Mu Qingli almost died of laughter!
When Mu Qingli thought of Qingyou shooting herself in the foot, she instantly felt relieved, and all the anger and grievances she had suffered before disappeared.
I had assumed I would accept, even if Lin Wan'er only possessed a middle-grade bone structure, I would have been content.
Yet, to my utter astonishment, I had hit the jackpot!
Never before had she witnessed the testing stone emit such a brilliant radiance!
However, this was not the time for celebration.
Though the person was now in her grasp, nothing had yet been set in stone.
"Quick, undress!" A hint of urgency flashed across Mu Qingli's face.
"Huh?!" Lin Mo instinctively clutched at his chest, gazing at Mu Qingli in utter astonishment. "Wh-what are you doing!?"
Before Lin Mo could even fully process the situation, he was ushered into the palace hall.
He hadn't yet grasped the full implications when this Sect Master demanded he undress?
'What the hell, is she trying to take advantage of me!?'
'While he would gladly accept being taken advantage of, his current identity was that of a girl! If his true gender were to be discovered…'
Lin Mo dared not imagine how he would meet his end!
"Stop dawdling!" Mu Qingli, exceedingly impatient, had already shed her long robes, leaving only a thin bustier that tightly encased the burgeoning, snow-white mounds of her chest.
Lin Mo, who had been resisting just a second ago, now found his eyes wide and fixed.
'As expected of an immortal cultivator, their physique is truly exceptional.'
"Disciple, stop staring! Once you become my disciple, you can have as many of these as you wish! Undress!"
Perhaps she was a child from the countryside, unfamiliar with such garments as bustiers, Mu Qingli mused, without delving deeper.
After all, she herself had only learned of such things after joining the sect.
'Wait, no.'
Mu Qingli focused her gaze, and suddenly felt a pang of awkwardness.
'Her disciple's chest was as flat as a sheer cliff face, seemingly having no need for such items… It couldn't be that she was looking at this…'
'Could it be…'
Mu Qingli lowered her gaze, her own feet perfectly hidden.
A sudden realization dawned upon her!
So, Lin Mo desired these after all!
These were symbols of femininity.
Without them, wouldn't she be no different from a man?
The world of women was cruel.
Talent had to be exceptional, the figure had to be good, and the face could not be lacking.
Thinking about it, Heaven was truly fair.
It had bestowed upon her disciple astonishing talent and unparalleled beauty, yet it had stripped her of her feminine pride, giving her a body strikingly similar to a man's.
Just look at those muscular arms and lean, powerful physique.
Such was the cruelty of fate.
Outside, this might pose a difficult problem, but within the Xuan Nv Sect, it was no issue at all!
"Wan'er, rest assured, there will be no problem.
If you desire them, your Master can bestow them upon you, allowing you to possess such things as well."
However, to Lin Mo's ears, this carried an entirely different meaning.
'Master can give me…?'
'Allow me to have… as well?'
'Does that mean I can… freely touch… the Sect Master's… breasts?'
Lin Mo found himself involuntarily lost in wild fantasies.
Mu Qingli's figure, right before him, was truly a masterpiece.
Curvaceous and well-proportioned, her waist was astonishingly slender, swaying gracefully with her every movement.
There was not a single trace of excess flesh on her lower abdomen, which was as flat as a polished mirror, radiating a healthy sheen under the light.
Her skin appeared as if meticulously polished from mutton-fat jade, delicate yet firm, as if the slightest touch would send ripples across its surface.
Furthermore, her cool attire was light and flowing.
It was so sheer that with just a bit more light, one could see through the thin silk entirely.
Lin Mo felt a wicked fire ignite in his lower abdomen, threatening to surge downwards and erupt skyward!
'If it were to erupt, he would truly be doomed.'
'I'm sorry… Yang Po Po!'
Lin Mo squeezed his eyes shut, then snapped them open, desperately attempting to replace the alluring, world-toppling face before him with Yang Po Po's wrinkled visage.
He imagined her winking and leering at him, cooing incessantly, "Little Lin, come and have some fun with Granny~"
Then, with her withered, shriveled body, dressed in that light, flowing gown that projected her form onto the hem like a curtain, she would strike provocative poses.
'Ugh~'
'Good news: it worked.
That wicked fire was summarily kicked away by Yang Po Po.'
'Bad news: Yang Po Po was now permanently etched into his mind.'
'But there's always a trade-off.
This price… Lin Mo accepted!'
'As long as it saved his life.'
Observing Lin Mo's wide, staring eyes, and his yearning expression, Mu Qingli's lips curved into a faint smile.
'She truly wants to change her body, doesn't she?'
For women, nothing was more appealing than this.
Beauty and a delicate body — why couldn't one have both?
