After Faking Her Death and Fleeing, the Emotionless Daoist Master Regretted It - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Master’s Admonition

Night fell, and Ling Yunyue brought her disciple to the largest inn in Qingyun City.

The Welcoming Immortal Tower stood thirty-three stories tall. Upon entering, Su Lingqing noticed a faint woody fragrance, and her mind calmed down unconsciously.

There were many cultivators coming and going in the inn, yet it was not noisy at all.

Su Lingqing followed her Master for a while, and her head gradually felt heavy; she was starting to feel drowsy.

She realized something was wrong and was about to speak when her Master stopped and pressed a finger to her glabella (the space between the eyebrows).

An immediate wave of coolness spread throughout her body.

Su Lingqing gradually cleared up, and her Master’s gentle voice reached her ears.

“The inn has lit an Essence-Calming Spiritual Incense. This incense helps cultivators focus and calm their minds. Lingqing has not yet begun cultivation and is still mortal. Prolonged exposure can easily lead to a stupor.”

The young girl suddenly realized the reason and then asked another question: “Master said earlier that as long as one possesses a spiritual root, they can embark on the path of cultivation. Does Master know what kind of spiritual root this disciple has?”

“Lingqing has a single Wood Spiritual Root, which is a rare Heavenly Spiritual Root in the cultivation world.”

“Is Master also a Wood Spiritual Root?”

Ling Yunyue slowly shook her head: “I possess an Ice Spiritual Root.”

Hearing this, Su Lingqing instantly recalled the bone-chilling cold that enveloped her Master when they first met.

So, her Master was an Ice Spiritual Root. Now that she was by her Master’s side, she didn’t feel cold at all. Had her Master deliberately retracted her spiritual power?

Just as she was thinking this, a strange voice suddenly reached her ears.

“How long do the two guests intend to stay, and how many rooms do you require? Do you need spiritual meals?”

Ling Yunyue waved her sleeve and took out one thousand four hundred spirit stones.

“Seven days for now, one Sky-character room, and spiritual meals as usual.”

“Excellent. This is the entry token for Sky-character Room Ten. Please hold onto it, guests, and return it before you check out.”

Su Lingqing meekly followed her Master. Her previously calm heart began to pound when she heard her Master’s words.

Her Master had only requested one room… would she be staying with her Master?

The young girl secretly glanced at the aloof, fairy-like figure, her pretty face uncontrollably flushing.

This action was noted by Ling Yunyue.

The sharp-witted Master guessed what her disciple was thinking and gently explained: “The night is quiet, perfect for cultivation. Starting tonight, I will impart the method of introducing qi into the body to Lingqing. Two rooms would truly be redundant.”

The young girl was somewhat surprised by this.

“Master, does one not need to sleep at night after beginning cultivation?”

Ling Yunyue smiled and replied: “Theoretically, that is true. If a cultivator feels fatigued, they only need to circulate the spiritual power around their body to dispel the exhaustion. However, it also depends on personal habits; some cultivators still sleep regularly at night.”

“Does Master have the habit of sleeping?”

“I did when I was young, but now the nights are mainly spent in meditation.”

For some unknown reason, hearing this, Su Lingqing felt a pang of regret in her heart.

She bit her lip, unable to understand the source of this emotion.

In her eyes, her Master was like a celestial being from the Ninth Heaven, unconcerned with mortal affairs. It was perfectly normal for her habits to differ from a mortal like herself.

She thought for a long time and gradually realized something, her pretty face instantly turning bright red.

A mixture of shame, self-reproach, and frustration surged within her. She hung her head, standing like a quail, and did not speak again.

Ling Yunyue seemed to sense this and paused her steps.

“Lingqing, what is wrong?”

“N-nothing…”

Su Lingqing spoke hesitantly. She was afraid her Master would see through her shameful thoughts, so she dropped her head even lower, stiffened her body, and wished she could become invisible or burrow into the ground.

