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Chapter 9: The Beloved Disciple! Life Hanging by a Thread!
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Ye Qinghan gazed at Su Cheng with tender eyes as she collapsed into his embrace…

"Master…"

"Qinghan… I might… not be able to stay with you any longer…"

Gritting her teeth, tears welling in her eyes, Ye Qinghan channeled her magic. A stream of light coalesced into a sword case, plummeting from the sky!

It struck the assassin squarely, killing him instantly…

"Qinghan, it's all my fault! Don't say another word! I'll find a way!"

"It's no use, Master…"

"No, it can't be! It can't be!"

【Damn it! How dare you harm my precious Qinghan! I'll slaughter every last one of you someday!】

Su Cheng gritted his teeth, frantically opening the system panel and scanning the shop interface.

【Qinghan, survive! I'll make you all wish you were dead! If anything happens to Qinghan, I'll make you beg for death!】

"Qinghan, where's the immortal pill I gave you?"

Su Cheng stared at Ye Qinghan, whose voice was weak and faint, nearly driven mad with panic. She had been perfectly fine just moments ago!

How did an assassin suddenly appear out of nowhere!

"Master… it hurts so much…" Ye Qinghan's fox-like eyes seemed barely open, her words coming in gasps.

"It's nothing! With me here, you'll be fine! Even if I have to shatter the cycle of reincarnation itself, I will protect you!"

"Master, while Qinghan is gone, please take care of yourself…"

"Bullshit! You won't be gone! Where did you put the immortal pill I gave you?"

【Why do you keep talking about dying?! I won't let you die! With that immortal pill, even if you're halfway to the gates of death, I'll drag you back!】

Su Cheng pried Ye Qinghan's hands away from her clutched abdomen, revealing smooth skin—no sign of a penetrating wound!

【Thank goodness! It's not a piercing wound. With proper treatment, he'll be fine!】

【Healing Pills! Life-Saving Pills! Qi-Blood Pills! Who cares if they work—just get Qinghan to take them!】

"Shut up and open your mouth!"

"Mmm…" Just as Ye Qinghan tried to speak, Su Cheng shoved several pills into her mouth!

"How is she?" Su Cheng looked worried as he held Ye Qinghan. Her face was haggard, showing no sign of improvement!

"Master, Qinghan hurts so much…"

[Could it be poison? Hundred Wounds Powder, Earth Spirit Blood-Restoring Powder, antidote…]

Seeing Ye Qinghan show no signs of recovery, Su Cheng shoved another handful of elixirs into her mouth.

"Mmm… Cough cough…"

"Master… hold Qinghan…"

【Huh? Did I give Qinghan the wrong medicine? Why is she bleeding from her nose now?】

Upon hearing this, Ye Qinghan's entire fox form froze in shock. Holy crap!

Master's medicine was too potent—she'd gotten all heated up!

"Master…"

"Qinghan, where is the immortal pill I gave you? That one will definitely cure you!"

"It's in my chest…"

Su Cheng wasted no time. He wrapped one arm around Qinghan's slender waist while his other hand frantically tore open her collar, fumbling through the pocket in her own chest.

Ye Qinghan's heart pounded wildly. Master was being far too bold!

Master, couldn't you be a little gentler?

Though she didn't dislike it either…

"Master…"

"Don't speak! This is to save your life!"

Su Cheng declared with righteous conviction—what could possibly matter more than the life of his own disciple?

【This guy, what's wrong with him? Still being shy at a time like this? Doesn't he want to live?】

【Wait a moment…】

[But she was stabbed by a sword, right? Why isn't there a single drop of blood besides the nose bleed…?]

Hearing this, Ye Qinghan realized the problem too—her master was about to discover it!

"Master… Qinghan hurts so much!"

Only then did Su Cheng snap into action, quickly flipping Ye Qinghan's slender body over to inspect the sword wound on her back.