Moreover, what she could provide was far more than just these superficial things.
"Wan'er." Mu Qingli's address instantly became more intimate. "I can give you even greater treasures, provided you cooperate with me now."
"Cooperate?"
Suddenly associating 'cooperate' with undressing, Lin Mo was a hundred percent unwilling!
'Once these clothes truly come off, I'm utterly doomed!'
Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the palace, as if an earthquake had struck.
"Wh-what's going on!?" Lin Mo was greatly alarmed.
Mu Qingli, however, remained unperturbed.
She sensed a powerful spiritual energy fluctuation assailing her formation.
She surmised that that old hag Immortal Qing You had likely cast aside all pretense and intended to forcefully seize what was hers!
'Now that things have come to this, how could I possibly let you have your way?'
She had always been questioned by the higher-ups, who believed she was unworthy of her position, lacking both outstanding strength, the ability to manage the sect, and exceptional disciples.
Now, with her authority usurped, and the sect's affairs entirely in the hands of Grand Elder Qing You, her only way to prove herself was to cultivate an excellent disciple.
An outstanding disciple, one capable of crushing all of Immortal Qing You's disciples.
Her opponent also knew that if she were given a single point of leverage to establish herself, she would no longer be a mere acting Sect Master or interim leader, but the true Sect Master of the Xuan Nv Sect.
At that time, she could continue her master's policies, and prevent that damned bunch of scoundrels from causing trouble.
Now, although it pained her to do this to her new disciple, it was the only way.
In the future, she would absolutely compensate her, even if it cost her own life!
Mu Qingli hardened her resolve, and directly pulled Lin Mo towards her, intending to forcibly transmit the cultivation technique.
Once the sect master's inherited cultivation method was practiced, even if Immortal Qing You broke in, everything would already be set in stone!
The Xuan Nv Sect's cultivation technique was powerful and formidable, though it also had many flaws.
However, in Mu Qingli's eyes, these very flaws were now advantages.
Her own aptitude was insufficient to improve this cultivation method, but her disciple surely could!
Her aptitude surpassed her own, and would undoubtedly achieve great renown!
Moreover, once this cultivation method was practiced, it would be impossible to switch to any other.
By directly transmitting the technique, Immortal Qing You would be powerless to change anything!
Lin Wan'er would then belong only to her as a disciple!
"Forgive me, Wan'er, your Master might have to be a little rough." Mu Qingli apologized first.
'Huh?'
Lin Mo was stunned.
Before he could even react, Mu Qingli violently tore open his outer skirt.
'What the hell?'
Thankfully, there was still an inner lining, otherwise, the fact of his being a man would have been exposed a second sooner.
But no matter what, wasn't he doomed to be exposed?
'A dead end!'
Lin Mo wanted to escape, but how could he possibly get away?
He was just an ordinary person, without a shred of cultivation.
The only way out of this predicament… was through his mouth.
'Mouth Jutsu!' (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, 'zuì dùn,' referring to using one's words or rhetoric to resolve a situation, often humorously implying persuasion or talking one's way out of trouble.)
This mouth had once helped Lin Mo escape from Qiu Yue's clutches!
He believed that this time, it would also turn danger into safety!
"Sect Master, I—"
"Time is of the essence, don't speak for now." Mu Qingli lightly tapped Lin Mo's lips with her finger.
Lin Mo instantly felt as if his mouth no longer existed!
No matter how hard he tried, how much he strained, his lips seemed completely beyond his control.
'Th-this is ruined, isn't it?!'
'Who immediately seals someone's mouth upon meeting them?!'
'Shouldn't she listen to what I have to say?'
'Who immediately plays their trump card, who immediately seals someone's transformation device, preventing them from transforming?!'
'Wah wah wah wah—'
'Despair.'
'Fear.'
This was the Xuan Nv Sect, a place that utterly loathed men.
Even its disciples would wantonly slaughter males; how could its leader possibly be fond of them?
Lin Mo's body trembled like a sieve.
He wanted to retreat, but Mu Qingli was like those intelligent villains who offered no opportunities.
Unleashing some unknown spell, she directly immobilized Lin Mo's body!
Not only his mouth, but now even his body was no longer his own.
Cold sweat streamed down his face, and the terror in his eyes could no longer be hidden.
No matter how he tried to comfort himself, death now seemed to be stealthily approaching.
A colossal grim reaper seemed to raise its scythe, hiding behind Mu Qingli, grinning sinisterly, waiting for Mu Qingli to tear away all of his disguise.
Mu Qingli noticed the choker around Lin Mo's neck, frowned, and directly pulled it off. "What kind of sight is a young lady wearing a choker?"
'No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Lin Mo despaired.