The next moment, her slender chin was gently grasped by fingers with clearly defined knuckles.

The young girl was forced to look up, meeting a pair of beautiful, yet deeply scrutinizing, peach-blossom eyes hidden beneath the veil.

Ling Yunyue looked at her disciple’s nervous state, the expression in her eyes indistinct.

“What were you just thinking, Lingqing?”

The young girl forced a calm facade, her mind racing, and came up with an excuse: “This disciple… this disciple has never cultivated before, and is worried about doing poorly and angering Master…”

Ling Yunyue looked deeply at her, whether she believed her or not was unclear, but ultimately she did not press further.

“I have said that Lingqing is a Heavenly Spiritual Root, with excellent innate talent. There is no need to worry about cultivation issues.”

At this point, she released her grip on the young girl, put her hands behind her back, and walked ahead, continuing: “Cultivators mostly aim to seek eternal life. If Lingqing also aspires to this path, after embarking on the journey, you must focus diligently on cultivation and never be hindered by the mundane world.”

There seemed to be a profound meaning in her words, and Su Lingqing’s face turned pale as she listened.

When she spoke again, her voice couldn’t help but carry a slight tremor: “This disciple respectfully obeys Master’s admonition!”

She thought, her Master most likely guessed her thoughts but chose not to expose them…

To be able to become her Master in this life was already an immense fortune. Those improper thoughts truly should be extinguished as soon as possible.

Su Lingqing secretly made up her mind, and her heart gradually calmed down…

Sky-character Room Ten was located on the thirtieth floor of the Welcoming Immortal Tower. She thought they would have to climb wooden stairs for a long time, but instead, her Master led her to a corner on the ground floor next to a stone platform carved with intricate patterns.

Her right hand, hidden in her sleeve, was taken and held, transmitting a warmth that wasn’t her own.

She looked up again, meeting the pair of peach-blossom eyes hidden beneath the veil. This time, she saw only endless gentleness.

“This is a common short-distance teleportation array in the cultivation world. Just step onto the stone platform, and the array will automatically activate and take us to the corresponding floor.”

Su Lingqing quickly shifted her gaze away. She was afraid that if she looked for too long, she would unconsciously fall into temptation again.

“Master, this tower has thirty-three floors. How does it ensure transmission to the correct floor?”

“Look at the central part of the array pattern on the stone platform. The pattern etched there matches the one on the inn’s wooden token I hold. Step onto the platform, and the corresponding array pattern will be activated, naturally sending us to the correct location.”

“I see. Thank you, Master, for resolving my confusion.”

By not looking at those peach-blossom eyes, Su Lingqing successfully redirected her attention.

However, she wondered if it was her imagination, but at that moment, she sensed the grip on her right hand tighten slightly.

Looking up again, she found her Master had already withdrawn her gaze and was looking straight ahead.

Perhaps it truly was a misconception… Su Lingqing shook all unwarranted thoughts from her mind and slowly followed her Master to stand on the stone platform.

As circles of array patterns lit up, the teleportation array instantly activated. A faint layer of spiritual light enveloped them. In but a moment, they had arrived at the corresponding floor.

Su Lingqing followed her Master to the door of Sky-character Room Ten.

Ling Yunyue held the wooden token, waved her sleeve, and the door opened accordingly.

Inside, tables, chairs, and beds were fully equipped, along with several meditation cushions. The room was divided into inner and outer layers by a wooden screen.

“Master, the scent of the Essence-Calming Spiritual Incense is much stronger here, yet this disciple cannot see where the incense is lit.”

“Lingqing might want to look at the ceiling.”

The young girl looked up reflexively and saw a golden lamp hanging from the main beam of the roof.

“Could the spiritual incense be hidden inside the lamp?”

“Your guess is correct, Lingqing.”

“But why is there no smoke?”

“The spiritual incense in the cultivation world has all undergone special purification; no smoke is emitted after lighting.”

