Gu Yuqing froze, then a thought immediately struck her. Master? Can I still hear the sound of Master's Unrivaled Bell? Could it be that I didn't die?

The bell's sound varied—intermittent, at times hurried, at other times leisurely, like a beautiful and melodious piece of music. Gu Yuqing had never heard it before.

To still hear Master's Unrivaled Bell before death... Gu Yuqing harbored little regret. She recalled the illusion of Brother Wang she had seen. If only I could understand Brother Wang's voice...

As this thought crossed her mind, a deep voice, carrying a distinct emphasis, slowly began to speak:

"Is the technique alright?"

"..."

Like ripples spreading on water, the bell gave a single, crisp TINKLE, its vibration clear and distinct.

"Hmph... Little tricks..."

"But your jade feet tell a different story. Look how tense they are... Relax a bit, Sister..."

"Little Brother, it's just a pair of feet. What sensation do you think Sister could possibly have?"

"You..."

The bell began to tremble rapidly, emitting a series of fine but swift sounds.

"You... Who did you learn this technique from?"

"Turn around, Sister, and I'll tell you..."

"What? You want to 'climb the ancient trail'? That's off-limits. Sister forbids it."

"No, I just want to taste if the peach on Sister's body is sweet."

...

The voices continued, intermittent and soft in their conversation.

Gu Yuqing felt somewhat lost. Are post-death hallucinations always this intense? Not only Brother Wang's voice but Master's as well. Really... And saying such inexplicable things.

However, as her consciousness gradually cleared, Gu Yuqing felt she must be experiencing a final moment of clarity before death. But...

Master's Unrivaled Bell... its sound is truly pleasant... After Master's Unrivaled Bell was repaired, I focused on my cultivation and seldom heard its sound... Master's Unrivaled Bell could weave enchanting melodies. Few from the New Sect Ascension could withstand its power, so I rarely had the chance to hear it myself...

She hadn't expected to hear it now, and the variations in its ringing were so diverse, so utterly delightful.

As Gu Yuqing listened, the conversation became slightly clearer, though she still couldn't quite understand it.

"Sweet... Mmm... is it?"

"What do you think, Sister? If I hadn't enjoyed it, would I be like this?"

"You little rascal... Whose else have you tasted?"

"Only yours, Sister..."

"Oh? She never let you taste hers?"

"Who is 'she'?"

"...Hehe... Little Brother, you really have a knack for sweet-talking... After all these years, your Power has indeed deepened..."

"Besides peaches, Sister has many other delicacies on her body... Do you want to taste them all?"

"I'm getting a bit tired."

"Useless thing... Mmm~ Sister wasn't talking about you! Slower... Don't tear the peach leaves..."

"..."

The sound of the bell kept coming.

As Gu Yuqing listened, her consciousness gradually returned, and she suddenly wanted to open her eyes. One last look at Master before I die...

Since when did Master have peaches? Oh, right, she did. When Master traveled the Nine Provinces, she collected many special resources from each province and brought them back to the Fengyue Sect. It was said she even had Miyue Peaches from Chenghuang Mountain in Ling Province. They were incredibly sweet.

Master and Brother Wang are so close... If they got together, Master would surely give Brother Wang all the best things... Gu Yuqing thought.

Soon, she felt some control return to her body. She forced her eyes open, wanting to see her Master...

Her eyes opened to mere slits, the scene slowly filtering into her pupils. In a daze, she saw her Master.

Still in a red dress, only this time she was facing Gu Yuqing, her body bent slightly. Her hands seemed to be crossed, performing a spell that landed on Gu Yuqing's own body. Her expression was solemn, though her cheeks held a faint flush.

Her upper attire was intact, but her red skirt had been lifted on one side, just enough to reveal her jade-like feet. Like gemstones, they were tinged with pink and slightly damp, as if she had just washed them. Moreover, since Master was facing her, Gu Yuqing could only see that the back of her skirt seemed to be lifted...

Who lifted Master's skirt? And why...? Gu Yuqing wondered, somewhat perplexed. Her consciousness hadn't fully returned, making it difficult for her to think clearly.

