Spectating the Angsty Romance of the Master and Disciple from the Sect Next Door Chapter 169

Even as her life was nearing its end, Yinyue Monarch remained composed. Her tone was gentle and unhurried, as if she were merely embarking on a long journey, carefully giving instructions to avoid chaos upon her return.
Only Li Jin’an, from her vantage point above, saw the hidden reluctance in Yinyue Monarch’s eyes.
It wasn’t reluctance to part with her own life, but reluctance to part with those close to her.
Li Jin’an’s mood was heavy. She squatted on the roof beam, pitifully hugging her knees, outwardly expressing the sadness for the two people below.
She suddenly understood why Xie Huaixue, Yinyue Monarch, Chixin Sword Lord, and Jingting Dao Lord had conspired to trick her into the secret realm, preventing her from knowing about Yinyue Monarch’s demise. She truly couldn’t bear it, showing a rare moment of weakness.
Just like now, even though she knew she would see them soon, she still felt incredibly distressed.
Compared to her actual master and the newly recognized mother, Yinyue Monarch was actually the one who truly played the role of a mother in Li Jin’an’s heart.
She would tell her stories to lull her to sleep, comb and braid her hair, weave sword tassels for her small wooden sword, scold Chixin Sword Lord and Jingting Dao Lord for bullying her, and watch with a smile as she and Xie Huaixue sulked and ignored each other…
Even without witnessing Yinyue Monarch’s demise firsthand, it was still unbearably heavy for the immature and stubborn Li Jin’an of that time. So she locked away those memories and never revisited them, finding it even harder to face than her failed confession to Xie Huaixue at Three Realms Mountain.
Li Jin’an sniffled, floated down from the roof beam, and instead squatted by the head of the bed, her gaze hesitant and expectant, watching Xie Huaixue and Yinyue Monarch up close.
“Words spoken thrice lose their flavor. What needed to be said has been said many times, so I won’t repeat myself, or else, I won’t even have a peaceful death.”
Xie Huaixue pursed her lips and said clearly, “It is this disciple’s honor to listen to master’s teachings.”
Yinyue Monarch suddenly smiled brightly, pulled Xie Huaixue to sit by the bed, and placed her warm palm on Xie Huaixue’s head, sighing softly, “The one I am most reluctant to leave isn’t Tan Yu, isn’t Jin’an, but you.”
“Tan Yu will listen to me well. Jin’an is open-minded and will always look forward, no matter how sad she gets. But you…”
“With such a difficult personality, how can master set her mind at ease?”
The transparent person squatting by their legs stood up excitedly, nodding vigorously.
That’s right, that’s right! Xie Huaixue wasn’t just awkward; she was so introverted she almost turned herself into a desolate glacier.
Even ‘still waters run deep’ wasn’t enough to describe Xie Huaixue.
She seemed candid and straightforward, sometimes saying things that made one’s heart race, yet she kept all important matters to herself. She bore all the hardships and risks, and even to Li Jin’an, she wouldn’t reveal a single bit before things were accomplished; she wouldn’t say anything even if asked.
If it weren’t for wanting to give Li Jin’an the chance to change their fate, Xie Huaixue probably wouldn’t even have given her the Heavenly Tome, not wanting her to confront those three beasts and the demon race.
Jingting Dao Lord was clearly the tyrant of the cultivation world, yet Xie Huaixue was far more autocratic and dictatorial than her, especially when it came to her own affairs. Even knowing it would make her angry or dissatisfied, Xie Huaixue would still stubbornly go down her chosen path.
How did Xie Wushen and Liu Xinshu, those two carefree simpletons, manage to give birth to a daughter like Xie Huaixue, who was so lovable one couldn’t bear to hate her?
Li Jin’an looked at Xie Huaixue’s eyes, clear as glazed glass but desolate as a wasteland. She squatted down again, tiredly rubbing her cheeks, and sighed along with Yinyue Monarch.
What could be done?
