Mistress: Take Off Your Clothes

"Third Elder."

He Shutong stood up from the water. The clear pool water flowed down the undulating curves, reflecting the light filtering through the leaves, making her flawless body shine.

She stared at the stunned Third Elder through the mist, her eyes as cold as a deep pool, as if she had returned to the imposing and dignified Lotus Sword Venerable she once was. Even though her cultivation level was far lower than that of the Third Elder, who had been in the Void Realm for many years, the renowned Bihua Venerable still felt a strange chill.

"I demand an explanation."

Fifty miles above Mount Henggao.

Venerable Chengtao placed his hand on You Su's back and infused it with cool, light blue Mystic Qi.

You Su's face was pale at this moment. His Mystic Qi had been almost completely devoured by the Lotus Root Heart. He had been able to maintain his condition entirely with the help and medicine from Venerable Chengtao.

"It seems I underestimated the energy consumption of lotus Mystic Qi Lotus Root Heart..."

Venerable Chengtao withdrew his hand and sighed softly.

These ultimate heavenly materials and earthly treasures are products of decades or even thousands of years of nurturing by heaven and earth. Once a flaw appears, the resources required to repair it are immeasurable. Now You Su, with his body at the Spirit Platform Middle Stage, has managed to preserve it for two days, which is already quite astonishing.

"Is the person who needs the Lotus Root Heart on the sacred mountain?"

You Su nodded slowly.

"That's good, we'll be there soon."

Venerable Chengtao offered a word of comfort, and after resting for a while, he prepared to continue his rapid journey. However, he noticed that You Su's expression was somewhat unnatural.

"You seem a little nervous?"

You Su pursed her lips; the saying "the closer one gets to home, the more timid one becomes" was indeed true.

Before leaving, he told his senior sister that he would be back in a few days and that he would bring her a gift. He didn't keep any of these promises, and he wondered if his senior sister would resent him.

What worried You Su even more was his Mistress. Although he had gone to find the Lotus Root Heart without her knowledge out of filial piety, he had also truly escaped death. The matter of the Jade Ring Pool was destined to be made public, and his Mistress couldn't possibly be unaware of it.

You Su felt that his Mistress wouldn't be very happy to see the Lotus Root Heart he had gone through so much trouble to obtain; she might even resent his presumption. Just as he wouldn't want to see his Mistress risk her life for him, Mistress certainly wouldn't want to see him do the same.

Venerable Chengtao mistakenly thought that You Su was feeling unwell due to excessive exertion, so he said gently:

"This distance is short, we can get there in a moment. Since the person you need is on the sacred mountain, why don't I take the Lotus Root Heart from your spiritual center first? This short time won't diminish its effectiveness, but we must ensure it's used immediately upon arrival at the sacred mountain. What do you think?"

After You Su said, "That's fine then, thank you for your trouble, Venerable One."

You Su made this decision naturally because he wanted to "act first and ask questions later." As long as the Lotus Root Heart withered immediately, he wouldn't give his Mistress any time to think. He didn't believe that his Mistress would not accept the results he had worked so hard for. As long as his Mistress could get better, it didn't matter whether she resented him or thanked him afterward.

"It's not a trouble at all; just hold your breath and calm your mind."

At Venerable Chengtao's command, You Su immediately complied. He felt a cool, clear stream of Mystic Qi flow through his limbs and bones, finally settling at his spiritual center and gently drawing it in, slowly enveloping the slightly cracked Lotus Root Heart, trying to pull it out.

But the Lotus Root Heart remained unmoved, still gently swirling within You Su's mind.

Venerable Chengtao withdrew his hand, focused his Divine Sense, and discovered that the cracks on the Lotus Root Heart were getting bigger and bigger. His expression was no longer as calm and composed as before.

"Not good!"

"Venerable One, what's wrong?"

You Su didn't want anything to go wrong at the last minute.

"You're already showing signs of digesting the Lotus Root Heart!"

"How... how could this be?!"

You Su was incredulous. This was a treasure meant to be his Mistress's Destiny Item; how could he have refined it? He hadn't even actively used his spiritual platform to refine it.

If he had used the only medicinal ingredient that could cure his Mistress's illness, he would never forgive himself easily.

"Do you know that there are so many cultivators connected to the Jade Ring Pool? Why do we believe that only your master could preserve the Lotus Root Heart in his spiritual platform?"

You Su shook his head. He hadn't thought about the problem carefully at all; he just wanted to take it back to his Mistress to treat her illness as soon as possible.

"Because only your master's Destiny Item in this world is the Lotus Root Heart."

The Venerable Chengtao lifted You Su, who was enveloped in water bubbles, from the air, and with a light touch of his feet, rushed straight towards the Mount Henggao. As he flew, he explained to You Su:

"The most important reason why the Lotus Root Heart is a sacred healing object is because it is extremely easy to absorb. Whether you are a mortal or an immortal, whether you are dead or alive, as long as you have an injury, the Lotus Root Heart will be absorbed and take effect. Even we Void Glimpse Venerable, after undergoing a complete transformation, dare not say that our bodies are perfect. Therefore, we dare not touch it, because once touched, it will be absorbed. If we consume it due to minor injuries or illnesses, it would be a great loss."

