Forcing the Aloof Master to Madness - Chapter 51

Perhaps because the two had said everything that needed to be said, the spiritual power that Wang Xi invaded with this time made Shen Lezhi feel a hint of gentleness.

However, Wang Xi’s tenderness only lasted for a moment.

Immediately, she became increasingly aggressive under Shen Lezhi’s lack of resistance.

Shen Lezhi’s spiritual platform felt like it was being utterly overturned. In less than a quarter of an hour, Shen Lezhi was so weak that she could no longer stand.

But this was also because she did not resist at all.

She endured Wang Xi, sensing the strangeness in her meridians, lowering her flushed eyes, and letting Wang Xi have her way.

Shen Lezhi tried to deceive herself, saying this was necessary to heal Wang Xi, who had been injured to save her, and she should bear the cost of the treatment.

Shen Lezhi, of course, knew she was only deceiving herself. If she genuinely refused, how could Wang Xi embrace her so easily?

She was merely finding an excuse to lessen her shame for her own inability to restrain herself.

Wang Xi’s breathing was scattered by her ear. Wang Xi boldly rubbed the tip of her nose against Shen Lezhi’s earlobe, making Shen Lezhi tremble incessantly.

It was so ticklish.

Truly so ticklish.

Shen Lezhi really couldn’t bear it and whined, wanting Wang Xi to move back a little, but the other party, though a little gentler, was ultimately domineering.

Just like her spiritual power, once released, it allowed no chance for anyone else to breathe.

Not only was it ticklish, but it was also very cold. Wang Xi’s spiritual power was chilling, impossible to ignore. Even in this fervent moment, her frost-like coldness made it difficult for Shen Lezhi to bear every time.

It was like undergoing a dual test of ice and fire. On one side was the body’s instinctive heat, and on the other was the coldness seeping into the spiritual platform.

It was as if Wang Xi deliberately wanted Shen Lezhi to remain completely awake during this time, not allowing her to escape for a second.

Shen Lezhi’s waist was held in Wang Xi’s palm. She opened her hazy eyes, thinking that if there was a mirror in front of her, she really wanted to see how disheveled she looked right now.

But it was a good thing there was no mirror; otherwise, if she saw her face flushed with desire and longing, she didn’t know if she would be so ashamed that she’d want to crawl into a crack in the ground.

She glimpsed Wang Xi’s cold, clear features and suddenly felt dissatisfied that this person could maintain such an aloof composure despite being so unrestrained in her spiritual platform.

Thinking this, Shen Lezhi suddenly raised her hand and grabbed Wang Xi’s arm that was placed on her waist.

“I want to see you cry.” She was simply unwilling to accept Wang Xi’s self-controlled composure and wanted Wang Xi to also show a look of unbearable yearning, just like her.

But saying this at such a moment was far too ambiguous. Wang Xi paused slightly, her gaze falling upon her face.

The profound look made it difficult for Shen Lezhi to see clearly, but the thin layer of frost on Wang Xi’s eyelids was very clear to Shen Lezhi.

She was uncontrollably drawn to it, trembling as she leaned close to Wang Xi. Her exhaled breath scattered onto Wang Xi’s face. The scorching temperature felt as if it could melt them both.

At least, Shen Lezhi felt like she was close to melting.

She wanted to see Wang Xi cry.

She was inexplicably stubborn about seeing Wang Xi reveal that expression—not tears of sadness, but tears tinged with crimson at the corners of her eyes, eyes full of desire.

Tears that fell uncontrollably, tears of pure ecstasy and abandonment.

She wanted to see Wang Xi discard her rationality, tear off her icy façade, and cry uncontrollably only for her.

As Shen Lezhi thought this, she suddenly realized exactly what she wanted.

It turned out that she wanted to make love with Wang Xi.

It turned out that she simply felt dual cultivation wasn’t satisfying enough and wanted to truly possess Wang Xi, or be possessed by her.

Shen Lezhi’s face instantly flushed crimson. She didn’t dare to meet Wang Xi’s gaze anymore.