They only had this one disciple/dao companion, so of course, Xie Huaixue would have her way.
Li Jin’an ‘bit’ Xie Huaixue through the air, muttering, “You’re the one who’s truly spoiled and arrogant.”
Xie Huaixue in this timeline naturally didn’t notice someone ‘biting’ her neck. She looked up at the smiling Yinyue Monarch and softly said, “This disciple knows her mistake.”
Xie Huaixue was never one for many words, and when she was sad, she spoke even less.
Both Yinyue Monarch, who was present, and Li Jin’an, who was unseen, could sense the suppressed emotions beneath her calm exterior. They felt extremely distressed for her and comforted her in their own ways.
Li Jin’an hugged Xie Huaixue from behind, resting her head on her shoulder.
Yinyue Monarch stroked Xie Huaixue’s long hair, chuckling, “You might have to suffer on behalf of your master. Jin’an might not understand you.”
Xie Huaixue shook her head, following Yinyue Monarch’s lead in changing the subject. “It’s fine.”
Li Jin’an, feeling inexplicably guilty and her face burning, huffed and puffed out her cheeks, but she truly couldn’t argue her way out of it.
Knowing about Yinyue Monarch’s demise, how could she not go crazy? The first to bear the brunt would be Xie Huaixue, Chixin Sword Lord, and Jingting Dao Lord. After all, with the principal gone, she could only go after the three accomplices.
Yinyue Monarch raised a hand to adjust Xie Huaixue’s collar, her voice somewhat ethereal. “Both you and An’an must be well, then master will have nothing to worry about.”
“Go and invite the Sect Master for your master.”
Yinyue Monarch’s expression momentarily flickered, causing her to call out Li Jin’an’s nickname. She thought with amusement, Thankfully, Jin’an isn’t here right now, or she would probably throw another tantrum, waiting to be coaxed.
The white-robed Xie Huaixue and the transparent Li Jin’an rose simultaneously and bowed respectfully.
“This disciple respectfully obeys master’s command, daring not to forget.” / “An’an will listen to Monarch.”
“This disciple takes her leave.”
After speaking, Xie Huaixue paused her steps, and her body stiffened as she turned her back to Yinyue Monarch.
Li Jin’an and Yinyue Monarch both silently watched her retreating back, seeing that she ultimately did not turn back for one last look. They watched her walk out of the immortal cave, step by step, into the wind and snow, her back straight and her figure thin.
Did she not dare to turn back for fear of losing composure, or because she couldn’t bear for her dying master to worry about her again?
How could she be so awkward, so self-tormenting?
So, in the hundreds of years that followed, when she couldn’t determine the final outcome and couldn’t control her own fate, would Xie Huaixue resent herself for not taking one last look at her master?
Only then did Li Jin’an realize that Xie Huaixue was excessively thin at this moment. The white daoist robes of Dao Sect seemed wide and ethereal on her.
Li Jin’an, in her spiritual body state, couldn’t shed tears, but she felt an overwhelming sense of relief and lingering fear.
Thank goodness, thank goodness. Man can conquer nature, and some regrets can be mended.
Heaven wasn’t too unkind to Xie Huaixue.
Li Jin’an squatted back in her old spot. The next second, Jingting Dao Lord entered, her face solemn and her steps hurried. Without Yinyue Monarch needing to invite her, she simply flicked her robe hem and sat down on her own accord, even pouring herself a large cup of tea without ceremony, drinking it all in one gulp before looking at Yinyue Monarch. “Have you decided?”
“Yes,” Yinyue Monarch smiled faintly. “I’ve decided.”
Because her full attention was on Yinyue Monarch and Jingting Dao Lord, Li Jin’an suddenly noticed many previously overlooked details of their interaction through close observation. Yinyue Monarch was very relaxed when facing Jingting Dao Lord.
It wasn’t that Yinyue Monarch became guarded when facing others, but rather…
While Jingting Dao Lord frowned, Li Jin’an racked her brain. A moment later, upon seeing Yinyue Monarch’s calm eyes, she realized what it was.