There was no miracle, no unexpected turn of events.
As Mu Qingli yanked off the choker, Lin Mo's bobbing Adam's apple became strikingly conspicuous.
Mu Qingli froze.
She stared at that large, moving Adam's apple.
That was not something a young girl should possess, nor something a young girl could ever grow.
It was exactly the same as what those foul men had.
This Lin Wan'er before her… was not a woman at all!
She was intimately familiar with the external characteristics of men!
Those contemptible, hateful, cowardly, and harmful things that all men possessed — that was the Adam's apple!
Her stunned expression instantly turned savage.
She directly grabbed Lin Mo by the neck, lifting him into the air!
"You… you damned man, how dare you trespass into the Xuan Nv Sect!?
How dare you defile the purity of the Xuan Nv Sect!?"
Mu Qingli's golden eyes now emitted waves of chilling intent, her icy gaze as sharp as a blade.
Mu Qingli's fingers gradually tightened, choking Lin Mo until his face turned ashen, feeling as though his throat was about to be crushed.
He wanted to struggle, but immobilized by the spell, Lin Mo could only watch helplessly, unable to do anything.
His physical body now felt like a prison for his soul; even as his flesh was about to be destroyed, he could only let out unheard screams of despair in his heart.
'Am I… truly going to die… today?'
"You damned insect, I will definitely—"
Just then, Lin Mo's cold sweat suddenly dripped onto Mu Qingli's wrist.
Abruptly, a peculiar sensation, like an electric current, surged through her nerves and up her spine, bringing wave after wave of tingling pleasure.
It was a warm, comfortable feeling.
One she had never experienced in all these years.
She couldn't help but let out a soft, alluring moan.
It was so utterly suggestive that the hatred on her face couldn't even be maintained.
She only felt a warm current surge through her body, as if she were gently embraced by sunlight.
Logically, as someone with a Profound Yin Physique (TL Note: A unique body constitution in cultivation novels, often characterized by extreme coldness or yin energy) and the flaws of her cultivation technique, her body should be perpetually in a state of extreme cold.
But what was this long-lost warmth and comfort?
As for what was happening, Lin Mo was also utterly bewildered.
'Wasn't she going to kill me?
Wh-why did she suddenly… become so sensual?'
'C-could it be… this person… is also like Qiu Yue… also a pervert?!'
Lin Mo suddenly realized he could move, and the grip on his throat had become incredibly loose!
Although he didn't know what was happening, this was definitely a good chance to escape!
Thus, Lin Mo kicked out forcefully, striking Mu Qingli's abdomen, directly breaking free from her hand.
Upon landing, he turned and ran towards the main door.
"Don't… don't even think about leaving!" Mu Qingli, snapping out of her daze, roared, "Don't even think about leaving!"
Her hand reached out towards Lin Mo once more!
However, Lin Mo was quick-witted; he immediately opened his mouth and bit Mu Qingli's hand.
But his body moved faster than his mind, and as he bit down, he suddenly remembered a problem.
'Can I even bite through it?
I'm just a mortal…'
But it was too late.
His mouth had already bitten down.
As expected, it was hard… as hard as iron!
Intense pain instantly spread through his mouth, feeling as if his teeth were about to crack.
Yet…
"Ah~~~~~"
A soft, alluring moan escaped Mu Qingli.
'Sister, is that really the right sound for this?'
-----------------
Mu Qingli quickly covered her mouth. She herself didn't expect that she would make such a sound.
Shame dyed her fair face red. She couldn't understand why she could make such a shameless cry just by being bitten!
"You, what have you done to me!"
That voice was certainly not her own.
Even if it were, this man before her must have resorted to some despicable trickery.
Mu Qingli was about to utter more words when a wave of heat surged through her body once more.
Only then did she snap out of her state of shame and indignation, realizing… the backlash of her Profound Yin Physique… had vanished.
It was likely due to the unfamiliar sensation of 'heat' after so long that she only now became aware of it.
In the past, a chilling cold would spread from the depths of her bone marrow, making every bone feel as though pierced by ice picks, even freezing her blood and slowing its flow to a crawl.
Cold was her constant, her eternal state.
With a cold that even her soul could not escape, what in this world could possibly make her feel warmth?
She lowered her gaze to her body, feeling the warm current coursing through her.
At this moment, she felt utterly comfortable, the pain brought by her Profound Yin Physique completely dissipating.
After a long absence, she could finally let go of the pain.
Mu Qingli lifted her eyes to look at Lin Mo, who had, at some point, scrambled to the palace gate and was desperately trying to pry it open, intent on escaping.
In her heart, a conjecture arose, one she herself was reluctant to believe: 'Could this man… alleviate… alleviate the backlash of my Profound Yin Physique?
