Yue Liangze waited for quite a while before seeing Ling Luo emerge.

She wiped the water droplets from her face, exhausted and weak, silently swimming to the shore.

“You’re only allowed to apply for medicine, not look at anything else, and not let your thoughts wander,” she spoke without strength, her voice sounding soft, yet still trying to convey some intimidation, “Otherwise I’ll gouge out your eyeballs.”

Yue Liangze responded with a simple “Oh.”

Ling Luo: “…”

Oh? Just ‘oh’? What do you mean by ‘oh’?

She rolled her eyes in anger.

The whip mark stretched from her left shoulder down across her back diagonally, the wound is long and deep. After soaking in the pool for so long, the flesh had turned pale white.

Ling Luo turned sideways to lie on the shore, her black hair curling around her shoulders, the fair and delicate skin covered with water droplets, silently tracing a crystalline water trail, making her look like a mermaid from the deep sea.

Yue Liangze pulled down her already minimal clothing and gazed at the snow-white back without any distracting thoughts, skillfully and gently treating the wound and applying ointment.

As the air quieted down, Ling Luo felt very tired. She blinked her eyes, wanting to sleep, but couldn’t due to the occasional throbbing pain from her wounds. She could only fight against fatigue, feeling somewhat dazed.

Only when Yue Liangze applied more ointment and the medicine took effect, driving out most of the cold energy in her body and reducing the pain, was Ling Luo finally able to close her eyes?

Her sleeping posture was obedient, looking delicate and endearing in her quiet stillness.

Yue Liangze didn’t know if she had closed her eyes because she was too tired or because she truly believed he wouldn’t do anything to her.

Most likely she was just exhausted.

Thinking this, he finished treating her wounds and pulled up her clothes. After hesitating for a moment, he still didn’t wake her up.

Yue Liangze wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and wrung out the wet parts of his clothes and trouser legs.

Through the shattered hole in the ceiling, the starlight remained, though the night had faded somewhat.

Yue Liangze sat nearby, watching quietly.

There wasn’t even the sound of insects or wind in the Black Water Cave, yet she had to stay here for fifteen days—truly torturous.

Ling Luo felt the trembling of the God-binding Lock and immediately woke up, instantly seeing Yue Liangze beside her.

He said, “I should go now.”

Ling Luo only blinked, not having decided what to say before the God-binding Lock pulled her into the water.

Yue Liangze frowned but ultimately left.

But whenever he had free time in the evenings, he would bring food to Ling Luo.

At first, Ling Luo remained extremely vigilant toward him, suspecting that Yue Liangze had come to mock her or to poison her.

Later, she became a convert.

Because she was hungry, and because the food he made was delicious.

Neither of them mentioned what happened underwater that day. When they occasionally chatted, they mostly discussed cultivation and sect matters.

For example:

“Do you know who is the most handsome person in Tianji?” Ling Luo asked.

Yue Liangze, who was peeling chestnuts, answered, “The Third Sect Leader.”

“Wrong!” Ling Luo lay on the shore, smiling. “I guarantee, the most handsome one is not him.”

Yue Liangze was somewhat surprised.

If you asked this question to any disciple in Tianji, the answer would only be the Third Sect Leader, Yun Shouxi.

Seeing his surprised and confused expression, Ling Luo beckoned him with her finger, saying, “Want to make a bet?”

Yue Liangze: “No betting.”

Ling Luo pouted, finding it boring.

She took the candied chestnuts Yue Liangze handed her and put them in her mouth, mumbling, “You’ve been coming here often lately. Don’t you practice swords at night anymore?”

“I practice during the day,” he said.

“You have time during the day?” Ling Luo raised her head suspiciously to look at him. “You don’t attend the Discipline Hall, you haven’t studied the heart methods, and you’re always taking punishments for your senior brothers to earn money. When do you have time to practice?”

Yue Liangze answered good-naturedly, “It’s not like this every day.”

Ling Luo scared him again: “If the Master discovers you secretly coming here, I think you’ll also be punished with the water trial. You’re always taking punishments for others, but when the time comes, will you find someone to take the punishment for you?”