When did such a thought arise in her?!

This is truly…

Shen Lezhi didn’t dare to let herself think any further.

But she had always been a bold and reckless person. She was loyal to her desires. So, after only a slight hesitation, when Wang Xi asked, “How do you want me to cry?”

Shen Lezhi already leaned forward, trembling, and kissed Wang Xi’s eye.

She touched Wang Xi’s eyelid. Could the fiery breath melt the layer of frost on the other’s eye?

Shen Lezhi had already tried.

She felt Wang Xi momentarily stiffen. The hands that were confining her suddenly gripped her so tightly that she could barely breathe.

But Shen Lezhi couldn’t care about anything else. She loved the coolness there so much.

She was too hot—both hot and cold—and this physical sensation constantly pulled at her mind.

She pulled back slightly to look at Wang Xi’s expression. The eyelid she had kissed gently lifted, and the clear eyes looked straight into hers.

Wang Xi’s eyes were also now covered with a layer of hazy mist. She fluttered her lashes, and a smile suddenly gathered in her eyes right before Shen Lezhi.

Like the refreshing clarity after pushing aside snow in late winter, this smile was so graceful that it intoxicated Shen Lezhi.

But why wouldn’t this person cry?

She was still dissatisfied.

She leaned in again. Just as she was about to touch the corner of Wang Xi’s eye, Wang Xi cupped her face.

Shen Lezhi was forced to lift her head, her breath close to Wang Xi’s lips.

But Wang Xi didn’t actually let them kiss. She only held them very close, so close that Shen Lezhi’s breath completely mixed with hers, with only a finger’s distance remaining between them.

The person who was clearly so domineering now became humble.

She gently asked Shen Lezhi, “Do you want me to cry, or do you want this?”

What ‘this’?

Shen Lezhi was trembling all over. The atmosphere was already like this; did the other party need to ask again?

But what did her tears have to do with the kiss right now?

This person was truly exasperating; Shen Lezhi was getting dizzy.

Shen Lezhi truly, dazedly followed her words to think: did she want Wang Xi to cry, or did she want the kiss before her?

Shen Lezhi looked at Wang Xi’s features with flushed eyes, deciding to follow her inner desire.

She leaned forward, closing the last little distance between her and Wang Xi.

They had never kissed before. Wang Xi had always been disciplined and cautious. Shen Lezhi repeatedly tempted her, but Wang Xi endured and never let their lips touch.

Until this moment, until Shen Lezhi’s chin was lifted, and she actively pressed her lips against Wang Xi’s.

Soft and scorching hot.

Shen Lezhi clearly felt the sudden surge of emotion from Wang Xi. After all, their spiritual consciousnesses were still closely linked at this moment.

Her entire body felt like it had been electrified, so numb that Shen Lezhi’s whole body went incredibly limp.

However, Wang Xi was probably not having an easy time either. The trembling of her arm, which was tightly wrapped around Shen Lezhi’s waist, clearly conveyed her unrest to Shen Lezhi.

Moreover, no matter how much the other party suppressed her physical actions, the spiritual consciousness in her mind was never restrained for a moment.

But this time, Wang Xi didn’t need to restrain her physical actions either.

She was not satisfied with the simple pressing of their lips. The temperature on their lips slowly merged into one another’s temperature.

She forced Shen Lezhi to tilt her head back, then forcefully pried open Shen Lezhi’s lips and teeth, invading her mouth.

Shen Lezhi’s spiritual platform was already in chaos due to Wang Xi’s disturbance. Where could she find the energy to stop Wang Xi from invading her mouth?

Besides, even if she were sober, she wouldn’t stop her.

After all, this was what Shen Lezhi had actively asked for.

Wang Xi was extremely aggressive even while kissing, biting Shen Lezhi’s tongue tip, forcing Shen Lezhi to moan softly.

Shen Lezhi was powerless to resist and could only let the other party have her way.

Because Wang Xi smelled so good. With the two of them so close, that faint, cold fragrance completely captivated Shen Lezhi’s sense of smell.

Why hadn’t she noticed it before?

