Xiao Ruoching stood beside Su Bei, gazing at the sunset, following the sun as it was about to sink beneath the sea.

Her three-thousand-strand long hair spread out, gently draped to her waist, lightly fluttering with the sea breeze, and her cheeks were dyed with a faint blush of red.

Su Bei stood next to her, her words were calm, but he could still sense a hint of unrest from the tone of his disciple, and casually ruffled her hair.

This must be the calm before the impending battle.

Xiao Ruoching leaned over, rested her head on Su Bei's shoulder, and shifted her body slightly to make herself as comfortable as possible:

"Master, the Twenty-One Provinces are about to fall into complete chaos."

Nobody knows which side will eventually come out victorious.

"I will protect you all."

"...Oh."

Xiao Ruoching's face showed a trace of melancholy. Even though she had been reborn, nothing seemed changed. Even after hundreds of years, she was still a girl in need of her master's shelter.

Su Bei gently brushed aside the hair on her face, revealing her half-stunning cheek, tinged with unmistakable loneliness. His disciple was no longer naive, but unfortunately, during the centuries of slumber, he hadn't been able to accompany her, nor could he watch her grow step by step to today.

"We've eaten as well, come for a walk with me."

Su Bei's mellow voice reached Xiao Ruoching's heart, creating a warm, tingling sensation.

"Hmm..."

The two of them walked along the damp seaside, listening to the waves and the cries of the seagulls, watching the endless deep blue sea rolling in, raising wave after wave.

'Caw!'

Waves rolled and crashed against the rocks, and two large birds flew overhead, both were wild geese.

Ink-blue seawater rippled layer upon layer to the horizon, shrouding them in misty spray, and the two remained silent.

Su Bei held his disciple's small hand, looking at the serene and breathtaking scene before him, occasionally glancing at his disciple who was lost in thought, and offered a gentle smile, refraining from speaking to break the tranquil stillness.

Xiao Ruoching walked, kicking at the shells and pebbles on the beach, the warm sea breeze making her head spin, her heartbeat growing more erratic. An unspoken emotion pressed down on her chest, making her feel uneasy yet exceptionally peaceful somewhere inside.

This must be love; it didn't fade with time but rather sedimented and fermented in the heart, turning into a pool of aged wine...

"Master, my socks are really wet and uncomfortable..."

Walking aimlessly on the beach, a flush of shyness suddenly rose on Xiao Ruoching's cheeks, and she glanced at Su Bei from the corner of her eye, speaking in a soft voice.

Su Bei was momentarily stunned, then realized and helped her sit on a rock by the sea.

Then he squatted down, lifting the corner of her skirt, revealing two long, graceful legs wrapped in black silken stockings, her slender waist unobscured.

The thin, elastic silken stockings appeared semi-transparent under the sunset, glinting with a soft sheen.

Through the silken stockings, the white skin of her shapely thighs faintly showed, her smooth and soft skin delicate as if made of jade and snow.

Su Bei crouched down, gently lifted her calf, holding her embroidered shoes, her shapely heel obediently slipped out of the shoe.

Her calves pulled back slightly, and the two jade-like feet came free of the embroidered shoes, her round heel pressing down on the shoe's back edge, lifting her arch beautifully.

The enticing gaps between her toes peeked shyly from the shoe's opening, half exposed.

Xiao Ruoching's face was as red as a peach blossom in March, her lips pressed together, and her eyes carried a hint of daze as she gazed at Su Bei, her toes rubbing against each other under the silken stockings.

She bent her waist, reaching with fingers to tug at the tip of her stocking, pinching her toes lightly through the stocking, rubbing them a few times, then released, flexing her toes charmingly under the black silken stocking.

Her feet were tender, faintly showing veins, ten toes neatly pressed together, her soles uncalloused, all but her snow-white arch were pink, her toenails smoothly trimmed, pale red, like ten tiny petals.

Then, Xiao Ruoching turned her head away, glancing at Su Bei from the corner of her eye, her face flushing, stammering softly:

"Master... help me take off my socks."

"?"

Su Bei was somewhat helpless, but she had already lifted her left foot high, her sole stretched out before him.

