ALL NOVEL Chapter 176 - From the Heart, a Thief Who Steals Hearts
Ji Hongluan raised her eyebrows, her tone sharp:
“Evil disciple, is this how you support your master with both hands and feet?!”
“Master, it’s not my fault. You’re the one who sat in my arms!” Xu Yang retorted shamelessly.
“You were the one holding your master just now!” Ji Hongluan’s voice quivered with both shame and anger. For a moment, she was rendered speechless, wishing she could bite this rogue disciple to death.
“Master, I don’t care. You have to take responsibility for me to the end!” Xu Yang replied, hugging Ji Hongluan’s slender waist tightly, showing no intention of letting go.
“Why should the master take responsibility? Let go of me!”
“No.”
“Are you going to let go or not? If you don’t, how can the master take responsibility?” Ji Hongluan gritted her teeth.
Hearing this, Xu Yang sighed and released her.
The moment he let go, Ji Hongluan darted to the other side of the room, laughing triumphantly:
“Evil disciple, the master tricked you!”
Xu Yang froze in place, spreading his hands in exasperation. “…”
Seeing his lack of reaction, Ji Hongluan, hiding in the corner, frowned and asked, “Damn it, why aren’t you chasing after the master?”
Xu Yang looked at her calmly and said, “If the master is unwilling to take responsibility, I can’t force you. After all, forcing someone to do something they don’t want is no different from being a beast.”
His gaze was clear, free of any ill intentions.
Ji Hongluan’s lips twitched. She could sense that this evil disciple was deliberately holding back, and she couldn’t help but approach him, her steps light and deliberate.
“Why are you so stupid? Can’t you take the initiative? You know the master is just saying things. In truth, no matter what you do, the master won’t resist…”
“Master, you’ve always been soft-hearted. Your disciple knows that well.” Xu Yang spoke with sincerity.
“So you’ve been tricking me all along?” Ji Hongluan’s eyes narrowed coldly.
“From the bottom of my heart,” Xu Yang replied, his tone steady and fearless. Their gazes locked.
Since ancient times, deep affection cannot be retained—only cleverness wins hearts.
But for Xu Yang, both his affection and his cleverness were genuine.
“What do you mean, ‘from the bottom of your heart’? You’re just trying to manipulate me!” Ji Hongluan pouted, her lips pursing tightly.
Her frustration grew as she realized it wasn’t just about whether she’d given in willingly or not.
This evil disciple was a thief—he didn’t just want her body. He wanted to steal her heart entirely.
“In truth, what I desire most is the union of spirit and soul,” Xu Yang said earnestly, as if his words carried righteous purpose.
“? ? ?”
Ji Hongluan’s cheeks burned as she swung her fist at him, her voice rising:
“You’re dreaming! Union of spirit and soul? Why don’t you just ascend to heaven, you scoundrel?!”
Xu Yang blinked in confusion, utterly baffled. “What? What did I do wrong?”
Ji Hongluan gritted her teeth and huffed angrily:
“Don’t play dumb! That technique you gave me…”
Her voice trailed off as embarrassment overtook her.
“What’s wrong with the technique I gave you? Master, don’t tell me… you didn’t practice it?” Xu Yang’s eyes bore into hers, his expression growing more curious by the second.
Ji Hongluan avoided his gaze, her face flushed. Her silence made Xu Yang hesitate. “No, Master, you—”
Before he could finish, Ji Hongluan cupped his face with both hands and pressed her lips against his.
“Boo~”
“Good disciple,” she murmured, her voice soft yet commanding. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Just shut up—I’ll take responsibility!”
“Master, what are you—” Xu Yang started to protest, but Ji Hongluan silenced him with another kiss.
Her actions made her message crystal clear: if he asked any more questions, she’d be far too embarrassed to handle it.
“Master didn’t practice the technique you gave me. You are not allowed to bring it up again!” Ji Hongluan said firmly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Xu Yang nodded with a smile.
“Don’t worry, I promise not to mention it again. However, Master, could you give me some advice?”
“Advice?” Ji Hongluan asked, her expression puzzled, though her blush deepened.
“It’s about the technique I gave you, Master. Since you criticized it, I thought you must know a lot about it. I just don’t understand some parts,” Xu Yang said softly, his arms encircling her waist.
Ji Hongluan’s eyes flickered with a faint sense of pride. “Then tell me—what don’t you understand?”
It had been worth the effort to practice the technique for several days. Finally, there was a chance to put it to use!
Although she and Xu Yang often played the roles of master and disciple as a form of teasing, this moment felt different. If she could genuinely help him and correct his technique, it would solidify their master-disciple dynamic and soothe her vanity a little.
After all, this “evil disciple” was being called Master Xu by the descendants of the immortals.
“It’s the part about soul fusion,” Xu Yang said innocently. “How does one perform it specifically? Could Master teach me in person?”
“?”
Ji Hongluan froze, her beautiful eyes narrowing as she scrutinized him.
“You… are you trying to trick me again?”
“No!” Xu Yang replied, his expression the picture of innocence.
Ji Hongluan hesitated but saw through the playful glint in his eyes. She frowned. “Forget it! You probably think Master only glanced at the technique and doesn’t understand its intricacies—”
“Who said Master doesn’t understand!” Ji Hongluan snapped, her pride stung.
She knew this was likely a deliberate provocation, but how could she remain indifferent when her heart was so soft?
“Watch carefully. Master will demonstrate it for you once!”
Closing her eyes, Ji Hongluan activated the technique. Majestic spiritual power surged from her body, radiating with precision and control.
Xu Yang, not one to miss an opportunity, activated his side of the technique without hesitation.
In an instant, his strong, masculine spiritual energy enveloped Ji Hongluan.
“Evil disciple!” she exclaimed, her eyes snapping open. “Didn’t I say I’d demonstrate it to you?”
“Master, this technique can’t be demonstrated by one person,” Xu Yang replied calmly.
“…Forget it. Who’s the master here? Fine, just this once. But next time—”
“Don’t do it again, I know!” Xu Yang interjected with a grin.
“Just knowing isn’t enough. You have to remember it!” Ji Hongluan insisted, glaring at him.
“…”
As their spiritual energies intertwined, Ji Hongluan’s cheeks burned hotter. Her eyes darted around the room, unable to meet Xu Yang’s gaze.
“Evil disciple, you’ve been practicing for so long. Can’t you stop now?”
“Okay,” Xu Yang replied lightly. “If Master can’t hold on any longer, we’ll end it.”
“Hmph! Who said Master can’t hold on?” Ji Hongluan retorted stubbornly. “Master is just afraid you’ll feel uncomfortable! Fine, let’s continue!”
Despite her words, she gripped Xu Yang’s shoulders tightly, doing her best to stay composed.
People don’t step into the same river twice, but Ji Hongluan did. Not just twice—three or four times…
In the hall, their yin and yang spiritual powers began to merge, weaving a harmonious Tai Chi pattern in the void.
At the same time.
Having received his master’s order, Little Black immediately put down his tasks and sprinted toward the mountain gate, his little paws kicking up a flurry of dust as he ran.