A Method to Help Mistress Recover

Passing through the courtyard, there are two leaning willow trees, their necks intertwined, their long green leaves drooping down, like two graceful Fairy in green robes bowing to welcome guests, and naturally forming the door to the Third Elder's private inner chamber.

There was no need to manipulate any mechanisms; as the Third Elder approached, the two Third Elder willows gradually straightened up and made way for him to enter the hall.

You Su sensed everything in his Sea of Consciousness, he was secretly amazed. Even the trees would make way for him, so the dancing Spirit Plant were not just empty words.

Following behind the Third Elder, inhaling the lingering fragrance of his lingering scent, You Su tried to suppress her wild thoughts, but still hesitated and stopped at the door of the inner room.

He understood Ye Qingchen's actions. If it were him, he wouldn't have allowed a kid from an outer peak to enter the inner room, which was only for his Mistress, so openly.

But why did the Third Elder bring him into her private inner palace?

"Come in, or do you think I'll really kill you right here?"

The Third Elder had already parted the willow curtain and entered the hall. He turned back to look at You Su, who had stopped, his face showing impatience.

After all that happened, as long as I don't actually kill myself, whatever I have to face is something I should bear.

With this thought in mind, You Su gritted her teeth, parted the willow curtain, and went inside.

The two straight willows drooped down after You Su entered, blocking Ye Qingchen, who couldn't resist secretly following, and his gaze from the shadows.

Although it's called the rear hall, it's actually a specially created, unusual flower field.

Upon entering, one is immediately greeted by a rich and intoxicating fragrance of various flowers. Here, hundreds of flowers bloom in abundance, and even the most inconspicuous spiritual flower picked from a corner would be fiercely sought after by flower-loving Fairy in the celestial realm.

The Third Elder lives among a hundred flowers year-round, so it's no wonder she exudes a rich fragrance.

You Su could not see, he had to proceed cautiously, not daring to touch any of the flowers.

But these rare flowers seemed to possess a spirit, and regardless of their height, they all flocked to the legs of this unfamiliar visitor.

In my youth, I wore a thin spring robe. Riding a horse, I leaned against a slanting bridge, surrounded by red sleeves beckoning from all around.

You Su felt that this line of poetry from her fragmented memories was the perfect way to describe the scene.

Sensing something, he slowed his pace, gently bending down to stroke each flower. He would inhale the fragrance of his favorite flowers a few more times, as if to echo the desire of these exotic blossoms to be appreciated.

The Third Elder turned around and looked at the annoying man who dared to touch the flowers he had carefully cultivated. He was furious and wanted to reprimand him, but in the end, he gave up.

She pursed her red lips, walked to a hanging chair formed by natural vines, and gently sat down on it, her rounded legs crossed, her blue skirt lifted up to reveal her flawless white calves.

Although the man was despicable, she was also a lover of flowers. It was rare to see a sea of rare flowers in such harmony with people, and she couldn't bear to disturb the scene.

Moreover, she had to admit that You Su's handsome and refined appearance, combined with the vibrant colors of the flowers, created a beautiful scene. The only flaw was that You Su was not a woman.

"Have you smelled enough?"

You Su sniffed here and there, which made the Third Elder, who knew she smelled very good, feel quite strange. She took the jade wine gourd from her waist and deliberately tapped it to remind her.

You Su immediately bowed and said, "Please forgive me, Third Elder. This is the first time I've smelled so many novel floral fragrances, and I couldn't resist taking a few more inhalations."

"You, a grown man, like flowers?"

The Third Elder feigned disdain, but in his heart he knew perfectly well that people who love flowers don't distinguish between men and women.

"It's not love, it's just that You Su has been blind since childhood and is more sensitive to smells. She was simply delighted to smell these flowers with their unique fragrances."

The Third Elder glanced at You Su, his previous disdain vanishing. It was understandable that You Su, unable to witness the beauty of the flowers firsthand, would linger and inhale their fragrance a few more times.

"Which of these flowers do you like the most?" the Third Elder asked curiously.

She still vividly remembered how You Su, so she wanted to ask this kid which kind he liked, so she could retaliate with a sarcastic remark.

"My favorite flower is not in this garden, but a wild chrysanthemum in the mortal world."

You Su felt a warm glow in her heart as she recalled how her junior sister had brought her a basket full of wild chrysanthemums to celebrate her birthday.

The Third Elder blinked her beautiful eyes and said seriously:

"Each of these flowers here would be a noble among flowers outside the mountains, yet after you've smelled them, you still prefer these ordinary wild chrysanthemums?"

You Su nodded in response.

"What's the reason?" The Third Elder asked, intrigued.

In truth, what she grasped was the way of nature. In her eyes, every blade of grass and every tree was equal, with no distinction between noble and lowly. But this was State of Mind she had only attained at this level. In the past, she had only pursued the preciousness of flower seeds, which led to this flower field.

