I Accidentally Triggered the Restricted Punishment Protocol - Chapter 7

“Innkeeper, I would like a room.”

The owner of the Yuelai Inn looked up from her ledger and was momentarily dazed by the peerless beauty of the young girl before her.

In her decades of running this inn in the Wuxiang Ghost Market, she had seen many impressive cultivators, but this was the first time she had encountered such a beautiful woman.

The girl appeared to be around sixteen. She wore a light pink skirt, and her jet-black hair was braided neatly, hanging down the side of her neck. A small white velvet flower was pinned near her right ear, making her look even more delicate and pitiable.

Especially those deer-like eyes, watery and filled with unspoken words.

Even though the innkeeper was a woman, she found her heart racing as she met the girl’s gaze.

Yi Hanxing blinked. She was still adjusting to this body. In her original life, she had been nearsighted from staying up late playing on her phone; now, without glasses, she habitually squinted, and her eyes watered easily when exposed to light.

The innkeeper regained her composure and smiled. “Here you go. This is your room key, and a complimentary invitation for the first day of the Great Myriad Treasure Assembly.”

Yi Hanxing was about to leave, but she stopped upon hearing that. “The Great Myriad Treasure Assembly?”

That must be the treasure auction where Lin Wujiu encounters danger in the original book.

In the original plot, Lin Wujiu suspected that the missing people had been kidnapped by the Ghost Market and put up for auction as goods. He led a group of Yuxu Mountain disciples to investigate. It was there that he was ambushed by the Lord of Wuxiang, accidentally consumed an aphrodisiac, and met the heroine, Wei Ruyi.

Seeing her youth, the innkeeper guessed she was a daughter of a noble house who had snuck out for fun. Eager to please, she explained enthusiastically: “The assembly only happens once every fifty years. Anything listed for auction is a priceless treasure. It lasts for ten days, and the items become more precious toward the end. However, if you just want to experience the atmosphere, this first-day invitation is plenty.”

She lowered her voice, sounding excited. “You must be here for the assembly too, right? I heard there are several high-grade cauldrons up for sale this time.”

Yi Hanxing felt as if she had swallowed a fly. She shook her head in disgust and turned to go upstairs.

“Do you plan to go to the assembly?” Out of nowhere, the cow cat Qin Wuzhou spoke from her shoulder.

Yi Hanxing: “If the mountain will not come to me, I must go to the mountain. Since Lin Wujiu is in the Wuxiang Ghost Market at this time, he is undoubtedly here for the assembly. I only need to wait for him there.”

Qin Wuzhou sneered. “Not entirely stupid, I see.”

Yi Hanxing thought to herself that it was all thanks to spoilers. She pushed open the door to the guest room. “The assembly starts tomorrow. Master, please rest well tonight—”

She saw the interior of the room, and both human and cat froze in silence.

The ambiguous pink bead lamps, the oversized vibrating water bed, the octopus-shaped stool with attached chains, and the mirrors covering every wall and the ceiling.

Who could tell her why the innkeeper had defaulted to giving her a “pleasure suite”?

Excuse me.

Yi Hanxing slammed the door shut and rushed downstairs to confront the owner.

“Oh, but the guest asked for the most expensive room,” the owner replied, looking more surprised than her.

Yi Hanxing realized she had only done that out of fear that the “ancestor” following her would find something to complain about.

Seeing her displeasure, the owner asked worriedly, “Is there something wrong with the room? Should I change the incense to a stronger aphrodisiac blend?”

Yi Hanxing: “…It is not that kind of ‘wrong’.”

She thought for a moment. “Innkeeper, are there any other vacancies? I would like to switch.” If she were alone, it would be fine, but with Qin Wuzhou—even if he was just a cat—it was…

The owner apologized. “With the assembly starting, the crowd has surged. The last room was just booked.”

Yi Hanxing paused before returning to Qin Wuzhou.

The cow cat Master was crouching on the rosewood banister of the corridor. Even as a cat, his posture was elegant and noble. Yi Hanxing explained the situation. “There is no other way. We have to stay in that room.”

Qin Wuzhou was displeased. “I do not know how many people have slept in that room. It is filthy.”

Yi Hanxing, worrying if the cultivation world had hidden cameras, said sincerely, “If we do not stay, Master might have to sleep on the street.”

Qin Wuzhou’s fur immediately stood on end. “Presumptuous!”

Tsk. This man was a mass of contradictions. He hated being noticed, yet he loved luxury and status, possessing the unshakeable habits of a pampered young master. Was he born into a wealthy family in his past?

Yi Hanxing persuaded him patiently. “Once we find Lin Wujiu, we can move out. It is only for a day or two. Please endure it for now, Master.”

Qin Wuzhou hissed in anger, his claws scratching Yi Hanxing’s sleeve several times in frustration before he reluctantly allowed her to carry him into the room. Once inside, he jumped onto the highest wardrobe and curled into a ball.

Yi Hanxing watched his back for a moment before heading to the washroom.

Closing the door, she took out her magic textbook and learned a basic Silence Spell on the fly to ensure her voice would not be heard by Qin Wuzhou. Then she contacted Su Meinang via her jade slip.

Su Meinang was worried. “That man Qin Wuzhou hasn’t raised a hand against you, has he?”

Yi Hanxing: “No.”

