Got it.
Even before entering the door, he started to wholeheartedly consider the situation for his disciple.
Chen Ye felt ashamed.
This isn’t a bad dumpling; it’s clearly the best dumpling ever!
"I will follow True Inheritor Bai’s instructions in everything!"
Chen Ye pretended to be serious, stood up, and solemnly cupped his hand towards the True Inheritor who was already uncovered like a little lamb.
The girl was stunned for a moment.
Seeing Chen Ye in a stern demeanor, and then looking at herself like a little lamb... inexplicably stimulated.
How could she stand this?
The girl was extremely embarrassed, hurriedly turned her legs aside, and covered her heart with her arms:
"You... you... you... you scoundrel!"
tsk.
This girl is too thin-skinned.
She can’t even handle this level of role-playing?
As an instructor, Chen Ye felt bound by duty to educate!
In the future,
He must teach this True Inheritor well!
...
Once they tidied themselves up and left the Dragon Transformation Pool, the moon was already high in the sky.
Chen Ye embraced the soft body in his arms, initiated escape light, and flew straight towards Cangli Courtyard at Baopu Peak.
Upon returning to the sect earlier,
His disciple had already returned to Cangli Courtyard first to pack up.
Although Chen Ye hadn’t returned home until late today, fortunately, they all knew he’d be attending the sect’s celebration banquet and could understand their master coming back late.
The night at Baopu Peak was as peaceful as water.
In Cangli Courtyard, the shadows of pear blossom trees swayed and a few petal-like snow fell as the wind blew.
Upon landing, Bai Susu was already so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. She snuggled in Chen Ye’s arms, pointed to the room next door:
"I’ll just stay in the room next door Listening Rain Pavilion. If I really move into Cangli Courtyard, won’t your disciple eat me alive?"
Chen Ye paused, took a glance at the tightly closed courtyard door, hesitated:
"That’s Zhang Chuxi’s courtyard. Though you two have a good relationship, just walking in and staying there might not be great. Maybe squeeze together in my room?"
"I don’t want to squeeze with you. You smell sweaty, and besides... you’re definitely going to be hands-on again."
Bai Susu gave him an annoyed glance, then struggled out of his embrace to stand firm, tidied her somewhat messy clothes, and hummed,
"Don’t worry, she’s definitely not there. Besides, even if she knows, it doesn’t matter; I’ve been here often before... cough, cough, that was a long time ago though."
This girl could have skipped explaining.
Without much thought initially, now Chen Ye understood, Bai Susu had rested in Listening Rain Pavilion since he arrived at Baopu Peak!
And Bai Susu staying at Listening Rain Pavilion, what could be the reason?
Clearly, she was there to monitor him!
Bai Susu further explained: "Furthermore, Chuxi usually doesn’t stay at Listening Rain Pavilion, it’s rare for her to come back for a few nights throughout the year."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ye slightly frowned.
It’s indeed been something that puzzled him all along.
He had thought of tutoring Zhang Chuxi privately since he was an instructor and they were neighbors, but the girl never showed up next door.
"If she doesn’t stay in Cangli Courtyard, then where does she live usually? She can’t be wandering around the sect all the time, right?"
Accompanying Bai Susu to Listening Rain Pavilion, watching her skillfully take out a token to undo the courtyard restriction, Chen Ye followed up with the question.
Entering the courtyard,
Bai Susu found a side room, kicked off her shoes, snugly wrapped herself in a quilt, only a golden little head was exposed, sounding tired:
"Where else? Gathering Cloud."
"Gathering Cloud?" Chen Ye was startled.
"It’s the estate under the Fourth Elder."
Bai Susu yawned, explained,
"You know Chuxi’s character, don’t you? She’s the eldest lady of the Zhang family, accustomed to sumptuous, lively days. Although the scenery here is nice, it’s too solitary, not even a shadow of a ghost to be seen."
Chen Ye suddenly understood.
Indeed, as the eldest lady of the Zhang family, how could she have just one house?
Bai Susu mumbled:
"Speaking of, one can’t keep up with the pace, how can one cultivate? I’ll call her back someday; then... I can supervise her studies from time to time..."
If that happens,
She would naturally be able to come by, and Chen Ye’s disciples wouldn’t have much to say.
...