She completely melted into Wang Xi’s embrace, unable to support her body any longer. She whined, asking Wang Xi to move to the chair so she could sit down.

But Wang Xi gently shook her head at that moment.

She retreated from Shen Lezhi’s lips and teeth, withdrawing her spiritual power as well.

She lowered her eyes, breathing heavily in front of Shen Lezhi, still too aroused to calm down.

She raised her hand and touched Shen Lezhi’s cheek, a faint light in her eyes.

Then she whispered softly, “I have to go.”

She was saying goodbye to Shen Lezhi because Feng Nianzhen’s voice came through to her main body.

“Immortal Venerable, someone is breaking the formation.”

Wang Xi knew she had been found.

She had to leave.

Shen Lezhi initially thought Wang Xi’s sudden refusal meant she didn’t want to deepen their connection further and felt a hint of disappointment.

But then she realized something and immediately sobered up, urgently asking, “Your location isn’t safe? Where are you?”

Wang Xi didn’t intend to answer her, only saying, “You and Yunsha should go to Canfeng City and don’t come out again. I can no longer stay with you. Canfeng City is isolated from the world. Even if they know where you are, it will be very difficult for them to reach the island.”

“If…” Wang Xi suddenly paused here, slightly frowned, and didn’t want to continue speaking.

After stopping for a few breaths, she changed her tone and spoke again, “Be careful and cautious in everything you do from now on.”

Shen Lezhi felt that what she said sounded strange, like delivering a final message, but she also felt that no one could kill Wang Xi.

As long as there was no backstabbing from the original protagonist, who in this world could defeat the Moonlit Immortal Venerable?

“I’ll go help you!” Shen Lezhi instinctively said to Wang Xi. But after saying it, she felt that she was being overly optimistic. With her level of cultivation, how could she help Wang Xi?

She would probably just be a burden.

However, in Shen Lezhi’s mind, she genuinely believed she could help Wang Xi at a critical moment.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have blurted it out instinctively.

But Wang Xi didn’t know her thoughts, nor did she know what her supposed method was.

Hearing Shen Lezhi say this, she only thought Shen Lezhi was being stubborn. She was also afraid that the other party would actually come looking for her, so she reluctantly gave her a cold look.

“All of this has nothing to do with you anymore, Lezhi. You are an outsider. You said everything between us has nothing to do with you. Besides, your current cultivation cannot help me.”

Shen Lezhi hadn’t expected Wang Xi to say this, turning her own words against her.

She saw the coldness in Wang Xi’s eyes, but her voice was also tinged with a sigh.

Shen Lezhi was not angry at the other party’s words. She knew Wang Xi’s true intention. Having been through so much, she understood this person’s nature to some extent.

The other party’s current situation was unsafe, yet she insisted on coming to see her. How could she criticize this person?

Moreover, Wang Xi was right. This conspiracy had nothing to do with her. As an outsider without powerful strength, quietly hiding in Canfeng City and ensuring Wang Xi didn’t have to worry about her was perhaps the greatest help she could offer.

Shen Lezhi understood this, of course.

So, she took a deep breath, nodded to Wang Xi, and accepted the latter’s words: “Alright.”

Wang Xi saw her expression and gently pursed her lips, wanting to say something but failing to utter it. Feng Nianzhen’s urging came again to her ear.

Wang Xi didn’t linger any further. After nodding to Shen Lezhi as a gesture, she immediately withdrew her spiritual consciousness from the small white sword.

She didn’t even hear Shen Lezhi’s “Be careful.”

Shen Lezhi looked at the empty room, looking at the small white sword’s calm appearance, and her heart felt empty.

Fengdu Village was now a complete mess. It was utterly destroyed by the three-tailed, four-eyed sable demon. Apart from a few villagers who were outside and the Grey-robed Elder who hadn’t returned, everyone else had died tragically in the village.

However, due to the sable demon’s special illusion, even after the illusion was broken, there was still a restrictive formation in place, making it difficult for outsiders to detect what happened in Fengdu Village.

