The Aloof Master Relies on This Cat's Kisses to Survive - Chapter 7

Dream Talk of the East Street

In the demon registers of Spirit Mountain, the most formidable of all was undoubtedly the Lord of Spirit Mountain. That went without saying.

However, once the title “Spirit Mountain Lord” was spoken aloud, the thoughts in Dongfang Qianyao’s heart were entirely different from those of Ming Xi.

That evil creature was executed long ago… wasn’t it?

Dongfang Qianyao stole a glance at Ji Wu.

Dongfang Qianyao had always firmly believed the claim that Grandmaster Ji Wu had killed the Spirit Mountain Lord on that rainy night eight years ago. If not for the sudden revival of Spirit Mountain recently, she wouldn’t have harbored a shred of doubt.

“But…”

But now, she wasn’t so sure. She wanted to ask Ji Wu—wanted to ask this legendary genius senior who was said to have been among those laying siege back then—but Dongfang Qianyao was afraid of being offensive.

Sister Ji Wu’s health had always been poor, and lately, she couldn’t even manage to gather spiritual energy. It was all because the injuries she sustained back then were too severe.

Bringing up old matters might only invite sorrow; it was better to let it be.

Dongfang Qianyao shook her head. “With Spirit Mountain awakening recently, there are bound to be many rumors claiming that the evil beast’s spirit refuses to die and is secretly being reborn somewhere.”

She lowered her voice. “This matter is not yet settled. Junior Sister, do not ask further, and do not discuss it idly with our peers, lest you be scolded by the elders, understood?”

“Mm.” Ming Xi nodded obediently, then turned and nudged closer to Ji Wu. “I’m just scared hearing about it. That Spirit Mountain Lord killed so many people. If she’s really still alive, won’t she stir up more storms of blood?”

Then I must protect my Master even better!

“I heard that the Spirit Mountain Lord isn’t actually bloodthirsty; she’s just very…” Dongfang Qianyao looked at Ji Wu again as she spoke, terrified of upsetting her.

But Ji Wu remained expressionless. She merely took a side step to avoid Ming Xi, yet she unexpectedly joined the conversation: “Yes, she isn’t bloodthirsty.”

“She just likes excitement, and she doesn’t mind if people bleed in the midst of that excitement.”

Strictly speaking, that evil creature did not enjoy slaughter. Ji Wu always judged matters objectively rather than personally; she conceded that the Spirit Mountain Lord was not a murderous demon.

However, this rebellious beast was extremely fond of commotion and didn’t mind if things got messy. If a commotion became too difficult to end, she would even step in to “helpfully” wrap things up.

Or rather, calling it “wrapping things up” wasn’t accurate. When Ming Xi acted, it was a total clearance of the field.

She didn’t care about the cause or who was right or wrong. When she grew impatient, she would simply level everything in sight.

Unprincipled and entirely indifferent—this kind of wild creature that existed outside of all expectations was the most terrifying.

“Hiss~ Blood.”

And this rebellious beast, whom no one had been able to subdue for centuries, now only knew how to tuck in her neck and play weak. “I’m most afraid of blood.”

As she spoke, she huddled closer to Ji Wu. “I’ve been easily frightened since I was little. I can’t stand the sight of red. Over time, I’ve even become terrified of hearing the word ‘blood.’ Senior Sister, protect me.”

Ji Wu shot her a cold look.

Claiming to fear blood, yet her hands still bore the blood of the Nian Demon.

Even her face was splashed with a dot of crimson, resting right against the mole at the corner of her eye. It was hard to see clearly in the rainy mist, but Ji Wu had noticed it long ago.

Because that speck of scarlet hadn’t been washed away by the rain; the blood of a Nian Demon happened to be impossible to dissolve—just like human obsessions, difficult to unravel or extinguish.

“You two head back first.”

Ji Wu already had a general idea of how to reconstruct the formation, so she dismissed the other two.

Dongfang Qianyao’s perception of the anomaly wasn’t wrong. There was indeed something more dangerous than Nian Demons or Sleep-talking Ghosts emerging from the mountain, and Ji Wu wanted to handle it alone.

The rain began to slacken, but the temperature dropped further.

“Sister Ji Wu, are you going to that street?” Dongfang Qianyao followed, worried.

She knew Sister Ji Wu was frail. Back when Ji Wu lived at her family home, she rarely ventured out. Now that she had come to the Xuanling Sect for the sake of the formation, Dongfang Qianyao felt she should look after her.

Ming Xi also chased after them, standing on Ji Wu’s other side. “Oh, oh! Is Senior Sister going there? I was just heading that way too. Let’s go together.”

Ji Wu frowned and remained silent, simply walking forward.

