The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 29.2

Her demeanor inexplicably made Zhang Wei nervous. He didn’t understand in terms of appearance, his master was truly exceptional, with gentle peach-blossom eyes that now seemed chillingly indifferent. Even in the heat of midsummer, it sent shivers down his spine.

“Master, please speak. I will hold nothing back and tell you everything I know.”

“It’s nothing major, no need to be nervous.” Yuan Shao poured herself a cup of tea, pretending to ask casually, “I just want to know yesterday, my disciple and that person surnamed Wei spoke for a long time in the room. Were you nearby at the time?”

Zhang Wei scratched his ear. A long time? It didn’t seem like they said much at all.

But meeting Yuan Shao’s gaze, he swallowed those words and quickly nodded. “Yes, I know. Do you want to know what they talked about?”

“Since A-Nian doesn’t want me to know, I won’t pry.” Yuan Shao picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Yet, long after she finished speaking, Yuan Shao didn’t continue. Instead, she glanced at Zhang Wei from time to time.

Each glance grew colder than the last.

Zhang Wei sighed helplessly. Humans are so troublesome! If you want to ask something, why not just say it outright instead of beating around the bush like this?

Having lived for so many years, how could he not see through Yuan Shao’s intentions? So he continued on his own, “Ah, you know, yesterday, even though that girl hung the two of us from a rope and acted all fierce, she wasn’t like that with Young Master Wei! She,”

Before Zhang Wei could finish, there was a loud thud as Yuan Shao slammed her teach down onto the table, the impact even jolting Zhang Wei into bouncing slightly.

Zhang Wei quickly changed his tone, “She was even more unfriendly to that guy surnamed Wei!”

With a single sentence, Yuan Shao’s expression softened considerably. She picked up her teacup again, blew on the tea inside, and listened as Zhang Wei continued.

Zhang Wei wiped the cold sweat from the side of his face. This master seemed even-tempered on the surface, but he hadn’t expected her to be so volatile deep down. To cater to his master’s preferences, he decided to summarize the key points of what he had witnessed yesterday.

“Master, the gist of that girl’s conversation with Young Master Wei was to tell him to stay away from you. Actually, every sentence she spoke was about you.” Seeing Yuan Shao’s expression soften slightly, Zhang Wei decided to strike while the iron was hot: “She said that as long as she’s around, no one would be allowed to cause you trouble! That Wei fellow even asked her why.”

“Oh? What did she say?”

“She said she didn’t have any particular reason it was simply because you’re Yuan Shao.” Zhang Wei’s eyes shifted as he decided to embellish Chi Jinian’s words from yesterday: “She also said that no one is allowed to touch the person she holds dear in her heart! Not even her own father!”

“She really said that?”

Zhang Wei quickly nodded.

In an instant, Yuan Shao’s face transformed from its previous indifference to the warmth of spring. The corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably, and the aura around her became gentle and mild.

Zhang Wei couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief: Ah, being a spiritual beast these days is truly difficult.

However, the smile on her face didn’t last long before Yuan Shao’s lips returned to their usual calm. She gently rubbed the teacup in her hand back and forth.

She knew that her little apprentice’s home was here. As for the Evergreen Sect, to A’Nian, it might not feel like home at all.

If she were to ask A’Nian to leave her home and return with her to that place filled with unpleasant memories. would A’Nian be willing?

At this thought, Yuan Shao set down her teacup and dismissed Zhang Wei.

Alone once more, she took out that bracelet again, gazing at it quietly, lost in thought: A’Nian, today I’ll let you choose once more. Once you’ve made your choice, you can’t go back on it.

Chi Jinnian had been wandering near the Peach Blossom Spring for a long time, but she simply didn’t dare to enter.

Chi Lin wanted to see Yuan Shao, using the Condensed Jade Elixir as leverage she couldn’t refuse. Yet, she had no idea how to broach the subject with Yuan Shao.

Recalling this morning, Chi Jinnian had stared at Chi Lin in shock: “Why do you want to have a meal with her! Are you planning to extract her core now?”

Chi Lin clenched his fist and coughed lightly against his lips: “Ahem, Nian Nian, your father would like to, but does Yuan Shao even have a core for me to extract right now?”

Chi Jinnian shook her head.

Chi Lin continued: “Exactly because she doesn’t have a core that I need to give her a push to help her form her inner core quickly so I can extract it!”

Chi Jinnian:

Snapping back to reality, Chi Jinnian realized she had unconsciously circled the entrance of the Peach Blossom Spring once again.

Ah, she truly didn’t want Yuan Shao to face any danger, but she also genuinely hoped that Yuan Shao could establish her foundation soon and return to the Upper Cultivation Realm.

Chi Lin had said that as long as she brought Yuan Shao back, he would guarantee her safe departure, allowing her to return peacefully to the Evergreen Sect. Chi Lin had even sworn an oath to that effect. An oath from the Demon Lord was no small matter.

But Chi Jinnian just,

“Master!” Before she could finish her thought, Li Tao was leaning against the gate: “Why aren’t you coming in? We’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

“We?”