Because the commotion from Wang Xi killing the three-tailed, four-eyed sable demon was too great, the other side of the Black Water River, Canfeng City, finally noticed the anomaly and finally sent people to investigate.

Only then did they learn the sequence of events from Shen Lezhi and the other two. Afterward, the three followed the investigators to Canfeng City.

The turbulent Black Water River only bypassed their small boat. It took a full day and night floating on the Black Water River before they could finally see the sight of Canfeng City.

Just as Senior Sister Yunsha had said, the island was covered in velvety creepers and vast maple forests, making the entire city look as if it were engulfed in fierce flames.

As soon as the three arrived on the island, they had to meet the City Lord; this was the rule of Canfeng City.

Besides, Senior Sister Yunsha hadn’t returned home for a hundred years, so she naturally had to meet her elder sister.

Unlike Senior Sister Yunsha, Yun Nian, the City Lord of Canfeng City, was a stern and serious person. Perhaps because of her high position as City Lord, she appeared poised yet oppressive.

However, her oppression was not like Wang Xi’s. Wang Xi’s was the pure force of a powerful cultivator, an unreserved suppression of cultivation when her spiritual power leaked out.

Yun Nian possessed the intimidating presence of a superior, an oppressive feeling of being seen through at a glance.

“City Lord,” Senior Sister Yunsha gently greeted Yun Nian, who was seated on the high platform.

The other party remained silent, looking down and examining the three of them.

Senior Sister Yunsha seemed unable to bear the atmosphere. She sighed and softly called out again, “Elder Sister.”

After a hundred years away, Yunsha returned here. Seeing the only remaining family member left in this world, she couldn’t help but feel emotional.

However, a great deal of distance had grown between the sisters.

A hundred years was not a long time for cultivators, but it was a lifetime for mortals.

If one hadn’t been in secluded cultivation for a hundred years, it should still be considered a significant period.

As the City Lord of Canfeng City, Yun Nian rarely went into secluded cultivation. Aside from the Flower Keeper occasionally bringing her news of Yunsha’s life outside, she had no other way of knowing her sister’s recent situation.

She remembered the first news the Flower Keeper brought back: Yunsha had nearly died on the fighting platform.

It was during the Jadefrost Sect’s Grand Tournament. Yunsha was schemed against by someone from Rufeng Manor. Despite her severe injuries, she had to participate in the competition. She refused to surrender even at the brink of death on the stage, not allowing her sect to help her.

That was only a few decades after Yun Nian’s argument with her sister, and it was the first time Yunsha showed her prowess.

In the end, Yunsha defeated her opponent despite her injuries, exposed the conspiracy, and won the championship of that Grand Tournament.

But Yun Nian only felt utter coldness throughout her body.

She naturally knew her sister’s talent. Becoming Feng Nianzhen’s disciple would certainly lead to greater achievements than staying in Canfeng City.

The other party indeed became famous within just a few decades, but Yun Nian regretted telling her sister not to come home.

Otherwise, how could she be unable to care for her at the moment of life and death?

She had forced Yunsha to leave the Canfeng City token behind if she left, severing all contact between them as sisters.

She spent the following years in regret.

Now, Yunsha was finally back and was even willing to call her “Elder Sister,” making Yun Nian feel even more heartbroken over her past obstinance.

“Mm.” But she was accustomed to being a City Lord and being a woman of few words. She simply acknowledged the address and said no more.

She scrutinized Yunsha, feeling that the other party had changed in every way, yet was completely unchanged in others.

“Senior Sister, is the City Lord not welcoming us?” After meeting Yun Nian, the three were led towards their lodgings. Hua Man was too scared by Yun Nian’s aura and couldn’t help but ask Senior Sister Yunsha.

“She’s quite happy,” Senior Sister Yunsha replied with a smile.

Seeing that Hua Man and Shen Lezhi clearly didn’t believe her, she reluctantly explained for Yun Nian, “She’s had that expression since she was a child. She was quite happy just now.”

Senior Sister Yunsha chuckled softly after saying this.

