The Aloof Master Relies on This Cat's Kisses to Survive - Chapter 34

The Deceptive Nightmare of the West Lake

Ji Wu was inherently sensitive and couldn’t withstand being rubbed, especially around her waist; even as a child, she had been ticklish.

Ming Xi had entwined herself around her many times, so there was no way she didn’t know—she was doing it on purpose.

Soft flesh pressed against her back as Ming Xi’s other arm looped around Ji Wu. “Master~”

A numbing shiver crawled up Ji Wu’s spine. “Why are you calling me that again?”

“Did I used to call you ‘Master’ before, Master?” Ming Xi tilted her head, stretching her neck to press her small face against Ji Wu’s shoulder.

Ji Wu was unaccustomed to such intimacy and disliked the title. “I told you, we weren’t close before—”

Her final words were sealed by a sudden, warm approach. As their lips met, Ming Xi’s mouth still carried the sweet-and-sour scent of the half-orange she had eaten on the first floor of the inn.

Ji Wu wanted to open her mouth to scold her for being reckless, but opening her lips felt like an invitation, allowing Ming Xi to delve deeper.

The kiss pursued her relentlessly. Ji Wu lifted her gaze and saw Ming Xi with her eyes closed, sipping at her with a devotion that was both passionate and serious—utterly reverent.

In that moment, Ji Wu, whose mind was wandering and who even considered dodging, suddenly felt she was failing this affection.

Yet, how could there be love between her and Ming Xi? It was nothing more than using the Heart-Bond for healing.

She raised a hand to push Ming Xi’s shoulder. The creature wasn’t in a hurry; she took two more lingering sips before pulling back, tilting her head casually. With her hands still wrapped around Ji Wu’s waist, she hung off Ji Wu’s back like a weight.

“Listen to me,” Ji Wu said calmly, trying to explain as she pried at Ming Xi’s arms.

“How about I speak instead? I feel that people who aren’t close couldn’t possibly form a Heart-Bond,” Ming Xi argued with her own logic. “Could it really be a storybook tale? Did Wuwu bully me because of her high cultivation, or were we once of one heart, but Wuwu had a change of heart?”

She spoke with such righteous conviction, as if it were absolutely impossible for the fault to lie with this cat.

Ji Wu didn’t know how to explain. “My purpose in coming here, besides finding the person who set this trap, is of course to help you find your memories. Then you will understand everything.”

“My memories?” Ming Xi hadn’t heard Ji Wu mention this before.

Of course, she had no interest in such things right now. Ming Xi tightened her slender, white arms, murmuring cat-like sounds.

She wanted to bathe with Ji Wu; nothing else mattered.

“What the Dongfang clan told you isn’t entirely true, but it is true when I say we weren’t close.” Ji Wu raised her hand, pressing down on Ming Xi’s forearms. “Let go first. Don’t be troublesome.”

“It’s not being troublesome, Wuwu. Ming Xi wants to wash ‘fragrant-fragrant’ with Wuwu.” Ming Xi’s cheek, pressed against Ji Wu’s shoulder, squeezed her eye shut, making her look even more adorable.

This aura of “the cat wants it, the cat gets it” left Ji Wu helpless. The Grandmaster finally managed to resist the enchantment and insisted on business: “Since you woke up, have your memories recovered at all?”

“I don’t know.” Ming Xi shook her head. She lifted her face, retracted her neck, and moved her head to Ji Wu’s other side, resting her other cheek on the shoulder instead.

Because that side had gone a bit numb.

Ji Wu looked at Ming Xi’s flushed face, suppressing the urge to stroke it. “Is it chaotic?”

Ji Wu had lived for a very, very long time, but her life had been thin and monotonous, so her memories were not messy.

She didn’t know if it was the same for Ming Xi. Dream Beasts were rare—there had only been this one since ancient times. Unlike the Flood Dragons who, though equally ancient, had a clan with changing dynasties and dragons of every generation recording their lives and stories.

