Mo Xuanli was completely pressing down on him, half his face hidden by the position of his arm, so that anyone peeking from outside would think they were… passionately kissing.
Though Gu Baiqing immediately grasped Mo Xuanli’s intent, it was still absurd.
Wasn’t this the standard cliché setup from master-disciple romance novels?
In those stories, scenes like this always ended up… going all the way.
This time it was only an act—but this kind of act was far too ambiguous.
And seriously—could a straight man even come up with this plan?!
Had Mo Xuanli forgotten that they were currently brothers? What was this, some sort of forbidden-family genre now? Did it have to be this scandalous?!
And why—why—did he have to be the one being pinned down?!
Where was his pure, obedient disciple now? What was going on in that head of his?!
But clearly, Mo Xuanli’s acting skills had their limits. After that one “brother,” he ran out of lines—resorting to fake kisses down to Gu Baiqing’s neck, before whispering awkwardly by his ear, “Master, he’s still watching. What should we do next? Or… does this guy have something wrong with him?”
Hearing Mo Xuanli’s gradually panicked voice, Gu Baiqing fumed inwardly. Serves you right! Let’s see you keep it up—weren’t you so good at saying ‘brother’? Go on, say it again!
Indeed, Yu Chun was still watching. Three Bean, perched high above, assumed his warning had worked, unaware of what was really happening below—or what exactly Yu Chun’s eyes were fixed on so intently.
Gu Baiqing and Mo Xuanli couldn’t tell either—was it suspicion, or… something else?
At this point, they were riding a tiger—there was no graceful way out. Wasn’t this basically forcing him to return to his old tricks?
If there was one thing Gu Baiqing excelled at, it was—
He wanted to cry but had no tears, gritting out softly, “We’ll settle this later, when we get back. Just what the h*ll were you thinking?”
As soon as he said that, Mo Xuanli froze. Was Master angry?
He hadn’t meant any harm—he’d just thought of that incident back at the other training yard, and figured this could make it seem like they’d been together in hiding for a while, that their relationship was unusually close, which explained the secrecy. And honestly, he had been angry and regretful earlier for wanting to abandon Yu Qing and run back for his master… It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea!
But now Master’s angry…
He must be furious that Mo Xuanli had used something like this as a cover—especially since Master truly did care for him…
The more he thought, the more panicked he became. He was just about to release Gu Baiqing, planning to march straight out and demand whether Yu Chun had been spying on them.
Suddenly, Gu Baiqing’s other hand moved—it hooked around Mo Xuanli’s shoulder from behind, like a drowning man clinging to driftwood.
Mo Xuanli froze. Master… is hugging me back?!!!
Then Gu Baiqing tilted his head back, stretching his neck, accompanied by a faint, breathless gasp.
“Xuanli, don’t… don’t do that anymore, we agreed on just once—it’s enough… I can’t take it anymore. The crowd’s already dispersed, let’s go back… if someone finds us—”
The trembling voice ended in a muffled whimper, like someone being bitten on the neck. Gu Baiqing’s tone was almost tearful. “I really can’t, Xuanli…”
These two lines were merely familiar dialogue—voice lines Gu Baiqing had once recorded. They fit the scene, so he’d just grabbed them from memory without thinking.
But as soon as he said them, he felt the body pressing on him suddenly go rigid. Mo Xuanli seemed to suck in a sharp breath, the hand on Gu Baiqing’s waist tightening painfully before going limp.
A pang of dread struck Gu Baiqing’s heart.
Too impulsive… way too impulsive. What was I thinking?! Why did I go that far with the acting?!
He regretted it immediately. Deeply.
What would Mo Xuanli think after hearing that? In the boy’s eyes, he was still the aloof, untouchable master!
If Mo Xuanli dared to tease him about this later, Gu Baiqing swore he’d twist the kid’s head off.
No—wait. What if… what if… he actually turned bent from hearing that?!
No way. Impossible. He’d heard others record things like that before—it was just a little embarrassing, that’s all. Nothing serious.
