Forcing the Aloof Master to Madness - Chapter 33.2

Shen Lezhi looked at it, seeing it as an unextinguished flame of summer, still blooming in the cool autumn season.

Senior Sister Xin Lan had gifted this flower to Shen Lezhi, and Shen Lezhi now intended to gift it to Wang Xi.

There was no special meaning. She held the pot up to Wang Xi, her smile complementing the flower’s vibrancy.

Wang Xi’s gaze was captured by the brilliant maple-fire, but she felt that Shen Lezhi’s faintly glowing eyes were even more splendid than the maple-fire.

“Master, its name is Xiao Hong (Little Red),” Shen Lezhi said. “Although it will wither in winter, its full bloom will accompany you throughout the autumn. Every day, you can feel its passion.”

She spoke these words naturally, completely unaware that Wang Xi’s heart was being moved by her.

She simply thought the flower was beautiful and that the place where Wang Xi lived was too cold. This Autumn Wind Maple Flower was a living splash of color on ice and snow.

But waves surged in Wang Xi’s heart. She couldn’t view the spiritual plant Shen Lezhi gave her simply.

Shen Lezhi affectionately gave her a named spiritual plant as a gift. This spiritual plant would forever be connected to Shen Lezhi. The girl said this flower would accompany Wang Xi through the entire autumn and make her feel passion.

Wang Xi couldn’t help but wonder: Was Shen Lezhi talking about the spiritual plant, or herself?

Wang Xi’s constantly controlled spiritual power finally showed a slight fluctuation, but it was only for a moment. Shen Lezhi was fully focused on anticipating Wang Xi accepting the gift and didn’t notice the faint change in the Master’s spiritual power.

But Wang Xi still didn’t accept it. Her gaze rested on Shen Lezhi’s face, and she didn’t say a word.

Shen Lezhi waited for a long time without a response and sighed in slight disappointment. Just when Wang Xi thought she would give up, Shen Lezhi held the spiritual plant in her arms and looked at the Master with an even more intense smile.

“Then Master should give me something in exchange,” she said matter-of-factly. Her eyes were as clear as precious jade, looking delicate yet lively.

Wang Xi was momentarily captivated by her eyes. Although she didn’t understand why the girl wanted to exchange something she didn’t want for another item, she wanted to see what Shen Lezhi intended to do, so she nodded and said: “Good.”

She casually pulled out a magic artifact from her storage ring. It was a sword tassel, but the artifact could withstand one full-force attack from someone below the Golden Core stage. Wang Xi exchanged this item with Shen Lezhi.

Shen Lezhi gave her the Autumn Wind Maple Flower but didn’t accept the sword tassel. She looked at Wang Xi, shook her head, then, full of expectation, whispered: “I want Master to agree to a wager with me.”

She didn’t want the exchange artifact; she wanted a promise.

And after the promise, there was a wager.

Wang Xi hugged the Autumn Wind Maple Flower and pressed her lips tightly together, trying desperately to control her emotions, not revealing a hint to Shen Lezhi.

Her pale, cold fingertips touched the petals of the Autumn Wind Maple Flower. The plant’s strange texture made Wang Xi instinctively look down at the spiritual plant in her arms.

The fiery red color of the Autumn Wind Maple Flower intruded into her eyes, more dazzling than the petals of the ancient peach tree not far away—it was impossible to ignore.

Wang Xi’s rationality didn’t want to play this kind of boring game with Shen Lezhi anymore, but where her fingertips touched the Autumn Wind Maple Flower, it truly felt like a ball of fire had gathered, emitting scorching heat.

It was burning her, making her catch the temperature of the fire.

“Good,” Wang Xi finally agreed. She only spoke one word, but her throat suddenly became a little hoarse.

Shen Lezhi was extremely satisfied when she heard this. She raised her head slightly, confident and bold: “I bet that I can learn all the moves Master is about to teach me within one day.”

Shen Lezhi was indeed a quick learner of the sword. She was focused and had extremely high comprehension, but she wasn’t someone who could memorize things after one look.

In the past, she had never been able to learn all the moves Wang Xi taught her in a single day. But looking at her slightly raised face, the boldness in her almond-shaped eyes, Wang Xi felt that she would definitely be able to do it.

Wang Xi said no more. She carried the Autumn Wind Maple Flower into the house and set it down. Then she drew her Azure Dragon Sword and demonstrated the new sword moves for Shen Lezhi, as she always did.

She still only demonstrated it once, and she did it faster and faster, as if to make things difficult for Shen Lezhi.

But Shen Lezhi watched intently, her eyes not missing a single detail.

When Wang Xi finished the demonstration, Shen Lezhi began to practice. She practiced continuously, only stopping briefly when her spiritual energy was nearly depleted.

