Laying Hands on Her Master

Half asleep, Ning Xiang felt something tugging at her hair. She opened her eyes and found herself staring straight into a pair of tiny, beady eyes.

Xiangxiang opened its beak. "Chirp, chirp!"

Ning Xiang was furious. This little pest had actually pecked through several strands of her hair while she slept!

She reached out and grabbed Xiangxiang, intending to pluck a few feathers in return, only to discover there was nowhere to start-the cranes had already plucked it bald.

A smug gleam flashed through Xiangxiang's beady eyes.

Ning Xiang sneered. You little punk!

You think that means I can't deal with you?

Ning Xiang conjured a heap of grapes, pomegranates, and pinecones. Then she called over two cranes and the parrot named Little Lu, forcing Xiangxiang to watch the other birds eat fruit!

Xiangxiang drooled all over the floor. Hearing footsteps at the doorway, it flung itself toward the newcomer in aggrieved appeal, only to miss and skid to a stop on its face with a splat.

Lu Qingchen walked up to Ning Xiang. Only then did she notice that she was lying on an icy-cold, rock-hard bed. The furnishings around her were equally austere, just like Lu Qingchen himself.

Ning Xiang stared blankly for a few seconds, then said instinctively, "Master, I wasn't trying to climb into..."

Wait, that's not right. According to my persona, I should be plotting every possible way to climb into Lu Qingchen's bed!

She changed her tune. "That's right. Your disciple has already laid hands on you, Master, so I belong to you now. You have to take responsibility for me!" Ning Xiang said bashfully, twisting the long hair draped over her shoulder around her fingers.

Wicked woman! Wicked woman!

Xiangxiang jumped up, flailing its wings excitedly and chirping nonstop, terrified that the "witch" before its master would steal his soul.

Little Lu, however, had eaten her food and could hardly speak against her. It trotted over, tugged Lu Qingchen toward her by the hem of his robe, then gave Ning Xiang an encouraging look. Go on, confess your love!

Ning Xiang: "..."

With these stupid birds around, the mood is completely ruined!

Lu Qingchen swept his sleeve and sent them outside. Then he walked slowly up to Ning Xiang, gazing at her with clear, limpid eyes.

"Ning Xiang, I was the one who carried you here."

Ning Xiang: "!"

Flustered, she kept backing away until her back pressed against the wall and she had nowhere left to retreat.

Iceberg Lu can't possibly be blind enough to fall for me, so what exactly is he trying to do? Could it be that the spirit stones I gave him weren't enough, and he wants to kidnap me and extort my father and brothers? How can there be such an insatiably greedy man in this world?

Ning Xiang was furious. She was going to rise up!

And then-

Lu Qingchen sat on the edge of the bed and tilted his head slightly toward her. "I thought you were so bold. Apparently, this is all you amount to."

Having received the verdict "this is all you amount to," Ning Xiang was very angry. She turned her face away in a huff and refused to acknowledge Lu Qingchen. She even fashioned a palm-sized doll in his likeness and poked its cheeks with fingertips as tender as spring bamboo shoots.

For some inexplicable reason, Lu Qingchen felt a tingling itch in his own cheeks.

He reached out, caught Ning Xiang's mischievous little hand, and held it in his palm.

Ning Xiang looked up at him in puzzlement.

Lu Qingchen released her hand and clasped his own behind his back. The soft, silky sensation of the girl's skin seemed to linger on his fingertips.

He said solemnly, "You've been rising early and retiring late lately, diligently cultivating. Why not relax a little today? I hear the maple leaves in Redleaf Valley have turned red. If we don't go admire them now, we won't get to enjoy the sight of mountains covered in crimson leaves once we leave for the Demon Domain."

Ning Xiang found this truly strange.

Lu Qingchen, that cultivation fanatic, was planning a sightseeing trip instead of cultivating. This was decidedly abnormal.

But her persona did not allow her to refuse!

So Ning Xiang blushed and said shyly, "How could your disciple possibly refuse an invitation from you, Master?"

