A Dream of Mistress

You Su's consciousness seemed to fall into a soft, warm snowflake, and the excruciating pain in her limbs and bones quietly melted away in the dream.

When he opened his eyes, a familiar fragrance lingered around his nose, and fine snowflakes drifted outside the carved window, their soft rustling sound like shattered jade falling to the ground.

The candlelight flickered by the bed, casting a pale white figure— He Shutong sat upright with her eyes lowered, her long eyelashes casting a faint blue shadow beneath her eyes, like a silent jade statue.

"Mistress..." he murmured softly, his fingertips unconsciously tightening their grip on the brocade quilt.

He Shutong suddenly turned around, and the rustling sound of her skirt brushing against the blue bricks was clearer than falling snow.

She leaned down and touched the boy's forehead, the coolness of her fingertips seeping into his skin, but You Su felt that the coldness was more scorching than fire.

"Why are you so weak?" Her voice was cold, but her fingertips lingered on his sunken cheek for a long time.

She leaned down even lower, as if trying to get a better look at the boy. "His spirit is unsteady, and his body is burning hot. Is he injured?"

You Su's breath hitched. She realized that her serious injuries in reality were not limited to her physical body, which was why she was so exhausted even in this beautiful dream.

When he looked up again, seeing the ethereal Fairy so close to him, You Su recalled the scene of his Mistress risking her life to save him before he lost consciousness. He felt that whether in reality or in a dream, this was a reunion, and the doubled pain of longing was no longer easy to suppress.

He somewhat forcefully grabbed the Fairy's jade hand that was resting on his cheek and pulled her directly into his arms, as if he wanted to drag her down from the clouds to the mortal world.

He embraced her soft, warm body tightly, his arms You Su around Fairy slender back with such force that he almost trembled. He rested his chin on her shoulder, clearly feeling her long, black hair slip into her collar, tickling her slightly, but never again bringing the same comforting pleasure.

He Shutong's beautiful eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised by the young man's bold move. Embracing in dreams was a habit, but it was always just a light hug. This kind of embrace, where he seemed to want to meld her into his body, was a first for her.

You Su's profile was almost touching hers, his youthful scent filling her nostrils. She instinctively felt this was inappropriate, a clear overstepping of boundaries between Mistress and disciple, but for some reason, she just couldn't muster the will to break free.

Clearly... clearly she didn't need to bend down so close...

In her mind, the image of the boy calling out to her in front of the empty room gradually overlapped with the image of the person who turned the tide for her in the sky above the North Sea.

She pursed her lips slightly, unsure whether she was indulging the boy or indulging herself.

He only thought that since his Mistress's identity was fake, and what happened in the dream was also fake, only his longing for her was real.

"Alright, it's Mistress... Mistress has always been here."

Unable to resist the shyness in her heart, He Shutong could clearly feel the burning heat on the boy's cheeks even through the millimeter, and her own face felt hot too. Fortunately You Su did not dare to linger any longer and reluctantly let go of her hand.

You Su concealed the surging longing in her eyes, and a weak smile appeared on her lips:

"It really is you, Mistress... I couldn't find you for so many days, I thought..."

"What for?"

I thought... you left without saying goodbye.

You Su lowered her head slightly, actually to hide her embarrassment. She almost blurted out the word "again," which would have revealed that she was not the You Su in her dream.

The tremor in her voice at the end of her words sent a shiver down He Shutong's spine. The candlelight flickered, and the Fairy's wide sleeves trembled slightly. No one noticed the faint shadow cast by the stray hairs behind her ears, and the very pale blush on her jade-like neck. She, a pure and Fairy, was ultimately not accustomed to lying.

"I suddenly realized something. I've been in seclusion in the main hall all this time. But the main hall isn't a forbidden area of the sect, so why are you still afraid to push the door open like last time? Next time you can't find me, just push the door open and you'll know I'm here."

"How can that be? That's Mistress's room. How can I possibly offend her?"

Even though You Su had uttered these high-sounding words, he also felt ashamed of himself. How could he have been anything but offensive in terms of both his actions and his thoughts?

"If it's to find me, it's not offensive," He Shutong said with a faint smile.

"If she's in seclusion, then I shouldn't disturb my Mistress even more." You Su feigned ignorance, but his fingertips subtly hooked her drooping sleeve. "As long as I know my Mistress is still there, that's enough. I only hope that if Mistress really has to leave, she won't leave without saying goodbye."

"I won't leave without saying goodbye, and I won't go anywhere." He Shutong looked at the boy, who was almost pleading, and felt a pang of pity.

"Then... has Mistress finished her cultivation?"

He Shutong paused for a moment, then said, "I haven't fully grasped it yet."

The implication, of course, is that he will continue his seclusion.

You Su wasn't really living in a dream, so he naturally understood that his Mistress was preparing him mentally for her 'seclusion'.

Unlike him, his Mistress was possessed by his own body in this dream, but his Mistress was herself. So when he returned to reality, his own self was still here, but when his Mistress's consciousness returned, Mistress shadow could no longer be seen here.