No… perhaps… he could even cure the backlash of the Profound Yin Physique entirely?'
But… why must it be a man!
Hatred instantly flared within her, yet no matter how fiercely that rage surged, it could not surpass the hope that gradually blossomed before her eyes.
The hope of life, the hope of fulfilling her master's dying wish.
The hope of perfecting the 'Bright Jade Profound Yin' cultivation method her master had left behind.
What truly mattered was her master's dying wish, wasn't it?
While Mu Qingli was still lost in thought, the palace suddenly began to shake violently.
A heavy rumbling echoed, layer upon layer, signaling to Mu Qingli that she had little time left.
She had to cast aside her personal preferences.
With a light tap of her foot, Mu Qingli seemed to teleport, appearing directly behind Lin Mo and seizing his shoulder.
"Tha—"
Lin Mo had barely uttered the first syllable when Mu Qingli dragged him back to the center of the room.
"Shut up and listen.
I can spare your life, but you must cooperate with me.
Otherwise, your fate will be like this object!"
Mu Qingli casually waved her right hand, and though it appeared effortless, an invisible palm energy shot forth.
Nearby, the displayed swords and blades clanged in response, shattering into pieces.
"No need for idle chatter, just nod to confirm," Mu Qingli demanded, her gaze icy, her eyes glinting with a chilling light.
Lin Mo shivered, understanding that this was no jest, and promptly nodded to indicate his comprehension.
Following this, Mu Qingli tore away Lin Mo's last remaining garments, leaving him completely exposed before her, without the slightest concealment.
Ten years of menial labor had been both a torment and a prolonged, silent tempering.
Lin Mo had spent every day immersed in ceaseless tasks, and those seemingly trivial yet arduous chores had, unbeknownst to him, subtly transformed his body.
Innumerable times carrying heavy loads, his muscle fibers had grown resilient through countless contractions and stretches.
From initial exhaustion to gradual adaptation, his physique had been meticulously forged like steel, slowly developing defined muscles.
His body was lean and strong without being exaggerated, each muscle perfectly contoured to his bones, with smooth, natural lines.
This was not the blocky musculature developed through deliberate training, but rather a beauty filled with natural harmony and coordination.
His frame was slender yet substantial, devoid of any superfluous fat.
This was the result of long-term labor, every inch of his muscle imbued with strength.
Though his arms were not as thick as those of bodybuilders, when he clenched his fists, the muscles on his forearms would tense like steel rods hidden beneath his skin—firm and powerful.
His abdomen was flat and taut; with a slight flex, the faint outlines of his abdominal muscles became visible, as if meticulously carved with a blade.
Even Mu Qingli couldn't help but steal a few extra glances.
This body was truly like a work of art, flawless and perfect, and when paired with his handsome and alluring face, it possessed a unique attraction.
And…
'Why was that place so much larger than described in books?'
'No, no, this male physique is too disgusting; I mustn't look any longer, or my eyes will be defiled.'
"Close your dog eyes," Mu Qingli snarled.
Lin Mo dared not resist and immediately shut his eyes.
Mu Qingli, in turn, had no choice but to shed her own final scraps of cloth.
At this moment, both stood utterly exposed; with just a glance, the graceful figure before them could be deeply imprinted in their minds, without reservation.
However, between his life and lust, Lin Mo chose to preserve his life.
"Extend your hands to me."
Facing Mu Qingli's demand, he complied without hesitation, not daring to open his eyes.
'Are you kidding? The one before me is an immortal; any misstep would surely lead to my death!'
So, he obediently stretched out his hands.
Time was of the essence; Mu Qingli could feel the outer formations being broken through layer by layer.
Before long, the main gate of her palace would be blasted open.
Ignoring the aversion in her heart, Mu Qingli also extended her hands, taking Lin Mo's and placing them upon her own chest.
Without even needing to spread his fingers intentionally, Lin Mo's wrists could feel an exquisite softness caressing his arms.
He didn't need to see to know what it was.
'Could this small 'perk' be a tiny consolation for his unfortunate life?'
The urgency of the situation prevented Mu Qingli from noticing that she had been silently taken advantage of; she merely spoke with grave seriousness:
"Now, no matter what happens once you enter, do not resist.
This concerns your very life.
Remember, the power flowing through you shortly will be Profound Yin energy; do not resist it."
With that, as Mu Qingli chanted an ancient and obscure incantation, its sound howled in Lin Mo's ears like a frigid wind, each syllable seemingly carrying a biting chill.
The surrounding temperature plummeted, and a cold, icy aura slowly rose from his feet, creeping upward along his legs.
As Mu Qingli's chanting accelerated, streams of ethereal blue light emanated from her hands, coiling toward Lin Mo like icy spiritual serpents.
