The Aloof Master Relies on This Cat's Kisses to Survive - Chapter 40

The Delusion of Western Lake

“Ah, what? What is this?” Xiao Xiyue listened to the exchange between the person and the crane, her mind in a complete haze. “Why the sudden look of liberation… You’re a crane! How can you have a ‘look of liberation’!”

She didn’t dare raise her voice at Ji Wu, so she could only snap at the Crane Immortal. “Don’t! Don’t let it go!”

Xiao Xiyue was going crazy.

She had painstakingly plotted her revenge, finally waiting for the moment Sang Banzui was at her weakest. Yet, two of the corpses she had purchased were destroyed—and they happened to be the ‘Lady’ and the ‘Dancer,’ the two most suited for the stage.

Still, Xiao Xiyue had adjusted quickly. She successfully ascended the sacrificial stage, finished her dance, and was certain Sang Banzui would select her as this year’s newcomer.

But why did that sudden, eerie wind blow, causing her to lose emotional control and expose herself prematurely? And now, she had been drawn into this Resentment Dream, with no idea how to get out.

Why was revenge so difficult?

“Not let go? Then tell me, what else can a crane like me do?” The Crane Immortal glanced at her. “You should let go too. Do you actually have a grudge against the Spirit Mountain God-Lord?”

“Between her and me… I suppose not.” Xiao Xiyue hated recalling the events of that year, but she had to admit that if Ming Xi hadn’t launched that attack, she never would have had the chance to escape.

Back then, although only Xiao Xiyue’s mother was chosen for the sacrificial array, the remaining Demon Dragons were still slated for ‘disposal.’ How could the Dongfang Clan possibly leave anyone alive who knew the truth of that year? Xiao Xiyue had seen through that long ago.

The jailers hadn’t bothered to lower their voices around them; they clearly never intended for them to survive. Thus, after her mother was taken away, Xiao Xiyue had quickly pulled herself together and planned her escape. That was how she found the opportunity to run when Ming Xi began the massacre of the city.

“I’m not sure who I should seek vengeance against. There were three of us who escaped back then, but the other two have let it go.” Xiao Xiyue shook her head. “Heh, how can someone just let go of something like that?”

“You don’t know who to look for, so you targeted the High Priestess?” The Crane Immortal blinked its hollow eyes.

To be honest, an animal that had gained sentience was a bit terrifying—especially one that could speak. Was it a demon or a beast? Was it a ‘she’ or an ‘it’?

“You ask me that, but how am I supposed to answer?” Xiao Xiyue spoke candidly. “For eight years, I’ve supported myself solely on my hatred for Sang Banzui. Every night, I refined the Xihua under the moon, and now you ask me…”

Now they asked her why she only sought out Sang Banzui and not the Dongfang Clan?

Why?

Xiao Xiyue didn’t want to admit it was because she simply couldn’t do it.

She fled to Western Lake because there were many Demon Dragons there, making it easy to hide. Later, the High Priestess also came to Western Lake. So, naturally, she nourished herself with hate, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the day she could avenge her mother.

“I can’t say for sure if she hadn’t come to Western Lake, whether I would have let go of the grudge like my two clansmen.” In front of Ji Wu, Xiao Xiyue couldn’t hide her emotions at all, even though the person questioning her wasn’t Ji Wu.

This person only needed to glance at her, and Xiao Xiyue felt completely exposed. But who exactly was this person?

Xiao Xiyue pondered it over and over but couldn’t understand. “You… couldn’t be… Grandmaster Ji Wu, could you?”

Ji Wu glanced at her but did not respond.

The Grandmaster knew even less about the ambush than Xiao Xiyue did. She didn’t entirely trust Xiao Xiyue’s story, but what the Crane Immortal said basically matched Dongfang Konggu’s personality and her situation within the Dongfang Clan.

And Dongfang Konggu was Ji Wu’s disciple.

If she truly was harmed by others, Ji Wu would naturally seek justice for her.

As for Ming Xi…

Had Ji Wu killed the wrong person?

