Chapter 19 "Master, you're so soft." (Three-in-one)
She slept soundly, oblivious to everything, as if trapped in the underworld, unable to see the dawn. She walked alone up the long, dark steps, without a single candle in sight, only the mountaintop, where a bright pearl shone. Someone stood in the light, waiting for her, watching her, and smiling at her.
"Master..." she murmured softly.
"Wake up, Miss Ling." It was Hai Gu's gentle voice.
Upon waking, she saw a joyful face and eagerly asked how she was. However, Ling Shu did not want to see her and turned her face away.
Li Qiaoyan stayed by the bedside, his eyes slightly bruised.
Hai Gu brought over a bowl and said with a gentle smile, "It's good that you're awake. Come and have a bowl of ginseng soup." Ling Shu didn't refuse Hai Gu and let her help her sit up against the headboard.
The soup had a bittersweet taste, but Ling Shu disliked bitterness and could hardly stand even bitter melon. This soup tasted bitter, and she spat it out as soon as it entered her mouth. Ling Shu frowned and said, "I don't want to drink this, it's too bitter."
Hai Gu still presented it to her, saying, "Your qi and blood are deficient; you must replenish them!"
Li Qiaoyan also advised, "Yes, your body won't be able to handle it if you don't drink it. If you find it bitter, I'll add some honey water for you so it won't be bitter."
Ling Shu pushed the bowl away from herself, saying, "I won't drink it!"
"Drink." The familiar coldness and clear, melodious voice drew Ling Shu's attention with just one word.
The beautiful, icy woman walked over and stood at a distance, her stern, frosty demeanor directed directly at Ling Shu.
Ling Shu was apprehensive, so she took the ginseng soup from Hai Gu's hand, frowned, and forced herself to swallow it down in small sips, enduring the bitterness.
Hai Gu laughed and said, "It's still the Immortal Venerable's words that matter. That's right. You should drink more of the nourishing soup. When I received the Immortal Venerable's message, I rushed over. When I arrived, I saw the Meridian Killing Formation. I was shocked. The Immortal Venerable is too careless. This is an ancient killing formation that is specifically designed to kill demons. It has long been listed as a forbidden technique. The Immortal Venerable will not take action himself but will send a lowly person like me to save you. The Immortal Venerable is going too far!"
Miss Ling, you have no idea how scared I was when you fainted. I thought you had gone to the underworld. I rushed to Dongli to find the Immortal Venerable to save you. After the Immortal Venerable cast a spell, you slept for two whole days without any sign of waking up. I was so worried.
"I was so anxious! You've already stepped into the underworld, and your cheap master still has the mind to choose gems? What kind of person is she?!" After saying that, she glared at Zhuang Jinfu.
Zhuang Jinfu calmly said, "I won't die, what's the rush?"
When Ling Shu heard this, her heart skipped a beat. She was in a life-or-death situation in the Midnight Killing Array, while she was looking at gems in the Eastern Fence at the foot of the mountain. It turned out that her existence was less important to her than... an inanimate object.
Thinking this through, Ling Shu, as if torturing herself, took a big gulp of bitter ginseng soup. She still felt it wasn't enough; this little bit of bitterness couldn't dispel her frustration. She put down her spoon, tilted her head back, and gulped it all down. When she put the bowl down, she choked a few times because she drank so fast: "Cough cough... Finished? Is there any more?"
Li Qiaoyan patted her back to help her catch her breath: "Drink slowly, no rush." Ling Shu slapped her hand away.
Hai Gu thought that Ling Shu had understood the principle that "good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease", and happily said, "Yes, yes, I'll go to the kitchen to get you some."
Zhuang Jinfu turned and left, disappearing from Ling Shu's sight. She didn't hear the door open, and no one knew what she was going to do. The room was warm, and there was no sense of coldness. Only when she took the initiative to approach could one feel the coldness brought by her ice spirit root.
Ling Shu was left with only Li Qiaoyan. Ling Shu didn't want to talk to her, but seeing the dark circles under her eyes and the tired look on her face, she reluctantly asked, "Have you been watching over me the whole time?"
"Yes. I don't want anything to happen to you." Li Qiaoyan was a beautiful woman, dressed in fine clothes, noble yet not arrogant, a person of noble birth, who humbled herself to stay with her in this humble little house.
Ling Shu felt a little soft-hearted, but she didn't forget her identity: "You don't need to do this, I have nothing to do with you."
Li Qiaoyan tried to hold her hand, but Ling Shu dodged it. Li Qiaoyan's hand landed on her blanket, and he pulled the blanket back up to her as it slipped off. "It's related. You are her daughter, so you are my daughter. You may not acknowledge me, but I will."
Ling Shu couldn't understand: "Your second young lady from the Li family was so despicable that you didn't care about her even after she died, but you were all smiles to the person who indirectly caused her death. Are you sick?"
