The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 35.1

The Sun Ten Thousand!

Chi Jinnian scurried back to Miaoyan Palace in a flash, only to find Yuan Shao and Su Tingxi standing face-to-face in the courtyard. The moment she stepped through the gate, both pairs of eyes landed squarely on her.

Su Tingxi, in particular, looked displeased. After all, Chi Jinnian had promised him just that morning not to interrupt his time with their master, yet here she was, back so soon! His expression soured. “Well, look who’s back already!”

Chi Jinnian couldn’t be bothered to explain. With a major threat looming, priorities had to be sorted.

Just then, disciples from the foot of the mountain arrived, their clamoring voices suggesting they were about to burst through the entrance.

Noticing Chi Jinnian’s uneasy expression, Yuan Shao beckoned her over. “A’Nian, come here.”

Soon after, Yuan Shao spotted her former senior brother, Chengyuan, who cultivated through combat along with several dozen disciples gathered at her palace gates.

“Since you’ve come, Senior Brother, why stand outside?” Yuan Shao observed their hostile expressions and Chi Jinnian’s hurried return, still panting softly behind her, and guessed their purpose. “Now that you’re here, why not come in for some tea?”

Despite Chengyuan and his followers’ aggressive stance, Yuan Shao seemed to ignore their hostile glares. Her demeanor remained as gentle and composed as ever, even instructing Su Tingxi to brew a pot of fine tea. Her words and actions exuded the dignified grace befitting a sect elder.

Yet anyone could see she was trying to find an excuse to send Chi Jinnian away.

“No need!” Chengyuan raised a hand, halting Su Tingxi and Chi Jinnian as they prepared to withdraw. Leading his disciples through the gates of Miaoyan Palace, he declared, “We haven’t come to Yuqing Peak today for tea! We’re here to find someone.”

Yuan Shao smiled faintly. “Oh? My Miaoyan Palace has few occupants. Who might you be looking for?”

Elder Chengyuan made no attempt at politeness, pointing directly at Chi Jinnian. “Her.”

Yuan Shao’s hand, clenched into a fist behind her back, tightened. Instead of summoning Chi Jinnian forward, she shifted two steps to position herself squarely between Chengyuan and the girl. With a calm smile, she replied, “Forgive my disciple’s timidity, Senior Brother. She isn’t accustomed to strangers. If you have business, you may speak with me.”

Chengyuan’s eyes widened at her words. He had heard from his disciples that Yuan Shao had taken a demon realm girl as her disciple but dismissed it as nonsense. Now, however, Yuan Shao was openly acknowledging the girl as her disciple right in front of him.

Had she lost her mind from fever? Even with the mask, the girl’s demonic aura was unmistakable from a distance. That bewitching hair color, what else could she be but a demon!

Chengyuan snorted coldly. “Your disciple? You certainly have peculiar tastes, Junior Sister! Do you even know who she is?”

Unfazed, Yuan Shao maintained her usual composure. “Are you referring to the fact that she comes from the demon realm?”

Hearing Yuan Shao expose her identity so plainly, Chi Jinnian’s heart plummeted.

This is it. Has Yuan Shao regained her memories? Now that she, a demon, had infiltrated the Upper Cultivation Realm and they were knocking at her door, there would be no mercy for her.

Fear surged through her entire being. Chi Jinnian instinctively took two steps back, her hands balling into tight fists behind her, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

“You know she’s a demon, yet you brought her back and even took her as your disciple! What were you thinking!” Cheng Yuan had initially assumed Yuan Shao had some ulterior motive, but he never expected her to openly admit it right in front of him! He stepped forward, examining Yuan Shao’s eyes they were clear and bright, without a trace of confusion, showing no signs of being deranged or possessed. So he added, “Did someone slip you fake liquor while you were out?”

“Senior brother, you jest.” Yuan Shao chuckled lightly. “I know she’s a demon, but when has our Changqing Sect ever imposed restrictions on race when recruiting disciples? Although A’Nian is a demon, she hasn’t done anything wrong. She’s well-behaved and treats me well. I know her nature isn’t evil. As for whom I wish to take as my disciple, I believe I still have the right to decide, don’t you agree, senior brother?”

“But you.” Cheng Yuan’s words caught in his throat.

Indeed, he had no say in whom his junior sister chose as her disciple. Moreover, the Changqing Sect had never imposed racial restrictions on its disciples, but no demon had ever dared to come to the sect seeking apprenticeship! Besides, the pervasive immortal energy here was fundamentally detrimental to a demon’s cultivation. So, they must have some other motive!

“Junior sister, listen to my advice. Having a demon by your side will only bring calamity.” Seeing how protective Yuan Shao was of this demon girl, Cheng Yuan decided to change his approach. “How about this, I find this young lady quite clever. Hand her over to me, and I’ll take her as my disciple. That way, I can keep an eye on her for you. What do you say?”

