After My Paranoid Act to Woo My Cold Master Failed - Chapter 2

Aside from the disciples originating from the Four Great Families, everyone who had ever stolen from Shen Shuheng was now in a state of constant panic. After all, even an expert of the Nascent Soul stage like the Sect Master was currently kneeling on the ground like a stray dog.

Naturally, the disciples from the Four Great Families were unafraid; they were backed by the most powerful forces in the cultivation world.

“All disciples who have ever taken things from Martial Niece Shen… you shall return everything tomorrow, including interest,” the Sect Master spoke with great difficulty, still pinned to the ground.

As Xu Wu uttered these words, the overwhelming pressure on him lightened significantly, though he remained unable to stand. To suffer such a massive loss of face in front of his disciples was an utter humiliation. Thinking of this, the Sect Master was so enraged that he coughed up another mouthful of fresh blood.

Fu Xueke knew exactly what these disciples were thinking. She sent a divine transmission to Xu Wu: “Make everyone who took her things swear an oath here and now.”

“All disciples shall swear an oath upon their cultivation progress here! If you have taken Martial Niece Shen’s belongings and fail to return them with interest, your path to advancement shall be severed forever!”

Hearing the Sect Master’s command, the disciples had no choice but to obediently swear the oath. They told themselves they would simply find another opportunity to snatch everything back from that fool later.

My Master is so beautiful and so strong—I love her so much, Shen Shuheng thought happily.

Suddenly, two figures appeared in the sky and landed steadily on the Jade Platform. A woman dressed in pink threw herself to her knees before Fu Xueke with a heavy thud.

“The Sect Master only offended you for my sake. He is the Sect Master, after all. It is I who wish to take you as my Master.” Xiao Xiaoxiao opened her “Heartthrob System” within her sea of consciousness and looked toward Fu Xueke with total confidence.

Her Heartthrob System had only ever failed on Shen Shuheng. The System claimed it was because Shen Shuheng was the Child of Destiny in this world; as long as Xiao Xiaoxiao kept suppressing her and stealing her things, she could eventually replace her. Naturally, the first step was stealing her Master. Even if a fool had the luck of the Heavenly Dao, they couldn’t stir up much trouble.

“This has nothing to do with me. I will not be taking any more disciples,” Fu Xueke stated coldly.

Xiao Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened in disbelief. She then turned her gaze toward Feng Ya.

This female lead has such thick skin—she acts like everything is owed to her, Shen Shuheng complained internally.

“Because the female lead is bound to the Heartthrob System, both men and women will be infatuated with her. However, she is still no match for this System,” a proud, mechanical voice echoed in Shen Shuheng’s head. “You need not worry about your Master being influenced, for her fate has long been intertwined with yours.”

Seeing Xiao Xiaoxiao’s tear-streaked face, Feng Ya cast a look of pity and affection toward her. “Junior Sister, if this is because of me, there is no need to vent your anger on a junior.” His tone toward Fu Xueke was filled with loathing.

What do you mean ‘because of you’? What an ego! “Master isn’t doing this because of you. She’s doing it for me. Master can only be my Master alone!” Shen Shuheng was deeply shocked by the sheer narcissism of the male and female leads. This “greasy” male lead wasn’t worthy of her Master at all; who gave him the nerve?

“Martial Niece Shen, you were born a fool and possess a trash spiritual root. How could your Master possibly take you as a closed-door disciple?” Feng Ya’s gaze was like a cold blade. “Junior Sister, Xiaoxiao and I share only the affection of elders. My heart belongs to you—”

Before Feng Ya could finish, a long whip formed from spiritual energy lashed across his legs. He stumbled and fell hard to the ground. The agonizing pain of breaking bones, like a heavy, blunt weapon repeatedly striking his legs, turned his face pale.

A soft, slightly cool sensation came from Shen Shuheng’s palm—her Master had taken her hand. “If you don’t know how to speak, then shut up. You’re noisy.”

Fu Xueke looked at her disciple seriously. Her cold features seemed to melt like ice and snow, carrying the warmth of a gentle spring breeze. “A-Heng is not a fool. She is very capable.” Her disciple was only mentally clouded because she was missing one soul and three spirits.

Shen Shuheng’s face heated up, a flush appearing on her skin. The way Master looked at her while speaking was truly intoxicating.

Just as they were about to leave, a spiritual crane flew to the Sect Master’s side, a letter held in its beak. After taking the letter, the Sect Master could not hide his look of triumph.

“A letter from Ancestor Jiang! He commands Junior Sister Fu to take Xiaoxiao as a disciple. Her spiritual root is the best fit for your sword style.”

Xiao Xiaoxiao stood up, walked to the Sect Master, and took the letter. She began to scheme.

“If the Shocking Swan Sword Immortal does not wish to take me as a disciple, I will not force the issue. I will explain it to the Ancestor myself later. However, I have one request.” She looked at Fu Xueke earnestly. “I wish to experience the Shocking Swan Sword Immortal’s style by having a friendly sparring match with Senior Sister Shen.”

She intended to kill Shen Shuheng during the match, completely replacing her as the Child of Destiny of this world.

Shen Shuheng was at the first level of Foundation Building, while the Junior Sister was at the first level of the Golden Core stage. No one doubted who would win. The disciples who had previously stolen from Shen Shuheng were all hoping for a bloody show.

Fu Xueke knew her disciple was no match for Xiao Xiaoxiao. Just as she was about to refuse on her behalf—

“Master, as she says, I shall spar with her.” Shen Shuheng looked at Fu Xueke with a determined gaze.

In reality, she was panicking inside. The gap between Foundation Building and Golden Core was not something that could be bridged easily. However, the System had suddenly issued a mission: Accept Xiao Xiaoxiao’s challenge, or die on the spot.

