When I woke up, the entire cultivation world was talking about my master.

"Esteemed immortals, we have arrived at Shuangyun City!"

The carriage slowly came to a stop.

The coachman, all smiles, lifted the curtain, only to be startled by the pale-faced boy.

Chu Xianlan drifted by like a walking corpse.

It was only when I breathed in the first breath of fresh air from outside that I felt truly alive again.

The second precognitive dream came without any warning.

I had only dozed off for a moment in the carriage, and it happened without anyone noticing.

It was very similar to Ji Cheng'an's previous experience. It was still a series of fragmented scenes that he could only watch from the sidelines and could not intervene in. As an observer, he watched helplessly as the horrifying scenes continued to appear. He was forced to watch the whole thing and endured it until the dream ended.

This time, however, the one who wanted to defile their master was no longer Ji Cheng'an.

Instead, it was Xie Qingying, the master of the Medicine King Valley.

[Xie Qingying appears refined and cultured on the surface, but deep down he harbors a bold and mad idea—he wants to make someone as proud and resilient as a plum blossom in the snow his own possession.]

[Years ago, their encounter in the secret realm shone like moonlight into Xie Qingying's damp and dark heart. During a chance encounter while healing, Xie Qingying glimpsed Yi Chen's vulnerable side for the first time.]

A strange feeling welled up in Xie Qingying's heart.

Chu Xianlan: ...

What kind of unique flavor is it?

Yi Chen's furrowed brows resembled a continuous mountain range, his trembling eyelashes like butterflies about to take flight, and beads of sweat from the pain slid down his jawline. He inexplicably felt that even those beads of sweat should taste sweet. Xie Qingying, accustomed to the gentle beauty of many women in the cultivation world, never expected a man to possess such breathtaking spirit even in pain. It stirred a tingling sensation in her heart, made her mouth water, and yearned to taste the blood flowing beneath his veins.

Xie Qingying wanted to completely pluck this unattainable flower, hiding it in a cage only she could see, to satisfy her deepest sadistic desires. She wanted to see him cry, to see him suffer, to admire Yi Chen's charm alone.

Even though she was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, Chu Xianlan still managed to pinpoint the key keywords.

--cage?

There seems to be a similar plot in Zhu Ling's forbidden books, something like... Imprisonment?

What does this mean? He... he wants to imprison Master? And... he's obsessed with Master's pained expressions?!

Isn't this even more perverted than Ji Cheng'an!

Yi Chen's cultivation was profound, making it impossible for him to approach using ordinary methods. At that time, Xie Qingying had not yet become the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley. Therefore, she could only suppress the madness in her heart, pretend to be a gentle friend, and probe and lie in wait for countless years, waiting for an opportunity to completely trap him...

Now, this opportunity has arrived.

This is a golden opportunity.

Taking advantage of Yi Chen's distracted disciple's drowsy sleep, Xie Qingying's gentle gaze vanished completely. At this moment, hidden in his sleeve was the Medicine King Valley's secret concoction, "Drunken Spring Smoke." In just a breath… even the most chaste and virtuous man would be at his mercy.

A frenzied determination to succeed gripped his heart. The carriage swayed and rocked as the Medicine King Valley Master silently approached the person he had been dreaming of…

Chu Xianlan was awakened at this crucial juncture.

Opening my eyes, I was greeted by a scene almost perfectly replicated, the horror of which was beyond words.

The result is.

They prevented a tragedy, but also created a disaster themselves.

Now, Chu Xianlan felt that she had finally exhausted all her strength.

But he just couldn't figure it out.

How could Xie Qingying possibly be that kind of pervert?

He even began to doubt the reality of precognitive dreams.

To be honest, Ji Cheng'an didn't seem like a good person, but Xie Qingying was a well-known figure in the cultivation world, with superb medical skills, gentle and refined manners, and self-disciplined. Not only did she kindly follow up on the matter of the Life-Binding Gu for them, but she also personally accompanied them down the mountain to find medicine. From beginning to end, there was not a single fault to be found.

"...Young Fellow Daoist Chu, what do you think of this arrangement?"

Chu Xianlan came to her senses.

Xie Qingying smiled slightly at him.