Yet, when these lights touched Lin Mo, it felt as though countless icy needles pierced his skin; the cold instantly permeated his flesh, reaching deep into his bone marrow.
He instinctively wanted to pull his hands away and resist the cold, but recalling Mu Qingli's words, Lin Mo dared not make any move to fight back.
He could only force himself to remain calm and accept it.
This cold was thousands of times more intense than when Qiu Yue used to make him take cold baths with her in the dead of winter.
'Bathing together' sounded alluring, but there was a thick curtain between them, so thick he couldn't even see her shadow.
And she was a cultivator; a little winter cold meant nothing to her!
Having just escaped Qiu Yue's clutches, he now found himself in such a predicament again…
Lin Mo couldn't help but wonder if he was simply too unlucky.
He had read countless novels while lying in bed, where protagonists would transmigrate and find devoted younger sisters, wealthy patrons offering money, or powerful protectors.
How was it that he transmigrated and found even survival to be a struggle?
First, he was captured and imprisoned for ten years by a girl who looked like a loli on the surface but had a dark heart.
Now, having barely escaped, he was caught by a mature woman.
'What can I say… lolis don't really interest me, but this mature woman…'
The essence of maturity was evident in her body—full yet not corpulent, perfectly sculpted as if by design.
Gradually, Lin Mo felt a small flame begin to churn in his abdomen.
Lin Mo tried to distract himself with these random thoughts, but the effect was minimal.
The cold that followed was so intense it made even his soul tremble.
Even if the physiological flame burned fiercely, it could not withstand it.
--------------
Gradually, some vague scenes emerged in Lin Mo's mind. It was a dead ice field. A cold moon hung in the dark sky. There was no life around, only endless cold and loneliness.
His body couldn't help but tremble slightly, not because of fear, but because the power of Profound Yin began to flow in his body.
That power seemed to course through his veins—no, perhaps it was his meridians?
It felt like an icy stream weaving through his body.
With each meridian it traversed, that pathway seemed to freeze, a sensation of numbness and sharp pain intertwining to furrow his brow.
Simultaneously, his consciousness seemed to fall under the sway of this Profound Yin energy.
His emotions gradually plummeted, and an inexplicable melancholy and oppressive weight settled over his heart, as if all joy had departed the world, leaving behind only this cold darkness.
As the Profound Yin energy steadily converged in his Dantian (TL Note: The energy center located in the lower abdomen, often translated as 'elixir field'), Lin Mo felt as though a thousand-year-old piece of Profound Ice had been thrust into it, its frigid aura radiating outwards.
His breathing quickened, each exhalation carrying wisps of chill, and the surrounding air seemed to condense into tiny ice crystals with every breath he took.
Though his eyes were closed, he sensed something awakening within the darkness, like a faint candlelight flickering in his mind.
Slowly, within that gloom, the rough outlines of objects began to emerge.
Yet, only the immediate surroundings, merely a few steps away, revealed objects as vague silhouettes.
Nearby, fragments of something shattered and flew.
'This… this is… the divine sense cultivators always speak of?'
Curiously, within this divine sense, there was no trace of Mu Qingli; it was as if she didn't exist at all.
Had his hand not still been held by her, he would have almost believed Mu Qingli had vanished.
As the transmission of power deepened, the Profound Yin energy steadily gathered within his Dantian.
This process was akin to constructing an ice cellar within his body, the Profound Yin energy continuously compressing and refining itself.
A powerful bloating pain emanated from his abdomen, as though a constantly expanding ice sphere was pressing against his internal organs within his Dantian.
With even more Profound Yin energy surging into his body, Lin Mo felt as if he were frozen solid within a block of ice, utterly unable to move.
Yet, he could distinctly feel something dripping within his Dantian, each drop accompanied by a tremor deep within his soul—a dual sensation of profound coldness and the burgeoning of immense power.
"It is done.
You have entered the Qi Condensation stage and now possess your own Spirit Sea.
You have also officially become my personal disciple, Mu Qingli's disciple…"
Even as she spoke, Mu Qingli still felt a wave of nausea and annoyance, yet there was no alternative; she had no choice left.
Having already taken him, if Lin Mo's true gender were discovered, or if he were to die, it would only fuel gossip and condemnation.
Her authority within the Xuan Nv Sect would be further disgraced.
Ultimately, she would be impeached, and the Xuan Nv Sect, which her master had painstakingly protected, would fall entirely into the hands of that old hag, Immortal Qing You.
Immortal Qing You would then plunge it into chaos!
Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, the palace doors were violently smashed open, and a powerful force instantly spread throughout.
The old hag had come to snatch him away.
