Chapter 1157: Chapter 431: The Master and Disciple Confession! Daoist Venerable Completely Reveals Everything! (Part 2)

After finishing everything, sitting by the bedside, she couldn’t help but think about what happened yesterday.

Shen Zhixia bit her lip with her pearly teeth, muttering to herself in a low voice, "Could it be that brother really has that kind of relationship with Consort Yu?"

Although it’s hard to believe, thinking back carefully, Her Majesty the Consort’s favoritism toward Chen Mo does seem a bit out of the ordinary.

Both the Chen and Shen families are followers of the Imperial Consort, even if He Yuzhi and Chen Zhuo are willing, as long as the Imperial Consort doesn’t agree, she and Chen Mo can never be together.

Not to mention now there’s also the Princess causing trouble, making the hope even more slim...

"What should I do?"

For a moment, Shen Zhixia felt her soul was not in her body, yet she was completely unaware, Chen Mo’s brow was constantly emitting white light dust, which vanished instantly upon touching her skin like snow melting away.

"Strange, why is it so hot?"

Shen Zhixia’s breaths gradually became rapid, her cheeks turning rosy, and fragrant sweat seeping from her forehead.

It felt as though a flame was burning in her heart, causing her to feel unbearably hot, unconsciously unbuttoning her collar, her misty eyes clouded over.

Looking at that calm face, a bold idea suddenly popped into her mind:

Since the marriage is met with so much resistance, let’s just turn uncooked rice into cooked rice!

With the marriage contract and the established fact, even the Imperial Consort would have no reason to stop her from being with Chen Mo, right?

Under the influence of the white light dust, once this thought arose, it became hard to suppress.

Shen Zhixia hesitated only for a moment before reaching out to untie the silk belt at her waist, causing her martial robe to slide off, revealing skin as white as snow with a hint of red, as she slowly pressed herself against Chen Mo.

The cool touch slightly lowered her scorching body temperature, but the chaotic thoughts and desires in her heart grew rampant like wild grass.

"Even though the dual cultivation technique brother gave me has not yet been mastered, I can’t worry about that now..."

"Ugh..."

...

...

In the neighboring courtyard.

Inside the bedroom, Ling Ningzhi and Ji Hongxiu sat facing each other, the atmosphere falling into an awkward silence.

Having drunk three pots of tea, Ji Hongxiu couldn’t sit still any longer, finally speaking, "Qingxuan, why did you ask for me?"

Ling Ningzhi paused her action of pouring tea, put down the teapot, remained silent for a moment, then said, "Master, that night, it should have been you sleeping beside this disciple, right?"

Σ(っ°Д°;)っ?!

"Cough, cough!"

Ji Hongxiu almost choked on her own saliva, her cheeks instantly turning bright red.

She didn’t expect that, after being silent for so long, the other party would bring up something so big, catching her completely off guard!

"Wh-what do you mean by that? Master’s not sure I understand." Ji Hongxiu stammered.

Ling Ningzhi lowered her head slightly, softly saying, "Actually, ever since that night, this disciple always felt something was off. Although I was a little groggy at the time, thinking back carefully, neither the voice nor the figure seemed much like Zhixia’s..."

"I subtly tried to find out last night, only to learn that Zhixia had slept soundly through the night, completely unaware of what had occurred."

Ling Ningzhi slowly lifted her head, looking at Ji Hongxiu, her eyes full of complexity, "Am I right?"

"..."

Ji Hongxiu felt a bit flustered, subconsciously averting her gaze, not daring to meet her disciple’s eyes.

Seeing this, Ling Ningzhi already knew the answer, her expression dimming further, "Master, how could you? You knew about this disciple’s relationship with Mr. Chen, yet you still did such a thing..."

"Qingxuan, listen to Master’s explanation."

Ji Hongxiu’s throat moved, her voice dry, "That day’s situation was indeed an accident. Master’s old injury had not fully healed, and with the onset of the consequences and her Divine Soul falling asleep, the body was taken over by the Yin God, that’s why..."

Hearing this, Ling Ningzhi’s expression slightly softened, but she still shook her head, "I’m afraid this isn’t the first time, right? Could it be that every time it was done by the Yin God?"

Ji Hongxiu had no rebuttal.

No matter how many reasons she had, ultimately she had carried out a disgraceful act.

