All The Female Disciples Want To Kill Me-Chapter 573 573: Chapter Two Hundred and Thirty-Three_2

If only I really were a man...
The light from the firewood within the Daoist Temple cast dim, heavy shadows.
Su Bei gently polished the two swords inside the Sword Box. As she felt a fresh stream of energy coursing through her entire body, she muttered to herself, "The sword must be nurtured."
The Qingping Sword had become second nature to her, but with the Missing Departure, her control still fell short.
The world's myriad techniques and changes are derived from the same principle. What countless cultivators have sought since ancient times is immortality—the Great Prolonged Life. Only those cultivators who achieved a lesser immortality truly deserved the title "Immortal," having initially Achieved Dao. For Sword Cultivators, the sword nurtures the person, and the person nurtures the sword. Although it wasn't as exaggerated as a true fusion between sword and user, if one wished to reach the pinnacle of cultivation, one must at least cultivate a Sword Spirit.
A Sword Spirit that belonged to oneself.
Su Bei slowly closed her eyes, completely opening up her Dantian Knowledge Sea. Her soul dissipated, merging with the heaven and earth around her, and she saw herself sitting cross-legged. Her soul entwined with the Missing Departure for a moment before returning to her body.
Touching the sword again, she could feel it was more intimate than just a moment ago.
Seeing this, Su Bei nodded in satisfaction, then picked up the Longsword, skewered a piece of pork on it, and began roasting it over the fire. "The sword has been well nurtured."
The Missing Departure seemed to be at a loss for words.
The Flower Bright Moon was shrouded in faint mist.
Footsteps gently approached from behind Su Bei. Within the flickering firelight, a familiar swathe of white silk could be vaguely seen. The heavens were moonless, leaving everything a bit dim.
A smile touched the corners of Su Bei's lips. Without looking back, she swiftly wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, held her tight, and laughed, "Ji Baoer, why did you come back alone? Speak! Where did you leave Zi Jun?"
As she spoke, Su Bei drew the woman closer, the atmosphere between them growing charged. Pressing down upon the woman, Su Bei's hand caressed her ear, then trailed along the curves of her body.
Li Zijun's eyes were wide with shock, her mind went blank, allowing Su Bei to pull her close just like that. Feeling Su Bei's skilled hands exploring her, she was momentarily incapable of thinking.
Having just bathed, her body still carried a fragrant aroma, and a romantic aura lingered within the Daoist Temple. Her complexion slowly turned rosy, but whether it was due to the embarrassing situation or because of her wrist being grasped by Su Bei's large hand was unclear.
Su Bei furrowed her brows, slowly realizing something was amiss. Usually, Ji Baoer is more responsive... and doesn't have this air of inexperience. Su Bei also felt the woman beneath her trembling.
"Mas... Master."
Li Zijun finally recovered from her shock, her small hands pushing anxiously at Su Bei as she nervously said, "I'm not Sister Nan Ji... I'm Zi Jun..."
Her words carried a hint of grievance. She turned her body to the side and looked away, biting her lip.
Su Bei was instantly dumbfounded, leaning down to look at the woman before her. What had she done that was worse than a beast?
The atmosphere turned awkward. Su Bei wanted to comfort Li Zijun by patting her head, but she feared the gesture would be misunderstood. Her hand froze in midair as she swallowed hard. "Disciple, your master did not know it was you... You were wearing your master's wife's clothes, and the light was faint..."
Li Zijun lowered her head and mumbled an acknowledgment, her facial expression unclear. "Master... could you please get off?"
Su Bei gave her an awkward smile, then gently got up, touched her nose, thought for a moment, and said, "Your master truly didn't know..." With that, she grabbed Li Zijun's delicate wrist, intending to pull her upright.
The flickering firelight cast its glow upon the two of them, each lost in their thoughts.
