A master of comedy!

Although the Longhua altar is hidden deep in Laojun Mountain and is extremely secluded, it is not as simple as a typical cave. On the contrary, the altar has wide roads, torches all around for lighting, and the cave is not damp at all, with a formation for ventilation.

As a saintess, Jinse's residence was spacious and bright. The walls were not made of stone, but rather had a warm luster like Hetian jade. Soft Persian carpets were laid on the floor, and the dome was inlaid with thirty-six luminous pearls that shone brightly.

Besides the sleeping and resting rooms, there are also meditation rooms, music rooms, study rooms, and a hot spring specially dug out from deep within the earth, called the Clear Pool.

According to her, the water in this clear pool contains the spiritual energy of Lao Jun Mountain for thousands of years. Bathing in it year-round can not only prolong life and enhance spiritual cultivation, but also make the skin whiter. Only the Buddha Mother and she in the sect can bathe in it.

She led Zhou Sheng through the place where she and her master had lived for many years, speaking lightly about their experiences over the years with a smile on her face.

"The seclusion in the mountains is usually tedious, but my master is so interesting. She often secretly takes me down the mountain or tells me stories. And the four maids, Spring, Flower, Autumn, and Moon, are always finding ways to make me happy..."

"Su Bo is also very good to me. Actually, I can tell that he likes Master, but unfortunately, the King of Xiang is willing, but the Goddess is not..."

Her clear voice was like a babbling brook. She spoke for a long time, as if she wanted to share all her experiences over the years with Zhou Sheng.

Zhou Sheng didn't interrupt or lose focus; he just listened quietly.

He now understood why Jinse, who had always been pure of heart and indifferent to fame and fortune, had been drawn into the vortex of the Longhua Sect.

The Buddha Mother truly regarded her as her closest confidante, and many of her followers were also very kind to Jinse.

Therefore, after the Buddha Mother disappeared, Jinse naturally had to take on this responsibility in order to prevent the lineage from declining.

"I just don't know where Master has been all these years. The vast Longhua Sect has branches all over the country that are eager to make a move. I had no choice but to send Chun, Hua, Qiu, and Yue away. Since then, this place has been empty..."

Before Zhou Sheng, the saintess who was cold, dignified, and as radiant as the moon in the eyes of the Longhua followers finally revealed her vulnerable side, and her always furrowed brows quietly relaxed.

With the troupe leader backing her up, she felt as if she had returned to the carefree days when she was under her master's protection.

"This time, go all out and do it boldly."

Zhou Sheng sat down unceremoniously on the phoenix chair that only the Holy Maiden and the Buddha Mother could sit on, placed his hand on an ancient zither, and gently plucked the strings.

The music was clear, yet it contained a hidden message of violence.

He paused, then said sarcastically, "Let this old servant see the Holy Maiden's ruthless methods as well."

Jinse knew there was a hint of mockery in his words, so she walked over and said irritably, "I personally taught you how to play the zither, how come you haven't improved at all after all these years?"

She deliberately put on a stern face and lightly tapped Zhou Sheng's hand with a ruler.

That was the white jade ruler that the Buddha Mother often used to punish her. It didn't hurt when she hit her; instead, it felt cool and refreshing.

"Come, let me teach you again."

Behind Zhou Sheng's back, where he couldn't see, she bit her red lips, her earlobes flushed, and following a method from the book, she mustered her courage to walk to Zhou Sheng's side and placed her hand on the back of his hand.

Their bodies were very close, seemingly teaching each other the piano, but there was actually an indescribable ambiguity quietly growing in this private room.

Especially when those slender, delicate hands, as tender as jade shoots, touched Zhou Sheng's hands, their skin was soft and cool to the touch, yet inexplicably hot.

The sound of the zither is like the misty rain of Jiangnan, or lovers meeting on a broken bridge.

Zhou Sheng was a little awkward at first, but as the music flowed, the two of them gradually got into the swing of things and slowly got used to such close contact.

Although he felt somewhat guilty, Zhou Sheng couldn't help but admit that he was not at peace with himself.

For him, Jinse was never just a simple friend, but more like a confidante.

The two had once fought side-by-side against the Great General, one in the shadows and the other in the light, and they had also played music together under the moon and amidst flowers, their hearts in perfect harmony.

She even used it as her own natal magic weapon for a period of time, and even now, they share an indescribable tacit understanding. To say that there is not a trace of affection in her heart would be pure self-deception.

But in their hearts, there was a name that separated them: Yaotai Feng.

For Zhou Sheng, Jinse was Yaotai Feng's close friend, while for Jinse, Zhou Sheng was her friend's husband.

That taboo sense of guilt led the two of them to tacitly choose to avoid it back then.

Jinse chose to become a disciple of the Buddha Mother and left the Zhou family troupe, and Zhou Sheng did not try to stop her.

I thought time would fade things, but twenty years later, the feelings from back then not only didn't disappear, but instead continued to ferment after our reunion, growing like weeds.

The music began to quicken, and Jinse moved closer and closer, her slender hands almost completely touching the back of Zhou Sheng's hands, so close that they could hear each other's breaths.

He could feel Jinse's cheek gently pressed against his shoulder, like a light and soft white veil.

Zhou Sheng lowered his eyes and just then saw her raise her head. Their eyes met, and it seemed as if some undercurrent was quietly growing and surging.

“Teacher…”

Her red lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but the next moment, both of their expressions changed slightly.

Jinse quickly sat up straight, her face solemn, regaining the majesty and aloofness of the Holy Maiden of Longhua. At this moment, many footsteps sounded outside.

"We request an audience with the Holy Maiden!"

Those were many of the sect's elites and key members who rushed over after hearing that the Holy Maiden had returned to the mountain.

Clearly, many in the Longhua Cult sense the impending storm. The transfer of power is always accompanied by bloodshed, and choosing the wrong side can lead to utter ruin.

The old leader had already played his first card, and these elites who had once been loyal to the Buddha Mother were already secretly alarmed and anxious. Upon hearing that the Holy Maiden had returned, they immediately rushed over together.

Jinse was initially eager to meet them, but now she was no longer in a hurry, and even felt a little annoyed that they had come too quickly.

"Tanker, I'll let them go first—"

“You are their backbone, a saintess, and hold a revered position. At this time, you must appease their hearts.”

Zhou Sheng shook his head and smiled, but let out a slight breath, having recovered from the strange, forbidden yet ambiguous feeling he had just experienced, his expression odd.

That was close; I almost fell for this girl's trick.

The music from just now... was strange.

"Yes, Jinse understands. Then, Master, please go to my room and rest for a while. I will come to you after I have finished dealing with the affairs of the sect."

"Ahem, no rush, no rush, you take your time to handle it. I also need to do some cultivation."

Zhou Sheng nodded, and with a flash of golden light, he disappeared.

It seemed calm and collected, but in reality, there was a sense of fleeing in panic.

Upon seeing this, Jinse couldn't help but smile slightly, her glassy pupils gleaming with an unusual light. She reached into her robes and touched the book left behind by her master.

Suddenly, she realized that this was actually the most precious thing her master had left her.

...(End of this chapter)