The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 27.1

There were four people in the room two men and two women.

One of the women was suspended midair, her cheeks flushed crimson from the steam of the hot oil below. The other was tied to a pillar, her eyes glistening as she stared intently at the woman in red across from her.

As for the two men, their faces were as red as pig livers, each more flushed and expressive than the other.

For a moment, the air grew eerily silent. It was Chi Jinnian who finally broke the silence.

“Ahem, Young Master Wei, perhaps you should take my advice for now. Recruiting followers isn’t something to rush you need to plan carefully.”

With the silence broken, the awkward tension eased slightly. Wei Yang and Su Tingxi each turned their faces away, ignoring one another.

But Wei Yang knew in his heart that he still had a mission assigned by the Demon Lord Chi Lin. He didn’t trust Chi Jinnian. In his eyes, she was merely trying to monopolize the glory of both Yuan Shao and Su Tingxi.

“Shut up! My affairs are none of your concern!” Wei Yang snapped at Chi Jinnian.

Unfazed, Chi Jinnian maintained a pleasant tone. “Oh, Young Master Wei, don’t be so hot-headed. Think about it no matter what, Young Master Su is still a man. And who in this world understands men best?”

Wei Yang shook his head.

Chi Jinnian declared, “Of course, it’s women who understand men best!”

Su Tingxi: “?”

“Chi Jinnian! That’s not what you said before!” Just last night, Chi Jinnian had told Su Tingxi that women understand women best, yet now she had changed her tune. Su Tingxi felt deceived.

But Chi Jinnian, breaking from her usual gentle and submissive demeanor, scolded Su Tingxi instead. “You shut up! If you can’t even help with your own strategies, don’t go nitpicking here!”

Su Tingxi: “…”

Chi Jinnian turned back and continued, “So, if you want to win someone over, you have to understand them first cater to their preferences!”

Wei Yang actually took her words to heart. Since Chi Jinnian had managed to hide both Su Tingxi and Yuan Shao, she must have some understanding of Su Tingxi. He planted his hands on his hips and demanded, “Go on!”

“Go on with what?” Chi Jinnian scoffed, turning her face away. “You should check your attitude! Is this how you ask for help? I’m tied up here my mind isn’t working as fast. I can’t think of much! Besides, aren’t you trying to recruit him? This is no way to win people over! If every shopkeeper recruited like this, they’d all starve!”

Seeing that she wanted him to release her, Wei Yang snorted coldly. “Chi Jinnian, do you take me for a fool? If I let you go, what leverage would I have over him?”

“Then let me ask you after keeping me tied up for so long, have you seen him show any sign of agreeing?” Chi Jinnian retorted bluntly. “So, your method is wrong! And you still refuse to change! Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Heed advice and you’ll eat your fill’?”

Truth be told, Wei Yang didn’t dare to actually harm Chi Jinnian. Most of his actions were driven by the urge to vent his frustration. By now, he had already intimidated Chi Jinnian twice that was probably enough.

After all, Chi Lin was still around, and Wei Yang wouldn’t really throw Chi Jinnian into the oil pot.

Besides, Chi Jinnian was offering him advice now, so he might as well take the opportunity to step down and have her released. With a wave of his arm, he signaled the fat and thin lackeys in the corner to untie Chi Jinnian.

Chi Jinnian’s feet finally touched the ground again, bringing an indescribable sense of solidity. She raised her hands, signaling for someone to untie the ropes binding her, but Wei Yang refused: “Didn’t you say you’d use your mouth? I think it’s just fine like this!”

Last time, Chi Jinnian had used rouge to blind his eyes. This time, he wasn’t sure if she was up to some trick again, so keeping her tied felt safer.

“Tch, how stingy!” Seeing that Wei Yang remained unmoved, Chi Jinnian simply walked over to Yuan Shao, carefully examining her: “Master, are you alright?”

Yuan Shao gently shook her head: “What about you? Were you hurt earlier? Did you get burned?”

Chi Jinnian didn’t answer Yuan Shao’s question. Instead, she abruptly asked out of nowhere: “Master, before the fireworks tonight, everyone around was actually watching us. Did you know that?”

The sudden mention of this left Yuan Shao bewildered. She stared blankly at her little disciple, only to see Chi Jinnian suddenly smile: “So, Master, aside from the little mishap with the floating lanterns, did you like the fireworks tonight?”