The East Street where the incident occurred was very close to the foot of the mountain. The moment Ji Wu stepped into it, she knew something was wrong.

The small street seemed perfectly normal.

The usual twenty or so stalls were set up; the usual twenty or so people were hawking their wares; the lights were as bright as usual.

The joy was as normal as ever.

But this street had clearly just been slaughtered by the Nian Demon.

“Sister Ji Wu…” Even though Dongfang Qianyao hadn’t been here before, she could sense the eeriness beneath the peace and joy of this place.

Ji Wu scanned the unique stalls of the small street and stopped in front of the only one without a vendor.

She reached out and picked up a pearl flower hairpin.

It was the very one Ming Xi had chosen earlier.

It had a deep blue base with a hint of gold foil. The material wasn’t precious—just dyed sandstone—but the craftsmanship was excellent, showing that the maker had put a lot of heart into it.

The small table without a vendor seemed a bit cold. Ming Xi reached out and took a candy—the same kind the little vendor girl had given her before.

Only this time, the candy had no taste.

At the same time, Ji Wu used the hairpin in her hand to prick her own finger. A crimson bead of blood welled up, but there was no pain at all.

They had no sense of taste here, nor any sense of pain.

This was a dream.

Only the master of the dream could control the five senses, and Ji Wu and Ming Xi were clearly intruders.

“Eek!” Ming Xi obviously knew best, yet she acted completely oblivious. She held Ji Wu’s hand with an expression of intense heartache. “Senior Sister, how could you be so careless? Hoo, hoo~”

She leaned down, and that unique spicy-sweet scent wafted into Ji Wu’s nose once again.

“Don’t touch me,” Ji Wu said very sternly. “Now is not the time for playing.”

The fact that she could smell the scent on Ming Xi meant that, in an instant, she had been moved from the sleep-talking realm of the East Street vendors to somewhere else.

This rebellious beast had indeed recovered well, to be able to embed another dream within someone else’s so quickly.

“But Master is hurt.” Ming Xi held Ji Wu’s hand as if it were a treasure.

“It’s fine in a dream,” Ji Wu replied.

Even in the real world, it was just a pricked finger; there was no need for such tension.

Ji Wu pulled her hand back and tucked it behind her waist. “Don’t do this in the future. You and I are not in a relationship where we can touch so casually.”

“Then is Master in that kind of relationship with the pretty sister?” Ming Xi asked.

She hadn’t brought Dongfang Qianyao into this dream-within-a-dream, so their current conversation could only be heard and seen by each other.

“She is a junior I hold in high regard,” Ji Wu answered truthfully. She would need to rely on this distant young relative of the clan to repair the formation later.

Unfortunately, in Ming Xi’s ears, only the words “high regard” registered.

High regard? Huh?

Master actually has her eye on that human?!

The cat was extremely unhappy!

Ming Xi, who had originally intended to use that tiny finger injury to shamelessly cling to Ji Wu in the dream, instantly lost her appetite for it. She was a noble kitty with temper and dignity.

“Why does Master treat me like this? Where has Ming Xi made Master weary?” Ming Xi puffed out her cheeks in anger. “What does she do well? Is she better than Ming Xi? Is it the fingers? Ming Xi is already learning!”

She had forgotten how to use human hands; wouldn’t she get the hang of it after using them a few more times!

Ji Wu’s face flushed with anger. “Don’t be so absurd!”

“It’s Master who is being unfaithful, and yet I’m not allowed to speak? What’s wrong with Ming Xi? Ming Xi worries so much about Master, even accompanying Master out in the rain, yet you say someone else is good. I’m very sad.” Ming Xi pouted again, putting on that pitiful, aggrieved look.

She already had large, watery eyes; when they turned red and she stared straight at Ji Wu like that, how could Ji Wu stand it?

The Grandmaster’s tone softened instantly. “…I told you, you don’t need to mind me. You can go back right now; you don’t have to be involved with me anymore.”

“Hmph, then Master is too heartless. You coaxed Ming Xi into a marriage contract, only to turn around and discard me? How can there be such a thing?”

Ming Xi was so angry that her hidden whiskers were trembling. “Hmph~”

“The matter of the contract was not led by me. Don’t use your amnesia as an excuse to make wild guesses.” Ji Wu remained somewhat rational, but she had never been good at arguing. She could only shake her head helplessly. “The reasons behind it will become clear in time.”

“I naturally know I’m not some domestic guardian beast.” Ming Xi lifted her chin quite disdainfully.

As she spoke, she leaned forward until the tip of her nose almost brushed against Ji Wu’s. “Master, do you really think I can’t remember clearly?”