The Aloof Master Relies on This Cat's Kisses to Survive - Chapter 4

Hmph, Hmph, Hmph! The Cat is Unhappy!

“Ming Xi is ready!”

Leaning her pink, tender face forward, Ming Xi’s eyes were filled with anticipation.

How could she remember anything? She didn’t even know she was the true master of the spiritual mountain before her. Ever since Ming Xi had opened her eyes and regained consciousness, she had been thoroughly misled by Elder Dongfang; now, her heart was entirely filled with Ji Wu.

She believed she was the guardian beast raised by her master since childhood. She only knew how to follow her soul-contract instinct, which urged her to be close and “sticky” with her bonded partner, Ji Wu.

Ji Wu needs spiritual power? Ming Xi gives spiritual power!

But as for the process… since it was Ji Wu who needed it, couldn’t Ji Wu take the initiative to lean toward Ming Xi just once?

“You don’t know how,” Ji Wu said, clearly having no intention of leaning toward Ming Xi.

In fact, she hadn’t even realized what Ming Xi was implying.

Ancestor Ji Wu had lived a life of pure heart and few desires for hundreds, even thousands of years. Standing atop the high peaks like a verdant pine or a cold cypress, how could she understand “why the flowers are so red”?

But in Ming Xi’s eyes, Ji Wu simply had to be a flower. Even if this flower was molded from snow and ice or carved from cold jade, it was still a flower.

And flowers eventually turn red.

The Dream Beast was not discouraged. She pondered seriously for a moment but couldn’t find much regarding “arrays” in her memory.

So, she asked.

Tilting her head, she inquired sincerely, “Is this mountain very weak?”

Ji Wu shook her head. “This mountain is too strong.”

“Too strong?” Ming Xi was puzzled. “If that’s the case, why do we need to guard it?”

“…The Spiritual Mountain borders the Dream Realm. The spiritual power within not only nourishes everything in the mountain but also affects humans who cultivate using spiritual energy. If the mountain goes out of control, the spirits within will escape to wreak havoc on the world, and the cultivators outside will find it harder to control their own spiritual arts.”

As Ji Wu spoke, she walked in the opposite direction of Ming Xi.

Perhaps because this place was near the Spiritual Mountain and the array was one she had personally cast, the flow of old spiritual power and the origin of their bond intertwined here, causing Ji Wu to feel a bit distracted.

She actually felt an instinctual urge… to lean toward Ming Xi, to speak more with her.

If this rebellious beast were truly just an ordinary disciple of the Xuanling Sect, Ji Wu would be willing to take her along to repair the array. But Ming Xi didn’t actually care about arrays; Ji Wu knew this creature’s nature best.

Array techniques emphasized symmetry and order, whereas Ming Xi loved anomaly and chaos.

Explaining arrays to Ming Xi was a waste of breath; the beast simply didn’t care.

Then what was she trying to do?

Could she be planning to suddenly pounce into Ji Wu’s arms again, merging their powers to cast spells and cultivate the array together?

A sudden flush of crimson stained the Ancestor’s cheeks. Even though her cold face rarely showed color, she now looked like a spring cherry blossom—fragile under the pitter-patter of rain. How could Ming Xi possibly resist such a sight?

“Master, are you feeling unwell?” Ming Xi felt that this glowing circle must be the culprit. Ever since Ji Wu looked at this array, her brow hadn’t unfurled once.

Bad circle!

“I am fine,” Ji Wu maintained her distant, cold tone, making the pink flush that had crept to the tips of her ears seem quite “undisciplined,” betraying her inner thoughts.

Ming Xi knew Ji Wu was on guard, fearing she would try to get close again, so she didn’t force it. However, she was worried about Ji Wu. If something troubled Ji Wu and she didn’t know how to fix it, then…

“If Sister says so, then how can this circle be called a Mountain-Guarding Array? It is clearly suppressing this mountain.” Ming Xi’s gaze was earnest. “It guards the cultivators, protects the common people, and defends against the things inside the mountain—yet you call it guarding the mountain?”

Kitty doesn’t understand.

Kitty questions.

Ji Wu was momentarily at a loss for words. Just then, another sweet voice called out to her, “Sister Ji Wu!”

Ming Xi straightened her back, alert. It was the voice that had called Ji Wu away from the house earlier.

The newcomer was a woman also dressed in the white robes of the Xuanling Sect. Ming Xi swept a quick glance over her and realized this was not the same person as before.

Because this one was prettier.

With ebony hair, snowy skin, and bright eyes, she looked to be about sixteen or seventeen. After her inspection, Ming Xi nodded with certainty: beautiful, this woman is very beautiful.

It turns out “Meow” isn’t entirely face-blind—at least not toward beauties.

However, Ming Xi still didn’t like her, because Ji Wu smiled at this woman.

And Ji Wu rarely smiled.

The Ancestor had a cold temperament and naturally disliked Ming Xi, so she never showed her a smiling face. In recent days, the Ji Wu Ming Xi had seen was always full of stern looks and cold eyes, remaining very restrained even in dreams.

Yet she smiled at this woman.

Hmph, hmph, hmph!

The cat is unhappy!

Ming Xi pursed her lips just as she heard Ji Wu call the other person’s name, “Qianyao.”

