The Aloof Master Relies on This Cat's Kisses to Survive - Chapter 26

I Won’t Let You Hurt

The next day, at dusk, the sunset glow was at its peak among the clouds.

Ming Xi stretched and woke up from a couch padded with countless blankets. She did not stay in the same place as Ji Wu; the Grandmaster preferred quiet and lived in a secluded corner of the Xuanling Sect, while Ming Xi loved excitement and didn’t lack sleep. She would nestle down wherever she happened to be, resting only for a short while each time before moving on.

However, after she woke up today, she couldn’t find Ji Wu in her room.

Where did she go? Ming Xi wrinkled her nose. She couldn’t catch a scent; Ji Wu wasn’t nearby.

This was no challenge for Ming Xi. She activated the soul-bond connection between them and quickly locked onto Ji Wu’s location: the small woods in the back mountain of the Xuanling Sect. Although the sect was situated right next to Spirit Mountain, it possessed a small woodland of its own.

Ming Xi grabbed a piece of pastry for the road, passed directly through the defensive barrier the sect had set up at the mountain pass, and hopped into the woods.

It was very quiet.

Ming Xi had briefly explored these woods once before and found them rather boring, so she had wandered back out after only a few steps. This time, because Ji Wu was inside, she felt the urge to take a closer look.

Soon, she discovered something she hadn’t noticed before. It seemed to be… a very large temple?

Why would there be a temple in the back mountain of the Xuanling Sect?

Did the people of Yunming Town worship gods? They were protected by the Xuanling Sect in front and backed by the Lord of Spirit Mountain in the rear—even if that Lord was a “big baddie,” he was still a Lord, after all. Why would they need to worship other deities?

Driven by curiosity, Ming Xi picked up her pace.

“Ooh~ it’s really pretty.” The building became clearer through the trees. It was exactly the style Ming Xi liked—vibrant and multi-colored.

However, this temple was likely seldom visited. Ming Xi saw no human footprints along the way, nor did she smell the scent of incense. Only as she drew closer did she faintly see a path of leading steps, covered in thick green moss. Beneath the emerald hue were delicate carvings containing inscriptions Ming Xi couldn’t understand.

Only three words were clear to her: Water Deity Hall.

Water Deity Hall?

Spirit Mountain only had a Mountain God; it had no Water Deity. Could it be the deity of this small back mountain? Then… where was the water?

Growing more curious, Ming Xi transformed into her cat form and darted forward several meters, finally seeing the true face of the divine hall.

It was indeed a beautifully decorated place, and indeed, it was utterly neglected.

The Water Deity Hall, which stood in stark contrast to the surrounding desolation, was built with magnificent splendor. Ming Xi had seen its pointed roof from hundreds of meters away; it was a temple whose style had absolutely no connection to Yunming Town.

The closer she got, the more the dazzling colorful paint on the outer walls blurred her vision. The pigments were sprinkled with many platinum flakes; even hidden in the deep mountain woods, they shimmered under the mottled light of the setting sun.

It was very flamboyant! It didn’t possess the simple, rustic style of Yunming Town, nor did it have the cold, solemn tone of the Xuanling Sect. This Water Deity Hall was built with a very exotic flair; it likely wasn’t an annex of the sect, but a temple of this size was not something the common folk could afford to build.

Ming Xi’s feline paws leaped into the hall. Upon landing, she shifted back to her original form to investigate. She had assumed such a large hall would have a multi-story structure, but the interior actually featured a single-and-a-half-story design with an extremely high ceiling—essentially just an inner hall housing a divine statue and a surrounding elevated walkway.

The statue was covered in a veil. Ming Xi didn’t bother to lift it, fearing the dust.

The hall itself was quite clean, unlike the wilderness outside. It looked as though someone came to tidy it up from time to time, though Ming Xi still saw no traces of pilgrims.

The scent belonging to Ji Wu grew stronger here.

