Chapter 55 Knocking again and again on the door known as "Forbidden".

Zhao Chi also wanted to go in, but knowing her own limitations, she wisely stopped at the door, closed it for them, and left Ling Shu a quiet space to recuperate.

Ling Shu felt a lightness in her feet as she was lifted up in a horizontal embrace. She leaned against the cool, warm body of the other woman, feeling much more comfortable. She nestled affectionately in her arms. The cold, aloof aura emanating from the other woman was familiar to Ling Shu, a reassuring aura.

This means she was saved again.

She was carried to the couch, and Zhuang Jinfu tried to help her sit cross-legged, guiding her immortal power from palm to palm, but she refused Ling Shu.

When I'm sick, I rely on her especially. When I'm not feeling well, it's okay to secretly and slightly overstep the boundaries to get close to my master, right?

"I've never meditated like this before, yet you still give me divine power to soothe me. I don't want this. Can you hold me?"

Ling Shu hooked his arm around her waist, leaned against her soft chest, and looked up at her.

Her eyes, as bright and lively as a deer's, revealed a sensitive and affectionate feeling when she looked at people. Her sweet voice spoke, and the drawn-out endings were like a venomous snake coiling around Zhuang Jinfu's heart, its tail knocking again and again on the door known as "taboo".

"Is it alright, Master?"

The word "Master" brings a hidden pain.

Zhuang Jinfu restrained himself, and the usually aloof Immortal Venerable said softly, "No, Shu'er, sit down."

"I don't want to." Ling Shu held on tightly, taking advantage of this moment when she needed help to openly show her weakness, stubbornness, and spoiled nature.

"Be good, stop making a fuss, it's not good for your health if you keep dragging this on." Zhuang Jinfu tried to pull her hand away, but he couldn't.

"That's how it should be."

She held her tightly, as if grasping at a straw in the last moments of her life, refusing to let go. Once her demonic power had completely subsided, she could no longer be so close to her or rely on her. She had to force herself to stay sober and keep her distance.

Ling Shu hoped that she would give in to him whenever he acted spoiled, just like in the past.

But not this time.

Zhuang Jinfu grabbed her wrist, pulled it away, and turned it behind her back.

Ling Shu felt a sharp pain in her wrist and tried to struggle free, but the demonic energy within her was surging wildly, leaving her weak and unable to break free. Her hair came loose, the hairband was untied, and soon it was tied around her wrist.

"Don't tie me up!"

Zhuang Jinfu ignored her and forcefully pulled her shoulders, making her turn around.

The tone left no room for argument: "Sit cross-legged and be yourself."

"You've gone too far!"

"Because you don't listen."

"Then you can't tie me up!"

"Disobedient foxes need to be taught a lesson."

Ling Shu wanted to argue a bit more, but a cold hand pressed against her back, sending a shiver down her spine even through her clothes. A powerful, torrent-like surge of icy immortal energy rushed into her meridians in an instant, freezing her eager words inside her body.

"You deliberately chilled me, you have no sense of chivalry at all!" she complained.

"It's because you're dishonest."

Another powerful surge of immortal energy was transmitted.

Ling Shu bit her lip and scolded her, "You're so mean."

The magical power was like a potent medicine, taking effect incredibly quickly. As soon as she finished speaking, she felt better, and her body temperature dropped.

"I just want you to behave yourself."

"If I talk to you again, I'll be a puppy."

Zhuang Jinfu chuckled lightly, letting out a soft "hiss," seemingly quite pleased.

Just as the demonic power was about to be completely calmed down, she secretly hoped that the demonic power would remain restless forever. Ling Shu said in a pitiful tone, "Zhuang Jinfu, it's too cold, I'm not feeling well."

Zhuang Jinfu stopped what he was doing: "You don't call him Master."

“You’re bullying me, but I won’t yell,” Ling Shu muttered.

The cool fingertips brushed against her wrist almost imperceptibly, and the hand untied her hair tie, then moved upwards to gather Ling Shu's loose black hair.

Zhuang Jinfu said gently, "Okay, I've untied you."

Ling Shu rubbed her sore wrists, which had several red marks from being strangled.

Ling Shu said resentfully, "I hate you."

His hand, which had been gathering her hair, paused, then resumed tying the hairband. Was it no longer liking her, but disliking her? A young girl's heart is fickle, easily stirred by love, and easily changed. Disliking her... disliking her is fine too; liking her is too exhausting. Zhuang Jinfu sighed softly, "It's my fault."

