Chapter 18: Silly Apprentice, What Are You Doing!

A few days later, Su Qianqian and Su Lingling were together, refining the Qingyun Sword Embryo.

Once they reached the Golden Core Realm, they would obtain a top-tier, perfectly suited natal spirit sword.

Because the sword embryo was naturally compatible with both Su Lingling and Su Qianqian, the refining process went relatively smoothly.

Their bond with the sword embryo was steadily increasing.

However, this type of refining could not last for too long at a time.

Otherwise, the sword energy of the Qingyun Sword Embryo might harm their minds.

After a period of refining, the sisters both started to rest.

At that moment, Lin Muxue appeared before them. Su Qianqian subtly edged closer to Su Lingling.

When Lin Muxue glanced over, Su Qianqian’s gaze shifted aside, as if she were shy or sulking.

“Qianqian…”

“I’m here!” Su Qianqian replied nervously.

These past few days, Su Qianqian had been sticking closely to Su Lingling, never giving Lin Muxue a chance to approach her alone!

Although if Lin Muxue really wanted to call her over by herself, Su Qianqian had no real way to refuse, she still tried her best to express her rejection and resistance in this way.

Su Lingling looked at her Master and her elder sister in puzzlement.

She could tell that Su Qianqian hadn’t been acting quite right lately, and seemed a little afraid of Master, but she didn’t know why or how to ask.

Lin Muxue lowered her gaze, clearly saddened by Su Qianqian’s wariness.

But she also understood that she had been too forward, and it was only natural Su Qianqian would be on guard…

“Today, come with me to the Sect’s Zangjing Pavilion and pick out some techniques you like or think will be useful. I can teach you combat techniques, but some of the more convenient spells you might want, I may not be able to teach.”

Upon hearing Lin Muxue’s words, Su Lingling’s eyes lit up. Zangjing Pavilion? That sounded amazing!

As usual, Lin Muxue summoned her Flying Sword outside the cave abode. Su Lingling and Su Qianqian naturally stood behind her.

“Master, when can my sister and I control swords ourselves?”

“When you reach the Qi Condensation Tenth Layer, you can begin to try. With your foundation, short flights should be no problem.”

Su Lingling was now filled with motivation, even more eager to cultivate.

The allure of flying was simply irresistible to mortals!

Lin Muxue glanced at Su Qianqian and casually asked the sisters, “Would you like to experience high-speed sword flight?”

“Yes, yes! I want to!” Su Lingling agreed without hesitation, then looked to her sister.

Faced with Su Lingling’s expectant gaze, Su Qianqian couldn’t possibly refuse and could only nod helplessly.

“Then grab my robe, or you might lose your balance.” As she spoke, Lin Muxue glanced again at Su Qianqian.

At that moment, Su Qianqian also looked at Lin Muxue.

Seeing the anticipation in Lin Muxue’s eyes, she sighed inwardly, then reached out and gently grasped a corner of her robe.

Lin Muxue looked away, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.

Grabbing her robe signaled that Su Qianqian’s sulking was beginning to “deflate”…

“As expected, starting with Su Lingling is the easiest way to handle Su Qianqian…” Lin Muxue concluded inwardly.

Once both girls had a firm grip on Lin Muxue’s robe, Lin Muxue gently lifted them off the ground.

After a reminder, she injected more power into the sword!

“Waaah—!” Su Lingling couldn’t help but shout; it was just too thrilling!

At first, Su Lingling was nearly thrown backward by inertia, but luckily she held onto Lin Muxue’s robe.

Perhaps to delight Su Lingling, Lin Muxue’s sword flight this time was especially exhilarating, twisting and weaving through obstacles like a Disciple who had just learned to fly and was going wild.

Then…

“Hey! Disciple up ahead, stop right there! You’re violating the Sect Rules of Sword Flight!”

Lin Muxue looked curiously behind her at the approaching figure, slowing down, and saw a Duty Disciple flying over.

At first, this Duty Disciple was full of righteous fury, ready to discipline a rule-breaking Disciple, but then… why did this person look so much like their Sect Leader?

Uh… and the two girls at her side looked like the two Disciples the Sect Leader had just taken in…

“My apologies, Sect Leader, I misjudged! I’m truly sorry for delaying your journey!” The Duty Disciple bowed deeply, then stiffly flew away in reverse…

Only then did Lin Muxue recall, “Ah, that’s right. You mustn’t fly like I just did within the Sect, it’s a violation of the Sect Rules of Sword Flight.”

“Then Master, what happens if you break the rules…?” Su Lingling asked worriedly.

“I’ll… go find the Disciplinary Elder myself in a moment and have him log a violation for me.” Lin Muxue frowned, feeling it was truly improper for a Sect Leader to break the rules.

Seeing Lin Muxue about to report her own infraction, Su Qianqian couldn’t help but laugh: “Pfft~ Master, be more careful next time.”