"Unfortunately, after the Lotus Sword Venerable transformed the Lotus Root Heart into her Destiny Item, it possessed such a flawless form, thus allowing the Lotus Root Heart to exist independently within her body. You obtained the Lotus Immortal Seed, and to some extent, you and the Lotus Sword Venerable can be considered of the same origin. I thought you wouldn't absorb the Lotus Root Heart so quickly, but unexpectedly, it has already begun."

You Su suddenly realized and asked nervously, "Then how can I stop me from absorbing it?"

"It's impossible to take it by force now. You've almost completely digested the Lotus Root Heart seed coat. Once the lotus seed is exposed, there's no going back," Venerable Chengtao replied with a frown. "The Jade Ring Pool is to the Lotus Root Heart as a fetus is to amniotic fluid. The process of transferring the Lotus Root Heart must take place in the Jade Ring Pool water. Don't worry, I still have some water on me. You just need to slow down your breathing and the absorption process."

You Su did as instructed, but a strange feeling arose in her heart.

He wasn't worried about the Jade Ring Pool, since the water in the Lotus Birth Pool where his Mistress was in seclusion was drawn from the Jade Ring Pool.

But this process of handing over the Lotus Root Heart... doesn't it mean he's going to bathe in the same pool with his Mistress again?

"Bihua Venerable?"

Venerable Chengtao's exclamation interrupted You Su's reverie.

Not far away, a stunningly beautiful woman floated in the air, her face as cold as frost and filled with deep resentment as she gazed at Venerable Chengtao, her body surrounded by a wooden aura that was almost solidified.

Venerable Chengtao quickly guessed the source of Bihua Venerable's hostility and could only continue to ask, "Bihua Venerable, are you here to pick You Su?"

After all, the task that You Su came to Jade Ring Pool to exchange for Lotus Root Heart was assigned by the Third Elder, and she probably never expected that Jade Ring Pool would be such a dangerous place.

"Hand him over to me. You mustn't approach the sacred mountain now; they'll be there soon."

The Third Elder's voice was cold, which was quite different from her usual charming and seductive style.

You Su suddenly heard a familiar voice and excitedly leaned against the wall of the transparent bubble to greet it:

"Third Elder! Third Elder!"

The Third Elder frowned slightly, feeling a bit strange. Was their relationship really that good? Why were they being greeted so warmly, especially with outsiders present?

However, she still nodded and responded lightly, "Thank you for your hard work."

She also felt somewhat apologetic towards You Su. She had only thought it would be a challenging task, but she hadn't expected it to involve such a powerful evil spirit. This had caused the Lotus Sword Venerable to be extremely indignant towards her, which had then turned into her resentment towards the head of the Jade Ring Pool family.

With Venerable Chengtao You Su flying to the Third Elder's side on a bubble. He knew that his trip to the sacred mountain would not be easy. The "they" that Bihua Venerable mentioned must be the absolute high-ranking Evil Warding Department and various forces on the sacred mountain.

Such a major incident occurred at the sacred site, and he is undoubtedly responsible. As a dangerous individual, it's impossible for him to approach the sacred mountain so easily.

However, more than the harsh criticism and interrogation he was about to face, he was worried about whether You Su's wish could be fulfilled.

"Bihua Venerable, the Lotus Root Heart you requested is currently within You Su's spiritual platform."

After speaking, Venerable Chengtao took out an exquisitely crafted little porcupine from his waist, which was quite adorable with its plump and bulging appearance.

He passed it to the Third Elder, saying, "The fish's belly contains fifty bushels of Jade Ring Pool. I have already discussed the details with You Su. Time is of the essence, Bihua Venerable, please go. After this is over, I will apologize to you and Lotus Sword Venerable, and express my sincere gratitude to You Su."

The Third Elder reached out and caught the small porpoise in her hand, marveling at how such a small fish, no bigger than half a palm, could hold so much water. She glanced at Venerable Chengtao one last time, her tone finally softening slightly:

"Don't let yourself end up in the sacred mountain's prison before you've even had a chance to plead guilty."

Immediately, the Green Boat hidden in You Su's arms floated out, and in a flash, it transformed into a huge, lush green banana leaf. Then, carrying the Third Elder and You Su, it turned into a wisp of green light and disappeared into the horizon.

Venerable Chengtao withdrew his gaze and looked at the cloudless sky. Suddenly, more than a dozen towering figures appeared in the sky, each exuding a powerful and sacred light.

Venerable Chengtao also had a sudden burst of white light behind him, looking at these figures who also occupied the pinnacle of the Five Continents with neither arrogance nor servility.

He had the Unseen feeling that this vast Jade Ring Pool was nothing more than the first flash of lightning before a storm.