Yue Liangze was silent for a moment. Ling Luo thought he was considering who could replace him, but instead heard him say, “If I’m also punished with the water trial, there would be no one to bring you food.”

Ling Luo: “…”

That made sense.

She said irritably, “Then you’d better hide well and not get discovered.”

As soon as she finished speaking, footsteps could be heard coming from the pathway.

The two exchanged a glance, and Yue Liangze skillfully dove into the water to hide.

The cold pond was covered with water lilies everywhere, with leaves and stems providing cover, and only the center had light shining through. The area toward the back mountain wall became increasingly dark.

So Yue Liangze moved far away from Ling Luo, concealing himself with water lilies and darkness, no longer afraid of suffocating underwater.

Ling Luo glanced at him, swallowed the chestnut in her mouth, and snorted.

This time the visitor was Yu Xiu.

He brought some snacks for Ling Luo, and looking at her trapped in the cold pond, his gaze carried a trace of pity.

“Second Senior Brother,” Ling Luo was quite happy to see Yu Xiu. “When did you return?”

Before her incident, Yu Xiu had gone down the mountain for training.

“I just arrived today,” Yu Xiu sat down by the shore and opened the food box. “On the way back, I even met First Senior Brother. As soon as we entered the mountain gate, we heard about your situation.”

“First Senior Brother is back?” Ling Luo was a bit surprised.

This timing was several days later than in her previous life.

Yu Xiu nodded, handing the plate to her with gentle movements, “First Senior Brother just returned and is busy with the Ancestral Ceremony, so he can’t come see you for now.”

“The Ancestral Ceremony is coming soon, huh,” Ling Luo ate the pastry in small bites while sighing, “First Senior Brother just returned and already knows I got into trouble and was punished. He must have a terrible impression of his junior sister.”

Yu Xiu smiled and said, “He’s not that kind of person, don’t worry.”

Seeing Ling Luo’s pale face and hands white from cold, Yu Xiu sighed inwardly and used his sleeve to wipe the water droplets from her face.

Ling Luo smiled at him.

“You’ll be able to leave in two more days,” Yu Xiu said.

Ling Luo nodded.

Yu Xiu asked, “Would you like me to tell you about my training experience down the mountain?”

Although Ling Luo wanted to hear about it, thinking of Yue Liangze hiding in the water behind them, she said, “Senior Brother can tell me after I get out. It’s too cold and dark here, and I keep getting pulled down by the God-binding Lock. I can’t enjoy it properly.”

Yu Xiu sighed, “You’ve suffered a lot.”

“Second Senior Brother should go back first. Since the Ancestral Ceremony is approaching, you must be busy too,” Ling Luo smiled. “I was fine alone originally, but if Second Senior Brother stays longer, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back my tears.”

Look how obedient, gentle, and considerate his junior sister was.

Yu Xiu felt even more sorry for her because of this. He packed up the food box and stood up, saying, “Then I’ll bring you more food in the evening the day after tomorrow.”

Ling Luo: “Thank you, Second Senior Brother.”

She watched Yu Xiu leave, and after confirming he was gone, she turned back to look in the direction where Yue Liangze was hiding.

With a slight splash, Yue Liangze surfaced, silently rising and heading to the shore.

Ling Luo’s gaze followed him as he walked while wiping the water droplets from his face, saying softly, “I’ll leave first.”

“Why are you leaving so early today?” she asked.

Yue Liangze said, “Going back to practice sword.”

Now you know you need to practice the sword? Didn’t you say you practice during the day?

Ling Luo blinked her eyes and asked, “Then when will you come tomorrow?”

Yue Liangze was silent for a moment before saying, “I won’t come tomorrow.”

“Why not?” she blurted out without thinking.

Yue Liangze had his back to her, and as he walked away, water droplets from his hair tips fell onto the food box: “Someone is already bringing you food.”

Ling Luo: “…”

How could Second Senior Brother’s pastries compare to yours?

Yours are more delicious!

Ling Luo was stunned and called out, “Hey!”

