The grand wedding of the Young Palace Master of the Hundred Flowers Palace, along with the simultaneous marriages of the Great Protector and the Fourth Protector to members of prestigious sects, had set the martial world ablaze with rumors. Seizing this opportunity, the Hundred Flowers Palace had invited heroes from across the land, marking the first time they had welcomed so many outsiders onto their mountain. To accommodate the guests, the eastern wing—which had recently been cleared after a fire—was repurposed as lodging. With only three days remaining until the wedding, the various factions had mostly arrived, and the palace was a whirlwind of activity.
Yet, if there was one place that remained untouched by the festive lanterns and colorful banners, it was the residence of the Young Palace Master, Nan Muxue. It remained as desolate as ever, eerily silent. The main gates were perpetually bolted; no one entered or left, save for A-Yue, who delivered the daily meals.
The elegant notes of a zither drifted through the air, twisting and turning in a melody that felt utterly out of place in the oppressive silence. Even A-Yue, waiting outside, couldn't help but feel curious. Shouldn't the Young Palace Master be troubled? How did she have the heart to play the zither? Moreover, the music didn't seem to carry much sorrow or anxiety at all.
"I didn't know the Young Palace Master had such a hidden talent."
Nan Muxue stopped playing, her fingers still resting on the strings. She wasn't annoyed by the teasing remark; instead, a smile graced her lips as she looked toward the figure lounging comfortably on the bed, propping her head up with one hand. "What? Did you think only your precious Zhier knew how to play?"
*Cough, cough, cough!*
Chu Ruo nearly choked to death on a large grape, the fruit lodging itself in her throat. "You... cough... honestly, that’s enough. You can’t go three sentences without bringing up Zhier. Hey, you keep teasing me, but are you the one who actually likes her?"
Chu Ruo held another large red grape to her lips, but—*zip!* Before she could bite, it was gone. When she looked down, she saw only the flattened remains of the fruit between Nan Muxue's fingers, juice splattered everywhere. "I don't know about other things, but as far as temperament goes, Zhier is certainly much kinder. As for your foul temper..."
"Chu Ruo," Nan Muxue said, suddenly appearing at her side with a beaming smile. "Do you have a death wish?"
Perhaps she had grown too accustomed to these comfortable days, for Chu Ruo simply lay flat on the bed, looking utterly unbothered. "If I’m going to die, I might as well die in your bed..."
She was fully prepared to be kicked off the mattress, but her "Little Scorpion" never seemed to follow the expected script. After a moment, a familiar, jade-like hand was placed against her cheek. Chu Ruo couldn't quite believe it. She reached up to touch Nan Muxue’s forehead to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. "Did you fry your brain?"
Nan Muxue didn't take offense. Her smile today was exceptionally tender. "You really can't be serious for even a single moment, can you?"
Chu Ruo sat up abruptly. "Xue'er, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me. Are you feeling unwell? I’ll go get Zhier to check your pulse..."
"Be quiet." Just as Chu Ruo sat up in a panic, Nan Muxue lay down in her place, looking languid. "I'm weary."
"Weary?" Chu Ruo asked uncertainly. "Just weary? Nothing else is wrong?"
"Either you get off the bed, or..."
"Hehe." Chu Ruo squeezed back under the covers. "I’m not leaving. I’ll stay and hold you while you sleep. I’m definitely choosing the latter."
"Wishful thinking," Nan Muxue murmured, "disdainfully" curling into Chu Ruo's embrace. "Your master was going to tell you to either leave or sit over there and practice your cultivation."
"I'll practice after you fall asleep. Besides, would you really have the heart to let me leave right now?"
The reply was heartless: "Out of sight, out of mind."
"I think you’re just too *tsundere*. You’re like a prickly little wildcat that gets its fur ruffled too easily."
Nan Muxue reached up and pinched Chu Ruo’s cheek with unerring accuracy. "Say that again."
"Just kidding, just kidding!" Chu Ruo pulled her closer, coaxing her toward sleep. "If you're tired, then sleep. I’ll stay right here with my Xue'er. Go to sleep..."
"I'm not that sleepy. I've just been feeling a bit fatigued lately. I'll take a bath after I wake up to wash away the exhaustion."
"Xue'er."
"Hmm?"
Chu Ruo asked cautiously, "What is with you today?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do I even have to say it? Your behavior! Usually, if I talked back like that, you’d have kicked me across the room. Why are you so... gentle today?" She was even endearing, looking so tempting—like a ripe apple practically begging for a bite.
Nan Muxue’s lips curled into a slight smile. "At least you have some self-awareness regarding how much I want to kick you out of bed."