The so-called seclusion for cultivation was naturally a cover-up for disappearing. Although You Su saw through it, she would not expose it. On the contrary, she had to show trust and would never push open the door that could shatter her beautiful dream.

You Su was also puzzled. Why was his Mistress able to linger in his dreams for so long in the past, but now she wanted to announce in advance that she would be "in seclusion"?

The answer is self-evident. The previous Mistress was probably quietly refining Lotus Root Heart somewhere, but the current master's Mistress is weak after the war. Moreover, after seeing her real self, how could she close her eyes and ears to everything else every day?

Thinking of this, You Su became even more curious. Based on the timeline, the period during which his Mistress disappeared in his dream was most likely when she learned of his whereabouts in Bei Ao and rushed there.

But how did she know she was in Bei'ao? And how did she arrive at almost the same time as the Heng Lian First Seat who had gone ahead...?

Did someone tell her?

However, You Su felt this was unreasonable. It was obvious that Sister Yiyi's purpose in telling Sister Yaoyao the news was to get her to help her. If she was going to tell her Mistress the news anyway, why go through all that trouble?

Did the Hua Jing, First Seat tell his Mistress?

You Su thought that this was most likely the case. Hua Jing, First Seat had made preparations for both Sister Yaoyao and his Mistress, and then his Mistress crossed the North Sea in another way to arrive ahead of time.

For some reason, even though this explanation seemed reasonable enough, You Su couldn't help but ask herself, could there be another reason?

You Su subconsciously looked up at He Shutong, and met her gentle and concerned gaze.

"What's wrong?" He Shutong tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"It's nothing, I just don't feel well."

You Su smiled in response, secretly realizing he had made a fuss over nothing. He could ask his Mistress about real-life matters later. In this pipe dream, all he had to do was play the role of someone who was attached to his Mistress's wife.

"Reach out your hand."

You Su was taken aback, and opened his palm as instructed. The Fairy's slender white fingers lightly touched his wrist pulse, and pinkish-gold Mystic Qi flowed like a spring stream.

"Why is it even hotter now?" He Shutong frowned.

You Su felt embarrassed and quietly sat up. Fortunately, time flew by in the dream, and it was already a snowy winter. The thick quilt perfectly covered up her exposed vulnerability.

His yang energy was at its peak, and after being injured, the yang energy propelled his entire body to heal, naturally making him hotter. But what made him even hotter was the memory of the astonishing touch of his Mistress pressing down on him, and the lingering fragrance of her Fairy scent in his nostrils.

Thinking about it that way, I realized it was awful; it was even hotter.

"What did you do while I was in seclusion?" He Shutong was completely unaware, withdrawing her jade hand with a serious gaze like a strict and unyielding teacher.

You Su was taken aback. He had just woken up and hadn't thought about this at all. "I just practiced my sword and martial arts as usual every day. I didn't do anything special."

"Now, you're even keeping it from your Mistress?" He Shutong's tone held a hint of resentment.

You Su was anxious when questioned and couldn't think of a reasonable excuse to explain his weakness. He felt that his Mistress would see through any excuse. Only then did he realize that the saying "the more you care, the more likely you are to make a mistake" was not unfounded.

"Is it so difficult to talk about?" The woman frowned and brought the candle closer, making You Su appear as if she were blushing.

You Su was stunned for a moment. The words "difficult to talk about" seemed to blow open a window and let his thoughts in. But he didn't feel much surprise; instead, he became even more conflicted.

He secretly raised his eyes again, gazing at that breathtakingly beautiful, aloof face, thinking of how she stood with her sword across the sky, declaring that he could only follow her... But how long would it take for her to quietly blossom?

The seed that had long since sprouted in the boy's heart seemed no longer content to grow cautiously.

Since I want my master's Mistress to know my feelings, let's start with this dream!

In her dream, the Mistress wished for a more obedient and affectionate You Su, so that Mistress could know that even such a You Su would develop different feelings for her. In reality, the more disobedient You Su, who only thought about protecting her, could not possibly have only pure filial piety.

"I have no intention of prying into your secrets, it's just that it concerns your health. If there's something you can't talk about, you can't ignore your own body."

As his Mistress's gentle voice flowed into his ears, You Su felt his Blood Qi rush to his head at the thought of what he was about to say.

What was supposed to be a normal, caring consultation felt strange to You Su. It was as if, from the moment she began asking questions until she reached the point of discussing an unspeakable, difficult-to-discuss secret, every word her Mistress's wife uttered seemed to be pushing her toward a certain answer...

"Alright, you're feeling weak and irritable." He Shutong gently pressed the boy back onto the pillow, her tone reluctant but still caring. "You should rest first. I'll find you some calming incense."

Upon hearing this, You Su bit her lower lip, feeling as if she were the mud in a pond, clearly harboring ill intentions and presumptuous thoughts, yet blaming others for having ulterior motives first.

My Mistress is a pure white lotus, untainted by the mud. People would feel ashamed in her presence. How could she possibly harbor such treacherous thoughts as I do?