But on Mo Xuanli’s side, that one line had nearly made him lose control—he almost bit Gu Baiqing’s neck for real.
That voice… how could Master make that kind of sound? Every word, every tone, was like lightning striking through him, burning all the way into his bones.
Was that how Master sounded… in those moments? But—why did he sound so experienced?
Right, Master often fantasized about being with him, didn’t he? So maybe, in the deep of night, half-dreaming on his bed in Luofeng Pavilion, he’d thought of him—again and again—until those kinds of sounds just slipped out…
Yes, that must be it. That was the only explanation for how Master could say such things so fluently, so naturally. He must’ve practiced before.
D*mn it, he’d just exposed Master like that. With Master’s temperament, once this was over, he’d definitely be furious out of sheer embarrassment.
But right now, the bigger problem was himself. If Master said even one more word like that—even if it was just part of the act—he… he really wouldn’t be able to hold back.
Mo Xuanli’s muscles tensed, cold sweat dripping down his back. Without realizing it, his fingers dug into Master’s narrow waist.
Master’s waist was so slender—just a little more pressure and it might snap—but below that curve—
No. No. Calm down! All of this was Yu Chun’s fault! That b*stard had actually dared to look—dared to hear his Master’s voice like that. He wasn’t worthy! D*mn him!
Fueled by that anger, Mo Xuanli abruptly released Gu Baiqing and turned around with near-violent speed, murderous intent flaring.
Gu Baiqing, meanwhile, was exhausted—emotionally and physically. He figured those lines should’ve been enough to convince Yu Chun, and now that Mo Xuanli was going out to “confront” him, it fit the story perfectly.
Otherwise, he’d die of embarrassment right here. He wanted nothing more than to borrow the Void Spirit Space and vanish on the spot.
It felt like he’d tugged on a rope only to end up tripping himself with it.
At that moment, Yu Chun was standing there, trembling all over in shock. When Mo Xuanli suddenly spun toward him with that killing aura, Yu Chun instinctively looked him up and down—just in time to see Gu Baiqing half-hidden behind him.
His first reaction was to stare.
Mo Xuanli’s collar was open, his clothes disheveled, belt gone—and the unmistakable state of his body made Yu Chun’s chest burn with sharp jealousy.
Whoever was inside must’ve suffered quite a bit. No wonder that usually cool, crisp voice had broken and softened like that. It all made sense now.
At first, when he’d only heard Mo Xuanli’s voice, Yu Chun had doubted his own assumptions—after all, the two were brothers. Maybe he was mistaken. But once Gu Baiqing’s voice joined in, that sealed it—an unspeakable secret between brothers.
“What did you see?!” Mo Xuanli’s words were sharp as blades, his eyes promising murder.
Clearly still caught up in the act and furious at being interrupted, his tone made sense—but Yu Chun’s focus was entirely elsewhere. This forbidden relationship was simply too fascinating.
So Yu Chun only gave an apologetic smile and quickly turned to leave.
Mo Xuanli didn’t dare turn back immediately. He watched Yu Chun’s retreating figure and reported in a docile voice, “Master, he’s gone. Judging by his expression, he probably believed it. Although… this method of mine—”
A belt suddenly smacked him from behind. He caught it midair without turning around, hastily straightening his clothes.
“Hah, the method worked,” Gu Baiqing said coldly, “but if you ever make me act something like that again, I’ll break your legs myself.”
Of course, his own heart was still pounding. Truthfully, his acting had been better than Mo Xuanli’s—but to keep his dignity as Master, he shoved all the blame on the disciple.
“Master, I’m sorry, I know I was wrong.” It was the first time Mo Xuanli had ever heard his Master sound so severe—he instantly wilted.
“Who taught you that trick? Do you think you can just use it whenever you please? We’re both men—and right now, we’re supposed to be brothers! You think anyone would just believe that? What if it backfired? Did you even stop to think?!”