With the backlash from her Profound Yin Body now gone, what did she have to fear?
Moreover, Lin Mo had already begun cultivating the "Bright Jade Profound Yin" technique; what more could she possibly worry about?
He was already in her grasp!
As long as she could conceal his identity until she had fully perfected this cultivation method and resolved the backlash issue, that old hag Immortal Qing You would eventually be no match for her!
However, the most pressing issue now was to ensure no one discovered Lin Mo's true gender!
Ignoring the internal delay, she swept Lin Mo into her arms and together they soared into the grand pool at the center of the palace.
Then, she tossed a white robe over Lin Mo's head before emerging from the water to confront Immortal Qing You, who was already flying towards her.
Amidst billowing smoke, Immortal Qing You's furious roar instantly pierced the air: "Are you insane!"
As the words hung in the air, Mu Qingli lightly tapped her finger, and a slender beam of light shot forth from its tip.
Though incredibly delicate, the burst of power it unleashed instantly swept away all the swirling smoke, clearly revealing Immortal Qing You's astonished face.
Immortal Qing You was too slow to dodge.
Fortunately, Mu Qingli had no intention of taking her life; however, the beam of light pierced directly through the barrier Immortal Qing You had erected, puncturing her shoulder.
Blood flowed profusely.
Immortal Qing You, who had stumbled awkwardly to the ground, slowly rose, her eyes narrowed as she asked, "You… your Profound Yin Body… is it cured?"
"Hmph, I resolved the Profound Yin Body long ago.
I merely indulged you, considering your hard work as the Grand Elder.
But I never expected you to push your luck so far, now brazenly attempting to snatch away even my disciple?
Do you truly believe I wouldn't dare kill you!?"
Mu Qingli's aura was overwhelming at this moment, and her formidable spiritual energy imbued her words with even greater deterrence and oppression—that is, if she had been wearing clothes.
Immortal Qing You gritted her teeth, glancing past Mu Qingli to Lin Mo, who was still in the pool, and her eyes instantly flickered.
The aura emanating from Lin Mo… was indeed Profound Yin energy.
"You, you actually passed that cultivation method on to her?!"
"Heh, Wan'er is exceptionally gifted.
What's wrong with teaching it to her?
Besides, I've already resolved the Profound Yin Body's backlash.
If I don't pass this cultivation method to my disciple, should I pass it to yours?"
Immortal Qing You gnashed her teeth, her expression shifting unpredictably, and a persistent twitch played at the corner of her lips.
"Good, good, good!"
She repeated "good" three times, yet her face was contorted into a terrifying snarl.
"Sect Master is truly magnanimous; not only are you rushing to your own death, but you're also dragging your new disciple along.
You've even chosen your disciple's burial offerings, though isn't a single 'stick' a bit too shabby as a gift?" Immortal Qing You sneered, shifting her gaze from Lin Mo in the pool to Mu Qingli's face.
'A stick?
When did I ever give a stick as a gift?'
Mu Qingli felt a pang of confusion, but she allowed none of it to show on her face.
"Isn't seeking death precisely what you're doing right now, Grand Elder?"
"Good, very good, Mu Qingli.
Very good indeed!" Immortal Qing You sneered, now forced to suppress her frustration and retreat.
She couldn't snatch him away, and she was injured to boot; this was a monumental disgrace.
Yet, she refused to believe the Profound Yin Body had been resolved.
'If the Profound Yin Body were so easily resolved… would that person still have died?'
The answer would have to wait for another day; today, she had truly fallen.
Watching Immortal Qing You slink away, Mu Qingli couldn't help but reveal a triumphant smile.
Her mood was utterly buoyant.
Hands on her hips, she proudly reveled in her victory.
Years of pent-up frustration were finally released today!
Still, the "stick" Immortal Qing You had mentioned piqued her curiosity.
As she turned around, she suddenly understood what the "stick" was.
A flush of crimson and shame instantly bloomed across the beauty's delicate face.
After all… she was quite exposed…
"You… you detestable worm! Who permitted you to open your eyes?! That unsightly 'stick' of yours, I'll pluck it right off you this instant!"
--------------
Seeing Mu Qingli walking towards him quickly and trying to take away his manhood, Lin Mo became anxious on the spot!
This wouldn't do!
While a lost reputation could always be salvaged, where would he ever hope to reclaim this if it were gone? Even if he were to somehow acquire another's, it would never truly be his own.
Furthermore, his current predicament was nothing short of an act of God.
It was she who had paraded so brazenly before him; the door had been blasted open, allowing the brilliant, unfiltered sunlight to illuminate the grand hall, and she herself had stood there with such uninhibited abandon.
He had, without a doubt, witnessed every single thing he shouldn't have.