“Oh, you really are a stupid dragon.” The Crane Immortal hadn’t realized that Xiao Xiyue and Ji Wu didn’t know each other—or rather, that Xiao Xiyue hadn’t realized Ji Wu was the Grandmaster.

The spirit beast looked helpless. “With your brains, you should probably give up on revenge and just focus on staying alive.”

“What do you know!” Xiao Xiyue refused to be lectured by a crane.

The crane, however, had a broader perspective. “How can you take revenge? Kill the High Priestess? A life for a life? Putting aside whether you’ve even found the right culprit, this is clearly two lives for one. If you kill the High Priestess, how could you possibly survive?”

In the Crane Immortal’s linear spirit-beast logic, Xiao Xiyue’s behavior was simply: for no good reason, both mother and daughter end up dead just to take the High Priestess down. Even if the High Priestess died, the instigator—the Dongfang Clan—wouldn’t suffer one bit. What was the point?

Stupid.

Xiao Xiyue froze for a long time, unsure where she had gone wrong or where this crane was right. She looked helplessly at Ji Wu.

Ji Wu only shook her head. “For the moment, put aside your grudges. Tell me first, has there been any major change in Zhaoli County in recent years?”

What Ji Wu needed to clarify was Sang Banzui’s stance. Why had the High Priestess lured Ji Wu and Ming Xi to Western Lake?

“Zhaoli County? It’s not just there. Including Zhaoli, several counties around Tan Creek have seen their populations replaced over the last few years, if that’s what you’re asking.” Xiao Xiyue answered cautiously, yet trying not to seem cowardly, she tilted her head up after speaking.

Ji Wu: “This changed after you arrived here?”

“Pretty much. I didn’t have the heart to ask much back then, but supposedly they were seizing children with high spiritual talent.” Xiao Xiyue wasn’t human, so she didn’t care much about what the humans were suffering. “I expect they wanted those children for…”

For the sacrificial array, just like Xiao Xiyue’s mother. The unique “cannibalistic” culture of Western Lake.

Ji Wu sighed. Yes—to suppress Ming Xi, one used the Dragon bloodline; to save Ming Xi, one would naturally use those gifted with spiritual power.

In that case, the High Priestess Sang Banzui’s plan to revive Ming Xi had likely begun even before Ming Xi left the Dream Court.

Ji Wu didn’t know the relationship between her and Ming Xi, but the High Priestess must have been like Dongfang Konggu—unable to contact Ming Xi in the Dream Court. Thus, she couldn’t inform Ming Xi of Dongfang Konggu’s fate, nor could she warn the Dream Beast of the Dongfang Clan’s impending plot.

The High Priestess couldn’t even know when the Dream Beast would emerge, so she could only prepare two sets of plans early to preserve Ming Xi.

If she could meet Ming Xi first, that would be best. But if Ming Xi fell directly into the Dongfang Clan’s trap, the High Priestess needed a safety net.

Therefore…

The High Priestess did not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of several counties’ worth of commoners to prepare a way to extend the life of someone who hadn’t even been framed yet.

Then, she entered the game herself, cooperating with the Dongfang Clan’s design and participating in the ambush against Ming Xi, likely so she could step in and save her at any moment.

Her mind was terrifyingly meticulous, and her methods were terrifyingly resolute.

Unfortunately, Dongfang Konggu’s death sent Ming Xi into a violent rage. The Dream Beast moved too fast; in the rampaging dream-fires, Sang Banzui could only barely protect herself, ending up half-dead and half-alive.

Ji Wu untangled the threads of the situation but did not explain them to Xiao Xiyue. The Demon Dragon remained in the dark, not daring to even breathe loudly. “…Grandmaster?”

“This matter is too complex; it is not something you have the capacity to participate in. You only need to know that your mother’s sacrifice was not solely the High Priestess’s responsibility, but she certainly would have wanted you to live well.” Ji Wu advised her, unwilling to let the dragon die for nothing.

To Ming Xi, the High Priestess was a “good person,” but only to Ming Xi. To everyone else, she was ruthless and certainly no saint.

