Qing You’s Subtle Challenge and Mu Qingli’s Fury

“Ruyan, it’s time we returned. I imagine the Acting Sect Master has a great many tasks awaiting her, and we wouldn’t wish to impose any further.”

“Understood, Master~” Liu Ruyan chirped, her voice bright and clear. She happily scooped up the delicate bamboo basket, now entirely empty, and graced Lin Mo with a sweet smile. “Sister Wan’er, I’ll be heading back now! I’ll come find you to play again another day!”

With her words delivered, she lightly tapped her toes, her form as agile and graceful as a butterfly dancing through blossoms. In a few light, effortless bounds, she drifted to Qing You’s side, her hand naturally finding and clasping Qing You’s.

Lin Mo couldn’t help but stare, his eyes wide with awe. ‘Was this the power of a ninth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator?’ he mused. ‘I could barely even discern Liu Ruyan’s movements.’

‘Am I not also in the Qi Condensation stage?’ a thought flickered through his mind. ‘Could it be that the higher one ascends, the more pronounced the disparities become?’

“Apply yourself diligently, and soon you’ll be able to cultivate alongside your Sister Wan’er,” Qing You encouraged Liu Ruyan with a gentle smile.

Yet, Lin Mo sensed that these words were not truly directed at Ruyan, but rather at Mu Qingli.

Though he remained oblivious to their prior conversation, Lin Mo had still managed to steal a glance at Mu Qingli’s expression, which, it was safe to say, had been far from pleasant.

It was as if a searing flame had melted her exquisite features, twisting her breathtaking face into an unsettling grimace.

“Truly, Master!? Oh, that’s wonderful! Ruyan will redouble her efforts!”

Qing You’s gaze finally drifted from her beloved disciple. The gentle, ‘teacherly’ smile that played upon her lips softened as she spoke. “Lin Wan’er, have you encountered any difficulties or uncertainties in your recent cultivation? The Acting Sect Master, after all, is taking a disciple for the first time, and it is perhaps inevitable that her experience might be somewhat… lacking, her abilities constrained. Should any problems arise, you need not be hesitant to voice them. Your innate talent is truly exceptional; by all accounts, your cultivation realm should progress more swiftly than even Ruyan’s. Why then, after an entire month, does your realm remain so remarkably low?”

‘Here it comes!’ Lin Mo thought, a chill running down his spine. This seemingly solicitous inquiry, every word a poisoned arrow tipped with honey, was now pointed squarely at him!

Lin Mo’s hackles rose. ‘This woman is digging a pit for me, again,’ he realized with a jolt.

While it was true that Mu Qingli had nearly starved him to death, could he possibly reveal such a thing? He was not yet in a position to flee. Until he had cultivated sufficient self-preservation abilities, he was bound to remain by Mu Qingli’s side.

This was not merely a subtle insinuation that Mu Qingli lacked experience and was unfit to guide a disciple; it was also a veiled mockery. On the surface, it masqueraded as concern, but if he were to genuinely voice any difficulties, he would effectively be admitting Mu Qingli’s inadequacy! He would be handing Qing You a perfect pretext, a justifiable reason to snatch him away.

Conversely, if he claimed to have no issues, he would appear to dismiss Qing You’s ‘concern’ and slight her authority, undoubtedly inviting her future ire.

Qing You, Lin Mo mused, was precisely the sort of antagonist one encountered in novels – perpetually coveting what belonged to others, relentlessly scheming to acquire it. Should her efforts fail, she would then resort to any means necessary to eliminate the obstacle or engage in petty, underhanded tactics.

Therefore, he needed to navigate this delicate situation with utmost care, appeasing both parties.

In a flash, Lin Mo drew a deep breath, quelling the tumultuous waves in his heart. A perfectly calibrated expression of flattered surprise and earnest gratitude instantly bloomed on his face.

He offered Qing You a deep, respectful bow, his posture deferential. His voice, clear and bright, carried a perfectly measured touch of ‘humility’ as he spoke. “My sincere gratitude, Grand Elder, for your kind inquiry and profound concern.”

