A Huge Impact

Creak—

Accompanied by the slight sound of wooden hinges turning, the door was pushed open with force by Xuan Ya.

Master and disciple landed in Gan Tang’s room one after the other.

The moment they entered, a wave of repressed and bizarre humming, carrying panting and nasal tones, drilled into their ears.

What tightened Lu Qiancha’s heart even more was that her own name seemed to be mixed within that intermittent voice.

Junior Sister’s hidden illness is this serious?!

To actually make her groan in pain alone in her room, and unconsciously call out for me…

A strong sense of guilt instantly seized Lu Qiancha’s heart.

She blamed herself for usually not caring enough about her junior sister, not even knowing the other party had such a serious illness.

With a solemn expression, the little wolf cub followed silently behind Xuan Ya, her steps heavy as she walked toward the bedroom.

However, when the scene within the bedroom crashed into her vision without concealment—

“Wu—?!”

Lu Qiancha gasped in shock, her blue eyes instantly widening into circles.

She saw Gan Tang lying on the bed with eyes narrowed, her expression focused.

This shocking image caused Lu Qiancha’s small face to whoosh red like a thoroughly cooked shrimp, the ears atop her head standing erect in fright.

The corner of Xuan Ya’s mouth twitched fiercely.

Reacting extremely quickly, she covered Lu Qiancha’s eyes with one hand and pressed her small face into her own embrace.

“Ma… Master?!”

Gan Tang’s hazy voice instantly got stuck in her throat upon seeing the large and small figures at the door.

The glaze in her eyes receded like the tide, replaced by extreme shock and panic.

“And Senior Brother?! How did you…”

Her voice shook so badly it didn’t sound like speech; she stammered incoherently: “…how did you come in without knocking…”

“…Gan Tang, put on your clothes first, then come out to talk.”

Joy or anger could not be heard in Xuan Ya’s voice, but her movements were extremely neat.

She tightly hugged the little wolf cub, who was burning with shame and wished she could burrow into a crack in the ground, and walked toward the guest room.

Dressed neatly, Gan Tang stood apprehensively at the guest room door.

Looking at the large and small figures sitting properly inside, she felt the air was heavy with awkwardness, making her somewhat breathless.

She took a few deep breaths secretly. Mustering her courage, she asked with a bit of complaint: “Senior Brother, Master, you… how could you just barge in without saying hello?”

“Your Senior Brother worried that you had a hidden illness but concealed it deliberately. Burning with anxiety, she came to find Master.”

Xuan Ya’s expression was indifferent. Lifting her teacup for a sip, her gaze swept over Gan Tang’s cheeks, which were still flushed red. Her tone was steady and waveless.

“Gan Tang, your Senior Brother is pure and still ignorant of such… human nature. As the Junior Sister, your future words and deeds should be clearer and more open. Do not produce such misunderstandings again.”

Xuan Ya’s attitude toward this matter was rather open-minded. As long as the sentiments in her disciples’ hearts did not cross boundaries or damage the foundation of their Dao hearts, she had no intention of interfering excessively.

However, points that needed prompting still had to be prompted.

“Disciple… strictly obeys Master’s teachings…”

Gan Tang’s voice was as thin as a mosquito’s hum. Two red clouds flew onto her cheeks again, and her head lowered further.

“Furthermore.”

Xuan Ya’s gaze turned to the small figure beside her who had been restless since entering the room—Lu Qiancha was trying hard to shrink herself into a ball, her cheeks scarlet, a pair of small hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, the tail behind her drooping stiffly, seeming out of place everywhere.

“Go apologize to your Senior Brother. She had a heart of utter sincerity and concern, worrying about your safety, and the result…”

Xuan Ya’s voice paused faintly. The unfinished words permeated the air. Those cool eyes gazed calmly at Gan Tang; everything lay within the awkwardness that went without saying.

Gan Tang’s face was so red it seemed about to drip blood.

She turned to Lu Qiancha, bowing deeply, her voice full of sincere remorse: “I’m sorry, Senior Brother, for making you worry in vain. It was my fault.”

“I-it’s fine… I-I understand…”

Lu Qiancha waved her small hands in a panic. Those large azure eyes seemed to have dizzy mosquito coils spinning in them; her whole person was still immersed in that highly impactful image just now, her small brain buzzing.

