Chapter 41: Caught in the Act Again

Under the haze of the charm, Chu Huaizhou couldn’t resist the “little ice cream.”
His trembling hands reluctantly lifted one, ready to “circulate her blood,” when snowflakes appeared before his eyes.
Snowflakes? Is this an iced dessert now? Tasty, love…
His foggy mind didn’t finish the thought before a familiar icy voice cut through from behind.
“Master, Junior Sister, what are you doing? May I join in?”

Chu Huaizhou: !!!
The sheer relief at Leng Qingqiu’s voice was palpable.
A cool stream of spiritual energy surged into him, clearing his mind instantly.
Looking at the delicate foot in his hands, he froze.
Why am I holding my disciple’s foot? This is weird.
Yet, instinctively, he gave it a slight squeeze.

“Ying…”
Xia Baiqian, seeing Leng Qingqiu return, sighed inwardly—such a pity—but the unexpected squeeze made her blush fiercely.
Her almond eyes flicked between the icy figure and Master.
Really, Master’s so naughty! Teasing me even with Sister Qingqiu here…
As the Fuyao Gu Pavilion’s master and early Great Vehicle cultivator, no one dared touch her feet—sneaky glances alone triggered backlash, blinding offenders.
Her body was sensitive, reacting strongly to touch.
Master doing this… so embarrassing~
Why always barefoot?
Because Master loved looking at her legs~ So she skipped boots on purpose. Hehe~
Xia Baiqian’s little schemes.

She knew her limits, though. With Qingqiu injured, now wasn’t the time to bicker.
But she hadn’t been idle. While Master was charmed, she planted a Lovesick Gu.
Its effect: if either party thought of the other, their image would appear in the other’s mind.
Previously, Master’s strength blocked such attempts, but now, the gu slipped into his blood, hiding near his spiritual root, undetectable without deep probing.
More such gu would follow, until Master’s mind was hers alone. Hehe~
Under Leng Qingqiu’s increasingly terrifying gaze, Xia Baiqian quickly tucked her “ice cream” back into her boots.

Chu Huaizhou felt the silky touch slip away, a pang of regret hitting him.
How many times has this happened?
Every critical moment got interrupted by some mishap.
He suspected a cosmic hand was thwarting him.
It was fine for now, but he hoped, once his memories returned and he clarified his dao partner, these awkward moments would stop.
Not the time for this.
Clearing his throat to mask embarrassment, he turned to Leng Qingqiu, noticing her attire had changed.
Gone was her standard sword robe; she now wore a majestic deep blue emperor’s robe, embroidered with nine frost phoenixes.
The fitted design, cinched with a jade-inlaid silver sash, perfectly outlined her balanced figure.
But that wasn’t the point—her left hand dripped crimson-gold blood, sizzling on the floor, releasing black mist and a burnt-wood smell.
Her face was pale—she’d clearly been hurt.
“Qingqiu, where did that fireball take you? How’d you get injured?!”

Leng Qingqiu snorted, conjuring an icy chair behind her, her eyes flicking to the necklace in Xia Baiqian’s hand.
She sat, the chair large enough for two, but didn’t explain.
In the cavern, battling the non-demonic, non-monstrous fireballs, she’d suddenly lost Master’s warmth.
Panicked, she faltered, nearly taking a heavy blow.
She could’ve eradicated them given time, but fearing for Master, she used a forbidden technique.
Half-killing the fireball, she tore space to return, ripping part of its “origin” to bring along.
And what did she find? Master and Xia Baiqian in an intimate moment.
Second time my home’s been stolen.
Jealousy and rage surged, barely contained, but she only let out a brief flare of anger.
Xia Baiqian wasn’t as easy to bully as Bai Li.
Provoking her now would lead to retaliation later.
Better to compete fairly, each using their own means.
So, poor Leng Qingqiu sat alone, sulking, bitterness spreading.
Why? I was first…
First to hold hands, first to kiss…
Why’s Master so accepting of everyone? Can’t he just be mine?
She decided darkly: Lock Master up, break his limbs. Then he’ll only have me. Hehe…

Seeing her glance at the necklace and hearing Xia Baiqian’s yelp, Chu Huaizhou felt like scum.
Qingqiu’s fighting for my life out there, and I’m here doing this?
Xia Baiqian, feigning concern, approached, handing him the necklace.
With a wave, platinum gu flew from a rift, latching onto Leng Qingqiu’s arm to extract the strange dao charm.
But, shockingly, after one sip, the gu wobbled, burst into flames midair, and turned to ash.
Xia Baiqian’s eyes narrowed, her expression turning serious.
“Sister Qingqiu, what did you encounter? How’d you get such a bizarre injury?
“Some hidden ancient monster?”

Leng Qingqiu shook her head, annoyed but warning, “I don’t know. The fireball was only Fusion-stage, but its methods were endless and eerie. No clue who made it.
“Be careful, Junior Sister. I rushed back without killing it.”
Oddly, the fireball’s graze left wounds that burned like high heat, resisting normal healing.
Only her great dao power could slowly grind it down.
The “origin” she tore off, still burning, was a hot potato.
Her two mastered daos were perfect for sealing it, or she couldn’t have subdued it.
As for analyzing great dao origins, she wasn’t skilled.
Maybe later, she’d take it to the Ten Thousand Laws Immortal Sect’s “stinky woman”—without Master knowing.