But Ming Xi had no one. Ming Xi only had the Dream Court and the Spirit Mountain. No one recorded her story.

Yet, everyone was recording her story.

Ming Xi seemed to be a unique specimen, yet she was neither world-weary nor independent.

Every day of hers was rich—so rich that Ming Xi couldn’t distinguish how much of her memory had returned. Besides her own memories, she could see the dreams of others, and even the images obtained by the spirits of Spirit Mountain through devouring or peeking; as the Divine Lord of Spirit Mountain, she could know those as well.

“It’s not chaotic.” Ming Xi shook her head. “If I don’t categorize them, they won’t be messy. But I do have parts I want to remember—the parts concerning me and you.”

“There really aren’t many ‘good’ parts between me and you.” Ji Wu struggled again, trying to stop Ming Xi from clinging to her. She looked very solemn.

“Ming Xi.”

“Yes!” Ming Xi liked it when Ji Wu called her name.

“Your memories will return slowly. During this time, many people will likely be lurking around, wanting to use you for something.” Ji Wu’s face was cold, her tone heavy. “No matter what happens in the future, do not do things you dislike, regardless of the reason—including for my sake.”

Ming Xi didn’t understand why Ji Wu was being so serious, but she nodded anyway. “Okay.”

“That is all, then.”

Ji Wu turned to leave, but was once again hugged by Ming Xi. “No, no! Wuwu just fought those people in white; did they touch you anywhere? Even if they didn’t, you must be tired. Quickly, enter the spring bath to recover.”

“I will meditate to recover. Go play by yourself.” Ji Wu naturally refused.

Ming Xi, naturally, would not hear of it. “We play together.”

As she spoke, she pointed to the manual paintings printed on the decorative curtains. They depicted many beauties bathing together in suggestive scenes—the content went far beyond mere washing.

“…Shameless.” Ji Wu shook her head. “Since you know I am tired, do not pester me.”

“It’s because I know you’re tired that Ming Xi must pester you.” The Dream Beast had somehow already untied Ji Wu’s waist belt. Holding one end, she jumped toward the pool, but after her toes brushed the water, she leaped nimbly onto the rockery.

Ji Wu’s belt had been tied neatly; Ming Xi had only undone the outer knot. Thus, with this tug, if Ji Wu didn’t follow into the pool, her clothes would be stripped away in a most disheveled manner.

She took a few steps to catch up with Ming Xi. Entering the water, she followed the belt to grab the mischievous beast’s naughty paws. “Stop this nonsense!”

“It’s not nonsense, it’s healing.” Ming Xi poked her head out from the rockery. “Wuwu’s spiritual manor is guarded by Ming Xi.”

As she spoke, she stepped out and leaned down. Standing under the flowing phosphorescence of the water cascade, she used her higher position to lean over and plant a kiss on Ji Wu’s forehead.

It was light and quick, yet it made Ji Wu’s heart nearly stop.

Seizing the moment of Ji Wu’s daze, Ming Xi pulled her closer, tilted her head, and once again kissed those tightly pressed, moist crimson lips.

The spring colors were tinged with bashfulness; the moonlight reflected intoxication. It was a deliberate attempt to drown someone in passion.

The overflowing pool embraced the two drenched figures; the ripples pushed them to lean closer still.

Whether it was truly from the brief scuffle with the white-clad figures or something else, Ji Wu only felt a strange, profound softness.

Her skin was exceptionally delicate. The moonlight illuminated her damp, thin inner robe, tracing the line of her spine wet with spring water like a brush stroke. Her black hair, like spilled ink, brushed against her skin, resembling an impressionist landscape painting.

The “Cat Master” occupying this landscape was triumphant. Heat, like the ripples in the bath, layered and merged, swirling together.

However, this Cat Master didn’t seem particularly powerful yet; she couldn’t suppress her “mountain”—at least, not for long.

“Ah?”

Ming Xi’s entire body was suddenly hoisted up. In an instant, her orientation was flipped; from sitting on the rockery, she was pulled directly in front of Ji Wu.