“Yeah.” Li Tao nodded. “Me, my second uncle, and Immortal Master Yuan.”

Chi Jinnian:

“So Master knows I’m back too!”

“Of course, I can sense your presence. As soon as you approached, I went to inform Master Yuan!” Li Tao’s voice carried a hint of pride, as if he were seeking praise from Chi Jinnian. He waved her in, saying, “Hurry inside! Master Yuan has been waiting for you for a long time!”

Chi Jinnian pursed her lips and shot Li Tao a sidelong glance, wondering whose spirit beast he truly was.

Though reluctant, Chi Jinnian had no choice but to enter. Just as she reached Yuan Shao’s door, it swung open on its own.

“Finally decided to come in?” Yuan Shao regarded her calmly, her expression unreadable.

Chi Jinnian shuffled into the room but refused to step further, lingering by the doorway and staring fixedly at the grayish-blue floor tiles.

“Why are you standing there?” Yuan Shao asked, seeing that Chi Jinnian wouldn’t approach. If she wouldn’t come closer, then Yuan Shao would have to go to her.

But as Yuan Shao moved toward her, Chi Jinnian instinctively took half a step back.

That small gesture froze Yuan Shao in place. “What’s wrong?”

Just last night, everything had been fine. How had a single trip home turned her back into this state?

“Master,” Chi Jinnian hesitated for a long moment before mustering the courage to step forward. “I, I have something to tell you.”

“Hmm.” Yuan Shao bent down, placing her hands on Chi Jinnian’s shoulders and bringing her face level with her disciple’s. Even so, Chi Jinnian kept her gaze firmly fixed on the ground, refusing to meet her eyes.

After a long pause, Chi Jinnian finally spoke. “Master, my father, my father wants to see you.”

Chi Jinnian had no choice. Chi Lin had made it clear that if she didn’t bring Yuan Shao to him, he had other means to capture her.

Yuan Shao watched her young disciple hesitate for so long, only to bring up this matter. She gently lifted Chi Jinnian’s chin, forcing her to look at her.

“Ah Nian, do you want me to go?” Yuan Shao asked.

Chi Jinnian neither nodded nor shook her head, only saying, “Master, my father is a merchant. Rather than me studying cultivation in the Upper Realm, he’d prefer me to inherit the family business.”

“So, Ah Nian, do you want me to go?” Yuan Shao ignored the multitude of reasons Chi Jinnian offered, persistently seeking her true feelings.

After a long silence, Chi Jinnian finally met Yuan Shao’s gaze. “How about… Master, could you make the trip? I promise I’ll bring you back safely before nightfall.”

Yuan Shao paid no mind to her words. Instead, she took Chi Jinnian’s right hand and placed something cool in her palm. “See if you like it.”

Yuan Shao smiled. “I heard you like bracelets. Since you pawned the last one, your master got you a replacement. Do you like it?”

Chi Jinnian raised her hand and saw a bracelet resting in her palm. At the front of the bracelet hung a water mirror orb and a small golden bell.

She recognized the crystal orb it was a water mirror. But the bell.

“Master, what is this bell for?” Chi Jinnian lifted the bracelet and shook it gently, but the bell made no sound.

Yuan Shao ignored her question and said instead, “If you like it, try it on.”

Chi Jinnian examined the bracelet. It was perfectly sized for her wrist. The bracelet was translucent and exquisite, clearly far more valuable than the one she had pawned.

It was quite beautiful.

Chi Jinnian slipped the bracelet onto her wrist. As she gently swayed her hand, the bell began to emit a light, melodious chime, pleasant to the ear.

Unbeknownst to her, as the bell chimed, the hairpin in Yuan Shao’s hair glowed faintly, as if responding to some signal.

Receiving the gift from Yuan Shao, Chi Jinxi’s gloom from the entire day was instantly swept away. It proved that her efforts during this time hadn’t been in vain Yuan Shao truly regarded her as a disciple.

Perhaps, when Yuan Shao’s memories returned, she might spare Chi Jinxi’s life out of consideration for the time they had spent together.

“Thank you, Master. I really like it it’s beautiful.” Chi Jinxi gazed at the bracelet, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

“As long as you like it.” Yuan Shao gently ruffled her hair and explained, “This palace bell since your senior brother has one, and you are also my disciple, you should have one too.”

Chi Jinxi: !

A palace bell! In the original story, this object shared the same spiritual energy as Yuan Shao. When she and Su Tingxi couldn’t find each other, they would use magic to connect through the palace bell to locate one another.

Chi Jinxi looked at the bracelet on her wrist. So, this was essentially a GPS tracker!

Feeling uneasy, she tried to take the bracelet off. “It’s too precious, Master. I can’t accept this.” But no matter how hard she tried, it was useless the bracelet clung to her like a magnet, impossible to remove.

Yuan Shao chuckled softly, a faint, ambiguous glint in her eyes. “This is just like my jade hairpin. Consider it a pact formed with you. It recognizes you and won’t come off easily.”