Reborn as a Human Cauldron, But I'm the Top - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Weaving Destiny’s Warp and Weft

In the corner unseen by Shen Yirong, Song Yin’s face was flushed like a fiery sunset. She clutched the bedsheet desperately, nearly ripping it apart.

Shen Yirong was still uncertain in her heart, but their room had been assigned together. She planned to watch closely tonight. If ‘little Song’ appeared without Song Yin making any moves, it would prove her suspicion wrong.

One was sitting, the other lying down, both with their own ulterior motives.

Song Yin suddenly sat up. She put on her shoes and headed towards the door.

Shen Yirong’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly called out to stop her, “Where are you going, Your Excellency? I’ll accompany you.”

“No need, I want some peace and quiet.”

How could Shen Yirong let her have peace and quiet? But Song Yin seemed to be getting angry.

Song Yin turned back to look at her, “I said, I want some peace and quiet.”

Even with a different face, the evening glow of the sunset still couldn’t penetrate Song Yin’s eyes.

This person was extremely stubborn. After much thought, Shen Yirong sat back on the bed, smiling, “Alright, I’ll wait for you right here.”

Something the sunset glow couldn’t achieve, Shen Yirong’s simple sentence easily did. A moment of liveliness appeared in those silent eyes, and even the face seemed less chilly.

Song Yin turned her head, not speaking, then suddenly turned back and stood before Shen Yirong, “Open the space. I need something.”

Shen Yirong’s eyes flashed. She quickly tore open the space and secretly watched what Song Yin was retrieving.

A moment later, Song Yin held a recording stone. Shen Yirong was somewhat disappointed, having expected Song Yin to secretly take the clothes.

Song Yin feigned calmness, her face serious: “The scenery here is good. I’ll take a few recordings and be back.”

With that, she turned away coldly and disappeared from Shen Yirong’s sight.

Shen Yirong flipped through the pile of spiritual stones; the old garment was still there.

The Sword of Traceable Rain was more active after Song Yin left: Master, are you sure you want to drink the water from the Moon Lake?

“Is there a problem with the water?”

The Sword Spirit stuttered: The problem isn’t too big, it’s just that I think it’s quite nice not to switch back. Master, let’s go see Jiangxue.

Shen Yirong looked at the fragmented mirror in her hand, not listening to the Sword Spirit at all.

If it was truly Song Yin acting, was she doing it to cheer her up? She was such an arrogant person, after all.

Asking herself honestly, Shen Yirong felt she hadn’t done anything. She had only lied to save her life, saying she deeply loved the other party. Would Song Yin fall in love with her for such a reason?

Shen Yirong couldn’t figure it out, and neither could Song Yin.

Song Yin couldn’t figure out how to overcome this ordeal and maintain her dignity as the Demon Venerable.

She looked at the recording stone in her hand, but her anxiety was hardly lessened.

This recording stone was the one she had used when teaching little Song a lesson. Song Yin studied the clothes on the person in the recording stone repeatedly, then tried to conjure them.

But she wasn’t like Liu Qianfeng. She hadn’t specialized in illusionary spells over the years, as she hadn’t needed them.

Song Yin was a bit of a perfectionist. Although she had conjured a few very similar garments, she felt they were still slightly different from the one in the recording stone upon closer inspection.

Feeling restless, she walked faster and faster through the Fox Clan palace. Her clothes couldn’t keep up with her pace as she moved through one winding corridor after another. Finally, she stopped and punched the palace wall.

“D*mn it, if only I had known earlier.”

There was no “if only I had known.” Once the first lie was told, countless more lies were needed to supplement it.

“Ding-dong.”

There was a tree in the courtyard tied with red ropes. Many bones, attached with fine threads of the same color, hung from the tree. When the wind blew, the bones knocked against each other, emitting a muffled, dinging sound.

Those bones were all corresponding shinbones, hidden in the tree’s shadow and radiating a cold white sheen, looking somewhat unsettling.

Song Yin wouldn’t be frightened. She looked to the left and saw an old, wrinkled fox demon tremblingly approach her.

The old fox parted her white hair covering her eyes. Her cloudy eyes scanned Song Yin, and she stretched out a toothless smile, “Are you a friend of the Sword Venerable Adult?”

Song Yin looked at the white ears on top of her head, “You are from the White Fox Clan.”

