Walking down the stone path from the inner court to the outer court was none other than Fairy Mei Lian. She had chosen to come here by feet rather than taking flight, an intentional decision, giving herself time to think of what she ought to say to her newly accepted disciple.
The breeze stirred the loose strands of her dark hair as she descended from the inner court. Disciples she passed along the way lowered their heads and bowed, their eyes stealing fleeting glances at her flowing robes.
Mei Lian, however, paid them little attention. Her steps were light, graceful, but her thoughts were tangled.
What exactly am I supposed to say to him? she mused. Am I supposed to give some great advice? A test? Or just… tell him to follow me around?
Her brow furrowed faintly. She found the entire matter unexpectedly troublesome. For all her elegance and reputation, she had no idea how a master was supposed to deal with a disciple.
It wasn't something she had experience with, and the thought of pretending to know left her even more annoyed.
"Why did I even allow her take the talisman in the first place?" she muttered under her breath, her voice soft enough that the bowing disciples around her thought it was nothing more than a whisper carried by the wind.
By the time Mei Lian fully stepped into the outer court, she had already pushed her earlier worries aside, her expression calm and untouchable. Her robes trailed behind her as she made her way toward the reserved area, but before she could take more than a few steps, a sudden commotion caught her attention.
A small crowd had gathered. At the center, an inner court disciple had his fist raised, ready to strike down on a trembling outer court disciple.
Mei Lian's voice cut through the noise like a blade.
"What is going on here?"
Her figure blurred—one moment she was several paces away, the next she stood between them, her delicate hand effortlessly gripping the attacker's wrist mid-swing. The inner court disciple froze, his arm locked as if caught in iron shackles.
Her eyes narrowed. "You?" Her voice carried no warmth, only cold familiarity. "I see you haven't learned your lesson, troublemaker."
The disciple stiffened. It was none other than Liang Chen, infamous for causing trouble with his gang of followers. As expected, Ming Dao was lurking nearby, but the moment Mei Lian appeared, he wisely melted into the shadows.
Liang Chen's expression shifted in an instant. The arrogance drained from his face, replaced by a strained smile. "It's not what it looks like, Elder Mei Lian. I was merely… giving this younger brother some pointers. Nothing serious, right?" He turned his head stiffly toward the outer court disciple.
The boy, pale with fear, nodded so vigorously it looked painful. "Y-yes! Senior Brother Liang was only teaching me some combat moves, nothing more."
Mei Lian's gaze lingered on the boy for a heartbeat, then returned to Liang Chen. She could see through the farce with ease, but with the outer court disciple unwilling—or too afraid—to speak the truth, there was little she could do without making matters worse.
Her grip released. "Hmph." She turned on her heel, her robes swaying like ripples across a lake. Without another word, she continued toward her destination, her silence carrying more weight than any scolding could.
The crowd dispersed quickly, not daring to linger under her shadow.
Liang Chen exhaled heavily, a bead of sweat sliding down his brow. "That was close. Either that boy from earlier didn't report me… or he's not her disciple after all."
From the edge of the courtyard, Ming Dao's voice drifted out as he reappeared, cautious. "With her around, it's unwise to cause too much of a stir. Best to lie low for now."
Meanwhile, Mei Lian arrived at the reserved area for the outer court disciples. The atmosphere here was quieter, the disciples more disciplined. One of them noticed her presence and immediately stepped forward, bowing deeply.
"this ones name is bin Lai, Fairy Mei Lian," he said respectfully, genuine concern in his tone. "If I may ask… what brings you to this part of the sect, and how might I be of help?"
"Someone had recently moved into one of the residences in the reserved area do you know where his quarters are located?" she asked with a perfectly straight face.
Bin Lai blinked, then sneered. "Are you looking for the helper fucker?" he blurted out. His voice was laced with disgust as he continued, "I knew he was up to no good the moment he stepped in here."
The words struck Mei Lian like a thunderbolt.
Helper fucker? Wait—does that mean… he sleeps with his helper? That's what the name implies! Oh heavens, what rotten luck is this? What kind of disciple did I end up with?!
Her expression did not betray the storm raging in her head, but her thoughts were a whirlwind of disbelief.
Bin Lai, oblivious to her inner turmoil, pointed further down the neatly arranged path of residences. "He's the newest addition here. His building is the last one by the left."
The reserved area resembled a miniature estate, its pavilions and courtyards aligned in rows like noble homes.
Meanwhile, inside his quarters, Jian was very much unaware of the ugly nickname spreading across the outer court due to his incident with Liang Chen.
Maria had latched onto him like a baby monkey, arms wound tight around his neck and legs wrapped around his waist.
Jian held her up effortlessly, his two hand supporting her firm butt cheeks as her lips devoured his.
This was one of the effects of the Ice-Burning Yin Yang Physique—it heightened cravings, made the bearer desperately seek Yang Qi. And Maria, though ignorant of the cause, instinctively clung to Jian as though her very life depended on it.
Her kisses grew frantic, trailing down from his lips to his jaw, then to his neck. It was a feverish, almost desperate attempt to draw out what her body screamed for but her mind could not understand.
Jian chuckled at her persistence and carried her to the bed. Yet even as he laid her down, she clung tighter, refusing to let go.
"Stubborn little thing," he murmured with a smile before allowing himself to sink onto the mattress while she remained straddled atop him.
Moments later, Maria's hands grew bolder. Piece by piece, she stripped away his robes until Jian lay bare beneath her.
She stared at the dull erection rising from his body, her breathing heavy, her eyes glazed.
Without hesitation, she reached out and wrapped her hand around it, stroking before lowering her lips to envelop him.
Her technique was clumsy, unrefined, but her eagerness made up for it. Her tongue worked the sensitive tip, suction alternating with gentle licks.
To any other man, it would have been unbearable bliss, enough to make them spill within moments.
But Jian was no ordinary man anymore. With his memories restored, his control was as deep as the ocean. To him, her attempts were more ticklish than overwhelming—akin to tickling an elephant with a feather.
Still, he let her continue, watching with faint amusement. Not wanting her to stay for long he allowed him self even prompting his release to come sooner
Then, with a sudden shudder, he released a stream of Yang Qi into her mouth.
Maria froze, eyes widening as the potent essence flooded her. The instant it touched her tongue, the glowing ring in her pupils dimmed, replaced with clarity. She finally understood sucking every last drop as this was what her body had been seeking all along.
But the hunger did not vanish. If anything, it deepened, becoming more primal. She needed more.
Before she could act, however—
KNOCK. KNOCK.
A sharp rapping echoed from the outer door