After the Dual Cultivation Relationship Ended, the Heroine Panicked! - Chapter 6

Xu Qing struggled to calm her mind, forcing herself to sink into cultivation. Gradually, she steadied her spirit, successfully filtering out stray thoughts as if she were in a deep, dark abyss. She felt the surrounding spiritual energy gathering slowly, penetrating her body bit by bit.

But…

In the darkness, a soft hand seemed to gently caress her cheek. That touch reminded her of Bai Muyao. It was a familiar sensation; she had felt that same softness whenever she touched Bai Muyao.

But Xu Qing knew very well that Bai Muyao was not by her side at this moment.

A hallucination?

Xu Qing snapped her eyes open, only to see a woman in black standing before her like a ghost. Her face bore a striking resemblance to Bai Muyao’s! She immediately realized this was nothing but a figment of her imagination. She waved her hand to dispel the vision, but it remained.

“She is leaving,” the black-clad woman spoke, her voice echoing in the space.

So what! As long as she willed it, she could find Bai Muyao no matter where she was.

“Seize her. Imprison her in your manor so she can never escape.”

I am Xu Qing! How could I do something that so defies the natural order!

“She is so submissive to you; she won’t resist. No one will ever find out.” The voice of the black-clad woman carried a seductive edge.

“Shut up!” Xu Qing roared.

Instantly, the dark space vanished. She collapsed exhaustedly into the water of her cultivation pool, the blooming lotus sitting before her. Merely trying to absorb the lotus’s energy had drained an immense amount of her strength! She had only managed to absorb less than twenty percent. Seeing the lotus on the verge of withering, she felt utterly helpless.

Compared to her previous physical ailment, Xu Qing felt even more miserable now. She sat cross-legged again, using her internal energy to inspect her meridians and spirit root. Everything was perfectly normal.

She understood that the problem this time did not stem from illness, but from a mental knot. The image of that woman in black!

Bai Muyao—!

Continuing to force her cultivation would only increase her distress and waste her spirit. She decided to leave her manor.

Back at home, Bai Muyao began to carefully inventory her purchases from the day. The jade and talismans were a dazzling sight, not to mention the 30,000 spirit stones gifted by Xu Qing! It made her feel like she had suddenly become a wealthy woman. The treasures she now possessed were enough to drive even some elders mad.

Perhaps because of this sudden wealth, Bai Muyao paced back and forth in her room, feeling a bit uneasy. These magical treasures were enough to save her life, but she knew the proverb: “A man’s wealth is his own ruin.” On this journey, she had to hide her riches well to avoid being targeted by those with ill intentions.

To calm her nerves, Bai Muyao went into the yard and plucked a wild vegetable she had grown. She used her true qi to manifest water vapor to wash it clean. Then… munch munch munch! The bitterness of the wild vegetable filled her mouth, helping her feel a bit more grounded.

Next, she took out two pieces of jade: the low-grade one she bought herself and the high-grade one from Xu Qing. She intended to use them to craft “Orchid Spirit Pendants.” These pendants used jade as a base and were carved with ancient runes to enhance the wearer’s spiritual power and perception.

Bai Muyao used her carving tools to begin etched the runes. The diagrams for these runes were benefits the System gave her from time to time whenever she helped Xu Qing.

Looking up, the sky had already dimmed. Bai Muyao decided to make dinner first and carve the jade later in the evening. Usually, Duan Yi would come to eat with her, but after she had cried so bitterly today, Bai Muyao thought she might not show up.

Nevertheless, she prepared enough food for two. If Duan Yi didn’t come, she would pack the extra portion as dry rations for her journey tomorrow.

Then, a familiar call rang out.

“Xiao Bai!” Duan Yi waved as she ran toward her, the usual smile back on her face. “Make a portion for me too!”

Seeing that Duan Yi was still willing to see her made Bai Muyao very happy. She had feared they wouldn’t be able to reconcile before she left. Since she might not return from this trip, she didn’t want her last meeting with Duan Yi to end on an unpleasant note.

Duan Yi had also brought a jar of wine. She said, “I thought since Xiao Bai is leaving tomorrow, I’d celebrate with you one last time tonight. I’ve thought about it seriously; I was too willful before. I shouldn’t have asked Xiao Bai to do something she didn’t want to do. I’ll cultivate hard, and once I break through to the Golden Core stage, I can go travel with Xiao Bai then!”

Duan Yi apologized sincerely. Bai Muyao naturally didn’t mind: “It’s okay. I believe you can do it, Duan Yi.”

However, looking at the wine in Duan Yi’s hand, Bai Muyao felt a bit hesitant. She had never liked drinking, finding it bitter and burning. But given the farewell occasion, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse Duan Yi’s final kindness. She decided to have just a couple of sips tonight, as a way of accompanying Duan Yi’s last bit of wilfulness.

When Bai Muyao agreed to drink, a strange light flashed in Duan Yi’s eyes.

Bai Muyao continued preparing the meal while Duan Yi helped her as usual. Duan Yi asked, “Xiao Bai, are you planning to go out again tonight?”

