If it were someone else who pinched her, was harsh to her, and forced her to practice, Er’er would have thrown in the towel.

Who isn’t someone’s precious baby after all!

But facing this great master, Er’er didn’t dare cause trouble at all. She only gave him a resentful glance before obediently rolling back into the hot spring to form hand seals again.

It was just a bit uncomfortable, so practice, practice—it was better than being annihilated into dust and smoke. Looking on the bright side, this made her a disciple personally taught by the great master, almost like a daughter. A hundred years later, the great master could hold a cat in one arm and her in the other.

What a beautiful image.

Er’er licked her lips in anticipation.

“I doubt he will let you off so easily,” someone sighed.

Who?

Er’er was startled and hurriedly gathered her thoughts.

…

…

Immortals also valued privacy. Mind-reading arts had always been forbidden in the Ninth Heaven and had been lost for tens of thousands of years. How could someone so brazenly converse with her divine thoughts?

She opened her eyes vigilantly and looked around.

Mist swirled, and the Upper Bing Palace was completely silent, with only the ripples from her movements echoing. In the distant throne, Li Ye was adjusting his breath without raising his head.

Seemingly aware of her distraction, he looked up at her with displeasure.

Er’er was so frightened that she immediately closed her eyes.

It wasn’t him. The great master’s voice was deeper and darker, while this voice was clear and bright, like mountain winds carrying spring rain—though its origin was unknown, it was strangely pleasant to hear.

A soft laugh echoed in her mind: “You’re quite flattering.”

He knew what she was thinking? Er’er was confused.

“Yes, I know.”

…Even though he knew?

“I know everything.”

Er’er: …

The Ninth Heaven was terrifying; she wanted to return to Taihe Immortal Gate!

“You can’t go back,” the voice said calmly. “Once you’ve ascended to the Ninth Heaven, you can never return to the mortal immortal mansions.”

“…” She understood the logic, but what exactly was this thing speaking to her?

The voice answered gently: “I am Kan Ze.”

Oh, Kan Ze.

Er’er pursed her lips. Sure, and I’m a tree-cutter.

Wait, Kan Ze?

With a jolt, Er’er sat up straight.

Wasn’t this the person Zhen Huan Gong and the others were looking for? She thought he had already died under the great master Li Ye’s demonic clutches. How could he be talking to her now?

In her mind, she quickly recalled the image of her wrist being grabbed mysteriously. Er’er quickly paused the memory, enlarged the pale hand with three fingers, and examined it carefully.

Pure white light had seeped from that ghostly hand into her skin. At that time, she had been shocked and frightened, thinking her spiritual energy was being consumed.

Thinking about it now, how much spiritual energy could she possibly have to be absorbed? This thing was smuggling itself under Li Ye’s very nose, taking advantage of her sudden intrusion as cover to secretly plant its essence into her body.

No wonder it could hear what she was thinking.

Er’er frowned, her feelings complicated.

Kan Ze’s essence—that represented tens of thousands of years of cultivation, given to her freely—was undoubtedly like pie falling from the sky.

But the problem now was that great master Li Ye and Kan Ze were mortal enemies, which meant this huge pie was stuffed with cilantro that the great master detested.

She didn’t dare to eat it.

Shuddering slightly, Er’er shook her head.

Go away, go away, we’re not the same type of people, let’s each chase our dreams.

Li Ye watched from a distance as the little creature in the pool frowned one moment and sighed the next, her small head shaking continuously, her lips mumbling endlessly—who knew what she was muttering about.

No wonder her cultivation was slow.

But there was nothing in the Upper Bing Palace—what could be distracting her?

Er’er was still earnestly trying to persuade Kan Ze.

-Playing dead with me is useless. I’m just a pile of kindling—I can barely save myself, how could I protect you? If I get bumped or knocked, you’ll suffer too. Why bother?

-Why don’t I give you a soul-keeping pearl? Made by Taihe Immortal Gate, the most beautiful essence host, sturdier than me. I’m so fragile.

Kan Ze still didn’t respond.

Er’er frowned, slightly opening her eyes to glance in Li Ye’s direction.