“Give up revenge?” Xiao Xiyue shook her head. “Then what else can I do?”

“I told you, live well. You’re so brave when it comes to throwing your life away, yet you don’t know how to live?” The Crane Immortal rolled its eyes. “Are you actually sentient?”

“Of course I—Shut up! I don’t need to ‘gain’ sentience! I was born with it!” Xiao Xiyue raised her foot to kick the crane but didn’t dare move impulsively in front of Grandmaster Ji Wu.

“Do not argue.” Ji Wu raised a hand and waved it slightly. “The High Priestess drew the three of us into this Resentment Dream probably so I would understand the truth of the ambush eight years ago.”

Since Ji Wu was now in a contract with Ming Xi, the High Priestess had no reason to harm her. She likely needed Ji Wu to cooperate with her next move.

The move to fully restore Ming Xi’s memories.

In other words, another revival sacrifice.

“I now know the truth, so this dream has largely reached its end. Demon Dragon,” Ji Wu turned to Xiao Xiyue, “if you do not wish to be used for the sacrificial array, use the Xihua to leave immediately once we are out. Do not look back.”

Xiao Xiyue was indecisive. “I…”

“You cannot kill her, and killing her is meaningless.” Ji Wu spoke plainly. “The Dragon bloodline in your body makes you superior to many demons. Now that Spirit Mountain is unstable, if you can use the Xihua to cultivate, it is your advantage.”

“Then my mother’s death? Who will pay for it?” Xiao Xiyue still couldn’t wrap her head around it.

“Did the lives of the Imperial City’s commoners count as the Spirit Mountain God-Lord’s payment?” Ji Wu simply asked.

In the eyes of most, Ming Xi was already dead. But had the relatives of the Imperial City’s commoners let go of what happened eight years ago? No.

So, what exactly is atonement?

“I don’t understand.” Xiao Xiyue admitted she truly couldn’t figure it out.

If someone killed her mother, she should kill them back. How could that be wrong?

The Crane Immortal, however, was very clear. “Revenge is actually about calming a grudge. It’s about smoothing over the resentment and stagnation in one’s own heart. What you hate is the version of yourself that was powerless back then.”

“…Then, what does ‘evil has its own reward’ mean?”

“It means that good and evil have their own karma. It doesn’t mean you should throw away your life to force that karma to happen.” As Ji Wu spoke, she once again touched the stone wall of the Dragon Palace.

The High Priestess had chosen to build the Resentment Dream in this place for a specific reason.

Ji Wu’s expression turned solemn. “The fairness and karma of this world should be maintained by those who have the ability to maintain them.”

The mural of flowing sea sand froze in an instant. As Ji Wu’s voice fell, the Dragon Palace began to collapse.

the fresh, tranquil surroundings vanished, and along with them, the silly Crane Immortal disappeared.

Xiao Xiyue didn’t have time to ponder Ji Wu’s words; she just instinctively panicked again. “What now?”

“The resentment dissipates and the dream breaks. The Nightmare Demon has the answer she needed.” Ji Wu explained briefly, then warned the dragon once more, “Do not struggle further. Leave immediately once you are out. Do you understand?”

Her words were powerful and left no room for doubt. Xiao Xiyue could only comply, unable to muster any spirit to argue.

Ji Wu ignored her, waiting for the Dragon Palace illusion to shatter so she could return to reality to see the person she needed to see, pay the debt she owed, and preside over the justice she was meant to uphold.

Ding-ling, ding-ling.

The sound of the bells on the sacrificial stage echoed in her ears again. Around her, there was the chaotic shouting and bickering of the guests.

“Down.”

Ji Wu heard a crisp voice lazily cast out. The volume wasn’t high, but the effect was immediate.

Whether it was the out-of-control spirit beasts or the startled guests, everyone fell silent in an instant, prostrating themselves on the ground, not daring to make another sound.

Ming Xi had one hand pressed on the table in front of her, leaning forward slightly. She looked up with half-closed eyes, watching Ji Wu, who had just emerged from the Resentment Dream.

She spoke a single phrase: “I trust you have been well, Grandmaster.”