After the Dual Cultivation Relationship Ended, the Heroine Panicked! - Chapter 7

I’m a pig?

The image of herself with a pig’s nose and floppy pig ears flashed through Bai Muyao’s mind. She sat on the bed, feeling somewhat uneasy. “Senior Sister…”

If Xu Qing was scolding her like this, she must have committed some sort of major blunder. Bai Muyao struggled to recall her memories from before she lost consciousness. She had been eating with Duan Yi when she suddenly felt dizzy; then, her vision went black and she lost all sensation.

Eating with Duan Yi…?

Bai Muyao’s heart skipped a beat, and she spoke in disbelief, “Could it be… that Duan Yi drugged me?”

“Hmph, at least you have some brains left.” Xu Qing’s expression softened slightly. It was good that Bai Muyao figured it out herself; otherwise, Xu Qing would definitely have disdained to explain such a thing.

Once Bai Muyao realized what had happened, she turned pale with fright. “N-No, this is bad!”

Xu Qing recalled the image of Duan Yi almost kissing Bai Muyao and felt a surge of extreme indignation. She thought to herself: Is she finally afraid? Fortunately, she had protected Bai Muyao well. Otherwise, she would have been…

But the thing Bai Muyao was worried about was clearly different from Xu Qing’s concerns.

Bai Muyao hurriedly fumbled over her body until she found her storage ring. She urgently used her divine sense to check the contents. After a thorough inspection, she let out a long sigh of relief. “Thank goodness, everything is still there…”

Xu Qing finally saw it clearly. Bai Muyao was actually only worried about whether her belongings were lost.

Xu Qing had as many of these talismans and spirit stones as she wanted, yet the first thing this person thought of after waking from a drugged state was this? The expression Xu Qing had just softened instantly became cold and displeased again.

After celebrating the fact that her things weren’t lost, Bai Muyao looked at Xu Qing gratefully. “Was it Senior Sister Xu Qing who saved me?”

“I was just passing by and saved you on a whim,” Xu Qing said.

Passing by? How exactly does one “pass by” such a secluded residence? Bai Muyao didn’t press the issue and said sincerely, “Thank you, Senior Sister, for saving me. I will surely keep this kindness engraved in my heart…”

“Enough.”

Xu Qing frowned, interrupting that “repeat-player” style of respectful rhetoric. She asked, “Do you have any idea why that Duan Yi would do such a thing?”

Xu Qing thought back to the scene of Duan Yi approaching Bai Muyao. The woman had been almost pressed against her. Duan Yi’s goal was clearly not wealth, but… She stared intently at the pensive Bai Muyao.

Bai Muyao thought for a moment and slowly spoke, “I… I think I know why.”

Xu Qing: “Then tell me.”

Bai Muyao nodded. “Duan Yi and I might not have met by chance during a mission.”

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to continue.

“That year, I was trapped in the Demon Beast Valley along with a thousand other disciples, and Duan Yi was among them,” Bai Muyao recalled.

“Trapped in the Demon Beast Valley?” Xu Qing murmured to herself. “You were a disciple from that intake?”

Bai Muyao had already risen from the bed and bowed deeply to Xu Qing. “Yes. If it weren’t for Senior Sister saving us, I would have likely lost my life there.”

Back then, with a thousand disciples trapped, the sect had taken no action. Just as everyone fell into despair, Xu Qing had descended like a deity.

Xu Qing frowned and asked again, “Then why did Duan Yi seek you out?”

Bai Muyao continued, “When I realized my mission partner was Duan Yi, I actually had a vague feeling it wasn’t a coincidence.”

Xu Qing listened quietly.

“Among those thousand disciples, my talent was the worst.” Because of her chaotic spirit root, Bai Muyao had suffered no shortage of ridicule and exclusion back then. “But thirteen years have passed, and I have become the highest-cultivated disciple among those from the same intake.”

Xu Qing finally understood the deep meaning in Bai Muyao’s words. Thirteen years ago, they began their dual cultivation. Because of it, Xu Qing’s illness was cured, and Bai Muyao’s cultivation had progressed by leaps and bounds.

“You mean…” Xu Qing followed her logic. “Duan Yi approached you intentionally because your cultivation improved so rapidly?”

Bai Muyao nodded. “But that is only my guess.”

Xu Qing paced and pondered for a moment before saying, “If Duan Yi was a disciple from that intake, her current late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation would already categorize her as one of the highly talented ones.”

And yet Bai Muyao, the disciple who was least favored at the start, had now surpassed her. It was likely for this reason that Duan Yi had sought her out.

“So I think Duan Yi drugging me this time might be related to that,” Bai Muyao said.

Xu Qing thought again of the scene where Duan Yi was about to kiss her. She wondered if she should tell Bai Muyao about that part. Ultimately, she felt a sense of displeasure and didn’t want to explain it, saying only: “In the future, just draw a clear line between you and her.”

Bai Muyao nodded in agreement. “Bai Muyao will keep Senior Sister’s reminder in mind.”

She was still unclear about Duan Yi’s true motive for drugging her. Although they had been on good terms, after being drugged and rendered unconscious, Bai Muyao would naturally become wary of her.

To further put Xu Qing’s mind at ease, Bai Muyao added, “I will be leaving the sect tomorrow, so I won’t have to meet Duan Yi again anyway.”