Li Qiaoyan's expression changed slightly: "She was the one who plotted against you first, you did nothing wrong."
Ling Shu hugged the blanket and leaned inward: "Heh, don't think I'll acknowledge you just because you're like this."
“I…I didn’t want you to acknowledge me,” Li Qiaoyan said, clasping his hands together and rubbing them. “I just want you to be well. If you’re not doing well, your mother will worry.”
Ling Shu seemed to have heard a big joke, and sat up straight: "She's worried about me? She'd love for me to die. The killing formation didn't kill me, who knows what other tricks she'll pull in the future. Come on, don't waste your time here on a stubborn and unruly person like me, get out."
"..." Li Qiaoyan was silent for a while, "Alright, you rest well here. I will investigate the matter of the killing formation with your mother."
"No need to see me out."
"Eh."
Li Qiaoyan went out. Ling Shu hurriedly threw off the covers and got out of bed, wanting to know where Zhuang Jinfu had gone.
I got out of bed, put on my shoes, and took a few steps when I heard someone say, "Where are you going?"
Turning my head, I saw Zhuang Jinfu sitting behind his desk, fiddling with a few gemstones. On the desk were several sheets of white paper with patterns drawn on them, the exquisite designs of which were not discernible.
Ling Shu's heart skipped a beat, and she stopped in her tracks, saying, "I'm looking for you."
Zhuang Jinfu paused, his hand gripping the gemstone, and asked, "What is it?"
"fine……"
After Ling Shu finished speaking, Zhuang Jin Fu didn't respond. She lowered her head and continued selecting gemstones from the blueprints.
Dust particles in the air slowly flew past her, as if they were afraid of the cold, and they took a detour in front of Zhuang Jinfu.
"Are you... still angry?" Ling Shu probed. "I've committed a heinous crime and disobeyed my superiors. You should send me down the mountain. I want to go down the mountain."
Zhuang Jinfu picked up a blueprint, placed a ruby on it, and, satisfied, picked up a pen to sketch a few lines on the blueprint. Without even looking up, he simply repeated two words: "Down the mountain?"
"Yes, I have offended the Immortal Venerable and should be expelled from the mountain gate."
Zhuang Jinfu looked up to meet her gaze, but then asked, "Do you think your time at the Shangqing Sect was miserable?"
"Oh no? That's terrible."
"Oh? How bad is it?"
Ling Shu said angrily, "Everyone curses me when they see me. Everyone sees me as a world-destroying monster. They hit me for no reason, curse me for no reason, accuse me, and want to kill me like crazy, just because I am a demon. Even though I have half human blood, I will not get any forgiveness."
Zhuang Jinfu then asked, "How have you been these past few days while I was away?"
Ling Shu said aggrievedly, "Oh no, I almost lost my life! Those treacherous villains knew you weren't here, so they deliberately sought an opportunity to approach me and kill me. And Wang Lifu actually used the Meridian Killing Formation to kill me!"
Zhuang Jinfu seemed to understand something: "That's why I want to go down the mountain."
Ling Shu said in shame and indignation: "It's not that..."
"Then why?"
Here we go again, with that gaze that seems to scrutinize every single thought in a person's heart.
"It doesn't matter." Ling Shu steadied herself, ignoring her gaze. "I've offended you so much, why don't you kick me out?"
Zhuang Jinfu said calmly, "It's only natural for young people to admire other young women."
The answer is not the same as that given by Ling Shu and others.
Zhuang Jinfu asked seriously, "You really want to go down the mountain?"
Ling Shu's eyes gleamed: "Can you really forgive me?"
"Otherwise what?" Zhuang Jinfu finally put down her gem. "The composition of people on Shangqing Mountain is simple, yet you still encountered so many dangers. After you go down the mountain, the human world is a mixed bag. Demon hunters, weapon refiners, evil cultivators, and others are all eyeing your demon core. You have mastered a thousand years of demon power, but so what? There are countless ways to harm people."
Ling Shu choked. She knew that going down the mountain was not a wise choice. After going through so many things, she had some thoughts of her own. When it came to a life-or-death decision, she had to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.
Moreover, she had something more than when she first came up the mountain: desire.
Desire for Zhuang Jinfu.
Zhuang Jinfu stared at her, and seeing that she was speechless, he seized the opportunity to press his advantage: "Are you still going down the mountain?"
"I have no idea."
What if I asked you to make a choice today?
Ling Shu suddenly realized the meaning behind Zhuang Jinfu's words and immediately felt incredulous. Her ears were ringing, and she could only hear the three words "I want you" while the rest of the words slipped away from her ears.
Her bright red lips parted and closed, uttering words that captivated her heart with their meaning.
Zhuang Jinfu hoped she would stay.
Ling Shu: "What choice do you want me to make?"
Zhuang Jinfu: "I can't make that decision for you; it's your right to choose."
