After Breaking Off the Engagement, I Started Pursuing My Master - Chapter 248

Chapter 248: You Have Something on Your Mind

Luo Yueguan’s hand gently stroked Jiang Huai’s forehead.

The light outside the window was dim, Jiang Huai closed his eyes, faintly hearing the sound of light rain, Luo Yueguan’s legs were so soft, and a light fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose.

The room seemed to become very tranquil all at once.

The chaotic thoughts at the bottom of his heart seemed to calm down bit by bit, and the fatigue and loss also gradually melted away with the sound of the rain. Time seemed to slow down, and he gradually fell asleep, his breathing becoming even.

Luo Yueguan lowered her head and quietly watched his face for a long, long time.

…

The spirit boat arrived above the Tianxuan Sect.

Luo Yueguan rose on her sword, with Jiang Huai standing behind her. Soon, the flying sword brought them to the courtyard gate. Jiang Huai gently pushed open the door, and inside the courtyard, Chu Xianning was sitting by the lotus pond, dressed in a cool and elegant white summer dress, her slender legs dipped in the water, with several koi swimming past her delicate feet.

The rain had stopped at some unknown time, the ground was still slightly wet, and Chu Xianning’s expression was as cool as ever, her dark pupils reflecting a glint like ice in the dim light.

When Luo Yueguan stealthily glanced at Jiang Huai, she caught a glimpse of the warmth in the depths of his eyes, and suddenly felt as if her chest had been lightly pricked, an indescribable pain spreading throughout her body in an instant.

Had he ever shown her such tenderness? Did he, or did he not? Luo Yueguan suddenly realized she couldn’t remember.

“I’m back,” Jiang Huai said softly to Chu Xianning.

Chu Xianning turned her head, giving him a faint glance and a slight nod, then continued to turn her gaze back to the lotus flowers in the courtyard, the green leaves swaying gently in the breeze, the buds ready to bloom.

Jiang Huai was used to Chu Xianning’s indifference. It would be strange if she threw herself into his arms for a hug upon his return. He walked leisurely into the courtyard and asked, “Has Master had dinner yet?”

Chu Xianning shook her head.

“Shall I make something?”

“Not hungry.”

“Alright, is Qingyu staying here now?”

“She’s temporarily staying with Wen Wanwan.”

“Oh… was it her own choice?”

“Yes.”

Chu Xianning calmly answered all of Jiang Huai’s questions, then stood up from the pondside, water droplets trickling down her legs. She glanced at Jiang Huai and then shifted her gaze to Luo Yueguan beside him.

After a moment, her eyebrows showed a hint of surprise as she asked, “Have you broken through?”

“Mahayana sixth-level complete,” Luo Yueguan replied, tilting her head slightly.

“Congratulations.”

“Your disciple spent fifteen million spirit stones, plus the five million I saved up myself, to buy me a Cold Soul Snow Spirit. After refining it, I naturally broke through. It’s a pity I’m just a bit short of reaching Mahayana seventh-level.”

Despite Luo Yueguan’s attempt to sound nonchalant, there was a hint of boastfulness in her tone. However, Chu Xianning’s expression remained unchanged, simply nodding, “You’re close. These things can’t be rushed.”

She always had this calm and serene demeanor.

Luo Yueguan felt an indescribable irritation in her heart. Even though she knew Chu Xianning meant no sarcasm and was just calmly congratulating her, she still felt like she couldn’t catch her breath.

Jiang Huai then put down the two cats he was holding; he needed to prepare their bowls and litter boxes and teach the kittens how to use them. For the moment, only Luo Yueguan and Chu Xianning were left in the courtyard.

Luo Yueguan approached the Goboard and looked up at Chu Xianning, “Shall we play a game?”

Chu Xianning sat opposite her, calmly picking up a white piece, her eyes still cold and icy.

The first game ended quickly with Luo Yueguan’s defeat, and the second was the same. By the third game, Chu Xianning gathered up the pieces on the board and said lightly, “You’re restless. Playing more games will have the same outcome.”

“What do you mean I’m restless?”

“A feeling,” Chu Xianning said softly. “Has something happened recently?”

Chu Xianning’s concern was never overly warm, but her willingness to care was already an extremely rare thing. Luo Yueguan fell silent for a short while, then thought it over, “Nothing much, my inner demons have been better lately, no need to worry.”

“Then why are you restless?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Chu Xianning nodded lightly, then asked no further, only saying, “How long will you stay?”

“Depends on when you want me to leave,” Luo Yueguan’s lips curved into a smile.

“Seven days.”

In half a month, it would be time to head to Qingmu Immortal Palace for the Eastern Region competition. If Chu Xianning hadn’t mentioned seven days, Luo Yueguan would have liked to stay for half a month and then set off directly with her.

“So eager to send me away?” Luo Yueguan’s voice carried a hint of suspicion.

“Luo Qingyu’s cultivation has also reached Divine Transformation fifth-level complete. In seven days, it will be just right for her to return to Qingxuan Sect’s Qingxuan Youquan to break through.”

Qingxuan Youquan was a blessed land within Qingxuan Sect, with vast and pure spiritual energy, greatly increasing the success rate of breaking through.

Although everything Chu Xianning said made sense, Luo Yueguan always had strange intuitions. She responded with an “Oh, then I’ll leave in seven days. Where will I sleep?”

Chu Xianning pointed to a room, which was right next to her own, but Luo Yueguan blinked at her, “How about I sleep with you?”

“No.” Chu Xianning shook her head, her refusal crisp and clear.

“Eh, still so stingy.” Luo Yueguan pouted unhappily, “I’m going to your bathhouse to bathe.”