For some reason, as Su Bei looked at Li Zijun's pure, jade-like face, an impulse arose within her, and her heart began to beat faster. Compared to her usual intimacy with Nan Ji, Su Bei's actions just now had been quite forward. The way Li Zijun felt beneath her, the sensations she evoked, were vastly different. Yet, this blend of tenderness and an almost imperceptible distance from Li Zijun stirred a peculiar feeling in Su Bei.
As if forgetting the preceding awkwardness, Su Bei still raised her hand and stretched out two fingers tentatively, gliding them towards Li Zijun's face. She paused briefly before ultimately touching her smooth, jade-like cheek.
Li Zijun's delicate body shivered slightly. Her wise eyes shone like stars; she wriggled to create a small gap but, this time, did not react vehemently. She closed her eyes, allowing Su Bei to gently caress her beautiful face with two fingers. Her skin was as smooth and warm as jade.
Suddenly, Su Bei saw a pearl-like teardrop sliding down from the corner of Li Zijun's eye, tracing a path along her snow-white cheek. The flickering flame illuminated two trails of tears.
Su Bei's hand paused, and then she gently slid it to Li Zijun's tender chin, tilting it to gaze upon her stunning visage. With two fingers, she gently wiped away her tears, softly whispering, "I'm sorry. As your Master, I..."
Li Zijun's eyes looked at Su Bei, filling with tears. Li Zijun herself didn't know why she was crying. Was it because of Su Bei's mistaken advances? Or because there was no possible future between them?
Seeing the momentary daze in Su Bei's eyes, Li Zijun didn't know what kind of expression she should have. Is it helplessness?
"Flowers in the mirror, the moon in the water." Li Zijun gently raised her head, and then her lips curved into a smile, concealing the last tear in the depths of her eyes. "Your disciple doesn't blame you, Master. Sister Nan Ji gave me the dress; that's why you mistook me for someone else."
Su Bei gave her an embarrassed smile, suppressing the terrible thoughts that had surged up in her for a moment. Why were all the disciples she took on so peculiar? Each one seemed to have shared a long journey with her, as if there was some inexplicable sentiment connecting them.
Just then, the door opened.
Ji Nanjue, wearing a different outfit, walked in, her expression oddly scrutinizing everything before her. She sat down barefoot beside Su Bei, dabbing at lingering droplets of water on her skin.
A flash of perplexity crossed Ji Nanjue's eyes. Usually, Su Bei would have pounced on me by now. Why is she so calm today? What happened between her and Li Zijun while I was away? The atmosphere is so strange.
"Husband, what's wrong? You seem distracted?"
Su Bei smiled at her, then held Ji Nanjue in her arms. In Su Bei's embrace, Ji Nanjue could feel a complex mix of emotions. She lifted her head and kissed the corner of Su Bei's mouth.
She had been thinking a great deal. The road ahead would be long and arduous, she knew. The world was heartless, often making their path exceptionally difficult. Yet, to enjoy this moment of tranquility brought her a measure of contentment. Her perspective was subtly shifting—not to demand forever, but to cherish having had this.
"It's nothing."
"It's late; we should get some sleep..." Su Bei murmured, gently stroking Ji Nanjue's hair.
Ji Nanjue stood up, holding the distracted Li Zijun's hand and closely examined the dress she wore, nodding to herself, "Zi Jun looks quite fitting in this dress..."
Li Zijun's face turned bright red.
Then, Ji Nanjue glanced at Su Bei and said coolly, "As a punishment, you'll sleep outside tonight, and I'll cuddle with Zi Jun. How does that sound, Zi Jun?"
She winked at Li Zijun.
Li Zijun hesitated for a moment, looked up at Su Bei, then at Ji Nanjue beside her, and said with a touch of reluctance, "That doesn't seem right... it's about to rain outside."
Su Bei knew Nan Ji was giving her a way out; she must have sensed the earlier awkwardness. Touched, Su Bei looked at Ji Nanjue. "I'll go outside..."
Just then, a faint sound of footsteps approached from not far away.
The sudden noise furrowed everyone's brows instantaneously, and Su Bei voiced her confusion, "Who could it be, walking about at this late hour?"