Forcing the Aloof Master to Madness - Chapter 34

What kind of reward did she want?

Looking at Shen Lezhi’s eyes, Wang Xi did not know what kind of response she should give.

Wang Xi had been unable to answer until Shen Lezhi got up and walked closer to her.

“How can Master go back on her word?” Shen Lezhi’s gaze was burning, fixed intently on Wang Xi. However, seeing Wang Xi’s cold face and refusal to respond, she chose to compromise: “You must at least praise me.”

She had never received praise from Wang Xi; she hadn’t cared before, but now she did.

Shen Lezhi would not back down from this small expectation; she wanted to hear Wang Xi’s response. If Wang Xi did not speak, she would wait forever.

Her eyes were fixed, forcing Wang Xi to give a reply.

This was the first time Wang Xi felt Shen Lezhi’s imposing manner, perhaps because she herself was trapped in those sincere eyes.

Realizing this, Wang Xi’s expression chilled slightly; she could not allow herself to be controlled by Shen Lezhi.

Yet, at this moment, she had lost the bet, and she was in the wrong.

On the one hand, she did not want Shen Lezhi to seize the initiative, but on the other, she had to follow Shen Lezhi’s words and think.

What kind of praise did Shen Lezhi want?

It seemed she had never praised Shen Lezhi; from her previous life to this one, she was not good at expressing such direct words, nor could she utter words of praise.

Cultivation was a matter of course; why did it need to be commended?

But this was the request put forth by Shen Lezhi, regardless of whether Wang Xi found it reasonable or not.

Wang Xi parted her lips, but the words that came out were not praise. “How do you want this master to praise you?”

She threw the question back, and Shen Lezhi pouted, showing her dissatisfaction.

Shen Lezhi simply stepped closer, stopping right in front of Wang Xi. She also remained silent but stared intently at Wang Xi, giving the strong impression of a threat: if you don’t praise me, I will keep staring.

Her bold and direct threat was not oppressive; rather, one might smile at her cuteness.

But Wang Xi would not laugh at her, she only sensed once again the difference in Shen Lezhi compared to her previous life.

Wang Xi raised her eyes to look at her completely, and suddenly a word came to mind to describe Shen Lezhi at this moment.

Vibrant.

She had always believed Shen Lezhi was hypocritical, everything about her bearing a false pretense. Since her teenage years, Shen Lezhi had seemed to lose her soul, wearing a mask of obedience like a puppet.

The memory-less Shen Lezhi, the Shen Lezhi who had changed, was finally vibrant, like a real person.

But how long could the Shen Lezhi before her last? If she were to recover her memories, would she make the same choices as in the past?

Or, was the person before her also fake?

From the moment Shen Lezhi broke into Linglong Peak, bleeding as she told Wang Xi the truth, Wang Xi had fallen into a deeper suspicion.

Every moment, the voice in her mind never stopped.

“You possess outstanding talent,” Wang Xi said, half-closing her eyes as she spoke with difficulty.

Shen Lezhi smiled upon hearing this, then her eyes darkened, and she shook her head, indicating, “Not enough.”

She took another step closer, slightly raising her chin and smiling lightly at Wang Xi.

While she acknowledged Wang Xi’s praise, a single phrase of “outstanding talent” was far from enough for the reward she had earned through such effort.

Wang Xi suddenly felt that she was truly tiresome, so she simply reached out and pulled the person closer again, until they were nearly face-to-face.

Shen Lezhi was startled by her sudden action and, after the surprise, looked wide-eyed and speechless toward Wang Xi.

With that look, she again noticed the fine red lines at the corner of the other woman’s eye.

She had always wanted to ask Wang Xi what these were; were they caused by Wang Xi’s cultivation method?

They made people unable to help but be drawn in.

Shen Lezhi involuntarily lifted her hand to stroke them, and Wang Xi’s icy eyes turned toward her.

“Master, what is this here?” Shen Lezhi finally asked the question. She was too curious about this strange pattern that spread and blossomed at the corner of Wang Xi’s eye.

