Chapter 21 She? Likes? Who? Oh, my darling, you finally…
Not only did Bitao betray them at the last minute, but she also helped the "wild boar" army by sending the girl who had beaten her twice, along with the people she had brought out, back into the earthen cave.
He even thoughtfully locked the door for them, and then, in a show of force, scolded them: "Don't move or make a sound, or I'll kill you first!"
"Bright Moon Girl" had previously kicked down the door of the earthen cave where she lived, so Bitao gave her a different room, which she closed casually without locking it.
"Bright Moon Girl" started cursing her from the moment Bi Tao betrayed her.
She was shocked that Bitao would collude with these cultists and asked her if she was crazy.
"madman!"
"Fall yourself!"
"To harm one's own kind is something even dogs and pigs wouldn't eat!"
These bland and innocuous words didn't even reach Bitao's ears; they simply "whooshed" away from above her rounded skull.
But according to "Miss Bright Moon's" words, Bitao confirmed two things.
Firstly, she knew the seriously injured "Heavenly Lord" of the Peach Blossom Cave, and there was probably a secret affair between them.
Secondly, she knows herself.
But how is that possible?
Bitao has a very good memory. She knows whose dog it is, that its leash broke and it ran away, even if there's a dog wandering on the road in Shiga Village.
She was absolutely certain that in her remote mountain village, she was the only exceptionally beautiful woman.
Moreover, this was the first time in her life that she had traveled such a long distance.
She often went to the surrounding county towns to sell leather goods. The people she interacted with were either old men with wrinkled faces or burly men. If they had seen such a beautiful woman who would stand out from the crowd, they would definitely remember her.
But Bitao didn't ask anything.
She doesn't even really trust her mother-in-law who raised her, and she would never give anyone else the chance to mislead or deceive her.
She will try to find the "truth" herself.
She deliberately swaggered around the entrance of "Bright Moon Girl's" new earthen cave twice.
Sure enough, a new discovery was made.
The two escaped companions beside her, a man and a woman, looked at her with the same hatred and disgust as "Miss Mingyue".
He seemed to know her too.
That's interesting.
Bitao briefly speculated that they were "old acquaintances of her mother-in-law," but quickly dismissed the idea.
My mother-in-law is a guardian angel; she has nothing to do with these idiots who keep popping up around.
The heavily armored "wild boars" stormed into the cellar, and once the situation was under control, the person in charge arrived.
It was the same old man with the goatee who brought in the peach; he seemed to hold a prominent position within this cult.
The man with the goatee looked furious, as if his authority had been challenged.
The first thing they do is arrest people to "make an example of them."
The doors to the other caves were locked tight, so the "Bright Moon Girl" and her accomplices were naturally dragged out by the "wild boar".
The sticks used to hit Bitao were wrapped in rags and used to whip "Bright Moon Girl" and others on their backs.
She was familiar with this peach blossom; she had used this trick many times to slap that foolish Yaozu brother who dared to provoke her.
This method of extraction is painful enough, but it only causes bruising and doesn't damage healthy skin.
As long as the person who did the act denies it, saying it was a fall is fine too.
This group used this method to teach people a lesson because they did not want to damage the image of the "Heavenly Maiden and Heavenly Ruler".
The three men were quite fierce; even after being whipped to their knees, they still dared to glare at the goatee-bearded man, spitting blood and cursing him as a "treacherous and despicable scoundrel!"
"Bright Moon Girl" gritted her teeth and cursed him, "You've done so many evil deeds, you'll get your comeuppance!"
Bitao: "..." If it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, she would have even laughed.
The village children are all more aggressive than her.
Retribution?
But in this world, it has always been said that "those who repair bridges and roads are blind, while those who commit murder and arson have descendants who live on."
The method of making an example of someone to deter others was quite effective.
The other people in the cave watched silently.
Those who had just been briefly rescued by Miss Mingyue and the others did not dare to utter a sound.
The three were visibly chilled; even after being slapped to the ground, they supported each other, trying to straighten their backs. An untimely display of stubbornness.
Bitao considers herself to be kind-hearted, but she is determined to seek revenge.
Although "Bright Moon Girl" missed hitting her with those two sticks, it was even now.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Why is she outside?!"
The steward with the goatee finally noticed Bitao, who was engrossed in watching the beating, and questioned his subordinates.
The two burly men under the manager's command also recognized Bitao.
After all, she had only been there a short time when she stabbed the matchmaker who had cooperated with the Tsinghua Cult multiple times to death.
