The Aloof Master Relies on This Cat's Kisses to Survive - Chapter 23

Dream Beasts Know Nothing of Taboos

I almost forgot there was still something simmering in the medicine pot!

With a lift of her body and a tilt of her chin, Ming Xi instantly leaped out of the Dream Pavilion.

Ji Wu paused for a flicker of a second before her consciousness followed suit.

Exiting a dream was indeed not as effortless for Ji Wu as it was for Ming Xi; her memory would suffer some gaps, but she hadn’t forgotten the gist of what they had done within the dream.

A shy crimson still stained her cheeks, and the sweet fragrance of flowers lingered on her lips.

“…What is this?” She watched as Ming Xi picked up a medicine pot and slapped the furnace with her tail, extinguishing the flames.

That tail was stained with dark, messy medicine residue. It was half-wet, and after smothering the fire, it was a complete disaster—clumped into filthy, matted strands.

“It’s good stuff.” Ming Xi held the pot out toward Ji Wu. “Wuwu, drink.”

“Is it medicine?” Ji Wu was somewhat versed in pharmacology, but since the contents of the pot had already been boiled down, she couldn’t quite identify exactly what it was by scent alone.

“It’s medicine, definitely good medicine.” Ming Xi simply thought it was too hot for Ji Wu to drink comfortably, so she considerately set it aside and found a small bowl to pour it into.

“Where did it come from?” Ji Wu’s injuries were difficult for ordinary medicine to heal; where had Ming Xi obtained this pot of decoction?

“I took it from the Beautiful Sister’s kitchen,” Ming Xi said righteously. “It’s top-quality medicine. I heard the White-Haired One say it repairs this and supplements that—anyway, it’s very beneficial.”

“Is it Qianyao’s medicine?” Ji Wu’s brow furrowed. “Why did you take Qianyao’s medicine? Take it back at once.”

“I left one for her; there were two.” Ming Xi felt she had been very polite. “She’s fine, she’s already awake. The White-Haired One transferred spiritual power to her, and she’s already up and eating meat. Does she still need medicine to drink?”

What kind of logic was this?

Ji Wu: “Medicine isn’t something you can just eat randomly. Quickly, take it back to her.”

“You were both injured at the same time, you’re from the same clan and the same immortal sect—shouldn’t you be taking the same medicine?” Ming Xi couldn’t understand the problem. “You drink this bowl first. After you drink it, you’ll want to eat meat. I’ll go get meat for you then.”

“Do not cause trouble. Take it back. I already feel much better after the medicinal bath; I only need to meditate and rest for half a day more.” Ji Wu raised her hand to block the bowl of medicine Ming Xi was proffering, only to realize belatedly that she was completely unclothed.

Her hand, quickly retracting, stirred the ripples of the water. Beneath the medicinal soup, a hidden fullness seemed unable to remain concealed, stealing a peek outward.

Lured by that luster—which she hadn’t even seen clearly in the dream—Ming Xi took a step closer, poking her head forward and craning her neck.

Dream beasts know nothing of taboos, nor do they quite understand the concept of “avoiding improper sights.” If a place looked beautiful, she simply wanted to look.

Amidst the swirling steam, Ming Xi’s fingers, flushed red from the heat of the medicine pot, gripped the edge of the bathtub. Ji Wu pinched them.

“You don’t need to stand guard here. I will clean up myself. You should leave.” As Ji Wu spoke, she used a slight spiritual technique to cool Ming Xi’s palms. “Have you rested at all since last night?”

“Being in the Dream Pavilion is resting; kissing Master counts as resting too.” Ming Xi squatted back down by the tub. “Master, don’t chase me away. I like looking at Master.”

“I told you not to call me Master,” Ji Wu said, shaking her head.

“I know, I’m changing it,” Ming Xi said with sincere conviction. “I’m just not changing it very… actively.”

She had gone from calling her “Master” in every sentence to once every two or three sentences. Such effort! It was quite good already.

Ji Wu remained silent but stopped trying to drive her away.

However, Ming Xi couldn’t stay quiet for long. “Wuwu, is it smooth for you to use spiritual techniques now?”

“It works for now, but I can’t retain it.” Because Ji Wu had just been intimate with Ming Xi in the Dream Pavilion, spiritual power was still circulating through her body, so she could naturally perform techniques.

However, her spiritual mansion had been more than half-destroyed by the Dream Fire. It would be difficult to return to her original state anytime soon; she couldn’t afford to be impatient.

“Hmph.” Ming Xi grew angry at the thought of it, yet she knew to comfort Ji Wu. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you this.”

She handed Ji Wu a floral hairpin.

“It’s Ji Fang’s hairpin.” Ji Wu recognized it. “How is Ji Fang?”

“I saved her, I saved her.” Ming Xi looked like someone who had successfully completed an errand. “It’s just that her soul was separated for too long and couldn’t return to her body. I guided her into this floral hairpin to be raised as an artifact spirit.”