"Can."
"What?"
"nothing."
"..."
"You still want to kneel in the snow?"
Can I think about it?
"cannot."
Ling Shu cried out "Ouch!" and her legs went weak. She fell to the side, her body swaying like a willow in the wind. Before she hit the ground, a hand caught her waist. In the refreshing fragrance that wafted towards her, she saw a face with a tense expression.
"careful."
"Pfft." Ling Shu couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Zhuang Jinfu immediately let go, looking like he had been deceived and had been humiliated.
Ling Shu walked around to her desk, picked up a corner of her drawing, glanced at it casually, and then waved it in front of her: "What does the Immortal Venerable want to do? This drawing is really well done."
Zhuang Jinfu's gaze followed the blueprints closely. She was displeased with Ling Shu's way of seduce her and take her hard work. She snatched the blueprints, tidied them up, and covered them up: "You still haven't answered me whether you're going or staying."
"I……"
Zhuang Jinfu stared intently at her, waiting for her to say what she would say next.
Ling Shu smiled triumphantly, but then changed the subject: "I don't know."
Zhuang Jinfu: "..."
Bad, the fox is bad.
The table was covered with various gemstones and jade, including turquoise, rubies, sapphires, tourmalines, and malachite. Ling Shu picked up a ruby and held it up to the light to examine its translucency. It was about the size of a pigeon egg, bright red, with a smooth cut and a dazzling fire.
"Is this for making jewelry?"
"So beautiful."
"You like it?"
"If I like it, will you give it to me?"
"..."
Zhuang Jinfu took the things from her hands again, sat down, and prepared to put them into a mother-of-pearl inlaid box.
Ling Shu cried out "Ouch!" again, as if she was about to fall to the side, and by sheer coincidence, she bumped right into Zhuang Jinfu's arms.
Ling Shu felt her breath catch for a moment, saw her eyes widen slightly, and then a slightly cool hand wrapped around her waist.
"careful."
Ling Shu leaned against her, using her strength to lean against her, and said in a soft voice, "Master, I have no strength."
The force around her waist tightened, pulling Ling Shu upwards.
She caught her again, using the same trick twice.
Ling Shu supported her shoulder, pretending to slowly stand up. When Zhuang Jinfu saw that she had stopped, he slowly let go of her hand. Unexpectedly, the person suddenly turned around and sat directly on her lap! He even hunched his shoulders and leaned into her arms!
Ling Shu tilted her head back and sweetly called out to her, "Master, I'm tired of standing, I'd like to sit for a while."
Zhuang Jinfu's hands froze in mid-air: "Even if you're tired, you can't sit like this."
Ling Shu insisted, "We didn't take off our clothes, we didn't kiss or touch each other. I was just attacked by the killing formation and my qi and blood were depleted. I was too weak to stand, so I leaned against Master to borrow some immortal energy to nourish my meridians."
"Not suitable."
The fluffy head nuzzled her ear, then raised its hands and placed them on Zhuang Jinfu's shoulders. Zhuang Jinfu tugged at Ling Shu's hand and whispered, "Get down."
Ling Shu hugged Zhuang Jinfu's neck: "I won't get down!"
Zhuang Jinfu was furious and raised his hand to cast a spell, but Ling Shu quickly said, "I am weak and cannot withstand a beating!"
The ice crystals that had just begun to form dissipated, and Zhuang Jin's hand fell to the ground.
Ling Shu chuckled inwardly, deliberately leaning closer to her and rubbing her body against her chest. Their soft bodies pressed against each other through their clothes. Ling Shu lowered her head and whispered seductively in Zhuang Jinfu's ear, "Master, you're so soft."
The next second, a fox was thrown into the air, and the next second, a fox was caught in mid-air.
creak—
Hai Gu pushed open the door and entered: "Miss Ling, the soup got cold, so I reheated it for you. It's just finished. Sorry to keep you waiting..."
Bang--
The door slammed shut, leaving the ginseng soup bowl and tray hanging in the air, while the sea nymph was already outside.
Hai Gu called out through the door, "Um... excuse me, I've left the soup here for you, remember to drink it while it's hot!" The tray, still guided by Hai Gu's magic, slowly floated onto the round table. Once it was settled, Hai Gu ran away quickly like a thief.
Zhuang Jinfu: "..."
Zhuang Jinfu's anger increased a hundredfold, his gaze towards Ling Shu was full of threat, and he even began to grit his teeth. Ling Shu clearly felt the hands that were holding her back and the back of her legs turn cold with lightning speed, and ice crystals had already appeared in front of her eyes.
Oh no, oh no, oh no, we've gone too far.
We have no choice but to use our ultimate move.
I didn't expect we'd have to use this tactic so soon.
It's such a pity. I was hoping to delay it a little longer, but life is more important.
"I am willing to stay in Shangqing Mountain."
