The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 12

With her debts cleared, Chi Jinnian felt a bit more at ease. Before bed, Caiyue applied osmanthus oil to the ends of her hair, and the soothing floral scent helped her sleep relatively peacefully.

Until a figure in pristine white appeared in her dreams.

In the dream, she found herself in the palace of the demon realm, surrounded by endless flames. The wind not only fanned the fire but also lifted Yuan Shao’s robes as she stood there, a long sword in hand, its tip pointed directly at Chi Jinnian’s neck. Yuan Shao uttered the most clichéd lines: “You’ve tarnished my reputation, ruined my cultivation, and committed every evil deed. Today, I shall mete out justice in Heaven’s name!”

Chi Jinnian was stunned, frozen in place, murmuring, “Master”

“Silence!” The title “Master” seemed to enrage Yuan Shao further. The flames around them flared higher as veins bulged at her temples. “You dare call me Master? You’re unworthy!”

With that, she swung the sword down.

A scream tore from Chi Jinnian’s throat as she jolted awake.

Her chest heaved violently, and only after confirming her neck was still intact did she wipe the sweat from her forehead.

It was just a dream,but being struck down by Yuan Shao’s own sword… that was indeed Chi Jinnian’s fate in the original story.

She patted her chest, relieved that things hadn’t reached that point yet. She had to cling tightly to Yuan Shao’s coattails. Before Yuan Shao returned to the Upper Cultivation Realm, Chi Jinnian needed to ensure everything was arranged perfectly. That way, when the final showdown came and Yuan Shao stormed back into the demon realm, she might still have a sliver of hope for survival.

Suddenly, Chi Jinnian recalled Yuan Shao’s recent “rejection” of her. No, she had to do something,she needed to properly coax this woman whose golden finger defied the heavens. She quickly got up, dressed, freshened up briefly, and hurried out.

As she opened the door, she nearly collided with Caiyue, who was bringing breakfast. “Oh? You’re up so early, where are you off to?”

Without time for explanations, Chi Jinnian grabbed a pastry from Caiyue’s tray and tossed out, “Don’t wait for me for dinner tonight!” before dashing off.

Once again, Chi Jinnian was the one knocking on the door of Yihui Hall. The shopkeeper, sporting dark circles like a panda’s, unlatched the door. At the sight of Chi Jinnian, he swallowed the yawn halfway through and replaced it with a beaming smile. “I was just about to send someone to fetch you, Young Mistress! Who’d have thought you’d grace us with your presence in person!”

“Fetch me? What’s the matter?” Chi Jinnian asked suspiciously. “Did yesterday’s sales not go well?”

At the mention of yesterday, the shopkeeper’s dark circles seemed to brighten with excitement. He waved his hands dismissively. “How could that be? I told you, with the Young Mistress taking charge, success was guaranteed! Yesterday, our shop was swamped with orders! Not only did we clear out our stock, but we’re booked solid for the next six months! All thanks to you!”

As he spoke, the shopkeeper guided Chi Jinnian to a private room on the third floor.

Yihui Hall had a rule: the more distinguished the guest, the higher the floor they were received on. The first floor catered to casual customers, the second to those with modest wealth, and the third judging by its lavish decor, was clearly reserved for the most esteemed patrons.

As soon as she reached the third floor, the wooden floor beneath her feet was covered by a thick carpet. The first thing that caught her eye was a waterfall-like curtain of water, beneath which seven crystal beads spun continuously under the cascading flow. There were no lamps or candlesticks here; instead, the lighting issue was ingeniously resolved with pearls of varying sizes. The tables, chairs, and benches were all made of green jade, and even the tea-drinking utensils were crafted from colored glass, refracting light into seven hues.

At a glance, it was unmistakably a VIP reception area!

Chi Jinnian sat on a chair and waited for the old shopkeeper for a while. When he returned, he was holding a tray with several spirit stone notes and an exquisitely crafted pouch.

The old shopkeeper presented the tray with a smile. “Young Master must have been exhausted yesterday. These are but small tokens of my appreciation. I hope you’ll accept them graciously.”

Chi Jinnian briefly flipped through the spirit stone notes quite a sum.

The old shopkeeper picked up the pouch and held it in his palm. “Young Master, this storage pouch can hold a hundred items. It’s also a token of my gratitude.”

“What’s this for…?”

“I was thinking, could you come up with a few more ideas like yesterday’s? If we could have such events occasionally, our shop would never worry about sales again!” With that, the old shopkeeper clasped his hands in a respectful gesture. “Of course, I wouldn’t let you shoulder this burden for nothing. I’m willing to share forty percent of the profits with you, in hopes of continuing our collaboration.”

Ah, so that’s what this was about. Chi Jinnian was earning her keep with her skills, so she saw no reason to decline and accepted the gifts. But as for the storage pouch…

“One storage pouch is enough.” Chi Jinnian tried to return one, but the old shopkeeper stopped her.

“The other one is for the young gentleman who collaborated with you. It’s a small token from our shop. I hope you’ll take it to him as a gesture of my sincerity.” The shopkeeper poured two cups of tea and handed one to Chi Jinnian.

Chi Jinnian raised an eyebrow. Since it was for Yuan Shao, she wouldn’t stand on ceremony.

