Chapter 139 - 130 Bitter, Yet Sweet_1

The bed in the thatched cottage was occupied by the twins, Dan Wulan and Dan Wuque. Upon returning to No-Sword Peak, Su Bei suddenly realized he seemed to have nowhere to stay. This once again sparked Su Bei's desire to get a large bed. Why not a big house? Naturally, because it was too much trouble, and he didn't harbor any wicked thoughts. Under the moonlight, his prodigal disciple was still seated beneath the apricot tree, cultivating with selfless abandon. Feeling the spiritual energy accumulating bit by bit within him, Su Bei nodded in satisfaction. Compared to the Mo Li he had encountered in Mo City, he indeed preferred this disciple a little more. Though cool and aloof by nature, she would occasionally throw small tantrums at him, all of which Su Bei found acceptable. All of that wasn't important... The most, most important thing was! She was going all out, truly dedicated to her cultivation! Seemingly sensing Su Bei's gaze, Xiao Ruoching opened her eyes. Seeing Su Bei, she suddenly recalled the promise she had made under this very apricot tree earlier that day. Pursing her lips, she spoke, "Master, you've returned?" Su Bei looked at Xiao Ruoching with a peculiar expression. Seeing her smile, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease. Was it because he was so used to his previously aloof disciple? "My dear disciple, there's no need to deliberately change anything!" Su Bei advised. "Just be yourself. Cultivating immortality emphasizes cultivating the heart; everything should follow your heart…" A hint of surprise flashed through Xiao Ruoching's eyes. She blinked, then gave Su Bei a light nod, her voice regaining its usual coolness as she said, "Master!" That's more like it! That's the feeling! Su Bei walked over and sat down beside her, staring blankly at the moon. Like a flowing river, the cold moon offered its embrace. "Disciple, what are your thoughts on Mo Li?" Somehow, Su Bei's thoughts drifted to the woman he'd encountered in Mo City, the one who always gave off the unsettling impression that her head might just float away across the ocean at any given moment... A sudden jolt went through Xiao Ruoching's heart. She had indirectly asked her Master about this very question when they were in Mo City. The answer her Master had given was somewhat ambiguous, not clarifying whether he would ultimately accept Mo Li as a disciple. If it were the old her, she would have definitely done everything possible to prevent the Mo Li of this life from becoming Su Bei's disciple. But... after everything she had experienced, she no longer knew if her Master in this life would be the same as her Master in the previous one... For some reason, she didn't like Junior Sister Mo Li in this life. It felt like her personality had changed a lot. Or had her personality always been like this, even before she became Su Bei's disciple? After a moment of silence, Xiao Ruoching said softly, "Junior Sister Mo Li has a good family background and high talent. She's also quite meticulous... But she does have flaws, such as a certain arrogance and a tendency to look down on others." Su Bei watched Xiao Ruoching with keen interest as his prodigal disciple counted on her fingers, expressing her views on Mo Li. Suddenly, he chuckled. Looking at her with a smile, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Weren't you quite snarky towards her back in Mo City? Why such a methodical analysis now?" Xiao Ruoching's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She turned her head away from her teasing Master, her small hands tightly clenching the Snow Fox Cloak draped over her. Su Bei didn't tease her further. His eyes narrowed as he silently pondered. The system had instructed him to accept her as a disciple; the Mandate of Heaven was not to be defied. The two sat in silence, mist drifting from their breath in the cold air. A crescent moon hung like a hook in the sky. Xiao Ruoching gently rose, patting snowflakes from her Snow Fox Cloak. In the moonlight, her garments seemed to dance, and as a breeze stirred, her long hair drifted about her. Seeing this, Su Bei blinked, stood up, and untied the blue ribbon that secured the Qingping Sword Sheath at his waist. Then, under Xiao Ruoching's puzzled gaze, he gently tied up her disheveled long hair. Xiao Ruoching's heart seemed to stop beating. Her ears turned scarlet, and though she said nothing, her eyes misted over. Under the moon, they made a perfect pair, shining almost as brightly as the sun and moon themselves. ... Early in the morning, the entire Sword Sect was abuzz with activity. One after another, Sword Sect female disciples, faces flushed with excitement, gathered before bronze mirrors. They meticulously drew their eyebrows and accentuated their eyes, employing every trick they knew to appear more striking. "Er Ya," a female Sword Sect disciple asked, "look, is my rouge applied evenly?" The disciple named Er Ya glanced at her senior sister—whose face was rouged up like a monkey's backside—and said solemnly, "Senior Sister, I think it's not red enough! Why don't you try darkening your eyebrows a bit more with this charcoal stick?" The female Sword Sect disciple, holding the charcoal stick with skepticism, pondered for a moment before applying a few more strokes. Afterward, she gazed at her now-radiant reflection in the bronze mirror with satisfaction, a foolish smile playing on her lips. Not far away, another Sword Sect female disciple clutched a small wooden plaque engraved with the character 'Bei.' Hands clasped, she prayed to the heavens, muttering, "Heavens bless me, heavens bless me! I must be selected! The