The Prodigal Disciple of Mount Hua: Seizing All Opportunities

"You...you let go!" she cried out, her voice barely audible, filled with shame and anxiety.

Chen Qianyang, however, did not let go, but simply looked at her quietly with his deep eyes.

His voice was magnetic: "Senior sister, don't move. It's too cold on this cliff. I just wanted to..."

These words, coupled with his pale face, instantly shattered all of Yue Lingshan's defenses.

She stopped struggling and let the man hold her.

She felt a flame burning on her wrist, a flame that made even the tip of her heart tremble slightly.

She dared not look Chen Qianyang in the eye again, lowered her head slightly, her eyelashes trembling, revealing her inner panic and shyness.

The two sat there quietly, not saying a word, the atmosphere extremely ambiguous.

After a long while, Chen Qianyang slowly released his hand and chuckled, "Thank you, Senior Sister. Now, I'm not cold anymore."

Yue Lingshan felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She hurriedly stood up, her face flushed with embarrassment: "Eat quickly, or it will get cold."

Chen Qianyang smiled as he ate the food from the food box: "Mmm, it's really delicious, truly a feast for the eyes."

"This, this idiom isn't used like that." Yue Lingshan's face turned even redder.

After Chen Qianyang finished eating, Yue Lingshan quickly cleared away the dishes.

Before parting, she hesitated for a long time before taking out a sachet embroidered with lotus flowers from her bosom.

She quickly shoved it into his hand, forcing herself to remain calm, and said, "This contains medicine! Keep it with you at all times; it will calm your nerves and ward off the cold. And I'm telling you, you're not allowed to overthink it!"

The sachet was warm to the touch, carrying the warmth of the young girl's body.

Chen Qianyang found it amusing. He brought the sachet to his nose, took a sniff, and revealed a look of intoxication: "It smells so good. Just like my senior sister, it smells wonderful."

"You...you lecherous scoundrel, if you keep doing this, I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Yue Lingshan was so ashamed by his bold move that she stamped her foot and couldn't stand it any longer.

He turned around and ran down the cliff without looking back.

As Chen Qianyang watched her departing figure, the paleness on his face slowly faded.

Instead, an undisguised smile appeared on his face.

The beauty is interested; how can I easily betray her?

He carefully tucked the exquisite sachet close to his body, muttering to himself, "Master, to be honest, you really should thank your good daughter."

Just as he was about to return to the stone chamber to continue his arduous cultivation, he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps coming from below the cliff.

Chen Qianyang was filled with doubt. Could it be that the girl had returned?

However, when that figure appeared in the glow of the setting sun, Chen Qianyang's gaze froze.

The newcomer was dressed in a plain-colored dress, with a graceful demeanor. She was none other than the Jade Maiden of Mount Hua, his master's wife, Ning Zhongze.

In fact, she had been lingering at the foot of the cliff for quite some time.

When she saw her daughter secretly running up the Cliff of Contemplation during the day, she felt a strange, indescribable feeling.

She had originally planned to visit Chen Qianyang, and that was a perfectly legitimate reason.

After all, it was her husband's consent.

But for some reason, upon seeing her daughter, she instinctively wanted to avoid her.

It was as if they had some ulterior motive.

This feeling disturbed her, and it wasn't until she saw her daughter walk down the Cliff of Repentance that she embarked alone on the path leading to the lonely cliff with mixed emotions.

But when she stepped onto the stone platform and saw the sachet that Chen Qianyang was still playing with in his hand, she couldn't help but pause.

A faint, lingering fragrance of a young girl seemed to remain in the air.

Ning Zhongze felt a mix of emotions at that moment.

As a mother, she could naturally see through her daughter's undisguised thoughts.

Today, she climbs the cliff alone and gives him a sachet; all of this tells the secret of a young girl's budding romance.

She felt gratified by her daughter's innocence, but a deep worry also arose within her.

Although Chen Qianyang was young, his mind was as deep as the clouds at the bottom of a cliff, and he acted ruthlessly and decisively. Even his own husband could not see through him.

Can I really entrust my daughter to him, whose temperament is as blank as a sheet of paper?

Could he... just be using Ling Shan?

