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

A suffocating silence pervaded the cave.

To cover up her embarrassment, Chu Xianlan frantically searched her storage pouch for the antidote, swallowed it, and then recited the whole story of her disappearance over and over again.

"...That's how it happened, Master."

Since then, Chu Xianlan's face had been burning hot, her forehead was steaming, and her expression was blank due to excessive shame and fright. She didn't dare to look into her master's eyes at all.

It's too ridiculous.

Do I have five guts? How could I dare to do such a thing to my master?

Not only was it offensive and frivolous, but it also involved in inappropriate touching and rubbing against him... and even... it took the initiative to grab Master's collar and forcefully kiss him!

Kill me, I'm too ashamed to face anyone.

Chu Xianlan inwardly wailed, feeling that the only reason she was still alive and sitting here was because of the thick skin she had developed over the years.

On the other side, Yi Chen hadn't really heard what he had been saying earlier.

His attention remained fixed on his disciple's lips.

Those two lips were red and swollen at the moment, opening and closing frequently when speaking, and a faint red spot could be seen between the inner teeth.

Yi Chen was slightly lost in thought.

"...Master?" Seeing that the other party remained silent for a long time, Chu Xianlan called out guiltily.

Yi Chen snapped out of his daze, his voice slightly hoarse as he spoke, "Xie Qingying didn't touch you?"

"Bang?" Chu Xianlan paused, goosebumps rising all over her body. She shook her head repeatedly. "No, although I don't know why he did that... but I reacted quickly and ran away. He didn't even touch a single hair on my head."

Ugh, just thinking about what Xie the pervert might do to him makes him want to vomit.

Yi Chen's gaze slowly moved downwards, sweeping over the bruises on his wrist, and then he asked:

"Did he do this too?"

Chu Xianlan nodded and then shook her head. "It was probably caused by the vines binding her, and when she was struggling, she accidentally bumped into a rock. Oh, and the explosion of the Thunder Storage Pearl. It wasn't entirely Xie Bian's... uh, Xie Qingying's direct attack."

Yi Chen then fell silent.

Chu Xianlan waited for a long time but heard no sound. Her heart sank lower and lower. It felt like a restless dog was locked in her chest, scratching and clawing at an invisible wall, getting hurt and bleeding. She couldn't get out of the wall, and she couldn't get in from the outside.

Anyway, he had made a mistake this time, and his master would definitely punish him.

They crossed the line far too many times; their crimes are truly unforgivable.

My master was such a pure and innocent person. First, he dragged me down and bound me with the Life-Binding Gu. Then, because of my own carelessness, I fell into his trap and was affected by that damned Drunken Spring Smoke. This stain was added to my name for no reason.

Chu Xianlan felt somewhat lost, and his mood inexplicably plummeted. It seemed that things always went against his wishes, and he always ended up making a mess of things.

Why can't he always do it well?

...He is the disciple of Immortal Lord Jixue, how could he not do well?

The sword hanging overhead seemed poised to strike at any moment, sending chills down one's spine, but in the end, it did not fall.

Then Yi Chen's calm voice came: "Come here, let your master heal your injuries first."

For a moment, Chu Xianlan was stunned. She had imagined countless possible reactions from the other party, but she had never expected this one.

Isn't Master angry?

Don't you think he's...filthy, presumptuous, and unforgivable?

Gentle spiritual energy flowed into her body. Chu Xianlan sat cross-legged to regulate her breathing and said in a muffled voice, "Master, you can scold me, beat me, or punish me, whatever you want."

"It's not your fault," a voice, softer than usual, sounded above him. "Besides these areas, is there anywhere else that's bothering you?"

Chu Xianlan shook her head and remained silent.

After a brief silence, the Master said again, "Open your mouth."

Almost reflexively upon hearing the command, his mouth was already open by the time he realized what was happening.

The cool spiritual energy gently landed on the tip of my tongue, relieving the burning pain from before.

Chu Xianlan slightly raised her eyes to observe Yi Chen's expression.

Master... seems completely unconcerned.

Right.

The Master is without desires or thoughts, and his mind is extremely detached. Perhaps he doesn't care at all about what just happened.

To him, what had just happened was probably no different from an accidental fall or bump, or encountering a bottleneck in cultivation. It was just an unexpected interlude caused by external forces, and it would be over soon.

It was all a misunderstanding.

In comparison, my own lingering resentment, even to the point of feeling ashamed and indignant, and self-loathing... well, I guess I'm just too naive to be making such a fuss and overreacting.

Since his master is unwilling to bring it up, he will definitely never mention it again, even if it kills him.

Let's just pretend it never happened.

After a moment of rambling thoughts, Chu Xianlan refused to engage in internal strife and managed to calm herself down.

I want to die, but someone else deserves to die.

If it weren't for Xie Qingying, if it weren't for Zui Chunyan, none of this mess would have happened!

"Let's go, let's get out of here first," Yi Chen said.

Chu Xianlan nodded, stood up decisively, and walked towards the outside of the cave, as if she had unloaded a heavy burden.

Behind him, Yi Chen's footsteps were silent, his eyes gradually darkening, flashing with a sinister light.

Yi Chen lowered his eyes, his fingertips gently tracing the corners of his lips, as if the hot, soft touch still lingered there. In an instant, a subtle sense of bewilderment swept over him. This was a completely unfamiliar emotion to him, obscure and incomprehensible.

In fact, when he forced Chu Xianlan to open her mouth just now, he had already noticed and... personally confirmed that there was no other person's aura there, nor any residual wood-type spiritual power of Xie Qingying.

But I still lost control and didn't stop.

Half-demons are inherently unstable beings.

...Chu Xianlan's transgression was due to the effects of the drug, which is understandable, but what about him?

So, was it because of the influence of the half-demon bloodline that he lost his mind?

And the disciple happened to be tainted by the Drunken Spring Smoke. Under those circumstances, the two combined, which led to that entanglement that almost broke through all his defenses and understanding.

It doesn't have any special meaning.

...That's right.

His identity as a half-demon was a shackle that bound him throughout his life. If it weren't for his master's mercy, he would have died in the mountains long ago, and he wouldn't have the name of Immortal Lord Jixue today.

He was a man walking on the edge of the abyss, and unless he could conceal his identity until his death, he should not have any connection with anyone.

Taking on apprentices back then was already extremely irresponsible.

Today's events serve as a warning.

Chu Xianlan's unreserved and sincere feelings for him, regardless of their nature, were built on lies and concealment from the very beginning.

If the secret were to be exposed one day, how would he view himself?

Yi Chen dared not think too deeply about it; he only knew that he could not let his disciple sink any deeper into this mess.

The forced closeness caused by the Entangling Curse, the indulgence resulting from various accidents, and the blurred boundaries between master and disciple due to indecisiveness—all of these were mistakes.

As master and disciple, all he should do is protect him and help him go further on the path of cultivation. Chu Xianlan cannot be a burden to him.

This is the best protection for disciples.

As always, Yi Chen found the right answer, but he did not feel any relief or satisfaction. Instead, his heart became a stagnant pool.