Pinning Her Down at First Sight?

Eastern Mulberry Immortal Sect

A streak of light flashed as Su Min returned once more.

With her current cultivation, she had finally become the strongest on the island. Both Xie Yingying and Little Golden Crow, still at the early Unity stage with mid-stage far beyond their reach, now lagged behind her.

Of course, at her current level, she could likely find no match in one-on-one combat across the entire Heavenly Continent.

However...

"Hmm?"

The moment Su Min landed before her residence in the sect, Xie Yingying rushed out from inside. As if triggered by something, she practically lunged at Su Min, pinning her to the ground.

"Hey—!"

Su Min barely had time to blink before she found herself pinned, Xie Yingying wrapped around her like a coiled vine, face buried in her chest, inhaling deeply as though trying to drown in her scent.

Su Min stiffened, glancing around. "Still outdoors. If anyone sees—"

"Hey, hey, snap out of it."

Calmly prying Xie Yingying off, Su Min snapped her fingers, summoning a clear stream of water that drenched her face, finally bringing her back to her senses. After all, as a Unity-stage cultivator, Xie Yingying had strong control over her desires. Not like when they were in the Golden Core Avenue, where Xie Yingying needed decades to control her urges. Su Min could only assume her return had shaken something loose.

"What's wrong with you? Why do I feel this insane attraction to you? Sniff... Ah, I see. Your Taiyang energy has grown stronger."

Blushing faintly, Xie Yingying adjusted her robes, drying them in less than a second. Her tone came out slightly strained, even as she tried to play it off. Xie Yingying reluctantly shifted her legs, moving her body away from Su Min's.

"I encountered a Mahayana-stage Solar Sovereign Body practitioner. He gave me all his remaining essence."

"...I see."

Xie Yingying shifted slightly, her gaze dropping to the floor, then off to the side, anywhere but at Su Min. Her usual composure faltered, and the tips of her ears—always the first to betray her—flushed a telltale pink.

Even if Su Min were the dullest person alive, she'd understand the situation by now, so her expression remained unchanged. The Taiyang energy within her quietly stirring, exuding heat like sunlight behind silk. It pulled at Xie Yingying's Lunar Sovereign Body with terrifying precision, awakening a resonance that defied logic, restraint, and will.

But Xie Yingying wasn't some beast swayed by lust alone. Her cultivation path demanded discipline. Even now, her breathing remained steady, her qi restrained beneath layers of spiritual control. For years, she had kept herself untouched, untempted, unmoved. Even when surrounded by those who desired her, she remained untouchable, aloof, like moonlight on snow.

But all of that discipline seemed to falter whenever Su Min was near.

It wasn't the Taiyang resonance alone. No, the attraction hadn't begun with a surge of spiritual energy. It had begun with a voice—calm, clever, stubbornly alive even when the world burned around her. With eyes that never judged her, even when the entire cultivation world saw her only as a prize.

Back in the Yin-Yang Secret Realm, when Su Min's Solar Sovereign Physique first awakened, the reaction had been instantaneous. Resonance had struck like lightning—beautiful, overwhelming, terrifying. At the time, Xie Yingying told herself it was just the inheritance. Just the compatibility of their physiques. A rare convergence of yin and yang, nothing more. But she had known, even then, that it wasn't that simple. Her body had reached for Su Min before her mind could speak. And so this time.

"Hmm, a little sticky..."

Su Min's brows drew together ever so slightly as her fingers brushed against the front of her robe. There, just below the fold of her waist sash, the fabric clung faintly to her skin, still warm with lingering heat. A tacky trace remained—ephemeral, yet unmistakable. Her touch lingered only a moment before a sudden cold breeze curled around her hand, cooling the spot like nature itself had swept in to erase the evidence.

She lifted her gaze.

Xie Yingying stood a short distance away, her back turned rigidly straight, as if carved from jade. Her arms were stiff at her sides, fists clenched just a little too tightly, a little too composed—like someone trying very hard not to look guilty, or undone. The nape of her neck, barely visible above her collar, had gone flush with color. The air around her shimmered faintly with suppressed qi, like the surface of a still pond trying not to ripple. 