The hand that held her warmed up quickly, Zhuang Jinfu's gaze softened, and the icy coldness before his eyes melted away.
She noticed a slight smile playing on her lips, but her tone was flat: "Okay, I understand."
Zhuang Jinfu lightly touched the ground with her toes and put Ling Shu down. Ling Shu moved away from her at lightning speed, afraid of being thrown away again. Hai Gu's ginseng soup was simply a salvation. She picked it up and took a small, tentative sip. The sweetness of honey spread from the tip of her tongue, the bitterness faded, and what remained was the sweet fragrance of ginseng.
The sea maiden is so kind.
Zhuang Jinfu turned around to tidy up the drawings and gems on the table.
When Ling Shu saw this, she exclaimed, "Master! How could you trouble yourself with such a small matter? I'll help you take care of it!" Ling Shu finished drinking the wine in big gulps, put it down, and went to help Zhuang Jinfu pack up the gems and blueprints in a fawning manner.
Zhuang Jinfu let her tidy up, and after she finished, he put the clothes back in his sleeve and went out the door.
As soon as I opened the door, I bumped into Hai Gu crouching down by the door, eavesdropping.
"Hmm?" Zhuang Jinfu forced out a sound from his throat, which was quite oppressive.
Hai Gu said awkwardly, "I didn't... I overheard on purpose."
Zhuang Jinfu's expression remained calm and composed: "We are not in that kind of relationship."
Hai Gu waved her hand, a knowing look on her face, and said, "Hey! I know, I understand, I know everything."
Zhuang Jinfu sighed and said, "You should read fewer storybooks."
Hai Gu agreed repeatedly, then turned to the dishes she had prepared for the evening, asking if she wanted to go to the kitchen to take a look. Zhuang Jinfu nodded in agreement and went into the kitchen, where she saw a person in purple standing with their hands behind their back.
Zhuang Jinfu glanced at Hai Gu, who waved her hand and said, "I don't know anything, I don't know." Then she quickly closed the door and left.
Wang Lifu turned around and asked, "How is she?"
"He's not dead."
Wang Lifu: "It was my oversight that I didn't know someone's reach was so far."
Zhuang Jinfu frowned, his tone unfriendly: "Didn't you want her dead? Weren't you afraid she would grow into a true demon king and destroy the world? Her death is exactly what you want to uphold the righteous path of heaven and earth."
Wang Lifu was stunned.
This is the true guardian deity's condemnation of her.
Wang Lifu lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time, then suddenly raised his head and said firmly, "You said you would give her a chance, and I did. Afu, I'll leave it at that: if she really does something earth-shattering in the future, I will not forgive her."
Zhuang Jinfu said unhappily, "The future is too far away. I'll only talk about the present. Since you don't intend to kill her, then protect her. Don't involve Ling Shu in your affairs."
Wang Lifu said helplessly, "I know, but there's nothing I can do. Ling Shu is my biological daughter. She may not acknowledge me, but others will. Her bloodline is destined to be tied to mine. Even if she doesn't want to get involved, she will be dragged into it. She can't escape it."
“Keep your distance from her,” Zhuang Jinfu suddenly said. “She’s willing to stay in Shangqing Mountain.”
Wang Lifu found it unbelievable and pressed her for an answer: "How did she come to this conclusion? How did you do it? You're amazing!"
"Don't worry about that. Anyway, she's willing to stay now," Zhuang Jinfu instructed. "If she stays on the mountain, remember to keep her in mind when you do things, and try not to cause her any trouble."
Wang Lifu nodded and smiled, "Hey, I've noticed you're quite interested in this girl."
"I cultivate the path of ruthlessness."
"Uh, yes, I haven't forgotten." Wang Lifu straightened his sleeves and stepped out. "Alright, I'm leaving."
After the person had walked away, Zhuang Jinfu called out, "Hai Gu, where are the vegetables?"
“Here it is.” Hai Gu came in from outside with a smile, pointing to the ingredients and saying, “Tonight I’m going to make ginseng stewed chicken, boiled shrimp, steamed sea bass, stir-fried spinach, and a snow fungus and pear soup.”
Zhuang Jinfu nodded, looking at the shrimp jumping around in the water, and said, "Add another order of crystal shrimp dumplings."
Hai Gu muttered, "Isn't this something we only eat for morning tea..."
"She likes it, add it."
When Zhuang Jinfu came out, she sensed a familiar presence. The person, who had been hiding behind a pillar under the eaves, poked his head out and asked her, "I forgot to ask you earlier, are you willing to join the game?"
"Not included."
Wang Lifu sighed helplessly, "Alright, this is the eighty-ninth time I've been refused. I won't ask again next time."
Zhuang Jinfu walked straight away. He walked to the crabapple tree in the courtyard, where there was a fledgling bird on the ground with its feathers not yet fully grown. Its big beak was open, and it chirped and flapped its wings a few times. It couldn't support its body on its feet for a long time and looked up at the tree with longing.
