CHAPTER 457: SWEETHEART

Chapter 457: Sweetheart

...

"Immortal Master, I've come to learn the Dao! I wish to follow you in Dao cultivation! I'm completely sincere!" The little monkey disciple kowtowed repeatedly nearby.

Chen Huaian squinted as he felt the mountain breeze, suddenly grasping Li Qingran's small hand. "Qingran, the wind up here is quite chilly. Let's head back first."

"Okay~ Master~" Li Qingran mustered her courage to cling to Chen Huaian's arm, lifting her powder-dusted lovely face. "From now on, Master will be this disciple's Dao Companion~"

"Naturally." Chen Huaian led Li Qingran back toward the sect while holding her hand. "Since we're Dao Companions now, you can call me by my name directly."

"No!" Li Qingran shook her head. "Qingran prefers calling you Master~ Besides, I'm already used to it."

"Very well." Chen Huaian nodded. "As long as you don't mind worldly opinions."

"This disciple naturally doesn't care about worldly opinions. But would Master care?"

Chen Huaian snorted arrogantly. "This venerable one is a Great Ascension Stage cultivator. Who dares point fingers at me?"

"Wow! Master is so amazing!" Li Qingran clapped her hands, covering her mouth as she giggled. "I heard that on Earth Star, Dao Companions call each other 'sweetheart.' Since Master doesn't care about worldly opinions, how about we call each other sweetheart?"

"Ah?" Chen Huaian's face turned bright red.

Such terms were perfectly normal in modern times - everyone used them. But this was the Cangyun Realm... Calling someone "sweetheart" here was equivalent to saying "my darling" or "little temptress." This... this bordered on moral decadence!

Seeing Chen Huaian remain silent, Li Qingran pouted, her eyes welling up. "So Master does care about others' opinions after all. In that case, this disciple will strictly keep our relationship secret. So secret that even if Master takes another Dao Companion outside, it won't be exposed." Her voice even carried a slight tremble at the end.

For a moment, Chen Huaian seemed to see Lin Daiyu's shadow in Li Qingran.

"No, that's not what this master meant..."

"Then call me sweetheart." Li Qingran shook Chen Huaian's hand.

"Swee... *cough* sweetheart."

"More smoothly!"

"Sweetheart."

Li Qingran put her hands on her hips and turned away. "Too soft - clearly not sincere. If Master isn't sincere, don't humor this disciple."

Left with no choice, Chen Huaian leaned close to Li Qingran's ear and called out loudly: "Sweetheart!"

"Hmph~" Li Qingran turned back, her bright eyes fixed on Chen Huaian. "Is Master afraid other sect disciples might hear... Fine, that was loud enough. Qingran won't make things difficult for Master anymore~"

Chen Huaian narrowed his eyes. This disciple was getting increasingly mischievous. Shouldn't she be properly disciplined? A man's dignity wasn't important anyway.

Watching Li Qingran's slender retreating figure, he suddenly took a deep breath.

"SWEEEEET—HEAAAAART—!!!"

BOOM!

The thunderous shout shook heaven and earth. The entire Moon Shadow Sect's mountain range trembled three times.

Li Qingran's shoulders jerked as she slowly turned around, her face instantly turning as red as sunset clouds. Her hands fluttered nervously before her chest, unsure whether to cover her ears or face in her panic.

"I... you... Master, how could you—!" Her already soft voice grew even weaker as she stammered, "Why so sudden and loud! Everyone will hear..."

Within Moon Shadow Sect, disciples returning to their caves froze in their tracks, staring dumbfounded toward the main gate.

"Was that... the Ancestral Master's voice?"

"Who angered the Ancestral Master to make him roar like that?"

Some younger disciples whispered among themselves:

"Did you catch what the Ancestral Master shouted?"

"Sounded like... bao bei? What's bao bei? Some kind of shellfish demon?"

At the back mountain, Mo Shumei paused her meditation.

"Treasure? What treasure...?"

"If there's treasure, why would the Ancestral Master shout so loudly? Hmm... must be incredible treasure! Perhaps he'll soon use it to pass his first Minor Heavenly Tribulation!"

...

Within two minutes, the entire sect knew their Ancestral Master had found amazing treasure. Clearly the Ancestral Master was extremely excited, but since the treasure had nothing to do with them, no foolhardy disciple dared investigate.

Before the main gate, Li Qingran bit her lower lip, her face so red it seemed about to bleed, wishing she could vanish into the ground.

"Master, how can this disciple show her face after this..."

Chen Huaian, however, was neither embarrassed nor shy anymore. Feigning innocence, he said, "Didn't you ask me to shout louder? Was that loud enough? If not, this master can yell again!" He made as if to shout once more.

Li Qingran rushed forward to grab his hand. "No! Master, this disciple admits her mistake!" She peeked at Chen Huaian, lowering her head as she mumbled, "This disciple shouldn't have challenged Master's dignity. Please spare me, okay?"

Chen Huaian looked at the pitiful Li Qingran and chuckled helplessly, patting his little disciple's head teasingly. "Then let this be the last time. I'll spare you today!"

"Many thanks for the Supreme Elder's mercy in sparing my life." Li Qingran rolled her eyes slightly, cupping her hands respectfully. "Doesn't the Supreme Elder have matters to attend to? This sect leader also has business to handle~ I won't keep you longer."

Without waiting for Chen Huaian's response, she covered her burning face and fled, disappearing in a few flashes along the winding mountain path, leaving only a faint fragrance lingering in the air.

She ran wildly all the way, her sleeves fluttering. Finally stopping before the Sect Leader's Hall, she lightly pressed slender fingers against her heaving chest, feeling her racing heartbeat.

The mountain breeze blew through her dark hair, dispersing the remaining blush on her face. When she lifted her head, her elegant features suddenly bloomed with radiant joy.

"From today onward, I'm Master's Dao Companion!" she whispered, her voice brimming with happiness.

"Aiya, from today onward I'm Master's Dao Companion~" A deliberately mocking voice sounded behind her.

Li Qingran turned to see senior sister Yue Qianchi, who was looking at her with complicated eyes.

"Senior sister..."

Li Qingran hadn't wanted sect members to know about this relationship, as exposure might harm her master's authoritative image. Having him call her "sweetheart" was just for some private sweetness. She was about to explain to Yue Qianchi when the latter waved her off as if anticipating this.

"Enough, no need to explain. Do you think I don't know what 'sweetheart' means?" Yue Qianchi snorted lightly. "Rest assured, I won't spread this carelessly unless you and the Ancestral Master approve."

Li Qingran patted her chest in relief. "Thank you, senior sister."

"But you must agree to one small condition!" Yue Qianchi's lips curled into a wicked smile that made Li Qingran break out in goosebumps.

...