The great master was looking down at her, like a stone scorched by magma—silent but intimidating.

She shrank her neck, feeling extremely guilty.

Should she confess for leniency?

With the great master’s ruthless nature, he would kill her without hesitation to eliminate future trouble.

Then should she hide it?

Could she hide it? Wouldn’t she die even more miserably if discovered?

Twisting her waist, Er’er considered from all angles and decided to first complete the absorption of the divine power in the pool, then go ashore to find an opportunity to test the waters.

In her plan, she would be able to leave the water in about three hours.

However, the cruel reality told Er’er that with her aptitude, it would take three full days, not a moment less.

Three days later, when she opened her eyes, great master Li Ye had already advanced three more levels, while she crawled out of the hot spring with merely a slight improvement in the circulation of her blood vessels.

The way Li Ye looked at her was the epitome of deep disappointment.

Er’er didn’t feel embarrassed. She had no expectations for herself and instead felt that being able to persist in absorbing such a large pool was truly admirable and worthy of celebration.

So she wrapped herself in clothing and ran over to Li Ye’s side.

“Master.”

Li Ye glanced at the faint flames on her body, really not wanting to respond to her.

The little creature not only failed to report her cultivation progress or take the initiative to admit her fault, but instead lifted her skirt, twirled in front of him, and then looked at him expectantly, asking: “Please look at your disciple.”

Though her skill at conjuring a wooden basin was poor, she excelled at creating clothing. In just this short time, she had gathered the countless rosy clouds from outside and fashioned a dazzling golden palace dress.

Layer upon layer of skirts, intricate and gorgeous hairpins—she had put in considerable effort. And this little creature turned left and right, looking at him with shy bashfulness, her watery eyes hesitant as if awaiting something, her hands clenched white with nervousness.

This familiar expression…

Li Ye’s face darkened.

He had been coveted by many immortal maidens in the Ninth Heaven. Those maidens spent their days not thinking about cultivation but instead exhausting themselves with drawing eyebrows, applying lipstick, weaving brocade, and making clothes. Then, with nothing better to do, they found excuses to wander in front of him, hoping to catch his attention and thus ascend to greatness in one leap. Everyone who appeared before him wore this kind of expression.

He never expected this undeserved disciple would also harbor such devious thoughts toward him.

Pressing his fingers against his brow, Li Ye felt somewhat of a headache.

No wonder she insisted on becoming his disciple, paying no mind even when he threatened her, and still wanted to bathe in his palace. Her eyes dodged about, and her mind wandered during cultivation. It turned out she was hoping to take advantage of their proximity.

What a troublesome situation.

“Master, Master?”

Er’er was extremely nervous, afraid he would see through her, yet having no choice but to let him look. Her small face was twisted with anxiety, a flush of colors as she clutched her skirt, trembling: “Is, is something wrong?”

The expression of the great master before her was very strange. He stared at her for several moments before forcibly swallowing his breath.

“No.”

Er’er was overjoyed.

He said there was nothing wrong with himself, so if he discovered anything unusual later, she couldn’t be blamed for concealing it. After all, if someone as powerful as him couldn’t detect it, how could a small immortal like her know?

Her tense body relaxed, and Er’er finally smiled. In an excellent mood, she pinched her skirt and twirled in a circle, casually asking him: “Is it pretty?”

Li Ye turned away his eyes and said indifferently: “Not pretty.”

“…”

If anyone else had dared to say the dress she had put so much effort into creating wasn’t pretty, Er’er would have fought them to the death.

But since it was the great master who said it, Er’er chose to swallow her pride, her face reddening with the effort of holding back protest.

Never mind, never mind. Heaven granted him tremendous cultivation power, but it must have taken away his basic aesthetic sense.

Don’t get angry, don’t get angry.

Li Ye coldly observed as the little creature before him blushed bright red on both cheeks.

Was it because she was too close to him?

Li Ye shifted his position slightly, moving even closer to her.

Sure enough, her hands began to tremble with excitement.

This is bad.

Li Ye thought irritably, with her mind completely focused on him, how could she cultivate immortal techniques?