Although there was a Formation hidden here, Bai Yue still couldn’t feel at ease, always thinking Yan Hua wasn’t safe like this.
She turned to look at Mu Chenxi, her tone a bit awkward.
“Chenxi, do you have a powerful defensive Formation on you? I want to set one up here to protect your Senior Sister Yan Hua.”
She felt a bit embarrassed, asking her Disciple for a Formation.
Mu Chenxi heard this, a wave of sourness surging in her chest.
She gripped the hem of her skirt so tightly it wrinkled, her knuckles turning white without her noticing.
Her chest felt suffocated, but facing her Master’s request, she still answered truthfully.
“Yes, there’s a defensive Formation that can withstand attacks at the Golden Core Stage—the Ninefold Ice Mystic Formation. Master, can you use it?”
“Of course, thank you so much, Chenxi.”
Bai Yue nodded, watching as Mu Chenxi took out nine White Array Flags and handed them over.
The nine flags were surrounded by fine white frost, icy mist curling around them.
“Master, we’re Master and Disciple, no need to be so polite. Let me set it up.”
Mu Chenxi spoke, holding the flags as she began to arrange them inside the cave.
Throughout, her red lips were pressed tightly together, her brows slightly furrowed.
When Master asked to borrow her Formation to protect Senior Sister, that suffocating feeling pressed even heavier on her chest, but she forced herself to finish setting up the Formation.
“Master, the Formation is ready. I’m going out to get some air.”
Bai Yue was slightly startled, seeing Mu Chenxi’s unusual expression.
She assumed it was due to her inexplicable fear of Yan Hua.
She didn’t think much of it and nodded in agreement.
Mu Chenxi had just stepped out of the cave when she drew her long sword and activated the Taishang Forget-Emotion Sword Art.
The Spiritual Energy within her was even more chaotic than usual, but her sword strikes grew sharper, sword light weaving afterimages as frosty winds howled with each blade.
Suddenly, a sweetness rose in her throat, and she spat a mouthful of blood onto the Green stone slab, eyes filled with astonishment.
“My sword art actually advanced again? Even though I’m suffocating to the extreme, why does it feel like my sword realm is on the verge of a breakthrough, just a hair away…”
She wiped the blood from her lips, frowning in thought, when Bai Yue’s voice came from behind.
“Chenxi, how did you get injured again? Did something go wrong while practicing your sword?”
Bai Yue saw her vomit blood and rushed over to support her, her voice full of concern.
Mu Chenxi looked at Bai Yue.
“Master, I’m just a step away from breaking through. I’ve reached the bottleneck.”
“Did you comprehend the Sword Art Profundity?”
Bai Yue couldn’t help but feel happy.
If that were the case, there was no need to struggle with whether to use the Initial Kiss to help her Disciple break through.
This was good news.
But Mu Chenxi shook her head, lowering her eyes.
“It’s not that I comprehended the Profundity. It’s still related to you, Master.”
“Related to me?”
Bai Yue froze.
She hadn’t had any intimate actions with Chenxi, so how could it be connected to her?
Mu Chenxi thought for a moment, then explained honestly.
“When I saw Master looking at Senior Sister with such gentle eyes, stroking her head and caressing her face, I felt a suffocating feeling inside. Later, when Master borrowed my Formation to protect Senior Sister, the feeling grew even stronger. I felt so uncomfortable that I came out to practice my sword to relieve it, and unexpectedly, my Sword Art advanced because of it.”
Bai Yue was dumbfounded.
This obedient Disciple wasn’t suffocating—she was clearly jealous.
Jealous because she saw her being close to Yan Hua…
“Master, what exactly is happening to me?”
Mu Chenxi couldn’t figure it out and looked to Bai Yue for answers.
“You’re jealous.”
Bai Yue didn’t hide it and spoke directly.
“Jealous? What does that mean?”
Mu Chenxi was stunned. She was an emotional novice and didn’t understand the term at all.
“It’s not the literal ‘eating vinegar’.”
Bai Yue patiently explained.
“It means when a person likes someone, seeing that person being good to others makes their heart feel sour, as if they’ve swallowed vinegar. That’s called jealousy.”