Wang Xi simply stood in the courtyard until the sun set, then she ignored Shen Lezhi and returned to the house alone.

Shen Lezhi was completely unaware of Wang Xi’s departure. She used all her concentration, as if the world consisted only of her.

Even the Crying Soul Strand on her head dared not disturb her. Even if she closed her eyes at this moment, she felt she could see everything around her.

Wang Xi went into the house and looked at the Autumn Wind Maple Flower on the table. The plant’s red color broke the cold tone of the entire room. The conspicuous red was just like the figure outside, who never stopped moving.

Wang Xi rubbed her temples, suddenly not wanting to see the other person.

But her spiritual consciousness was spread out, and she had to see every place within range.

She could, of course, withdraw her spiritual consciousness, but the long sword outside cut through the air with every swing, and Shen Lezhi’s clothes fluttered in the breeze.

Shen Lezhi’s breathing also fell into Wang Xi’s ears. The vibration of her chest during her rapid breathing seemed to shake Wang Xi’s heart as well.

[Why are you indulging her?]

The Heart Demon was questioning her.

Wang Xi knew that the Heart Demon was herself. She was questioning herself.

But what was she indulging Shen Lezhi in?

Indulging Shen Lezhi in putting an incompatible spiritual plant in the house?

Indulging Shen Lezhi in telling her she “admires” her with sparkling eyes?

Even though the Heart Demon kept saying that everything about Shen Lezhi was false, Wang Xi was becoming unable to distinguish between truth and lie.

What exactly was Shen Lezhi like?

Was she the same as in the previous life, having never changed, but merely engaging in more meticulous deception? Or had she truly become the clear, kind person she appeared to be now?

If it were the previous life, even if Shen Lezhi finally repented, Wang Xi would never forgive her.

But in this life, Shen Lezhi had done nothing wrong.

She had not harmed her, and she had almost lost her life for her sake.

Wang Xi pressed hard against her temples. Her fingertips were encased in a layer of frost. Only now did she allow herself a little indulgence in her emotions.

She wanted to calm down, but the Heart Demon clung to her, and demon lines surfaced. She struggled to control and suppress it, but she was suddenly interrupted by Shen Lezhi’s unconscious injury outside.

Shen Lezhi missed a move and cut herself, but she was too focused to notice. Blood streamed from her arm, yet she was completely oblivious.

Wang Xi stared through the wooden house at the dripping blood. The bright red entered her eyes, just like the Autumn Wind Maple Flower before her.

Wang Xi trembled, gripping the Azure Dragon Sword tightly. The cold hilt bore the force of her clenched fingers and the violent turbulence of the spiritual power within her body.

Everything inside the house turned cold, but she didn’t want Shen Lezhi to know. She desperately suppressed and controlled her spiritual power, only letting her madness hide within this confined little room.

[You like the sight of her being injured, the sight of her bleeding, don’t you?]

Wang Xi shook her head and then nodded. She wanted to shake off the voice in her head, but the Heart Demon was herself. How could she separate herself from her own mind?

She kept watching Shen Lezhi, drawn by everything about her. The Heart Demon wanted her to hate, and her eyes turned crimson. She longed to see Shen Lezhi bleed even more.

But she would occasionally regain her sanity, her heart trembling, wanting to suppress those malicious thoughts.

Her finger rested on the rim of the Autumn Wind Maple Flower pot. She couldn’t see the smile on her lips, nor the madness that had burned to the extreme in her eyes.

She watched Shen Lezhi practice until the sky darkened, until the silver moon hung high in the night, until all things were silent, and then until the east turned white again.

The sun had risen.

Wang Xi left the room. She walked up to Shen Lezhi. The girl, exhausted of spiritual power, leaned against the peach tree, breathing weakly.

A pile of depleted spiritual stones lay beside her. Shen Lezhi saw Wang Xi approaching and struggled to prop herself up. A smile appeared on her disheveled face.

“Master, I have learned it.” The sunlight shone on her. She was more dazzling than the sun on the horizon.

Wang Xi naturally knew. As long as she practiced, Wang Xi watched.

But Wang Xi didn’t want to see her like this now: weak from spiritual exhaustion, yet with a gaze firmer than anyone else’s.

“You win,” Wang Xi said.

Shen Lezhi tilted her head upon hearing this, momentarily unable to comprehend how Wang Xi had conceded her victory before she even demonstrated the moves. Then she realized, and her heart immediately warmed.

So, Master was watching her.

She looked up, squinting at Wang Xi, her eyes shining brilliantly.

She opened her lips, gazing fearlessly at Wang Xi, and stated the prize she had won from the wager.

“I want Master to reward me.”