There was a nest in the tree, leaning outwards and teetering on the verge of collapse. Two other chicks, equally small, were chirping with their mouths open, bigger than their heads.
The skirt embroidered with white plum blossoms swept past the fledglings and disappeared into the distance.
She went inside, and before she had taken more than a few steps, she saw Ling Shu playing with a stray cat under the eaves in front of the house.
A gray tabby cat brought a tiny kitten to Ling Shu's face, put it down, and pointed at the palm-sized kitten with a paw. Ling Shu squatted down and smiled, "Are you going to give me the baby? I want it, but the baby can't be separated from its family."
Ling Shu didn't pick up the kitten, but the tabby cat brought it closer. Ling Shu patted the tabby cat's head, then picked up the kitten and placed it in her palm. She said to the tabby cat, "It's so pitiful that the kitten has lost its home. What if I can't take good care of it and it dies?"
"You must be very sad to lose your baby too."
"Master!"
Ling Shu stood up, waved her hand high to greet Zhuang Jinfu, but the man did not respond and turned away.
Is she avoiding her...? Did she push her luck again and upset her?
Just as she was blaming herself, she saw Zhuang Jinfu standing under the tree. She used magic to lift the little bird that had fallen from its nest, cast a healing spell to heal its wounds, and put it back into the nest.
Ling Shu came over carrying the cat, and sweetly called her, "Master."
"I thought you were ignoring me. Turns out you came to take the birds home."
Looking up, I saw the bird's nest firmly set up on the tree branch. I couldn't see what was inside the nest, but I could hear the birds chirping joyfully.
Ling Shu stroked the cat in her arms, then looked at her: "Master, you're not heartless either."
"No, I am ruthless."
Ling Shu picked up the kitten: "Look how cute the kitten is!" The tabby cat followed her over and pressed its body against Ling Shu's leg. Ling Shu looked down at the tabby cat: "It came over to my leg on its own initiative, wanting to recognize me as its master? Master, can I take these two stray cats back to Qingxi Mountain?"
The girl's eyes sparkled; they were peach blossom eyes, brimming with the warmth of spring sunshine, exuding charm and captivating allure. When she smiled, her pearly white teeth were revealed, her smile as radiant as the warm sun, making her both bright and beautiful.
That was a vibrant sight that Zhuang Jinfu hadn't seen in a long time.
She brought the kitten closer, so that she could reach out and touch the docile little kitten. The girl's innocence was evident in her smiling, starry eyes.
Her compassion for the little life reminded her of herself from a long time ago.
She treated those small lives with the same sincerity. For example, some harmless little demons, when she was being chased while traveling in the human world, once tumbled down a cliff with a little cat demon in her arms. When she landed at the bottom of the mountain, her first reaction was to check on the cat in her arms. The cat was safe and sound, its round black eyes looking sadly at her injuries. She would smile and pat the cat's head, saying, "It's alright."
She walked with the cat for a long time, and despite her high fever, she insisted on catching fish for her. When she finally caught the fish, she fainted by the river. When she woke up, her fever had subsided and her injuries had mostly healed, but the cat was nowhere to be seen.
A crystal-clear demon core fell at her feet.
The moment she touched it, a feline aura emanated from it.
She burst into tears. Cultivators wouldn't leave behind demon cores, so there was only one possibility: the cat had used all its magic power to heal her wounds from falling off the cliff and being stabbed, in order to repay her for saving her life.
How could such a kind and benevolent demon be the kind of monster that they claim harms people's lives?
She clutched the cat's demon core and burst into tears.
Another one has died.
How many more demons will die beside her?
...
What exactly turned her from someone who loved all things into someone who was unmoved even when watching baby birds fall into their nests?
The strangest thing is that she didn't want to save the baby birds, but she wanted to save Ling Shu. Why was that?
Ling Shu pleaded sweetly, "Master, I want to take them back with me, okay, Master?"
Having cultivated the path of ruthlessness for too long, I've become indifferent to everything.
She later came to believe that saving the weak was merely a temporary way to postpone the end of life.
The weak do not deserve a good end.
But today, Zhuang Jinfu wants to change his mind.
"Master, you agree!"
"Then I'm going to buy a cat bed!"
"I want to give the kitten the best!"
Zhuang Jinfu raised his left hand, and a bulging brocade pouch appeared in his palm: "Take this and spend it."
Ling Shu took it and ran and jumped out the door.
Wang Lifu and Hai Gu emerged from the shadows together. One raised an eyebrow and smiled meaningfully, while the other's lips curled into a wide grin.
"..." Zhuang Jinfu immediately reprimanded, "Aren't you going to handle the affairs of the Shangqing Sect? Is the kitchen busy with nothing else?"
