A Master Like a Father

Falling Immortal Mountain, Mystic Maiden Palace.

Dressed in a flowing floral dress, Little Chair, with her lively and mischievous demeanor, made her way to a serene courtyard.

—

Outside the courtyard, two female disciples guarding the entrance bowed deeply. “Greetings, Sister Yi Chengying.” In the Mystic Maiden Palace, ordinary disciples addressed the nine Saintesses as “Sister” rather than the more formal “Saintess” used by outsiders.

Little Chair, whose real name was Yi Chengying, waved her hand dismissively. “Move aside. I need to see the Palace Master.”

“Yes.” The two guards stepped aside.

—

Yi Chengying skipped into the courtyard, her steps light and cheerful. From a distance, she called out in a sweet voice, “Palace Master, Sister Caihe is back! She brought along many talented male disciples, and now all the girls in the sect are treating them like rare animals!”

—

Ye Qishuang, however, didn’t even glance at her. The graceful and elegant Palace Master of the Mystic Maiden Palace stood with her back to Yi Chengying. Yet, her slender figure seemed uncharacteristically lonely, evoking a sense of pity. Her jade-like hand held a crimson pendant that hung from her long, snow-white neck, her gaze distant and contemplative.

Her eyes, as clear and cold as freshly fallen snow, were filled with memories and a soft, unspoken longing.

—

Yi Chengying waited patiently for a long time, nervously clutching the hem of her dress.

Finally, Ye Qishuang broke the silence, her gaze still fixed on the crimson pendant. “Little Chair, do you know what this is?”

“I don’t,” Yi Chengying replied timidly.

—

“Years ago, during a snowstorm that sealed the mountains, my master crafted this pendant for my sixteenth birthday. Though he had a knack for acquiring rare treasures, his crafting skills were mediocre at best. This pendant’s only function is to absorb natural energy and automatically defend against one attack from a Hidden Artifact Realm cultivator every ten days. Yet, I treasure it deeply because every inch of it was shaped by his hands.”

—

Her voice grew colder as she turned to face Yi Chengying, a flicker of hostility in her eyes. “But during my first journey away from Arc Moon Mountain, I was naive and inexperienced. A petty thief stole this pendant from me. It was the first time in my life I cried from sorrow, realizing that not everyone in this world would treat me with the same care and kindness as my master, who was like a father to me. Later, my master offered to make me another identical pendant, but I refused. On my second journey, with the help of several cultivators possessing unique spiritual tools, I tracked down the thief. Fortunately, he hadn’t sold the pendant, so I didn’t torture him. I simply pierced his throat with a sword. That was the first time I killed someone, and I never told my master about it.”

—

“That thief was lucky to meet a merciful Palace Master. If it were me, I’d have bound his soul to my shoe, making him suffer endless torment for eternity!” Yi Chengying said angrily, her delicate brows furrowed.

Ye Qishuang chuckled softly, her voice like a silver bell. “But that’s all in the past. What’s important now is this pendant, made from the rare and precious Cold Bone Blood Jade. Despite my master’s crude craftsmanship, the material has a unique property: if the creator of this artifact comes within a hundred miles, the originally silver pendant will turn crimson.”

—

Hearing this, Yi Chengying’s face turned pale, her legs trembling beneath her floral dress. “W-What? Palace Master, are you saying… the Demon Master is here, in the Mystic Maiden Palace?!”

Ye Qishuang glared at her. “Little Chair, out of respect for our years together, I’ll warn you once: if you don’t want to die a horrible death, never utter the words ‘Demon Master’ anywhere in the Mystic Maiden Palace. Otherwise, you might find yourself crushed in the palm of my master’s Divine Feather Avatar before you even realize it.”

—

Yi Chengying frantically shook her head, her face white as a sheet. “I’ll remember, Palace Master. But… why would the Heavenly Master suddenly visit our Mystic Maiden Palace? He’s not here to destroy us, is he?”

“He shouldn’t be,” Ye Qishuang replied. “This is likely just one of his avatars. After all, my master has been an Avatar Realm cultivator since I can remember. By the time I came of age, he had reached the peak of the Avatar Realm. I once saw an Avatar Realm cultivator cause trouble at Arc Moon Mountain. My master didn’t even summon his Divine Feather Avatar—he simply used his life-bound spiritual tool, the Kunpeng Fan, to knock the intruder down a realm. His true strength is unimaginable. It’s impossible for him to suppress his presence so completely that even I wouldn’t notice.”

—

“Then why is the Heavenly Master here? What does he want? I’m scared,” Yi Chengying said, her voice trembling.

Ye Qishuang shook her head. “How could I possibly guess his intentions? Perhaps… he just came to see me.” As she spoke, a hint of sweetness appeared in her eyes, a look Yi Chengying had never seen before.

—

“Guess?” Yi Chengying asked, surprised. “Palace Master, whenever you talk about the Heavenly Master, you seem so self-deprecating. You’re the—”

Before she could finish, a cold, commanding voice cut her off.

“Slap yourself.”

—

Smack.

Without hesitation, Yi Chengying struck her own cheek, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Ye Qishuang’s gaze was intense. “Remember this, Little Chair. He didn’t give birth to me, nor did he raise me, but he’s like a father to me. He’s the only man I’ll ever bow to.”

—

Yi Chengying, her face pale, whispered, “I understand, Palace Master. I won’t forget.”

“Good. Now, let’s discuss my plan,” Ye Qishuang said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “I’ve decided… to make my master my cauldron. Even if it’s just one of his avatars!”

—

Yi Chengying looked as though she was about to cry. She wanted to scream, “What kind of daughter does this to her father?!” But she didn’t dare say another word, fearing another slap.

—