Senior Sister Had Fallen? Master Was Angry

The faint light of dawn slipped through the gaps in the window lattice, gently spilling over the brocade-covered couch.

The rain had cleared, and the fresh scent of damp earth drifted in from outside, mingled with a trace of morning chill.

The boy slowly opened his eyes within the warm restraint enveloping him, an inexplicable strangeness stirring in his heart.

He wore only a loosely wrapped bathrobe. After a night spent tangled in an embrace, its front had fallen completely open, leaving most of his firm, smooth skin exposed.

The woman in his arms slept soundly, yet her limbs clung stubbornly to him, refusing to loosen even slightly.

Leng Nu Jiao: her entire body pressed tightly against him, all her usual poise gone. Her long legs wrapped imperiously around his waist and abdomen, clamping him firmly between them. Through the thin fabric, their warm, soft contact was unmistakable.

Her pale arms encircled his neck, and one hand had unconsciously slipped beneath his open robe to rest against his warm chest, her fingertips even rubbing lightly in her sleepy haze.

The girl's soft, warm breaths fell evenly against Tang Qingye's collarbone, carrying a faint fragrance of grass and trees that tickled his skin.

Tang Qingye looked down.

The girl in his arms had eyelashes that were trembling faintly and unnaturally. A crimson flush now stained her normally radiant cheeks, and even her delicate little earlobes were so red they seemed ready to drip blood, making her look positively delectable.

She had been awake for some time.

Clearly, discovering first thing in the morning that she was clamping her young master between her legs in such an embarrassing position had caused this ordinarily aloof, proud senior sister to freeze completely. She dared not think about it, dared not think about it-she had actually clamped her young master between her legs!

Her only option was to keep her eyes closed, deliberately soften her breathing, and pretend to be asleep.

Watching her barely concealed shyness and awkwardness, Tang Qingye's lips curved into the faintest smile.

He lifted a hand and lightly brushed Leng Nu Jiao's exquisite, rosy-white cheek while gently taking her earlobe between his lips, his voice carrying the deep resonance unique to waking:

"Jiaojiao, if you keep pretending to sleep, you're going to snap my waist in two."

"Ah..."

Caught red-handed, Leng Nu Jiao could no longer pretend. Her feathery lashes lifted, revealing emerald-green eyes brimming with panic and embarrassment, their watery shimmer filled with a young girl's bashful reproach.

Flustered, she withdrew the little hand that had been making mischief on his chest. Her tightly entwined, beautiful long legs recoiled as though shocked, and she shrank back a little, stammering:

"Y-young master... I didn't mean to. Last night, I..."

"Who was it who clung to me and refused to let go when it thundered last night?"

Tang Qingye leisurely propped himself up on one arm. His loose bathrobe slipped most of the way off his shoulders, revealing nearly perfect contours. He looked down at her with clear, gentle eyes, without a hint of mockery, only reassuring affection.

Meeting his deep gaze, Leng Nu Jiao's heart involuntarily skipped a beat. She bit her lower lip and met his eyes, her usual reserve and pride melting into a heart full of attachment.

"I'll go wash up first."

Tang Qingye lifted the covers and prepared to get out of bed.

"W-wait..."

Leng Nu Jiao looked at the slight creases she had pressed into his clothes the night before, and at his freshness after sweating profusely. As though summoning the greatest courage of her life, she spoke in a mosquito-soft voice, a trace of reckless embarrassment in her emerald eyes:

"Young master... let me wipe you down."

By the time she said it, her lovely, radiant face was so red it almost seemed to steam. Her hands clutched the corner of the covers awkwardly, yet her body had already leaned forward a little restlessly. Her gaze flickered, but remained on him.

Watching her awkwardness, so intensely embarrassed yet still wanting to draw close to him, Tang Qingye raised an eyebrow slightly, his smile deepening:

"Sure. Sorry for the trouble, Nu Jiao."

Her cheeks flushed, the girl wrung out a warm cloth and reverently wiped every inch of the boy's skin.

When her fingertips accidentally brushed his waist, her long lashes trembled ceaselessly, and she held her breath, not daring to breathe heavily.

The boy quietly lowered his eyes and obediently let his senior sister, usually cold as frost toward others, tend to him. At that moment, she was as gentle and compliant as a newlywed wife.

The two quickly tidied themselves, dressed properly, and stepped outside together, shoulder to shoulder.

On the ninety-ninth floor of the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, in his cherished master's residence.

Daylight filtered through the velvet curtains, showering the jade floor with golden radiance, while the hall's crystal chandelier reflected interwoven patterns of gold and red.

Dressed in a plain white gown, Leng Yaozhu sat upright on a broad sofa.

