Covering the Sky: The Years I Was the Empress's Strictest Master

'Is it really my aunt?'

Standing there, Shao Hanyun's eyes flickered slightly. She stepped forward, bowed slightly to Tianling, and gave a graceful greeting.

"Han Yun greets Senior."

She was impeccably polite, and her voice was magnetic, yet it was difficult to discern any emotional fluctuations in her.

When Tan Lin introduced their relationship earlier, he used the vague phrase "almost inseparable" to describe their recent close relationship, which actually made her somewhat unhappy.

However, she restrained herself well because of "Gu Qingying" in front of her.

Because the moment this woman arrived, her intuition seemed to tell her...

If possible, never bring up the "Daoist couple" relationship between her and Tan Lin in front of her, which she defined herself as such.

For some reason, perhaps because the other party's cultivation level was much higher than hers, or perhaps for some other reason,

Standing in front of him, she always felt a prickling sensation, as if she were sitting on pins and needles.

Right now, the last trace of scrutiny and inquiry in her bewitching eyes was carefully hidden, not revealed.

However, her inherent wildness prevented her from being easily "suppressed" upon first meeting.

In fact, the word "senior" that she used to greet the other party was used very cleverly and has a lot of meaning.

But Tianling seemed oblivious to the unspoken probing, and merely nodded slightly.

Her gaze swept over Shao Hanyun, and then a faint smile appeared on her lips:

"Partial immortal bloodline? That's rare. Such bloodlines are so rare in the world today that they've fallen into the mortal realm, and many more have long since been extinct. The fact that you've survived means you must have been sealed away since ancient times, right?"

She paused here:

"Judging from your aura, it seems you've been suppressing yourself at the peak of the Saint King realm for some time. Are you seeking to step into the realm of the Divine Forbidden Realm?"

Her tone was very gentle, even seeming to carry the concern of an elder for a younger person.

But Shao Hanyun could vaguely detect a condescending tone in the other person's words.

That might not have been intentional, but rather a natural state, a composure and clarity that comes with the passage of time, as if one could see right through her.

Upon hearing this, Shao Hanyun felt a slight chill in her heart, but her face remained expressionless:

"Senior has keen insight. Han Yun is indeed trying to break through the divine barrier, but due to her dull aptitude, she has not yet succeeded."

"The realm of divine prohibition is mysterious and profound. There is rarely any saying that one can achieve it naturally. It is difficult to solidify one's foundation over time and grind one up to it. It cannot be forced."

As she spoke, Tianling walked gracefully to the clear spring.

She seemed to regard herself as the lady of the place, sitting down casually and gracefully.

“I was also stuck in this situation for a long time in the past. Later I realized that sometimes letting go of attachments and going with the flow can help me find the way out.”

She said it so casually.

But the line “I was once trapped here” sounded particularly jarring to Shao Hanyun.

The latter lowered his eyes:

"Thank you for your guidance, senior."

Her mind was racing.

This "Goddess Gu" gave her the feeling of being unfathomable.

But then she thought about it again. The other party had been famous for a long time, and it had been more than sixty years since he became a Great Sage. This was actually quite reasonable.

However, her attitude towards Tan Lin was something she couldn't quite figure out.

The two arrived hand in hand, behaving too intimately.

She was certain that it wasn't her imagination or a trick of the eye; the intimacy between her and Tan Lin was definitely beyond the normal range of an elder to a younger person, but rather a kind of... woman's intimacy with a man.

This realization left her feeling both confused and on high alert.

Her brief affair with Tan Lin in the Northern Divine City, though it began with scheming and a series of unexpected events, was ultimately a tragic one.

But as her interactions with Tan Lin deepened, she gradually became infatuated with him instead.

Especially after he rescued her from being surrounded by several old fogies of the Hokuto Shinkai cult many years ago, she began to become somewhat infatuated with this man.

There were so many mysteries surrounding the other person, which aroused her endless curiosity.

An astonishing Origin Technique... the remnant of the Human Emperor's Stele... mysterious scriptures, and seemingly inexhaustible Enlightenment Tea...

Over the years, she has tried to uncover the secrets of the other person little by little, only to find that the more she dug, the more secrets she discovered, and the more astonishing they became.

That mystery, like a "poison," has gradually made her unable to extricate herself.

During that time, she had countless ambitious thoughts that this man might not be within her control, but she was determined to firmly occupy his heart, even if it was only a part of it.

But the woman before her, who seemed to have descended from the heavens like a swan, made her feel an unprecedented pressure just by appearing in front of her.

It wasn't the suppression brought about by cultivation level, but rather a sense of pressure from temperament, demeanor, profound experience, and the indescribable tacit understanding between him and Tan Lin.

Looking back, she suddenly felt a little ridiculous.

Once upon a time, back in the Chi family mansion, she invited Tan Lin to share a room with her to study the broken stele. This encounter, along with the meeting of the Chi family's twin lotus blossoms, led to…

Especially when she came into contact with Chi Xuan, she was just like the "Gu Qingying" she is now. In the eyes of the latter two, any tricks or tea ceremony of the former two seemed so naive.

It's obvious at a glance.

"Fairy Shao, have you made any progress in your cultivation these past few days?"

At this moment, Tan Lin saw that she was being suppressed by Tian Ling and was about to fall into self-doubt. He sighed in his heart and spoke at the right time, breaking the subtle stagnation in the air.

Hearing this, Shao Hanyun looked up at him and saw that his gaze was deep and calm, no different from usual. She felt slightly relieved, but still shook her head slightly and said:

"The Taoist atmosphere here is rich, which is very beneficial for comprehending the Great Tao, but..."