Although he said this, everyone knew that Cheng Yuan harbored the deepest hatred for demons. His past grievances with Chi Lin had even been adapted into storybooks and widely circulated in the lower cultivation realm.

So, if that little demon girl fell into his hands, she would undoubtedly suffer.

Yuan Shao’s gaze deepened as she looked at Cheng Yuan.

Was he even trying to steal her disciple now? Regardless of his intentions, the mere idea of taking A’Nian away was non-negotiable.

She had gone through so much trouble to bring her back did he really think he could just take her? Absolutely not!

Even as these thoughts raced through her mind, Yuan Shao forced a smile to remain on her face. “If you wish to take her as your disciple, then you must ask A’Nian if she’s willing.”

She reached out and beckoned Chi Jinnian over. “A’Nian, come here.”

Then, right in front of Cheng Yuan, she firmly grasped Chi Jinnian’s right hand, which wore a bracelet. With the movement, the bell on the bracelet emitted a crisp, clear sound. Yuan Shao gazed tenderly at her little disciple, gently tucking the stray strands of hair behind her ear.

“A’Nian, are you willing to go with Elder Cheng Yuan?”

Yuan Shao’s soft, gentle tone was one that none present had ever heard from her before. In their eyes, Elder Qinghua of the Changqing Sect had always been an aloof and solitary figure. Aside from descending the mountain to vanquish evil, she rarely ventured out, seldom engaged in idle chatter, and certainly never joked around with anyone.

In daily life, the person she spoke with the most was likely her disciple, Su Tingxi. The disciples of Shangqing Peak had even privately discussed whether Su Tingxi felt cold having to face such an icy master every day. But then again, Elder Qinghua was exceptionally beautiful being able to apprentice under the number one beauty of the upper cultivation realm, perhaps a little chill was something one could endure.

The disciples occasionally saw her at the New Year’s Eve banquets, sitting alone in a high place, quiet and unspeaking. If someone greeted her, she would nod in acknowledgment, but her smile always carried a sense of detachment.

Yet today, they saw unmistakable tenderness and affection in Yuanshao’s eyes. It was just a question, but she spoke every word with the utmost gentleness, as if a single harsh syllable would shatter the demon girl beside her like glass.

Even more unable to accept this was Chengyuan. Unlike Yaohua from Shangqing Peak, who was a healer and always frowned at everyone as if their lives were about to end, Yaohua spent her days gathering herbs and treating patients, gentle and caring toward all, making even minor injuries seem grave.

But Yuanshao was different. She was a sword cultivator, much like him in her pursuit of the Dao through combat resolute and decisive. Since childhood, he had never seen her show weakness. Once, he witnessed Yaohua treating a wound on Yuanshao’s arm, a crimson gash stretching from shoulder to wrist, yet she never made a sound throughout the entire process.

From that day on, Chengyuan held her in higher regard, believing she was unlike those delicate, fragile girls.

But now, Watching Yuanshao’s attitude as she questioned the demon girl, Chengyuan felt as if a fishbone were stuck in his throat. How had his former junior sister become so indecisive and toward a demon girl, no less!

The stunned expressions of those opposite her were not lost on Chi Jinnian. She knew exactly what they were thinking. Fortunately, in their eyes, she was merely a demon girl. If they discovered she was the daughter of the Demon Lord.

Chi Jinnian edged closer to Yuanshao, her other hand gripping Yuanshao’s arm as she replied in a soft, pleading voice, “Master, I don’t want to.”

Seeing this, Yuanshao’s already gentle expression softened further. She soothingly patted Chi Jinnian’s back, reassuring her not to be afraid she would protect her.

But when Yuanshao turned to Chengyuan, the tenderness on her face vanished in an instant, replaced only by her usual polite smile. “As you can see, Senior Brother, she has already called me Master. I have accepted her as my disciple, and she has received my palace bell. What’s done is done. Surely, Senior Brother would not take away what I hold dear?”

The disciples behind Elder Chengyuan rubbed their ears in disbelief. Had they heard correctly? Elder Qinghua seemed to have said, “take away what I hold dear”! Immediately, they all cast pitying glances at Su Tingxi, whose face had turned ashen.

Su Tingxi was already dissatisfied with Yuanshao’s distant attitude toward him. Even if Chi Jinnian was also his master’s disciple, he could clearly feel that the scales in Yuanshao’s heart were not tilted in his favor not even balanced.

That alone was bad enough, but he was Yuanshao’s disciple! Now, all the kindness, gentleness, and affection Yuanshao showed Chi Jinnian felt stolen from him.

Just yesterday, Yuanshao had abruptly left during a meal, and he thought he might seize the opportunity to draw closer to his master. But now, why did it seem that Yuanshao valued this Chi Jinnian even more?