Chu Xianning nodded lightly, watching Luo Yueguan walk away. Her eyes remained cool and deep. After a while, Jiang Huai, having prepared the cat bowls and litter boxes, began to set up a nest for the kittens. Chu Xianning did not speak, just quietly watched him.

“Luo Yueguan bought them. She’ll take them with her when she leaves,” Jiang Huai explained to Chu Xianning.

“She actually wants to keep a spirit pet?” Chu Xianning’s voice revealed a hint of confusion.

“I see her idling away her days, fancying this and that, so I found her something to stave off the loneliness. She promised me she would take good care of them. If she really can’t manage, then I’ll take care of them,” Jiang Huai explained softly.

Chu Xianning nodded, not asking further. When Jiang Huai finished setting up the cat nest, he sat down opposite Chu Xianning and said, “I’ve been to Ziyun Pavilion. I found some medicinal herbs that can repair a small part of my qi sea. The good news is that the leakage of spiritual energy has slowed down, but the bad news is that I still can’t store spiritual energy.”

“But at least it proves that the research direction is correct. I sold my pill formation technique at Ziyun Pavilion and left three million spirit stones there for them to continue looking for medicinal herbs. The rest of the spirit stones were used to buy the Cold Soul Snow Spirit for Luo Yueguan.”

Chu Xianning nodded lightly, showing no further curiosity.

Jiang Huai knew that he didn’t need to explain much to Chu Xianning. She knew he wasn’t particularly concerned about spirit stones, and she wouldn’t be upset that he spent them on Luo Yueguan and not on her.

If Chu Xianning were to get jealous over this matter, Jiang Huai thought he would be quite happy about it.

Jiang Huai laid out many pieces of jewelry on the table, looked up into Chu Xianning’s eyes, and asked, “Does Master like any of these? Pick two?”

All these pieces of jewelry were bought by Jiang Huai from Ziyun Pavilion, so many of them indeed. He hadn’t decided whom to give which piece when he bought them, so he thought it best to let them choose for themselves. Chu Xianning looked down for a long time and finally picked a particularly small tassel earring, saying softly, “Just this one.”

Jiang Huai put away the rest of the jewelry, and the master and disciple sat in silence. So Jiang Huai picked up a Go piece from the table and looked at Chu Xianning. Then he lost to Chu Xianning.

“You have something on your mind,” Chu Xianning said indifferently.

“Can you tell?” Jiang Huai was taken aback.

“Intuition.”

“There is something, but I haven’t figured out how to say it yet. I’ll tell Master when I have,” Jiang Huai replied softly. Chu Xianning nodded slightly, and they began the next game of Go.

This time Jiang Huai was much more at ease, but unfortunately, he still couldn’t beat Chu Xianning. After being trounced twice more, he lost interest. Meanwhile, Luo Yueguan, who had gone to bathe, returned. When both of them looked over at the sound of footsteps, Jiang Huai hurriedly averted his gaze, while Chu Xianning’s brows showed a trace of displeasure.

Chu Xianning’s displeasure was probably because Luo Yueguan’s black backless, waist-tightening nightgown was somewhat inappropriate, and Luo Yueguan’s figure was excessively striking. Her skin glowed like warm jade in the twilight, and the hem of her gown barely reached her knees, barely covering half of her thighs. The neckline was excessively low, and Luo Yueguan’s chest was full and round.

“Go change your clothes,” Chu Xianning said.

“What’s wrong?” Luo Yueguan asked innocently, feigning ignorance.

“You’re six hundred years old. Dress more appropriately in front of the younger generation,” Chu Xianning said, covering Jiang Huai’s eyes with her hand and speaking coldly, “You’re not allowed to look.”

Jiang Huai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Luo Yueguan put her hands on her hips, “I wore this when I came to play here before, why didn’t you say anything then?”

“Jiang Huai was still young at that time.”

“And now he’s not young to us? Isn’t he just a nineteen-year-old kid who can’t even look?”

“Go change,” Chu Xianning said, not bothering to explain.

“You’re just jealous that my figure is better than yours, huh,” Luo Yueguan said without a hint of shame.

She then teasingly looked at Jiang Huai, whose eyes were covered by Chu Xianning, “Don’t worry, Jiang Huai. Next time you come to Qingxuan Sect, Aunt Luo will wear it secretly for you to see.”

Chu Xianning’s expression remained indifferent, only giving Luo Yueguan another sidelong glance before Luo Yueguan obediently went back to her room to change.

Jiang Huai wasn’t too unsettled. When he was fifteen or sixteen, Luo Yueguan would come to the courtyard to play and liked to tease him. Chu Xianning had long been used to it. Now, Chu Xianning removed her hand from Jiang Huai’s eyes and looked at his cheeks.

Jiang Huai looked innocently at Chu Xianning in front of him.

“Is it nice to look at?” Chu Xianning’s voice carried a hint of displeasure.

“How can it compare to Master?”

“Don’t be slick with your words,” Chu Xianning said, lightly tapping his lips with her fingertip, then continued, “Luo Yueguan is childlike in front of those she’s close to. You’re not allowed to mess around with her.”

“Oh…” Jiang Huai started to feel guilty.

If the conversation continued on this topic, Jiang Huai felt he might give himself away. He hadn’t figured out how to confess to Chu Xianning about everything that had happened with Luo Yueguan these days. It seemed he could speak with confidence, yet perhaps he couldn’t, so he tried to change the subject, “It rained all day. How does Master feel now?”

“Much better than before.”

“Shall I massage Master’s shoulders?”

Chu Xianning was silent for a moment, then looked away and hummed softly in agreement.