Heavy rain was still pouring from the sky.
Inside Qingyu’s wooden cabin, Liu Yashi sat by the edge of the bed, her eyes closed, drifting off into a hazy sleep.
Her delicate body was exceptionally soft.
Her head was lowered slightly, and two faint tear tracks still lingered on her exquisitely cute face.
Her cascade of silver hair hung down and spread out naturally.
She was simply too exhausted and fatigued.
Between suffering heavy injuries, desperately fleeing back, and getting caught in the rain, it would be a wonder if she wasn't tired.
If Qingyu hadn't channeled spiritual power into her body, she wouldn't have been able to relax at all right now; she would have felt excruciating pain and an icy chill as if plunging into an abyss.
At that moment, the space three meters in front of Liu Yashi suddenly fluctuated.
It startled Liu Yashi and woke her up instantly.
She hadn't really wanted to sleep; she was simply too exhausted and had accidentally dozed off.
In the Xuantian Realm, only cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage could tear through space and teleport.
Although Liu Yashi was only at the Golden Core stage, she could easily perceive spatial fluctuations and changes in spiritual power.
That was because she possessed a special constitution called the Spirit Divine Body.
She could easily sense changes in energy—whether it was spiritual power, death qi, demonic energy, or even the Great Dao Force. As long as her level was high enough, she could perceive the fluctuations of these energies.
However, because Qingyu had largely ignored her for the past four years, her cultivation realm had remained stuck at Early Golden Core.
Her Spirit Divine Body could not be upgraded further and could only detect energy changes within a radius of five meters from herself.
Upon waking up, Liu Yashi immediately opened her eyes and looked toward the spot where she had just sensed the spatial fluctuation.
Then, she saw a familiar figure.
Dressed in a black robe, with a cold and aloof demeanor and an incomparably handsome face, Master Qingyu had returned.
Seeing Qingyu, Liu Yashi’s delicate body trembled instantly.
An expression of utter panic surfaced on her exquisitely beautiful face.
Because she had just woken up and her mind was still groggy, Liu Yashi assumed her master was going to punish her severely, just like before.
Thus, Liu Yashi forced her intensely fatigued body to move, getting off the bed as she prepared to kneel.
Yet right at that moment, she suddenly felt a force preventing her from kneeling.
At the same time, she heard an incomparably gentle voice enter her ears.
"Shier, don't ever be like this in the future."
"Your master... doesn't want to see you afraid, nor do I want to see you in pain."
"From now on, you don't need to put up a front in front of your master anymore. Just act however you naturally feel."
"It's alright, your master has already fully recovered."
As he spoke, Qingyu walked up to Liu Yashi with a gentle smile on his face, reached out his right hand, and gently stroked Liu Yashi's head.
That cascade of silver hair felt exceptionally smooth to the touch.
It felt just like petting a cute little kitten.
Being gently stroked on the head by Qingyu, Liu Yashi finally snapped back to her senses, raising her head slightly to lock eyes with her master, Qingyu.
That's right, her master had already returned to normal.
Why was she still panicking like before?
With this thought, Liu Yashi broke into an immensely happy smile.
Her tense body gradually relaxed as well.
Furthermore, her body stopped trembling.
Watching her master smile gently at her while stroking her head, Liu Yashi couldn't help letting out an enchantingly soft voice.
"Master~"
Before her master lost his mind, she used to cling to him every single day, softly calling out to him just like this by his side.
Ever since her master became abnormal, she had never spoken to him in this tone again.
And now that her master had returned to normal, she naturally couldn't help calling out to him in such a tender, sweet voice.
Having gone a full four years without receiving her master's affection, she now desperately longed to receive his love and care.She desperately wanted compensation from her master.
And that compensation was simply for her master to give her a hug.
She wanted to feel everything about her master.
Of course, this hug didn't need to last very long; just one minute would be enough.
That single minute would make up for all the various losses her master had caused her over the past four years.
Her demands weren't high.
That was all she needed.
So, as soon as Liu Yashi called out to her master, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
Gazing at Qingyu with those glistening eyes, Liu Yashi couldn't help parting her soft lips slightly as she let out a trembling, delicate feminine voice.
"M-Master, can you hug Shier?"
"It's been so long since... Shier last hugged Master."
"Can you? Master?"
After asking, Liu Yashi's light blue eyes became even more glistening.
If Qingyu refused, the very next second, she would definitely fail to hold back and would release all the emotions she had suppressed for years, weeping bitterly right in front of her master.
When Qingyu heard these words from Liu Yashi, she wasn't all that surprised.
In the past, this third disciple of hers had loved clinging to her the most.
They had to share a hug every single day upon waking up.
A single hug could fill Liu Yashi with boundless energy every day, driving her to cultivate diligently without ever feeling tired.
Unfortunately, starting four years ago, ever since Qingyu had been affected by the original plot, everything changed.
She could no longer receive Qingyu's care, nor could she receive any more hugs.
All she got instead were punishments and verbal abuse.
She didn't know why her master had suddenly changed like that.
Not just her; many people didn't know why their master had suddenly undergone such a drastic change.
Fortunately, however, all of that was in the past now.
Her master had recovered.
At least, she was no longer like before, resorting to punishment and insults at the slightest provocation.
Looking into Liu Yashi's glistening eyes, Qingyu continued to stroke Liu Yashi's head with her right hand, and then replied with a gentle, smiling voice.
"Of course you can, Shier."Upon hearing this, Liu Yashi could no longer hold back.
Spreading her arms wide, her delicate body pressed directly against Qingyu's chest.
A wave of softness, accompanied by a faint fragrance unique to a young maiden, washed over Qingyu.
Liu Yashi wrapped her arms tightly around Qingyu's waist, burying her exquisitely beautiful face deep into his chest.
Feeling everything about her Master, her delicate body completely relaxed.
With her eyes closed, the corners of her mouth curled upward involuntarily.
An expression of supreme happiness bloomed on her face.
Holding Qingyu tightly, Liu Yashi let out a soft, tender murmur.
"Phew... Master..."
"It's been... such a long time since we last hugged..."
"Shier was so scared just now."
"Afraid that Master would send Shier away..."
Liu Yashi poured out everything that was on her mind.
Naturally an innocent girl at heart, she loved to confide in her Master no matter what happened.
Upon hearing these words from Liu Yashi, Qingyu immediately drew her in, resting his right hand on the back of his obedient disciple's head and wrapping his left arm around her waist, answering in a gentle tone.
"Your Master won't be like that anymore."
"You can rest easy, Shier."
"Now, Master apologizes to you. You've suffered these past four years."
Thinking of the things he had done over the past four years as recalled in his mind, Qingyu felt a wave of irritation rise within him.
It was all the fault of the original plot's influence!
If not for the original story, he would never have let such a massive sect dwindle down to just a handful of people.
Nor would he have allowed his beloved disciples and the Grand Elder who followed him to suffer such severe psychological trauma!
He absolutely must not follow the development of the original plot any longer!
He had to properly make amends to the people around him.
Right then and there, Qingyu firmly established what he needed to do.