TYMRHBDES Chapter 44.1

“Are you being reasonable?”

The person on the bed clutched the corner of the quilt, a mixture of helplessness and grievance in their expression.

Omni’s voice was cold and distant. “If Master had truly devoted himself to the pursuit of the Dao, how would he have ended up in this predicament?”

“Instead, you immersed yourself in heretical practices, lusted after your own disciples, and sought to advance your cultivation through such methods…”

“Truly… shameless…”

Jiang Luoluo felt like he was carrying a mountain of blame he couldn’t shake off.

“Let me explain…”

His hand, still clutching the blanket, felt as soft as cotton. Seizing the moment while he was still lucid, Jiang Luoluo hastily swore:

“I know I wasn’t a good person before. I did wrong things and was harsh to you all. But last night, the Founding Ancestor’s spirit appeared and gave me a thorough scolding. I understand my mistakes now.”

“From now on, I’ll teach you properly and never harbor any ulterior motives toward you!”

“Tsk…”

The other person scoffed, as if mocking his naiveté.

“Does Master truly believe this disciple toiled to get in here just to listen to your empty, insincere words?”

The other person raised a hand, pulling it away from the blanket.

“They say Master achieved fame at a young age, wielding the Azure Frost Sword with peerless skill. Tonight, this disciple will put those rumors to the test and see how they measure up to reality.”

“You scoundrel!”

Jiang Luoluo flung off the blanket, trying to cover the other person’s face, and shouted, “Guards—!”

“Mmph—”

His mouth was covered. The other person sneered, “Master, feel free to shout louder. Best to draw them all in.”

With that, they released Jiang Luoluo’s mouth.

Jiang Luoluo, both furious and anxious, demanded, “What do you want?”

“Master’s method for improving cultivation is truly brilliant. After careful consideration, this disciple realized such an excellent opportunity simply couldn’t be missed…”

The man brushed his fingers across Jiang Luoluo’s cheek, his voice sinister. “I hear the better the target’s aptitude and the deeper their cultivation, the greater the benefits for the practitioner. In all of Azure Frost Hall, no one’s cultivation runs deeper than our little Master’s…”

A chilling sense of being stalked by a venomous snake crawled up Jiang Luoluo’s neck. He flinched back, but the man quickly closed the distance, trapping him in the corner of the bed.

A cold finger landed on his shoulder. “Master, your wish is about to come true. Aren’t you happy?”

Jiang Luoluo cursed the man’s madness under his breath and reached out to grab his finger, trying to stop him. “What will it take for you to leave me alone?”

A large hand gripped his chin, the man’s deep eyes lingering on his face.

“Is Master playing coy?”

“F**k your coy!”

Jiang Luoluo swung a slap, but the man effortlessly blocked it.

Even though Jiang Luoluo had only recently entered this world, he could clearly sense the vast difference in their spiritual power.

The man’s spiritual energy was thick and domineering, far surpassing his own. Jiang Luoluo had already poured out all his strength, yet the man could effortlessly neutralize his attacks.

Was it the effect of this sudden, intoxicating fragrance, or was the man truly that powerful…?

Jiang Luoluo drifted in and out of consciousness.

He bit his tongue, forcing out a burst of spiritual energy.

Then, exhausted, he collapsed into a dazed slumber…

The moon hung high in the sky, casting its light over the Azure Frost Hall and illuminating the remaining patches of unmelted snow with an ethereal glow.

Mo Yunqi, fully dressed, pushed open the door of his sleeping chamber and stepped onto the stone steps leading into the courtyard.

The entire Azure Frost Peak was bathed in moonlight, enveloped in a layer of shimmering radiance that transformed it into a celestial realm among the clouds.

Mo Yunqi lowered his eyelashes, their raven-feather length casting shadows over his half-closed phoenix eyes. The cold moonlight accentuated their aloof and indifferent expression.

A wisp of dark, swirling demonic energy lingered between his brows, adding a touch of sinister charm to his otherwise elegant and indifferent features.

He examined his inner energy, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. Turning back, he glanced at the tightly shut door of his sleeping chamber.

His Master was nothing like the arrogant figure he remembered.

His fingertips still felt the lingering dampness of tears, and Mo Yunqi raised a half-cocked eyebrow in silent amusement.

*Interesting.*

By the time he returned to his quarters, he had already resumed his usual guise as the obedient and well-behaved young disciple of the Azure Frost Hall. As soon as he pushed open the door, a voice called out from within:

“Junior Brother, you’re back?”

Chu Xubai had been roused from his sleep and, in a daze, saw Mo Yunqi enter the room.

“Senior Brother,” Mo Yunqi greeted him, holding out several medicine bottles for him to examine.

“When I came back just now, I saw these bottles of medicine by our door. They’re all wound remedies…”

“Senior Brother Chu, do you think Master sent them?”

“It really was him,” Chu Xubai sneered. “He punishes us and then sends medicine. Who is he trying to fool with this hypocritical show?”

Mo Yunqi lowered his eyes, his tone obedient. “Senior Brother Chu, don’t say that. Perhaps Master truly cares about us.”

“Only you are naive enough to believe him.”

Chu Xubai disdainfully tossed the medicine bottles aside, his face openly contemptuous of Jiang Luoluo. “Dawn has broken. Get ready. It’s time for practice.”

