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

Just as the stern master was about to use his authority to intimidate his disciple, the unruly disciple spoke up again.

"I'm not afraid to admit it, Master, but I've always secretly hoped to go out and train with you, to see the mountains and rivers and broaden my horizons. Unfortunately, I've never had the chance."

But given Jixue Xianjun's status, they could never travel the world together like ordinary master and disciple.

"I never expected it to happen this way." Chu Xianlan rubbed her nose. "Hmm, could this be considered a blessing in disguise?"

Yi Chen's eyes flickered slightly, as if something had gently tickled his heart.

Oh well... it's just that I glanced at it a few more times.

It's not exactly...unacceptable.

Since the child is already so deeply attached to this, he must be feeling incredibly bitter. So what if he can be happy for a little longer just by looking at him a few more times?

Yi Chen softened and glanced at him, saying, "...There will be other opportunities in the future."

As soon as he finished speaking, the disciple beside him looked over with shining eyes, his gaze sparkling as if he had taken in the stars and the moon.

Yi Chen had seen that look of complete trust and expectation in Chu Xianlan's eyes countless times. From childhood to adulthood, Chu Xianlan only showed that expression when she was with him, like a secret passage open only to him, visible only to him.

Chu Xianlan's lips curled into a wide smile, her eyes sparkling: "Really?"

Master's innocence has been preserved, and the good news of the removal of the life-binding curse is just around the corner. There might even be opportunities to travel in the future. How could anyone not be happy?

Seeing his excited expression, Yi Chen's tone softened, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Once your cultivation improves further, there will naturally be more opportunities to go down the mountain together for training."

Master smiled.

Chu Xianlan was somewhat stunned. After a long while, she finally responded in a soft voice, "Yes, Master."

As they were talking, Xie Qingying arrived. He smiled gently and said, "You two have been waiting for a long time. Let's set off."

There are rules in the cultivation world that cultivators are not allowed to act ostentatiously in villages and towns inhabited by mortals. On the way to Shuangyun City, there is a section of the road that ordinary travelers can only travel on, and one must travel by carriage.

The carriage was clean and elegantly furnished, with a soft bench on each of the three sides (left, right, and rear), just enough for one person to sit comfortably.

Yi Chen sat in the center, Xie Qingying on the left, and Chu Xianlan chose to sit on the right.

Along the way, Xie Qingying would occasionally turn to the side and whisper a few words to Yi Chen, her tone familiar and natural, like that of an old friend who had known each other for many years.

Chu Xianlan sat quietly to the side, occasionally glancing out the window, her ears perked up.

My master is aloof and rarely interacts with outsiders, except for a few senior uncles and elders from the Taiyi Sect. I never expected to have a friend like Senior Xie.

The carriage swayed slightly as it traveled along the gently undulating road, and gradually, Chu Xianlan's eyelids began to feel heavy.

He leaned his head against the car window, crossed his arms, and unconsciously closed his eyes.

Yi Chen happened to glance to the side and saw this scene.

The boy's drooping eyelashes cast a faint shadow as he slept soundly, completely unguarded. The gentle morning light shone on half of his face, making it appear warm and inviting.

"Your disciple is quite special." Xie Qingying quietly moved closer to Yi Chen, her tone carrying a hint of a half-smile.

"What's so special about it?"

"Hmm... how should I put it," Xie Qingying thought for a moment, "it is definitely not something that can be confined to a small pond. It will not be content with one place, nor will it be confined to a small space. A roc needs the sea to spread its wings, and a dragon needs the sea to be free. A small water tank will never be able to contain it."

Yi Chen listened in silence.

Of course he knew.

When disciples from major sects descend the mountain, some are arrogant and complacent, looking down on others; some are reserved and timid, cautious and hesitant; and some are simply focused on getting on their way and completing their mission. Chu Xianlan is different; he was born knowing how to deal with the mundane world.

Along the way, almost every time Chu Xianlan passed a boundary marker, she would encounter familiar people who would greet her warmly.

The boy was like a piece of glass with sharp edges, each side reflecting a bright light.

"Speaking of which, what is his background? His surname is Chu... Could he be the child of some powerful clan?" Xie Qingying asked curiously.

"No," Yi Chen replied calmly.

Yi Chen didn't know much about his disciple's background either.

Chu Xianlan has almost no memory of anything before the age of five. When she was a child, she lived in the backyard of a gambling den and barely made a living by running errands and doing odd jobs for others.

Later, a cultivator passed by that town and inadvertently noticed the fluctuations of spiritual energy surrounding the child. After some testing, he discovered that the child possessed a rare single-elemental metal spiritual root.

Unable to ascertain his family background, the cultivator eventually sent him to the Taiyi Sect.

He did conduct a private investigation into his disciple's past before the age of five.

Unfortunately, in the vast world of cultivation, there are countless children with mysterious backgrounds, and with so few clues, it is impossible to find out the truth.

"Thump."

A soft thud came from across the street; the boy's head had hit the window frame hard.

Chu Xianlan let out a muffled groan and abruptly opened her eyes.

He blinked rapidly, his gaze hesitantly landing on the other side. The next moment, his face turned ashen at a visible speed.

In his view, Xie Qingying was facing Yi Chen sideways, her left hand half-covering her lips as if she were laughing, her right hand supporting her on the back of the chair, her movements almost subtly encircling Yi Chen completely into her arms.

--wrong.

Yi Chen lowered his eyes, his expression relaxed and at ease. The distance between the two was very intimate, and as Xie Qingying approached, their bodies were almost pressed tightly together.

—No, no, no.

This scene...this pose...this distance...

Chu Xianlan's mind flashed back to countless chaotic scenes she had just seen in her dream, frozen in this very second.

[...Yi Chen's body tensed involuntarily, his lower lip clenched so tightly it turned slightly white, his nose reddened, and his teeth marks dug deep into his soft lips. His eyes were closed, his eyelashes trembled even more violently, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. The sweat was gently brushed away by another hand; Xie Qingying's fingertips lightly caressed the fabric of the swordsman's shoulder, tracing the veins beneath his skin.]

"Your pulse is beating so fast, are you excited too? Expecting me to... bite you?"

Aa ...

Clap!

A crisp sound.

The last string in my brain called reason snapped.

He stood up abruptly and staggered forward in the swaying carriage, just as the wheel rolled over a protruding pebble.

The car jolted violently, and Chu Xianlan lost her footing and fell straight forward.

Yi Chen was clearly startled by this sudden turn of events and instinctively raised his arm to help. The next instant, a warm body crashed into his arms unreasonably.

"Well--!"

Chu Xianlan was in a state of panic. In his haste, he grabbed at something and his palm sank into a soft, slippery fabric. By the time he realized what had happened, he had already loosened the collar of Yi Chen's outer garment.

Chu Xianlan: !!!

He swore he didn't do it on purpose! His heart almost stopped, his throat went dry, and he didn't dare to look up at the other person's expression. He quickly steadied himself, covered Yi Chen's body, and pulled his slipped collar back together.

No matter how embarrassing it is, I can't let my master lose face!

But before this frantic attempt to salvage the situation was even halfway done, the carriage suddenly came to a violent stop!

Chu Xianlan swayed, her fingertips accidentally catching the snow-white ribbon of her undershirt. The ribbon was already loose, and with a tug, the ribbon came off, and the shirt was completely open, exposing half of her firm and smooth chest without any cover.

A dazzling expanse of white scenery.

"Brother, disciple...I...Master..."

Chu Xianlan was covered in cold sweat.

"It's over," he thought.

He had carefully and meticulously messed everything up.