The morning sunlight slanted across half her face, outlining her flawless features with peerless elegance. With yesterday's icy bearing gone, she now looked more like a gentle young married woman awaiting someone's return.

"Beep!"

"Master, I'm here."

A knock sounded, and the boy's voice came from outside.

Hearing him, she turned her head slightly. A smile flashed through her languid, alluring phoenix eyes, and with a wave of her pale hand, the door slowly opened with a creak.

Tang Qingye walked into the room toward the light, dressed in moon-white casual robes patterned with brocade, his black hair secured with a gilded jade hairpin carved with a dragon, looking every inch noble.

Behind him, Leng Nu Jiao kept her head lowered and her fingers tightly interlaced, like a nervous little quail.

"You're here."

Leng Yaozhu's voice was cool and clear, betraying neither pleasure nor anger.

She raised her slender fingers and beckoned to Tang Qingye. "Come here, little Yeye."

Tang Qingye walked over calmly, but before he could come to a stop, Leng Yaozhu caught his arm.

Immediately afterward, an overwhelming tide of softness and cool fragrance enveloped him-once again, she expertly "refined him in an instant," sweeping him into her arms.

Leng Yaozhu's slender, scallion-white fingertips brushed Tang Qingye's forehead, her palm rubbing the back of his neck. Her beautiful phoenix eyes brightened slightly, their affection impossible to conceal.

Yet as Leng Yaozhu continued her thorough refinement of him, she distinctly sensed that the little fellow in her arms possessed an indescribable quality in his aura that had not been there yesterday. Even the flow of his Soul Power carried an ineffable, mysterious depth, while his vitality and physical strength were more like those of a humanoid Ferocious Beast.

"So... you succeeded."

Leng Yaozhu poked his cheek, a trace of anger flashing in her eyes as she said quietly, "It seems I still underestimated your Martial Soul. But little fellow, you actually tried it yourself without telling me. Am I so useless in your eyes, or do you not trust your master?"

Leng Yaozhu's eyes dimmed a little. Anyone would feel hurt at being distrusted by someone close to them, especially when she was concerned for Tang Qingye's safety.

Tang Qingye froze in her arms. He had been so focused on testing his hypothesis that he had not considered his master's feelings at all. He hurriedly explained, "Please don't be angry, Master. I never meant to hide anything from you. I was simply too impatient and acted on impulse, forgetting that this would worry you. It was all my fault."

"Please don't be like this, Master. I..." Tang Qingye clutched Leng Yaozhu's sleeve, a hint of panic in his voice.

"Young master..." Although Leng Nu Jiao had only spent a short time with Tang Qingye, she could sense that beneath his easygoing, unruffled exterior lay extreme confidence and aloof pride, as though he thought little even of the exalted god kings. She had never imagined seeing him like this. His feelings for their teacher...

Leng Yaozhu lowered her eyes, gently rubbing the hem of her dress between her fingertips. "I was never angry because you hid something from me. I was angry because you faced danger alone, without any regard for how worried I would be."

After a pause, she looked up at him. The anger in her eyes faded, leaving only a measure of helplessness. "Whatever happens in the future, you should know that I will always advance and retreat alongside you."

Tang Qingye said softly, "Yes, Master. From now on, I'll be sure to discuss things with you."

Leng Yaozhu lightly tapped his chest with a fingertip. All the gloom in her eyes dispersed, leaving only mild indulgence. "I'll forgive you this time. If it happens again, I really won't speak to you."

"You've ruined my good mood. I nearly forgot the important business." At the mention of business, Leng Yaozhu straightened slightly. Though she still held Tang Qingye in her arms, her phoenix eyes grew more profound. "Do you know the standard by which the continent's truly powerful are measured?"

"Battle Armor, Master."

"Correct. Battle Armor."

Stroking Tang Qingye's black hair, Leng Yaozhu explained softly, "A complete suit of Four-Word Battle Armor can grant a Soul Master the immense power to contend with the workings of heaven and earth. And to become a Battle Armor Master, you must achieve something in a secondary profession."

The earliest Soul Engineers handled the forging and shaping of rare metals, as well as the design, manufacture, and repair of Soul Tools, among other tasks. The most versatile genius Soul Engineers could even skillfully use every type of Soul Tool.

However, as the times developed, a person's energy proved limited. Mastering all these skills simultaneously was simply unrealistic, so they were divided into different professions according to the production process.

"Creating Battle Armor involves just four processes: forging metal, designing blueprints, manufacturing components, and repairing wear afterward. These correspond to the continent's four major secondary professions. I myself am a ninth-rank mecha designer and an eighth-rank Mecha Manufacturer."

At this point, Leng Yaozhu turned her gaze toward Leng Nu Jiao beside them, smiling. "And your Nu Jiao is already a fourth-rank mecha repairer at such a young age. Among her peers, talent like hers would be as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns even at Shrek."

