After the Dual Cultivation Relationship Ended, the Heroine Panicked! - Chapter 5

Faced with Bai Muyao’s questioning, Xu Qing chose silence. This left Bai Muyao utterly bewildered. She had initially thought Xu Qing arrived at the market in disguise because of some important business. But looking at it now, there was no mission at all!

Xu Qing was clearly and intentionally sabotaging her plans to purchase supplies! Everything she wanted to buy had been snatched up by Xu Qing.

Seeing that Xu Qing remained unwilling to answer, Bai Muyao had no choice but to take the initiative. “Senior Sister Xu Qing, do you have something important to do? If you can tell me, I will definitely do my best to help you.”

Because of Xu Qing’s bulk buying, the market’s stock had been wiped clean. Bai Muyao might have to stay in the sect for a few more days waiting for new goods to arrive. To her, time was life; she truly didn’t want to delay here any longer. Therefore, she hoped to resolve Xu Qing’s issues so the other woman would stop bothering her.

Xu Qing, however, furrowed her brows. How could she possibly reveal her “business” to Bai Muyao? After all, she hadn’t even figured out her own intentions yet. Was she supposed to tell the other woman that she was just bored, to the point of setting aside the lotus she urgently needed for cultivation, just to wander this market and buy a bunch of things she had absolutely no use for?

Xu Qing truly couldn’t bring herself to say that. Her silence only made Bai Muyao more anxious.

Bai Muyao finally reached her limit and said, “If Senior Sister has no important business, then let us part ways here!”

If Xu Qing had a difficulty, she would certainly help. But now, it was clearly she who was facing a difficulty! And the source of that difficulty was Xu Qing! Bai Muyao would not allow Xu Qing to continue causing her such distress.

Just as Bai Muyao was about to turn and leave.

“Wait!” Xu Qing called her back.

Bai Muyao asked, “Does Senior Sister have something else?”

Xu Qing asked, “You failed to obtain your required items. What do you plan to do next?”

It would have been better if Xu Qing hadn’t asked. Upon hearing this, a surge of nameless fire rose in Bai Muyao’s heart. How did this person have the face to ask her that? If Xu Qing hadn’t bought everything, she could have managed to buy some items even if she had to be stingy with her money. But now? She had bought nothing!

Bai Muyao felt extremely helpless. Since she couldn’t lose her temper with Xu Qing, she suppressed her emotions and said faintly, “I will find a way to ask someone for help.”

Bai Muyao intended to ask the merchants if there was any backstock. Hearing this, Xu Qing’s frown deepened.

Ask someone for help?

She immediately thought of Duan Yi. Was Bai Muyao planning to ask Duan Yi for help? She constantly rejected her own help, yet was willing to accept the help of someone she “just met”? This realization made Xu Qing feel very uneasy.

She pulled the items she had just bought, along with the Water talisman, from her storage ring and handed them to Bai Muyao. “Take these.”

Bai Muyao’s eyes widened, her face full of astonishment. She didn’t understand why Xu Qing would give these to her. She certainly wanted them, but she didn’t want to owe any favors.

Just as she was about to refuse, Xu Qing beat her to it. “You plan to leave the sect for training, right?”

Bai Muyao nodded. “Yes!”

Xu Qing said, “Then take these. If something happens to you, I will be troubled as well.”

Bai Muyao blinked, somewhat confused.

Xu Qing explained, “Though my spirit root has recovered, should my ailment recur, I do not wish for you to meet with an accident and be unable to help me.”

Bai Muyao suddenly understood. If she met with disaster during her travels, there would be no one to help Xu Qing if her pain returned. Looking at it this way, Xu Qing’s consideration made sense. It was her own repeated rejection of Xu Qing’s help that forced the other woman to use such a clumsy tactic.

It was I who failed to consider Senior Sister Xu Qing’s feelings!

Realizing this, Bai Muyao felt apologetic. “Apologies, it was I who failed to grasp Senior Sister’s intentions.” She hurriedly accepted the items and the Water talisman.

“My thanks to Senior Sister Xu Qing!”

Bai Muyao expressed her gratitude sincerely. She wasn’t simply accepting a handout; she secretly vowed that if she obtained great opportunities in the future, she would do her utmost to repay the Senior Sister’s kindness today. Moreover, even if only for Xu Qing’s sake, Bai Muyao was determined to survive the death-tribulation a hundred years from now.

This incident caused Bai Muyao to respect Xu Qing even more.

But for Xu Qing, her mood wasn’t quite as pleasant. Though she had given away all the items, she still felt as if a heavy stone were pressing on her heart. Bai Muyao’s excessively respectful and formal attitude made her feel very uncomfortable.

Her brow twitched slightly, and she pulled out another piece of jade. “This jade is of superior quality; take this as well.”

Bai Muyao looked at the jade. Compared to the one she was going to buy earlier, they were worlds apart. Jade of this quality was a rare sight on the market—a treasure with a price but no supply. Facing such a valuable gift, Bai Muyao’s first instinct was to refuse. But then she thought of Xu Qing’s “intentions,” so she respectfully thanked her again. “My thanks to Senior Sister Xu Qing!”

She accepted the jade carefully, noting the favor in her heart and deciding she must repay it twofold in the future.

However, Xu Qing didn’t seem satisfied.

“Here are 30,000 spirit stones. Keep them well.” “This… thank you, Senior Sister Xu Qing!” “Here are some protective talismans. Take them all.” “Thank you, Senior Sister!”

Bai Muyao tucked the precious talismans into her storage ring one by one. Any single item Xu Qing pulled out randomly was a treasure Bai Muyao would have to give her all just to afford!

“That’s enough, Senior Sister Xu Qing!”