“Heh, got it…” Seeing Su Qianqian relax and drop her guard, Lin Muxue also smiled faintly.

Su Lingling had no idea what was happening, but she felt the atmosphere suddenly lighten, so she joined in with a happy laugh!

Now the only one still unsettled was that Duty Disciple who had just stopped the speeding Sect Leader.

He felt his future was looking bleak…

Afterward, adhering to the Sect’s regulations, Lin Muxue brought the sisters to the entrance of a tall Tower.

Su Lingling looked around curiously, following her Master inside.

The moment she entered, Su Lingling couldn’t help but gasp in wonder—the Tower’s interior and exterior were completely different!

From the outside, it looked like a Tower just a few times bigger than an ordinary one in the mortal world, but stepping inside, it was like entering another realm!

“Wow~! It’s so huge! It feels dozens of times bigger than outside! How is that possible?”

“That’s the application of spatial spells and formations, a category you need very profound cultivation to even begin learning. If you’re interested, Lingling, you can focus on it in the future.”

“Then what’s Master’s main focus?”

“Sword.”

“Sword?”

“The path of all things related to the sword…”

At that moment, a few Book Spirits riding books flew by, circling curiously around Su Qianqian and Su Lingling, making Su Lingling stare at them in amazement.

“Go with the Book Spirits to look for any spells you want. I have some business to discuss with the guardian elder here.”

“The Sect Leader’s Disciples, follow us! We’ll help you find the most interesting spells!”

Eyes shining, Su Lingling pulled Su Qianqian along and followed the adorable Book Spirits.

Meanwhile, Lin Muxue flew to another side of the Tower. After a few turns, she spotted a mature woman lying on a recliner, covered with a book.

Sensing Lin Muxue’s arrival, the mature woman stretched lazily and sat up.

“My, my! Little Muxue is actually here to visit her Master? And you’ve brought two adorable Disciples~ Want them to meet their Martial Ancestor?”

Faced with her unpredictable Master, Lin Muxue was reminded of her Senior Martial Sister—these two really were the most similar pair of Master and Disciple.

She knew that if her Master got to talking, there’d be no end to it, so Lin Muxue got straight to the point:

“Master, I want to amend the rule forbidding Masters and Disciples from Double Cultivation.”

“Huh?” Her Master’s expression froze. She truly hadn’t seen that coming.

But she was experienced, and quickly went from shock to covering her mouth in embarrassment: “I know I’m quite charming, but we’re impossible, you know. I still like handsome young men~”

Lin Muxue simply stared expressionlessly at her clowning Master.

After fooling around for a while and seeing Lin Muxue unmoved, her Master’s face became serious as she looked at her most earnest Disciple: “You’re serious? Why? Isn’t that Su Ling you liked already long gone? Besides, you never mentioned changing this rule before.”

Lin Muxue remained silent, while Shen Ningbing’s divine sense swept over the two girls choosing techniques with the Book Spirits.

“You’ve fallen for your two new Disciples? Both little girls?” Shen Ningbing asked, shocked but uncertain.

Lin Muxue stayed silent. As someone who knew Lin Muxue better than almost anyone, Shen Ningbing understood that this silence meant agreement.

“My foolish Disciple, what are you up to this time?!” Shen Ningbing was genuinely stunned. When had her Disciple developed such a kink? Had being single so long given her a mental problem?

But she had to admit she understood Lin Muxue—thinking of her Disciple’s struggle with that unfortunate apprentice, and the outcome…

“Is one of them his reincarnation?” Shen Ningbing asked uncertainly.

Lin Muxue was silent for a moment, then nodded, and shook her head.

Seeing this, Shen Ningbing frowned and muttered, “So it’s not just reincarnation… Well, that does fit your character…”

Lin Muxue saw her Master had guessed the situation, so she pressed on: “So, can you allow Double Cultivation between Master and Disciple?”

“No. That rule exists for a reason; it can’t be changed just because of your desires. However…”

Shen Ningbing’s tone suddenly shifted, her expression taking on a slightly unorthodox air: “But you’re the Sect Leader—many rules simply can’t bind you. It’s fine to be willful sometimes… Just don’t go too far, or it’ll cause problems.”

With her Master’s approval, Lin Muxue’s inner conflict faded. Her unpredictable Master always managed to support her at the strangest times—she had been the same during the matter with Su Ling.

“Then Master, do you have any Double Cultivation techniques? I don’t know much about them.”

“Double Yin and Double Yang techniques are rare, but I do recall a few. Wait here, I’ll look for them. I’ll also send you some reference Compendiums, hehe~”

Before long, Lin Muxue had received a top-level Double Cultivation technique, along with a stack of little booklets from her Master’s oddly grinning face—all now stored in her Storage Ring.

Her Master told her to read them when no one else was around.

Meanwhile, as Su Qianqian was picking techniques with her sister, she suddenly shivered, a sense of foreboding washing over her…