Even now, they still think that woman was ruthless.
The two men had complicated expressions, but they still answered truthfully: "Seventh Steward, those people knocked out the food delivery person and tried to run away. She ran out to report it."
"What?" The goatee-bearded man's beard twitched twice.
But those in charge were clearly not so easily fooled.
He squinted his small eyes, focusing them on the dim light of the cellar, and scanned Bitao, who was nodding with a smile, several times from head to toe.
He then sneered and said, "Lock her in!"
"Hang those three up!"
"Reinforce all the cells! If anyone dares to escape again, these three will suffer the same fate!"
The seventh steward stroked his goatee and took a step to leave.
Because the door to the Peach Blossom Cave was also kicked down, she was sent into a new cave.
She didn't struggle, but turned to the steward and said, "Seventh Steward, aren't we due to 'deliver the goods' soon? These 'celestial maidens and celestial lords' are half-dead and emaciated. How can they keep those rich gentlemen in such a state?"
The seventh steward paused, turning back to look at Bitao with a sharp gaze.
"How did you know about 'delivery'?" He stopped, turned around, and questioned Bitao sharply.
“Grandma Li told me that,” Bitao said innocently.
"Grandma Li said that as long as I am obedient, I will be dressed in gold and silver in the future, and who knows, I might even catch the eye of some big shot and rise to a high position."
"She even told you this... and you killed her without batting an eye?"
The seventh butler narrowed his eyes to slits.
“Well, there’s nothing I can do about it…” Bitao shrugged and said with a smile, “Who told her to buy me, not pay me, and even send people to kill my parents and younger brother?”
"Our bodies and hair are given to us by our parents. Our relatives have been slaughtered. We are mortal enemies."
Bitao dared to lie because she knew that this Seventh Steward would definitely not verify anything.
Firstly, Granny Li has committed numerous murders and robberies; can this be proven?
Secondly, on her way to Chongchuan, Bitao overheard the cultists discussing their next plan.
Now, seeing these celestial beings, some half-dead and others with unwavering resolve, with the "delivery" time approaching, it's obvious that the person in charge is in a frenzy and has no time to verify Bitao's lies.
"Seventh Steward, I have a way to make them obey."
Bitao said, "As long as you entrust me with the task of delivering meals, I guarantee that when you 'deliver' them, they will all be plump and obedient."
Bitao then made a harmless little request: "I just don't want to eat 'pig swill,' I want to eat roasted pig's trotters from the street."
"Hmph..." Seventh Steward laughed.
When he wasn't smiling, he looked like an ordinary middle-aged man, with a lean figure and a neatly trimmed beard, and a touch of the scholarly air of a schoolteacher.
But when he smiled, his eyes were sunken and there seemed to be a scar on his forehead, pulling at his face and making him look like a vicious outlaw.
Bitao, however, stared straight into his eyes, showing no fear whatsoever.
"You seem to have forgotten that you yourself are a 'celestial maiden'," the goatee said sarcastically.
How dare a lamb meant for human consumption dream of living among wolves?
When the goods are delivered, she will also be handed over to be played with or even killed.
"I haven't forgotten."
Bitao showed good acceptance of the cruel situation she was about to face.
She smiled and said, "But Seventh Steward, look at me. I'm so beautiful and charming, and so obedient. Even Granny Li likes me. How could those gentlemen not like me?"
"If I do rise to prominence in the future, Seventh Steward, I am a person who always repays kindness and avenges wrongs. I will certainly not forget the kindness of Seventh Steward in helping me."
The seventh steward's eyes twitched. Looking at the smiling woman in front of him, he felt a little alarmed.
With both parents dead and no way out, she was sold into a cult and should have been living a miserable and fearful life, but she killed people more efficiently than a butcher. While others were planning their escape, she seized the opportunity and ran out to report.
He also possesses exceptionally good looks; such a person, if he were to aspire to climb the social ladder…
He was wrong.
Wolves aren't scary, nor are lambs. But she wasn't a lamb; she was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Moreover, the Seventh Steward is indeed in a terrible predicament right now.
He hasn't been able to recruit enough followers in the past few months, and the ones he has are still difficult to tame.
He finally managed to snatch the mission of "spreading the faith" in Chongchuan, but his superiors didn't allocate him enough capable personnel.
With less than a month until the "delivery and evangelism" begins, time is very tight.
If he messes up the mission again, I don't know how his superiors will deal with him.