She also found it strange. With the Ghost Market in chaos, it would be easy to manufacture an accident. Yet Qin Wuzhou had not made a move. Had he forgotten, or did he think her too insignificant to kill?

…Surely he didn’t actually expect her to seduce Lin Wujiu!

“By the way, how is my Master doing?” she asked, referring to his main body.

Su Meinang said resentfully, “Qin Wuzhou has been in seclusion lately. None of us can see him.”

He must still be digesting the Glass Sun. Although the original book didn’t go into detail, a secret realm that produced such a weapon must have been incredibly dangerous. Even someone as powerful as Qin Wuzhou could not have emerged unscathed.

Yi Hanxing thought for a moment. “Does Senior Aunt know about Soul Splitting? The kind where you place a wisp of your divine sense into a corpse.”

Su Meinang: “That is an advanced spell for those at the Soul Splitting stage or above. I do not know much. Why do you ask?”

Yi Hanxing had a suspicion. “If the main body is injured, does the clone created by the spell also become weak?”

Su Meinang: “Correct. Wait, is there a clone of Qin Wuzhou near you?”

Yi Hanxing did not want to drag her into this; a “double cannon fodder” pairing would only double the probability of death. She lied: “No, I just saw a cultivator demonstrating it on the street and was curious.”

Su Meinang warned her: “Those who can create clones are grandmasters. Even if they are heavily injured, they can crush a ‘little vegetable’ like you at the Qi Refining stage with one finger. Do not do anything foolish.”

Yi Hanxing thought to herself that Senior Aunt Su was the last person who should be lecturing others about being impulsive. Still, she was grateful for the woman’s sincerity in this strange world. “I know. I will be careful. Thank you, Senior Aunt.”

Hearing her niece’s obedient tone, Su Meinang sighed and transferred one hundred spirit stones to her. “I cannot help much, so take this pocket money.”

Yi Hanxing accepted the transfer. “No, Senior Aunt, you have helped a great deal.”

After finishing the call, Yi Hanxing deactivated the Silence Spell. As she opened the washroom door, she nearly tripped over the cow cat waiting at the entrance.

Qin Wuzhou moved away from her legs with a look of displeasure. He jumped onto a coat rack to meet her at eye level. “You were lingering in there for a long time.”

Yi Hanxing put on an innocent face. “Did Master want to wash his paws? I saw some cat litter prepared in the washroom.”

Qin Wuzhou looked disgusted. “This cat body is dead. It does not eat, so it naturally does not need to excrete!”

Having successfully diverted his attention, Yi Hanxing said, “I was just thinking about the mission. I am not sure how to proceed.”

Qin Wuzhou narrowed his eyes and studied her. “Are you afraid?”

When Yi Hanxing nodded, he grinned. “If you fail, there will be punishment.”

A punishment from the Hehuan Sect was surely nothing decent. Yi Hanxing felt a chill and began to worry in earnest. This worry followed her as she lay down and fell into a dream.

She knew she was dreaming. It was the familiar bedroom of Qin Wuzhou. Outside, there was no moon or stars, only a dark night. Inside, oil lamps flickered with a greenish-red flame.

Everything was a repeat of that night. She found herself paralyzed on the bed, unable to move or speak. The sensation of the cold silk blanket and the heat of someone’s breath against her skin sent shivers through her. Her body was beyond her control, and every sensation was amplified like a tidal wave.

Her “cheap” Master grinned, his white teeth shining like pearls. His smile was so brilliant it was impossible to reconcile with the cruelty of his movements.

…

Yi Hanxing snapped her eyes open. Cold sweat slid down her forehead. She gasped for air, her heart pounding violently. Suddenly, her lower abdomen felt hot. She jumped out of bed and rushed to the washroom.

She checked herself thoroughly. Her skirt was clean. No blood. She let out a long breath of relief.

Then, the scenes of Qin Wuzhou’s “punishment” in the dream flooded back. Unable to live, unable to die.

While she was lost in thought, the heat in her abdomen grew stronger. She looked into the copper mirror and was horrified to find a vivid, deep red Lycoris Radiata (Spider Lily) blooming in the center of her abdomen.

Yi Hanxing felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Of all things, why this?

A Cauldron’s Lust Mark!

In the original book, the mark of a cauldron besides their beauty was the lust mark on their abdomen. It was a red flower shaped like a Lycoris Radiata. As a cauldron “matured” to put it bluntly, the more they were used for “plucking and nourishing” the color of the flower would fade. When it disappeared, the cauldron would be a dry husk.

Below the flower on her body was a small row of red characters: “Sixty-seven.”

She hadn’t noticed this when she first transmigrated. Yi Hanxing tried to rub the mark off, but the skin only turned red while the flower remained unchanged.

It’s over! Her first thought was that if she failed her mission and Qin Wuzhou actually “punished” her, her hidden identity as a cauldron would be exposed immediately. She didn’t think a social Darwinist like him would have any sympathy.

It was more likely that once exposed, she—his temporary “private property”—would be turned into “public property” for the entire Hehuan Sect.

Yi Hanxing shuddered. The only saving grace was that she had been clothed during that night at the Golden Scale Hall. This secret could still be kept for now.

She carefully fastened her clothes, calmed her breathing, and reopened the door.

Qin Wuzhou was standing right outside. His expression was indifferent as his gaze slowly drifted downward, finally settling on her abdomen.