As time ticked by, Ling Ningzhi’s face grew paler, her fingers tightly clutching her clothes, "Master, is there really nothing more you want to say to this disciple?"

Ji Hongxiu sighed deeply, saying, "It’s all just fate toying with me. I’ve cultivated the Karma Path so rigorously, and as for the art of divination, if I claim to be second, no one would dare claim first. Yet even so, I never foresaw ending up like this today."

"Now that we’ve come to this point, I have nothing to hide."

"Initially, I just wanted to use Chen Mo’s Dragon Qi to suppress the consequence, but as the occurrences increased, it gradually changed. Until that time at the Chen Mansion, when Master’s Dharma Image mutated, becoming a crucial turning point..."

She laid out all her previous experiences.

Including the changes within her, and all that happened after Chen Mo achieved mastery...

Even though Ling Ningzhi anticipated this, she was still a bit dazed after hearing it, never imagining that her normally indifferent and aloof master could have such delicate emotions.

Especially when Chen Mo was mentioned, those bright eyes sparkled, showing hints of girlish annoyance and shyness.

In all these years, she had never seen this side of her.

"It seems Master truly has feelings for Mr. Chen..."

A complicated sensation arose in Ling Ningzhi’s heart, mixed with unspeakable bitterness.

"These thoughts have been bottled up inside for too long, and now that I’ve let them out, I feel much lighter."

Ji Hongxiu forced a smile, saying, "In the end, it’s Master who has wronged you. What has happened cannot be undone, but rest assured, Master will not entangle with Chen Mo anymore."

Ling Ningzhi frowned, "Master, what do you mean by that?"

Ji Hongxiu’s eyes turned determined, as if making up her mind, "Once you enter the Secret Realm, if you can find the missing immortal materials, Master will try to refine a Golden Core and attempt to rebuild Ling Yishan’s Dao Foundation."

"Whether successful or not, I will return to the Sect and will never interfere between you and Chen Mo again."

Though it pained her inside, her self-respect and moral code as a mentor compelled her to make this seemingly ’right’ decision.

Ling Ningzhi furrowed her brow even tighter, asking, "But if your consequence strikes again in the future, what then?"

Ji Hongxiu shook her head, "Having reached this point, some things are destined to be unavoidable, before encountering Chen Mo, I endured for all those years. It’s just a matter of enduring once more."

Seeing her Master’s resolute demeanor caused Ling Ningzhi’s heart to contract painfully.

With Ling Yishan’s prior example, she knew clearly that the so-called consequence would only grow more severe each time, eventually destroying the person’s body and Divine Soul entirely, a matter of when, not if!

Without Chen Mo’s suppression, Ji Hongxiu is destined to face the end of her life and Dao!

"Well then, don’t overthink it, focus on preparing for the Secret Realm, and Master will leave you here."

Fearing she would waver upon seeing Chen Mo, Ji Hongxiu decisively prepared to leave right away.

But at that moment, Ling Ningzhi grasped her wrist.

"Qingxuan?"

Ji Hongxiu turned in confusion, only to see Ling Ningzhi’s red-rimmed eyes and pursed lips, "Don’t."

Ji Hongxiu was slightly startled, "What do you mean by ’don’t’?"

Ling Ningzhi’s voice quivered slightly, "This disciple knows how unbearable it is, and doesn’t want Master to end up like Grandfather, this disciple... this disciple doesn’t want to lose Master..."

Without Ji Hongxiu’s meticulous teaching, Ling Ningzhi wouldn’t be who she is today.

Over ten years of daily interaction had long since evolved their relationship beyond just being mentor and disciple, mutually viewing each other as family.

Ling Yishan’s condition already dire, hanging by a thread, and if Ji Hongxiu were to follow suit, she would be truly alone in this world!

"But..."

Ji Hongxiu began to say something but was interrupted by a noise from next door.

It seemed that Chen Mo had returned.

Ling Ningzhi also noticed the disturbance, bit her lip sharply, suddenly standing up, dragging Ji Hongxiu toward the door.

"Qingxuan, what are you doing?" Ji Hongxiu was baffled.

Ling Ningzhi rubbed her eyes, grumbling plaintively, "Clearly that scoundrel messes around, why should just the two of us suffer, acting like we’re parting ways eternally..."

"Today we must demand an explanation from him!"

Ji Hongxiu: ???