"I... I'll say..."

You Su stammered, as if she were genuinely being coy.

He Shutong was about to get up and leave, but upon hearing this, she sat down again and moved the wooden chair closer. This reassuring little gesture seemed to come from the instinct of this gentle Fairy.

She didn't urge him, but simply tilted her head slightly, quietly watching You Su wait for him to speak.

"Mistress... when will my master return?" You Su suddenly asked.

"Why are you asking this?" He Shutong asked, feigning curiosity. "Do you feel you can tell him, but not me?"

"No, of course not," You Su quickly denied. "I was just thinking that Master might understand a little better..."

"What do you understand better?"

"As for... our sect's Cultivation Method."

"The Heaven and Earth Yin-Yang Union Cultivation Method?" He Shutong asked frankly, without a trace of shyness. "His cultivation level is not as high as mine, how could he possibly understand it better?"

"Does Mistress not practice this skill?"

"Your master's skills aren't very good either." He Shutong smiled. "I don't practice the Joyous Union Technique, but I have practiced the Mandarin Duck Sword. They are from the same source, so the principles are naturally similar. Besides, I am at least a Void Realm cultivator. I've seen countless events in the Immortal Realm. Teaching you a Xiao Ling is more than enough."

Upon hearing this, You Su found it amusing. During their time together in the dream, his Mistress would always intentionally or unintentionally emphasize that she was a Void Realm cultivator, while You Su was a Spirit Platform cultivator. She would also go so far as to describe how cold and cruel the cultivation world outside the Sword Sect's courtyard was, as if to remind You Su from time to time that as a minor Spirit Platform cultivator, he should obediently hide by the side of the Void Glimpse Venerable, lest he be devoured by those ferocious beasts outside.

"Mistress says is true. If it weren't for Mistress protection, my junior sister and I would probably have been labeled as Evil Demon by Sect Master Qi. Fortunately, Mistress was there, and we were able to escape unharmed."

He Shutong's smile deepened, clearly pleased with the boy's praise.

After realizing how much You Su valued her, her icy heart melted. She wanted to make up for the years of neglect she had owed the boy, but instead, she encountered her own downfall. Meanwhile, You Su had grown into a man who could stand on his own without her care.

This left her with nowhere to project her guilt and desire for redemption, so she could only think of turning You Su into a well-behaved, obedient boy who would actively depend on her. And through the subtle suggestions in her dreams, she was already quite satisfied with this You Su who could show weakness and admire strength.

"You're so glib, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Your Mistress will definitely help you solve them," He Shutong said, feigning helplessness but remaining confident.

You Su then feigned resignation, lowered her head slightly, and spoke in a voice barely audible:

"Actually, ever since my junior sister returned to her clan, I've felt increasingly uncomfortable..."

He Shutong paused for a moment, hesitated, and then asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's just that I can't suppress the fire in my stomach, and I often have nightmares..." You Su stammered, but it was definitely not an act.

He Shutong swallowed hard, almost imperceptibly. "A dream? What did you dream about?"

You Su seemed incredibly shy, and whispered the word 'last' in her ear.

He Shutong's ears turned bright red instantly, feeling the boy's breath burning hot against her. Her heart, which had been frozen, thawed and began to beat even more excitedly.

She was genuinely startled by You Su's answer. She kept pressing him, hoping to elicit a slip from You Su, but she never intended for him to confide such a private matter to her, his teacher's Mistress...

After all, the moment she arrived in Bei'ao and saw You Su, she was certain that the You Su in her dream was his true self.

But seeing You Su shyly retreat, her bashful appearance was an adorable side she had never seen before.

The woman's mind stirred slightly. Although she was shocked that You Su would act so manly to deceive her, she then thought—so the stubborn boy in reality who always refused to submit to her protection was also willing to lean on her and rely on her, and even tell her such unspeakable things...

She already harbored a slight resentment, resentful that You Su could enter her private dreams and glimpse her deepest desires for him, which made her feel both ashamed and embarrassed.

Looking back now, if he could peek into my private dreams, then naturally I should also try to see his deepest aspirations...

This idea seemed to be pushed by an invisible magic, making it impossible for her to stop, driving her to want to see the boy become even more attached to her.

Her flushed face was reflected in the gilded mirror, and she spoke the most dignified truth, "The Heaven and Earth Yin-Yang Union Cultivation Method emphasizes the balance of water and fire. You are in the prime of your life, and it's understandable that your body temperature is higher than normal due to your excessive Yang energy. However..."

"Just what?"

He Shutong's heart was racing, You Su also felt that this was the most shameless thing she had ever said. Her face, which was still fair in her dream, turned bright red.

Back then, whether it was his Mistress offering guidance and assistance twice or discussing his physical condition, it was always his Mistress took the initiative. He never talked about these things in front of his Mistress, because in his heart, this pure lotus was inviolable.

"But your symptoms are indeed a bit too extreme. Did you... do something?"

The abbreviation has been adjusted.