She thought Yun Nian was still angry with her. She hadn’t expected the person sitting on the high platform to look at her with such deep longing.

She should have come back sooner.

Senior Sister Yunsha was eager to take Shen Lezhi to see a doctor. After settling in, she took Shen Lezhi to find the Ghost-Born Daoist.

“Isn’t she pretty much cured?” The Ghost-Born Daoist surprisingly stared strangely at Shen Lezhi after taking her pulse and then said this.

Shen Lezhi, of course, knew how she was cured and was not surprised by the Ghost-Born Daoist’s words.

Senior Sister Yunsha, however, was momentarily confused. “How was she cured? Even the Immortal Doctor said there was no hope.”

The Ghost-Born Daoist’s hair was disheveled. She was accustomed to being unkempt. Due to practicing dark arts, her face was extremely pale, and she wore black clothes, truly living up to her name, looking like a female ghost.

She stared at Shen Lezhi with great interest. “Dual cultivation, of course. Don’t you know yourself?”

“You possess half a Linglong Heart. What kind of person can withstand the vast spiritual power of the Linglong Heart while dual cultivating with you? Could it be that certain…” She spoke in a chilling, ghostly manner, chuckling “hehe,” guessing Shen Lezhi’s identity.

Shen Lezhi did not answer the Ghost-Born Daoist, but Senior Sister Yunsha trembled and took half a step back upon hearing this.

“Lezhi is with the Immortal Venerable…” Senior Sister Yunsha had wanted to take Shen Lezhi away from Youfang Academy because she thought Wang Xi had developed feelings for Shen Lezhi and was forcing her disciple into such a scandalous act. She hadn’t expected the true reason to be to heal Shen Lezhi’s self-inflicted damaged meridians.

No wonder the Immortal Venerable appeared out of thin air to save them when they were in danger in Fengdu Village.

“So it truly is that person.” The Ghost-Born Daoist immediately leaned closer to Shen Lezhi, her pale face right in front of Shen Lezhi. “Are you the Moonlit Immortal Venerable’s Dao Companion? But aren’t rumors that the Immortal Venerable is cold and heartless? Has she also developed mortal feelings?”

Shen Lezhi still didn’t answer.

She even wondered if medical cultivators were all this gossipy. The Immortal Doctor was the same, and now this gloomy-looking Ghost-Born Daoist also enjoyed gossiping about Wang Xi’s private life.

Fortunately, Senior Sister Yunsha immediately pulled her away. Anyway, she didn’t need medical treatment anymore.

“No wonder, Lezhi, you were suddenly able to use spiritual power in Fengdu Village. You were already recovered.” Senior Sister Yunsha did not press for details or ask when Shen Lezhi recovered. She was just happy for Shen Lezhi with a smile.

Shen Lezhi would never have revealed the details of her nights and days with Wang Xi during their journey, so it was excellent that Senior Sister Yunsha did not pry.

.

Shen Lezhi stayed in Canfeng City for three months. In the beginning, she could calmly believe that someone with Wang Xi’s power couldn’t possibly be in trouble.

But after three months, the other party remained completely unreachable, not even responding once to the spiritual messages Shen Lezhi sent.

Shen Lezhi grew increasingly anxious.

Recently, she felt uneasy, with waves of pain constantly coming from her chest.

This physical symptom made it impossible for Shen Lezhi to stay peacefully in Canfeng City any longer. She knew that the Linglong Heart’s connection to Wang Xi was extremely close, and because half of that heart was in her body, her perception of Wang Xi became extremely sensitive.

The throbbing in her heart most likely meant Wang Xi was truly in danger.

The other party had insisted three months ago that she go to Canfeng City. Wasn’t it because she couldn’t afford to be distracted to protect her, so she needed Shen Lezhi to hide?

Only when Wang Xi sensed her own danger would she say such words.

Shen Lezhi had known this at the time, but she chose to believe in Wang Xi’s power, obediently hiding in Canfeng City, not wanting to distract Wang Xi with worry, waiting for her safe return.

But now, she couldn’t wait any longer.