Hai Gu: "How dare I, Immortal Venerable? I was just worried that Miss Ling's body was too weak to withstand the wind, so I came to check on her."
Zhuang Jinfu: "You know that, yet you still go with us."
Hai Gu: "How could I possibly be as capable as you, Immortal Venerable? You should go do it yourself, I need to cook!"
Zhuang Jinfu was at a loss with Hai Gu, so he turned to Wang Lifu and asked, "What about you? Didn't you say you were leaving?"
Wang Lifu loosely clenched his fist and brought it to his mouth, then coughed twice: "Ahem, I left something behind, so I came back to look for it."
"Once you've found her, leave quickly and don't come looking for her anymore."
Ling Shu bought a cat bed at the market and put it in her storage bracelet. On her way back, she passed through a narrow alley and someone grabbed her arm.
The man was very strong, but Ling Shu possessed a thousand years of demonic power. When the man pulled her, she remained unmoved, and then the man holding her was sent flying away.
He crashed into the wall, his straw hat shattered, revealing a face covered in blood.
She clutched her chest and scrambled to her feet, rushing towards him with outstretched hands, whispering in a low voice, "Help...help me..."
"Zhao Chi?"
"Meow meow meow!"
"Don't be afraid, little kitty." She patted the cat's head.
"I won't save you." Ling Shu turned and walked away. Zhao Chi grabbed her arms with all his might, pleading, "Ling Shu, I'm sorry, killing you was wrong, I... I beg you to save me, I can't think of anyone else but you, really... only you can save me!"
"Let go!" Ling Shu broke free of her grasp. Zhao Chi, lacking the strength to support herself, tried to collapse, but her fingers clung to the wall, knuckles white, as she struggled to keep herself upright. She pleaded, "I'm sorry, Ling Shu, I'm so sorry..."
Zhao Chi's tall shoulders trembled, and a few clear tears fell. She choked back sobs and lowered her head: "I'm sorry, I beg you... please save my life."
Ling Shu hugged the kitten tightly, afraid that she would scare it: "Don't think that I will soften just because you cry. When you tried to kill me back then, did you not think that I was just as desperate as you are now when I was trying to survive?"
"I won't save you. Fend for yourself."
"I can tell you who ordered me to kill you." Zhao Chi sobbed, and tried to reach out to grab her again, but Ling Shu dodged to the side, and she grabbed at empty air, then sheepishly withdrew her hand.
Ling Shu looked up and said, "Who knows if this is a ruse? You want me to save you so you can turn around and kill me in the end. After all, this isn't the first time you've lied to me."
"It's really not, it's not this time. Ever since I learned that you are an unfortunate person like me, I have never had the thought of killing you again. Please believe me."
Ling Shu took a step back after the procedure: "I won't believe anything you say. You don't need to tell me; I'll investigate myself."
Zhao Chi, his voice still hoarse from crying, said, "Your strength is too weak."
Ling Shu: "I have a master."
Zhao Chi: "..."
Ling Shu: "You came to me for help, isn't it just to use my master's hand to shield you from harm?"
Zhao Chi wiped away his tears and said earnestly, "Yes, you saved me. I will give you what you want to know. I have some news that you will be interested in."
"Oh? Tell me about it."
Zhao Chi opened her mouth to speak, but Ling Shu swiftly drew the sword from her waist. Zhao Chi did not stop her and let Ling Shu place the sword against her neck.
Zhao Chi's eyes were bloodshot: "I...I know who killed your mother."
Ling Shu's hand holding the sword trembled, then she shoved the sword hard against her neck, the blade drawing blood. She roared furiously, "You did this too?! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
Zhao Chi gripped the sword blade tightly with both hands, blood flowing from her palms. She had almost exhausted her last bit of magic power to resist Ling Shu's rage. She blurted out, "It wasn't me. I didn't know them back then!"
“Those three cultivators and your demon-hunting stepmother were all sent by her. Actually, the person she wanted to kill was not your mother, but you. It was her subordinates who had ulterior motives. When they saw your mother, they knew that she had a thousand-year-old demon core in her body, so they had wicked intentions and tried to entice your mother to willingly hand over the demon core.”
"There were two groups of people sent out initially. They agreed to split up and commit the crime separately. The group that was supposed to kill you was inexplicably killed, so what you saw was just the people chasing your mother."
The image of a man in white flashed through Ling Shu's mind, and she asked, "Who is helping me?"
Zhao Chi was pressed against the wall by the sword energy. She used her legs to brace against the wall to prevent herself from being trapped in an inescapable predicament: "I don't know. That person's cultivation is profound, and he is good at hiding his tracks."
Ling Shu pressed her for an answer: "So who exactly is behind this?!"
Zhao Chi gasped for breath, his voice hoarse from dehydration as he struggled to speak: "You...you saved me...that's why I can tell you."