In the two years since they entered the Azure Frost Hall, Jiang Luoluo had never properly taught them anything. He hadn’t even given them a basic introductory technique, forcing them to learn entirely on their own. During the day, they were forced to do chores for Jiang Luoluo, leaving them only the evenings and mornings to practice.

Just as they were about to open the door, footsteps approached.

Their senior brother, Xu Zhiyan, entered, lazily glancing at them. “Come on. Master wants me to take you to practice.”

Seeing them still standing there, Xu Zhiyan asked, “What are you waiting for?”

Chu Xubai’s face was filled with disbelief. “What did you say?”

Mo Yunqi remained silent, his thick, dark eyelashes casting shadows on his face. He seemed lost in thought.

“Last night, Master instructed me to take over your training from now on. As for the chores, the servants will handle them. You won’t have to do them anymore.”

Xu Zhiyan protested indignantly, “Master is so kind! It’s truly shameful that you two are always defying him!”

“Kind?” Chu Xubai thought of the humiliation he had suffered the previous day, his teeth grinding together. “If he’s so kind, why don’t you go be the thing he really wants?”

Xu Zhiyan’s face flushed crimson. “If Master is willing, how could I possibly object!”

Mo Yunqi raised his eyes, concealing the displeasure in his gaze. “The sun is up. Senior Brothers, let’s not delay. We should go practice our cultivation first.”

***

By the time they finished practicing on the training platform, the sun had already climbed high in the sky.

The three of them walked together towards the Azure Frost Hall. Xu Zhiyan clutched his sword to his chest, his face flushed with the smug pride of a sycophant. “You two go ahead. I’m going to bring Master his meal!”

Mo Yunqi glanced at the tightly closed door of the Azure Frost Hall, his eyes darkening.

“Eldest Senior Brother, Senior Brother Chu and I misunderstood Master yesterday. Master was still willing to forgive us and take us back in. We feel deeply ashamed.”

Xu Zhiyan glanced at him, a look that said, “You finally understand.”

Mo Yunqi’s cool voice echoed in the air, tinged with a hint of flattered excitement. “We want to apologize to Master in person.”

“Very well.”

Mo Yunqi led the way forward. “Let’s go together then.”

Chu Xubai reluctantly followed behind, nudging Mo Yunqi’s arm. “Junior Brother, what are you really thinking?”

“Master has been kind to us. We should go thank him.”

“You’re just too naive!”

Watching his junior brother’s blind devotion, Chu Xubai sighed and followed along.

The door to Jiang Luoluo’s bedroom in the Azure Frost Hall was tightly shut.

Mo Yunqi glanced at the door, as expected, and guessed he hadn’t woken up yet.

This morning, he had deliberately pulled back the curtains around the bed.

In a moment, when the door opened, Jiang Luoluo’s disheveled appearance would be revealed to his disciples…

Mo Yunqi wondered if the Immortal Venerable Jiang, renowned throughout the Nine Provinces, could bear the humiliation of such a public disgrace.

His eyes gleamed with a mocking amusement.

“Master, why are you up so late today?”

Xu Zhiyan, walking ahead, spoke with hurried steps, his breath still warm. His gaze was fixed eagerly on the bedroom door, and he reached out to push it open, his face alight with anticipation.

This display made Mo Yunqi’s eyelids twitch, and he frowned subtly.

What was so special about that man that Xu Zhiyan was so infatuated?

Or was it possible that, behind closed doors, Jiang Luoluo treated Xu Zhiyan with the same coquettish tenderness he had shown last night, prompting this reaction?

The thought deepened the crease between Mo Yunqi’s brows.

“Master, are you awake?” Xu Zhiyan called out from the doorway.

There was no response from within.

Xu Zhiyan hesitated, as if torn between pushing the door open or not.

Watching his hand slowly rise, Mo Yunqi felt a strange, indescribable emotion churning within him.

If he pushed the door open, he would definitely see Jiang Luoluo in his disheveled state.

*Wouldn’t that be perfect?*

*He had lured them here precisely to witness this scene.*

Xu Zhiyan steeled his resolve and reached for the door.

A hand stopped him.

Xu Zhiyan turned to see his usually sensible Junior Brother gripping his arm, a hint of hostility furrowing his brow—

as if something precious to him was about to be defiled.

Xu Zhiyan: “Junior Brother?”

Focusing again, he saw his Junior Brother’s usual expression had returned.

A faint smile softened his handsome features, smoothing out his sharp facial lines.

“Senior Brother,” Mo Yunqi reminded him, “Master’s throat is always a bit rough in the mornings when the lingering effects of the poison haven’t completely cleared…”

Xu Zhiyan’s eyes lit up. “I’ll go tell the kitchen to make Master a soothing throat remedy!”

With that, he turned and hurried away, as if fearing someone else would steal this golden opportunity to curry favor with Master.

He looked utterly like a sycophant.

After seeing Xu Zhiyan off, Mo Yunqi turned to Chu Xubai. “Senior Brother Chu, shall we wait here for Eldest Senior Brother?”

Chu Xubai frowned. “Who wants to wait for him? You can wait if you like!”

With that, he turned and left.

The courtyard before the sleeping chamber was deserted.

Mo Yunqi, clad in black martial attire, turned his gaze toward the door. The faint smile on his lips gradually faded, replaced by a cold indifference that filled his dark eyes.

He lifted his eyelids slightly and extended a finger.

He pushed the door open.

With a creak, the door to the hall swung inward.