“You’re saying the Heart-Sword Hall only has this one disciple this year?”

Jiang Yuyao looked suspiciously at Tao Lingling, who was clinging tightly to Gong Ning’s waist as if she were shy around strangers.

Only, her little hands weren’t being very honest.
If it weren’t for the fact that she was a little girl, Jiang Yuyao would have been one hundred percent certain that Gong Ning was being taken advantage of.

In fact, that was precisely what was happening.

Tao Lingling’s heart was pounding.
She pretended to lower her head shyly, but in reality, she was savoring the faint curves visible beneath her Master’s Daoist robes.
The thin layers of their clothing seemed to offer no barrier at all, creating a tingling numbness as if their skin were touching.

Her Master’s faint body scent and warmth were even more intoxicating.
If Jiang Yuyao hadn’t been watching, she would have buried her head in her Master’s chest.

Gong Ning only felt a ticklish sensation at her waist.
This new body of hers was too delicate; any touch would elicit strange feelings.
But as an elder, she really couldn’t bring herself to refuse a junior a comforting harbor.

‘She just went through such a tragic experience, her heart must be very sensitive. At the very least, I can’t reject her right now.’

“I made some inquiries. It seems someone deliberately slandered the Heart-Sword Hall, which is why no disciples were willing to join.”

“Oh.”

Sword Immortal Jiang Yuyao also served as the Hall Master of the Heart-Sword Hall, but she wasn’t concerned about this matter.

“If there’s no one, then there’s no one. They’re just freeloaders anyway. Those who aren’t committed to cultivation are useless to me here.”

Tao Lingling’s heart was filled with disdain.

‘This vixen spouts nonsense about how everything is inferior except for cultivation, yet in the future, she’ll be the one most shamelessly obsessed with Master’s beauty.’

“What about you? Are you really only going to take this one disciple? Isn’t that a waste of all your years of effort?”

“What’s there to waste?”

Gong Ning sensed that Tao Lingling seemed a bit dependent on her, which made her happy.
She smiled and gently ruffled the girl’s hair.
The girl became even more enthusiastic, pressing her cheek against Gong Ning’s abdomen, which in turn made her feel a little shy.

“I am content as long as my knowledge and skills are passed down to the next generation. Besides, we cultivators have long lives. It’s not impossible that I might one day have students all over the world.”

Jiang Yuyao thought to herself that with her cultivation completely gone, she probably wouldn’t live that long.
She might have to face the Golden Core tribulation again in the future.
Before she could say it out loud, a disciple called from outside.

“Hall Master! Inner Sect Elder Wang Cheng of the Sword-Riding Cottage requests an audience!”

Jiang Yuyao was instantly annoyed and said directly, “He’s not welcome!”

“An Outer Sect Elder from the Sky-Sword Pavilion is also here, saying he wishes to see Elder Gong Ning!”

The Sky-Sword Pavilion coming as well meant this was no simple pressure tactic.

Jiang Yuyao sneered, “They say beautiful women are a source of disaster. I never thought you’d bring trouble to my Heart-Sword Hall. Want to meet them?”

This wasn’t mockery.
If it were anyone else, the rational thing to do would be to cut ties to avoid getting involved.
But her words implied she was willing to protect Gong Ning, even at the cost of her own interests.

Gong Ning didn’t thank her.
She knew Jiang Yuyao disliked sentimentality.
A single look between them was enough for them to understand each other.

Only Tao Lingling was uncomfortable.
The unspoken understanding in their eyes made her feel a pang of jealousy.

“Disciple, go rest in your room for now. You must be tired from the journey. It’s best to get some sleep.”

Tao Lingling knew what was about to happen and couldn’t possibly pass up such a good opportunity to earn favor.
“No, I want to stay here!”

“What would you do staying here?”

Gong Ning was puzzled, but Tao Lingling’s next words left her at a loss for what to say.

“I want to protect Master!”

Gong Ning was taken aback, then couldn’t help but smile.
Her crescent-moon-like eyes and brows captivated Tao Lingling’s heart.