The more Gu Baiqing scolded, the straighter his spine grew. Disciplining this reckless brat almost made him forget the earlier humiliation.
“Disciple… disciple knows he was wrong! Truly wrong! It was just a desperate idea in the moment,” Mo Xuanli stammered. “Luckily Master covered for me, otherwise—”
“Stop talking!” Gu Baiqing snapped, mortified, wishing he could punch Mo Xuanli into amnesia right then. “You’ll reflect on this later. Move!”
He needed to get back among people—anywhere but this awkward, suffocating spot.
But as soon as he stepped forward and saw who had overheard his voice, he immediately wished he were back in that tiny dark corner instead. Especially with that unreadable, knowing look in the other person’s eyes.
The next moment, however, Mo Xuanli stepped forward, blocking Yu Chun’s line of sight.
Mo Xuanli stayed in character, glaring at Yu Chun impatiently.
Yu Chun pointed toward the carriage behind him, gesturing for them to get in.
“No need. We’ll return on our own,” Mo Xuanli said coldly.
Yu Chun arched an eyebrow. “Brother Xuanli, you really don’t know how to take care of people, do you?”
Mo Xuanli froze for a beat, trying to process that, but Gu Baiqing’s face instantly went pale.
“Still, you should ride the carriage,” Yu Chun said with a faint smile. “You’ve been standing at the taming grounds for so long… Watching those spirit beasts must’ve been tiring.”
If not for the act they were putting on, Mo Xuanli probably would’ve already exploded with shame and anger. For now, though, he could only shoot Yu Chun a fierce warning glance before turning back, head lowered, not daring to look at his master—but his posture clearly asked for Gu Baiqing’s decision.
Gu Baiqing’s cheek twitched with anger. That “good excuse” had only landed them in even deeper trouble.
Great. Now Yu Chun definitely wouldn’t suspect anything—but this misunderstanding was beyond humiliating. Gu Baiqing regretted it so much his intestines were practically twisting blue.
He was just about to drag Mo Xuanli away—after all, they were cultivators; walking back once wouldn’t kill them—when Yu Qing suddenly arrived.
“Young Master Mo, why are you here? Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you? I searched the entire place! We got separated—shouldn’t you have come to find me? Where did you go? You got separated from me and immediately went to find your brother—how could you…” Yu Qing’s voice trembled, almost breaking into tears.
Yu Chun cleared his throat and said, “Brother Xuanli came to find Brother Mo earlier. The three of us watched the beast taming together—I thought you knew.”
He even threw them both a look, as though kindly helping to cover for them.
In the end, Yu Qing stormed onto the carriage in a huff, and Yu Chun urged Mo Xuanli to go apologize.
“I know you’ve probably lost interest in my sister,” he said, “but go and say sorry anyway. If she cries all the way home, it’ll be hard for me to explain.”
Mo Xuanli shot him a cold glance but eventually helped his master into the carriage first, then followed and mumbled a perfunctory apology.
To Yu Chun, it only confirmed what he already thought—that Mo Xuanli had gotten upset about being separated from his brother halfway, tracked him down, and vented his emotions through that kind of thing. A bit of brotherly indulgence, that was all. He didn’t take it seriously.
However, when the carriage reached Beast Taming Manor, someone came to deliver a report. Yu Chun’s face changed abruptly, and both master and disciple sensed something was wrong. But Yu Chun didn’t even spare them a glance; after a quick farewell, he strode off, clearly suspecting nothing.
It was ridiculous—but it worked. Neither of them knew whether to laugh or cry.
Back at Azure Flame Courtyard, Gu Baiqing saw Mo Xuanli following him inside, frowned, and clearly didn’t want to share a room with him anymore.
Mo Xuanli froze, then quickly backed out into the courtyard and knelt down. “Master, this disciple was wrong. I accept punishment. I’ll stay kneeling until Master’s anger has passed.”
Gu Baiqing suddenly didn’t know what to say. In truth… it wasn’t entirely Mo Xuanli’s fault—and he himself had been worse.