But Wang Xi paused. Knowing that Shen Lezhi had seen the demonic mark at her eye’s corner, she did not answer. Instead, her cool hand pressed against Shen Lezhi’s waist, and she asked abruptly, “Do you admire this master?”

Shen Lezhi found the question sudden but nodded instinctively.

She noticed a sudden change in Wang Xi’s tone.

That strange rising inflection, an inexplicable lilt contained within the icy tone. This was not the first time Shen Lezhi had heard it. She blinked, feeling it was too odd, and wanted to delve deeper.

Just as Shen Lezhi was about to ask, Wang Xi spoke first: “How do you want this master to praise you?”

This was the second time Wang Xi had asked the question. Shen Lezhi sighed, deciding to give up. This person usually didn’t have a kind word to say; getting her to give a few words of praise would probably be harder than climbing a mountain.

What’s more, the other party was currently pinching her waist, with cold fingers pressed tightly against the spot, their tips sinking into the soft flesh of her waist through her clothes.

Shen Lezhi was pinched so hard her legs were nearly weak. She wanted to tell Wang Xi to let go, but she looked up and saw the other woman’s smile.

It was a genuine smile; her lips were slightly hooked, her eyes narrowed. Her face, usually like winter frost, now held a slight smile.

Shen Lezhi’s soul was captivated by this smile, and the matters she had intended to explore were completely forgotten.

She gazed at Wang Xi with fervent intensity. Even though the red lines at the corner of Wang Xi’s eyes had intensified and her tone was stranger, Shen Lezhi had no mind to care.

She had never seen Wang Xi smile, never seen the snow and ice between her brows suddenly soften. It was like an iceberg melting, its crystals dissipating in the morning light.

Meeting it abruptly, Shen Lezhi could not help but be intoxicated by the lustrous light that flowed toward her.

Shen Lezhi did not understand why Wang Xi suddenly smiled, but then the other woman leaned in, only two fingers’ width away from her.

“Why?” Wang Xi’s tone held a trace of incongruous madness, and the trembling ending of her voice caused Shen Lezhi to shake.

Shen Lezhi had found it strange before, but now the two were close, and Wang Xi’s eyes were full of those strange red lines. The detached corner of her eye seemed to be tinged with rouge, making it exceptionally beautiful.

Shen Lezhi focused her attention on Wang Xi before her, and felt that the voice, combined with the other woman’s appearance at this moment, was no longer jarring.

Wang Xi asked her “Why,” but she found herself somewhat unable to answer. Why did she admire Wang Xi?

If she didn’t say “admiration,” what should she say?

Since the moment she was poisoned by the Huanxiao Flower, Shen Lezhi had become confused. After she woke up, her heart hesitated because she didn’t dislike Wang Xi at all.

At that time, it was not yet love, just a lack of dislike. It was simply a subconscious feeling that Wang Xi was pitiful, and a liking for the cold scent on her.

She indulged in that “lack of dislike” then, and now she sought more.

Wang Xi’s fingers had already traced up her back. The thin clothing could not block the cold temperature coming from the other woman’s body.

But Shen Lezhi felt so hot; her body began to warm up.

“Master…” she called out instinctively.

The morning sunlight was so warm, and the ancient peach tree above them diffused a sweet fragrance.

She felt as if she truly smelled sweetness on Wang Xi, mixed with the scent of snow and ice.

Dazed, she felt it wasn’t the smell of ice cream, but rather a sweet, mellow, pure wine; otherwise, why would she be so entranced?

Wang Xi’s aura completely enveloped her. Shen Lezhi felt as though she was placed in a kingdom of only ice and snow.

Yet, despite the snow all around, she felt so hot.

Wang Xi’s fingers pressed against the back of Shen Lezhi’s neck. The chilling, piercing fingertips tightly gripped Shen Lezhi’s neck, and the heavy force made Shen Lezhi tremble weakly all over.

Shen Lezhi felt a slight pain, but it was not unbearable.

She thought Wang Xi was going to play with pain again. A cultivator’s body was indeed more pain-tolerant than an ordinary person’s, and Shen Lezhi had not felt pain before.

If Shen Lezhi had come in her original body, she might truly have allowed Wang Xi to do as she wished.