*You’re impossible...* Chu Ruo thought.
"Am I being that unusual today?"
"It’s not that. It’s just... why did you suddenly decide to play the zither?" To be precise, there were only three days until the wedding, yet the Little Scorpion was as steady as a rock, finding the time to fiddle with a zither. Whenever Chu Ruo asked about her plans, she refused to say a word. She wouldn't even let Chu Ruo go out, even though she had previously been tasked with tailing Nan Yunshuang. What was going on?
Nan Muxue looked up, her bright eyes reflecting only one person. "Didn't you say before that you had never seen me play?"
Chu Ruo felt a surge of emotion. Even at a critical juncture like this, she remembered a passing comment. "You... you played specifically for me?"
"Consider it a reward for your decent performance regarding the matter with Yunshuang."
"Then... I want another reward."
"What do you want?"
Chu Ruo tapped her own lips. "You decide."
Suddenly, Chu Ruo’s vision went dark as Nan Muxue covered her eyes with her hand. In the next second, she got her wish. She tasted her lover’s lips, but it wasn't just a tongue that entered her mouth; it was accompanied by the sweet flesh of a grape, making the kiss both sugary and suffocating. Very quickly, Chu Ruo’s breathing became heavy and ragged.
She thought it would just be a teasing kiss, but she soon realized Nan Muxue intended to go further. The woman even took Chu Ruo’s hand and guided it to pull at the loose silk sash around her own waist...
Chu Ruo regained a shred of clarity and tried to pull her hand back. "Xue'er, don't. It’s not convenient for you right now..."
"Ruo'er..."
At this moment, Nan Muxue was a temptress capable of stealing anyone's soul. The way she nuzzled Chu Ruo’s neck nearly caused her to lose control again. Ultimately, Chu Ruo restrained herself, pinning the woman gently beneath her. "Xue'er," she rasped, her voice betraying her inner turmoil, but she held firm.
Nan Muxue laughed, a sound that could charm the world. "Are you trying to play the saint of self-control today?"
*...I’d love to be a lecher, but I have to endure!* Chu Ruo changed the subject. "I should go back to watching Nan Yunshuang. She—"
"There is no need. You’ve watched her for days and she hasn't gone back to Liu Songhe. With only three days left and so many people in the palace, she won't go for the time being."
"I'm afraid she'll do something she regrets. Your mother... she's truly heartless."
"Today, you keep mentioning other people."
Chu Ruo felt something was off. It was as if the roles had reversed and the Little Scorpion was the one being the aggressor. The suggestive tone was unmistakable. Chu Ruo wondered if she had misread the situation; usually, with her lover's cold and proud nature, it took Chu Ruo’s persistent shamelessness to get anywhere. Today, she was being proactive. But given the circumstances, who knew what would happen next? Chu Ruo was so worried she couldn't sleep at night, and more importantly, Xue'er was pregnant. No matter how much she craved her, she couldn't do it now. "I'm just worried. You won't tell me your plan; you're being so mysterious. Xue'er, I'm worried about you..."
A finger pressed against her lips, silencing the rest of her words. "My plan has only one goal: to keep you safe. No matter what happens, I want you to protect yourself."
"It’s *us*. We both have to be okay. Neither of us can get hurt."
Because of their recent intimacy and Nan Muxue’s initiative, her collar was slightly open, revealing a glimpse of skin. Her fingertips lightly brushed Chu Ruo’s brow. "Now is not the time to talk about that."
*A female predator? Heavens, is this still my cold, tsundere Little Scorpion?* Chu Ruo reached out with both hands and pinched both her own cheeks and Nan Muxue’s quite hard. *Slap!* Nan Muxue heartlessly swatted her hands away, and Chu Ruo hissed in pain. "It’s not a hallucination... what is wrong with you?"
Nan Muxue didn't answer. Seeing this, she simply got up. Chu Ruo sat on the bed, dazed. "Where are you going?"
"To bathe."
Concise, clear, and sparing with words. She didn't even look back. Was she angry? It didn't seem like it; she didn't act like this when she was mad. If she wasn't mad, why the sudden bath? *Forget it, don't overthink it,* Chu Ruo told herself. *I should go help her. It would be a disaster if she slipped by the pool. I’ve been worrying myself to death lately.*
By the time Chu Ruo walked over, the other woman was already in the water. *Tsk.* It was one thing to imagine it, but seeing it was even more enticing than the scene on the bed. Chu Ruo felt like she was going to drool—no, have a nosebleed. She quickly turned her head away. *Don't look, don't look. See no evil.*
"Come here."