And in that quiet, suspended moment, Su Min understood.

Her gaze lowered, following the crumpled lines of her robe—creased where a knee had pressed, rumpled where fingers had gripped, and now... that faint trace, just beneath the navel, barely visible, but very much there.

The silence drew long. A single beat of wind passed through the clearing, brushing Su Min's hair across her cheek like a veil.

"…," she exhaled, wordless, lips curving into the faintest smile.

But she said nothing. With practiced elegance, she lowered herself onto the stone stool and poured herself a cup of tea, every motion fluid and composed. The soft clink of porcelain echoed once, twice, grounding the silence in routine.

Not a single word passed between them about what had just happened. Not about the closeness of their bodies, nor the unintentional evidence left behind. And certainly not about the fact that Su Min had noticed everything… and chosen to let it slide. "But that essence wasn't enough for me. To truly perfect the Taiyang energy, I'd need even more essence from Solar Sovereign Body cultivators."

"Mmm."

Xie Yingying's response was short, her tone stiff—still facing away, stayed frozen as if hoping the ground might open and swallow her whole.

Su Min leaned back, folding one leg over the other. Her voice dropped into a thoughtful hum. "So, I'm heading to that place soon. Dangerous, yes, but maybe I'll find something unexpected." She paused, letting the silence stretch. "If my Taiyang energy does reach full perfection, I might truly awaken as a Solar Sovereign Body. Imagine the kind of reaction that would trigger between us. Heh... wouldn't that be exciting?"

A small sound escaped Xie Yingying—something between a hiccup and a squeak. Her entire body jolted.

Su Min's grin deepened, catching the sound with sharp amusement. Her gaze lingered, heavy with mischief. "Oh? What was that? I didn't know you were so sensitive."

With effortless grace, Su Min rose, her movements liquid as she circled behind her prey. The air between them shifted, playful teasing giving way to something heavier, hotter. Step by deliberate step, she closed the distance, until her arms slid around a slender waist, pulling her back against the solid warmth of her body.

"Your face is burning," she murmured, lips grazing the shell of a flushed ear. "A Unity-stage cultivator, catching a fever? Tsk. How… unexpected." Her voice dipped lower, rougher, the words a slow drag against sensitive skin.

Xie Yingying remained rigid, refusing to turn, but the hitch in her breath betrayed her. The rapid flutter of her pulse beneath pale skin, the way her ribs trembled with each unsteady inhale—

She smiled, pressing closer. "Tell me, Yingying," she breathed, lips skimming the curve of a tense jaw, "does it make you nervous? The thought of me fully awakening the Solar Sovereign Body?"

Xie Yingying didn't speak. Her fists clenched at her sides, the flush on her ears creeping steadily across her cheeks. "It's nothing," she muttered, though the words rang hollow.

A soft chuckle vibrated against her throat. "Liar." A kiss, barely there, traced the slope of a bare shoulder. "Your body screams otherwise."

Silence. Only the ragged rhythm of uneven breaths filled the space between them.

Xie Yingying's breath hitched. Her posture tensed, her control unraveling by degrees. The heat between them swelled.

"Is it me?" Fingers hovered just above the dip of her lower back, teasing, taunting. "Or is it this?" The words were a velvet scrape against her senses. "You can't hide from it anymore. Your pulse races. Your skin burns. Don't you want to know how it really feels—when there's nothing holding me back?"

Xie Yingying stayed silent. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Instead, her hands clenched, and her body seemed to vibrate with barely contained desire.

Then, with barely a breath of warning, Su Min let her Taiyang energy flare.

It spilled out around them in golden heat, thrumming through the air like a living thing. The resonance struck hard. Xie Yingying gasped, her body leaning into the pull without meaning to. Her spine arched ever so slightly, drawn to the familiar warmth now amplified.

