8: Mu Qingxue! What are you thinking!

As soon as she finished speaking, her face felt burning hot, and her heart pounded uncontrollably, as if it were about to leap out of her chest.

She didn't dare to look into Su Lin's eyes, her hands nervously clutching the hem of her clothes.

The atmosphere in the entire hall instantly became somewhat subtle.

Su Lin was stunned by her words. He looked at the magnificent palace before him, finding it somewhat unbelievable. Such a vast place, and no guest room?

But he didn't think much of it, only instinctively asked with concern, "Then what about you?"

Mu Qingxue had clearly thought about this question long ago.

She suddenly raised her head, mustered her courage, and softly answered word by word:

"I... I'll sleep here too!"

"This cold jade bed... is... very... big, big enough for the two of us to sleep on."

"And... and this Disciple is worried about you being alone, Revered Master. Your Divine Soul has just recovered from damage, and if you feel any discomfort during the night, this Disciple can detect it immediately by staying by your side... Yes! That's it!"

By the end, she seemed to have convinced herself, nodding heavily.

Su Lin looked at her eyes, which were full of "don't leave me," and his last line of defense in his heart completely melted.

He reached out and habitually ruffled her hair.

"This Revered Master won't leave, I'll stay here with you."

Upon hearing these words, Mu Qingxue's eyes instantly lit up.

However, Su Lin's next action made her slightly pause.

He didn't walk towards the enormous cold jade bed, but instead turned and walked to a recliner made of thousand-year-old spiritual wood.

The recliner was extremely wide, spacious enough for an adult to lie comfortably.

Su Lin sat cross-legged on it, adjusted to a comfortable posture, and smiled at her.

"This Revered Master is accustomed to meditating and cultivating; it also helps with recovering cultivation. You should rest early; I'll be right here."

After speaking, he slowly closed his eyes, his breathing long and steady, and soon entered a state of deep meditation, oblivious to his surroundings.

Mu Qingxue stood there in a daze, feeling a little lost in her heart, but this was enough.

She nodded obediently, tiptoed to the bed, took off her outer robe, and slowly lay down.

Su Lin was already in meditation, his breathing steady and long, with faint Spiritual Qi fluctuations surrounding him.

But Mu Qingxue, lying on the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Bed, tossed and turned, completely sleepless.

She turned on her side, her beautiful eyes fixed unblinkingly on the familiar figure on the recliner not far away.

One hundred years.

For a full hundred years, she had spent every long night alone in this cold palace.

And now, he was back.

He was truly there, in the same room as her, breathing the same air.

An unprecedented sense of contentment and security enveloped her entirely.

But along with it came an even stranger, heart-pounding emotion that made her blush.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Bed beneath her emitted a faint chill, but it couldn't suppress the flames burning in her heart and body.

Her gaze lingered uncontrollably on that figure.

Watching his steady posture as he sat cross-legged, watching his handsome nose, watching that face that had appeared countless times in her dreams over the past century... Mu Qingxue's breathing gradually became a little hurried.

An absurd, bold, and even blasphemous thought, like a devil from the abyss, unexpectedly emerged from the deepest part of her heart.

Revered Master now... only has Golden Core Stage cultivation.

And I am at the Void Refining Stage.

The balance of power between us has undergone a drastic reversal.

If... if I were to go over now and do something to him... with his current cultivation, he wouldn't be able to resist at all.

I could easily suppress him, make him... As soon as this thought appeared, Mu Qingxue's heart pounded wildly.

An uncontrollable, morbid excitement surged through her heart.

"Revered Master..."

She whispered in a voice only she could hear, with an almost imperceptible tremor.

"You're finally back..."

"This time, I won't let you leave again, and I will never allow anyone to take you away from me..."

She thought of her other six Senior Sisters.

With their intelligence network, they would probably soon know that Revered Master had returned.

No! I must get Revered Master before them!

No! Mu Qingxue! What are you thinking?!

How could you... how dare you harbor such dirty, such rebellious thoughts towards him!

A strong sense of shame and guilt, like a tide, engulfed her.

She suddenly closed her eyes, desperately trying to banish that terrifying thought from her mind, her delicate body trembling slightly from the internal struggle.

But... it was no use.

That thought was like a deep-rooted poisonous weed; the more she tried to pull it out, the tighter it entwined.

She couldn't help but secretly open a slit in her eyes again, peeking over.

Moonlight-like radiance fell on Su Lin's profile, outlining his distinct features.

Looking at this face, Mu Qingxue's newfound reason and guilt were instantly suppressed by that uncontrollable impulse.

She really wanted to hug him, really wanted to kiss him.

She really wanted to make him completely hers alone.

"What... what should I do..."

Mu Qingxue bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled.

No... I can't go on like this anymore!

She suddenly sat up from the bed, threw back the brocade quilt, and with her snow-white, jade-like bare feet, stepped onto the cool white jade floor.

The coolness from her soles brought a slight clarity to her feverish mind.

She took a deep breath, as if having made a certain decision, her steps as light as a phantom, making not the slightest sound, slowly, step by step, walking towards that recliner.

Her heart pounded like a drum; with every step closer, the familiar and captivating aura emanating from Su Lin grew stronger.

Finally, she arrived beside the recliner.

She stopped, looking down, greedily gazing at the sleeping face so close before her.

He was sleeping very soundly, or rather, deeply in meditation.

She slowly knelt down, her gaze level with his.

Just... if she leaned in just a little more, she could... Mu Qingxue's body tilted forward uncontrollably.

Yes! Now is the time! As long as I trap him with spiritual power! It will be done!

The immense spiritual power gathered at her fingertips, enough to easily bind a Golden Core Cultivator, finally dissipated like smoke and clouds just an inch from Su Lin.

At her fingertips, a wisp of pure Void Refining Stage spiritual power quietly gathered, emanating a heart-stopping pressure.

If she wished, this wisp of spiritual power could instantly seal all of Su Lin's Meridians, rendering him immobile.

She arrived beside the recliner, gazing down at the sleeping face so close before her.

He was sleeping very soundly, completely unprepared for any external danger.

Mu Qingxue slowly knelt down, her gaze level with his. That dangerous wisp of spiritual power pulsed at her fingertips.

Just... if she leaned in just a little more...