Shen Shuheng pulled her sword from her storage bag.

Fu Xueke raised a hand, revealing a slender, snowy-white wrist. Her fingers were long and elegant. She slowly stroked the blade of the sword; a silver-white light flowed between her fingers, adding a touch of gentleness to the steel.

Shen Shuheng was too busy staring at her Master’s beautiful hands to notice the instantaneous change that occurred within the sword.

After finishing, Fu Xueke casually cast an array on the Jade Platform to serve as a stage for the duel. She glanced at her disciple and smiled faintly, looking like a tree of white pear blossoms fluttering down in the wind.

Shen Shuheng gripped her sword and stepped into the array.

“Blades have no eyes. Blame yourself for standing in my path!” Xiao Xiaoxiao raised her sword and slashed toward Shen Shuheng. She was determined to kill the first-level Foundation Building fool in a single move.

A dark blue sword-qi slashed toward Shen Shuheng, carrying a murderous chill. Just as it was about to hit her—

Shen Shuheng vanished. Xiao Xiaoxiao’s sword hit nothing but air.

Turning around, she saw Shen Shuheng already standing on the opposite side, even letting out a provocative yawn.

Impossible. A first-level Foundation Building cultivator can’t be this fast.

Perhaps she used a talisman? If so, she couldn’t last long. Thinking this, a smirk curled on Xiao Xiaoxiao’s lips, a flash of cruelty in her eyes. She didn’t mind slowly torturing her opponent to death.

“The hatred value is almost at the reward threshold. Host, just hold on a bit longer and keep farming the female lead’s hatred,” the System said. Hearing about the reward, Shen Shuheng finally felt like her suffering was paying off.

She flicked her sword and appeared before Xiao Xiaoxiao in an instant. “Junior Sister’s sword truly has no eyes. It’s not accurate at all; you can’t even hit me.” She then appeared behind Xiao Xiaoxiao and thrust her sword forward.

“After so many years, Senior Sister’s cultivation is still stuck at Foundation Building. It seems you’ve spent all your energy on your silver tongue.” Though Shen Shuheng’s sword struck her, a Golden Core physical body was not something a Foundation Building strike could easily damage.

Xiao Xiaoxiao did not bleed, but Shen Shuheng wasn’t discouraged. She continued to use her bizarre footwork to dodge around the arena, looking for more openings.

“Isn’t she only at the first level of Foundation Building? How can she be so fast? I didn’t see her use any talismans,” a female disciple asked her teacher in confusion.

A woman in red watched Shen Shuheng’s strange movements with admiration. “That is the ‘Star-Shifting Step.’ It isn’t restricted by one’s cultivation level. When mastered, one can travel thousands of miles in a day. Aside from the Founding Ancestor, she is the second person to ever learn it.”

Shen Shuheng kept moving around Xiao Xiaoxiao like a ghost. After countless attempts at piercing her back, she withdrew her sword. The snowy-white tip was finally stained with blood.

Xiao Xiaoxiao felt a sharp pain in her back followed by the flow of warm liquid. She smelled her own blood.

She had actually been wounded by a piece of trash! Shen Shuheng dared!

Standing in the center of the array, she swung her sword frantically. Dark blue sword-qi erupted like a nest of crazed snakes, rampaging through the boundary.

“Today, you must die!” Xiao Xiaoxiao’s gaze was even colder than her sword-qi.

Shen Shuheng pushed her footwork to the limit. She tilted her body just in time for a burst of sword-qi to sever a lock of her black hair. It had been inches away from her throat. A stray wind blew that lock of hair into Fu Xueke’s hand, who tucked it away.

“Is it still not enough?” Shen Shuheng asked the System. She couldn’t keep dodging like this forever.

Disheveled hair covered Xiao Xiaoxiao’s eyes, casting a shadow over her face. A wooden sword only as long as a finger appeared in her hand, its surface carved with intricate patterns. she funneled her spiritual power into it, crushing the wooden sword into powder.

Suddenly, a bone-chilling sword-qi swept through the entire boundary. The previously illusory sword-qi solidified, and thousands of deep blue swords began to fall like a torrential downpour. The sword-qi wove together into a dense, inescapable net.

Shen Shuheng had nowhere to run. She watched as the deep blue swords drew closer. Even before they touched her, her blood seemed to freeze, turning into a thousand sharp blades within her own body, cutting her from the inside out.

Xiao Xiaoxiao’s face was shrouded in shadow; at this moment, she looked like a vengeful spirit crawling out of hell. She relished the sight of sword-qi at the Soul Transformation stage (Hua Shen) about to obliterate Shen Shuheng.

She had traveled to this world with the best background and the best talent. She was the one favored by the Heavens. An ant like Shen Shuheng deserved to die under her sword and become nourishment for her ascension.

The fierce cold seemed to freeze Shen Shuheng’s breath. She was certain to die; there was no escape. But she was unwilling. If she died, what would happen to her Master? Would her Master’s future really be as the book described—suffering humiliation and becoming a stepping stone for the leads?

No… I won’t accept it!

If the ending for her and her Master was truly to die at the hands of the protagonists, then the Heavenly Dao was truly unjust. What kind of trash Heavenly Dao was this? Blind to right and wrong, unable to distinguish good from evil—it was a joke! She wanted to see how this Heavenly Dao planned to arrange her fate and put her to death.

She widened her eyes, staring at the sword shadows to see exactly how they would kill her. The dark blue light reflected in her pupils until they, too, turned a deep blue. The shadows drew closer inch by inch, and her life seemed to slip away with them.

She couldn’t just sit and wait for death. Even if the Heavens were unjust, she would fight them.

Shen Shuheng raised her sword and swung it with all her might, clashing against the dark blue sword-qi.

Knowing it was impossible, she did it anyway.