"Yingying," Su Min whispered, brushing her lips along the curve of her neck. The contact was featherlight, yet searing. "You're already slipping. Aren't you tired of pretending you don't want this?"

Xie Yingying shuddered under the soft weight of her voice. Her control, so carefully maintained, began to fracture. A faint, stifled sound escaped her throat—half a moan, half a plea.

Su Min smiled, feeling the tremors she tried so hard to hide. "You still think you can resist me?" Her words came like velvet, wrapping around her. "Think you can walk away now?"

The hand at her waist slid higher, fingers splaying possessively over the flat plane of her stomach. The touch was featherlight, maddening. It was enough. Xie Yingying's breath snagged in her throat, her restraint splintering under the weight of their closeness.

 "How long will you resist? Hmm?"

And just like that, the spell shattered.

In a flicker of movement, she pulled free, vanishing from Su Min's arms like a gust of wind. But the heat remained, lingering on her skin like a phantom touch, her scent still caught in Su Min's lungs.

"Tch." Su Min smirked, lifting her fingers to inhale the fading sweetness. "So slippery."

"Hahaha..."

The sound echoed through the quiet courtyard, light but tinged with something softer underneath. After a while, her laughter faded, and she rested her elbows on the table, cupping her face with both hands.

"A thousand years of restraint," she murmured, her voice quiet, thoughtful. "Or perhaps even more. Have I really been holding back for that long?"

The words weren't directed at anyone in particular, just cast into the air, as if wondering whether the frost around her heart had started to crack. Her gaze wandered—unfocused now—not on the present, but lingering on memories.

Her thoughts drifted to her early days in this world after transmigrating, and she couldn't help but sigh. It was a pity—figures like the Prince Yong, who she'd been somewhat close to, or those tribal chiefs she'd tormented, were long gone. Time had swallowed them, as it always did.

Not just them—even the Great Yong Dynasty had collapsed centuries ago. Not by the sect's hand, but due to internal strife that plunged the realm into chaos, dragging even the Immortal Sect into the turmoil.

Eventually, an exasperated Elder Zhu took direct control of Wei-Wu Province, finally ending the disorder. Since then, it had been under the sect's direct governance.

And Su Min... had remained. Always remaining.

Perhaps that was the real reason she'd drawn a line between herself and others. Not fear, but certainty. That everyone she grew to care for would one day vanish—and she would still be here.

But maybe now... that line was blurring.

"Ah... perhaps I went a little too far."

Su Min stretched lazily, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Knowing her, she won't show her face for a while now." She extended her spiritual sense outward, brushing over every corner of the sect grounds—only to frown slightly in surprise. No trace of Xie Yingying. Not even a flicker.

"Hm... completely gone?"

Su Min sighed with exaggerated resignation and shook her head, though a small glint of amusement remained in her eyes. Unbeknownst to her, Xie Yingying was already nestled deep within the cold heart of the Xuantian Mansion, seated atop a slab millennia-old ice, doing her utmost to suppress the fire Su Min had lit.

It was a battle of willpower she hadn't anticipated. Xie Yingying's breath came in shallow bursts as she gripped the icy surface beneath her, her mind a tangled mess of conflicting desires. The flame Su Min had ignited within her was impossible to ignore. The Taiyang energy had grown so powerful—almost overwhelming—and every lingering touch, every teasing remark from Su Min had brought her dangerously close to the edge of control.

She clenched her fists, digging her nails into the ancient stone. "Focus", she told herself. "Focus, Xie Yingying." It was supposed to be different this time. It had to be. She could not let herself fall back into the same pattern as before, lost in her desires and consumed by them for decades on end.

She had spent far too long trapped in the vicious cycle of need and craving, unable to escape the overwhelming pull of Su Min's essence. It had been... embarrassing last time. She had given in far too easily, unable to contain herself. Her body, her mind, all of it had succumbed to the force of Su Min's Solar Sovereign Physique.

"You can't let this happen again", Xie Yingying told herself. She wouldn't—couldn't—allow herself to be so weak.