But dared Lin Mo utter such words?
If he dared to provoke her, not only his manhood but even his very life would be forfeit!
Lin Mo's nimble mind spun, rapidly sifting through every piece of information he had just heard and witnessed, desperately searching for a way to break free from his current plight.
'Think!'
'My brain!'
'I believe you still possess extraordinary potential!'
However, the moment he attempted to recall anything, his mind was instantly overwhelmed by vivid images of her uninhibited form.
Beneath the glistening water droplets, her rosy flesh seemed to radiate a dazzling light, illuminating her full, vibrant form with a translucent, rosy glow.
…
No solution to his predicament materialized, yet the fire burning deep within his belly only blazed with greater intensity.
Still, Lin Mo found himself unable to blame his own mind; after all, how could such a beautiful memory possibly fail to be deeply etched within his consciousness?
'Heh heh… he was utterly doomed.'
As Mu Qingli, with a surge of spiritual energy, effortlessly seized Lin Mo's neck from the air and lifted him from the pool, Lin Mo felt as though an unseen hand had gripped the very doorknob of his destiny.
It was violently yanking open the door to his future, intent on forcibly rerouting him onto an entirely new, unforeseen trajectory.
"Wan'er," Mu Qingli sneered, "from this day forward, cast aside that filthy male identity and embrace your true self as a girl. Rest assured, the pain will be fleeting; your master will handle everything swiftly."
She continued, "This minor imperfection is inconsequential. Once your cultivation has progressed, your master will personally attend to it, transforming you into a true woman! I will make you the future Sect Master of the Xuan Nv Sect, and the most peerless immortal maiden in all the lands!"
"!"
A searing pain was already beginning to surface, prompting Lin Mo to clench his jaw, now drenched in a cold sweat.
He could not allow this to proceed any further.
If it did, how would he ever face his ancestors in the afterlife?
If she insisted on feminizing him, she could at least do so gently, without inflicting such agony!
What kind of Manchu Qing Dynasty (TL Note: A historical Chinese dynasty, often associated with severe and brutal forms of torture in popular culture) torture was this?
Suddenly, amidst his utter despair, Lin Mo's rapidly whirring mind finally seized upon a sliver of hope for salvation.
"S-Sect Master!" Lin Mo stammered, "Are you absolutely certain your Profound Yin Physique's backlash has been truly cured?! Is it genuinely healed, or merely alleviated?!"
At these words, Mu Qingli froze.
She had been so utterly ecstatic that she had completely overlooked confirming such a crucial detail.
Yet, a moment later, she retorted, "And what of it? Isn't it enough that I have you? Even if it merely alleviates the condition, you can help your master keep it at bay for a considerable period!"
A refreshing, captivating smile now bloomed across Mu Qingli's exquisite face—a smile that would have been utterly enchanting, had she not been on the verge of cheerfully removing that thing!
'Qiu Yue, I'm sorry… I never imagined people outside could be even more twisted than you!'
It truly validated the old adage: one must venture out and experience the world to witness more of its wonders.
And just like that, merely by stepping outside Luofeng City, he had already encountered yet another pervert.
"S-Sect Master!" Lin Mo persisted, unwilling to surrender, "Are you truly so confident? What if, once it's removed, my Yang qi dissipates, and I can no longer help you alleviate the backlash? What then?"
He was determined to struggle a little longer.
"Yang qi?" Mu Qingli scoffed, "A simple sealing spell will suffice to contain it. Right now, the most crucial task is to remove this hideous worm from you!"
As she spoke, Mu Qingli channeled more spiritual energy, intensifying her grip.
"Mu Qingli!" Lin Mo cried out, desperation seizing him.
At this critical juncture, he cast aside all deference to her status, roaring, "If you dare remove it, I swear I will die!"
"Die? You dare to die?" Mu Qingli burst into laughter as if she had just heard the funniest joke, clutching her stomach and guffawing so heartily that her spell controlling Lin Mo faltered and lost its hold.
Lin Mo, having tumbled back into the pool, was utterly bewildered.
'What, he wondered, could possibly be so amusing about his declaration?'
"Mere men, daring to speak such boastful words?" Mu Qingli's face instantly hardened, her swift shift in demeanor startling.
"You are nothing but a pack of craven cowards, maggots who only cower behind women!"
'This woman… she couldn't possibly have… a dual personality, could she?'
Even as Lin Mo reeled in surprise, a dagger was suddenly hurled directly at him.
The dagger spun through the air, its sharp blade glinting blindingly as it caught the sunlight.
Then, with unnerving precision, the eight-inch blade plunged straight into the ground, burying itself halfway into the solid surface.
Lin Mo swallowed hard.