Shen Lezhi first found Senior Sister Yunsha, asking her to try and find out some information from Feng Nianzhen.

Feng Nianzhen only told them to stay put in Canfeng City, saying Wang Xi was merely preoccupied with an important matter and unable to communicate.

Shen Lezhi didn’t believe a word of it.

Did the other party think she was a three-year-old child?

She pleaded with Senior Sister Yunsha to take her out of Canfeng City, but perhaps due to something Feng Nianzhen told her, Senior Sister Yunsha firmly refused.

“Senior Sister said in Youfang Academy that Master couldn’t trap me no matter what. Does Senior Sister believe she can trap me here now?” Shen Lezhi stood straight, her gaze sharp, meeting Senior Sister Yunsha’s eyes without flinching. “Senior Sister, help me. Instead of letting me sneak out and face more risks, please help me conceal my identity and actively avoid those dangers.”

Senior Sister Yunsha paused, stopping for a long while. Pressed by Shen Lezhi’s sharp gaze, she finally sighed helplessly: “Lezhi, you’ve really changed so much.”

Shen Lezhi’s eyebrows twitched at these words, and she suddenly asked, “Then, Senior Sister, do you think the old me was better, or the current me is better?”

Senior Sister Yunsha didn’t know why she was asking such a question, but she still answered seriously: “The current Lezhi is the best.”

Shen Lezhi suddenly raised her head and laughed joyfully. A warm current seemed to flow through her heart, and her face was completely dyed with happiness. “I also think the current Senior Sister is the best.”

Not the cold, emotionless description of the original protagonist’s Dao Companion in the book.

But the living person before her, Senior Sister Yunsha, who was helplessly shaking her head but agreeing to help her.

But everyone believed she couldn’t help Wang Xi, even Senior Sister Yunsha thought so.

Yet, Shen Lezhi was very clear: she was the one who could help Wang Xi the most.

Wang Xi said all of this had nothing to do with her anymore.

But how could it have nothing to do with her?

This half of the Linglong Heart in her body originally belonged to Wang Xi. In a truly desperate moment, why couldn’t she return the heart to the other party?

On the other side, after parting ways with Shen Lezhi, Wang Xi had been trying to enter the Jadefrost Sect’s forbidden area.

She still wasn’t sure how the Sect Master was tracking her movements, but since she couldn’t avoid them, she no longer wanted to play cat and mouse.

Wang Xi was pursued by the Sect Master when she entered the forbidden area. If it came to a real fight, two or three people were certainly not her match. But the Sect Master was determined to get rid of her while she was injured, knowing that if they missed this chance, it would be difficult to find another.

They pressed her closely, surrounding and chasing Wang Xi all the way to the entrance of the forbidden area before finally stopping.

Only after Wang Xi entered the forbidden area and was isolated did she realize that no one other than her could enter the forbidden area.

Even the Jadefrost Sect Master couldn’t enter this place. Wang Xi lowered her eyes and walked deeper.

She felt very strange here. She couldn’t sense the passage of time, and there was nothing but darkness and rocks around her.

She tried to contact the outside world but found that she couldn’t even use spiritual messages; she was completely isolated.

But Wang Xi was not moving aimlessly inside. An unusual fragrance was constantly guiding her direction. She felt the scent was somewhat familiar, but with so many questions in her mind, she couldn’t immediately recall where she had smelled it before.

Wang Xi didn’t know how long she had been walking. The sense of time passing here was very vague for her. She walked until she stopped in front of a corpse.

This corpse had not yet turned into a skeleton, its attractive face clearly visible.

Wang Xi stood in front of this corpse, her aura suddenly becoming chaotic. Everything around her was quickly covered in ice frost.

This was the manifestation of her overly turbulent emotions. She didn’t intentionally control it.

Because the corpse in front of her looked exactly like her, with a hole carved out where the heart should be in its chest.

Wang Xi took a few more steps closer to the corpse, then noticed something behind it.

She looked towards the back of the corpse and saw countless people who had completely turned into skeletons.

All of them had a hole carved out in the location of their hearts.