Bai Muyao hurriedly reached out to stop Xu Qing, who looked like she wanted to keep pulling things out. If this continued, her storage ring might actually run out of space!

Seeing this, Xu Qing said, “Very well then. Is there anything else on your list you haven’t gotten? I’ll help you complete it.”

Bai Muyao gladly accepted this last bit of help. In the blink of an eye, she had acquired every item on her list in fact, what she received far exceeded her expectations by more than a hundredfold. The number of treasures in her storage ring now was simply not something a cultivator of her level should possess. Even some elders in the sect might not be as wealthy as Bai Muyao was at this moment.

Just moments ago, she was worrying about a lack of spirit stones. Now, her storage ring was nearly bursting. Bai Muyao knew clearly that all of this was thanks to Xu Qing’s generosity. She became even more determined in her heart, vowing to cultivate diligently over the next century and never slacken. Only when she achieved success in her cultivation could she repay Xu Qing’s kindness today.

After giving away all those things, Xu Qing’s mood lightened considerably. Bai Muyao was finally willing to accept her things. Xu Qing stole a tiny smile—a smile so faint that Bai Muyao didn’t even notice.

Bai Muyao thought that since she had accepted so many treasures, she had to show she could protect herself to put Xu Qing’s mind at ease. So, she said firmly, “With these items gifted by Senior Sister, I will surely be able to protect myself during my travels. I won’t let Senior Sister worry!”

At this, Xu Qing, whose mood had just started to improve, felt her smile vanish instantly upon hearing the words “travels.”

By giving Bai Muyao all these items, hadn’t she just given her more reason to leave?

For a moment, Xu Qing felt she had made a foolish mistake. Her fingertips began to rub together again in unease. The hole had already been dug, and she had jumped into it herself. Xu Qing was momentarily speechless, not knowing how to mend this sudden, awkward situation.

Bai Muyao’s respect was evident as she asked, “Senior Sister Xu Qing, is there anything else?” Her problems were solved, and she hoped she could help Xu Qing in return.

Xu Qing’s face was tense, her voice low. “Nothing more…”

Bai Muyao bowed respectfully. “Then I shall take my leave first!”

Xu Qing clenched her teeth and squeezed out a single word: “Fine…”

Just as Bai Muyao prepared to leave, she bowed deeply once more and cupped her hands in respect. “Senior Sister Xu Qing, Bai Muyao will definitely remember today’s kindness and will repay it in the future!”

After saying goodbye, Bai Muyao turned and left. Xu Qing stared fixedly at Bai Muyao’s departing back. Recalling Bai Muyao’s expression toward her, it was always that unwavering “respect.”

She suddenly realized that for these thirteen years, Bai Muyao’s attitude toward her seemed to have only ever been respect. Yet that Duan Yi, whom she had only just met, could make Bai Muyao laugh and talk so freely.

This thought made Xu Qing feel even more irritable, more uneasy than at the beginning. However, she could find no reason to stay. She looked down at the lotus in her hand; time was ticking, and the lotus was starting to show signs of withering. She looked once more in the direction Bai Muyao had gone, but the area was already empty.

With a heavy heart, Xu Qing returned to her manor.

Bai Muyao eventually found Duan Yi. As soon as Duan Yi saw her return without the strange woman, she was overjoyed. “Xiao Bai, you finally got rid of that person!”

Bai Muyao shook her head. “How would I dare to drive her away?”

Duan Yi was confused. “Who is she? Why do you speak of her like that?”

Bai Muyao opened her mouth but didn’t know how to answer. She took a deep breath and said seriously to Duan Yi, “Duan Yi, I have something important to tell you. I cannot take you with me on this training journey.”

After her brief talk with Xu Qing, Bai Muyao realized how narrow her previous thinking had been. She couldn’t just consider herself, because her actions involved many people. If she met with an accident, she would not only bring trouble upon herself but also implicate Xu Qing.

Duan Yi’s cultivation was shallow. Bai Muyao couldn’t even guarantee her own safety, let alone bring Duan Yi along. She couldn’t make an irresponsible decision just because she didn’t have the heart to make Duan Yi sad. Therefore, Bai Muyao decided to refuse her.

Hearing this, Duan Yi turned pale with shock. “W-Why?”

Bai Muyao explained, “I cannot ensure your safety.”

Duan Yi said urgently, “I don’t need you to protect me; I can protect myself!”

“Stop being willful, Duan Yi.” Bai Muyao shook her head. “You have a bright future; you shouldn’t act so impulsively.”

Duan Yi lowered her head, tears welling in her eyes. She choked out, “You’re looking down on me because my cultivation is too low and I’ll be a burden to you…”

Bai Muyao sighed. After a moment of silence, she admitted frankly, “Yes!”

She didn’t want to lie; that was indeed one of the reasons. Although she didn’t want to hurt Duan Yi directly, if she had to do this to make Duan Yi give up, she would.

Duan Yi could no longer hold back her tears. She turned and fled the area without even saying goodbye. Standing alone in the crowd, Bai Muyao sighed softly. “This is for the best.”

She then returned to her own residence.

On Xu Qing’s side, she immediately began cultivating upon returning to her manor. However, the results were far below expectations. In the past, even when plagued by her mysterious illness, she could persevere through sheer willpower. But today, her heart felt as if it were being pricked by invisible thorns, making it difficult to concentrate.

Naturally, the efficiency of her cultivation was greatly reduced. An hour passed, and she had absorbed less than ten percent of the lotus’s spiritual energy. For the habitually strict Xu Qing, this was unacceptable.

And at this moment, her thoughts were entirely on Bai Muyao, who was set to leave the sect tomorrow!