Fifth Elder will definitely choose me!" Along the way, Wenren Pingxin frowned deeply as he watched the female disciples acting as if they had lost their minds. Finally, upon seeing a female disciple dabbing rouge onto her nose, Wenren Pingxin could no longer bear to watch them make fools of themselves. He stepped forward, thoroughly perplexed, and asked, "It's early morning, aren't you all cultivating? What is everyone doing?" Recognizing the First Elder, the female disciple quickly put down her things, cleared her throat, and said excitedly, "First Elder! The Fifth Elder is starting his selection! He said he wants to choose one hundred women to accompany him in the performance for the Sword Sect's opening ceremony! First Elder, do I look pretty? Do I have a chance of being chosen?" Wenren Pingxin pursed his lips, unable to stand the sight of her overly reddened cheeks. Anger simmered within him. What are you up to, Su Bei? What is this? A blatant selection of consorts? The Emperor of the Dongfeng Ancient Country doesn't even have consorts, yet you want to select a hundred? Brimming with suppressed anger, he headed straight for Su Bei's No-Sword Peak. ... A goose honked, heralding the dawn. Su Bei gently pushed away his prodigal disciple, who had been leaning on his shoulder. He gazed at the moon, still visible in the sky, lost in thought. Soon after, he appeared at the Sword Concealing Pavilion and addressed the still-drowsy disciple on duty, "'You, with the buns, come here!' Su Bei called out." The bun-headed disciple rubbed her eyes. Recognizing Su Bei, she quickly trotted over, her eyes shining with admiration. "'Elder Su! You were looking for me?'" Su Bei handed her a piece of paper. "'Yes. Post this notice immediately. It states that No-Sword Peak urgently requires one hundred female disciples from the Sword Sect to join me in a performance for the Sacred Land's enrollment opening ceremony.'" "'The selection will be this afternoon. I'll choose them myself then!'" The bun-headed disciple hastily agreed and affixed Su Bei's notice to the bulletin board. Afterward, Su Bei meandered over to Mount Danxia. Taking advantage of the Third Elder not paying attention, he casually pilfered two thousand-year-old ginseng roots from Mo Xingjian's collection and then returned to No-Sword Peak. He grabbed the iron pot Xiao Ruoching had previously used to make him chicken soup, added water, and began brewing the medicinal concoction. Once he deemed the medicinal broth ready, Su Bei carried the bowl of warm, Qi and blood-replenishing soup into the thatched cottage. He set it on the table outside the bedroom, then stepped inside. "'Junior Sister! Time to get up and take your medicine!'" Dan Wulan lay on her side, facing the wall. Su Bei's entrance didn't seem to disturb her; she appeared to be asleep, utterly still. Dan Wuque was nowhere to be seen; only Dan Wulan was in the room. Su Bei could tell she was feigning sleep. He stepped forward and gently turned her by the shoulder to face him. Perhaps because Su Bei hadn't visited her at all the previous day, leaving only her elder sister by her side, Dan Wulan felt a bit piqued. She opened her eyes, her cool gaze sweeping over Su Bei, and said indifferently, "'Senior Brother, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be teaching your disciple to cultivate?'" Su Bei was rendered somewhat speechless. Why were all the women around him like this? Did he have to soothe one only to appease another? Was he really that desirable, that so many women fussed over him? And what had he even done? Was not visiting her for a single day such a big deal? Seeing Su Bei remain silent, Dan Wulan turned her head away again, her voice icy. "'Senior Brother, please leave. Your Junior Sister isn't feeling well and wishes to rest.'" Su Bei sighed softly. He couldn't fathom what was going through his aloof junior sister's mind. He stood up and walked out. Watching Su Bei's retreating figure, Dan Wulan snorted softly, her small hands clenched tightly, her heart unsettled. Couldn't he even spare a single word of comfort? What did she truly mean to him? As her thoughts churned, Dan Wulan suddenly heard footsteps approaching the door again. Her heart leaped with joy, yet her expression remained impassive as she said coolly, "'Senior Brother, your Junior Sister is a bit sleepy…'" But she had barely spoken half a sentence when her beautiful eyes widened. Su Bei stood there, holding a bowl of freshly brewed medicine that was still giving off gentle wisps of steam. Su Bei gently blew on the hot medicine, walked to her side, and carefully helped her sit up. Through the thin fabric of her clothes, he could feel the delicate warmth and softness of her body. Then, to Dan Wulan's utter disbelief, Su Bei sat down beside her. He ladled a small spoonful of the medicine, blew on it gently, and carefully brought it to her lips. "'Ah… open your mouth.'" "'Here, drink the medicine…'" Dan Wulan had yet to snap out of her daze. Su Bei patiently guided the spoon to her vermilion lips, touching them lightly, as if trying to coax them open. Staring blankly at his gentle expression, Dan Wulan subconsciously parted her lips, allowing the somewhat bitter medicine into her mouth, and swallowed. Su Bei watched with satisfaction. He raised a silk handkerchief and gently wiped a trace of medicine from the corner of her mouth, then asked, "'Is it bitter?'" Dan Wulan's eyes misted over. She nodded, then shook her head. It was bitter. But somehow, it was also sweet. PS: With a quiet look in her cool eyes, Dan Wulan glanced at the readers, suddenly blushing as she whispered, "Daddy, may I have your monthly vote, please?"