Chapter 91 091 Duan Lansheng had no crime, so she would personally mold him...

Unexpectedly, Duan Lansheng did not immediately agree to her request. He frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on her, and his tone became serious: "Are you injured? Where does it hurt?"

Lu Yuanyuan quickly waved her hand: "No, no, don't worry, I'm fine."

"Then why..."

Lu Yuanyuan bit her lip: "The reason is hard to explain for now. I'll tell you when I have the chance."

Duan Lansheng paused: "Where are you injured? Let me see."

Lu Yuanyuan looked away: "This... is not something I can tell you for now."

Realizing she wouldn't reveal anything, Duan Lansheng stopped asking questions, a faint shadow falling over his dark blue eyes.

He tapped his knee lightly with his index finger, paused for a moment, and then began to think of a solution for her: "In Mount Shu, the place with the richest reserves of elixirs is Danqing Peak. Did you not find the right medicine there?"

Lu Yuanyuan nodded, then shook her head, looking quite frustrated: "The medicines from Danqing Peak are too strong; they're only for disciples with broken bones or bleeding heads. Using them on me is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. As you know, cultivators can heal minor skin and flesh wounds on their own, so there's no need for unnecessary medicine. That's why the alchemy room hasn't refined any mild external medicines in a long time. I think I'll have to go outside of Shu Mountain to find what I need."

Duan Lansheng did not interrupt her narration.

Although he didn't interrupt, his calm expression revealed that he was listening attentively the whole time, without being distracted for even a second.

Lu Yuanyuan said with distress, "Originally, I could have asked Yuanjun for help with this matter, but Yuanjun is currently recuperating from his injuries, and I don't want to trouble him. As a servant, it's not appropriate for me to leave Shushan at this time. Besides, I would rather ask you than anyone else, since you can keep secrets and are the person I trust most in Shushan."

At this point, Lu Yuanyuan raised her dark eyes and said, "Of course, if you're busy, then forget it. It's really not a big deal. I just feel that applying the medicine makes me feel a little better, but it's okay if I don't have it."

As expected, upon hearing her seemingly understanding words, Duan Lansheng readily agreed: "I'm not busy, I can go find it for you."

"Thank you, Lan Sheng." Lu Yuanyuan seemed to hesitate for a moment, then tugged at his sleeve, leaned close to his ear, and said, "If possible, it would be best to hurry."

“You…” Duan Lansheng’s gaze fell on her face, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

In the end, however, he did not press her for answers. He simply told her, "If you encounter any difficulties, don't try to be brave. You must tell me."

Lu Yuanyuan blinked: "Can I ask you for anything?"

Duan Lansheng said with certainty, "Anything is fine."

Lu Yuanyuan curled her lips and smiled sweetly: "I am truly blessed to be your friend. Don't worry, if I can't handle it myself, I definitely won't hold back."

She wanted to drive Duan Lansheng out of Shushan, so that he would never again be able to soar to great heights through the broad road of Shushan.

To achieve this, Yin Xiaozhu's dislike for Duan Lansheng alone is not enough.

In any case, Duan Lansheng is a legitimate disciple, upright and honest with a good reputation. Over the years, the negative effects of his half-demon bloodline have long since disappeared.

If such a flawless disciple is expelled from Mount Shu without a legitimate reason, solely for personal grudges, it will undoubtedly provoke public outrage.

Let alone Yin Xiaozhu, even if it were the sect leader of Shushan, he couldn't just expel a disciple who hadn't made a mistake.

Yin Xiaozhu is a cunning and cautious man, and with Master Xugu also eyeing him covetously, he probably wouldn't easily take drastic action, no matter how much he dislikes Duan Lansheng. He could simply use physical isolation to send Duan Lansheng on a mission to a faraway place.

Enlightenment and ascension have nothing to do with location. As long as Duan Lansheng wears the robes of the Shu Mountain sect, he will continue to follow the original path and rise steadily to prominence.

How could she just sit idly by and watch all of this happen?

Of course, if she could slowly wear him down, she believed that Yin Xiaozhu would eventually reach her breaking point and get rid of this thorn in her side. But unfortunately, what she lacked most right now was time.

Death and the success of the plan are uncertain, and she didn't have the life to wait that long.

Duan Lansheng was innocent and had no crime, so she fabricated a crime for him herself.