But…

Shen Lezhi reached out and hugged Wang Xi, held her tightly, burying her face in the other woman’s neck, trembling and taking deep breaths.

She felt Wang Xi moving even closer, her arms tightening, as if she wanted to knead Shen Lezhi into her embrace.

Shen Lezhi’s knuckles were all clenched, also pressed against Wang Xi’s back.

But then she suddenly said, “Master, don’t be like this.”

Shen Lezhi closed her eyes. The pure wine scent in her breath was even thicker, but at this moment, she did not want to drink it.

“I don’t want it this way.”

She pushed Wang Xi hard. The other woman, perhaps not expecting her sudden action, was genuinely pushed away by her.

Shen Lezhi was panting, remorseful for her excessive behavior, and lowered her head weakly.

She did not want this.

She did not want to be treated as someone else while being intimate with Wang Xi.

The temperature around them suddenly became frigid, and the sweet scent in the air was replaced by icy coldness.

The smell of snow instantly gained the upper hand. Wang Xi’s spiritual power, which had been stable for a long time, suddenly erupted at this moment.

Shen Lezhi had already felt it.

She raised her head to look at Wang Xi. The other woman’s deep eyes seemed to be hidden in a mist, leaving only a cold, clear, shimmering light.

Wang Xi did not speak and did not approach again.

Her upright body was aloof and proud, exuding a sharp, powerful aura.

Shen Lezhi was not afraid; her downcast eyes held words she could not speak.

She was Shen Lezhi, not the original female lead from the book.

She was not Wang Xi’s disciple.

Wang Xi and the true Shen Lezhi had nothing to do with each other.

Shen Lezhi lowered her head again, not daring to look at Wang Xi’s expression.

“Heh.” She heard Wang Xi’s laugh again, mocking and sharp, carrying that strange rising inflection.

Shen Lezhi’s breathing became ragged. She did not know why Wang Xi suddenly laughed, but the laugh pierced her heart like a sharp blade.

For the first time, she felt her heart ache.

“Disciple takes her leave.” Shen Lezhi could no longer bear the aura around her. The spiritual power emanating from Wang Xi made even breathing difficult.

Wang Xi did not respond to her. Shen Lezhi summoned her small white sword and immediately flew away.

Wang Xi turned and walked into the house. The intense color of the maple flowers abruptly invaded her eyes. Wang Xi reached out to caress a petal, and the frost on her fingertips dyed the maple flower.

The delicate petals of the maple flower could not withstand Wang Xi’s powerful spiritual energy, and they quickly froze into ice sculptures, unable to dance in the wind any longer.

She was the only one in the room. She lowered her eyes and opened her lips, “Are you that happy knowing that Shen Lezhi truly has feelings for you?”

Wang Xi’s clear voice still carried that incongruous rising inflection, but it was closer to Wang Xi’s original tone than what Shen Lezhi had heard.

She spoke to herself, yet it sounded like she was conversing with someone else: “She likes me.”

As Wang Xi spoke, she suddenly laughed. The slender demonic mark had long crawled onto her brows, and her deep eyes were filled with madness and cruel intent.

…

Only after leaving did Shen Lezhi realize she had only received a phrase of “outstanding talent” for all her efforts.

However, she did not dare to actually say Wang Xi had cheated. Instead, she kept it bottled up until the small secret realm of Youfang Academy was about to open.

Shen Lezhi had not seen Wang Xi since that day. According to Senior Sister Yun Sha, Wang Xi had returned to Xuan Yu Sect for some business. Shen Lezhi thought that since the other woman now knew the Sect Master wanted to kill her, she should be careful.

Furthermore, judging by the actions of the Sect Master and a few others, they should be unable to openly attack Wang Xi. Without Shen Lezhi as a pawn, their plan would not be realized.

Moreover, the Sect Master did not know that the Sha Yin Curse had been completely triggered. At the time, Wang Xi had only taken Shen Lezhi to find Feng Nianzhen, and then hurried to Youfang Academy overnight, where Dean Zhuxin personally received them.