—Yinyue Monarch had no expectations of Jingting Dao Lord.
She hoped that Xie Huaixue, Li Jin’an, and Tan Yu could still live in peace, joy, and freedom in her absence.
Once a person has a weakness, they become fearful, constrained by their care, and will thus don armor. But she had no such expectations of the powerful Jingting Dao Lord.
Not only did she treat Jingting Dao Lord as a trustworthy person to whom she could entrust her affairs after her demise, but also due to their shared planning and cooperation, Yinyue Monarch could unrestrainedly display a coldness in front of Jingting Dao Lord that she would not show to outsiders or those close to her.
Li Jin’an looked at the gloomy Jingting Dao Lord with an extremely complex expression. This family, after all, had let her in, it was just… it made one feel a little pity for the Dao Lord.
All that effort, only to be an accomplice.
Well, it was good. In this regard, she still supported her own master; let Jingting Dao Lord remain an unofficial member of Qingxiao Peak.
Jingting Dao Lord, unaware of the third person in the immortal cave silently critiquing her, gazed steadily at Yinyue Monarch and said in a deep voice, “You know, you don’t have to die. Dao Lord and I can always protect you.”
“Putting everything else aside, as long as you’re alive, those two sword cultivator master and disciple next door will cause me so much less trouble.”
“You… think it over carefully.” Jingting Dao Lord sighed in relief, her peach blossom eyes full of seriousness, and a hint of frustration. “I cannot guarantee that the outcome after your demise will be better than you being alive.”
Even someone as powerful and confident as the tyrant of the cultivation world had moments of powerlessness.
Li Jin’an stared with dead fish eyes at the unscrupulous elder badmouthing the juniors behind their backs. It was fine to talk about her master, but why talk about her!
Besides, if you’re going to raise a sword cultivator, shouldn’t you expect them to be boisterous!
Although she wasn’t physically here, she was never absent. Her presence was top-notch; everyone had to mention her.
Yinyue Monarch’s expression was detached as she looked out the window, not at Jingting Dao Lord. “But you cannot deny this is a shortcut, can you? Only this way can the story have a perfect beginning, and the protagonists make their grand entrance.”
“In the battle of Three Realms Mountain, two died and one was injured. To have survived until now, whether things succeed or not, I have no regrets.” Yinyue Monarch curved her lips in a smile, her usually gentle eyes now appearing resolute and determined. “The rest is up to you all. At worst, I’ll die early, and you can come find me later.”
“Moreover, nothing is set in stone. How do you know I’m not embracing death to find new life? Perhaps our Jin’an and Huaixue are working hard to save me.”
How could someone who painstakingly schemed for hundreds of years and cooperated with the Heavenly Dao truly be as gentle as she appeared on the outside? Yinyue Monarch’s inner pride and persistence were no less than Chixin Sword Lord’s or Jingting Dao Lord’s.
Of course, they did not betray Yinyue Monarch’s trust in them.
Li Jin’an, squatting by the bed, was startled. She jumped, thinking Yinyue Monarch had discovered her.
But seeing Yinyue Monarch’s smiling, gentle eyes, she knew it wasn’t the case. She was too composed; it would be excellent if she could survive, but if things were impossible, she had nothing to resent.
“…Have it your way.”
Yinyue Monarch’s smile faded, and she bowed solemnly towards Jingting Dao Lord. “Luozheng, I entrust them to you. I hope you cherish them greatly.”
Li Jin’an stood up abruptly. She was surprised to see Yinyue Monarch’s upper body trembling slightly.
Her injuries hadn’t healed…
It had come to this extent.
What she could discover, Jingting Dao Lord naturally saw. She gritted her teeth, did not avoid the bow, and said exasperatedly, “As if I needed you to tell me that!”
“Lie down. I’ll go call Tan Chixin. If I let her wait any longer, she’ll probably tear down my sect.”
Jingting Dao Lord hurriedly fled.