“Wuwu?” Ming Xi circled the area. She didn’t see anything else novel, nor did she see Ji Wu. There weren’t even any prayer mats in the hall.

“Style over substance,” Ming Xi concluded, quickly losing interest and heading back out.

Behind the Water Deity Hall was a similar path. The soil grew progressively damp; there was likely a water source further back.

Would there be a real Water Deity? Ming Xi thought mischievously. Would the Water Deity be on bad terms with the Mountain God? Does she have some way to suppress the Mountain God? Could she heal the Wuwu who was injured by that big baddie of Spirit Mountain?

If so, Ming Xi would definitely befriend the Water Deity!

Thinking this, her footsteps grew lighter.

The night deepened, but for a Dream Beast, darkness made no difference.

She soon heard the sound of flowing water and found a cold pond. Ji Wu’s scent stopped right here. Ming Xi accelerated into a run, but at the place where Ji Wu’s scent was strongest, she slammed headfirst into a restrictive barrier.

It was a protective array set by Ji Wu.

Since Ming Xi shared a soul-bond with Ji Wu, bypassing the array wasn’t difficult. She had simply been too impatient just now, and her momentum had triggered the barrier’s defense.

Ming Xi calmed her heart and used the human method of “knocking,” sending a bit of spiritual consciousness inside before stepping into the array again. This time, the glowing circles did not stop her.

“Wuwu~” Ming Xi didn’t have a habit of peeping at people bathing; she did everything openly, so she called out for her Grandmaster as soon as she walked in.

However, Ji Wu was not bathing. She was in deep meditation with her eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding noise, and did not acknowledge Ming Xi. She sat atop a large rock in the middle of the cold pond, surrounded by mist as she meditated.

Ming Xi squatted down obediently to wait, admiring her bonded wife.

Ji Wu’s features naturally carried a sense of heroism—bright, clear, and aloof. Under the shifting moonlight, she looked even more transcendent…

Not like a human.

Ming Xi was amused by her own thought. Humans were the species with the greatest variation in appearance she had ever seen. The beautiful ones could be as stunning as Ji Wu, while the ugly ones could be so hideous that their basic features weren’t even where they should be. Yet, humans used the same phrase for both extremes: “The abnormal is demonic.”

In truth, the beauty and ugliness of demons were much the same as humans. Within Ming Xi’s fragmented memories, the most beautiful race she could recall was neither human nor demon, nor any creature of Spirit Mountain, but…

The Jiaolong (Flood Dragon) Clan.

How strange. Books said the Jiaolong Clan had been extinct for hundreds of years. How could Ming Xi have an impression of them? Perhaps she had read too many storybooks lately? Human writers loved pairing Jiaolong with mortals, probably because the race no longer existed, and humans were fond of imagining things the world no longer had.

“Wuwu, Ming Xi is here.” She couldn’t stay well-behaved for long and called out again after a short wait.

Ji Wu nodded ever so slightly without opening her eyes. She had known this troublemaker had arrived the moment Ming Xi crossed the barrier.

The mist of the cold pond here was beneficial for repairing Ji Wu’s spiritual mansion. After yesterday’s medicinal bath and a brief moment of intimacy with Ming Xi, the healing effect had been excellent. This morning, Ji Wu had met with the Matriarch of the Dongfang clan—the “white-haired lady” in Ming Xi’s words—who suggested Ji Wu spend a night in quiet meditation here to gather her strength.

This was to prepare for the journey in a few days to Xitan to search for someone.

Ji Wu had already informed the Matriarch about the Dreamscape, including the sword tassel Ming Xi had found. The Matriarch had also seen that object on the Lord of Spirit Mountain, but when they besieged Ming Xi eight years ago, the Lord hadn’t been carrying it.

The Matriarch said that Ming Xi’s memory loss couldn’t be faked because while the Dream Beast loved to play tricks on people, she didn’t really lie. She might tell a mischievous lie to tease someone, but it wouldn’t last long, and she certainly wouldn’t put in the effort to create extensive disguises for a lie.

