All The Female Disciples Want To Kill Me

A shadow of melancholy flickered in Lin Jinyu's eyes.

He didn't even bother to lift his head to glance at me, did he?

Still, she slowly suppressed the emotions in her heart, stepped forward, and with her delicate jade-like hand, gently massaged Ji Nanjue's shoulders, whispering, "Your Majesty should not overwork yourself so much."

"Why not leave these trivial mortal affairs to the ministers?"

As she spoke, her eyes appraised the documents on Ji Nanjue's desk.

Ji Nanjue closed his eyes, allowing the Empress to gently massage his shoulders, and said nonchalantly, "I have decided to attend the Sacred Land's enrollment ceremony in a few days."

"..."

The Empress bit her lip, looking at the man before her who remained indifferent, even though she had instructed her maids to buy the finest rouge and perfume from Luo City...

Was his heart truly as cold and unfeeling as stone?

Suddenly, she felt the seated figure rise. A flicker of surprise lit up the Empress's eyes. Had he finally taken an interest in her?

However, there was no tender embrace as she had imagined. He walked straight ahead, then gently removed his Dragon Robe and changed into a plain white shirt. He cast a brief glance at the Empress and said, "The time has come. I will be going out tonight."

"Empress, keep this quiet."

With that, he turned and prepared to leave the Imperial Study Room.

The Empress's eyes instantly reddened, misting over with tears as she choked out, "Can't Your Majesty spare just one more glance for Jin Yu?"

Ji Nanjue looked up at the Empress again, then nodded. "Hmm, I took an extra look. Your makeup is very nice today."

Empress: "..."

Lin Jinyu took a deep breath and said, "Does Your Majesty truly need to go to Unrepentant Cliff personally?"

"..."

For many years, every so often, Ji Nanjue would mysteriously disappear for a night. He never concealed his destination from her, only cautioning her not to tell anyone.

Without answering her, Ji Nanjue turned, pushed open the door, and his figure instantly vanished...

The Empress stood there in a daze, then slowly sank to the ground, tears wetting her pear-blossom-like face.

「...」

Dan Wulan sat quietly, hugging the Crane Cloak tightly. Her cool brows furrowed as she asked, "Has Senior Brother not returned yet?"

Did he run off behind my back to have a child with someone else?

The injury within her body, for some unknown reason, seemed to have been caused by several streams of Evil Qi invading it. It wouldn't heal, even after prolonged cleansing with Spiritual Energy.

Dan Wulan sat cross-legged, attempting to recover her Spiritual Energy bit by bit.

COUGH! COUGH!

A mouthful of fresh blood instantly spilled out.

Dan Wulan sighed helplessly, meticulously replaying the scene in her mind once more, then sighed faintly.

Still too weak. I couldn't even bring back the bodies of the Sword Sect Disciples.

This Evil Qi is unlike any I've ever seen. It resembles the witchcraft of the Miaojiang Clan from the South Wind Ancient Country, but to extract and preserve another's talent... this is the first time I've witnessed such a thing...

There must be a significant scheme behind this. Once I return to the Sword Sect, I must have Eldest Senior Sister report it to the Sacred Land.

Surely, Third Senior Brother should be able to heal my injuries.

"..."

Shaking these thoughts from her mind, Dan Wulan gently brushed off the snowflakes that had landed on her forehead.

Lifting her head, she saw the master and disciple walking back hand in hand.

Dan Wulan's heart suddenly leaped.

Fortunately, seeing Xiao Ruoching pouting, her displeasure clearly written on her face, Dan Wulan heaved a great sigh of relief.

It seems the two of them had a quarrel after all!

A smug feeling of satisfaction welled up inside her.

Serves them right!

But as soon as she recalled the moment she and Su Bei had kissed, her cool face turned bright red, seemingly emitting steam. She glanced left and right, and seeing that Su Bei wasn't looking her way, she let out a sigh of relief.

She quickly composed her features, resuming her proud and icy demeanor.

From a distance, Su Bei watched Dan Wulan, finding her amusing. So this is what it looks like when you've kissed but pretend you haven't? It's just like the saying, 'No three hundred taels of silver buried here.'

——It seems my own personal charm is just too compelling.

Seeing Su Bei approaching, Dan Wulan said expressionlessly, "You're back?"

What she didn't realize was that this line, which she thought sounded very cold and detached, struck Xiao Ruoching's ears like the words of a wife awaiting her husband's return.

As this thought crossed her mind, Xiao Ruoching clenched her small fists tighter, redirecting her resentment for Su Bei onto Dan Wulan. She said coolly, "Mhm, we're back."

Noticing Ninth Uncle's somewhat skeptical gaze, she paused for a moment, then added, "——Master wants you to jump off a cliff."

Dan Wulan was stunned.

Su Bei raised his hand and gently tapped Xiao Ruoching on the head, then coughed once and said to Ninth Junior Sister, "Well, although that sounds a bit awkward…"

"It probably, possibly, maybe means exactly that..."

In an instant, a flush crept up from Dan Wulan's snowy neck to her ears.

Dan Wulan's small hands fidgeted, hidden in her sleeves, as she struggled to maintain her composure.

Her mind was suddenly flooded with a torrent of bizarre thoughts.

Senior Brother wants me to jump off a cliff?

Senior Brother only wants to jump off a cliff with me?

Senior Brother loves me so much he wants to jump off a cliff with me?

Senior Brother wants to commit a lovers' suicide with me by jumping off a cliff?

"..."

Su Bei looked at Dan Wulan's odd behavior with a strange expression.

I can't figure out why, but ever since I met Ninth Junior Sister this time, she's seemed rather odd. It's a complete departure from her usual aloof and cool demeanor, almost like... like she's got love on the brain?

After coughing and offering a brief explanation, Dan Wulan stepped back, looking at Su Bei thoughtfully, her face full of suspicion.

But she said nothing. Clutching the sword in her hand, she followed the master and disciple to the clifftop from which Xiao Ruoching had flown up.

The moon in the sky was obscured by thick, dark clouds.

It seems this clifftop has changed a lot since the last time I was here!

——Suddenly, there's an inexplicable, eerie feeling.

The cold wind whipped at Dan Wulan's Crane Cloak as she gazed at the cliff base, shrouded in thick fog. After a moment of silence, she said pensively, "Senior Brother, are you sure you climbed up from here?"

Su Bei nodded, his expression puzzled. It was just a cliff, after all.

Although my Spiritual Energy is somewhat depleted, what's the problem with carrying Xiao Ruoching, flying up into the sky, and ascending a cliff?

Dan Wulan suppressed the shock in her heart and stared at Su Bei intently, saying word by word, "This place."

"Is Unrepentant Cliff."

Su Bei blinked and swallowed nervously. "Unrepentant Cliff? Isn't that near Mo City?"

"We've walked so far; this is almost the Imperial City."

"..."

Dan Wulan narrowed her eyes, her expression also tinged with confusion.

Su Bei was right; Unrepentant Cliff was indeed near Mo City. However, the layers of obscuring fog, and the palpable stagnation of Spiritual Energy one could feel just by standing at the cliff's edge, all told her that this place was undeniably Unrepentant Cliff!

But why didn't Xiao Ruoching and Su Bei feel anything?