Ming Xi pointed at the hairpin in Ji Wu’s hand. “This thing can gather spiritual energy. Although it’s not much, it will be useful for you to wear, Wuwu.”

“Yes, you’ve put in a lot of heart. Thank you.” Ji Wu felt this was a good outcome.

Ji Fang knew much about the Dao of artifact crafting; staying by Ji Wu’s side to look after spiritual items was a good fit. The items Ji Wu had accumulated over the years would be enough for Ji Fang to study and refine.

“It wasn’t any trouble, just a small matter. Ming Xi has always been very reliable.” The dream beast lifted her chin proudly. “Wuwu, as long as we heal quickly, we don’t have to fear that God Lord making a comeback at all.”

Ming Xi was very confident, though even she didn’t know why she was so certain she could handle the God Lord.

She didn’t even care what kind of exotic beast or spirit she actually was.

Whether the stories the elders of the Dongfang clan told her were true or not, Ming Xi didn’t take them to heart. Guardian beast or whatever other identity—as long as she could freely enter and exit the Dream Pavilion and carried fragments of dreams in her mind, then she was likely the same as that big baddie of the Spirit Mountain: a dream beast.

She just wasn’t that big, and she didn’t have a mountain to crouch on.

It didn’t matter! Ji Wu was her mountain. Ming Xi only needed to circle this mountain that belonged to her and guard and protect it carefully—that was enough.

“But Wuwu, why… can I use Dream Fire?” Ming Xi asked again.

Ji Wu frowned.

How should she explain it to her?

“You were also born from the Dream Source of Spirit Mountain. That Dream Fire comes from the Dream Pavilion. Since you can control the Dream Pavilion, how could a mere Dream Fire be a problem?” Ji Wu didn’t want to deceive Ming Xi, but she was genuinely worried that Ming Xi would use the Dream Fire recklessly for amusement, so she spoke of it with feigned indifference.

However, Ming Xi had used that white fire last night out of instinct and found it quite fun. Still dwelling on it now, she said with newfound wonder, “That’s true, it came from the Dream Pavilion. I ate a Nightmare Demon yesterday, which is why I could use it.”

Nightmare Demons are nourished by the Dream Source of Spirit Mountain. Eating a Nightmare Demon is equivalent to reclaiming the Dream Source, which naturally generates Dream Fire.

Ming Xi didn’t understand, but Ji Wu was well aware. “Last night you said you were going to fetch the Nightmare Demon; what exactly did you go and snatch?”

Hadn’t Zhubai sacrificed himself? What did Ming Xi eat?

“Oh, it’s that.” Ming Xi pointed with her finger.

Ji Wu followed her gaze. The object was hanging at the head of her bed—it was a sword tassel.

It was bright gold and silver, looking quite familiar—

Of course it was familiar; it was Ming Xi’s own item. Ji Wu had seen it more than once.

The God Lord of Spirit Mountain did not carry a sword, but she loved all sorts of decorations. She often wore this sword tassel, and every time Ji Wu saw it, she was baffled.

Who—what beast—would pluck their own fur to make a tassel to hang on themselves? Wasn’t that redundant?

“It has the scent of Spirit Mountain on it.” Ming Xi naturally didn’t remember that it belonged to her, but she felt a sense of familiarity with its scent. “When I found that thing, it was still glowing. Inside, it hid the resentful breath of a Nightmare Demon.”

“Resentful breath?” Ji Wu’s gaze sharpened. “This Nightmare Demon had a master.”

Nightmare Demons are formed from resentful dreams. They can walk like humans and, naturally, can be used by humans.

“A master? Like Ming Xi has?” Ming Xi looked at her soul-bonded partner.

Ji Wu shook her head. “You don’t have a master. I am not your master.”

After her explanation, she continued, “Nightmare Demons can be tamed. Their master uses their resentful breath to control them, and can command them to do anything.”

In that case, Zhubai’s blood sacrifice to surround and kill Ji Wu made sense; he had indeed been instructed by someone.

But why did that person have Ming Xi’s old possession?

“It must have been ordered by the God Lord of Spirit Mountain! The scent of Spirit Mountain—isn’t that just the scent of that God Lord?”

Hmph! It’s that big baddie of Spirit Mountain who bullied Wuwu again!

“She’s already gone, how can she still be messing with Nightmare Demons?” Ming Xi slapped the side of the tub in anger.

Watching her suspect herself so earnestly, Ji Wu found her truly quite adorable.

Since she was adorable in this moment, could she really just stay close to her and be intimate for now?

Ji Wu lowered her eyes, shifting her gaze away, only to see the medicinal stains on the fur behind Ming Xi. Her tail had been soaked in the medicinal soup and was now clumped into messy, tangled strands—looking quite pathetic.

“Your… tail is dirty.” Ji Wu’s expression remained cool, but her tone was quite tender. “Turn around. I will wash up and come out, then I will groom it for you.”