Inner demon illusion

At Zhu Lianqing's words, they all aimed their sword tips at the two companion vines.

But clearly, the speed at which the companion vines sacrificed themselves exceeded everyone's expectations.

Almost in that instant, the two vines were reduced to mere skins, all their nutrients transferred to the main vine.

Yesheng's flower bud trembled.

"Scatter!" Zhu Lianqing shouted at them.

Shen Ji glanced underwater. His instincts told him this flower was nothing good. If they failed to take Thousand Vines' demon core before it bloomed, Xie Lingchuan would be in danger down below.

The juniors were retreating at Zhu Lianqing's command when they saw their eldest senior brother's figure flash. Instead of retreating, he advanced several steps toward the demon core.

"Eldest senior brother!"

Zhu Lianqing's brow furrowed.

My eldest martial nephew, you really have a death wish.

When Shen Ji appeared before the demon core three inches beneath the flower, Yesheng happened to unfurl, layer by layer.

The beautiful flower released an enchanting yet deadly fragrance.

Shen Ji was the first to smell it. While his mind was still clear, he thrust his sword at the demon core.

Fortunately, Thousand Vines' reactions were much slower while it was blooming, and his sword struck the very center of its demon core.

But a moment later, Yesheng's fragrance dragged Shen Ji into a nightmare.

"Eldest senior brother!" Seeing Shen Ji fall asleep, all three wanted to rush forward and catch him, but the voice beside them made them start.

"Silence. Hold your breath. Fall back."

Zhu Lianqing's tone brooked no argument.

The three had no idea this was their martial uncle's bloodline suppression. They simply held their breath obediently the instant they heard her words.

Then a smoke-colored figure flashed before their eyes. Before they could even see how Zhu Lianqing had moved, Shen Ji was already resting against her shoulder.

Zhu Lianqing even freed one hand to catch Shen Ji's sword.

"Let me borrow your sword for now."

Zhu Lianqing landed and handed Shen Ji to the three somewhat dazed juniors.

"Look after your eldest senior brother."

Zhu Lianqing knew the Yesheng Flower's fragrance seeped into every crack. Given enough time, her three young martial nephews might not withstand it, and with their level of cultivation, they probably would not be able to break through an inner demon illusion.

Their only option now was to drop the already blooming Yesheng into the water and use the water to isolate its fragrance.

But Xie Lingchuan was still underwater.

The palm and the back of the hand were both flesh.

Zhu Lianqing gripped the sword and shook herself alert, then leaped up with extraordinary lightness, flying level with Yesheng and cutting it from the top of the withered vine.

The enormous Yesheng Flower fell into the water with a thud.

Then Zhu Lianqing tossed the sword back onto the bank and plunged into the water herself.

As the Yesheng Flower soaked in the pool, its rich, intoxicating fragrance instantly filled the water below as well.

Zhu Lianqing swam swiftly toward the bottom.

Near the center of the pool bed, she saw a black abyss like a dry well. Xie Lingchuan's sword stood embedded beside it.

Xie Lingchuan lay nearby, sleeping quietly.

The current had loosened his hair ribbon, and his long black hair spread out, drifting up and down in the water.

The sight of the youth sleeping all alone in the gloomy depths made Zhu Lianqing's heart tighten.

She swam forward, wrapped an arm around Xie Lingchuan's waist, and lifted him.

But just as she was about to save him, Zhu Lianqing paused.

There was a very troublesome matter at hand.

First, she had to pull Xie Lingchuan out of his inner demon illusion. Second... she had to breathe air into him.

Zhu Lianqing looked at her disciple's face, which seemed several times more docile in sleep than usual. The longer she looked, the more she felt she really was no decent human being.

This was her personal disciple!

Before putting her lips to his, Zhu Lianqing repented:

"Sorry, my good disciple. I won't tell anyone and ruin your innocence."

"I'm only doing this to save you. Please don't think your master is committing a sin."

Zhu Lianqing leaned down, pressing her lips and forehead against Xie Lingchuan's at the same time.

The instant their lips touched, Zhu Lianqing could not help freezing.

This feeling? Something wasn't right!

Her disciple always seemed so icy, yet his lips were this soft?

An instant later, Zhu Lianqing wanted to slap herself.

Give him air! Give him air! What nonsense was she thinking about!

Meanwhile, where their foreheads touched, their divine senses slowly made contact, gradually merging.

Zhu Lianqing successfully entered Xie Lingchuan's inner demon illusion. When she opened her eyes, she was standing before a bamboo cottage.

This was Evergreen Peak, back at the sect.

It was spring on Evergreen Peak within the illusion. Fresh greenery flourished, mountain flowers bloomed in profusion, and birds of all kinds sang melodiously before the bamboo cottage.

Zhu Lianqing frowned.

Inner demon illusions usually drew out the darkest memories in a person's heart, those they least wanted to face.

She had thought it would be his memories of being bullied and cursed by everyone before she took him as her disciple.

Why were her disciple's memories set on Evergreen Peak?

Hearing the sound of sword practice, Zhu Lianqing walked beneath the eaves, pushed aside a spray of peach blossoms in full bloom, and looked into the courtyard.

A boy of about twelve or thirteen was practicing with a sword.

He wore the disciple robes of the Luoyu Sword Sect, the ends of his hair rising and falling lightly with his sword movements.

Although she had yet to see the boy's face, Zhu Lianqing knew this was Xie Lingchuan.

She used to sit beneath the eaves like this and watch the young Xie Lingchuan practice, so his back was very familiar to her.

A clear clink rang out as the ornament on Xie Lingchuan's sword struck its blade.

Zhu Lianqing focused her gaze. The ornament was a green jade ring, one that looked very familiar.

But Xie Lingchuan had never worn any sword tassel before.

Just as Zhu Lianqing was about to take a closer look, the boy turned, put away his sword, and faced her.

"Master!"

Zhu Lianqing's heart skipped a beat, and she almost answered instinctively.

But the next moment, Xie Lingchuan ran joyfully toward her with his sword in hand, only to pass straight through her and head behind her.

Only then did Zhu Lianqing remember that this was an illusion.

No wonder she could see such a pure, radiant smile on Xie Lingchuan's face.

Back on Evergreen Peak, Xie Lingchuan had rarely smiled unless he was extremely happy.

But even then, the corners of his mouth would never curve upward more than forty-five degrees.

He certainly would never grin from ear to ear like this. Right now, Zhu Lianqing could even see Xie Lingchuan's row of white teeth.

Zhu Lianqing looked behind her. Xie Lingchuan stopped before a writing desk where incense burned and respectfully bowed to the person seated on the other side.

"Master, I'm not tired at all! Master, do you think I've improved today?"

"Of course. Lingchuan makes great progress every day. Truly worthy of being my disciple."

In Zhu Lianqing's eyes, the speaker's face was a blurry mass of shadow.

Since this was Evergreen Peak, the person opposite Xie Lingchuan ought to have been her, yet Zhu Lianqing did not dare be certain.

Because throughout her years as master to Xie Lingchuan, this scene had never happened.

Zhu Lianqing entered the bamboo cottage and watched that person reach out to stroke Xie Lingchuan's head. Xie Lingchuan nuzzled her palm, his eyes narrowing in a smile.

Looking at this thoroughly youthful Xie Lingchuan, Zhu Lianqing felt she had not entered an illusion at all, but was watching some science fiction film.

The real Xie Lingchuan would never smile and nuzzle her palm.