The white fox’s smile was bitter, “Yes, only this old body remains of the White Fox Clan. I live just ahead. If you don’t mind, young friend, you can come sit for a while.”

Song Yin had no noble virtue of respecting the old and cherishing the young, but this old fox mentioned her Master.

“Then I shall trouble you.”

The old fox smiled without showing her teeth or eyes. She couldn’t help but praise, “As expected of someone related to the Sword Venerable, full of righteousness.”

Song Yin was only silent, unexpected to hear such an evaluation from a demon.

Righteousness was absent, but malice was absolutely present.

The old fox walked very slowly. Song Yin vigilantly scanned her surroundings and finally confirmed that the fox demon genuinely intended to talk casually.

“We’re here. Young friend, please sit for a moment. I’ll go brew some tea.”

Song Yin nodded. After the old fox left, she observed the interior of the house. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the room was dim. In the front, many spirit tablets were lined up, all with the surname ‘Bai’.

In the center was a loom with various colored threads wrapped around it. The half-finished cloth depicted many frolicking little white foxes, each with different appearances and movements.

After looking closely for just a moment, Song Yin felt the foxes on the cloth moving.

“Tap-tap.”

Song Yin looked up, only to see the fox demon slowly approaching with a tea caddy. The sound just now was her cane gently tapping the ground.

The old fox brewed tea for Song Yin. The aroma suggested it had some age. She then walked to the loom, saying with a hint of pride, “Hehe, this is my specialty craft. The Sword Venerable learned here for a long time, alas. To speak bluntly, she was the worst apprentice I ever saw. Even by the end, she could only weave solid colors.”

Song Yin was always interested in matters concerning her Master, but she was displeased by the fox demon’s evaluation of her Master, so she said indifferently, “The Sword Venerable is intelligent. It must be that you taught poorly.”

Seeing Song Yin defend the Sword Venerable so strongly, the fox replied good-naturedly, “Alas, what the young friend says is also true.”

With that, the fox gently touched the loom, and the loom started working by itself. In the next moment, the cloth depicting the playful white foxes was finished.

Song Yin’s eyes lit up, and a subtle smile appeared on her face, “Elder, you are amazing.”

The old fox demon was probably happy to finally talk to someone. She exclaimed, “Of course. I can perfectly reproduce any pattern in my mind.”

Song Yin’s smile deepened even more, becoming clearly visible. Her voice was no longer distant, “Then, Elder, can you make this? Song Yin took out a recording stone from her embrace.”

Just as she was about to play the footage, she paused.

The old fox was waiting to show off her skills. Seeing Song Yin silent, she urged, “What’s wrong, young friend? Is the recording stone broken?”

Song Yin’s face looked worse than little Song’s face when she was struck by lightning in the footage. The screams of the time seemed to echo in her ears.

What did little Song say back then?

You pervert! You dead pervert! My face is your face!

Song Yin couldn’t help but clench the recording stone. She silently touched her own face and then silently persuaded herself: This face now belongs to Master, and it’s disguised. Who is Song Yin? I don’t know her.

After silently repeating this several times, Song Yin’s heart was calm.

Song Yin wanted to play the footage, but she was still uneasy. If this were spread, what would happen to her prestige as the Demon Venerable?

After further deliberation, Song Yin thought of a solution. She first played the footage, then swiftly used a spell to cover little Song’s face, quicker than the eye could follow.

The matter was handled perfectly. Song Yin could hardly contain her excitement: “Can you make this garment?”

The old fox parted the white hair covering her eyes. She strained to look closely for a moment, “Isn’t this the Great Peace Sect’s uniform? I can make it.”

Song Yin was overjoyed. She then asked, “Can you make it look old? Exactly the same old?”

The old fox peered closer again, “Mhm, no problem. But…”

Song Yin’s expression changed, “But what? You don’t need to worry about the spiritual stones.”

The old fox smiled, “This old body isn’t like those people from Great Peace. I only ask for one reward.”

The ancient, kind, and benevolent-looking demon sighed softly, “It’s been six hundred years since I last saw the Sword Venerable. Tell me about the Sword Venerable’s life after that, and consider that my reward.”

Song Yin paused for a moment, then nodded, “I can do that.”

The old fox looked at the clothes in the footage again. She gently patted the loom, and it began to work by itself.

“Alright, let it get busy. Let’s talk.”

The old fox leaned on her cane and sat aside, watching. Tea was on the table, but neither of them drank it.