Hearing You Su's answer, she was very curious You Su why an eighteen-year-old boy would have such a strong preference for those ordinary wild chrysanthemums.

"There's a poem that goes, 'Chrysanthemums choose their own land of frost and snow, they are not chrysanthemums blooming outside of spring.' You Su young, I often complained about my blindness, deceiving myself into believing that my blindness was also a result of choosing my own fate, and definitely not a cruel joke played on me by destiny. I used this to cheer myself up. Looking back now, it's actually quite funny."

You Su spoke eloquently, her smile warm, and then said:

"What I like isn't the wild chrysanthemum, but rather the strong version of myself I imagined as a child."

Although You Su's words were a joke, they fully expressed the hardships a blind child has endured to grow up to this day.

Those who spend their days surrounded by flowers, plants, and trees are bound to have kind hearts. Touched by You Su's words, the Third Elder's eyes softened, and he said gently:

"You don't need to be modest. Your current achievements prove that this is not a fantasy, but a fact."

"Thank you for your kind words, Third Elder." You Su was polite and refined.

Seeing his appearance, the Third Elder felt pity for him, for people always tend to show more concern for the more vulnerable.

"Qingchen didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"

"Senior Brother Qingchen didn't make things difficult for me," You Su replied truthfully.

"Qingchen is quite exclusive, please don't mind him."

"Perhaps it's because Senior Brother Qingchen values his sect so much that he does this; I understand."

Upon hearing this, the Third Elder frowned slightly. Was her second disciple truly acting this way only because he valued the sect...?

In fact, Ye Qingchen was not a disciple she actively took on; rather, the Ye Family came to her door and placed him in her hands. When she was young and unknown, she had received favors from the then head of the Ye Family. Now that she had achieved fame and success, it was only natural for her to take on a descendant of the Ye Family with similar talents as her disciple to repay that favor.

Although he was a boy, she patiently and meticulously taught him. It must be admitted that this boy was indeed exceptionally talented as a disciple. However, she had secretly disliked many of Ye Qingchen's behaviors, and her repeated attempts to teach him had little effect. With Ye Qingchen breaking through to the Feather Transformation Realm, his words and actions seemed to have become even more outrageous. She even felt that this disciple harbored some inappropriate feelings for her, but he had never expressed them or made any presumptuous remarks, so she couldn't jump to conclusions.

The Third Elder was also quite troubled by this. This matter was like a rootless duckweed; she had nowhere to seek verification, nor could she ask others for experience. Therefore, she could only be more serious and demanding towards Ye Qingchen on a daily basis, hoping that he would know when to back down and preserve this hard-won master-disciple relationship.

"What if..."

The Third Elder wanted to ask You Su, as a disciple, for his opinion on that situation, but he immediately stopped himself.

She was disgusted by You Su he had tainted Lotus Peak and bathed with the Thirteenth Elder. She had already given up on praising him out of pity earlier, but now she almost confided in him. She was filled with regret.

The Third Elder secretly shook his head, realizing to himself: This man is a disgusting scoundrel! He's the one who caused the Lotus Sword Venerable's spiritual platform to be damaged, and it's because of him that the Lotus Sword Venerable has repeatedly lost power. His pitiful background is no reason for him to receive this favor!

"If what?" You Su asked.

"It's nothing, let's talk about business."

The Third Elder responded solemnly, reverting to his usual cold tone towards You Su, as if his previous gentleness had been merely a fleeting moment.

Is it something important that we need to discuss privately...?

You Su composed himself and respectfully said, "Third Elder, please speak."

The Third Elder glanced at You Su and then uttered a startling statement:

"Your master is in seclusion not because he has made progress in his cultivation, but to recuperate from his injuries."

Recovering from injuries?!

"Master, Master is injured?"

You Su couldn't believe it. He thought the Third Elder had summoned him to discuss his problems, but he never expected it was because his Mistress was in trouble.

"Why would I need to lie to you?" the Third Elder retorted bluntly.

You Su was processing this surprising news. He seemed to have never considered the purpose of his Mistress's seclusion, assuming that Mistress had gone into seclusion because she had gained some enlightenment.

Since joining the Xuanxiao Sect, he has gained a senior sister and a more caring master's Mistress, as well as a new identity and greater strength. Everything seems to be developing in a better direction, leading him to believe that the people around him feel the same way.

"Is it... a problem with Mistress's wife's cultivation?"

"You know?" The Third Elder's voice grew even colder.

"It's just my guess; my Mistress never told me. Before coming to the Xuanxiao Sect, there was a noticeable black spot on Mistress abdomen in my Sea of Consciousness. But it disappeared after we arrived at the Xuanxiao Sect, so I didn't pay much attention to it."

You Su felt remorseful. He should have realized it sooner; that black spot was clearly not something that should appear on a Void Glimpse Venerable.

The Third Elder sighed softly and said, "That's because she used magic to conceal her injuries. As someone in a high position, how could she easily let others see her true nature?"

The injuries, which cannot be revealed to others, must be serious.