Chi Jinnian stared intently at Yuan Shao, a smile on her face, her bright almond-shaped eyes blinking repeatedly as she asked again: “Master, did you like the fireworks tonight?”

She emphasized the word “fireworks” deliberately.

As if understanding Chi Jinnian’s implication, Yuan Shao nodded. “I liked them. I will always remember what I saw tonight.”

Seeing Yuan Shao nod, Chi Jinnian smiled as well. But Wei Yang, standing behind them, grew impatient: “Hey, hey, hey! That’s enough from you two! There are other people here, you know!”

Only then did Chi Jinnian rise from beside Yuan Shao: “What’s the rush? We’ve already been at this for almost the entire night, what’s a little more time to you!”

Chi Jinnian snorted coldly, took two steps forward, and deliberately cleared her throat: “Oh, if you want to win people over, it’s not that hard. Just ask directly!” With that, she turned and called out to Su Tingxi: “Hey!”

Su Tingxi glared at Chi Jinnian.

Chi Jinnian acted as if she didn’t see the murderous intent in Su Tingxi’s eyes and directly asked: “Speak up! What are your conditions for becoming his subordinate?”

He had originally thought Chi Jinnian had come around and would help him, but now it seemed she was the type to push those around her into danger when trouble arose. “Why don’t you go! Aren’t you Master’s disciple too? You go serve him!”

“He doesn’t want me! He specifically asked for you now. Hurry up, stop wasting time, and state your conditions. Let’s settle this quickly! Don’t tell me you still think you can escape now!” Chi Jinnian snorted coldly: “Can you even use your spiritual power? Not only are you trapped here, but you’ve dragged Master down with you. Tsk, tsk, how could Master take on a disciple like you!”

Wei Yang, standing to the side, was in no hurry now. After all, the people were already in his grasp, and with the Immortal-Binding Ropes, they couldn’t escape. Compared to watching someone submit to him, Wei Yang was clearly more interested in watching them turn on each other.

However, he failed to notice that behind Chi Jinnian, partially obscured, Yuan Shao’s arms were subtly shifting up and down within the ropes that bound her.

On the other side, Chi Jinnian’s words deeply stung Su Tingxi. His previously eased expression flushed red once more as he shouted, “Chi Jinnian! Are you even fit to say that? Who’s the one who’s truly unworthy don’t you have any idea? I am the master’s disciple; I carry the palace bell of Miaoyan Palace, personally forged and gifted to me by the master. And you! What token of identity do you possess? If anyone is unworthy of being the master’s disciple, it’s certainly not me!”

Hearing this, Yuan Shao, who had been quietly moving, froze for a moment. Then, she heard Chi Jinnian in front of her, voice trembling as if on the verge of tears: “You!”

Chi Jinnian looked utterly aggrieved, tears like broken strings of pearls sliding from the corners of her eyes. Her voice grew louder: “You have the palace bell, you’re impressive, all of you are lofty disciples. I, someone perpetually overlooked, naturally don’t deserve anything personally crafted by the master. But now, who is it that has dragged the master into being trapped here with us? Is it me? It’s you, Su Tingxi!”

From the corner, Wei Yang actually began to clap, nodding in approval. “What a show! I love watching scenes of betrayal the most. Keep it going, keep it going!”

Chi Jinnian sniffled. “I advise you to agree sooner rather than later! If you don’t agree now.”

Su Tingxi turned his face away. “What if I don’t agree?”

At this moment, Wei Yang’s attention also fully focused on Chi Jinnian. “What if you don’t agree? Go on, say it!”

“If you don’t agree.” Chi Jinnian suddenly let out a light laugh. “Then there’s no need to agree at all.”

As soon as the words fell, Chi Jinnian sidestepped to the right. Just then, Yuan Shao, who had just broken free from the Immortal-Binding Rope, sent a silvery-white burst of spiritual energy flying toward Wei Yang. Wei Yang tried to dodge, but it was too late. The energy slammed into him, hurling him backward until he crashed through a table behind him, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

It turned out that Chi Jinnian’s earlier actions were all to distract Wei Yang. Just as Wei Yang had used the fireworks to capture everyone’s attention, she had shielded Yuan Shao behind her. And now, Yuan Shao had used the flint for lighting the lanterns to burn through the knots of the Immortal-Binding Rope, freeing herself.

However, no one knew that earlier that afternoon, while fiddling with the jade bracelet in her room, she had already expended a great deal of spiritual energy. That recent energy ball had drained the color from Yuan Shao’s originally vermilion lips.