Mo Yan flinched at the almost tangible coldness in Xie Zhaolin's eyes, instantly dropping to one knee and urgently swearing:
"Master, believe me! I wouldn't dare lie for even a second! Before, Martial Uncle Chou did pester us repeatedly, but it was always with inducements, hints in his words… never this… blunt and explicit! And he never… never mentioned trying to drag you into it!" His face was pale with lingering fear and confusion. "What she said today… it's like a completely different person! I… I also find it extremely suspicious!"
Just then—
"Ahhh! That was so intense just now!" A flash of green light appeared, and You You's semi-transparent soul floated out of the You Ming Bracelet, patting her chest and looking shaken.
"This woman is terrifying! Absolutely wild! A threesome… I can't believe she thought of that! I've been alive for so many years, and I've never seen anything so… so savage!" She zipped around Xie Zhaolin, exaggerating her tone. "Master, master! You've gotta control yourself! Don't let that vixen seduce you!"
Then, her tone suddenly shifted. Touching her chin and blinking her wide eyes, she added with a mix of twisted excitement and regret:
"But, you know… master… if… I mean, if I still had a body… cough cough… this… this new kind of play… maybe it's not entirely impossible to try? Sounds pretty thrilling, after all, practice makes perfect, right?"
Mo Yan, though seeing You You for the first time, didn't show much surprise.
The Master had been out training for over a year, successfully breaking into mid-Golden Core, and had picked up all sorts of strange opportunities and presences along the way. That was nothing unusual to him.
Yet when he heard You You mention "practice makes perfect," the calm mask he'd been holding snapped slightly, a twitch running across his face, a vein faintly pulsing at his temple.
This little girl… what the hell is going on in her head? That's not how "practice makes perfect" works.
Did she even realize what she was just saying? Elder Chou's suggestion wasn't something you could casually experiment with.
People would die! No, demons would die! And it would be extremely gruesome, extremely ridiculous!
He forcibly held back a hand from rubbing his forehead and gave You You a look full of indescribable complexity before finally turning his gaze away, deciding it wasn't worth reasoning with this free-spirited soul.
Xie Zhaolin ignored You You's later ramblings entirely, not even lifting an eyelid. Her brows furrowed as her fingers tapped the table unconsciously, sinking deeper into thought.
Mo Yan wouldn't lie to her. Martial Uncle Chou's words and behavior today were indeed completely different from before, and such a sudden shift had to have a reason.
Why the sudden change in strategy? Was it because she just returned? Or had Chou sensed something? Or…
Perhaps what she was really after wasn't the apparent dual cultivation at all, but something else entirely?
A storm of questions swirled in Xie Zhaolin's mind, sharpening her vigilance to the highest point.
"Master?" Mo Yan finally caught his breath and, seeing her silent contemplation, couldn't help asking again, worry lacing his voice. "What should we do now? Elder Chou acts so… recklessly. If she comes after us again, should I…?"
A sharp gleam appeared in his eyes, and he made a discreet gesture, clearly asking if it was time to secretly eliminate this trouble.
Xie Zhaolin lifted her gaze from thought, her eyes icy as she scanned Mo Yan. Without answering, she issued a command:
"Stay in. Don't go out unless necessary." Her voice was flat, emotionless, yet carried unquestionable authority.
Mo Yan's heart skipped a beat. He immediately bowed. "Yes! Understood!"
He grasped her meaning instantly—lay low, observe silently. Whether to deal with the threat, the Master would decide. No need for him to ask.
Xie Zhaolin said nothing further, waving her hand.
Mo Yan nodded, bowed respectfully, and silently left the cave.
Once alone, Xie Zhaolin walked to the window, gazing at the seemingly peaceful scenery of Qingxi Sect, her eyes as deep and cold as a frozen pond.
Not killing Martial Uncle Chou was a calculated choice. The four peaks of Qingxi Sect maintained a delicate balance.
Elder Chou was currently a peak lord. If she suddenly died now without explanation, the Sect would launch a full investigation, stirring chaos and potentially shattering the balance Xie Zhaolin had painstakingly restored. The situation would become unstable, too many variables in play.
The Sect would be on high alert, every move she made constrained, leaving her in a passive position.
She needed a relatively stable environment to carry out her plans, especially regarding the coveted entry to the Tianxu Secret Realm. She had to secure her spot flawlessly. Until she obtained what she needed in the secret realm, unnecessary trouble had to be avoided at all costs.
Moreover… Elder Chou's sudden change today was suspicious. Acting rashly might alert her or lead into a bigger trap.
Yet…
Her outrageous words weren't entirely useless.
Xie Zhaolin considered silently. She could use this as a reason to stay indoors, avoid Elder Chou's entanglement, and prevent extra trouble, but that didn't mean she'd concede entirely.
If Elder Chou recklessly pushed her limits, interrupted her cultivation, or threatened her identity…
Then a cold gleam sparked in Xie Zhaolin's eyes, a subtle killing intent spreading. She wouldn't mind seeing the peak lord's position… temporarily claimed by someone else. It'd be inconvenient, but compared to the risk of exposure or disrupted plans, it was manageable. Any extra trouble could be handled quietly later.
"Ahh… Master, master!" While lost in thought, You You floated over again, carefree as ever.
She seemed oblivious to the fleeting killing intent on Xie Zhaolin, or simply didn't care, still looking as lighthearted as ever. She hovered close, blinking curiously, excitement barely restrained.
"Master, master! Were you just… thinking about how to deal with that crazy woman?" she whispered conspiratorially, a gleam of mischief in her tone.
Xie Zhaolin cast her a cold glance, ignoring her.
You You continued, unabashed, flying before her with a strange sense of admiration:
"But honestly, Master… even though that woman's crazy and bold," she chose her words carefully, "her body… I gotta say, it's pretty nice!"
She circled Xie Zhaolin, her expression like someone evaluating merchandise. "Look, her cultivation's already at Golden Core; the figure's perfect, everything in the right place; her looks… not as exquisite as yours, Master, but still top-tier; and most importantly… she seems to have trained some special technique, her body carries a faint… seductive aura? Yeah… like it's perfect for hosting a powerful soul!"
Her excitement grew with every word as she zipped around again. "If… if we really got rid of her… and Master didn't need her body… could… could I have it?"