“Master said that the Essence-Calming Spiritual Incense helps cultivators calm their minds, but for such a large inn to have it lit year-round must be a considerable expense. Since they haven’t economized, it must be a necessary item.”

Ling Yunyue looked at the young girl with a smile and nodded: “The cultivation world is not peaceful. Even among fellow Daoist cultivators, there are frequent conflicts and skirmishes over treasures and profits. Furthermore, some will take lives over a simple disagreement. With the Essence-Calming Spiritual Incense, these incidents can be avoided as much as possible.”

“That is true, but when we entered the city earlier, this disciple saw a stone tablet on one side that stated fighting is prohibited within the city, and offenders will be apprehended by the City Lord’s Mansion enforcement team and imprisoned.”

“That rule is an unspoken understanding across all cultivation cities, but it is often broken. Lingqing must remember one point: the cultivation world is very cruel; it is survival of the fittest. Rules and restrictions are non-existent for the strong. To ensure your own safety, you must diligently cultivate and improve your strength. Never rely on luck, and never harbor the thought of depending on others. A cultivator’s lifespan is long; no one can accompany another person at every moment.”

“This disciple understands. Master’s admonition will surely be kept in mind.”

The young girl’s expression was solemn, clearly taking the words to heart.

Seeing this, Ling Yunyue waved her sleeve and took out a jade slip that was entirely cyan, handing it to her.

Su Lingqing glanced at it. The jade slip was crystal clear, with no patterns or words on it.

She was curious, “Master, this is…”

“It contains the cultivation technique for introducing qi into the body. Only by completing this step can one become a cultivator and begin the path of practice.”

“But Master, there is nothing on the jade slip. This disciple cannot see the technique.”

“Press the jade slip against your forehead, and you will naturally sense the relevant content.”

Hearing this, Su Lingqing took the jade slip and, filled with curiosity, gave it a try.

The next moment, an ancient cultivation technique automatically appeared in her mind.

This feeling was very strange. Some words she had clearly never seen before, yet the instant she saw them, she could clearly understand their meaning.

After a long time, Su Lingqing had gained some insight and was about to put the jade slip down. However, the moment she moved, a huge feeling of soreness came from her right arm.

She immediately realized this was caused by holding the jade slip up for a long time. She had been too absorbed earlier and hadn’t noticed.

Fortunately, her left hand was still active. Just as she was about to try and ease the discomfort, her right shoulder suddenly felt heavy.

Through her peripheral vision, Su Lingqing saw her Master’s slender fingers with clearly defined knuckles.

A soft spiritual power silently spread from the palm. The soreness lingering in her right arm gradually disappeared.

“Thank you, Master!”

She joyfully expressed her gratitude, intending to return the jade slip. However, the fair and slender fingers remained resting on her shoulder and were not withdrawn.

“Master, this disciple is fine now…”

Ling Yunyue did not respond. She merely moved her slightly rounded fingertips, letting them rest on the young girl’s fair and delicate neck.

Su Lingqing instantly froze, her thoughts racing.

What was her Master doing?

Did her body have other problems?

As the fingertips moved, a tingling sensation gradually arose. Su Lingqing trembled slightly, wanting to speak up and stop her, but she didn’t know how to begin.

She was very ticklish.

When she was ten, she was severely injured. After waking up, her aunt, considering her limited mobility, had tried to help her bathe, but she had refused.

She had endured the pain and completed the washing by herself.

And now, her Master was treating her this way…

Su Lingqing bit her lip tightly. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hold back and would make some embarrassing sound.

Fortunately, this ‘torment’ did not last long.

The hand that had been roaming her body was quickly withdrawn. At the same time, a voice like pearls and jade sounded near her ear.

“Has Lingqing ever encountered any spiritual objects before? This skin of yours, smooth and delicate like jade, without the slightest flaw, already surpasses many ordinary cultivators. It is not something a mortal should possess.”