If this woman can truly tame those heavenly rulers and goddesses, she might be worth using.
Putting aside his shady relationship with Granny Li, if this woman hadn't killed someone in front of him, the Seventh Steward really wouldn't have trusted her or used her.
These people are steeped in murderous sins, lurking in the gutter, and only dare to associate with truly wicked people.
Granny Li's life, ironically, became Bitao's pledge of allegiance.
"Come with me."
Finally, the seventh steward said to Bitao, "If you can't make them obedient, you should know what will happen to you."
What is the fate of the Peach Blossom Heart?
You only have me as your "celestial maiden" to show for yourself, do you think I'm afraid of you?
I'm afraid you'll treat me like royalty.
Bitao successfully enjoyed roasted pig's trotters.
She had seen her stupid brother eat this in the county town before.
The couple who couldn't afford to raise their daughter and wanted to abandon her in the mountains were filled with hatred for their son, who was destined to bring glory to their ancestors.
The pig's trotters were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, soft, glutinous, and juicy—just as she had imagined!
After finishing her meal, Bitao followed the cult members to familiarize herself with the "range" she could move around in.
As a "celestial maiden," she could never truly be accepted as a companion by this group of cultists.
Therefore, she only had one very short route to the kitchen where she could get food, and this route was guarded by many "wild boars".
She still needs to go back to the cellar to sleep.
However, she did get a thick blanket, and she could take whatever food and drink she wanted.
The two food delivery guys from before, one of whom was still unconscious from the beating and the other whose big bump on his head hadn't gone down but was otherwise unharmed, became Bitao's food delivery partners.
He was also ordered to monitor Bitao.
The seven stewards did not doubt that Bitaohua's sweet talk in betraying her fellow prisoner "Heavenly Maiden and Heavenly Lord" was a ploy to find an opportunity to escape.
However, Bitao never strayed from the designated route when entering or leaving the cellar.
Moreover, on the first night she delivered the food, two "celestial maidens" who had tried to escape and were starving to death obediently ate.
"How did she do that?" Manager Qi stroked his goatee and asked curiously after hearing his subordinate's report.
The man who delivered the food with Bitao scratched the pockmarks on his face and said, "She chatted with those two women alone for a while."
"What did you talk about?"
The pockmarked man: "...I was putting out the food, I didn't follow."
Bitao then called the two girls to a secluded earthen cell.
At first, when I tried to talk to them, they both ignored me.
After all, Bitao is now a "cult member" and betrayed those who wanted to escape.
Bitao didn't explain for herself, but only asked them, "Are you really not going to eat? If you're not going to eat, I won't be bringing you food starting tomorrow."
If we're serious about it, the feeling of starvation is the cruelest torture imaginable.
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been the tragedy of exchanging children for food during famine years.
The two little girls had already been hungry for two or three days and were nearing their limit.
Moreover, it's one thing for them to refuse food in order to maintain their chastity, but it's quite another to not give them any at all.
Bitao didn't pretend to be a good person and say nice things; she simply stated the facts in a low voice: "Do you really think your lives are that important?"
“If you don’t eat anything, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow… or at the latest the day after tomorrow morning.”
"People with looks like you two are a dime a dozen on the street."
"If you two die, we can just catch two more."
"When you can't get up anymore, find a car, haul you away to a mass grave, and don't even wrap you in a mat. By then, you two might still be alive..."
"But there was nothing we could do. By then, you didn't have the strength to climb out of that mass grave. You could only watch yourselves die."
"They might not even be dead yet, but they'll be eaten alive. After all, there are plenty of wild dogs and carnivorous crows in the mass grave."
"You two have no idea what it feels like to be torn apart by a wild beast, do you?"
Bitao lifted her skirt, revealing the gruesome scars on her side: "See? It was from a wolf bite. My intestines were pulled out. Luckily, I eat well and am strong and healthy."
When Bitao finished speaking, the two little girls' expressions had turned extremely pale.
Bitao looked at them with pity, and continued in a soft voice, "Besides, even if you manage to starve to death, who will care?"
"Will your family care?"
"If I'm not mistaken, you two were sold into this place."
"Do your family members know why you were sold?"
"Even if you two run back, you'll be strangled to death in front of your ancestors' tablets because you were 'abducted' by a cult, so that your honor can be preserved."
"You starve yourselves to death in order to remain chaste, but for whom are you doing this?"
One of them burst into tears, while the other trembled with fear and turned pale.