Yet, despite all her efforts to remain distant and cool, a flutter of anticipation curled in her stomach every time she thought of Su Min. The taste of her lips, the warmth of her body, the way her presence made everything else fade into the background... It was addictive. Every interaction with her fed the hunger inside, but Xie Yingying wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out.

"If I fail now," she thought, her jaw tightening, "it'll be more than just embarrassing. It'll be humiliating. I've already lost control once. I can't let it happen again."

Her heart thundered in her chest, her breath growing ragged as she forced her thoughts to quiet. The fire Su Min had kindled within her was burning brighter now, each flicker threatening to overtake her composure.

She shook her head, pushing herself further into the icy stone, focusing on the cold, on her cultivation, it was the only thing that could ground her in this moment. But even as she tried to distance herself, the image of Su Min, her smile, her playful words, her mischievous glint in those sharp eyes, refused to leave her mind.

And with each passing moment, Xie Yingying could feel herself slipping, her resistance eroding like sand in a tide, pulling her deeper into a craving she had no hope of fully controlling.

Meanwhile, Su Min turned away from her now-empty courtyard and strolled leisurely toward the sect's main compound.

Soon, she reached the grand hall. The towering doors stood open, inviting in dappled sunlight and birdsong. Beneath a majestic green tree at the center of the hall, a slender figure in white robes sat cross-legged, her expression serene, the faint pulse of spiritual energy danced through the leaves above her, casting soft, shifting light over her silhouette.

Su Min paused at the threshold, watching in silence for a moment.

"At least someone's behaving properly today," she murmured, a trace of affection threading through her voice.

This colossal tree was the Eastern Azure Wood from Su Min's body. After years of nourishment, its true form had grown to unimaginable heights—something her Golden Core-stage self would have found utterly overwhelming.

The segment of Eastern Azure Wood here, along with the Northern Water' Profound Origin beneath it, had been separated from Su Min's own essence. They served to assist cultivation, enhance spiritual energy in the area, and nurture medicinal herbs.

Of course, these couldn't be refined or moved—doing so would cause them to dissipate.

"How do you feel?"

In a flicker, Su Min appeared before the girl. Unlike her disciple, Su Min could go anywhere in the sect freely—as its founder and a supreme wanderer, no place was off-limits.

"Master!"

The girl—Yang Meng—snapped her eyes open, delight flashing across her face. Though Lin Yao had been guiding her training, Su Min was still her master. And she had sworn an oath—though fortunately, Su Min never treated her as a true slave.

"Divine Transformation late-stage. How close are you to Dao Comprehension?"

Su Min was pleased with Yang Meng's progress. In the decades she'd been away, Yang Meng had not only reached late-stage Divine Transformation but also comprehended the Laws of Karma, achieving a half-step into Dao Comprehension.

With this foundation, another century or so of preparation—coupled with her Dao Comprehension Pill—would smoothly usher her into the Dao Comprehension stage.

Of course, even Dao Comprehension wouldn't be particularly useful to Su Min now. She'd have to wait until Yang Meng reached Mahayana—likely several millennia later. Helpful, but not urgently so.

"I could attempt the breakthrough now, but it feels unstable. And the Dao Comprehension Pills are far too precious—I haven't earned enough contribution points yet."

"Oh?"

Su Min rubbed her nose. Sect rules were sect rules. Only three people could bypass them: herself, Xie Yingying, and Little Golden Crow.

For her, it went without saying—she had refined those pills herself. Using her own creations required no justification. As the sect's founder, she held absolute authority.

The other two exceptions were the sect's pillars. In Su Min and Xie Yingying's absence, it was Little Golden Crow who oversaw daily affairs. As for Xie Yingying—her status was practically that of Su Min's wife. The high-ranking elders, whether out of respect or fear, often turned a blind eye to her bending of the rules, treating her with nearly the same reverence as they did Su Min herself. Between that silent acknowledgment and her unmatched strength, her authority within the sect was second only to Su Min's. Naturally, the pills they needed were seldom part of the regular supply—they would simply request them directly from Su Min.