Ling Shu turned around, and the bow she was about to tie came undone, her black hair falling over her shoulders and brushing against Zhuang Jinfu's hand.

A slight itch tickled her, and the rich fragrance of her hair lingered in her nostrils. Ling Shu loved to use fragrance, and her scent was almost invasive, quickly filling the entire space wherever she went. Zhuang Jin was enveloped in this fragrance, and always felt an inescapable sense of unease.

Why say that?

When she looked back at her, she saw a profound emotion in Zhuang Jinfu's eyes, as deep as the ocean. Ling Shu didn't know what to call this emotion—was it longing? Was it pleading? Or something else?

Despite her icy demeanor, she seemed to possess boundless tenderness.

It's perfectly normal for a master to be gentle with his disciple, Ling Shu thought to herself.

Zhuang Jinfu's gaze swept over her face, and he slowly raised his right hand to stroke her cheek: "I'm not worth you risking your life for, do you know that..."

But he stopped there before he could finish speaking.

"What does Master want to say?"

Ling Shu was moved by the tenderness in her eyes. Hesitating whether to take her hand, he ultimately did not raise his hand, but instead pressed his face close to her hand to show a little affection.

“Do you know,” Zhuang Jinfu said, his thumb touching her lips.

She enjoyed the sense of control she felt when she had bound Ling Shu, which reminded her of other scenes... She was determined to break free from the shackles imposed on her by the title of "Master" and let her see her own heart.

"If you don't come back, I'll go crazy."

Will Ling Shu be afraid of her because of this?

If a master doesn't want to be a master and falls in love with a disciple who is forbidden by societal norms, will Ling Shu still love her after knowing her immoral intentions?

After all, it was she who forcibly took her as her disciple, not the other way around. Ling Shu's presumptuous intentions are understandable.

But what about Zhuang Jinfu?

It is truly immoral and forbidden.

These words were a bit too much. Ling Shu understood a bit of the deep thoughts in her eyes, which seemed to contain some... restrained and suppressed affection. But if she didn't admit it herself, Ling Shu wouldn't believe that Zhuang Jinfu had special feelings for her.

It was simply unbelievable that the aloof and ruthless Dao Immortal Venerable would have mortal desires, especially since she had done many things to her that were beneath her authority. Instead of driving her away, the Daoist Venerable was afraid of her dying.

Ling Shu regarded this as—

Allow her to be overly friendly.

So he parted his lips slightly, took her fingertip into his mouth, and licked it with his tongue, enticing her.

Zhuang Jinfu's fingers paused, a wet and soft touch coming through her fingertips. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, a hidden wickedness flashing in her eyes. She pushed her fingers further in, pressing them against her tongue.

"Little fox, you're not behaving well."

Ling Shu took out her finger, glanced at the glistening tip on it, and said softly, "The fox is naughty, isn't it because Master spoils her?"

Zhuang Jinfu flicked his index finger and playfully scraped her nose, saying softly, "How dare you speak ill of me like that."

Ling Shu moved closer, placing one hand on her shoulder, resting her chin on the back of her hand, and leaning close to her ear, deliberately whispering in her ear: "I haven't even told you what's even bolder yet..."

Surprisingly, Zhuang Jinfu didn't push the person out. Instead, he changed his tone playfully and said, "Oh? How bold are you? Tell me."

Ling Shu used her other hand to pull a lock of hair from Zhuang Jinfu's ear, twirling it around her fingertips and playing with it, wanting to disgust her. She thought it would be hilarious to see the dignified immortal being seduced and then suffer a humiliation.

Ling Shu breathed into her ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I want to hold your hand in other places too."

I never expected this.

"Where?" A cool hand gripped her waist, slowly moving down to her lower abdomen, and even seemed to continue its downward motion. Zhuang Jinfu chuckled softly, his tone full of affection, "Is it here?"

Ling Shu held that cool hand in one hand, her ears and cheeks turning red, like a cooked shrimp.

"What's wrong? Are you scared?" The owner of the hand remained calm and collected, obediently stopping his hand.

Ling Shu stammered, "The Immortal... the Immortal Venerable actually understands... understands these things..."

"A 300-year-old man knows everything he should know."

Trying to embarrass her only resulted in her being the one who lost face—how embarrassing! Ling Shu awkwardly tried to change the subject: "No... I'm old. Who said you're old..."