Xuan Ya took in her disciple’s ignorant yet shocked appearance, knowing in her heart that the impact of the scene just now on Lu Qiancha’s pure state of mind was not small.

“Gan Tang,” Xuan Ya spoke again, her voice recovering the majesty of a master.

“Although this matter was not intentional, your negligence in cultivation is also a fact. To calm your mind and concentrate your spirit, for the next month, swing your sword ten thousand times daily; you must not slack off.”

“Ah?! Ten thousand times?!”

Gan Tang’s almond eyes widened in shock, letting out a sorrowful cry of disbelief.

“Hm?” Xuan Ya glanced at her coldly. “Think it’s too little? Then twenty thousand…”

“No, no, Master, ten thousand is enough! Disciple will definitely complete it!”

Gan Tang waved her hands repeatedly in fright, swallowed a mouthful of saliva quickly, grabbed the practice longsword by the door, and rushed out of the guest room as if her butt were on fire, heading straight for the small courtyard to practice her sword.

Only after Gan Tang’s figure disappeared did Xuan Ya slowly lower her head to look at the little wolf cub in her arms who was still somewhat dazed. She comforted her with a warm voice.

“Alright, your Junior Sister is indeed unharmed. You can rest assured now.”

“Mmh…”

Lu Qiancha nodded, the fluffy ears atop her head twitching gently and unconsciously.

Having confirmed her Junior Sister was fine, as if finally coming back to her senses, she jumped abruptly from Xuan Ya’s warm embrace to the ground.

Moving her short little legs, she ran toward her own room without looking back, as if a scourge or wild beast were behind her.

“Run slowly! Mind your footing!”

Xuan Ya raised her voice to remind her from behind, shaking her head helplessly. Subsequently, she rose to go to the small courtyard to supervise the disciple punished with sword practice.

Rushing back to her own room, Lu Qiancha closed the door tightly with a bang, leaning her back against the door panel, her chest heaving slightly.

However, that blood-pumping image seemed to have taken root, replaying repeatedly in her mind. No matter how she utilized the Ice Heart Art to hold her breath and calm her mind, it could not be waved away.

“Mmh…”

Lu Qiancha’s gaze became somewhat unfocused. A familiar sense of irritability spread quietly through her body, making her restless.

Like a little beast seeking to cool down, her gaze drifted unconsciously…

A moment later, the little wolf cub propped herself up powerlessly from the tabletop.

But that disturbing irritability making her flustered did not fade; instead, it spiraled and lingered in her body, making her feel even more uncomfortable.

Under helplessness, Lu Qiancha could only hurriedly tidy her slightly messy lapels. With a small head that was still dizzy and thoughts in chaos, she ran stumbling toward Xun Xue’s room to seek shelter.

“Little Qiancha?”

Xuan Xue looked at her daughter who had broken into the room, her small face scarlet and breathing slightly rapid, and couldn’t help but furrow her slender brows gently.

“What’s wrong? Feeling unwell somewhere?”

She reached out to touch Lu Qiancha’s forehead.

“Mother…”

Lu Qiancha was like a small boat finding a safe harbor. She plunged headfirst into Xun Xue’s soft embrace, burying her burning small face deep in her neck, letting out a whimper carrying grievance and unbearable feeling.

“I… I seem to… it… it came…”

She spoke incoherently, her voice muffled. “…So uncomfortable… whole body feels weird…”

Xuan Xue was first stunned, but immediately seeing her daughter’s condition, her heart understood instantly.

She couldn’t help but chuckle aloud, teasing with a mischievous tone:

“Oh? Has our Little Qiancha grown up? Then… what do you want Mother to do for you?” She deliberately dragged out the ending note.

“Mmh…”

Lu Qiancha, made even more shy and embarrassed by her mother’s laughter, raised her hand to slap Xun Xue’s arm neither lightly nor heavily.

Her small face buried deeper, only revealing a pair of slightly trembling ear tips, her voice as thin as a mosquito’s hum as she accused: “Mother… is a baddie… clearly… know everything…”

“Aiya, alright, alright, not teasing my little cutie anymore.”

Xuan Xue stopped while she was ahead. Unable to suppress her smile, she gently picked up this flustered little wolf cub in her arms and turned to walk toward the large bed covered in Cloud Brocade.