Two light words, and the person in the water seemed to be moving toward her. Chu Ruo tried to dodge. "Well, you see..."
"Scrub my back."
Just three words, but they seemed to possess a magic that Chu Ruo couldn't refuse. She gave an honest "oh" and turned around.
Nan Muxue looked at her with interest. "If you don't get in the water, how do you intend to serve your master?"
*...You’re really treating me like a servant.* Yet, in the blink of an eye, Chu Ruo had obediently shed her clothes and entered the pool. She approached and, adhering to the principles of a qualified bath attendant, began to carefully scrub her lover's skin.
The Little Scorpion was definitely doing this on purpose. The scene was beyond ambiguous. Her hand, holding the cloth, could feel every inch of the other woman's skin. Before she could turn her face away again—*splash!* Nan Muxue closed the distance and embraced her tightly, their bodies pressed together.
"W-what is it?"
The other woman didn't answer, simply resting her head on Chu Ruo’s shoulder. Chu Ruo felt a pang of heartache and wrapped her arms around her in return. "Xue'er, are you... are you thinking about what happens in three days, so you’re indulging me? Is that it?" They didn't know what the outcome would be in three days. She only knew that her Xue'er would do anything for her.
The woman chuckled softly. After a long silence, she spoke only two words: "Ruo'er."
"I'm here, Xue'er. I'm right here."
"The only thing I want is to be with you."
Chu Ruo lowered her head and kissed her hand. "We are together right now."
Nan Muxue suddenly kissed her again, a gesture of wild abandonment. She was showing through her actions that today, they didn't have to think about anything else. Today, they still belonged to one another.
Chu Ruo returned the fiery kiss, but she hesitated to take the next step. Eventually, she carried the woman back to the bed and wrapped them both tightly in the quilt. Her voice trembled from the effort of restraint. "It’s late. Let’s sleep." She never proactively brought up the child in Muxue's womb because she knew it was a source of shame for such a noble woman—something she wished never to mention. Chu Ruo had said that if she wanted the child, she would treat it as her own. But she had seen the darkness in Muxue's eyes. She had secretly consulted Bai Zhier, whose answer was that Nan Muxue’s constitution was too "deficient and cold"; the pregnancy could not be terminated without risking her life.
Why did the heavens torment them so? Sometimes Chu Ruo wondered if her coming to this world was a punishment for herself or for others. If she hadn't appeared, perhaps Xue'er wouldn't have suffered so much.
"You're distracted," Nan Muxue said, pinching Chu Ruo’s face. "What are you thinking about? Your Miss Zhier?"
Chu Ruo snapped back to reality and gave her a brilliant kiss. "I was just thinking about what our life will be like after we’re married."
"Ruo'er," Nan Muxue laughed again, "you really are terrible at lying."
"You..."
The woman she loved tightly clasped her hands. "Go to sleep. Tomorrow, I need you to do something for me."
"Alright." Chu Ruo kissed her forehead. "Goodnight."
The next day, Chu Ruo had just slipped out of the room and hadn't even had the chance to do what Nan Muxue had requested when it became clear that the Old Palace Master, Nan Menghua, could no longer sit still. In a rare move, she visited her daughter’s residence. "Where is the Holy Envoy?"
"The Holy Envoy has not returned since she went down the mountain. I do not know."
"Is that so? I have a feeling she has returned," Menghua sneered. "Does my darling daughter not wonder where her Holy Envoy is hiding at this very moment?"
Nan Muxue remained silent. Nan Menghua wasn't angered; instead, she sat down leisurely. "Failing to return for so long... do you know the punishment according to palace rules? If you make her come out now, I can let bygones be bygones."
"I would also like to find the Holy Envoy, but I truly do not know her whereabouts."
"Fine. Then I shall help you." With a wave of her hand, a bewildered Xiao Guo'er was dragged forward. The girl knew she was in deep trouble and begged for mercy, crying that she knew nothing. Nan Menghua remained unmoved, her expression cold as she ordered a vat of oil to be set up at the entrance.
The fire roared, and the cold oil quickly became scalding. The heat was scorching even from a distance. Nan Menghua gestured again, and two disciples held Xiao Guo'er’s hands over the boiling vat.
Nan Muxue finally spoke. "Mother, this has nothing to do with her..."
"Who told them to be so close?" Nan Menghua laughed coldly, watching Xiao Guo'er struggle like a madwoman. "If you want to blame someone, blame the Holy Envoy. I shall count to three. If she does not appear, these hands of yours... don't worry, they will feed them to you later. They will still be inside your body. One... two..."
Chu Ruo used her lightness skill to fly onto the scene. "Greetings, Palace Master."