Hearing this, Xu Qing’s expression darkened slightly. Why does she always bring this up? Every time Bai Muyao mentioned leaving, Xu Qing felt a surge of irritability.

Xu Qing flicked her hand lightly, shifting her gaze away from Bai Muyao. “Speaking of which, you seem quite calm.”

Bai Muyao was taken down. “Hmm?”

“A friend betrayed you. Do you not feel a shred of sadness?” Xu Qing’s words carried a hint of inquiry.

When Bai Muyao deduced that Duan Yi had drugged her, her first reaction wasn’t shock at being harmed, but worry over whether the items in her storage ring were safe. For two people who were supposedly close, this reaction was very unusual.

Bai Muyao understood what Xu Qing meant and replied, “I am naturally surprised and sad, but…”

She paused.

Xu Qing asked, “But what?”

Bai Muyao replied softly, “I do not wish to lose my composure before Senior Sister Xu Qing, nor do I wish to make Senior Sister worry for me.”

The reason she checked for missing items immediately was because those things were gifted by Xu Qing. If she lost them so easily, she would feel she had failed Xu Qing’s kindness.

As for the sadness… although she hadn’t known Duan Yi for long, she truly liked her. Being drugged had indeed left her feeling very low. But in front of Xu Qing, she didn’t want to show any negative emotions. She knew that doing so would only force Xu Qing to comfort her, causing her trouble.

Xu Qing had given her so many benefits and had now saved her life. Xu Qing’s kindness toward her was overwhelming. Since she already found it hard to repay those debts, how could she bring more trouble to her door?

Xu Qing’s brow furrowed. She doesn’t want me to worry?

Xu Qing could also understand the deeper meaning in Bai Muyao’s words. But the more it was like this, the stronger the stinging sensation in her heart became. She didn’t want to delve deeper into the conversation and made an excuse to end it: “Never mind. I must continue my cultivation.”

She had already absorbed seventy percent of the lotus’s spiritual energy. After saving Bai Muyao and bringing her here, Xu Qing’s cultivation had gradually returned to its usual smooth state. But she likely wouldn’t have time to absorb the remaining thirty percent.

Originally, she should have ignored Bai Muyao’s awakening and continued practicing, but in the end, she couldn’t resist stopping.

Bai Muyao bowed. “Then I shall not disturb Senior Sister. I’ll take my leave.”

Cultivation required peace; her staying would only be a distraction. Just as she prepared to leave, Xu Qing spoke up: “Are you in such a hurry to go?”

Bai Muyao was confused and asked, “Does Senior Sister have other instructions?”

In the past, she wouldn’t have left this place so quickly. But that was only the past. Now that Xu Qing’s spirit root was healed, she had no reason to stay. Leaving early seemed more appropriate. Thus, when Xu Qing called her back, Bai Muyao assumed there were still tasks to be done.

However, Xu Qing simply didn’t want her to leave so soon. If Bai Muyao left now, she would set off on her journey tomorrow morning. But Xu Qing didn’t know how to ask her to stay. Or rather, she hadn’t intended to stop her, yet she had spoken out subconsciously.

Faced with Bai Muyao’s inquiry, Xu Qing remained silent for a long time. Bai Muyao didn’t dare to rush her and simply waited quietly.

Bai Muyao recalled that since yesterday, Xu Qing had often shown this kind of hesitation. It was a stark contrast to the decisive and resolute Xu Qing in her memory. But she also understood that the Xu Qing in her heart might not be the real her. Furthermore, she shouldn’t try to guess the other woman’s thoughts.

While Xu Qing was thinking, she only needed to wait.

After a long while, Xu Qing finally spoke: “Stay here today, so you don’t return and get schemed against again.”

Bai Muyao wanted to say that Duan Yi was only at the Foundation Establishment stage and that she could handle it with a bit of caution, but since Xu Qing told her to stay, she would obey.

“Alright. Thank you, Senior Sister Xu Qing!” Bai Muyao said.

Is Bai Muyao always this submissive? Xu Qing felt a bit of irritability. But fortunately, Bai Muyao didn’t want to leave, which made Xu Qing breathe a sigh of relief. If Bai Muyao had insisted on going, Xu Qing would have had no reason to hold her back.

Then…

Xu Qing suddenly wondered: If I didn’t agree to Bai Muyao leaving the sect to travel, would she also obey me so submissively?

‘Seize her. Imprison her in your manor so she can never escape.’ ‘She is so submissive to you; she won’t resist. No one will ever find out.’

Xu Qing quickly dispelled these stray thoughts. “I’m going to cultivate!” After saying that, she turned and left the treehouse.

Bai Muyao walked to the window and looked out. Within this cave, outside the treehouse, was a tranquil spot—undoubtedly an excellent choice for cultivation. She recognized that lotus; it was a treasure belonging to Xu Qing’s Master, the Immortal Venerable Deyi. Only those practicing the techniques of Xu Qing and her Master could refine the spiritual energy within it.

But the lotus looked a bit withered… She only gave it a brief glance before returning inside the house and pulling two pieces of jade from her storage ring. She had her own work to do.

Sitting cross-legged in the living room, Bai Muyao levitated the two pieces of jade in front of her. She took out her carving tools and channeled her spiritual energy to begin the work.

Outside, before entering her cultivation state, Xu Qing’s gaze fixed upon the wooden house. Thinking that Bai Muyao was still inside gave her a sense of peace. She then began to refine the lotus. For some reason, it was even smoother than usual.