After My Master Lost All Her Cultivation, I Awakened the Wife-Pampering System! - Chapter 12:

Chapter 12: Su Wanqing’s Past

Inside Su Wanqing’s Cave Residence, the atmosphere was so quiet that even a falling needle could be heard.

The gentle murmur of the spiritual spring flowing in the bathing pool nearby was especially clear.

Aside from those sounds, there was also the deep breathing of Chu Ning asleep beside her. He was exhausted, sleeping soundly…

Su Wanqing stared blankly at the outer robe tightly clenched in her hand.

How could this have happened…

Could it have been some misunderstanding? Perhaps the outer robe had accidentally slipped into his garments, and by coincidence ended up in the inner pocket of Chu Ning’s robe?

A disciple’s robe was simple in design. It lacked the traditional inner sleeve pockets scholars typically wore—such designs would interfere with drawing a sword or moving freely.

Instead, there was only one inner pocket located near the chest, used to store small objects. But that pocket had to be deliberately opened to place something inside.

Did that mean she had pulled open Chu Ning’s robe, folded her outer garment neatly, and placed it in there herself?

Su Wanqing’s expression grew increasingly strange. Her lips trembled slightly.

Possible… it was possible.

After all, this was the cultivation world. Nothing was too strange…

But who could be comforted by such an explanation?

Even a ghost wouldn’t believe it!

No one would believe such a ridiculous thing could happen. Clearly, Chu Ning had folded it up and put it in there himself.

What was he doing with her outer robe…

Recalling everything that had happened earlier, Su Wanqing hadn’t noticed any unusual behavior from Chu Ning. He had shown restraint toward the difference between man and woman. His only focus had been healing her and restoring her meridians.

Su Wanqing had noticed that too. That was why she had felt comfortable removing both her outer and inner garments in front of him, back turned.

But now…

Could it be…

She covered her chest, cheeks flushing as her gaze fell on Chu Ning with mixed emotions.

Maybe not. He still respected his master. Besides, if something like this spread, his reputation would be ruined.

It probably wasn’t what she was thinking. It was just a robe—it didn’t mean anything.

Still… what was she supposed to do with it?

Should she take it back?

If she did, and Chu Ning discovered it missing tomorrow, he might ask about it.

And if he did… how was she supposed to explain?

She had never encountered such a situation. Men had pursued her before, yes, but if that man was her own disciple…

After a moment of hesitation, Su Wanqing quickly stood up. Almost grinding her teeth, she stuffed the robe back into Chu Ning’s arms just as she had taken it out.

She’d pretend she hadn’t seen it and wouldn’t respond to the matter at all.

She needed to rest—yes, rest.

Surely by tomorrow, everything would be fine.

She spread out a mat and lay beside the bed.

After blowing out the candle, she listened to Chu Ning’s steady breathing, yet found herself unable to fall asleep.

Her mind was a chaotic mess…

Was it gratitude for Chu Ning helping her restore her cultivation? Or was it the realization that she could once again stand at the peak with her strength returning? Or perhaps it was because she’d discovered Chu Ning had secretly hidden her robe, and she didn’t know why.

He was still young. If he truly felt something for her…

Then what?

Her heart remained tangled, and only after a long time did she finally drift off to sleep.

…

The night passed quickly.

Early the next morning, Su Wanqing woke up and turned to see that Chu Ning was still resting.

She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or not, but she let out a quiet breath, got up, changed into a red robe, and stepped outside.

Now that her cultivation was lost, she could no longer fast and had to eat.

Her disciple had exhausted himself last night. She felt she should prepare more food.

The first rays of morning sunlight shone down through the bamboo of Little Bamboo Peak, casting shimmering rainbow patterns across the ground.

In the bamboo grove, a red-robed woman moved about busily, sweat glistening on her forehead.

Droplets trickled down her cheeks, slid along her slender neck, and disappeared below her collar—an undeniably alluring sight.