"Has the Holy Envoy finally returned? You certainly took your time."
Chu Ruo remained expressionless. "I have returned late. I ask the Palace Master for punishment."
"Stretch out your hands." Nan Menghua stood up and picked up a wooden ladle from the oil vat. She scooped up a full ladle of hot oil and slowly poured it back in. She scooped again, poured again. On the third time, she poured half back, and then dumped the remaining half directly onto Chu Ruo’s hands.
The pain was so intense that Chu Ruo nearly collapsed to her knees, but she gritted her teeth and endured. Sweat poured down her face, yet she didn't utter a single cry of pain. It took an incredible amount of willpower to remain silent. Nan Menghua stepped behind her and gripped her shoulder—a movement that forced Nan Muxue, who was about to rush forward, to stop in her tracks. Menghua laughed triumphantly. "Does the Young Palace Master have any objection to this punishment?"
"I... have... none. I leave everything to Mother’s discretion."
Menghua flicked her horsetail whisk and said coldly, "The Hundred Flowers Palace will always be under my command!"
With that, she departed, taking the exhausted Chu Ruo with her.
***
"Xue'er," Nan Gongyan and the others said as they rushed over upon hearing the news. "Chu Ruo, she..."
"My mother took her."
"So you really were hiding her here all along. You took a huge risk. Now that she’s been found, Chu Ruo is likely..."
"Ruo'er will be fine. She is safe." Nan Muxue stroked her jade ring. "My mother’s actions today were merely a show of power. She wanted to tell all the disciples that she is the one in charge. She is slowly stripping me of my authority."
Duan Ning stamped her foot. "Then why are you still so calm? Don't you feel for Chu Ruo? I heard she was badly injured today."
Though Nan Gongyan was also worried, she couldn't miss the chance to tease her peer. "Oh? So now it’s your turn to worry about her? Aren't you afraid your Liuli will get jealous?"
"Enough," Nan Muxue waved them off. "I have a plan. Everything will be settled on the day of the wedding."
"At least give us some details so we know how to coordinate with you."
"Gongyan, you went back to the Sword Casting Villa with Shen Ruoxuan. What is the situation?"
Nan Gongyan shook her head. "Shen Wanxiong is an old fox, very cautious. Not only did he not lower his guard because of the wedding, but he increased the villa's security. It’s packed with guards now. If the Old Palace Master wants to swallow them up now, it won't be easy."
"No need to worry about that. I want you to secretly spread rumors that Mother intends to use this opportunity to annex Feipeng Fortress and several other major sects. How is that coming along?"
"That was easy," Duan Ning said, patting her chest. "Most of the sect leaders have heard the news by now, though it hasn't spread to the public. Don't worry, it’s exactly the result we wanted. The news reached Liu Songhe and the others, but it stayed quiet. On the surface, everything is peaceful, but in reality... however, if you do this, won't they unite against the Hundred Flowers Palace?"
Yin Liuli frowned. "For now, they likely hope to watch from the sidelines while the tigers fight. Each sect thinks they are the only ones who know the secret, so an alliance is unlikely. But Xue'er, this is a dangerous move. Very dangerous. If anything goes wrong, it could affect all the disciples."
"I’ve thought of that. Once this is over, we will immediately take the loyal disciples and retreat to the branch at Cloud Mist Mountain. Liuli, Ning'er, I’m leaving this to you. You must compile a list of reliable disciples over the next few days. Currently, only the two of you can remain uninvolved. Act carefully. If anything goes wrong, take the people and leave immediately. Do not delay."
"Xue'er, you... you’re..."
"Mother won't let us go. She has been in secret cultivation for the past half-month. The fact that she appeared today to force Ruo'er out suggests she is confident. I fear the wedding day will be the moment her technique is perfected, and she will likely begin a massacre. You two must be prepared."
Duan Ning asked, "Then why don't we strike first while she hasn't succeeded yet?"
"It’s useless. With our martial arts, we are no match for her. Those two old foxes, Liu Songhe and Shen Wanxiong, would just reap the benefits. That day will be chaotic. Only when Mother strikes at them can we find an opportunity to act. Even if she doesn't strike, you must make a move that day. You must incite conflict between Mother and them."
"What about Yunshuang..."
Nan Gongyan’s face darkened. "Don't mention her. She’s a lapdog!"
"She has her reasons. Ignore her for now. There are a few more things I need you to do. First..."
Meanwhile, when Bai Zhier heard that Chu Ruo had been taken by Nan Menghua, she rushed off in a panic, intending to demand her release...
***
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Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 102 | A Searing Sacrifice | Novela.app | Novela.app