Amidst the noisy clatter of the loom, Song Yin’s voice was clear, “My Master was injured and rested for a very long time…”

Clang. The cane in the old fox’s hand fell to the ground. Her voice trembled, looking incredibly shocked, “You and your Master had dual cultivation?”

Song Yin immediately stood up and said firmly, “No!”

The old fox simply took this as the shyness of youth, “But your soul carries the scent of the Sword Venerable.”

The old fox seemed to sink into her own world, muttering, “Hiss, Master-disciple romance, but then again, it’s quite normal for the Great Peace Sect.”

What scent?

After thinking it over, Song Yin speculated that the scent was probably acquired when her spiritual energy was absorbed by her Master in the mirror.

No wonder this demon was so enthusiastic; she had been mistaken for the Sword Venerable’s Taoist partner. Well, it was close enough.

Recalling the scene from that day, Song Yin raised her hand to cover her lips, and her face began to heat up uncontrollably again.

The white fox didn’t care about her embarrassment, only reminiscing about the past, “Alas, they all say the Sword Venerable died, but this old body doesn’t believe it. How could such a strong person die? Even if she died, she would find a way to crawl back.”

“Heh, they even say the Sword Venerable was killed by her disciple. These people are confusing the gossip. The one who killed her Master was clearly Mei Xin.”

Song Yin listened silently, unsure whether she should correct her. She took a sip of tea. The tea leaves were coarse, and she set it down after just one sip.

This place was secluded, clearly a place rarely visited by demons.

The old fox seemed to have found someone to confide in, eager to pour out everything she had to say.

“Heh, I remember when I first met the Sword Venerable. She wasn’t that strong then, just a naive girl who didn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth.”

Song Yin straightened up, “How long ago was that?”

The old fox thought for a long time, then mumbled, “I can’t remember exactly, but she truly was a strange girl back then. She came with the previous Sect Master of Great Peace to discuss matters with the Fox Clan. Seeing me weaving inside, she excitedly sat beside me and asked me to teach her.”

Time was too cruel. It could change many things and take away many memories.

But the old fox still clearly remembered the sunlight passing through the woman’s hair. There was no disgust for the demon race in her eyes. She leaned against the door, holding her sword, smiling.

The woman, not yet the Sword Venerable, sat down beside her without ceremony and praised, “Such beautiful patterns! I’ve never seen a loom before! Sister, can you teach me?”

Humans and demons mutually despised each other. Shen Yirong’s enthusiasm caught her off guard. She hurriedly chased the other party away, but unexpectedly, the other party returned the next day.

Shen Yirong never came empty-handed. Sometimes she brought pastries, other times fashionable fabrics from the cultivation world, and even taught this demon how to wield a sword, openly complaining about some of the Great Peace Sect elders.

“Elder Liu is too mild-mannered. When the wine he painstakingly brewed was stolen, he would only sulk alone, secretly shedding tears in the corner.”

“As for Elder Yun, she doesn’t act like an unfeeling cultivator at all. She runs around wildly all day, full of mischief. If this continues, Senior Sister Mei will also be taught to be a little rascal.”

“Alas, I’m the only serious person in the whole sect. Sister, what would Great Peace do without me?”

The fox demon finally responded to the chirping little bird, “What about your Master?”

The woman propped her head on her hand, tilted her head, and smiled, “I don’t have a Master. My Master is myself. Isn’t that brilliant?”

The fox demon couldn’t help herself, “It’s very self-absorbed.”

Shen Yirong wasn’t angry. She just looked at her with a smile, “Sister, you actually talked to me.”

The fox demon was timid and had little contact with people. She didn’t know how to respond for a moment, so she ignored her and continued weaving.

But the chirping little bird didn’t stop. She said she wanted to become very strong.

The fox stopped her hand movement again, “Why?”

“What reason is needed to seek power? I just want to become strong.”

The fox demon was silent, “Me too.”

Listening to the old fox reminisce about the past, Song Yin, who originally wanted to hear about her Master’s past, fell silent. She listened quietly until the old fox finished speaking. By the time she finished, the loom had also produced the materials needed to make the garment.

With work to do, the old fox spoke less.

Song Yin watched her cut the fabric into the required shape, and then watched her thread the needle.

Song Yin could do needlework herself, but she hadn’t done it in a long time.