But soon, she saw Master's waist begin to tremble slightly. The sound of the Unrivaled Bell rang out. After a short while... she saw a hand at Master's waist, flashing by in an instant, doing something unknown...

At that moment, amidst the ringing of the Unrivaled Bell, a sharp SMACK suddenly intermingled... It wasn't loud, just very subtle, like the sound of a child being spanked by a parent for misbehaving...

"You're getting bolder and bolder..." Master's voice, tinged with a soft, seductive quality.

Gu Yuqing was startled. Could it be... behind Master... is Brother Wang?

Gu Yuqing closed her eyes. It must be an illusion...

After a while, when she opened her eyes again, Master was already turned away from her, her previously lifted skirt now lowered. She held her head tilted slightly upward. But looking from behind, the upper part of her attire was also slightly disarrayed, revealing a glimpse of her snow-white shoulders. Master remained still, yet the Unrivaled Bell at her waist continued to ring urgently.

A hand once more darted out from Master's waist, vanishing in an instant. Gu Yuqing saw it; it was like a groundhog employing an earth-burrowing spell, creating a slight bulge as it moved beneath the surface. That hand seemed to be moving just like that under her clothes...

A shock ran through Gu Yuqing's heart. Could it be Master... Impossible. It's an illusion. How could Master be like this?

Gu Yuqing closed her eyes tightly and didn't open them again. Yet the sound of the Unrivaled Bell continued, unceasing.

Her awareness grew clearer and clearer. The hazy state gradually faded.

In a daze, she suddenly snapped her eyes open and sat up.

She looked around. The Refining Emotion Cave. This was the place.

I'm not dead?

Her first glance fell upon her Master. This time, however, Master's attire was immaculate. Her charming and seductive face was now covered with frost, as stern as could be.

Besides Master, there was no one else. Only in the distance, within a sliver of a spatial rift, did a familiar aura linger.

Indeed. It was all an illusion. But how am I not dead?

"Master..." Gu Yuqing spoke weakly.

"Awake?" Master said indifferently. "How did I end up with such a foolish disciple? After so many years of cultivation, what made you think of self-destructing? I've nurtured you for so many years, is this how you repay me?"

Gu Yuqing's expression dimmed. "I am sorry, Master. I have failed you."

"Failed me? What kind of person do you take your Master for? That Piao Miaoxu is simply no match for me!" Master lectured sternly. Her expression then softened somewhat. "Never mind. Although you are foolish, you at least trust your Master enough. You didn't actually give me that Emotion Sea Divine Pearl."

"Master... you..."

"From the moment you arrived, I knew Piao Miaoxu had used the Six Desires Power to invade your Sea of Consciousness," Master said. "I just didn't know what she was scheming by sending you here, so I pretended to be oblivious. It was also a chance to see if you would truly betray your Master."

Gu Yuqing's eyes welled up. "How could I betray Master?"

"Alright, you were taught by me; of course, I knew you wouldn't betray me. And indeed, you didn't disappoint," Master sighed. "It wasn't in vain that I used the Yin Yang Treasure Skill to save your life.

"Enough. Since your Nascent Soul has self-destructed, you can no longer follow the Heartless Path. Focus on cultivating the Great Yin-Yang Harmony Diagram instead.

"With your Heavenly Charm Pure Body constitution, if you find a Taoist couple and cultivate the Great Yin-Yang Harmony Diagram, your progress will be faster and your power greater than on the Heartless Path."

Gu Yuqing moved her lips but said nothing.

"What, is there something you want to ask?"

"..."

"I... just now, I thought I saw Brother Wang..." Gu Yuqing said softly. "It must have been an illusion... Rest assured, Master, I will forget him."

"..." Master.

Master turned away from Gu Yuqing, gazing at the spatial rift. As if recalling something, her cheeks grew warm and flushed slightly.

That foolish boy... where did he learn such tricks? He nearly let Little Gu see!

So skillful... I wonder who he practiced on. If he's like this at the Nascent Soul stage... what will he be like if he reaches Ascension...