When I woke up, the entire cultivation world was talking about my master.

During his carefree cultivation journey, Yi Chen encountered a child.

The young life was fragile and barely taller than his leg, yet it harbored great ambitions and an inexplicable determination to become his disciple.

Yi Chen didn't care at first.

Childlike tendencies come and go quickly; after a few setbacks, they will eventually give up.

Then... once, twice, three times, four times, Chu Xianlan continued to stake out the place, as if it were some kind of tacit agreement. For a whole year, even though they had only met four times, her persistence remained undiminished.

It's as if once they've made up their minds, they absolutely must do it.

Yi Chen thought that if the child came again next time, he would explain the reason to him properly so as not to hurt him.

My coldness and aloofness towards you are not because I dislike you.

He was hiding a secret that, if exposed, would implicate countless people, but even Yi Chen himself didn't know how long he could keep it a secret or how long he could protect it.

In the end, Chu Xianlan didn't come.

Yi Chen couldn't quite describe his feelings. Did he care? Maybe not. Did he feel regret? No.

That day was no different from any other day. I went out as usual and did what I was supposed to do as usual. When I returned to Yujing Pavilion the next day, I still saw that small figure half-squatting on the ground at the door.

He was waiting for him.

At that moment, an incredible tender feeling suddenly arose in Yi Chen's heart, prompting him to walk up to the child.

Chu Xianlan stared blankly for a long time before straightening up and whispering, "Immortal Lord Jixue, I won't come to Jade Capital Pavilion again. After the recruitment ceremony, I was assigned to the Thousand Refinement Hall. Disciples of the Six Halls have their own residences and can't keep running around..."

The child tried his best to appear unharmed, rambling on and on. Before he could finish, Yi Chen interrupted him, asking, "Are you injured?"

Snakes are extremely sensitive to the smell of blood, and they could smell a faint scent of blood on Chu Xianlan through her clothes.

Chu Xianlan straightened her back and subconsciously denied it, "No, no."

He did get a beating and missed the opportunity to stake out the place last night because of it. The disciples of those aristocratic families couldn't stand him fawning over Yujing Pavilion all the time, but Chu Xianlan felt ashamed and didn't want to show weakness in front of Yi Chen.

Yi Chen said, "Come with me."

When Chu Xianlan came to her senses, she was already obediently led back to Yujing Pavilion.

The elders of the Thousand Refinements Hall were furious at missing out on a genius... but that's another story.

In every moment he spent with his disciple thereafter, Yi Chen constantly experienced that incredible, healing feeling.

Like spring snow falling into the palm of your hand and slowly melting, like the first ray of light on the horizon in the endless night.

Yi Chen knew this well.

It was never that Chu Xianlan couldn't live without him or was unwilling to let go; it was him.

Knowing it's impossible, yet still insisting on doing it.

It was my insatiable greed and my wishful thinking that led me to this situation. I accept all the consequences.

Everything is my fault.

"Look! His appearance has changed! Immortal Lord Jixue is actually a half-demon!!"

"...Master."

"It's all a conspiracy! The cultivation world has long been infiltrated by half-demons. I was wondering why these guys suddenly broke out of prison; it turns out they had an inside agent within the righteous path... Heavens, if it weren't for the Crown Prince's timely intervention, we would all have been wiped out by the half-demons today!"

"No wonder his cultivation speed is so fast..."

"Junior sister, get out of the way! We can't believe the half-demon really lied to us all! Look at that tail, is he going to turn into a monster?!"

"Master!"

"That can't be right. I think... maybe there's some mistake. After all, Immortal Lord Jixue just saved us."

"No matter what, a half-demon is a monster!"

"—Master!!"

Amidst the cacophony of voices, some were filled with righteous indignation, some were panicked, some were filled with hatred, and some were incredulous.

Yi Chen kept his head down until a pair of trembling, dark blue eyes met his gaze, a thousand emotions converging within them, but not a trace of disgust.

A light drizzle was falling in the boy's eyes.

The snake's tail, which should have been like silk sculpted from moonlight, was now riddled with bloody holes by the rain.

A single drop of blue rain could tear a half-demon's skin and flesh, revealing his true form, let alone such a downpour. Chu Xianlan's heart was breaking. She disregarded everything to shield her master from the rain, as if she were holding an extremely fragile treasure.

The moment Yi Chen's bloodline was exposed, an immense shock struck Chu Xianlan's mind, making it resonate.

He thought that the rain must have hurt his master a lot.

Like someone in a daydream, Chu Xianlan was in a daze, unable to think clearly or remain calm, acting solely on instinct.

So... Master really is a half-demon.

So what?

So what! So what!?

Chu Xianlan didn't mind at all. He really didn't mind. His master was his master, not some monster, nor was he one of those unpleasant words people used to describe him.

He wouldn't allow anyone to slander his master, not a single person.

"Master, let's go quickly..."

"Chu Li, don't come any closer."

Two voices rang out at the same time.

Before Chu Xianlan could say anything, she felt a slight push—her master was trying to shake her away with his spiritual power!

He was stunned for a moment, naturally unwilling to leave, but he quickly realized something was wrong. With his master's cultivation level... pushing away a Golden Core cultivator like him would be a matter of a single thought, so how could it be... so difficult...?

The next instant, Chu Xianlan's breath hitched, and she felt her heart growing hotter and hotter.

He lowered his head, and a thread radiating a soft golden light flew out from his chest, the other end of the golden thread connecting to Yi Chen.

Yi Chen's seemingly calm pupils remained fixed on him, as if he wanted to greedily take one last look at him.

"...No, Master, no!" Chu Xianlan almost roared, reaching out to grab the thread. His fingers pierced through the light, and he gripped it too tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand, but he still couldn't grasp anything.

Golden fragments drifted down, fluttering and turning into starlight in the air.

In full view of everyone, the master-disciple contract was severed.

"Our master-disciple relationship ends here; we have no further connection from now on."