Liu Ruyan's heart couldn't help but speed up a few beats. She steadied herself and took a few steps forward.
"Master, you asked me to stay behind. Do you have further instructions?"
Gu Han's gaze fell upon Liu Ruyan, carrying a trace of imperceptible inquiry.
This Second Disciple had a delicate mind and handled matters reliably. Her Reincarnation Dao Body was also beginning to show its divine wonders; she was currently a right-hand woman Gu Han relied upon heavily.
Recently, however, she seemed constantly restless, and just now in the main hall, she had rarely been caught daydreaming.
"The matters of the Internal Affairs Hall are complex. You have just taken over, so it is inevitable that it will be strenuous."
Gu Han's voice remained cold and calm, devoid of much emotion.
"The personnel of the Immortal Palace are increasing. Daily expenses, resource allocation, the arrangement of Disciple residences..."
"Many trivial matters may seem small, but they concern the stability of the Immortal Palace's Foundation."
"I understand."
Liu Ruyan quickly responded, her mind rapidly calculating her next plans.
"I intend to start by taking inventory of existing supplies and planning daily expenses to ensure everyone's Cultivation resources are secured."
"As for Disciple residences, there are currently many vacancies. However, if Ink Scale and Elder Fu Shan introduce Yao Race Disciples into the sect later as Master mentioned, then we must plan ahead..."
She reported with clear logic, striving to make her voice sound steady and reliable.
However, as she slightly raised her head, her gaze inadvertently brushed past Master's peerlessly beautiful face.
Uncontrollably, another image suddenly flashed through her mind—
In a dark cave, her mind was hazy as she was forced into a corner by that Evil Cultivator. In despair, she was almost about to take her own life... then, Master descended like a Goddess from the Nine Heavens.
Even though some time had passed, that memory was simply too vivid!
*Cough...*
Liu Ruyan's words stopped abruptly. She jerked her head down, staring intently at her joined toes as if a flower were blooming there.
It's over, it's over!
Will Master think I am... unclean?
Does she want to expel me from the sect?
But that Evil Cultivator didn't succeed!
All sorts of chaotic thoughts left her mind in a mess, and her previous steady planning was instantly thrown to the winds.
Gu Han had been listening to Liu Ruyan's report, thinking her logic was clear and her arrangements appropriate, feeling slightly satisfied in her heart.
But the other party suddenly jammed halfway through the report... followed by this appearance of almost burying her head in her chest, which left Gu Han somewhat stunned.
What happened?
Weren't things fine just now?
She frowned slightly, her Divine Sense subconsciously sweeping over Liu Ruyan.
Hmm... her Qi was slightly disordered, her heartbeat was too fast, her blood flow had accelerated, and her Divine Soul fluctuations were intense... this was clearly a manifestation of extreme emotional tension.
But there was nothing special about what she had just said, was there?
Could it be that she felt too much pressure? It didn't seem like it.
Liu Ruyan had a resilient Heart-Nature; she shouldn't be like this.
Was it... physical discomfort?
Even less likely. She had just achieved a Breakthrough, and her Qi was stable.
Gu Han's gaze couldn't help but linger for a moment on Liu Ruyan's pale face and her violently heaving chest.
In a flash, a thought crossed her mind—
Could this girl be thinking about... that business in the cave?
Although she herself didn't care, the other party was thin-skinned. It was only human nature to feel embarrassed when looking back on it.
Thinking of this, Gu Han couldn't help but feel a bit amused and a little helpless.
Seeing Liu Ruyan's panicked appearance, she clearly didn't think that way.
Gu Han pondered for a moment and decided it was better to speak openly.
After all, this was her Disciple. If she held a grudge because of this matter and it affected her state of mind and cultivation, it would be detrimental.
"Ruyan."
Gu Han's voice softened a bit, losing some of the majesty belonging to a Palace Master and gaining more of the peace belonging to a Master.
Liu Ruyan's delicate body trembled, her head burying even lower, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum:
"Di... Disciple is here..."
"Raise your head," Gu Han said.
Liu Ruyan's body stiffened again. After struggling for a long while, she slowly and with great difficulty raised her head.
Her gaze flickered, not daring to meet Gu Han's eyes at all, only daring to let it fall vaguely on the area below the other's shoulders.
That peerlessly beautiful face now had slightly reddened eyes, looking as if she were about to cry.
Looking at her like this, the helplessness in Gu Han's heart grew even stronger.
She tried to make her tone sound as casual and inclusive as possible:
"Are you... still thinking about the matter in the cave that day?"
*Boom—!*
Liu Ruyan felt as if ten thousand heavenly thunders had exploded in her mind at the same time!
Master... she really does still remember!
"Ma... Master! Disciple... Disciple that day..."
Liu Ruyan was so anxious she became incoherent, her voice carrying a sob,
"Disciple..."
As she spoke, she was about to kneel again.
Gu Han raised her hand, and a gentle yet firm force supported her, not letting her kneel down.
"That was not your fault. Let this matter pass; there is no need to mention it again, much less brood over it."
She paused, looking at Liu Ruyan's still pale face, and added:
"We who Cultivate immortality should have clear thoughts and not be constrained by minor details."
"If you find it difficult to resolve the knot in your heart because of this, it will instead affect your Dao Heart and hinder your cultivation. Ruyan, do you understand?"
Liu Ruyan listened blankly. Master's words were clear and powerful, every word striking her chaotic heart like a hammer.
Yes, in front of an existence with such heavenly cultivation as Master.
What happened that day probably really didn't amount to anything.
Her being so bashful here instead made her look petty and was just inviting a joke.
Having understood this layer, the panic in Liu Ruyan's eyes was gradually replaced by a sense of relief and enlightenment.
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