The most desperate thing in the world is not standing on the edge of a cliff, but being pushed to the edge by the family you depend on and love.
In this vast world, there is not even a single place to stand.
But such things are not new in this world, and they can't even arouse the interest of people on the streets who like to talk about "new things".
The mental defenses that the two people had built with their lives crumbled under Bitao's few words.
But Bitao doesn't want them to accept their fate and actually become "celestial maidens".
The two girls stared blankly at Bitao. Bitao hugged their heads and whispered in their ears, "You two, save your lives first. I promise you I will find a way to get you out of this den of wolves."
She glanced around the cell and lowered her voice, saying, "Only by staying alive, eating well, and conserving our energy can we escape from here... right?"
Logically speaking, since Bitao became a lackey of cultists, her words should not be trusted.
But she was the only "celestial maiden" to break free of the cage. Who else could have done it?
When people are desperate, they will grasp at anything as a lifeline.
Survival is a human instinct.
A timid and ignorant little girl like this is the easiest to coax.
The two of them ate dinner that night, and the way they looked at Bitao was as if she were a real celestial maiden descended to earth.
Of course, Bitao didn't use this method on everyone.
For example, "Bright Moon Girl" and others who had just been lowered from mid-air had another set of methods.
They lay on the ground, unable to get up, but still stubbornly kicked over the food bowl.
Extremely disobedient.
In order to go against Bitao, not only did he refuse to cooperate, but when Bitao was not around, he also incited the others to join him in a hunger strike, smashing pots and bowls.
Previously, the Seventh Butler had threatened Bitao, saying, "If you can't make them obedient, you should know what will happen to you."
This "Bright Moon Girl," who not only seemed to know Bitao but also had an old grudge against her, clearly took those words to heart.
They wanted to use the rebellion of a group of people to punish Bitao, the traitor, and make her suffer the consequences of her own actions.
Bitao stood in front of her cell, smiling, and politely said to her, "I advise you to cooperate with me obediently. If you continue like this, your fate may be very terrible."
"Pah! Cooperate with you? Dream on!"
"snort……"
She suddenly gave a mocking laugh, as if she had everything under control.
But Bitao didn't quite understand what he was saying: "You should worry about yourself. If you join a cult, when you die, will you be struck by lightning and your soul be scattered?"
Bitao even suspected that this "Bright Moon Girl" might have gone mad from practicing qi cultivation.
Does "struck by five thunderbolts" refer to her retribution?
The cult called her a "celestial maiden." Did she really believe that she could ascend to immortality someday?
Bitao pondered for a moment, deciding not to engage in any more nonsensical conversation with her.
Instead, he pointed to a corner of her cell that was surrounded by a curtain and said, "You have fifteen minutes to persuade the people you've incited to calm down."
"Make them eat obediently and cooperate well."
Bitao said, "Otherwise, I'll take your chamber pot away."
"What?"
For a moment, "Miss Mingyue" didn't even understand what Bitao meant.
She didn't understand what kind of threat it was.
However, some immortals who were keeping a close eye on Yin Han Gu understood the meaning first.
"That's despicable, absolutely despicable!"
Humans eat grains, and there is a "cycle of grains".
Food can be skipped, water can be skipped, but the cycle of bodily functions is often beyond human control.
Taking away the chamber pot... What a vicious act!
The one who tried to save people and fight his way out earlier was none other than the Ice Mirror Immortal!
One of the Ice Mirror Immortal's supporters couldn't help but point at Silver Gu and accuse his clan's elder: "This Peach Blossom Immortal has already joined a cult! If such a cunning person is not stopped, she will harm more than just the contestants!"
"Isn't it said that those who harm the common people of the competing star realm will be executed by the immortals who accompany them in the competition?"
The man was filled with righteous indignation and his face was flushed, but the high-ranking immortal from the ancient immortal clan that he was holding onto kept his eyes closed and remained silent.
Upon hearing this, You Tian, who held the title of Immortal of Merit, couldn't help but sneer.
"Could this young officer from the Ministry of War be secretly in love with this fairy from the Ministry of Thunder?"
"Even if you have a crush on this Ice Mirror Immortal, you can't make false accusations. When has our Tao Tao ever harmed the common people?"
"What unrequited love... what nonsense are you spouting!"
The young man, like a red-hot iron pillar splashed with water, hissed and puffed out, "She has clearly joined a cult!"