"You said it."

"When did I say that?!"

"That's what Sect Leader Wang said at his birthday banquet."

"Huh? What did I say?"

Zhuang Jinfu calmly said, "You said, 'The Immortal Venerable hates nothing more than using her name...'"

Ling Shu covered her mouth, blushing and scolding, "Don't bring up the past!"

The palm covering her master's mouth felt a warm, damp sensation. Ling Shu was so startled that she let go. How could she... how could she lick someone's palm... How wicked!

"My little fox is very domineering."

Zhuang Jinfu looked at her calmly and composedly, showing no sign of the bad behavior she had just displayed.

"You...you're talking nonsense! I'm not yours!"

Zhuang Jinfu was very patient today and said gently, "Okay, okay, no, no, Shu'er is just herself."

Ling Shu rolled out of bed, ready to escape. Her master was too strange. She had clearly prepared herself to stay away from her, so why did she suddenly change like this? What was wrong with her? Before, no matter how she teased her, it was useless. Now, why did she suddenly change her nature and become so...bad!

"I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Zhuang Jin covered her hair with his sleeve, revealing the hair ribbon that hadn't fallen off, and said with a smile, "Remember to come to my room tonight; your demonic power is still a little short of being completely calmed down."

"I understand." Ling Shu didn't dare to turn her head and fled in a panic.

The door closed, and Zhuang Jinfu moved her sleeve aside, picked up the red hair ribbon that had fallen with her jade-like hand, and gently brought it to her nose, smelling the lingering fragrance of her daughter.

She could have accepted Ling Shu's affection without hesitation; Ling Shu's sincere feelings made her feel safe and secure in receiving his love.

But Zhao Chi appeared.

Making a pact with the Realm Lord to be the one who holds the token comes at a price. The Realm Lord has trouble sleeping, so if you want to make a pact with her, you need to give up a hundred days of sleep.

Humans cannot live without sleep. Even immortals who have ascended to heaven need rest. Insufficient sleep can lead to problems such as memory loss and emotional disorders. One or two days of poor sleep can make people feel uncomfortable all over. Going a hundred days without sleep is torture for a person.

Zhao Chi was willing to accept the deal.

For the first time, Zhuang Jinfu felt a sense of crisis, a sense that something she had held firmly in her hands was about to be snatched away, especially since this treasure seemed to be trying to leave her.

She couldn't accept it.

She has remained steadfast in her position for many years, and no one has ever dared to snatch anything from her.

She was unhappy and obsessively wanted to hold onto what she already had tightly.

But this is a person, conscious and proactive. Simply holding her in her hands is not enough; she wants this precious one to devote herself entirely to relying on her.

When she flirted with Ling Shu, she also enjoyed the thrill of breaking the rules. She couldn't enjoy lust, but Ling Shu could.

She has a way to keep her.

Zhao Chi had been waiting outside the door. When Ling Shu opened the door, she saw Ling Shu's disheveled hair and flushed cheeks. She didn't dare to think about what had happened between them, but she felt jealous, concerned, and uncomfortable. She didn't want her relationship with Ling Shu to stop at just being friends.

Zhao Chi went to greet her. Given her relationship with Ling Shu, and her current status as a friend, she could only inquire about Ling Shu's health. She asked, "How are you? Are you alright?"

Compared to her anxious concern, Ling Shu's expression was more indifferent: "It's nothing."

Ling Shu patted her face, composed herself, and went to find Yin Yu. After all, she was family, and she wanted to know how she was doing. Zhao Chi clearly wasn't going to let her leave yet: "Aren't you curious why I'm here?"

Ling Shu reluctantly listened to her speak: "Why?"

“I haven’t gone back since we parted, but I’ve been trying to find out about you. I wanted to help you, so when I learned that you were coming to the Tongxuan Secret Realm, I came here alone.”

“I know the rules of the Tongxuan Secret Realm. To come on official business, you need to collect three tokens before you can see the Realm Master to retrieve information. So I begged the Realm Master to let me have the last token. With this token in my hand, you'll have less trouble. I didn't expect that in the end…”

Ling Shu interrupted her self-blame: "It's all over now, there's no need to blame yourself or apologize."

"sorry."

"I said there's no need to apologize."

Ling Shu was impatient and missed her, but her hand was grabbed by hers.

Zhao Chi lowered his eyes and said with a wry smile, "Can't you... look at me one more time?"