"Does the Third Elder know what kind of injury Mistress suffered?"

"Her mind is broken."

The Third Elder once again made a startling statement.

You Su's eyes widened. "How could your spiritual platform be broken?"

He was at the Spirit Platform Realm, so of course he knew that the Spirit Platform was the foundation of cultivation, forged through years of accumulation by cultivators, and he had never heard of the Spirit Platform being able to break.

"Everything has its limits. If you exceed the limits of what you can bear, you will lose your hands and feet. Why can't the spiritual platform be broken? The black spot you sensed earlier was the external manifestation of the gap in her spiritual platform."

"What would happen if the spiritual platform were broken?"

"The mind is like a water vat; if the vat breaks, the water will naturally flow out incessantly."

You Su frowned, which meant that his Mistress's cultivation at the Void Glimpse Realm was steadily declining. Even under these circumstances, his Mistress still planted a seed that would severely damage his Dao foundation.

Moreover, You Su realized a key point:

The Mistress, who was previously indistinguishable from an ordinary person, developed black spots only after everything had settled in Chuyun City, indicating that she suffered this injury Chuyun City. But given that she had disappeared for a considerable period, why would she return to Chuyun City to suffer this injury?

The answer is obvious.

"Please, Third Elder, tell me how to remedy this!" You Su clasped his hands in a fist salute and bowed, shouting.

He naturally knew that the Third Elder had specifically sought him out to inform him of this matter, not simply to let him know the truth and cause him unnecessary worry, but because he was qualified to know this matter only if he could be of use.

Seeing You Su's self-assured demeanor, the Third Elder's cold expression softened slightly, and he said:

"At least you have some conscience; your master's repeated sacrifices for you haven't been in vain."

You Su didn't know what the Third Elder meant by "repeatedly," so he asked eagerly:

"You Su is foolish and doesn't realize what Master has done for me. Please, Third Elder, enlighten me!"

The Third Elder sighed softly, "She was clearly seriously injured, yet she still planted a celestial seed for you. Now she can only go into seclusion to forcibly seal the breach in her spiritual platform. Once she emerges from seclusion, her cultivation will plummet uncontrollably. However, a few days ago, when she learned that your name was to be publicly announced, she even planned to emerge from seclusion to protect you. Fortunately, you persuaded her otherwise. After your battle with Zhou Changwen, your body was completely depleted. Fearing that your foundation would be damaged, she didn't want you to recover slowly. Instead, she chose to use the power of the celestial seed to transfer her energy to you, using her own cultivation to help you recover. That's why you recovered so quickly. But she's not satisfied with that. She even risked a complete drop in her cultivation level to replenish the emptied celestial seed for you. Now, her condition is also precarious."

The Third Elder deliberately concealed the process of sharing a bath and transferring power, but she didn't know that You Su already knew.

You Su lowered his eyelids and finally understood why he had bathed with his Mistress that night. It turned out that the Mystic Qi flowing into his body from the water was actually flowing from his Mistress. No wonder he felt so close to her.

He thought he would be very filial to his Mistress after entering the mountain, but he never expected that he would become a "leech" who relied on absorbing his Mistress's cultivation to survive before he had made any contribution to Lotus Peak.

More importantly, given the Third Elder's frankness today, there's absolutely no need to hide that matter...

Looking back now, it's clear that the Third Elder was completely unaware of his physical condition. From any perspective, the person who wielded the sword to extinguish his internal fire that night could only have been his Mistress. His belief that it was his Mistress who asked the Third Elder to do it was simply a lingering hope, a reluctance to accept the truth.

Mistress, why did you go to such lengths...?

You Su slammed his fist on the ground in anger, gritted his teeth, and his eyes blazed with fury.

He was furious, furious at his own complacency and self-deception, and even more furious at his own hypocrisy, constantly professing to be filial to his Mistress but never taking any action.

The Third Elder was stunned for a moment. She could see the deep self-blame and guilt in the young man, and comforted him:

"I'm telling you this not so you can wallow in self-pity, but so you can understand how good your master is to you and take on the responsibility of helping your master recover."

"I will brave mountains of knives and seas of fire, even unto You Su!" You Su's voice boomed like a drum.

"It's good that you have this intention; the trials and tribulations are not the end of the road." The Third Elder's voice softened as he said, "Do you know where your master attained Comprehending the Dao and entered the Void Glimpse Realm?"

"Jade Ring Pool."

The Third Elder nodded slightly and said:

"Her breakthrough into the Void Realm after attaining Comprehending the Dao was not a random choice of location, but rather because her Destiny Item was located there. I have searched through ancient texts, and most methods for repairing the spiritual platform now seem hopeless. There is only one feasible method, and that is to replace it with a new Destiny Item. Your master's Destiny Item is the Lotus Root Heart in the Jade Ring Pool."

"And now, the only one who can get it is you."

In the new dungeon, evil spirits will reappear, and the junior sisters will also make an appearance.