But she hadn’t forgotten the purpose of her early morning visit and didn’t rush to put away the storage pouches.

“Speaking of which, Young Master, coming here so early, do you have new ideas to discuss with our shop?” The shopkeeper lifted his teacup to his lips.

“Oh, not exactly. I came to buy some things!”

The tea that had just reached his throat somehow surged back up, sending the shopkeeper into a coughing fit likely a subconscious muscle reaction to hearing the word “buy” from Chi Jinnian’s mouth.

As if reading his mind, Chi Jinnian reassured him, “Don’t panic, Shopkeeper. I really mean buy!” With that, she pulled out the stack of spirit stone notes she’d just received. “See?”

The shopkeeper took out a handkerchief to wipe the tea stains from his chin before finally composing himself. “You honor me too much, Young Master.”

Leaving Yi Hui Hall, Chi Jinnian carried two storage pouches. One was filled with rouge and cosmetics, the other with various fragrances.

Chi Jinnian thought to herself, no girl could resist beauty or fragrance. As long as these items could shift Yuan Shao’s attitude toward her even slightly, she’d consider it a victory.

Her heart light with anticipation, her steps grew even more buoyant. The gates of Taoyuan were already in sight, and she wondered what Yuanshao might be doing inside perhaps still deep in meditation, cultivating her spiritual practice. Just how far had her cultivation progressed?

But just as she was about to step onto the threshold, a mere five paces away, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Young Mistress seems quite happy. Could it be because you’re here to see… Yuanshao?”

The voice was icy, the tone laced with a provocative upward lilt. Chi Jinnian turned to see Wei Yang standing there.

This persistent nuisance, why was he here again?

“What are you talking about? Who’s Yuanshao?”

“The one you’ve been hiding away in your golden cage, isn’t she Yuanshao, the elder from the Evergreen Sect of the Upper Cultivation Realm, residing at Jade Purity Peak? Or has the Young Mistress, in her lofty status, forgotten even the identity of the person she’s concealed?”

Hearing Wei Yang tear through the thin veil of secrecy, Chi Jinnian’s eyes darkened as she scrutinized him. “So? What do you want?”

“Don’t be so hasty, Young Mistress. You might not yet know yesterday, I mentioned that outside our demon realm’s barrier, a wounded weasel was hobbling around on a crutch, stinking up the place. I had my men capture it, and that foul-mouthed creature kept cursing. Care to guess who it was cursing?”

“Spit it out if you have something to say! Stop dancing around the point!” Chi Jinnian’s patience had worn thin.

“Fine, I’ll be direct.” A sly smirk curled Wei Yang’s lips. “I want Yuanshao. Hand her over to me, and we’ll call it even. The past stays buried. How about it?”

“Absolutely not!” Chi Jinnian refused outright. “Go find somewhere else to loiter! Stay away from here! If you’re so eager to prove yourself, why don’t you deal with the intruders near the Water Mirror in the west? What’s the point of watching me all day? And don’t say I didn’t warn you crossing Yuanshao won’t end well!”

“Tch. You said the same thing last time.” Wei Yang scoffed. “In the end, you just want to hog the credit for capturing Yuanshao, don’t you? Keeping all the glory for yourself! Spouting these flimsy excuses, how utterly hypocritical!”

Seeing no room for negotiation, Wei Yang wasted no more words and lunged for Taoyuan’s gates. Chi Jinnian swiftly blocked his path, throwing her full weight into shoving him against the wall. The impact of his armor against the stone sent a deafening clang reverberating through the air.

The noise startled a flock of sparrows from the nearby trees and also caught the attention of Yuanshao inside.

Recognizing the commotion as coming from Taoyuan’s entrance, Yuanshao lifted the hem of her robe and hurried toward the gate.

Just as she was about to round the screen wall, the conversation at the entrance froze her in place.

One voice was unfamiliar a man’s. The other, she recognized instantly it was her little disciple.

“Chi Jinnian!” the man bellowed. “Do you even know who she is? Have you forgotten how she treated you?”

It was common knowledge that Chi Jinnian had feelings for Su Tingxi, and the “mentor-disciple bond” between Su Tingxi and Yuanshao was no secret either. So Wei Yang couldn’t help but wonder, what madness had possessed Chi Jinnian to risk her life protecting her own rival in love?!

“Of course I know!” Chi Jinnian retorted: “She’s Yuan Shao, the most renowned immortal master of the Upper Cultivation Realm, the future prodigy! And she’s also my shifu!”

Chi Jinnian spread her arms wide, blocking Wei Yang who was trying to charge inside, firmly standing guard before the gates of Taoyuan. “I will protect her! No matter who comes, unless you step over my dead body, don’t even think about taking half a step through this gate!” Chi Jinnian thought to herself after all, as the young mistress, Wei Yang wouldn’t dare act recklessly.

“You took her as your master?” Wei Yang let out a mocking laugh: “Chi Jinnian, do you even know what you’re saying?”

The young mistress of the demon realm, apprenticed to the Beacon of Righteousness had Chi Jinnian truly run out of plausible excuses?

Becoming her disciple? If he believed such nonsense, he’d be a fool!

Meanwhile, behind the screen wall, Yuan Shao listened to the conversation outside. Beneath her plain white sleeves, her slender hands were clenched tightly into fists behind her back.