The rules of the Shu Mountain sect range from strict to lenient, and are listed in great detail. Minor mistakes will at most result in a punishment. If she wants Duan Lansheng to be unable to stay in Shu Mountain any longer, she will make him commit an unforgivable mistake and suffer a major setback.

At the same time, she can't go out of character, nor can she show her malice too obviously, which is not easy.

In Shushan, there aren't many sect rules so strict that violating them would lead to expulsion from the sect. Things like associating with treacherous officials, rebelling against the sect, or murdering fellow disciples are extremely difficult to achieve. Unless she can give birth to a Gu curse on Duan Lan.

Only one family rule gave her a glimpse of the possibility of success.

In her past life, she had successfully pulled Duan Lansheng down from his pedestal because of this.

That rule is—to break the precept against sexual misconduct.

In the original novel "The Enchanting Fairy Tale," the original owner of this body was expelled from the sect because of this crime. In her previous life, she almost suffered the same fate as the original owner because of this sect rule. Only after the incident was exposed was Duan Lansheng able to protect her, allowing her to stay in Mount Shu to continue her cultivation and even become his Daoist partner.

It must be said that it was because of Duan Lansheng's actions that she was trapped in a state of blind self-confidence in her previous life.

Please, that's Duan Lansheng! If he had no feelings for her, why did he become her Daoist partner? Why didn't he let Mount Shu act on behalf of Heaven and drive her away, thus ending the matter once and for all?

He must be shy and lacking in desire because he's never been in a relationship before, and doesn't know how to interact with girls, which is why he always has a cold face and doesn't respond to her advances.

This idea took root in her heart and became unbreakable.

She believed this until the day before she was stabbed through the sword.

Despite such a poor start in her previous life, she still managed to succeed, which proves that Duan Lansheng was by no means without an opening in this regard.

In this life, she already has a clue how to use her past life's experience to her advantage regarding this clan rule.

Indeed, Duan Lansheng felt no romantic desire for her in this life. That day, she woke up in his arms, and in her dazed state, she pressed his hand to her chest, but he avoided touching her by lifting his fingers the entire time. However, he also had a weakness: he was foolish enough to genuinely consider her a close friend.

Whether Duan Lansheng agrees or not is actually irrelevant when she asks him to find medicine for her today. She just wants to create a vague impression in Duan Lansheng's mind that she needs to apply medicine.

Of course, it would be best if he was willing to help. After all, the more Duan Lansheng valued her as a friend, the easier it would be for him to fall into her trap.

.

Lu Yuanyuan had plenty of free time throughout the day, but she didn't stay with Duan Lansheng for too long. She left the medicine hut under the pretext of needing to go back and rest.

Back at Danqing Peak, Lu Yuanyuan turned towards the library, found a corner to cultivate, and whiled away the time until evening before slowly making her way back to her lodgings in the setting sun.

The young female cultivators who had been there during the day were nowhere to be seen. The setting sun cast a lonely glow on the courtyard, gilding the flowers and plants with a rosy hue. Yin Xiaozhu's room was dark, but the door was not closed.

Lu Yuanyuan hesitated in the courtyard for a while before going up and knocking on the door: "Yuanjun, I need to talk to you. May I come in?"

After a while, she heard a weak and indifferent reply: "Come here."

Entering the inner hall, she saw Yin Xiaozhu sitting on the bed, dressed in his nightgown, his hair loose. He was holding a book in his uninjured hand, the pages of which were half-turned. Lu Yuanyuan glanced at him quickly, then lowered her head, slowly moving to the bedside. She took something from her sleeve and placed it beside her pillow: "Yuanjun, I've thought about this for a long time today, and I think it's better to return it to you."

It was a green jade pendant, only the size of a palm.

Every outer disciple receives this item from a direct disciple on their first day as a servant.

She hadn't looked at him once since she entered the room, and only came closer to return the item. Yin Xiaozhu's face was already extremely ugly. He straightened up slightly and stared at her intently: "What do you mean?"

Lu Yuanyuan said sullenly, "Originally, the position of servant was created to take care of the direct disciples. Since the outer disciples are relatively free, they are usually the ones who fill this role. Now that I am no longer an outer disciple, I can't be on call all the time like I was three years ago. When you need me the most, I'm not in Shu Mountain, so I can't help you and I might even make you angry. Besides... even before, it was you, Yuanjun, who took care of me more. I think there are many people who can do a better job than me. Why not find someone better?"

"..."