Had anyone seen it, they would have been unable to look away.

But at this moment, the Sect Master and the Elders were all busy plotting how to obtain Su Wanqing’s last legacy. They were too caught up in their schemes to notice that Su Wanqing… was cooking.

She had always known how. After all, she wasn’t born into nobility. In fact, she came from poverty.

Her parents were commoners living in the countryside of the Great Qian Empire’s human realm. They woke at dawn and rested at dusk. Her father worked the fields diligently, while her mother raised livestock and wove cloth daily.

Even with all their hard work, they could barely feed the family of three, and by the end of each year, there was never any surplus grain.

She had understood from a young age that she had to help shoulder her family’s burden. She often cooked and brought food to her father in the fields.

But her father would sigh and say, if only she had been a boy, she could’ve helped him in the fields.

Su Wanqing never replied, but each time, she tried to make the food taste even better.

As she got older, her father made arrangements for her to be engaged—without asking her opinion. Her fiancé was a local scholar, already in his fifties. Su Wanqing had no right to refuse.

She only remembered that on the day of the wedding, she ran away. Someone chased her for a long time.

Then she met a woman. Just one glance from that woman was enough to scare off the pursuers.

The woman asked her, “Do you want to cultivate and become immortal?”

At that time, Su Wanqing thought—anything would be better than marrying that old man.

And so, she joined the Supreme Profound Sect and became a disciple of Little Bamboo Peak.

Her master was already old and passed away after only ten years of teaching her. Before passing, he entrusted the peak to Su Wanqing.

Fortunately, Su Wanqing was immensely talented. She rose quickly, and her strength ensured no one dared covet her position.

Later, she achieved great progress in cultivation and secretly returned home to visit her parents. Of course, she didn’t show herself—she just sent silver and money to make sure they lived comfortably.

Now, her master was gone. Her parents had passed away peacefully. Only Su Wanqing remained, guarding Little Bamboo Peak.

She had once possessed great cultivation, a promising future, and many disciples. Life had been carefree.

But now her cultivation was completely lost.

Only after losing her strength did she remember what it was like to be mortal—how difficult even starting a fire could be.

Still, she remembered her past clearly and quickly adjusted. Cooking meals became one of the few things that still gave her a sense of purpose.

That’s why she worked so diligently now.

It all felt like a dream. She, a Prodigy Sword Cultivator, was cooking…

Though she’d done it on occasion before, she had never been this focused.

After all, as the saying goes, when Heaven entrusts someone with a great task, they must first endure hardship. What her disciple had said made sense.

Whether she was once a peerless Sword Cultivator or now a woman weakened and powerless, both versions of Su Wanqing were real.

This was all tempering and polishing her Dao Heart. Her path was not yet over.

Whether it was Little Bamboo Peak or her own dignity, she wanted the right to choose—not to be forced into anything.

Soon, she finished four or five dishes, and there was porridge simmering in the pot.

Su Wanqing felt quite content. With a smile on her face, she turned to return to her Cave Residence—only to suddenly remember what happened last night.

Her heart grew chaotic again…

Hmm… just treat it as if nothing happened. As long as her heart was clear, there was nothing to fear.

She wasn’t young anymore and had plenty of life experience. She told herself it was normal for a young man like Chu Ning to be interested in women. Since there were no other women around him, he would naturally see her as a woman.

It didn’t matter. When the time was right, she’d talk to him. Yes, that was the plan.

Having never experienced such a complicated situation, Su Wanqing pressed her lips together, then moved to knock on the door.

But at that moment, a voice called out behind her.

“Master, disciple Jiang Qingyue greets Master!”

Su Wanqing’s expression instantly shifted, the emotions she held toward Chu Ning vanishing into icy calm. She turned around expressionless.

There was no hint of emotion on her face, only cold indifference.

“Haven’t you already taken the Sect Master as your master?”

“Why are you here now?”