Everyone else had to follow the rules—otherwise, the pills would never suffice.

"How many points are you short?"

Su Min had no intention of breaking the rules. To her, seventh-grade low-tier Dao Comprehension Pills were practically limitless—she could refine two or three per batch without fail. The sect currently had over a hundred in stock.

Occasionally, they were even auctioned—each triggering frenzied bidding among super sects. Though the buyers might not need them personally, their sects always had disciples waiting eagerly.

"Not too many. I planned to take on a few missions from Senior Sister Lin Yao soon. The Tian-Wu Province branch is requesting reinforcements—they're under attack by a demon tide."

Yang Meng smiled. After years of expansion, the sect now controlled vast territories. With greater influence came more troubles. Previously, they'd been wary of the Black Seal Society. But fifty years ago, after Su Min personally slew the Skeleton Emperor, the Fallen Cult's threat vanished entirely.

Thus, the sect had expanded aggressively—as had other major sects. Over the decades, conflicts had erupted across the Heavenly Continent.

Once the sect announced Su Min's slaying of the Fallen leader, the Cultivator Alliance—having lost its common enemy—quickly fractured. Long-suppressed grudges between sects resurfaced, sparking wars across various provinces.

Su Min could do nothing about it—nor did she care to.

No matter how fiercely they fought, civilians were rarely affected. As for reducing entire provinces to nothing? No one would dare—unless they had a death wish.

"Keep working hard. As the saying goes, 'A master leads you to the door; cultivation depends on the individual.' Everyone—especially after Dao Comprehension—must comprehend their own laws. Unless sharing the same special physique, guidance becomes nearly impossible."

Su Min smiled ruefully. This was simply how cultivation worked. Before Divine Transformation, distinctions like body refiners, spellcasters, swordsmen, or spearmen existed. But upon reaching Dao Comprehension, everything hinged on personal laws—making each path unique.

Only the Solar Sovereign and Lunar Sovereign Bodies, as complementary physiques, could truly guide each other.

Besides, Su Min had already handed over the accumulated knowledge of Future Maitreya Mountain for Yang Meng to study. If she still couldn't succeed, that would purely be a lack of talent—something no amount of resources could fix.

"Master!!!"

As they spoke, Lin Yao's booming voice echoed from afar. She arrived moments later, having rushed over the moment she learned of Su Min's return.

"What is it?"

Seeing Lin Yao's flustered state, Su Min grew curious. High-level cultivators were typically unflappable—seeing one so agitated was rare.

"Master, this is an invitation jointly issued by several major sects. Rumor has it that only Unity-stage experts will attend, along with an ultra-high-level exchange meeting."

"Exchange meeting?"

Accepting the invitation, Su Min raised an eyebrow.

"Originally, the sect planned to send Lady Xie as the leader, but I couldn't find her. Besides the exchange, there's another matter—the super sects want to establish some rules."

"Rules?"

"A week ago, two sects went overboard in their conflict. They nearly activated their imperial artifacts against each other—only stopped by other sects' intervention. The proposal is that if imperial artifacts must clash, it should happen in the depths of space. Or, if someone possesses a supreme imperial artifact capable of containment, they may act as guarantor. Otherwise, using imperial artifacts on the Heavenly Continent—or any inhabited world—is forbidden."

"These people..."

Su Min didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What a bunch of lunatics.

"Also, Master, you may not realize this—but currently, you're indisputably the strongest on the Heavenly Continent. In both cultivation and achievements, no one under heaven can rival you—not even those two."

"Are they trying to set me up? No... they want my pills. Fine, I'll attend this exchange. As for that 'strongest' title—decline it on my behalf. I don't fear grudges, but you know I won't stay on the Heavenly Continent much longer."

"Understood."

Nodding, Lin Yao departed. As for Su Min? Her reasoning was simple. Since she planned to journey to the distant shore, preparing thoroughly made sense. Scouting for useful materials at the exchange couldn't hurt.