"Uh," he paused for a moment, "I'm sorry, Senior Xie, I was just... distracted. Could you please repeat it again?"

Xie Qingying said good-naturedly, "It's alright. Shuangyun City is a mixed bag, and I have a private residence in the city that's been vacant for years. There's still some time before the harvesting season for the Spiritless Immortal Sprouts, so why don't you and your master stay at my humble abode for the time being?"

Living together?

A "ding" sounded in Chu Xianlan's head.

"Thank you so much, senior, but it's no need."

Upon hearing this, two puzzled gazes turned towards them.

Accepting the invitation is the obvious decision, as it makes things easier and saves a lot of trouble.

Chu Xianlan knew that his words were extremely abrupt. Senior Xie was a good friend of his master. How could a junior like him make the arrangements between the two elders?

They were just asking politely, and you refused.

Chu Xianlan quickly added, "I just feel like I'm troubling you a bit too much."

Xie Qingying shook his head. "Young friend Chu, there's no need for such politeness. I've known Yi Chen for many years, so his affairs are my affairs. Besides, the renowned Immortal Lord Jixue is coming; I couldn't be happier." He glanced at Yi Chen and joked, "Your arrival is actually a benefit to me."

Chu Xianlan felt even more anxious and subconsciously looked at her master.

In fact, Yi Chen didn't care where he lived; he just noticed that his disciple seemed a little anxious.

Chu Xianlan's condition has been off ever since she woke up in the car.

Seeing this, Xie Qingying shook his head and chuckled, saying unhurriedly, "You two discuss it first, no rush." ​​Then, he consciously stepped aside and picked up a medical book to read.

Yi Chen turned around. "What's wrong?"

Chu Xianlan opened her mouth.

You can't just say, "Master, I suspect Senior Xie is a pervert. He wants to drink your blood and play games like imprisoning you to watch you cry, so we can't live with him," right?

Regardless of whether he can say it out loud, once he said that, it's hard to say who among those present looks more like a pervert.

Moreover, whether this precognitive dream was real or not remains to be seen.

However, Chu Xianlan really didn't dare to let Yi Chen stay at Xie Qingying's private residence. This was gambling with her master's innocence. It was better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!

at this point.

whatever.

Chu Xianlan went all out and resolutely extended her claws.

Yi Chen saw his disciple suddenly grab his sleeve.

"Master..." Chu Xianlan's voice softened, suppressing a muffled nasal tone, "It's rare for you to come down the mountain with me, so I'd like you to spend more time with me... How about we find a clean inn to stay in? This disciple would like to be like an ordinary master and disciple, to explore the streets and alleys outside the sect with you, and taste the local snacks and tea."

Hearing his disciple make a request in a pleading tone, Yi Chen felt subtly uncomfortable.

Was his disciple... ever this willful before?

Upon closer reflection, ever since Chu Xianlan embarked on her journey with Xie Qingying, her words and actions have become increasingly unusual.

Just now in the car, just because she saw me talking to Xie Qingying for a few extra minutes, she stood up in a hurry and caused such an embarrassing accident. What was she doing?

Now... are you being coquettish or jealous?

Whom are you jealous of, Xie Qingying?

Not only can't they control their emotions, but now they're even losing control of their jealousy.

Yi Chen gave him a deep look, his voice turning serious: "This trip down the mountain is to remove the curse, not to enjoy the scenery. Don't be willful."

This is better for both of us. If we don't take a firm stance and discipline the child properly, he might become even more demanding, and then it will be too late to undo the damage.

Chu Xianlan raised her head. Mustering her courage, she looked directly into her master's dark eyes, which shone like cold stars, completely pushing the limits of her thick skin, until her face and the corners of her eyes turned red.

"It's fine if we don't go shopping, Master," he said softly, tugging at Yi Chen's sleeve. "Why don't you accompany me to an inn, just the two of us... okay?"

The boy's voice rose at the end, and his reddened eyes seemed to ripple with tears, as if the slightest rejection would cause them to overflow and fall.

"..." Yi Chen felt as if something invisible was stuck in his throat, neither going up nor down.

Then, he heard himself say.

"……good."