Ning Xiang had intended to fly there on her Chongming Bird, Little Nine. To her surprise, Little Nine said with a forlorn expression that it did not want to be a third wheel and told her to ride the Azure Sea Sword instead. The Azure Sea Sword declared that it was off duty and refused to work pointless overtime.

Ning Xiang: "..."

She tried threats and enticements several times, but neither of them budged.

Has there ever been a master as pathetic as me? I'm going to cry!

Helpless, Ning Xiang could only turn to Lu Qingchen. "Master, go ahead on your sword. I'll use the Wind-Riding Art and catch up right away."

"There's no need for all that trouble," Lu Qingchen said in his resonant, magnetic voice. "Don't we still have Canglang?"

Huh? Ning Xiang did not dare step onto Canglang. After all, in her previous life, Canglang had pierced her straight through the heart.

Before she could voice her refusal, Lu Qingchen had already summoned the Canglang Sword. Its entire blade shone with a radiance like an autumn moon over a cold river.

But Canglang seemed to dislike Ning Xiang intensely, swaying from side to side like a child.

Lu Qingchen shot Canglang a cold glance, and it immediately stopped daring to move.

This was Ning Xiang's second time standing on the Canglang Sword, and she could not help feeling delighted.

Doesn't trampling the Canglang Sword underfoot mean trampling that bastard Lu Qingchen underfoot?

She glanced at Lu Qingchen and thought, Just you wait, Iceberg Lu. One day, I'll trample you underfoot and make you bow your head and pledge allegiance to me.

Lu Qingchen: "..."

Then I'll make you cry, "My little tyrant, spare me!"

Ning Xiang's imagination soared. The more she thought about it, the more excited she became, until she could no longer hide her smile. Of course, the result of letting her mind wander was that she nearly lost her footing and fell off.

Lu Qingchen caught her in time. Unsteady on her feet, Ning Xiang toppled into his arms.

"What exactly is going on in that little head of yours?"

Ning Xiang whimpered. It was clearly Canglang playing dirty!

Lu Qingchen secretly transmitted a warning to the Canglang Sword: If you don't fly properly, I'll melt you down.

Canglang shuddered in fright and no longer dared buck up and down.

On the ground, a row of little heads looked up at the azure streak of light that had just flashed past, then lowered again as they resumed talking.

First, Bai Yueguang tearfully complained that Senior Sister Ning had robbed him of all his spirit stones. Then he played the pitiful victim, saying that all the earnings from his post on Heaven-Question had inexplicably been frozen. Finally, with determination written all over his face, he declared that he would never abandon the path of literary creation!

Zhou Ruoxue produced a million spirit stones and offered a sincere suggestion. "If you rewrite the ending so the War God ends up with Yu Chao, these million spirit stones are yours."

Bai Yueguang slurped back his drool. Although Senior Sister Ning had plundered everything he owned, wealth could not corrupt him, poverty could not sway him, and might could not bend him. He would never sacrifice his integrity as a man of letters! He refused to accept any bribes!

Deeply moved, Zhou Ruoxue put the spirit stones away and said she respected Bai Yueguang's choice.

Bai Yueguang: "Boohoo..."

"Wait, that can't be right. My senior sister is a paragon of virtue and commands everyone's respect. How could she possibly rob you?" Wen Maimai questioned, viewing Ning Xiang through rose-colored lenses a full three meters thick.

Bai Yueguang wanted to show them his injuries. But who knew how Senior Sister Ning had managed to beat him until he cried for his father and mother without leaving a single mark on him?

He could only swallow this bitter loss.

"Oh, right. I also came to the Profound Heaven Sect this time to meet my idol, the esteemed 'Iceberg Lu, You Big Fucking Bastard.' I just don't know when I'll get to meet him," Bai Yueguang said wistfully.

And at that very moment, Bai Yueguang's idol, Ning Xiang, was strolling along a path through the maple woods with "Ye Fan."