Voice transmission, Qi Zhaoyue's embarrassed annoyance

Watching Bai Yuqiong's retreating figure as she left so freely, Bai Yuer clenched her hands slightly, but soon relaxed them again...

The shy blush on her face gradually faded, and her cool expression returned.

"My dear elder sister, who will win and who will lose this time..."

"Is far from certain!"

"You probably couldn't imagine even in your dreams that Xiao Liang's father..."

The faintest of smiles curved Bai Yuer's red lips, cool and breathtaking, like ice and snow beginning to melt.

But soon, she frowned slightly again, holding a white stone, puzzled.

"Xiao Liang's natural talent is clearly not the slightest bit inferior to Qi Zhaoyue's. In fact, when it comes to the purity of her heart in pursuing the Dao, she's even a little better."

"So why has Qi Zhaoyue pulled so far ahead of her in cultivation?"

As Bai Yuer pondered this, she grabbed a handful of white stones and scattered them across the Star Array Chessboard before her.

Yet the white stones fell in a chaotic jumble.

"Ever since the golden age officially began eleven years ago, the heavenly secrets have been in disarray."

"I fear that apart from that person in the Star-Picking Tower, no one can divine the heavenly secrets anymore."

Bai Yuer shook her head helplessly. "I hope Xiao Liang can uncover something this time. As long as I know the secret behind Qi Zhaoyue's soaring cultivation, I can help Xiao Liang catch up to her and surpass her!"

"This time, I must win!"

She raised her hand and waved. The scattered stones instantly rose from the board and returned neatly to their boxes.

The Tide-Listening Pavilion returned to its usual tranquility.

Two flowers bloomed, each with its own story.

After leaving the Tide-Listening Pavilion, the alluring smile vanished from Bai Yuqiong's face, her expression indifferent.

She walked slowly along the stone steps wreathed in clouds and mist, her blue robes fluttering in the wind and outlining her perfect curves. "Just as I thought."

"My little sister arranged for her disciple to descend the mountain this time because she wants to keep competing with me."

Bai Yuqiong sighed softly, a hint of helplessness and affection in her eyes. "Little Yu'er, if you want to win, it's not as though your elder sister won't let you."

"But you insist on being so stubborn, demanding to win fair and square."

"A win is a win. Why dress it up in all these high-sounding words..."

"If you can't even understand that, how will you ever beat me?"

Bai Yuqiong shook her head.

With a wave of her hand, heaven and earth lost their colors, leaving all things in black and white, and she vanished from where she stood.

The Daoist Earth Sect's mountain domain, the Dream Butterfly Grotto-Heaven.

Unlike the cool, austere landscape of the Heaven Sect's Like Water Grotto-Heaven, the Dream Butterfly Grotto-Heaven enjoyed spring all year round. Layers upon layers of lotus flowers blanketed its hills and fields in pink, white, and enchanting purple.

Clear streams wound through the fields of flowers, koi flicking their tails and splashing tiny sprays of water...

Bai Yuqiong's sleeping palace stood in Dream Butterfly Lake, in the deepest part of the grotto-heaven.

The entire palace was built from warm jade, surrounded by ninety-nine natural hot springs that sent wisps of white mist curling upward year-round. From afar, it resembled a palace of jade floating among the clouds.

Returning to her sleeping palace, Bai Yuqiong casually tossed her Daoist robe onto the couch and sat lazily in a chair, crossing her long, fair legs.

"I should warn little Zhaoyue!"

As Bai Yuqiong spoke, she took a voice-transmission jade talisman from her own grotto-heaven.

She lightly formed the Method Formula, and a pale blue light shone from the jade talisman, finally condensing into a translucent screen before her.

Yet the moment the screen appeared, Bai Yuqiong froze.

"Zhaoyue, what are you..."

In the steam-filled image, her precious disciple Qi Zhaoyue was bracing both hands against the edge of a white jade bathing pool, her cheeks flushed and her long hair flying.

Although her whole body was not visible, her neck and collarbones made it easy to tell...

Her upper body was completely bare.

On the other side, embarrassed annoyance flashed through Qi Zhaoyue's eyes, and she glared at someone out of view.

