but to say it again.
Hearing this, Xiao Qingxuan extended her hand. A small, purple flower slowly bloomed in her palm.
“I want to restore your memories.”
Ye Luqing’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Didn’t we agree to wait until after the Sect Grand Tournament…”
“I can’t wait.”
At these words, Ye Luqing’s face instantly chilled a few degrees.
“So, Senior Sister Xiao intends to break her promise?”
Watching Xiao Qingxuan, who remained silent, a wave of irritation rose unbidden in her heart.
“In that case, Senior Sister Xiao might as well just tie me up and directly use the Dream-Building Lotus to control me. That would be more convenient.”
“I’m merely a minor Golden Core cultivator. Senior Sister Xiao, with your lofty Half-Step Spirit Transformation cultivation, could surely accomplish it effortlessly.”
She looked coldly at Xiao Qingxuan, secretly condensing several Profound-Tier Superior spell arrays in her hand, the Earth-Rank Formation Decree, the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Art, held back but ready.
If Xiao Qingxuan truly dared to use force, she absolutely wouldn’t let herself be slaughtered like a lamb.
A one-to-nine chance? So what? Even a cornered rabbit will bite!
Hearing this, Xiao Qingxuan lowered her head and then took out another item.
“A-Qing, the reason you don’t want to use the Dream-Building Lotus is simply a fear of affecting the Sect Grand Tournament.”
“This is my Storage Ring. Inside are my Spirit Swords, techniques, pills, as well as the items I kept safe for you after you were seriously injured.”
“If it could help with the Grand Tournament, I can give all these things to you.”