She picked up a scrap of cloth on the side to pass the time. After embroidering for a while, she looked up at the spirit tablets behind her.

The old fox demon’s voice carried a hint of sadness, “They are all dead, their deaths meaningless. It’s retribution.”

Silence fell in the room. Neither Song Yin nor the old fox spoke again.

When the moonlight entered the room, the old fox handed the finished clothes to Song Yin, along with the cloth depicting the playful white foxes.

The old fox’s eyes were benevolent, “Thank you for listening to me. It’s late. Young friend should return to her room.”

The fox’s eyes were bright and shining, reminding Song Yin of a final burst of energy before death. This fox’s lifespan seemed to be ending.

She was about to take the clothes and leave, but she suddenly stopped. She turned to look at the old fox kneeling before the spirit tablets, “Do you still wish to live?”

The old fox smiled, “No, I’ve lived too long. Fortunately, the Sword Venerable is not here, or she would be sad again.”

The old fox’s voice grew weaker, “Young friend, please treat the Sword Venerable Adult well, and do not leave before her.”

Song Yin clutched the clothes in her hand, “Mhm.”

The old fox, having received the promise, managed a small smile. She continuously chanted the Pure Land Rebirth Mantra, but eventually, her voice became fragmented, soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

After Song Yin left the room, the flickering candlelight inside was extinguished, but the entire fox palace lit up.

The fox palace became bustling at night. Song Yin heard the distressed shouts of the fox demons.

“The Ancestor’s soul lamp is out!”

“Quickly report to the King!”

Disordered footsteps mingled with intermittent, suppressed cries. Many fox demons carrying lanterns rushed towards this direction along the long corridor.

They avoided Song Yin and poured into the old fox demon’s room. Then, the suppressed cries grew unrestrained.

Song Yin had seen such scenes before. After her Master died, the Great Peace Sect, poor enough to sell pants, held a grand funeral for her.

Many people attended the funeral, and they cried very sadly, but Song Yin couldn’t cry.

She flew onto the rooftop to look at the stars again, just like a long time ago. Watching the stars blink could help her forget things she couldn’t figure out.

“What are you doing up there?”

Song Yin followed the voice and looked down. Shen Yirong was draped in a red outer garment, holding a fox lantern, looking up at her.

Seeing Song Yin not answering, Shen Yirong extended her hand to her, “Come down. The Fox Palace is very chaotic right now. Come back to the room with me.”

Song Yin paused, then said something completely meaningless, “Did you specifically come to find me?”

Shen Yirong felt the current Song Yin was a bit silly. Who else could she possibly be looking for in this Fox Palace, where she didn’t know anyone?

She rolled her eyes vigorously under the cover of night, not caring whether the other party could see it or not.

She shook her outstretched hand forcefully, “Yes, it’s too chaotic. I was a little worried about you.”

Shen Yirong was lying again. She felt the Fox Palace was not too dangerous, though there was a tiny bit of worry in there, but not much.

More importantly, it was late, and she could summon the Mirror Spirit. She wanted to see if that Mirror Spirit was Song Yin.

Song Yin was unaware of Shen Yirong’s wicked thoughts. It was also hard for her to believe that she had been placated by Shen Yirong’s two simple sentences. She turned her head to look away.

“Your Excellency?”

Song Yin closed her eyes, and finally leaped down from the rooftop, but didn’t take Shen Yirong’s hand.

Seeing herself being ignored, Shen Yirong wiggled her outstretched hand again.

Song Yin stared at that hand for a long time, then slightly turned her head and clasped it.

“Hahahaha, Master is smart! Now let’s see how she runs. The great Demon Venerable is doing such embarrassing things. Master, you must mock her fiercely.”

Although Shen Yirong intended to, she wouldn’t dare to openly mock her.

Ahem, I can do it secretly.

Guilt makes people talkative. Shen Yirong saw that all the demons in the Fox Palace were awake and couldn’t help but be curious, “What exactly happened?”

Song Yin looked at her confused and curious eyes. After deliberating for a long time, she said, “An elder of the Fox Clan passed away.”

“Oh, I see. Let’s go. It has nothing to do with us.”

Shen Yirong seemed very happy. They didn’t walk in the corridor.

On one side of the long corridor were anxious-looking demons holding lanterns. Outside the corridor was the red-robed woman holding a lantern and smiling.

The group of foxes was moving backward, while they were moving forward.