That made sense, Ji Wu agreed. Initially, her judgment had been clouded by her resentment over the soul-bond, but the Matriarch, as an outsider, saw things more clearly.

Ji Wu sighed inwardly, realizing that whenever it came to Ming Xi, she seemed influenced by the bond and was unable to remain calm.

Could this be the intentional doing of that rebellious beast?

Ji Wu frowned, unable to continue her meditation. She opened her eyes, intending to ask what that “karmic hindrance” was doing by disturbing her peace, only to see Ming Xi in her cat form, poised to leap into the cold pond.

“Wait!” Ji Wu shouted to stop her, but she was a step too late.

The Dream Beast kicked off with her hind legs and stretched her front paws to jump toward Ji Wu. However…

The moment the mist of the cold pond touched Ming Xi’s fur, the cat’s body stiffened as if struck by heavenly thunder, and she fell straight into the freezing water.

“Nonsense.” Ji Wu did not hesitate. She rose and plunged into the icy waters of the cold pond.

So cold.

A piercing chill instantly surged through Ji Wu. Even though she was in peak condition today, the water felt like needles of ice stabbing into her bones. The cold seeped through her skin and into her lungs. Ji Wu suppressed the discomfort, feeling quite flustered.

She was worried about that rebellious beast.

Ming Xi had already been overwhelmed by the pond water entering her nose and mouth. Her limbs were numb, leaving her utterly powerless to struggle.

But she clearly knew how to swim!

Though she hated water, she knew how to stay afloat. Yet this cold pond—even its mist—seemed to carry immense hostility. Sharp ice crystals wrapped around her, freezing layer by layer, pinning her down and refusing to let her struggle, dragging her toward the deepest part of the pond’s heart.

She couldn’t open her mouth, couldn’t move her claws, and couldn’t even see clearly.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Ji Wu soothed the Dream Beast through the soul-bond. She resolutely dove into the depths of the cold pool and finally caught Ming Xi before she lost consciousness.

The Dream Beast was pulled up in a sorry state. Ji Wu held the small cat and surfaced. “Ming Xi?”

“…”

“Ming Xi.”

It was Ji Wu calling her; she wanted so badly to respond.

“Cough! Cough, cough—”

It was Ji Wu coughing. She sounded like she was in a lot of pain. What should she do?

The Master needs Ming Xi!

How could Ming Xi get hurt? If Ming Xi is hurt, the Master will suffer the backlash!

The Dream Beast’s thoughts were a chaotic mess, but her body was pinned by the ice crystals and unable to move. She instinctively reverted to her original form.

The weight in Ji Wu’s hands increased as the small cat turned into a beautiful woman with green hair and a vermilion face, completely unclothed.

“Cold.”

Ming Xi’s eyes were still closed. She huddled her body and murmured to herself, “Wuwu, it hurts.”

“I’m here.” Ignoring all propriety, Ji Wu held Ming Xi tightly against her, using her body heat and the contract seal to help her regain sensation.

But Ming Xi was also worried about Ji Wu. She knew Ji Wu’s spiritual mansion had not yet been repaired; that place was like a weak link. Because of their symbiotic bond, the restoration and healing generated between them would flow toward the healthier side—which was Ming Xi.

And if either of them were injured, the loss would reflect more heavily on the one who was deficient—which was Ji Wu.

The damp cold ravaged Ming Xi’s body. On one hand, she was suffering physically; on the other, she was terrified for Ji Wu. It was agony.

“Wuwu, Wuwu.” Ming Xi spoke as if in a delirium, her words too jumbled to recognize easily.

But Ji Wu heard her clearly. The Dream Beast wasn’t saying that she was in pain.

She was saying, “Wuwu, don’t hurt. Don’t let Wuwu hurt.”

“I don’t hurt. I’m fine,” Ji Wu responded in a low voice, holding the person in her arms even tighter. “And I won’t let you hurt, either.”