Perhaps because of her injury, Yin Xiaozhu's face was much paler than usual, but her lips remained a watery red, possessing a strange, alluring quality, as if she were both angry and resentful. After observing her coldly for a while, he reached out and picked up the jade pendant.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the jade pendant was lifted, Lu Yuanyuan's eyes widened, and her tense and reluctant gaze unconsciously locked onto his hand.

Seeing her looking like a puppy reluctant to part with its bone, he, who was already furious and about to throw the jade pendant against the wall, stopped in his tracks and glared at her: "Weren't you going to give it back to me? What are you staring at for?"

"..."

The next moment, the jade pendant that was dangling under her white, jade-like fingers was snatched back by her.

As if afraid someone would snatch it from her, she blushed and stuffed the jade pendant back into her clothes.

Strangely enough, Yin Xiaozhu's mood improved, and he chuckled, "Will you still say one thing and mean another next time?"

A small hand gently grasped his wrist: "I'll never do it again. Yuanjun, are you still angry with me?"

Yin Xiaozhu turned her face toward the inside of the bed and said coldly, "I was really angry at first, but you took so long to come back, and now I'm not angry anymore."

Hearing the implication in his words, Lu Yuanyuan's eyes lit up, and she seemed to become happy. She moved closer and said, "Yuanjun, I didn't mean to come back so late. I was afraid you were still angry, so I went out to hide for a day. I swear, I will never drink recklessly again, and I will never argue with you again. Please talk to me."

She kept feeding him her best-kept sweet talk, making him boisterous and acting somewhat like he used to be.

Yin Xiaozhu slowly turned her head and moved to the inside of the bed, saying, "Get on."

Lu Yuanyuan kicked off her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, but did not lie down. Her expression remained normal: "Your wound has reopened. I'm afraid I'll press on your hand. I'll just sit here."

This time, Yin Xiaozhu didn't insist. The room was dimly lit, and Lu Yuanyuan sat an arm's length away from him. Being so close, he could smell a unique, delicate fragrance emanating from her. Looking down, he realized the fragrance came from an unfamiliar sachet on her waist.

After looking at it for a moment, he suddenly asked, "Why did you suddenly decide to return the jade pendant? Where did you go today?"

Lu Yuanyuan ignored the first question: "I didn't go anywhere, I just stayed in the library all day."

Before she could finish speaking, a long, slender hand reached out and grasped the sachet at her waist. Yin Xiaozhu's eyelashes cast a shadow beneath her eyes, obscuring her expression. But her tone was gentle: "I didn't see you with this sachet yesterday. Who gave it to you?"

"This... I made this myself, I just didn't let you see it."

She deliberately stumbled, and sure enough, she saw his hand suddenly tighten.

Not only his hands, but Yin Xiaozhu's jaw also tensed for a moment. The next second, the sachet was ripped off and fell into his hand: "Then give it to me, as an apology gift."

A hint of hesitation appeared on Lu Yuanyuan's face: "Ah..."

"Can't you give it to me?" Yin Xiaozhu looked at her, smiling slightly, but his eyes held a hint of cold scrutiny.

"Yes, of course."

Lu Yuanyuan looked furious but dared not speak out, watching helplessly as he took the sachet away. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she leaned forward with a look of grim determination: "Yuanjun, I want to ask you a question. But you have to promise me you won't be angry after you hear it."

Yin Xiaozhu made a "hmm" sound.

Do you like Duan Lansheng?

Yin Xiaozhu froze, a hint of absurdity flashing across his face. He turned to look and saw that Lu Yuanyuan wasn't joking. She leaned forward, staring at him intently, as if his attitude was very important to her.

They looked at each other, and she seemed to think he hadn't understood her question, so she cautiously added, "I mean, that kind of liking."

This question was utterly ridiculous. However, just thinking about why she would be curious about it, Yin Xiaozhu frowned slightly, her expression turned cold, and she uttered three words decisively: "I don't like it."

She seemed to breathe a huge sigh of relief, then asked, "So, do you hate him?"

Yin Xiaozhu said bluntly, "These are two separate issues."

Seeing that he wouldn't cooperate, Lu Yuanyuan started to act spoiled, pitifully saying, "Please, Yuanjun, just tell me."

Yin Xiaozhu twitched the corner of her mouth: "So, would you rather I hate him, or not hate him?"

"Of course I don't want you to hate him, he's just another one of my own flesh and blood." She widened her eyes and said seriously, "But I also don't want you to like him."