Song Yin sighed in her heart, looking at her cheerful appearance: Let it be.

The two returned to the room. The white fox pelt at the doorway had already been put away by Shen Yirong.

Looking at the composed Song Yin, Shen Yirong thought: Hmph, quite the actress. Let’s see how you act later.

Shen Yirong asked casually, “What scenery did Your Excellency record? Can you show me?”

There was no scenery. The recording stone only contained little Song’s dark history.

Song Yin’s lips curled down slightly, “No.”

The Sword Spirit started mocking frantically in Shen Yirong’s mind: I think she didn’t record anything at all! She just found an excuse to go out and figure out how to cover up her lie!

Shen Yirong wholeheartedly agreed. She was very understanding and didn’t dwell on the issue.

But she was particularly enthusiastic tonight, asking after her comfort, tidying the bedding, and even taking off her outer garment and lying on the inner side of the bed.

Shen Yirong lay on her side, patting the outer side of the bed, “Come here, Your Excellency.”

The somewhat melancholic Song Yin’s pupils dilated in shock, because Shen Yirong was using her body right now.

Song Yin was so angry she almost laughed. She gritted her teeth and said, “Be proper! What kind of conduct is this!”

The Venerable has returned! It seemed she was truly angry.

Shen Yirong was embarrassed for a moment. She couldn’t help but ask the Sword Spirit: Are you sure you know what you’re doing? I did what you said, why is she overheating?

“Master, wait, let me think. That’s not right. That’s how it’s written in the book! It must be that your acting is too terrible to seduce that abnormal person.”

Shen Yirong’s face also flushed. She had risked her integrity to do this. Failing was one thing, but being humiliated for having terrible acting skills was another.

This is going too far!

Shen Yirong, thoroughly enraged, directly muted the Sword Spirit.

She put away her smile, adopting the most proper demeanor, and coughed twice to ease the awkwardness, “Ahem, Your Excellency should sleep.”

Song Yin only felt the goosebumps subside when she returned to normal.

However, something abnormal was afoot. This person was usually reluctant and tried to escape at every opportunity. Her behavior today surely had another reason.

She must have seen the clothes in the space, so she wanted to verify her suspicions.

Hmph, but fate is assisting me.

Song Yin lay beside Shen Yirong expressionlessly. As soon as she lay down, her wrist was seized. There was no tenderness in that grip. Song Yin felt like a prisoner in shackles, waiting for interrogation.

Sure enough, Shen Yirong began. She spoke a fake opening line, “I miss little Song a little. Your Excellency must miss her too.”

Song Yin: “No.”

Whether it was You Runing, the two fox demons here, or the people from the Great Peace Sect, all their threats combined were less than that phantom in the mirror.

How could Song Yin want to see her?

Shen Yirong knew she would say that, “Then please close your eyes, Your Excellency. I want to think about her.”

Song Yin felt the hand on her wrist tighten, as if the person was desperately afraid of her running away.

Shen Yirong placed the Myriad Manifestations Mirror over her heart. She secretly watched Song Yin’s face beside her, trying to discern a hint of panic, but there was none.

Shen Yirong, convinced that Song Yin was acting, was inwardly indignant: Hmph, acting?

Song Yin was indeed acting. She was already somewhat panicked, realizing that she couldn’t perform her cloning technique at all.

She had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she forgot to try if her clone could be used.

The person next to her was intensely watching. Cold sweat dripped from Song Yin’s forehead.

Maybe I should just confess. At most, I’ll be embarrassed. I was once a disciple of the Great Peace Sect. What does embarrassment matter?

Song Yin’s lips moved slightly, but the words seemed to be magically silenced. She couldn’t speak them.

Time ticked by. The Myriad Manifestations Mirror showed no reaction.

Shen Yirong’s smile grew wider and wider in triumph.

But she wasn’t sure what she was being triumphant about. Exposing the other party was a very dangerous thing, yet she did it anyway, seemingly wanting to verify something.

Song Yin, who was unsuccessful in her attempts to use the cloning technique again, gritted her teeth and hardened her resolve, “I…”

But chaos erupted outside. It sounded like many demons were rushing towards them. Many demons with lanterns had gathered outside.

The door was violently pushed open. The leading fox demon’s eyes were full of hatred. She threw her lantern towards Song Yin on the bed.

“Give us back our Ancestor’s life!”