Throughout this process, his mind was completely blank.
Overwhelmed by great sorrow and joy, he was incapable of thought, only able to stare blankly at the white figure before him.
"Your heart isn't here," Shen Yue placed down the white piece.
Jiang Ling snapped back to reality and eagerly declared, "Master, your chess skills have improved."
Shen Yue: "..."
To be honest, she had just been playing randomly in the dark.
Jiang Ling's flattery had backfired.
Shen Yue sighed, "You don't need to do this, nor do you need to confess. Staying on Si Gu Cliff for a year is enough."
From the moment he entered, Jiang Ling's heart had been lodged in his throat. He was timid, afraid of displeasing his master.
Upon hearing Shen Yue's suddenly softened tone, he felt like a child who had scraped their knee. If no one comforted him, he could endure it without crying, but the moment comfort was offered, he felt wronged, the pain became unbearable, and he wanted to cry and vent.
Jiang Ling desperately wanted to force a smile to show his joy, but for some reason, tears fell first.
"Master..."
His voice carried a sob he himself didn't realize was there.
Perhaps it was because Shen Yue was unusually gentle today, Jiang Ling's courage grew by an unprecedented margin. He stood up and walked to Shen Yue, then crouched down, like a puppy seeking warmth, resting his head on her lap.
Shen Yue's body stiffened. She instinctively wanted to push him away, but her fingers accidentally brushed Jiang Ling's face, and she felt a wetness.
Jiang Ling was never one to cry easily, but within this fragrant embrace, though not warm, rather a bit cool, a warmth flowed into his chest.
Shen Yue's pushing hand turned to wiping, caressing the tears that involuntarily streamed from his eyes.
All of them were crybabies.
Jiang Ling felt as if he were drowning in Shen Yue's gentle actions, and he couldn't help but rub his face against Shen Yue's fingertips with longing.
His eyes were still red, but a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips. He cautiously asked, "Master, you don't blame me anymore, do you?"
"I have never blamed you,"
Shen Yue replied truthfully. Her fingertips were already damp.
Jiang Ling stared blankly at Shen Yue's still cool brows and eyes, yet her expression was gentle. For some reason, his eyes suddenly became much redder.
His Adam's apple bobbed. He tentatively reached out and, not being rejected, greedily hugged Shen Yue's waist.
Only then did he realize that the person who had always been like a deity in his heart had such a slender waist; he could almost embrace it with one hand, so fragile and easily broken.
With his head buried in Shen Yue's embrace, he inhaled the faint fragrance insatiably and without satisfaction, remaining silent for a long time.
Shen Yue guessed that Jiang Ling was probably secretly crying in her arms again. Indeed, even the most mature people had a vulnerable side.
She chuckled slightly and ultimately did not push him away, allowing Jiang Ling to hold her like that.
Delicate pink petals drifted down, landing on their shoulders and hair.
Both were dressed in white. Beneath the blooming peach blossoms, the tall man prostrated himself at the feet of the white-clad immortal, his strong arms gripping her slender waist, intimately, like lovers.
But to some, they were a hateful sight.
Rong Hua stood coldly in the distance, watching his Master display a gentle and warm smile towards another disciple, a smile he had never seen directed at himself. His eyes gradually darkened.
He thought he was the unique existence in his Master's heart.
Even if it was because of his face, he accepted it, but why could she so easily reveal such an expression to others?
Shen Yue's expression froze. She had just sensed a trace of demonic energy, faint but strong.
Her heart skipped a beat.
The elders had clearly also sensed it. Soon, Shen Yue received a telepathic message and went to the front hall for a meeting.
Because the trace of demonic energy was so faint, although it could be detected, it disappeared too quickly for them to confirm its exact location.
However, it also confirmed one thing: the Demon God was indeed within the Qingyun Sect, which made the atmosphere in the front hall suddenly tense.
It was like a hidden time bomb, and one never knew when it would explode.
—
Shen Yue had instructed Rong Hua to cultivate diligently because the elders had already detected the presence of the Demon God and knew it was within the Qingyun Sect.
Although the demonic bone within Rong Hua's body was suppressed, it was not a permanent solution. Rong Hua's spiritual power was too weak. If even a cultivator at the Mahayana stage were to probe his spiritual consciousness, they would likely immediately detect something amiss.
If Rong Hua's spiritual power were stronger, it would also be greatly beneficial to him. Although with his talent, he was not suited for any cultivation techniques in the cultivation world, with the Dragon Pill, cultivation would at least not be as arduous as before.
Therefore, Shen Yue had been quite strict with Rong Hua recently, and Rong Hua had been living up to her expectations with diligence and hard work.
But for some reason, ever since Shen Yue returned from the front hall, she had been unable to sense Rong Hua's presence.
Shen Yue tried several times, only to discover that Rong Hua was not even in the Qingyun Sect.
He had disappeared without any notification.
This made Shen Yue a little angry. This major villain was too rebellious. Did he know that everyone was trying to expose him right now? Instead of cultivating properly, he dared to run around.
Shen Yue was like a worried parent, searching everywhere for her runaway, rebellious child.
Shen Yue searched for a long time without finding him, she was so angry she almost wanted to give up.
[Quickly tell me where this major villain went! When I catch him, I'll discipline him properly!]
System: [Oh, he's at Yixiang Courtyard.]
Shen Yue had never heard of this place. The name sounded quite tasteful: [What is he doing there?]
System: [Oh, what do you think men do in brothels?]
Shen Yue: [???]
Shen Yue: [!!!]
Shen Yue was almost furious: [I've been searching for him here for so long! And he's gone off to have fun in a brothel! Where is that guy's conscience? Eaten by dogs?]
System sighed: [Men, none of them are good.]
Shen Yue, perhaps truly driven mad by anger, went to Yixiang Courtyard alone. Only when surrounded by waves of fragrant breezes and the allure of charming voices did Shen Yue slightly regain her senses.
Only then did she realize what a foolish thing she had done. The ethereal, sweet, and charming coos, like mist and water, gave Shen Yue goosebumps.
Shen Yue was flustered as if avoiding a plague. Perhaps this was the first time she had been so dishevelled.