CHAPTER 465
The Awakening of Love
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Lingxian Hall, Main Entrance.
"Senior Sister, you're back! Shiyu missed you so much!"
Ye Qinghan smiled and wrapped her arms around the soft Li Shiyu. She had to admit, even as a woman, Ye Qinghan found this embrace utterly addictive.
"Shiyao, Senior Sister missed you too!"
"Senior Sister, Jue'er wants a hug too!"
Ye Qinghan smiled and pulled Dongfang Jue, who wasn't quite as soft, into her arms. She had to admit, the feel of this body was almost like Master's… if only she weren't a woman…
After the three disciples spent a moment together, Li Shiyu led her senior sister back.
"Senior Sister, have you become a Valkyrie?"
"What Valkyrie?"
"Master said you went to take the Valkyrie exam! Something about a sudden fire."
"Well, that's true enough, but I didn't become a Valkyrie."
Ye Qinghan spoke without thinking, guessing that the Master hadn't explained what the 'tempering' trial entailed to Li Shiyao and Dongfang Jue.
"Huh? Master said Senior Sister would definitely pass!"
Ye Qinghan looked pensive. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. Actually, Shiyu misunderstood that Master had expelled Senior Sister, so she went to confront Master about it."
"But thankfully, Master didn't blame Shiyu. He said Senior Sister would definitely return within a month and a half at most."
Ye Qinghan nodded thoughtfully. It seemed Xiao Ai hadn't lied to her after all. She then smiled.
"Shiyao, you actually confronted Master over Senior Sister?"
"Yes! Senior Sister, you have no idea—I thought you'd been expelled from the sect! I was so worried!"
"Hehe, well, Senior Sister is back now, isn't she? Since you were so worried about me, I'll give you that pair of suspenders!"
Li Shiyu looked utterly stunned!
"You mean that black pair? The ones I begged you for ages and you never lent me?"
Ye Qinghan couldn't stop laughing. Li Shiyu's expression made it seem like those stockings were some priceless treasure…
"Yep, it's yours!"
"Really? Senior Sister! You're so kind to Shiyu! Shiyu loves you!"
Dongfang Jue pushed Li Shiyu aside and crowded in too!
"Senior Sister, Jue'er is going too! Jue'er is worried about you too!"
"Oh? How about I give you two hundred taels of gold instead?"
Dongfang Jue: ??? How come Senior Sister gets lace-trimmed stockings, but she only gets two hundred taels of gold?
Is this sect bullying again?
Dongfang Jue considered herself perfect in every way except for her small chest, okay?
"Senior Sister, are you guys isolating Jue'er?"
The three direct disciples entered, chatting and laughing as they playfully bickered. Ye Qinghan also shouted.
"Master! Qinghan's back! I passed the exam!"
Su Cheng sipped his tea: "Got it. Why yell so loud over such a trivial matter? Dinner's waiting for you in the kitchen!"
【Oh my! Just as I thought, Qinghan, you haven't disappointed your master!】
【I knew Qinghan could do it! Last time I lost the bet to Xiao Ai, but this time I've finally won it back!】
The mind-reading skill proved incredibly convenient. Hearing her tsundere master's inner thoughts, all of Ye Qinghan's unpleasantness vanished in an instant.
But what was this bet about?
Ye Qinghan suddenly recalled the night she was abducted. So her master had bet with Xiao Ai whether she'd climb through the window to find him…
So this time…
Master trusted Qinghan. How could Qinghan let Master lose?
As this thought crossed Ye Qinghan's mind, she couldn't help but feel happy. Perhaps all this was worth it after all?
"Is there stir-fried pork with slices and chunks, Master?"
"Yes, I made it especially for you."
"Huh? Shiyu, why is there only half a bowl of food? You stole the dish Master saved for me!"
"Shiyao didn't! Sister Heguang came and stole it just now!"
"Shiyao, Heguang was with me the whole time—she even walked me back! Stop making excuses!"
Su Cheng chuckled, then picked up his teacup and teapot and returned to his room.
It seemed that only with such lively bickering did the Lingxian Hall feel truly alive.
Truthfully, Su Cheng's only worry was that Ye Qinghan would return like a changed person.
Perhaps he'd become taciturn, or perhaps he'd no longer be as affectionate toward her.
But thankfully, Ye Qinghan was just as he always had been. That was truly a relief.
Late at night, the sound of a window opening drifted through the air…
"Master, still awake this late?"
Ye Qinghan slipped behind Su Cheng, her jade-like hands resting on his shoulders as if drawing his vital energy. She nestled beside him, leaning against the armrest of the chair.
"I was waiting for you."
Just as in her memories, Master always said this.
"Did Xiao Ai guess Qinghan would come today?"
"I didn't need her. I already knew Qinghan would come."
"Hehe, Master is truly wise~"
Signing his name on the final black-bound document and completing the stamping process marked the end of Su Cheng's workday.
"Master? What's this? The Iron Pot Project?"
Su Cheng slid the black-bound document toward Ye Qinghan. Now, Ye Qinghan possessed the same information access privileges as Lady Gu Ai.
In other words, Ye Qinghan was now, just like Xiao Ai, a true insider.
This didn't mean Shi Yao and Yu Lan were outsiders—Su Cheng would protect them just as fiercely.
Quite the contrary, the distinction lay in this: should a crisis truly arise, Ye Qinghan could die alongside his Master.
Su Cheng would prioritize allowing Shi Yao or Yu Lan to escape first, taking the rear guard himself.
Only a fool would choose to stay and die together. Yet upon realizing this, Ye Qinghan felt only honor and worthiness.
He felt it made her month of torment worthwhile.
"This was Xiao Ai's unilateral decision. I never agreed to such a plan. Not only is it wasteful and burdensome, but it also serves no purpose."
A pair of beautiful eyes merely swept over him; Ye Qinghan only glanced briefly.
"Master, if Qinghan were to fight Lord Gu Ai, what would be my odds of victory?"
"Hmph, none whatsoever."
Ye Qinghan brushed Su Cheng's hand aside, wriggling into his embrace like a kitten. She rolled over, exposing her completely defenseless belly~
For animals, exposing the belly signifies trust or submission—even Shi Yao knew that!
"Qinghan believes that as long as Qinghan draws the sword, even if the odds are minuscule, they are certainly not zero. What if Lord Gu Ai suddenly falls ill and cannot fight back? Or what if a bolt of heavenly lightning strikes Lord Gu Ai, leaving him barely clinging to life…"
That document was the so-called God-Making Project. Xiao Ai remained steadfast in her belief that, just like a sword striking snow, mortal power could also shake the gods.
The so-called Iron Cauldron Project, in plain terms, was about developing new weapons against gods, upgrading divine weapons, and so on.
"Besides, didn't Master also fail to stop Lord Gu Ai? It seems Master didn't reject this path either, right?"
This was the fourth time Su Cheng had pulled Ye Qinghan's hand out from beneath his robe…
"Qinghan, I thought you might be angry with me."
Even if Ye Qinghan were to lose his temper, it would fall squarely within Su Cheng's expectations.
After being deceived like that and enduring a full month of torment, Su Cheng actually hoped Ye Qinghan would vent his frustration.
"Want the truth? The truth is, Qinghan is indeed a bit angry. But seeing you, Master, I just can't stay angry."
"Why?"
"Because Qinghan realized… it's just as Lady Gu Ai said…" Ye Qinghan merely smiled. It was exactly as Xiao Ai had described—she was a slut. The moment she saw her master, she couldn't walk straight.
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