Watching Bai Susu’s breaths become even and fall into a deep sleep, Chen Ye then gently helped her close the doors and windows, activated the restriction, and then turned into the night.
Listening Rain Pavilion and Cangli Courtyard were only separated by a wall.
Upon stepping into his own courtyard, he found the lights in the main house still lit.
The candlelight seeped through the window paper, showing some warmth in the quiet night.
"Master?"
As if hearing footsteps, the door opened with a creak.
A slender figure stood by the door; it was Zhiwei.
The girl wore a slightly large robe, with ink-like black hair, elegant and unworldly.
In her hand was an unfinished scroll of scripture, and upon seeing Chen Ye return, a ripple formed in her usually calm eyes, she hurriedly approached:
"Master, you finally returned..."
"Why are you not asleep yet?"
Chen Ye’s heart warmed, naturally reached out to rub her head, his tone gentle,
"Didn’t I say the celebration banquet would be late tonight, so you didn’t need to wait for me?"
"Disciple couldn’t sleep and thought of reading a book..."
Zhiwei obediently let him rub her head; without seeing her master, how could she sleep?
The girl then wrinkled her nose slightly, somewhat puzzled,
"Master smells... so fragrant?"
Chen Ye didn’t panic at all.
He had just left the Dragon Transformation Pool; it would be strange not to smell fragrant.
"Master received the Sect Master’s reward, went to the Dragon Transformation Pool to be refined." The master replied calmly.
"Zhiwei smells traces of powder." The disciple calmly stated.
"There’s heavy powder scent during the celebration banquet, plus many senior sisters and junior sisters offered wine; it’s inevitable to pick up some." The master remained composed.
"Oh, Zhiwei thought the same." The disciple smiled faintly.
...
Returned to the bedroom.
Chen Ye closed the door and directly sat on the meditation cushion.
The surroundings quieted down.
As his mood calmed, the intense headache temporarily suppressed surged back.
The shower in the Dragon Transformation Pool not only restructured his body but, importantly, cured all his past hidden injuries.
Including the hidden wound on his Divine Soul.
Thus, he recovered some fragmented memories.
"Qi Kingdom... Immortal Sect..."
Chen Ye closed his eyes, brows tightly knit, attempting to find clues in those broken memory scenes.
In this Immortal Cultivation Realm, Qi Kingdom is famously chaotic.
Demon Sect stands firm, evil cultivators everywhere.
Righteous sects have always kept away from this place, let alone establishing sects there.
If that so-called "Immortal Sect" is really located in Qi Kingdom, then it’s most likely a wolf in sheep’s clothing demon lair!
"When I was young, I was just an ordinary person, mediocre in talents, without anyone to rely on. Why would cultivators come specifically to ferry me?"
Chen Ye calmly analyzed in his mind,
"Moreover, if I strayed into a demon’s lair, if they didn’t deem me worthy, they could easily kill me or refine me into a blood pill, or the main soul of a soul banner... Why would they go through the trouble of having a Golden Core True Man erase my memory and painstakingly send me back? If I was important, why was I left outside unattended?"
This doesn’t make sense.
Unless...
During this process, something happened that must be forgotten.
Or, that so-called unsuccessful return was itself a lie.
Chen Ye suddenly opened his eyes, pupils narrowed.
Is there a possibility that he wasn’t "sent back," but was used as some pawn?
Chen Ye instinctively examined his body internally, Divine Sense scanning inch by inch over his Qi Sea, meridians, even deep within his consciousness.
Found nothing.
"No, now I have a proficiency panel, and a strong Divine Soul, what means could deceive me?"
Chen Ye gently tapped his knee with his fingers, thoughts racing,
"Looking at it now, I’ve only been deliberately stripped of some memories. Conveniently, I crossed over, never realizing there’s an issue with my memories."
Interesting.
Chen Ye’s expression was serious.
Unexpectedly, his body harbors secrets even he was unaware of.
"If my guess is correct, this Immortal Sect very likely is the Emotion Crossing Sect! Emotion Crossing Sect borders Lingyin Sect, and being the first Demon Sect in Qi Kingdom... combined with being closest to Yunxi District, this serves well to move the previous self back and forth."
Chen Ye carefully scrutinized, eyebrows furrowing.
Unforeseen,
He and Emotion Crossing Sect are bound by such deep "fate"!