【The wound is so severe! If I'd checked even a moment later…】

【…it might have swollen shut…】

Seeing the fist-sized crimson bruise on Ye Qinghan's snow-white back, Su Cheng was speechless…

"Qinghan, it's okay. I'll go back and apply some red flower oil for you…"

What to do now? He'd rather die than admit he'd deliberately tricked his master into giving him a hug!

Master was already reaching into his own pocket. Admitting it now would be like signing her own death warrant!

"Master, please don't try to comfort Qinghan. Qinghan knows her own injuries…"

Ye Qinghan's eyes glazed over, as if she might not survive another second.

【You know jack! Not a single second of peace for your master!】

"You scared the life out of me! Not even a scratch—just a bit reddened…"

"Waaah, Master, Qinghan is so scared! So scared of never seeing you again!"

Ye Qinghan didn't care—she just wanted to snuggle up to her Master!

"Alright, get up. Fasten your buttons. Next time, don't keep your lifesaving items tucked inside your clothes…"

Ye Qinghan nodded and finally stood up to inspect the assassin's identity.

But what she was thinking was: This disciple knows she was wrong, but she won't change!

After a thorough inspection, Ye Qinghan found no valuable clues—after all, the corpse had been smashed into two pieces…

Only the tattoo on the wrist offered a clue. Ye Qinghan didn't recognize it, but Su Cheng did.

[A dead servant of Pingyun Sect. Most likely hired by Cheng Liang to kill me.]

【Pingyun Sect, huh? You really take on any job, don't you?】

【The past is the past, and the present is the present. I care not what you said or did back then.】

【But now, you dare harm my direct disciple?】

"Qinghan, let's return. Your master has matters to prepare."

"Master going to seek revenge?" Ye Qinghan trailed behind Su Cheng, blinking her large eyes with a probing look.

"Strike first to prevent a hundred blows!"

Su Cheng walked forward, his silhouette silhouetted against the setting sun. His broad shoulders seemed to bear the weight of the crimson orb, radiating unwavering reliability.

"My relentless tolerance has only harmed you. The fault lies with me."

Ye Qinghan dared not speak, her fox-like mind racing. Was Master… angry?

It was… a bit terrifying…

Returning to Lingxian Hall, Su Cheng exchanged two jade slips and immediately attempted to engrave the skill granted by the system onto them.

He'd expected the process to be complicated, but the system assisted, completing it in an instant.

【But this still isn't enough. To level the Qingyun Sect, I need to play it safe.】

[Qingyun Sect is a major sect with protective arrays and dozens of elders. We must proceed cautiously. If it fails, Qinghan must not be sacrificed.]

Ye Qinghan listened outside the Spirit Pool Hall, her heart pounding with dread. "Master, you intend to destroy the Qingyun Sect!"

【Qinghan must undertake this mission. Only by remaining seated within Lingxian Hall can I ensure the greatest stability. Should Qinghan be defeated, I can rescue her at the very first opportunity.】

【Besides the Star River Ruler, there is also the Fallen Immortal Ruler. Use the Fallen Immortal Ruler to trap everyone within the Pingyun Sect.】

【Then seal them with the sword incantation. This is the most secure method, leaving no survivors.】

Soaking in the pool, Su Cheng found the spiritual liquid offered him little benefit beyond sharpening his mind. He always felt his thoughts were crystal clear when immersed in the waters.

【No, that's not enough. The sword incantation alone might be insufficient. Give her the Demon-Sealing Stele too! With the Demon-Sealing Stele, breaking through the sect's protective array should be no problem.】

【Better to play it safe. What if Pingyun Sect harbors some terrifying threat?】

【Have Qinghan bring the Chaos Bell. Even if she can't win, it'll protect her from fatal injury.】

【Also bring the Immortal Banishment Umbrella and the Fallen Immortal Zither. What if they face mental attacks? It can also nullify illusions.】

Ye Qinghan froze. This must be what the Master meant by an equipment matchup…

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