LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 5:
Chapter 5: Master, Forgive Me:
Night fell, and the sky was void of stars.
After tidying up his room, Ning Jie hurried toward his master’s quarters. It wasn’t far—just a short walk through a few corridors and a garden. He arrived in about five or six minutes, familiar with the path.
His master’s room wasn’t overly extravagant, but it exuded elegance.
Straightening his robes, Ning Jie knocked on the door. “Master, may I come in?”
“Mm… yes, disciple, come… come in.”
Qiu Yuebai’s voice was uneven, interspersed with the sound of hurried gulps.
Ning Jie knew immediately—his master was drinking again. On the Tianyan Continent, her title as the “Sword Immortal of Wine” wasn’t just for show. Others might indulge in lychees by the hundreds, but she downed wine by the hundreds of cups—if not more!
Pushing the door open, he stepped inside.
The room remained as familiar as ever—the soft carpet embroidered with lotus flowers, the antique furnishings, the flickering red candles. The back door led to the courtyard, where his master’s favorite hot spring lay.
At that moment, Qiu Yuebai was draped in a loose white Daoist robe, reclining on her cold jade bed.
The mountain wind, sweeping through the open door, rustled her already barely-concealing robes, making them even more disheveled.
The flickering candlelight reflected off her fair skin, creating a mesmerizing play of light and shadow.
Combined with the slight flush of alcohol on her delicate face, she looked as enchanting as the crescent moon wrapped in mist.
Ning Jie instinctively swallowed his saliva.
He wasn’t the type to lose himself at the sight of a beautiful woman. After all, in his past life, he had been a great manga artist—he had drawn countless women, many with even less clothing than this!
But he had to admit, his master’s figure was simply too much.
No matter the angle, she offered a different yet equally breathtaking view. Truly, she was like a mountain range—peaks and valleys shifting with every perspective, each sight as captivating as the last.
Even if he were given a divine brush, he doubted he could accurately capture the perfection of her form!
Qiu Yuebai gazed at him with gleaming eyes, noticing his dazed expression.
The room fell into silence, the only sound being the faint chirping of insects outside.
No one knew how long they stared at each other before Qiu Yuebai finally pouted and said, “Disciple, why are you looking at me like that? Could it be that you find your master beautiful?”
Ning Jie snapped out of his trance.
“Ah… forgive me for my lack of manners. Master is indeed stunning, like a flawless pearl, radiant and pure, leaving one unable to look away.”
He knew his master’s personality all too well.
At a time like this, the best course of action was straightforward praise.
Women loved compliments—especially beautiful women.
Compliment her once, and you’re a bootlicker.
Compliment her a hundred times, and you’re her favorite!
Speaking of “favorite,” Ning Jie suddenly thought of that little princess…
As expected, upon hearing his words, Qiu Yuebai’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, and a hint of joy flickered across her face, though she quickly suppressed it.
Her gaze turned slightly melancholic as she took another sip from her wine flask. “Since you think so highly of me… then why…”
She hesitated.
She had wanted to ask why he had been so cruel in their past life, pushing her off that cliff.
But after a moment’s thought, she decided against it.
The matter of her rebirth involved the very laws of the heavens. It was best kept a secret.
As for why her disciple had betrayed her, she figured she had plenty of time to find out. Quietly investigating was the best approach.
“Why what?” Ning Jie asked, puzzled. His master wasn’t usually one to hesitate like this.
Qiu Yuebai waved her hand dismissively and smiled faintly, changing the subject. “It’s nothing. It’s getting late—let’s proceed with the disciple initiation ceremony.”
Ning Jie didn’t dwell on it. Glancing at the darkening sky outside, he nodded and said, “I shall obey. I will prepare tea for my master as part of the ceremony.”
He picked up the teapot from the table, feeling rather pleased. The initiation was going smoother than expected.
But just as he was about to pour the tea, Qiu Yuebai waved her hand, knocking the cup from his grasp.
Ning Jie looked at her in confusion.
Before he could ask, he noticed something unusual—a basin of steaming, mist-covered water had appeared by her bedside, with delicate peach blossom petals floating on the surface.
What was this about?
His confusion deepened as Qiu Yuebai’s melodic voice rang out.
“There’s no need for tea. If you truly wish to show filial respect, then as part of your disciple initiation, you should wash your master’s feet.”
Ning Jie: “???”
Did he hear that right?
He blinked and asked again, “Master, what did you just say?”
Qiu Yuebai narrowed her eyes and raised her voice. “I said, if you truly have filial piety, then wash my feet as part of the ceremony!”
What the hell!
Master, you’re playing dirty!
I have plenty of filial respect, but if we do this, I’m afraid my feelings might take a different turn!
Ning Jie glanced at his master’s fair, slender legs, crossed at the ankles, her delicate, pale feet shifting restlessly as if beckoning him toward some dangerous temptation.
“Mas… Master, wouldn’t this be improper? A woman’s feet are—”
He swallowed hard and tried to reason with her.
As much as he wanted to, he also understood that in this world, unusual requests always had hidden motives.
Qiu Yuebai wasn’t just anyone—she was an esteemed elder of the Melodic Sound Sect, with power and status far beyond his reach.
Why would she allow a newly accepted male disciple to touch her feet?
Was this a test?
With her temperament, if he made the wrong move, she might very well expel him from the sect!
In his past life, he had spent three years carefully, methodically gaining her trust, never daring to be reckless.
So right now, he had to tread carefully.
But Qiu Yuebai was clearly displeased with his hesitation. She scowled at him and huffed, “Stop mumbling nonsense about women’s feet being sacred! That’s just a mortal belief. As cultivators, why should we care for such worldly customs? You will wash my feet. If not, I’ll expel you from the sect immediately!”
Her tone was sharp, leaving no room for argument.
She was doing this purely to get back at him—for the cruelty he had shown her in their past life.
“Even if I believe it wasn’t truly your choice, you still pushed me off a cliff! And now, when all I ask is for you to wash my feet, you’re hesitating? Hmph! Rebel disciple!”
Qiu Yuebai, still tipsy from her drinking, fumed internally, staring at Ning Jie with deep resentment.
At this moment, she had completely abandoned the demeanor of a dignified sword immortal—she looked more like a sulking little girl who wasn’t getting her way!
Ning Jie took a sharp breath.
Unbelievable!
Absolutely unbelievable!
Was this some kind of forced reward?
There was no doubt—if he continued to refuse, Qiu Yuebai would get angry for real.
Thinking back, he had once been a member of a few high-end massage parlors on Blue Star. Though he hadn’t visited often, he had still picked up plenty of professional techniques.
Techniques like the Earth Dragon Soaring, the Roaring Tides, the Scarlet Phoenix Shaking, the Dragon’s Battle in the Wild, the Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens…
(Author’s note: Don’t question my expertise. I’ve done on-site research. In fact, I should probably go conduct some more… for science.)
A confident smirk formed on Ning Jie’s lips.
If that was the case…
Then, Master, forgive me!