Although it was to earn favor, it was also the truth.

In her previous life, she had been kneeling at the foot of the Immortal-Ascension Platform at this time, praying that some immortal would take pity on her.
Only after entering the sect did she learn that Gong Ning had lost her cultivation and had once been a man.
Thus, she had subconsciously discriminated against and looked down upon her.
After finally gaining cultivation under her Master’s careful guidance, she had attributed it all to her own efforts, never once expressing a word of gratitude.

Looking back, although her Master had never shown favoritism to any disciple, there was a tragically thick wall between them.
It was likely that her defensiveness and indifference during that time had hurt her Master deeply.

Her Master never scolded or hit her, nor did she ever express any dissatisfaction.
Yet, she had followed the crowd, ostracizing her like an outsider.
How could a heart once hurt be mended?

‘Reborn in this life, I absolutely cannot allow any rift in our Master-disciple relationship… I’ll even surpass it!’

Tao Lingling already had a perfect plan.
She hadn’t been involved when her Master encountered this incident in her past life, but she knew the general situation.

Although her Master was as beautiful as a flower, the unscrupulous methods of the Sky-Sword Pavilion and the Sword-Riding Cottage were not for this reason.

The cause was an inheritance left to Gong Ning by her deceased parents.
Among the items was a cultivation technique called the “Nine Brilliances Sword Art of the Moon Goddess.”
It was said to have been created by the legendary Moon Goddess, who chased the clouds and pursued the moon.
Legend had it that the Moon Goddess ascended to the moon in the sight of the world, seemingly becoming an immortal.
Naturally, this cultivation technique became a coveted item.

As a righteous and prominent sect, the Gong family couldn’t just seize it by force.
And Gong Ning was stubbornly resistant to both hard and soft tactics, refusing to give it up.
Now, however, was the perfect opportunity.

If they could marry Gong Ning off, then whether her assets fell into the hands of the Sky-Sword Pavilion or went with her to the Sword-Riding Cottage, wouldn’t they be able to get them?
And if Gong Ning still refused to give it up even after being married, they could just control her and prevent her from cultivating.
Sooner or later, her time would come.

In her previous life, although Gong Ning had refused the marriage proposal with the help of the Sword Immortal, the Gong family had used filial piety to pressure her.
In the end, a contract had to be made.

The new disciple competition, a month later, would be the deadline.
If Gong Ning’s disciple could defeat Wang Cheng’s disciple, the engagement would be void.

At that time, Tao Lingling hadn’t spread any rumors, and Gong Ning had indeed recruited a disciple.
That person was terrifyingly strong and had been victorious in every match during the competition.

Unfortunately, she was ultimately defeated by Wang Cheng’s disciple.

Although the Sect Master quickly discovered that the other party had cheated and the competition was nullified, and Gong Ning did not have to marry, she still had to endure a period of humiliation as a fiancée.

Tao Lingling thought that if it were her, she would definitely not let her Master suffer even the slightest humiliation!

She was already starting to feel smug.
She didn’t know how much her Master would like her after all this.
Sleeping in the same bed together wasn’t impossible!

A little scheme was already brewing in her heart.
The hand holding Gong Ning’s couldn’t resist starting to caress that delicate, soft hand.
It was especially exciting to notice her Master trying to pull away slightly, but being unable to bring herself to refuse, she let her play with it.

But soon, she couldn’t smile anymore.

Because it wasn’t just two elders who walked in from outside the door, but also a girl dressed in the robes of the Sword-Riding Cottage.
Her skin was as white as snow, as delicate as porcelain.
She had a refined appearance, and the sword on her back added a touch of dashing spirit.

Her eyes, though like autumn waters, were not naive, but as sharp as the edge of a sword.

Tao Lingling was so frightened she trembled all over.
When she confirmed that the other person was indeed wearing the robes of the Sword-Riding Cottage, her heart couldn’t help but pound.

This girl was none other than her Master’s head disciple from her previous life, and also the person who had killed Tao Lingling with a single sword strike to the throat, Lu Yunling.