Chapter 65: So, Master Fancies Me Too

Chapter 65: So, Master Liked Me Too

"So, Master liked me too..."

After a thunderous explosion echoed in his mind, it took a long while for Chen Ping'an to snap back to his senses. Overwhelmed with turbulent emotions, he couldn't help but slap himself twice.

*Slap! Slap!*

Two crisp sounds echoed within the Sword Pool.

Had he known that Master liked him, why on earth would he have run away? Staying directly in the Azure Cloud Sect to live a carefree, "Little Dragon Girl and Yang Guo-style" life with Master would have been quite wonderful!

Instead, as soon as he left, he met the Dust-Red Empress, and within a few years of being together, she killed him. That directly caused his mental state to collapse, triggering a whole series of events...

"Master, you can't blame me for this. I can only say that back then, you were simply far too proper..." Chen Ping'an murmured.

He had always held the utmost respect for his Master, practically treating her as an idol in his heart, completely devoid of any impure thoughts. His state of mind was as pure as a lotus rising untainted from the mud.

Yet, he never expected that Master's heart had wandered off the straight and narrow.

"Disciple, Master knows you must be extremely shocked to hear these words. This is Master's fault. I know you've always been a good child who respects his teacher and adheres to the Dao, and you never harbored any rebellious intentions of crossing the line..."

As if she had long anticipated her beloved disciple's emotional transformation in the future, the beauty in the green robe smiled and said apologetically, "Master fell in love with you at first sight, but considering worldly judgments, I didn't dare to speak of it, fearing I might frighten you. Now that Master is dead and I have no more attachments, you needn't carry any psychological burden after hearing these words, my disciple. Just continue to live your good, peaceful life."

"Alright, Master."

Chen Ping'an's heart was a tangle of complex emotions, and tears streamed down his face incessantly.

Master had treated him so wonderfully back then. Looking back now, it was truly overflowing with love...

What a pity.

Back then, he was young, frivolous, and wild; how could he possibly have understood such deep affection from Master?

Chen Ping'an was filled with endless regret.

"Cultivate diligently, Ping'an, my beloved disciple. Farewell..."

The beauty in the green robe waved her hand with a faint smile, though her eye sockets were already brimming with crystal tears.

The projection vanished abruptly.

A faint cracking sound came from the bottom of the Sword Pool.

The projection stone had shattered.

"Master—" Grief welled up from the depths of Chen Ping'an's heart, and he broke down in loud, uncontrolled sobs, his very soul feeling as though it were about to fly away.

In ten thousand years, he had never suffered as deeply as he did today. It felt as though someone had carved his heart right out of his chest—heart-wrenching, agonizing, with nowhere in the world to pour out his sorrow.

He collapsed heavily to the ground, lying flat on the surface of the Sword Pool.

The pool water, formed entirely of countless strands of sword intent, gently supported him, rocking him softly as it drifted.

Sword intent seeped through his pores into his physical body, automatically beginning to temper it.

Chen Ping'an remained completely oblivious to all of this.

He felt as though his entire being had been hollowed out. With wide-open eyes, he stared at the sky above, his gaze desolate and devoid of a single trace of vitality, as though he were perishing within endless darkness and solitude.

The moment his physical body began to be tempered, the entire Azure Cloud Secret Realm underwent changes. Those still undergoing trials were proactively teleported out, leaving Chen Ping'an as the sole person remaining in the vast secret realm.

In the Azure Cloud Peak Plaza, beams of light flashed outward, transforming back into the disciples of various sects.

"The Patriarch truly remained in the Sword Pool."

After searching around and failing to find the Patriarch, Du Rulong felt a sense of relief wash over him.

Tempering the body in the Sword Pool took at least seven days.

These seven days bought him a buffer. He could first go seek forgiveness from the Profound Patriarch, and then, after the Patriarch emerged, hope that the Profound Patriarch would put in a good word so the Patriarch wouldn't punish him.

"Hmph!"

The Sect Master of the Hundred Herbs Hall let out a cold snort and said, "Old Du, even though your Azure Cloud Sect monopolized the glory this time and managed to turn the tables, don't forget—the more brilliant a prodigy is, the more rugged and perilous their path of growth becomes. You all better keep a close eye on them and make sure they aren't secretly harmed by wicked, heretical paths..."

"Rest assured."

Du Rulong replied indifferently.