At this moment, he could not imagine what kind of turmoil and catastrophe this continent would face in the future...

Even though it wasn't the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain in the Northern Ao Continent, You Su felt as if she were in a frozen wasteland.

He stood by the Lotus Birth Pool shrouded in mist, anxiously holding a swollen little guinea pig. The little guinea pig seemed to know that the situation was not good, as water dripped from its mouth.

Under He Shutong's icy gaze behind the mist, You Su felt like a lackey.

Wangshu Fairy stood beside him, her blue eyes fixed on him. Although she didn't know why her master was angry, she knew that her junior brother must have done something wrong for her master to be so serious, just like when she was punished by her master for making mistakes when she was a child.

She wanted to protect her junior brother, but dared not disobey her most respected master. She could only stand there, conflicted, softly comforting You Su:

"Junior brother, don't be afraid. Just be a good boy and listen to your master next time..."

You Su lowered her head, not daring to speak, and could only nod slightly to express her gratitude to her senior sister.

The Third Elder was quite speechless. She had already concisely handed over all the matters concerning the Lotus Root Heart, so why wasn't this person, who was on the verge of falling from grace, worried at all, and instead put on airs of her master's authority?

"Thirteenth Elder, the situation is urgent. Whether you reward or punish You Su, can you at least replace your Destiny Item first?"

"Why should we exchange it? What's wrong with letting him absorb the Lotus Root Heart himself? He won't question my actions anyway, and I can't protect him. If he falls into danger again someday, the Lotus Root Heart might save his life. My cultivation has only declined; at least my life isn't in danger. In that case, he needs this Lotus Root Heart more than I do."

The Lotus Sword Venerable's voice was like a cold spring. Although he was extremely restrained, You Su could still hear a lot of anger and reproach in it.

It's unclear whether this anger and blame are directed at him, herself, or both.

The Third Elder, listening from the side, was furious. She was annoyed that she hadn't noticed how pretentious this woman was before. Seeing this, the Thirteenth Elder had previously severed all emotions, seemed even more decisive and would accept the Lotus Root Heart with a clear conscience.

"No, how can you be so confused? You Su risked his life to save you, didn't he? How can you disregard his efforts like this? Do you deserve to be his master?"

After speaking, the Third Elder hurriedly pursed his lips, inwardly annoyed at himself for speaking rashly in his haste.

They all thought You Su was unworthy to be the Thirteenth Elder's disciple before, so why are they saying the opposite now?

The scene fell into a deathly silence after the question, "Are you worthy to be his master?" The atmosphere was heavy and icy.

Even You Su was surprised that the Third Elder, who had always looked down on him, would speak so protectively. He was touched but did not agree with the Third Elder's point of view. From beginning to end, he felt that he was the one who was climbing the social ladder.

"Third Elder, it was my fault..."

Before he could utter the word "worthy," He Shutong ruthlessly interrupted him:

"Third Elder, Wangshu, you may leave now. I need to speak with You Su privately."

His indifferent tone left no room for refusal.

The Third Elder glanced at You Su, who felt like a thorn in her side, and could only sigh inwardly. If the Thirteenth Elder truly did not want to change her Destiny Item, then she could not force her, and at this moment she could only choose to trust You Su.

Wangshu Fairy was still somewhat confused about the situation, but she knew that You Su was about to face a trial, so she carefully encouraged him, "Junior brother, keep going!"

Then, the two women left together, leaving the Lotus Birth Pool to the master and disciple.

You Su kept her head down, facing He Shutong through the mist.

After a moment of silence, You Su, unable to bear the thought of the Lotus Root Heart continuing to digest, tentatively asked:

"Mistress, I know you're angry about You Su's presumptuous actions, but if you're going to punish or be angry, please do so after you've stabilized your cultivation level, okay?"

Little did anyone know that He Shutong's expression, obscured by the mist, was also complex and difficult to decipher.

Whether she's angry or blaming, it's all a facade; what she truly hates is her own failure.

Her goal had always been to make up for the help You Su had given her, but she had repeatedly put You Su in more dangerous situations, which only made her feel more and more indebted to You Su.

The main reason He Shutong dared not accept the Lotus Root Heart, He Shutong You Su had risked his Lotus Root Heart to retrieve, was her own fear. If she accepted it, how could she possibly repay him?

She worried that, as the Third Elder had said, she was truly unworthy to be his master, nor his Mistress.

But isn't someone as timid and awkward as myself even more unworthy?

"Did you ever consider giving up on this trip to Jade Ring Pool?"

He Shutong suddenly asked a question.

You Su was slightly taken aback, then firmly shook her head:

"Never thought of it."

Those four simple words, like a warm ray of sunshine, once again melted the simmering emotions in He Shutong's heart.

Even when faced with a thousand-year-old evil spirit, this young man did not give up, yet he felt uneasy because he did not know how to repay it.

He Shutong sighed self-deprecatingly, a sigh that seemed to disperse some of the mist, from which came her gentle voice, warm as a spring:

"Take off your clothes..."