"Alright." Ling Shu discarded the sword, threw it on the ground, grabbed Zhao Chi's shoulder, and pulled him outside.
Zhao Chi was dragged a step, then turned back to look at the sword lying on the ground: "Sword...my sword is very expensive."
Ling Shu let go of her hand and let her pick it up. The sword was dim and lacked spiritual energy. The hilt was undecorated, smooth and white, showing signs of years of use.
Ling Shu said, "It's just a low-grade iron sword. What's so precious about it? It's a waste of my time."
Zhao Chi: "It is my treasure."
When Ling Shu saw her pick it up, her hands covered in blood, she tried to take out a handkerchief to wipe the blood off the sword, but the more she wiped, the dirtier it became, and her hands were still dripping blood.
Ling Shu couldn't stand it anymore. She put the cat into the embroidered pouch at her waist, took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, took the sword from her hand, wiped it clean in no time, and put it back into the scabbard at her waist.
The blood-stained handkerchief was thrown at Zhao Chi, and Ling Shu said impatiently, "I don't want it."
Zhao Chi quickly grabbed the cloth as it fell, holding it tightly in his hand, and followed Ling Shu closely behind, not daring to step over her.
The two entered Zhuang Jinfu's courtyard.
Ling Shu reluctantly said, "I'll go and get a doctor for you."
Zhao Chi stopped her, saying, "Don't invite me, I don't trust him."
Ling Shu howled, "But I don't know how to cure diseases either!"
Zhao Chi whispered, "Please, Immortal Venerable... save me."
Ling Shu raised her hand as if to slap her, but Zhao Chi instinctively shrank back, her eyes filled with fear. In the end, the slap did not fall: "You really dare to think that way!"
Zhuang Jinfu was not at home. Ling Shu waited and waited, and finally Zhuang Jinfu returned. She told her about rescuing Zhao Chi, and Zhuang Jinfu nodded in agreement.
The magic landed on Zhao Chi's wounds, removing rot and promoting tissue regeneration. After only five counts, Zhuang Jinfu withdrew the magic.
Zhao Chi was puzzled. It was done in such a short time? Even Ling Shu was confused: "It's done?"
Zhuang Jinfu said calmly, "Just not dead."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Chi coughed up a mouthful of blood. She checked her meridians and found that she was no longer in mortal danger, but she was not much better. She wiped the blood from her lips with her sleeve and bowed weakly, saying, "Thank you, Immortal Venerable, Miss Ling, for saving my life."
Ling Shu crossed his arms and yelled at her, "I saved you! Tell me! Who was it?!"
Zhao Chi: "They are from the Li family."
Ling Shu: "Li Qiaoyan?"
Zhao Chi chuckled and said, "I can't tell you until I'm fully recovered."
Ling Shu angrily pointed at her: "You...!" But then she thought that revenge was the most important thing, so she withdrew her hand: "Okay, it's a deal."
"It's lunchtime!" Hai Gu knocked on the door and came in happily. Zhuang Jin Fu was still sitting at the table drinking tea. Hai Gu ignored her and put the tea and teacups on the coffee table. Zhuang Jin Fu got up and followed the tea, sitting down at the coffee table.
"Chicken soup is here!"
Hai Gu carried a clay pot into the house, but as soon as she stepped inside, she froze, her pupils dilating, when a sharp arrow pierced through her back and chest, the metal arrowhead protruding prominently in front of her.
The sea bream casserole slipped from her grasp, and her body fell straight forward.
A magical force composed of ice crystals supported the casserole, shifting its position to prevent the sea maiden from falling and hitting it.
No... Master (Immortal Venerable)... how are you going to save the chicken soup?
The sea nymph collapsed to the ground, and the casserole containing chicken soup was steadily supported and placed on the table.
Ling Shu and Zhao Chi took a moment to react. Zhao Chi put his hands in front of him to block, while Ling Shu flew into a rage and dragged Zhao Chi out, yelling, "Get out of here! Give me back my Hai Gu!"
Ling Shu punched and kicked Zhao Chi, who kept apologizing without daring to fight back. As the two struggled at the door, Hai Gu suddenly got up from the ground, looked blankly at the two wrestling, and pulled the arrow out of her chest. As soon as the arrow was pulled out, it disappeared. Hai Gu wanted to give it to Zhuang Jinfu, and said with a smile, "Miss Ling, calm down. I, Hai Gu, am not so easy to die."
Zhuang Jinfu: "No need to look at the arrow. It's just an ordinary magic arrow. It will dissipate even if you don't pull it out. It's just a show of force. There's no need to take it seriously."
Ling Shu paused, what happened?
Zhao Chi was also dumbfounded.
Ling Shu: "Hai Gu...how...won't you die?"
Hai Gu smiled and said, "This is my unique skill, I can't tell you."
Zhuang Jinfu calmly sipped his tea and said coldly, "Zhao Chi, if you betray me, I will pursue this to the end."