The newcomer was indeed a junior from the Dongfang clan, Dongfang Qianyao.

“Sister Ji Wu,” Dongfang Qianyao called out again, her gaze toward Ji Wu full of affection.

It wasn’t that she was intentionally acting over-familiar; Ji Wu’s health had been poor ever since the siege of Ming Xi eight years ago, and she had been resting in seclusion at the Dongfang residence.

Since Ji Wu’s ascension long ago, many women in the world had taken the name “Ji Wu,” hoping to achieve the Way just like the Ancestor.

Dongfang Qianyao naturally assumed the “Sister Ji Wu” before her was simply one of those namesakes—a brilliant senior she had looked up to in the clan since childhood.

They were practically “childhood friends,” so how could they not be close?

“Sister, where is Senior Sister Zhubai?” Dongfang Qianyao looked at Ming Xi. This junior sister looked unfamiliar; she wasn’t the one who had come out with Ji Wu earlier.

The Xuanling Sect had many rules. For a young disciple like Dongfang Qianyao, she wasn’t allowed to come to the Spiritual Mountain for night patrols with the outer sect without prior permission.

That was why the sister guarding the mountain gate had stopped Dongfang Qianyao earlier, and Zhubai had accompanied Ji Wu instead.

“She stayed in the East Street; there was a Nian-Demon,” Ji Wu replied briefly.

“Hmm, a Nian-Demon? The abnormality I sensed didn’t seem to be just a Nian-Demon.” Dongfang Qianyao rested her hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist.

During the day’s patrol, she had left a strand of spiritual consciousness on the array. Not long ago, she had sensed a disturbance and went to find Ji Wu.

“What other demons are there?” Ming Xi leaned forward.

Dongfang Qianyao seemed to have been waiting to be asked. She tilted her chin up with a bit of pride. “When it comes to the demons of this Spiritual Mountain, I’m afraid I am the one who knows them best.”

“Oh!” Ming Xi’s eyes went round.

Dongfang Qianyao was very satisfied with this reaction. “In the past, with the array suppressing it, the only spirits that left the mountain were Nian-Demons. But things are different now.”

As she spoke, she skillfully summoned an umbrella woven from wind magic, holding it over Ji Wu. Then, she turned to Ming Xi with a look of concern. “Junior Sister, this place is dangerous. You should go hide.”

“Okay!” Ming Xi accepted the suggestion with great solemnity. With a swoosh, she shrunk into Ji Wu’s embrace. Not only did she wrap one arm around Ji Wu’s waist, but her other hand reached out to snatch Dongfang Qianyao’s umbrella for herself.

Resting her small head against the crook of Ji Wu’s neck, Ming Xi nuzzled and rubbed against her before finally turning her face sideways to say in a sweet, sticky voice: “I’m all hidden now! Thank you for the umbrella, Senior Sister.”

“You rebel—You!” Because an outsider was present, Ji Wu couldn’t scold her properly. However, her ears turned red once more. Whether it was from anger or—

Naturally, it could only be anger!

Ji Wu refused to let any other thoughts enter her mind. The strange, sweet, and spicy scent from Ming Xi’s body wafted into her nose. Heat rose within the Ancestor as she realized with a shock that it wasn’t just her ears flushed with warmth—even her dantian felt a sudden surge of fullness.

Truly scandalous!

Every time this rebellious beast got close, Ji Wu would receive comfort. This was the healing buff that came with their soul-bond.

Not to mention, what the beast was doing now wasn’t just physical contact; Ming Xi was once again merging her spiritual power with Ji Wu’s to cast a spell.

All just for an umbrella?!

Let her soak in the rain!

Ji Wu shot a glare at Ming Xi. How on earth did this Dream Beast manage to fuse so seamlessly with her spiritual mansion?

The marriage contract wasn’t some kind of poisonous voodoo. It was already baffling that Ming Xi had used this technique to bind Ji Wu at the brink of death, but now that Ming Xi had amnesia, how could she still utilize the bond so naturally?

Evil, wicked creature!

Despicable and lowly!

Ji Wu tried to pull away, but the beast was as sticky as melted sugar, clinging to her sweetly while not forgetting to ask, “Beautiful Senior Sister, keep talking. What other demons are there?”

Dongfang Qianyao was waiting for her to ask. “You don’t know, do you? According to the ‘Spiritual Mountain Demon Records,’ this mountain nourishes more than just Nian-Demons. This mountain was once suppressed by the Dream Beast, and most of the spirits within originate from the Dream Realm. Besides Nian-Demons, there are also Yi—”

“—Yee~” Ming Xi mimicked Dongfang Qianyao’s frowning expression, baring her teeth while clinging to Ji Wu’s side.

Dongfang Qianyao froze for a moment. “Junior Sister?”

“Besides Nian-Demons, is there a kind of spirit about the size of a human, with no facial features, only a black shadow outline?” Ming Xi asked, tilting her head.

“Yes, those are Yi-Ghosts.” Dongfang Qianyao nodded. “Junior Sister knows of them?”

“Yi-Ghosts.” Ming Xi repeated the name and blinked. “Junior Sister doesn’t know.”

She stared at the space behind Dongfang Qianyao, her mouth splitting into a deliberate, eerie grin. “Junior Sister… just sees one.”