If it were just any ordinary talented disciple, he would certainly dispatch ten guardian protectors to keep watch around the clock, never leaving their side. But this was the Patriarch of his Azure Cloud Sect! With strength so formidable, not only was there no match for him in the entire Northern Province, but even across the entire Desolate Thirteen Provinces, there was still no rival.

Arrogant as he felt inside, Du Rulong could only indulge in such swaggering thoughts privately. The Patriarch was a low-profile person, so as the Sect Master, he had to keep a low profile too. He had to keep his lips sealed and strictly guard the Patriarch's secret.

The various sect masters departed from the Azure Cloud Sect with their disciples.

Zixia failed to find Chen Ping'an in the crowd, and a touch of frustration washed over her heart. However, recalling his parting words, her mood lifted once more.

"We will meet again..."

Thinking of this phrase warmed her heart, and she followed her master and the others away from the Azure Cloud Sect.

...

Ten days later.

Inside the Main Hall of the Azure Cloud Sect.

"Profound Patriarch, the Patriarch still hasn't come out. Could something unexpected have happened?" Seeing that the Patriarch had yet to emerge, Du Rulong grew somewhat panicked and hurriedly sought help from the Profound Patriarch.

"Impossible. The Patriarch personally experienced the Sword Pool back then and is thoroughly familiar with it. How could an accident possibly occur?"

The Profound Patriarch shook his head and said, "Perhaps the Patriarch wishes to temper his physical body for a few more days and doesn't wish to come out just yet..."

Sixteen days later.

Seeing that the Patriarch still had not appeared, Du Rulong grew genuinely anxious.

"Profound Patriarch, it is said that the maximum limit for the Sword Pool in the Azure Cloud Secret Realm is fourteen days. We have already exceeded the time limit..."

The Profound Patriarch laughed dismissively. "Do not fret. This Sword Pool was established by the Patriarch's own master back in the day, and no one is more familiar with it than the Patriarch himself. Therefore, he may temper himself for as long as he pleases..."

"Very well."

Du Rulong nodded helplessly.

Within the Azure Cloud Secret Realm.

A massive surge of spiritual energy poured frantically into Chen Ping'an's body like a funnel, working in tandem with the surging sword intent to temper his physical body.

At this moment, caught in a state of distraction and heartbreak, the Nine-Turn Immortal Demon Technique within Chen Ping'an began operating automatically.

Under the influence of this dual tempering, the aura surrounding his entire body was also rapidly elevating.

Two months later.

Chen Ping'an's cultivation realm leaped in one bound from the seventh layer of the Golden Body Realm straight to the peak of the tenth layer of the Golden Body Realm.

He was merely a single step away from stepping into the Divine Repository Realm.

At this moment, the spiritual energy and sword intent within his body converged, frantically冲击 (assaulting) the very first divine repository.

The Purple Palace Acupoint was the first divine repository within the body of a warrior from the Profound Heaven Realm.

Once the Purple Palace Divine Repository was activated, a vast reservoir of vital blood and energy would be generated within the body, continuously producing potent vital energy from within this repository to nourish the physical body and elevate one's cultivation realm.

"Ding! Detected that a suspected former girlfriend exists in Tianyuan City. Please proceed to verify. Upon successful identity confirmation, a Saint-grade artifact will be rewarded."

A crisp system notification sound, like a magical, enchanting piece of heavenly music, forcefully dragged Chen Ping'an's soul—which had plunged into desolation and darkness—back to reality.

"A suspected former girlfriend..."

Chen Ping'an murmured to himself in his heart, a sudden flash of inspiration illuminating his mind and reviving his heart with a renewed spark of vitality.

Master had also harbored secret feelings for him. To a certain extent, she could also be considered his former girlfriend.

Since his other former girlfriends had been reincarnated, Chen Ping'an believed that his Master could undoubtedly be reincarnated as well.

The mere thought that after Master's reincarnation, she would have forgotten the memories of her past life caused Chen Ping'an to suddenly open his eyes, a faint smile actually blooming across his face.

Without the shackles of the master-disciple relationship, what kind of person would she become?

Would she be as warm as fire?

Or as cold and proud as ice?

Or lively and adorable?

Or gentle and understanding?

Chen Ping'an's heart was filled with anticipation. Thinking of all the wonderful possibilities, he suddenly couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.

(End of this chapter)