“My Master elucidates the profound mysteries of the cultivation method with unparalleled clarity, dissecting each intricate layer with meticulous detail. However, Wan’er, having been born into a humble, impoverished household, never had the opportunity to study. Thus, I am somewhat dull-witted and often struggle to grasp my Master’s profound teachings.”

“Therefore, in order to help Wan’er comprehend the esoteric wonders of the cultivation method, Master first undertook to teach me how to read and write, only afterwards proceeding to the actual cultivation practices. This, naturally, consumed some time, which is why… my progress has been somewhat tardy.”

He had cleverly concocted the excuse of learning to read and write to account for his sluggish cultivation progress.

After all, this past month had not solely been dedicated to cultivation. He had also been diligently studying various aspects of womanhood, all to ensure his future disguise would be utterly convincing and impervious to exposure.

Lin Mo paused for a brief, calculated moment before continuing. “Ever since Wan’er entered the sect, Master has extended the most meticulous care towards me. In my daily life, every need and expense has been met without the slightest shortage. For any cultivation difficulties, she has unstintingly imparted all her knowledge, never once showing the slightest neglect due to Wan’er’s perceived dull aptitude.”

‘Even if she did almost starve me to death,’ he thought wryly.

Upon hearing Lin Mo’s impeccable, watertight reply, Qing You’s expression remained utterly unruffled. Yet, within the depths of her eyes, as profound and still as a frigid pond, a flicker of almost imperceptible light swiftly passed – a nascent spark of… interest, born from her ‘prey’ unexpectedly displaying such cunning.

She did not press the matter further, nor did she offer any affirmation or denial. She simply inclined her head, as though Lin Mo’s elaborate explanation was nothing more than a mundane statement of fact. The gentle, ‘teacherly’ smile remained fixed upon her lips, yet it conveyed not a single trace of warmth.

“If that is indeed the case,” her voice reverted to its usual detached, all-encompassing tone. Her gaze, fleeting and almost imperceptible, swept across the tightly shut window lattice as she articulated each word with chilling precision, like dropping icy pebbles into a placid lake. “This Venerable One shall not impose any further today.”

“Acting Sect Master,” Qing You’s voice held a subtle hint of amusement, though it was undeniably a mocking one. “Pray, ensure you — thoroughly instruct this ‘exceptionally gifted,’ yet ‘somewhat slow to grasp’ final disciple of yours. This Venerable One shall await tidings of her success.”

The final four words, though delivered with a feather-light touch, landed with the crushing weight of a thousand catties, imbued with icy sarcasm and an unspoken declaration of war.

With her pronouncement made, she gave her wide sleeves a casual flick, speaking no further. Taking Liu Ruyan, who was still lost in the pure joy of her encounter with Lin Mo, Qing You transformed into a faint violet streak of light, vanishing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye.

Witnessing the instantaneous disappearance and the effortless manner of departure, Lin Mo couldn’t help but feel a surge of envy. ‘One day,’ he mused, ‘I too shall roam freely across the vast expanse of this world, venturing wherever my heart desires, living a life of unbridled freedom, and beholding these myriad lands again and again.’

Yet, this was hardly the moment for such fleeting envy.

The stark, cold reality before him swiftly shattered that ephemeral fantasy.

Behind him, a furious, suffocating, and utterly terrifying aura was rapidly closing in!

Mu Qingli was here!

She was not merely walking; she was practically charging forward!

With each thunderous stride, the hard bluestone beneath her feet seemed to tremble faintly. The spiritual pressure, imbued with the wrath of a storm, bore down upon him like a tangible, all-encompassing tsunami, crushing him with such intensity that Lin Mo’s very bones groaned under the unbearable strain, leaving him gasping for breath.

‘Farewell… to my brief, tranquil days,’ Lin Mo lamented internally.

Lin Mo’s heart cried out in despair, his scalp tingling as his back instantly became drenched in cold sweat. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that his Master – now thoroughly incensed by Qing You and teetering on the brink of losing all reason – was unlikely to offer him anything resembling a ‘not-so-difficult’ time.

“I demand to know—”

‘Don’t be afraid, Lin Mo. Hold on.’

“What exactly is your relationship with that Liu Ruyan?! Why were you so intimate with her? Why did she feed you just now? Why such familiarity? How long have you known each other?!”

‘?’

‘Why is she asking about this?’