Until Nangong Jiang had left, Shen Qingchen remained reeling from the shock of that conclusion. Her mind was filled with questions. Was Jiang Qianxun really the author of these stories? Why would she write them? And what were her expressions and thoughts while writing such things?
There were so many… such a vast quantity.
She took a cursory glance; most were about masters and disciples, others involved “Immortal Lords” essentially, all of them featured roles that could be linked to her own identity.
If Jiang Qianxun truly wrote these, what was her ultimate goal? Did she simply have a penchant for such taboo relationships, or did she have… certain designs on a specific target?
With these thoughts swirling, many small incidents from the past suddenly surfaced in her mind.
She had seen Jiang Qianxun a few times before this.
They weren’t meetings in public settings, rather, the girl had “accidentally” encountered her several times and even visited her cave dwelling. At the time, Shen Qingchen hadn’t paid it much mind. Many disciples sought private tutoring, and if she responded enthusiastically to every one of them, the formal classrooms would become obsolete.
Yet, even so, the frequency with which Jiang Qianxun sought her out far exceeded that of other disciples.
Using various reasons and methods, it had persisted for a long time. It was only because Shen Qingchen hadn’t been paying attention, and the girl eventually stopped persisting, that the matter had faded away.
After the incident with the damaged mountain-protecting array, the two had finally established a connection. It was logical for the girl to ask for guidance, and Shen Qingchen had given her an access jade token. Then came the discovery of the illness, and now, the girl had even moved into her cave dwelling.
At first glance, it all seemed perfectly natural. But if one viewed the writing of the stories, the “chance” encounters, and the eventual entry into her inner sanctum as a carefully orchestrated scheme… then hadn’t she, without realizing it, fallen into the other’s trap?
Shen Qingchen gripped the book in her hand, an involuntary chill spreading across her back. Thinking of it this way, wasn’t Jiang Qianxun exactly like the disciple in the stories?
Painstakingly calculating, setting the stage step by step, pretending to hold the Master in high esteem while actually viewing her as prey in her heart, simply waiting for the Master to leap into the cage, never to escape.
How could she possibly contend with someone like that?
“Master?” In the midst of her deep, inescapable contemplation, a voice suddenly rang out. Shen Qingchen looked up to see the very “perpetrator” of her imagination.
Startled, Shen Qingchen jerked her head up and recoiled, her eyes filled with defensiveness and alienation. Her voice trembled as she asked, “You… why are you here?”
Jiang Qianxun was startled by the magnitude of her reaction. She froze for a moment before saying, “I came back after seeing the guest off. You said… I should attend lessons in the morning and heal in the afternoon…”
Why is Master reacting like this?
Jiang Qianxun couldn’t fathom the reason, but she did feel a bit hurt. Through these few days of interaction, she knew her Master was a gentle person who wouldn’t intentionally put on a look of disgust to make someone feel bad. Therefore, the problem must lie with herself.
She must have done something to make Master angry.
She couldn’t figure it out for the moment, but her demeanor became even more humble.
Seeing her looking so pitiful, Shen Qingchen suddenly felt a flicker of pity. She reminded herself that those thoughts were just her own conjectures and lacked any real evidence.
Perhaps she was wrongly accusing an innocent person.
Besides, there was another issue.
If Jiang Qianxun really was the author of those stories, why would she reveal the shocking secret of being a “transmigrator”? Thinking it over, she felt she was likely being oversensitive.
Her tense body relaxed slightly. She let out a small sigh of relief and asked, “Are the books all delivered?”
Jiang Qianxun, who was busy blaming herself and wondering how she had offended her Master, immediately brightened up upon hearing the gentle question. She nodded vigorously: “I used to never be able to focus on lessons, but if Master is teaching, I could listen for a lifetime without getting bored!”
Normally, Shen Qingchen would have found such words heartwarming, but today felt different. It felt slick, as if there were an ulterior motive. Instinctively, she didn’t want to respond.
Jiang Qianxun sensitively noticed the change. Her excited expression gradually crumbled. She didn’t know where she had gone wrong, but she didn’t dare ask directly. She could only silently set out the books and sit respectfully behind the small table, head lowered, waiting for her Master’s instruction.
“Where did you leave off?”
“The Three Thousand Volumes of the Tao.”
“Then we shall begin there.”
Shen Qingchen had never taught a class before and didn’t know how the elders usually did it, so she used her own method to explain the text to Jiang Qianxun.
Jiang Qianxun listened very intently.
Sometimes she stared at the book to take notes, and sometimes she looked up to meet her Master’s eyes. These actions weren’t faked; they were entirely sincere.
Shen Qingchen told herself she wasn’t so lacking in judgment that she couldn’t see through people, at least in her presence, the girl was completely clean and pure, without any trace of calculation in her eyes.
Perhaps… she really was overthinking.
Shen Qingchen’s heart softened. She couldn’t help but think that even after being treated that way by her, the girl showed no impatience. Such steadfastness and high character were far beyond those of ordinary disciples.
Seeing that it was getting late, she put down the scroll and said, “It has been half an hour. Let’s take a break. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you may ask me.”
Jiang Qianxun was surprised: “It’s already been an hour?”
She hadn’t felt the time pass at all. It seemed teachers really were different, her Master’s voice was clear, her diction precise, and her logic sound. It was much easier to follow than anyone else’s teaching.
But now, she didn’t dare to offer praise impulsively.
Master’s sudden change in attitude had affected her behavior. Previously, she never overthought things and said whatever was on her mind, but now she feared that if she spoke, she would be brushed off as if she hadn’t been heard.
She was afraid of an awkward silence, so she chose to say nothing.
Shen Qingchen noticed her cautiousness and suddenly felt a bit guilty. She asked, “Are you tired? Would you like some tea?”
“I would, but please don’t trouble yourself. I’ll get it.”
Jiang Qianxun stood up to go to the tea set in the back. As she passed by her Master, she suddenly noticed a stack of books on the floor. The binding looked familiar, crude, with messy handwriting, just like the stories she had read before.
However, only the edges were visible, the titles were hidden.
She wanted to take a closer look, but her Master’s robes were draped over them. She couldn’t very well lift the other’s skirt. Carrying a bit of suspicion, she went to bring the tea back. As she passed the platform, she lost her focus for a moment, tripped, and fell. Not only did the tea tray and water go flying, but she herself lunged straight onto her Master’s lap.
When she opened her eyes, she was face to face with the stack of books she had knocked over. The pages had fanned out, and the scandalous words began to sear themselves into her vision.
《When the Cold Master Pants at Midnight》
《Entangled Affections with the Immortal Lord》
《Manual for Conquering the High-Mountain Flower》…
“Disciple, how can you be so forward… have you forgotten, I am your Master…”
“Where are you running, Master? Surely you wouldn’t want others to know what you look like when you are moved?”
The faint, pleasant fragrance of her Master’s robes wafted into her nose. Jiang Qianxun looked up. Her Master was biting her lip, her face flushed beyond measure. By the time Jiang Qianxun scrambled up, the other woman had already yanked her skirt away and bolted out the door.