The subsequent explanation was reasonable: Feng Nianzhen was close friends with Dean Zhuxin, and in order to temper Shen Lezhi, she took her to participate in a small secret realm, sending her two disciples as cover.

Most importantly, the Sect Master had already planted a potent poison in the original female lead, intending to create a rift between her and Wang Xi, and the original female lead never resisted.

Now that they had placed an even more sinister Sealing Curse, how could Shen Lezhi possibly present a problem?

They calculated a thousand times but failed to calculate that the soul in this body had been replaced, and that Shen Lezhi carried a recklessness unafraid of death and a fierce spirit unwilling to be controlled by others.

Shen Lezhi went to Wang Xi’s courtyard. The ancient peach tree was still in full bloom. Without Wang Xi’s aura, the peach tree exuded a more primal sweetness.

The entire house was filled with the fragrance of flowers.

But it uniquely lacked that peculiar icy-snow scent.

Shen Lezhi sighed faintly, but it was only a single sigh.

In truth, she hadn’t fully figured out how to face Wang Xi, but fortunately, she had been conversing well with Senior Sister Xin Lan recently, running to the Spiritual Herb Hall every day, so she wasn’t completely idle.

Shen Lezhi also learned that Senior Sister Xin Lan had been trying to find a way to transplant the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo beneath the Heavenly Water.

Heavenly Water refers to the mountain spring water flowing out from the crevices of the cliff.

It is water that gathers the spiritual energy of mountains and contains the breath of life.

The Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo appears as slender golden bamboo, with tiny but stone-hard leaves. The stalk can be crafted into weapons, and the leaves can be refined into Shape-Shifting Pills, which are high-grade medicinal pellets for demon beasts to transform into human forms.

The Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo grows for a hundred years and matures in a thousand; it is a precious treasure among spiritual plants.

This particular Gold Bamboo grew beneath the Heavenly Water. Judging by the growth of its leaves, it was nearly five hundred years old. The Spiritual Herb Hall discovered it ten years ago and, fearing it would be plucked, specifically applied for the academy’s protection over it.

However, Senior Sister Xin Lan had previously noticed that the cliff above the Gold Bamboo showed faint signs of cracking.

Fearing that crushing the cliff above would lead to a collapse, and encouraged by successfully transplanting the Celestial Grass, Senior Sister Xin Lan decided to transplant and rescue this Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo as well.

But transplanting this Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo took Senior Sister Xin Lan a lot of time.

Unlike the Celestial Grass, the Gold Bamboo had already developed intelligence.

This was something Shen Lezhi realized when she suddenly heard its voice upon seeing it.

Because its first utterance was: “Such an ugly flower.”

The emotion of disdain was directed straight at the Weeping Soul Tassel.

Shen Lezhi was speechless.

Oh no.

Shen Lezhi cried out inwardly.

Sure enough, the next moment, the Weeping Soul Tassel burst into tears with a “Waaah!”

The crying penetrated Shen Lezhi’s eardrums, and everything before her began to become chaotic. Because the Weeping Soul Tassel showed no restraint, even Senior Sister Xin Lan was affected.

Shen Lezhi shouted, “Stop, little crybaby!”

But the strong disdain emanating from the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo made the Weeping Soul Tassel heartbroken and angry to the point where it could not even hear Shen Lezhi’s words.

The crying became even more intense, more alarming than anything Shen Lezhi had experienced before.

Since who knows when, the Weeping Soul Tassel’s cries not only confused the mind but could even induce hallucinations.

The origin of its name referred to this mournful sound, as if the soul were shaken by the weeping, and everything before her grew dim.

Shen Lezhi suddenly felt a chill, as if she were in some remote wilderness, and heard terrifying cries that shook her soul.

“What’s that crying sound? Is it the Weeping Soul Tassel?” Senior Sister Xin Lan asked painfully, covering her ears. “Why did it suddenly attack?”

Shen Lezhi could not answer. Like Senior Sister Xin Lan, she instinctively hugged her arms, and a cold air rushed up from her feet.

Shen Lezhi took a deep breath. Senior Sister Xin Lan could not hear the words of the spiritual plants, only the shrill wails of the Weeping Soul Tassel.