She paused, then didn't continue.

However, the threshold of divine prohibition remains as insurmountable as an insurmountable chasm.

aside.

As the group talked, Xiao Liu scratched his head nearby, glancing at this person and then at that person, sensing that the atmosphere was a bit strange.

But she couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong with her.

Its naturally lively nature compelled it to interject:

"Brother Tan Lin, are you planning to take us out this time you're back? I'm getting so bored here!"

Tan Lin looked at it and saw that its fur was glistening and its aura was many times stronger than it had been twenty years ago. It had now entered the third level of the Immortal Realm. He nodded slightly.

"Your cultivation has improved well... but we'll have to wait a while longer before we can leave."

…………

Chapter 196 Two Women, So Much Drama (3K, Please Subscribe!)

After speaking, Tan Lin's gaze swept over the three people in the cave, then he said:

My aunt is unwell and needs to rest here for a while.

Fairy Shao, you are attempting to touch upon the divine restrictions; you must not be hasty, or you will regress...

"Little Six, your cultivation has progressed rapidly over the years. The senior has high hopes for you. Today, I will protect you and also give you some time to mature."

"Okay... Brother Tan Lin."

Upon hearing these words, Xiao Liu lowered his head in dejection.

Practicing every day, with someone constantly urging me on, how can I stand that?

I should have sneaked out while Brother Tan Lin was away last time...

Xiao Liu, with his free-spirited nature, couldn't help but think this way.

Meanwhile, Shao Hanyun's eyes were half-closed, and her tone was low and melancholy:

"Han Yun thanks 'Young Master Tan' for his concern..."

The woman's presence made her feel uneasy,

At this point, she had changed her address for Tan Lin from "Tan Lang" back to "Young Master Tan," and she no longer displayed the seductive flirtations she used to exchange with him.

She had made up her mind to stay at "Goddess Gu" during this time.

She not only needs to figure out the relationship between the two, but also to dig out some deeper things in order to make appropriate responses.

She had a feeling that perhaps the secret about Tan Lin could be glimpsed in Gu Qingying.

She had been momentarily dazed when she made eye contact with him.

Recalling the Grand Sage Banquet at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion years ago, she saw the Divine Maiden in the distance.

The person standing before me now seems almost unrecognizable. Although the physical appearance is the same, the feeling conveyed by the expression between the eyebrows is different.

Not far away, by the pond,

Upon hearing this, Tianling discerned the subtle nuances in the conversation and gave Tan Lin a half-smile.

She naturally knew that Tan Lin was using her healing as an excuse, while also temporarily sending Shao Hanyun away to prevent the two of them from interfering with each other's condition.

However, she did not point this out, but simply "obediently" closed her eyes and began to regulate her breathing.

Of course, she would never admit that she was being so agreeable at the moment because someone's repeated use of "aunt" made her feel good.

……

In the days that followed, the atmosphere inside the cave inevitably became increasingly subtle.

Tan Lin spent most of his time healing Tian Ling, using the power of the Yin and Yang to harmonize the divine liquid and the essence of the Medicine King to help her restore her original state and nourish her Sendai.

Time flies.

Tianling's injuries are improving at a visible rate, and her energy is growing stronger day by day.

Shao Hanyun remained seated on the platform, attempting to break through the mysterious and profound divine forbidden domain.

But she gradually discovered that, without realizing it, she found it difficult to truly calm down.

Such signs appeared after she had tried for many years without success, and now, more than twenty years later, she has naturally begun to feel anxious to some extent.

And with the arrival of that woman, her emotions were constantly fluctuating.

Whenever Tan Lin carefully guided the woman in the purple palace dress to absorb the medicinal effects, their fingertips would occasionally brush against each other's hair as they spent time together.

Even their quiet conversations and laughter would unconsciously stir her emotions.

She possesses some Azure Dragon blood, and as a member of the Flood Dragon family, she is naturally inclined to dominate and control, a trait that is subtly manifested in all aspects of her being.

However, under the invisible pressure emanating from that woman, she chose a way of deceiving herself.

She kept telling herself that they were just an aunt and niece, and it was normal for them to be close.

But the various clues she had discovered earlier were subconsciously reminding her that things weren't like that.

After so much mental and emotional exhaustion...

These days she has been extremely exhausted, and her attempts to make progress in the forbidden realms have not only made no progress, but her condition has also deteriorated due to her lack of energy and spirit.

This day.

During a break in her meditation, while Tan Lin was refining the divine liquid at the Yin-Yang Divine Mill fragment array, Tian Ling suddenly spoke to Shao Hanyun telepathically:

"Fairy Shao seems to be preoccupied? Perhaps you have encountered some difficulties in your cultivation? You might as well speak up, and perhaps I can offer some guidance."

Her tone was gentle, without a trace of hostility, but rather carried the care of an elder.

But when Shao Hanyun looked up upon hearing this, she met those deep, calm eyes, and her heart inexplicably tightened.

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly said:

"Thank you for your concern, senior. I'm just wondering why you and Young Master Tan seem to have such a good relationship, even though you've only met a few times and haven't had much interaction..."

At this point, Shao Hanyun abruptly changed the subject, suddenly becoming unusually bold and almost getting straight to the point:

"This question may be a bit presumptuous, and I hope you will forgive me, senior. However, when I was still in Beidou, I did hear some rumors that you were not Tan Lin's biological aunt?"

This question is somewhat presumptuous, and even quite obviously probing.

But she still asked.