Zhao Chi instantly felt a powerful killing intent rushing towards her. She almost collapsed to her knees and quickly bowed, saying, "My home is located in the east of Ning'an City, at the thirty-second household on Hedong Road, Taiping Street. I have a grandmother and a seriously ill aunt. If I betray you, you can use my family to blackmail me."
Ling Shu kicked her from the side: "What if you're heartless and don't even care about your family's lives?"
No, it won't.
“I have an idea,” Ling Shu said with a cunning smile, a sudden inspiration striking him.
Ling Shu's fox tail suddenly appeared. She plucked a fox hair from it, tucked the tail back in, blew a breath onto the fox hair, and the red fox hair floated onto Zhao Chi's body and disappeared into her body.
Then, Zhao Chi twisted her limbs, turning her legs into a pigeon-toed shape, her left arm bent inwards and her right arm outwards, her fingers curled, her eyes distorted and her mouth crooked. Somehow, she fell heavily to the ground. She felt her whole body burning, and all she could see before her were indescribable beauties. A deep desire welled up within her; she wanted to be with someone…
Just as Zhao Chi reached out to pull at her clothes, Ling Shu bent down and gently blew on her. Zhao Chi instantly sobered up. When she saw Ling Shu's sinister smile, she realized what she had just done, and her face turned red.
Zhao Chi, filled with shame and anger, asked, "What...what did you do to me?"
Ling Shu laughed and said, "It's just a fox hair. If you betray me, I will make you burn with lust, as if you have taken a hundred aphrodisiac pills, and you will be endlessly trapped in lust, unable to control yourself at any time. I will make you wish you were dead."
"Witch!" Zhao Chi said, filled with shame and indignation.
Ling Shu laughed smugly, "I am a fox demon, after all. Everyone knows about the bewitching power of fox demons."
Zhuang Jinfu put down his teacup, stood up, and walked to the dining table: "Let's eat."
Ling Shu darted over and pulled out a chair for her with a smile. Zhuang Jinfu sat down, and Hai Gu told her to go back to the kitchen to serve the dishes. Zhao Chi followed, but Hai Gu wouldn't let her touch anything and sent her back to her room.
When Zhuang Jinfu saw her come in, he said, "Please sit down."
Zhao Chi dared not sit next to Zhuang Jinfu, but sat meekly to the left of Ling Shu, waiting for the dishes to be served.
Zhuang Jinfu flicked her fingertip, and her magic flowed towards Zhao Chi's hand, where a white bandage wrapped around her battered hand.
Zhao Chi stood up and thanked him repeatedly, bowing deeply.
Zhuang Jinfu simply responded with an "Mm".
Ling Shu ignored Zhao Chi and, cupping her face, asked Zhuang Jinfu, "Master, what do you want the gemstones for?"
"...Jewelry, perhaps."
The two chatted back and forth, and Zhao Chi didn't dare to interrupt. Suddenly, Zhuang Jinfu asked her, "How long have you been in Shangqing Mountain?"
Zhao Chi lowered his head and answered softly, "Two months."
Zhuang Jinfu spoke calmly, but every word sounded oppressive. To Zhao Chi, the voice was like a dull knife cutting flesh, slowly grinding at his heart: "What are your plans for the future?"
Zhao Chi: "Let's stay alive first, then make plans."
Ling Shu said irritably, "Don't try to kill me to curry favor for your future."
Zhao Chi was terrified: "Miss Ling, I promise I won't do it again."
Ling Shu said angrily, "Promises are useless. You did it, and that's it. I will hate you for the rest of my life, and I will never forgive you!"
Zhao Chi: "..."
Zhuang Jinfu got up, took a bowl, filled it with chicken soup, scooped out a chicken leg and put it in the bowl, then placed it in front of Ling Shu. He then took another bowl, filled it with chicken soup, and placed it in front of Zhao Chi.
"Wow, chicken leg!"
"Thank you, Immortal Venerable."
Zhuang Jinfu served another bowl to Haigu, who kept a smile on her face and happily carried the dishes in and out several times before finally sitting down. She stood up again as soon as she sat down, served Zhuang Jinfu a bowl of chicken soup, and then sat down herself.
Zhao Chi rested her bandaged hands on her knees, looking at the bowl of chicken soup and the dishes on the table. Her heart ached, and tears welled up in her eyes. She pinched her legs, trying to hold back her tears.
The three of them spoke peacefully and in the most ordinary way, words she hadn't heard since her parents died.
No one in the family used to serve her chicken soup, but now they do, and hopefully they will in the future.
Zhuang Jinfu had just sat down.
Under the table, an embroidered shoe reached out, lifted the hem of her floor-length white plum blossom skirt, slid into the gap between her legs, hooked onto her ankle, lifted her trouser leg, and slid up along her calf muscle.
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