But in Shen Lezhi’s ear, the Weeping Soul Tassel was wailing miserably, causing her great distress, while also tearfully accusing the proud Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo not far away.

“Waaaaah, waaah, waaah! It said I was ugly! I am the most intelligent spiritual plant in the whole world!”

“It looks like a skinny stick! How dare it call me ugly?! Waaah, waaah, waaah, this stupid bamboo!”

“Waaah, waaah, waaah, waaah, waaah, waaah, Master, quickly pull up this stupid bamboo that doesn’t even bloom! Roast it in the furnace and turn it into a fire poker!”

The Weeping Soul Tassel had never suffered such a grievance and kept cursing the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo.

Shen Lezhi, while covering her ears in discomfort, listened to its words and wondered if the Weeping Soul Tassel was indeed not very good-looking. But did spiritual plants also have an aesthetic sense?

So, was the Weeping Soul Tassel considered ugly even among spiritual plants?

She thought randomly, but truly could not bear it any longer. She reached up, removed the Weeping Soul Tassel from her hair, cupped it in her hands, gently rubbed its petals with her fingertips, and spoke with difficulty to comfort it: “Little crybaby, in my heart, you are the most beautiful.”

She spoke very quietly. Senior Sister Xin Lan was being tormented by the crying, so only the Weeping Soul Tassel and the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo in front could hear Shen Lezhi’s words.

“Hmph.” The Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo snorted, seemingly even more disdainful.

Had it not been that it, despite developing intelligence, had not learned human language like the Weeping Soul Tassel, Shen Lezhi would have thought it was going to retort with “Hypocrite.”

This also made Shen Lezhi realize something: she had previously thought she could understand spiritual plants only because the Weeping Soul Tassel knew human language, but in fact, she could understand any spiritual plant that had developed intelligence.

However, Shen Lezhi’s comforting still worked. Though the Weeping Soul Tassel was still grumbling and cursing, it finally stopped crying.

Shen Lezhi breathed a sigh of relief.

“Why did the Weeping Soul Tassel suddenly behave like this?” Senior Sister Xin Lan also recovered and looked towards the Weeping Soul Tassel in Shen Lezhi’s hands.

Senior Sister Xin Lan could not hear the voices of the two spiritual plants, so she naturally did not know what had happened between them.

Shen Lezhi did not want to expose herself and also pretended to be clueless. “I don’t know either; it just suddenly acted this way.”

“Perhaps it’s because both spiritual plants have developed intelligence and have their own territorial consciousness.” This was Senior Sister Xin Lan’s conjecture. Indeed, the more precious and high-level a spiritual plant, the more likely it was to exhibit territorial behavior after developing intelligence.

Senior Sister Xin Lan had her own understanding, and Shen Lezhi immediately nodded in agreement.

The two walked closer to the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo. The golden bamboo leaves emitted a faint luminescence. Although the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo did not necessarily require Heavenly Water to grow, the roots of this particular plant were embedded in the cliff crevices, and it was constantly nourished by the flowing Heavenly Water.

The fact that it could develop intelligence in five hundred years was likely due to the essence of this Heavenly Water.

Senior Sister Xin Lan had considered this point and hired someone to specially craft a unique Spirit Gathering Pot.

Not only could it gather spiritual energy, but the interior of the pot was also inscribed with runes to retain the spiritual energy of the Heavenly Water for a long time. This way, even if the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo was transplanted, its growth would not be hindered.

Shen Lezhi watched as Senior Sister Xin Lan first poured out her own spiritual power, and wood-element spiritual energy quickly filled the air around them.

The gentle spiritual power soothed the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo. Wood-element spiritual energy is the closest to the aura of spiritual plants, and spiritual plants usually react positively to it.

But…

The Weeping Soul Tassel was still grumbling and cursing.

And the Five-Lustrous Gold Bamboo was clumsily cursing back at it, completely ignoring the spiritual energy Senior Sister Xin Lan was diligently releasing…

Shen Lezhi listened to the two spiritual plants the entire time and could not help but wearily rub her temples, feeling that they might fail today.

I am truly sorry, hardworking Senior Sister Xin Lan.