Hearing her teacher's praise, Leng Nu Jiao's emerald eyes brightened. She glanced at Tang Qingye with some embarrassment, pressing her lips together slightly.

Leng Yaozhu continued, "Today's lesson is for you to choose which secondary profession you will pursue. For Battle Armor to truly suit your Martial Soul and unleash its full power, its maker must personally participate throughout its creation. During forging and inscription, you must continuously resonate with the Battle Armor through your own Soul Power and Martial Soul. Over time, the Battle Armor will become one with you, just like a Soul Bone.

"Each of the four major secondary professions has its strengths and weaknesses. Mecha designers achieve the greatest compatibility with Battle Armor. No one understands a Soul Master's Martial Soul better than the Soul Master themselves. Battle Armor you design personally can fit you perfectly, fully unleashing every bit of the combat enhancement it provides. I also hope you can inherit my mantle."

"So, Qingye."

Leng Yaozhu leaned close to his ear, her warm breath tickling its rim. "Tell your master, which would you like to learn from me: design, manufacture, or repair? You're still young. You have plenty of time for trial and error."

Tang Qingye tilted his head slightly, looking at the breathtakingly beautiful face so close to his own.

After meeting those crimson eyes for a long while, Tang Qingye had made his decision. "Master, I plan to study mecha design and mecha manufacture together."

Leng Yaozhu asked curiously, "Why those two?"

"Design and manufacture share the same roots and complement each other. When designing Battle Armor, you must consider whether it can actually be manufactured afterward. Likewise, manufacturing and inscription require a thorough understanding of the designer's overall vision."

Tang Qingye remained composed. His gaze shifted slightly to Leng Nu Jiao, who stood a little dazed beside them, and his lips curved. "Mecha design, mecha manufacture, and mecha repair are fundamentally three parts of one whole, all originating from the Soul Engineers of ten thousand years ago. I'm only choosing two because I'm lazy. Naturally, I'll leave my repairs to Nu Jiao."

Leng Nu Jiao's emerald eyes trembled at his words.

Looking into his earnest eyes, she felt as though her heart had been immersed in warm water. Clutching the corner of her clothes, she nodded gently. Her voice was soft, but utterly firm. "Rest assured, young master. From now on, your Battle Armor... I'll protect all of it."

"Heeheehee..."

Watching the unusual tenderness flowing between the two youngsters, Leng Yaozhu laughed until she shook like a flowering branch. She could not resist pinching Tang Qingye's cheek. "You little fellow, you certainly know how to calculate. All right, I'll personally teach you design and manufacture. You can have your way."

Yet before Leng Yaozhu had finished laughing, Tang Qingye paused briefly and spoke again. "Master, I also want to learn forging."

"What?"

Leng Yaozhu's smile froze. Her delicate brows drew together, and she twisted her little disciple's ear, both annoyed and amused, her beautiful eyes full of helplessness. "You slippery little thing, what an appetite you have! Will it kill you not to study so much? Can you even manage it all?

Studying two disciplines simultaneously was already extremely difficult for Tang Qingye. Leng Yaozhu had let him try because she trusted his abilities, yet now the little fellow wanted to study three.

Tang Qingye let his master twist his ear and took the opportunity to reach out with both hands, naturally wrapping his arms around his cherished master's warm, slender waist. Feeling the astonishing suppleness of her body, he explained, "Master, you should know that my Martial Soul has unique abilities.

"My domain can not only cushion the bodily injuries caused by the intense heat and hammer blows during forging, but also help me sense and awaken the spirituality hidden within metal.

"Besides that, I can also draw upon the power of Heaven and Earth's Origin to remove the myriad impurities within the metal.

"These two complement each other, making them an exceptional aid to me in forging."

His brother by circumstance, Tang Wulin, was also truly favored by destiny when it came to forging.

Looking at the determined, confident gaze of the boy in her arms, Leng Yaozhu finally conceded.

She sighed helplessly and rested her forehead against his, feeling their shared warmth. "I really don't know what to do with you. Since you're so confident, I will naturally smooth the road for you. The Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua in Heaven Dou City and I have something of a friendship. Tomorrow, I'll send a letter and find you a good teacher in forging. However..."

Leng Yaozhu pressed her cheek against his and giggled, her gaze lingering silkily. "If you fail to produce results that satisfy me within five years, then... your master will have to 'punish' you properly, little Yeye."

"I understand, Master."

Tang Qingye smiled, unconsciously tightening his arms and finding a more comfortable position in his master's embrace.

Beside them, Leng Nu Jiao quietly watched the scene. Morning light fell across her radiant cheeks, and nothing remained in her eyes but tenderness too rich to dissolve.