But I prefer eating what you make!

These words got stuck at her lips, and when Yue Liangze turned to look at her, she simply couldn’t say them.

Yue Liangze looked at her silently, showing no emotion, just like usual, seemingly completely unaffected.

Ling Luo gritted her teeth and changed her words to, “I’ll come find you for food after I get out!”

Yue Liangze responded with a sound of agreement and left.

Ling Luo was so angry she sank back into the water with a gurgle.

If he wasn’t going to bring food, fine, but couldn’t he at least stay to chat with me for a while? This terrible place is cold and dark, with no sounds—how boring it is with just me alone.

After being angry for a while, she felt it was pointless.

It would be strange if Yue Liangze said he wanted to stay and chat with her.

Although the last two days were long, they would eventually pass.

On the night her punishment ended, the God-binding Lock finally released her.

Ling Luo, emerging from the water after her punishment, had no strength at all. As she swam to the shore and tried to support herself on the cold ground to stand up, she was pulled into a warm embrace.

Yun Shouxi picked her up by the waist and walked out.

Ling Luo, just out of the cold pond, was like a lump of ice.

Yun Shouxi held her and said softly, “You won’t be cold soon.”

Ling Luo was taken back to Qingshi Manor by Yun Shouxi and placed in the hot spring of Mirage Tower for recovery.

There was a dark scar on her snow-white back, the mark left by the Spirit-binding Whip.

Ling Luo reached back to touch it and felt the uneven texture. Thanks to the previous ointment, it had already scabbed over.

Her body was already warmed by the soak, and her muscles and bones had improved significantly under the hot spring therapy.

Ling Luo reached for her clothes and heard Yun Shouxi say from behind the screen, “After enduring the water punishment, the cold energy is heavy. You should soak for a bit longer.”

“Master, after soaking in water for fifteen consecutive days, if I soak any longer, I’ll become a water ghost,” Ling Luo didn’t want to continue and got up to dress.

Yun Shouxi sighed softly and said, “Come here for treatment every day, at least for one hour, until the cold energy in your body disappears.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Ling Luo smoothed her wet long hair, wanting to use a fire technique, but was too lazy to use her spiritual power, so she just walked out like that.

Seeing this, Yun Shouxi reached out and touched her head.

Ling Luo lowered her eyes, looking at her instantly dried hair, and slightly tugged at the corner of her mouth.

“Go back and rest,” he said. “I’ll bring you the medicinal soup when it’s ready.”

As miserable as her time in the Black Water Cave had been, her current life in Qingshi Manor was equally blissful.

Lying comfortably on the soft bed, wrapped in fluffy blankets, eating meals brought by Second Senior Brother, drinking medicinal soup personally brewed and delivered by her master, and when bored, listening to Second Senior Brother’s wonderful experiences from his mountain training. Yun Shouxi didn’t dare say a harsh word to her.

The only discomfort was that her recovery was somewhat slow.

The reason was obvious—Yun Shouxi enjoyed seeing her docile state while under his care, so he cunningly reduced the proportions of ingredients in the medicinal soup to delay her recovery time.

At first, Yu Xiu could still appear before her to chat, but after a couple of days, only Yun Shouxi remained by her side.

When asked, the answer was that both senior brothers were busy with the Ancestral Ceremony and had no time to see her.

One day, after Ling Luo drank her medicine and took a midday nap, in her drowsy state, she felt soft, slightly cool fingertips gently tracing over her eyebrows and eyes.

Already wary of Yun Shouxi, her consciousness immediately cleared, but she didn’t open her eyes.

Because she heard the man beside her murmuring.

Ling Luo laughed strangely in her heart, pretending to open her eyes in confusion. Her beautiful black pupils still had a slight mist, catching the fleeting embarrassment on Yun Shouxi’s face when he saw her suddenly wake up.

She asked innocently, “Master, whose name were you just calling?”

Yun Shouxi’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, stiffened. For a moment, he didn’t dare look directly into those beautiful eyes.

After avoiding her gaze for a moment, he turned back, smiling slightly, and said, “Nothing.”