Another minor immortal, though not a high-ranking immortal, but with the backing of the celestial palace, spoke up: "This immortal lord is mistaken. Fairy Bitao joining the heretical sect is merely a temporary measure."
"If she hadn't reacted in time, those innocent people from the lower realms would have been injured by the angry soldiers when the cult's troops rushed in."
"Moreover, Fairy Bitao just saved two people who were about to die with just a few words."
"Her faith has also increased by two. The Silver River Net is woven from the spiritual silk of the immortals of the Nine Heavens. Its pure energy is vast and just."
"If you don't believe me, this immortal lord can take a look at the changes in the ranking of Fairy Bitao."
The furious young officer from the Ministry of War looked up at the Silver Net and, sure enough, the faith power behind the peach blossom had increased from one to two.
"How could that be... She clearly used this opportunity to get Ice Mirror Immortal punished..."
"And she...she..."
"What do you mean, 'she'? Could Yin Han Gu be wrong?"
"Hmph, I think your ancient immortal clan is just trying to get the proctors to help you because your own immortal rank is too incompetent and you've fallen too far into this cult. You can't bring yourself to do it, so you're looking for a reason to get the proctors to lend a hand, right?"
"You're spouting nonsense!"
"You're being unreasonable!"
The opposing forces have sparked another debate.
However, it is not only the Milky Way that is filled with pure and clear energy, but also that it cannot fail to distinguish between right and wrong.
The merits and demerits of faith clearly recorded on the Silver Net are jointly recorded and compared by the six officials of the Underworld, the four officials of the Heavenly Realm, and a group of examiners. Only when all of them pass the test will the record be revealed.
It is absolutely impossible for something to go wrong.
This commotion quickly ended with the Ancient Immortal Clan remaining silent.
Furthermore, this rashly spoken junior officer from the Ministry of War also exposed an embarrassing matter that the ancient immortal clan elders wanted to suppress.
That means that many ancient immortals have indeed fallen into the hands of evil cults.
The cult that Bitao belongs to is just one branch of the Tsinghua University cult.
Zhu Ming couldn't suppress the smirk on his face. The Ancient Immortal Clan had truly suffered a crushing defeat this time! Let them be arrogant and haughty!
He also admired Bitao; after losing her memory in the mortal realm, her actions became increasingly cunning.
How could she possibly come up with the idea of taking someone's chamber pot away...?
The damage wasn't significant, but the insult was extremely strong.
That Ice Mirror Immortal is a candidate for the future Thunder Emperor. What if he really has nowhere to release his energy during the Five Grains Reincarnation? Hahahaha!
However, Bitao wasn't really that mean.
After all, this "Bright Moon Girl" is a girl.
He tried to intimidate her with words, and then admired the colorful expressions of "Bright Moon Girl" for a while.
Seeing that she seemed genuinely frightened, even stammering, and unable to find the right words to curse her, I stopped.
Bitao smiled for a while, then slowly turned around.
As she walked in one direction, she said, "Oh well, I don't see you're afraid of this, so never mind..."
Trying a different approach to scare her: "I'm going to cut off one of your... well, Mingguang's little lover's long legs right now, so you can use it as a pillow tonight..."
"What did you say...what did you say?!"
"You come back here!"
"You are not allowed to hurt Mingguang again!"
"Come back! Don't you like Mingguang? How could you do this to him! Come back!"
Bitao paused, her back to "Miss Mingyue," and her lips twitched slightly.
she?
like?
who?
Bitao was filled with doubt, but she showed no emotion whatsoever.
No matter how much people behind him shouted, he did not turn around and walked straight into the earthen cave of the "Heavenly Lord".
She had planned to use "Heavenly Lord" to trick "Bright Moon Girl" again, but as soon as she entered, she met a pair of pale golden eyes.
This time, he was no longer in a dazed and confused state when he woke up from a high fever; his eyes were as bright as the blazing sun, and he was completely awake.
Bitao: "..." You can even try to trick him.
Double fraud is also possible.
It is known that the "Bright Moon Maiden" likes this "Heavenly Lord". Because his cries while cleaning his wounds last night were too seductive, the "Bright Moon Maiden" thought that Bi Tao was abusing him, and she hit Bi Tao with a stick without asking any questions.
But when she was pushed to the limit, she said that Bitao also liked this "Heavenly Emperor".
After a moment's thought, Bitao sorted out the love triangle between the three of them.
Raising her voice slightly, she said, "Oh, my darling, you're finally awake!"
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