The big toe under the silken stockings was plump and even, the other four toes gradually shorter, the little toe like a grape, covered by black, transparent silken stockings, exuding an alluring sheen, the cherry-red heel like a ripe apple, smooth, forming an exquisite arch from the side.

He reached out to help her remove the sheer stocking.

"You really are so lazy..."

He casually tickled the sole of her lazy foot.

Xiao Ruoching suddenly tightened her body.

She closed her eyes tightly, gently biting her lip, waiting for Su Bei's next move, but after a long wait, nothing happened. So she quietly opened her eyes, just in time to see her master's slightly amused face:

"It's time to go."

Realizing her little trick had been seen through, Xiao Ruoching immediately wished to find a hole to hide in, feeling awkward, she sulked and said:

"No!"

Su Bei smiled gently, tilting his head towards her, pointing to the coconut tree in the distance:

"Why don't we see who can reach that tree first? The loser has to unconditionally accept one condition from the winner!"

Xiao Ruoching haughtily hummed a soft tune:

"Boring."

But as she said that, she suddenly stood up, brushed the sand off her skirt, and dashed toward the coconut tree in a flash.

Her bare feet sank into the sand washed by the waves, leaving behind a trail of delicate footprints, soon erased by another wave crashing in.

Finally, Xiao Ruoching reached the coconut tree first, shot a mischievous grin at Su Bei, and flashed a victory smile:

"Master! I won!!"

"You have to listen to me!"

Su Bei followed leisurely behind her, nodding:

"Yes, my disciple has won."

The mist gradually dispersed as time flowed away like water. Looking back, no one remembered what truly happened today.

But in the hearts of this master and disciple pair, there was a sense of fulfillment.

The last tinge of twilight in the sky turned into vibrant colors and was soon swallowed by darkness. Xiao Ruoching gently hugged her knees, leaning against Su Bei, appreciating the sea under the night sky.

The tide rose, the seawater lapped against them, but neither moved away, simply sitting there.

"Master lost, so you must listen to your disciple!"

Xiao Ruoching suddenly said softly, then her gaze gradually fell upon Su Bei's lips, slightly squinting her eyes, her bashful and charming face extraordinarily beautiful under the twilight, indescribably stunning!

Then she gently tilted her head upward and closed her eyes.

Su Bei leaned down to kiss her, pulling her into his arms in one motion.

The kiss lasted until the evening glow gradually faded, the first stroke of moonlight shining upon the beach, stars sparkling in the sky.

Su Bei, through a thin layer of fabric, lightly stroked her slender waist... At this moment, the spring garment was thin, and even through the delicate silk, the warmth beneath could still be felt.

Their lips parted.

Xiao Ruoching slowly opened her eyes, her gaze as tender as water, filled with ripples.

"Master..."

Su Bei spoke softly:

"I think it would be better to continue on our wedding day..."

Before he could finish, the next moment, his mouth was gently covered by his disciple. She nestled into his embrace, softly caressing Su Bei's cheek, murmuring tenderly:

"No, tonight it's just Master."

"Today, I'm not Master's disciple, and Master is not my master. Will you always be my Su Bei?"

"..."

Her voice flowed like water, no longer youthful as when they first met, but matured, intelligent, and tenderly beautiful, a gentleness Su Bei had never seen in her before.

This smile was enchanting, neither flamboyant nor intense.

Gazing into Xiao Ruoching's eyes, the sea shimmered, reflecting her captivating gaze, clear and pure.

The faint fragrance reached his nose as Su Bei sighed softly.

Did he not like Xiao Ruoching? Asking himself, he did.

In this moment, there were no worldly barriers between them.

No words needed between the two:

"Okay."

Su Bei spoke softly.

He embraced the woman before him fiercely, with utter abandon, in this moment, the world fell silent, with only the two of them embracing passionately. The moonlight seemed dimmer, a gentle night breeze caressed, softly lifting their long hair.

Xiao Ruoching gently closed her eyes, her jade arms wrapped around Su Bei's neck:

"Master... let me always be your disciple..."

The surging tides under the moonlight, like a brush of makeup, decorated the beach.

A gentle breeze passed, carrying with it a waft of enchanting fragrance.

The moon shone bright, the sky clear, stars splendid.

He was like a dragon, she like a fish.

One night, they danced together.