Completely submerged in the water, she heard Ji Wu scold softly, “You reckless creature.”

“I have a sense of proportion; I’m calculating.” Ming Xi leaned forward again. “One kiss is definitely not enough. Wuwu is so tired tonight—not to mention the travel, you also lectured your sect members and went shopping with me…”

“Hmm?” Ji Wu had almost been led astray by the logic but quickly regained clarity. “Do not calculate randomly. Ordinary fatigue does not require ‘healing’.”

Ji Wu’s spiritual manor had been scorched by dream fire, so she needed to use Ming Xi’s spiritual energy through the bond to repair it. Ordinary things like travel or shopping didn’t require spiritual support.

Otherwise, how would ordinary mortals who don’t practice cultivation even survive?

“Even so, even so, I want more kisses!” Ming Xi simply began to act spoiled and stubborn. She hooked her arms around Ji Wu’s neck and blocked her with another kiss. “If Wuwu isn’t tired, then I am. I transformed into human shape, used spiritual power, and was blown by that weird bamboo forest wind until my bones felt sore and miserable.”

She suddenly remembered Xiao Xiyue and added randomly, “And, and, the corpse was very smelly, it stank up the kitty! That collar was so tight, it made my neck hurt.”

“And that ‘moon phase’ thing, right? The moon phase isn’t good, and the tides make me feel depleted. Wuwu knows the seawater of Nanling suppresses me, right? I haven’t recovered yet.”

How aggrieved she was! If Ji Wu didn’t let her be close, then it would be Ji Wu bullying her, deceiving her, and having a change of heart after forcibly taking her!

“Hmph.” After Ming Xi finished, she truly put on the look of one who had suffered a great ordeal. As she leaned in to kiss Ji Wu, she whimpered and hummed.

However, the way she pried open teeth and lips was a bit too practiced and assertive. Ji Wu felt somewhat indignant; she resisted the soft wetness of Ming Xi’s tongue curling against hers and attempted to take the initiative instead.

Ming Xi was quite surprised, allowing Ji Wu to attack her, being both generous and enjoying the sensation.

The experience was like stepping into a void, yet instead of falling, she was soaring.

Ji Wu had always been austere and followed the path of the righteous; she understood nothing of the flavor of passion. Her current indulgence was more like a surrender to instinct.

And though Ming Xi was fickle, her heart had always been simple. This Dream Beast had very picky tastes and had never found a “fragrance” she truly wanted—consequently, she also didn’t know how the tides of passion would surge.

However, whatever the reason, this first experience of a moving heart was as simple as eating. Though one had never tasted it before, one would know if it was delicious after a single bite.

At some point, their collars had been pulled apart, and it was unclear who had started it.

But in the end, the Dream Beast was the more restless one.

Soft peaches were hidden beneath the fabric; when touched, Ji Wu sat up in shock, only to be pressed back down by a lunging Ming Xi. “Wuwu.”

“Presumptuous.” These were words of reprimand, but they weren’t spoken with much force.

Just as Ming Xi had placed down a palm, but left behind claw marks.

“Touch me too,” Ming Xi pleaded. She had always been a believer in fairness.

Ji Wu’s eyebrows were like ink washes, her eyes held the spring; a face that was usually ethereal and cold was now filled with a radiant, colorful bloom.

Her dark hair flowed, veiling the pink fragrance marks upon her snow-white skin.

Their breathing was as chaotic as the strands of hair floating on the water’s surface—entwining, tangling, rippling out, and swaying back.

“You must not.” Ji Wu shook her head, looking away from Ming Xi’s gaze.

This disobedient beast was born to be a provocation; those affectionate eyes looked at anyone with such depth that it made one unable to move a single step away.

The more she wanted to stop, the more her heart skipped and leaped with joy.

The more she wanted to speak, the deeper her eyes sank into the mire of emotion.

The waterfall on the rockery seemed to grow more urgent, or perhaps it didn’t.

Who knows? Who could be bothered to care?

All they knew was that the hot spring was very warm, and very healing.