Then she lightly pressed her red lips together and said guiltily:

"Teacher, your disciple is... bathing. May I ask what... mm... business you suddenly needed me for?"

Bathing?!

What does this rebellious disciple take her master for?

I may never have tasted it, but I'm not stupid!

Bai Yuqiong inwardly rolled her eyes at her rebellious disciple Qi Zhaoyue, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Still, since she knew her disciple was very "busy," Bai Yuqiong decided to keep it brief.

She told Qi Zhaoyue directly, "Zhaoyue, when your Divine Maiden Sect recruits disciples this time, you must be wary of Zhu Xiaoliang."

"Zhu Xiaoliang?"

Surprise flashed through Qi Zhaoyue's eyes. "That junior sister from the Heaven Sect whom I've never met?"

"She's descended the mountain?"

"But doesn't the Heaven Sect place the greatest importance on remaining aloof from the world, untouched by mortal dust?"

"How could Martial Aunt Yu'er bear to let her precious disciple enter the world?"

Seeing that Qi Zhaoyue was still in the mood to be curious, Bai Yuqiong was once again speechless.

You rebellious disciple, is this really the time to concern yourself with that?

Besides, Zhu Xiaoliang is clearly coming for you!

But as she watched Qi Zhaoyue, her long hair flying incessantly and her hazy eyes brimming with spring waters, Bai Yuqiong finally shook her head.

She swallowed the detailed explanation she had prepared and merely cautioned her:

"We'll discuss that later."

"In any case, I must warn you that Zhu Xiaoliang's motives are definitely impure. Remember..."

"No matter what reason she gives, you absolutely must not let her join the Divine Maiden Sect!"

"Impure motives?"

Hearing her master's warning, Qi Zhaoyue showed not the slightest concern. Instead, a meaningful smile curved her lips.

She raised her head and looked at Bai Yuqiong in the screen, her tone carrying a trace of amusement. "Master, don't worry."

"As I see it, this is actually a good thing."

"A good thing?" Bai Yuqiong was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Qi Zhaoyue swayed, lightly biting her red lip. "Nothing."

"I just think you'll soon be meeting a little Daoist nun from the Heaven Sect who has fallen into the mortal world."

"When that happens, I'm sure Martial Aunt Yu'er's expression will be very..."

But before Qi Zhaoyue could finish, a somewhat lazy, teasing voice suddenly came through the screen:

"You're still in the mood to chat with your teacher? It seems I haven't satisfied Your Highness the Eldest Princess!"

"In that case..."

The next instant, someone abruptly lifted Qi Zhaoyue from behind. Her long, raven-black hair traced a graceful arc through the air, sending up a great splash of water.

The transmission cut off.

"Honestly..."

Although the image had already disappeared, Bai Yuqiong could still imagine how her precious disciple would be "treated."

"Pah!"

Bai Yuqiong spat softly.

Meanwhile, in the Lotus Grotto-Heaven.

Qi Zhaoyue leaned weakly in Xu Changsheng's arms, her bright eyes brimming with spring waters and her jade-like face flushed red...

"The Divine Maiden Sect..."

"What does that mean?"

Xu Changsheng looked at Qi Zhaoyue and asked curiously.

Qi Zhaoyue tenderly kissed Xu Changsheng's fingers. "I came this time precisely to tell you about this."

"I'll soon establish a sect called the Divine Maiden Sect."

"Mm." Xu Changsheng nodded mildly. "And?"

"Why did you need to tell me specifically?"

Qi Zhaoyue gave Xu Changsheng a meaningful look and added, "The Divine Maiden Sect will only accept female disciples."

"Only female disciples?"

Xu Changsheng instantly understood what Qi Zhaoyue meant. He lowered his head. "Seriously, Qi Zhaoyue, I'm finding you more and more outrageous!"

"So, Master..." Qi Zhaoyue tilted her head up slightly and leaned close to Xu Changsheng's ear, her breath fragrant as orchids. "You may punish your Moon Slave however you please..."

With that, she offered her red lips once more, letting Xu Changsheng kiss her.