Bai Muyao replied, “No. I plan to rest well tonight and set off early tomorrow morning.”

Duan Yi lowered her head and waited a moment before looking up. “I wish you a safe journey.”

The two sat in the yard as night completely fell, quietly enjoying the food. Duan Yi poured wine into two cups, placing one gently in front of Bai Muyao and lifting the other to drain it in one gulp.

Bai Muyao raised her cup, the rim just touching her lips.

“Xiao Bai, I still remember the moment we first met,” Duan Yi’s voice drifted through the air. In the hazy moonlight, her face flushed red.

“That was just an ordinary sect mission, wasn’t it?” Bai Muyao’s hand paused slightly as she responded softly. She was actually a bit confused as to why Duan Yi was so attached to her. Originally, she had just randomly taken a mission that required a Foundation Establishment disciple to accompany her. It was by chance that she met Duan Yi. But since then, Duan Yi had liked her very much and always wanted to be with her. Unknowingly, they had become close.

Duan Yi said, “The people I met before who led me were all arrogant and bossy, but you are different. You are the best to me.”

Bai Muyao blushed a bit at the praise. “It wasn’t that special; I just did what I should have.”

Duan Yi’s expression became complex. “You don’t understand that feeling. At that time, I actually wanted to…” The words reached her lips, but she swallowed them back down.

Though curious, Bai Muyao finished her wine in one gulp. The liquid burned her throat like fire, making her feel uncomfortable. She thought to herself that she would have only this one cup and no more.

Duan Yi stared unblinkingly as Bai Muyao drank, then lowered her head, not daring to look at her again.

Bai Muyao continued to chat, slowly tasting the food. But a moment later, she suddenly felt dizzy.

What was happening? Was she drunk? She had only had one cup!

Bai Muyao leaned against the table. The last image she saw was Duan Yi staring at her. She collapsed onto the table and fell into a deep sleep.

Seeing this, Duan Yi felt both fear and panic. She shook Bai Muyao lightly. “Xiao Bai… are you still awake?”

There was no response.

Duan Yi’s heart raced, but she soon became resolute. “You forced me to do this; I didn’t want to!”

She had drugged the wine!

“I don’t want to lose you, even if… I have to use these means!”

Duan Yi leaned closer to Bai Muyao, her gaze locked onto the sleeping woman’s profile. Her eyes drifted to those pale pink lips. Swallowing hard, she slowly leaned in, approaching the place that had haunted her dreams.

Xiao Bai… you are finally mine!

Just as Duan Yi was about to touch that softness, a violent wind erupted, suddenly tearing her away. She looked around in shock, seeing the surroundings thrown into chaos by the gale, which was laced with faint sparks of flame!

Duan Yi felt a scorching sensation across her skin! “It hurts!”

Who was it! Such powerful spiritual fluctuations suggested a level of cultivation beyond her imagination. “Who is it!” Her voice carried unmistakable terror. She realized that if the opponent wanted to kill her, it would take only an instant.

Amidst the flames, a figure appeared indistinctly. Duan Yi strained her eyes to look.

It was, Senior Sister Xu Qing!?

Why was she here? She suddenly looked at the unconscious Bai Muyao. Could it be that the person Bai Muyao had been hiding was Senior Sister Xu Qing?!

Duan Yi had no more time to think. She saw Xu Qing coldly unsheathe her sword. The tip pointed directly at her, and a strike slashed toward her! That powerful sword qi seemed capable of tearing through anything; it didn’t even need to hit her directly—the aftershock alone was enough to blow her away.

“No AAAAHHHHH!!!” Duan Yi screamed in despair. She fell heavily to the ground and lost consciousness.

Xu Qing landed lightly, her eyes flashing with displeasure. This person wasn’t even worth killing. She glared coldly at the unconscious Bai Muyao, gritting her teeth. With a complex swirl of emotions, she carried her away from the place.

When Bai Muyao woke up, she felt a splitting headache. How did she pass out?

She tried to move and found herself lying on a soft bed—certainly not her hard wooden one. Yet, the environment was strangely familiar. When she sat up and looked around, she was shocked to find she was in the treehouse on the lonely mountain!

Powerful spiritual energy swirled around the room. Bai Muyao looked over and saw Xu Qing sitting cross-legged before a blooming lotus, eyes closed in concentration as she absorbed the surging energy.

This sight surprised her. Cultivators hate being disturbed during practice; the slightest mishap could lead to deviation. And here she was, so close to Xu Qing.

Bai Muyao didn’t dare move. She decided to stay quiet until Xu Qing finished.

Xu Qing seemed to sense Bai Muyao had awakened. She ended her session and slowly opened her eyes. She stood up, her gaze full of displeasure as she looked directly at Bai Muyao, as if demanding an explanation.

Bai Muyao was more confused than ever. She asked tentatively, “Did… did something happen?”

This person still doesn’t know what happened?

Xu Qing swept a sharp look at her and gritted out, “Are you… a pig?”