“What’s wrong with Xuanli?” Three Bean, still confused, piped up. It hadn’t heard what was said back in the corner—only the argument afterward—and now everything seemed even stranger. “Did you make Master angry?”
Mo Xuanli looked at Gu Baiqing.
Gu Baiqing opened his mouth but refused to soften. If he gave in now, wouldn’t that be just like every other “benevolent master” story out there? The disciple had used such a shameful trick—he had to learn his lesson. No matter how unfair it felt, he needed to understand that such thoughts should never be indulged. Being his disciple, suffering a little wasn’t new.
I’m ruthless, Gu Baiqing told himself. One more won’t make a difference.
“Then kneel,” he said coldly. “Reflect properly on what you’ve done. Don’t forget—I’m still your master.”
Mo Xuanli stared at him, momentarily dazed, before lowering his gaze.
Gu Baiqing pressed his lips together, watching his disciple’s dejected figure. He turned and entered the room, but just before closing the door, he said, “Kneel for one hour.” Then he shut it quickly.
Mo Xuanli blinked, then looked up at the closed door, eyes softening slightly. A faint, bitter smile crossed his lips.
Three Bean crept closer to comfort him. “What happened?”
“I overstepped,” Mo Xuanli said quietly. “I took advantage of what Master cares about most… I must’ve hurt him. It’s my fault, and I deserve punishment. You go keep him company—I’ll stay here.”
Only after doing it did Mo Xuanli realize the full gravity of his actions. Now it was too late for regret.
He closed his eyes to reflect, but soon, the same voice began looping endlessly in his mind. He realized, with growing horror, that his thoughts had turned heretical.
Those words, those sounds… He couldn’t help but imagine the scenes—what sort of situation would make Master speak like that, make those sounds? What would he himself be doing then?
The thought overwhelmed him; he opened his eyes abruptly, and even through the closed door, he seemed to see his master inside.
His reflection had twisted into something else—rebellious, feverish fantasy.
Until someone interrupted.
“Oh? So you really did something over the line and got punished to kneel?” Yu Chun said with a laugh.
Mo Xuanli jerked his head up, his eyes still clouded with a desire he hadn’t managed to suppress.
Yu Chun saw it instantly. That look only confirmed it—their little act at the taming grounds hadn’t been an act at all. Clearly, the younger brother hadn’t had his fill yet, while the elder was already angry.
“Should I go plead for you?” Yu Chun asked with a smirk.
“This is a private matter between my brother and me. No need to trouble yourself, Young Master Yu. Aren’t you busy? You should attend to your affairs,” Mo Xuanli said coldly.
“I’m just here to report something. It’s not my concern,” Yu Chun replied—and ignoring Mo Xuanli’s warning, he strode straight toward the room.
Mo Xuanli was furious, wanting to get up—but deep down, that ingrained obedience, that habit of submission, kept him from defying his master’s order. Unless Master called for him, he wouldn’t move.
But even after Yu Chun went inside and closed the door, Master still made no sound.
Mo Xuanli could only stay restless all over, suppressing his emotions, pinning all his hopes on Three Bean inside.
At that moment, Gu Baiqing was in meditation—he needed to calm his mind too.
Three Bean stood guard at his side. When someone entered, it immediately looked wary and moved protectively in front of Gu Baiqing. “Master is cultivating. Please leave.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t disturb him. I just have something to say when he wakes,” Yu Chun said amiably, walking over to the incense burner and tossing in a small piece of something.
“What are you doing?” Three Bean stepped forward in alarm.
“Just some fine incense balm—made especially for cultivation,” Yu Chun replied mildly, even allowing Three Bean to inspect him. Three Bean sniffed the scent that wafted out; it was indeed refreshing and invigorating, with no hint of harm, so it thought nothing more of it and returned to its spot.
It failed to notice the greedy look growing in Yu Chun’s eyes as he stared at Gu Baiqing.