But then, her gaze fell upon Chen Qianyang's handsome face, which bore a striking resemblance to the man from years ago.

Another, even more complex emotion welled up in my heart.

I think I was like that back then.

Memories of the past flooded back like a tide, and she seemed to see the same spirited young man who looked at her with the same burning gaze from many years ago.

Isn't what my daughter is experiencing right now the same youth that I've already lost?

For a moment, she couldn't tell whether she should regard Chen Qianyang in front of her as a disciple, or... as the moonlight that would forever live in her memory.

Chen Qianyang took in the changes in her expression and was somewhat puzzled.

Could it be that he's thinking about his cheap old man again?

It seems that his master's wife, who is known as the Jade Maiden of Mount Hua, often makes such gestures in front of him.

Although the master's wife is not young, she still retains her charm.

Faced with her inner turmoil, he was more than happy to add fuel to the fire.

However, he did not immediately reveal the truth, but simply bowed and asked, "Is there anything you need from your wife? Or perhaps it is from your master...?"

Ning Zhongze was brought back to her senses by his address of "Master's wife," and she smoothed her sideburns to ease the awkwardness.

She said softly, "Did that girl Lingshan cause trouble? Don't let her lead you astray. It's best to stay here and reflect on your mistakes."

She paused, then remembered the purpose of her visit, and continued.

"You... don't blame your master. He punished you today to protect you. Gui Xinshu will come looking for you soon. If your master doesn't punish you and send you to this Cliff of Repentance first, there might be trouble later."

Chen Qianyang looked up at his beautiful master's wife, his gaze intense, and said sincerely, "Master's wife, you are wise. I understand Master's good intentions. I bear a deep-seated hatred and owe my survival to Master and Master's wife. How could I dare to have any improper thoughts?"

However, it seems Master has always held some reservations about me. On this mountain, perhaps only my senior sister and master's wife are the two who truly care for their disciple. This disciple will forever be grateful.

"Don't talk nonsense," Ning Zhongze's expression changed slightly, "Your master treats you very well, just like me, it's just that he's not good at expressing it..."

Chen Qianyang found it amusing; didn't he know whether Yue Buqun treated him well or not?

However, he did not intend to delve into this issue: "That's different. My master's wife is different from my master to me. Whenever I see my master's wife, I feel peaceful and warm, as if we have been family for a long time."

Ning Zhongze blushed slightly, inwardly cursing the boy for being so cunning; no wonder her daughter was so infatuated with him.

"I owe my current status as a disciple of Mount Hua entirely to my master's wife's words that day. Even if I were to be shattered to pieces, I could never repay even a fraction of this kindness."

Chen Qianyang's words were spoken with utmost sincerity, and every word struck the softest spot in Ning Zhongze's heart.

Despite the warnings from reason, she, as a woman, was still wavering.

Chen Qianyang deliberately leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.

A scent, a blend of youthful vigor and faint herbal aroma, drifted into Ning Zhongze's nostrils.

Ning Zhongze felt a tremor in her heart as she was stared at by Chen Qianyang's seemingly burning eyes. The dignified demeanor she had been trying to maintain as a teacher's wife became increasingly precarious at that moment.

That familiar face, that familiar gaze, made her feel as if she had returned to Jade Maiden Peak twenty years ago.

That once spirited young man also looked at me with those same eyes.

Those fleeting, dreamlike memories surged back into my mind like a tidal wave.

The stab caused Ning Zhongze to not dare to meet Chen Qianyang's gaze, and she subconsciously took half a step back.

How interesting! A mischievous thought popped into Chen Qianyang's mind.

He was curious to see what kind of charm this seemingly dignified and composed Madam Yue would bring.

Yue Buqun, even your gentlemanly sword might have moments when you can't hold it tightly.

Seeing that Chen Qianyang seemed to want to go further, Ning Zhongze cursed inwardly.

He hurriedly took two steps back: "Qianyang, you should stay here and reflect on your mistakes. Please, please don't think anything reckless..."

Ning Zhongze stumbled slightly in her panic, and without lingering, she turned and hurried away.

Under the setting sun, her figure swayed and shone.

They were like celestial beings.

At this moment, Chen Qianyang just wanted to burst into laughter.

These two, mother and daughter, really did react in exactly the same way.