Mu Chenxi seemed to ponder.
If she could maintain this feeling, perhaps she could break through her Sword Art?
And to keep this feeling, Master and Senior Sister would need to act even more intimately…
For example, having Master kiss Senior Sister’s cheek?
Maybe that would make her even more jealous and help her Sword Realm break through.
As the thought arose, a wave of suffocation hit her chest again, sword energy surging inside, and another mouthful of blood spilled out.
“Why are you coughing up blood again?”
Bai Yue hurriedly supported her, pressing a palm gently to her back.
Mu Chenxi tried to steady her breath and explained.
“Master, I was just thinking, if Master acted more intimately with Senior Sister and made me jealous, jealousy could help me break through. So if Master kissed Senior Sister’s cheek, maybe I could breakthrough…”
“Then should I try it, kiss Yan Hua and see?”
Bai Yue’s fingers curled slightly, her voice hesitant as she looked up at Mu Chenxi.
“N-No need!”
Mu Chenxi shook her head rapidly, the words almost blurting out.
After refusing, she was stunned herself.
This was clearly something that could stimulate her spirit and help her break through the bottleneck of her Sword Art.
Why was she so eager to refuse?
Bai Yue watched her Disciple’s conflicted, contradictory expression, finding it both amusing and a little embarrassing.
This Disciple was obviously jealous, but also an emotional fool.
“Don’t force yourself, Chenxi.”
“Right now, you need to focus on healing. The biggest taboo in cultivation is impatience, understand?”
Bai Yue warned, afraid she would become obsessed with breaking through and go astray.
“I understand, Master.”
Mu Chenxi lowered her eyes in response.
She, too, understood the principle of ‘too much is as bad as too little’.
Bai Yue nodded.
“I still need to make some preparations before we leave. It won’t take long.”
With that, she turned to head back into the cave, but after a few steps, she paused and looked back, giving another worried reminder.
“Chenxi, really, don’t force yourself to cultivate any further.”
“Yes, Master, don’t worry.”
Mu Chenxi nodded obediently.
Seeing her sincere response, Bai Yue finally relaxed and went inside.
On the stone table in the cave, a small pot was already set up, with several pieces of redwood at the bottom.
She wanted to cook some Sugar Beans for the unconscious Yan Hua before leaving, since it was her favorite.
She reached into her Storage Pouch, took out a gourd of Yellow Beans, poured them into the pot, and drizzled amber Spirit Honey over them, slow-roasting over a gentle flame.
Soon, a sweet aroma filled the cave, wrapping everything in warmth.
Bai Yue wiped the sweat from her brow, placed the honey-coated Sugar Beans into a Jade Gourd, and carried it over to the Jade Coffin, setting it gently beside Yan Hua’s hand.
“Good Disciple, when you wake up you can eat this,”
She murmured softly.
“There are Peigu Dan and Snacks too, so don’t run off anymore, okay?”
Remembering how Yan Hua used to pester her for these, Bai Yue couldn’t help but smile, her eyes soft.
Before leaving the cave, she took out the Array Command Token and infused it with Spiritual Energy, instantly causing the Formation to conceal the entrance, blending it into the nearby hills.
Not far away, Mu Chenxi was still sitting with eyes closed, healing. When she heard footsteps, she opened her eyes.
“Chenxi, how is your injury?”
Bai Yue hurried over, her tone more concerned.
“Master, it’s nothing serious. We can set out anytime.”
Mu Chenxi looked up at her.
Her recovery was always quick—this little injury had already faded.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
Bai Yue was still worried.
“I’m really fine.”
Mu Chenxi replied honestly, her gaze falling on the oiled paper package in Bai Yue’s hand.
Only then did Bai Yue remember what she was holding, and she explained.
“These are Sugar Beans I just made for your Senior Sister. There were some left over, so I thought you could try them too.”
Mu Chenxi’s fingers paused, a faint sourness rising in her heart again.
She wondered silently if she was being jealous once more.
“Chenxi, do you want to try?”
Bai Yue interrupted her thoughts.
“Okay.”
“Here, open your mouth.”