The most distressing part was that Su Tingxi knew the truth all too well but couldn’t speak it aloud. After all, Chi Jinnian had saved their master and later repeatedly aided them within the demon realm. Moreover, he had previously admitted in front of Yuan Shao that Chi Jinnian was his junior sister. If he were to retract that now, his deception of their master would only worsen. He feared he would never be able to hold his head high in their master’s eyes again.

Su Tingxi’s grip on the broom tightened, his fingertips gradually turning pale. Yet, despite the thousand grievances in his heart, he could only watch helplessly as Chi Jinnian stole the care that rightfully belonged to him.

“Steal what you love? Yuan Shao, you trust her so much, but I doubt she can live up to that trust!” Cheng Yuan no longer addressed her as junior sister but called her by her name directly: “Just now, my people saw her sneaking down the mountain behind your back. If we hadn’t caught it early, who knows what she might have done!”

“Is that so?” Yuan Shao remained unfazed by these words. She stood protectively in front of Chi Jinnian and looked at the disciples. “Who saw my disciple?”

Two disciples who had been on duty the day before stepped forward, bowing respectfully. “Elder Qinghua.”

Yuan Shao recognized them as the two who had been staring at her little disciple the day before. Though she maintained a smile on her face, a chill crept into her gaze. “You reported it immediately, so tell me, what did you see my disciple do?”

“She.”

Seeing them hesitate, Yuan Shao’s voice lost all its gentleness as she roared, “Speak!”

Having never witnessed Elder Qinghua’s anger before, the two disciples trembled at the furious demand, their legs giving way as they dropped to their knees. “Elder, we apologize. It was our fault.”

Though the two had already admitted their mistake and were in the presence of her master, Chi Jinnian assumed Yuan Shao would let it go. Instead, she pressed on relentlessly. “I asked you a question, what did she do on my Yuqing Peak that made you so eager to tattle to the senior brother and then come to my palace to question her?”

The two disciples shivered uncontrollably; one even collapsed, barely propping himself up with his arms. The other, though not as weak, trembled in his voice. “Elder, have mercy! We only saw her, with two mice eating a pancake.”

His voice grew fainter, losing strength as he spoke, and he cast a pleading glance back at Cheng Yuan.

“Oh, is that so?” Yuan Shao sneered coldly. “My disciple, on my mountain, is free to eat wherever she pleases. Who are you to gossip about it? It seems you have too much free time on your hands, with nothing better to do than spy on the people of Yuqing Peak, isn’t that right?”

She paused briefly, as if recalling something, and added, “Or perhaps you intended to deliberately stir conflict between Yuqing Peak and Taiqing Peak, causing discord between the senior brother and me?”

Yuan Shao lifted her gaze to Cheng Yuan beside her. “Senior brother, I wonder what the sect rules dictate for slandering fellow disciples, provoking trouble, and sowing discord?”

Each of the three charges Yuan Shao mentioned was a serious offense on its own. Hearing this, the two disciples trembled and kowtowed repeatedly, begging for forgiveness. “Elder, we were wrong. Please show mercy and spare us this once!”

“That’s right, Elder Qinghua, we only paid attention to her because she’s a demon, not because we were deliberately targeting Yuqing Peak, and we certainly wouldn’t dare to sow discord between Yuqing Peak and Taiqing Peak. We beg for your mercy!” The two continued kowtowing until faint traces of blood appeared on their foreheads, yet they did not stop.

Yuan Shao, however, remained unmoved. “There’s no need to beg me. You’ve damaged my disciple’s reputation. Don’t you know who you should be begging?”

Hearing this, the two crawled on their knees to Chi Jinnian’s side. Though filled with resentment, they had no choice but to lower their heads. Clutching the hem of Chi Jinnian’s skirt, they pleaded, “According to the rules, we should address you as junior sister. Junior sister, we were momentarily confused. Please be magnanimous and spare us!”

“Yes, after all, we are all members of the Evergreen Sect. Junior sister, we admit our mistake, we truly admit it. From now on, whenever we see you, we will steer clear. Whatever you say goes, and if it’s within our power, we won’t refuse a single word. Please speak to Elder Qinghua on our behalf and spare us!”

This was the first time Chi Jinnian had seen two men kneeling before her on both knees. Recalling how they had angrily confronted her earlier, their current demeanor was a stark contrast. She couldn’t help but find it amusing.

She admitted she wasn’t a particularly forgiving or virtuous person. She had spared Wei Yang because her original self had wronged him first. She had pleaded for Huang Er because he had ended up in that situation due to his alliance with her original self.

But these two were different. She had done nothing to wrong them, yet despite never having met before, they had sought to harm her. Chi Jinnian had no desire to forgive them. She, too, had her selfish motives she wanted revenge.