The ground the dagger had pierced was clearly a type of polished stone, and surely no stone found within the opulent palaces of the Xuan Nv Sect could be considered ordinary.
Yet, this dagger had punctured it with such effortless ease, and that was to say nothing of the fact that Mu Qingli had thrown it with a mere casual flick of her wrist…
"What, afraid?" Mu Qingli sneered, her gaze filled with disdain as she fixed it upon Lin Mo.
"Did you not just loudly proclaim you'd rather die? Yet now that I present you with that very option, you recoil in fear? I offer you this final opportunity: either embrace death, or become a woman. I am granting you the opportunity to become a woman, and still you display such repulsion? Do you honestly believe being a woman is such an effortless path? Countless individuals in this world yearn to become women, yet throughout their entire lives, their desires remain unfulfilled. Now you are given this chance with such ease, and yet you show no gratitude. Were it not for your innate talent, I would have long since slapped you dead."
With the situation having reached this critical juncture, Lin Mo found himself with no recourse but to make a definitive choice.
Would he endure the humiliation of castration, embrace a new identity, and step into a brilliant future as a personal disciple of Sect Master Mu Qingli, or would he choose to die for his dignity?
Such a matter—required no deliberation.
Of course, he had to choose to live!
Only by living could there be hope; only by living could there be a future!
Lin Mo rose from the pool, his gaze now utterly resolute.
He intended to live, to survive until tomorrow, to bear witness to a vastly different dawn!
"I understand…" Lin Mo said.
Upon hearing these words, though Mu Qingli's expression remained outwardly impassive, a cold, knowing sneer had long since sharpened within her heart.
'What true courage could a man possibly possess?'
'If he truly dared to take his own life, she would agree to anything he asked, even swearing an oath upon the Heavenly Dao!'
Given Mu Qingli's current level of cultivation, she could already commune with a sliver of the Heavenly Dao, rendering her oaths far more than mere casual declarations.
In an instant, Mu Qingli felt a sensation like a branding iron searing her heart, deeply etching itself into the very core of her soul.
Her oath had been bound by the chains of the Heavenly Dao's mark.
'But what did it truly matter?
Men in this world were utterly useless; what consequence could such an oath truly hold?'
Men who could abandon their wives and daughters were rotten to the bone long ago.
Inadvertently, Mu Qingli saw someone's figure overlap with Lin Mo's; that person's face was already blurred, or rather, faceless.
Only a fleeing back remained, leaving her and her mother to await death.
Hatred unconsciously surged in her heart, but she swiftly suppressed it.
The Lin Mo before her was not that man; there was no need to implicate him.
Besides—
Mu Qingli looked at Lin Mo, whose expression now suggested compromise.
'Isn't compromise what men do best?'
Since he had compromised, she would have to endure it.
Regardless of how much she detested men, Lin Mo was the absolute core of her plan.
Mu Qingli sensed that the day she would reclaim control of the Xuan Nv Sect was not far off.
"Good, then your master—What are you doing?"
Lin Mo did not emerge from the pool.
Instead, he snatched up the short sword, aimed it at his chest, and plunged it fiercely into his heart!
The entire process was executed without the slightest hesitation; crimson blood spurted forth, instantly dyeing the clear pool a vivid red.
Mu Qingli was stunned, not because Lin Mo's movements were too swift, but because she simply could not believe that Lin Mo, a man, would actually dare—to declare his resolve with death.
"…Sect Master," Lin Mo's voice was weak yet imbued with stubborn defiance, each word seemingly squeezed through his gritted teeth with every ounce of his remaining strength.
Having uttered these words, he seemed to have expended all his energy, his body convulsing violently, followed by a fit of intense coughing.
The coughing echoed through the silent space, each sound like the mournful creak of a decaying bellows.
Great gouts of blood sprayed from his mouth, like a surging crimson tide.
The blood rapidly spread through the pool, instantly transforming the once crystal-clear water, covering it as if with a layer of blood-red silk.
Blood mist also splattered onto Mu Qingli's pure, unblemished skin, dotting her snow-white complexion with several vivid red spots, like crimson plum blossoms blooming on snow, appearing strikingly stark in contrast.
'Wh-Why…'
She couldn't comprehend it.
Mu Qingli couldn't understand.
'Surely… I offered him the best choice, an incredibly bright future, so why would this cowardly man still seek death…?'
'Men are weak.'
'They are despicable.'
'They are ungrateful and faithless!'
'They caused the deaths of many, including her mother and master.'
'If only they had been braver, more resolute… would her mother and master still be alive?'
'Just like… Lin Mo… willing to die… to defend something.'
'If… it had been Lin Mo who accompanied her master back then… would the outcome have been different?'
She needed an answer.
She needed Lin Mo to give her an answer!