The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 36

At first, Bai Fenghe thought she had misheard the wind. As she dithered, the voice rose above the howling thunder and rain, echoing crisply in her ears.

“Bai Fenghe! Ahhh!” Following a flash of a snow-white figure, Yun Chuanzhi’s scream pierced the high sky. Clad in a silver-white cloud-shoulder cape and a snowy cloak, Bai Xiaochen stood before Bai Fenghe, her body radiating a chilling frost.

She gripped a translucent, crystal-clear sword in her fingers; the blade hummed with a sharp, resonant ring, clearly ready for battle.

As for the loudly screaming Yun Chuanzhi, she was currently clinging to the back of Bai Xiaochen, who had arrived in the nick of time. Having lost two of her three souls to fright, her face was completely drenched from the wind and rain along the way.

She weakly wiped the water from her face and gave a bitter smile to Cheng Jinshu, who had caught up behind them: “I finally know why your wind-walking technique is so questionable.”

Like father, like son; or in this case, like master, like disciple.

“General, it’s the Sect Leader of Mount Buxi!” A-Xing cried out in a panic. General Tuyun had also recognized Bai Xiaochen; he took a step back, his expression turning ugly to the extreme.

Bai Fenghe let out a sigh of relief. The light sword in her hand quietly dissipated. She lowered her lashes to hide the look in her eyes, and when she looked up again, her gaze held a cunning smile, as if her scheme had succeeded.

“Senior Sister, why are you here?” she asked with a smile.

“Save your nonsense.” Bai Xiaochen swept a cold, harsh gaze across the crowd from the Imperial City. Everywhere her eyes landed, a massive pressure surged forth, forcing the knees of several people to tremble.

“This Venerable was performing her morning cultivation in peace. If it weren’t for your reckless little servant breaking into my sanctuary and disturbing my tranquility with her crying and scenes, why would I bother with your business?”

I can see it now, Yun Chuanzhi thought as she lay on Bai Xiaochen’s back. These two sisters are cut from the same cloth; they both say the opposite of what they mean and have sharp tongues.

She didn’t dare stay on the Sect Leader’s back any longer, so she shook the long-absent Black Egg from her sleeve. She had it transform into a floating stone bed and let go, sitting down on it.

The Black Egg flew steadily, if a bit slowly, but it was far more comfortable than being on Bai Xiaochen’s back.

Lingshui also appeared beside Bai Fenghe. Suddenly, the side of the previously isolated Bai Fenghe became crowded and lively.

“Tuyun greets the Sect Leader.” General Tuyun finally managed to squeeze out a smile, bowing slightly toward Bai Xiaochen.

“So it is the people from the Imperial City.” Bai Xiaochen stood like a green pine amidst the wild wind, her robes whipping about, yet she remained immovable. “This Venerable has not yet convicted Sect Leader Bai. How did you end up in the territory of my Mount Buxi to arrest someone?”

“I was unaware that the hand of the Imperial City had grown so long.”

Bai Xiaochen was, after all, a cultivator in the Great Completion Stage; her cultivation was far above everyone else’s. Although General Tuyun had the aid of the Emperor’s artifact, he still didn’t dare act rashly, even breaking into a sweat despite the biting wind.

“In response to the Sect Leader, Bai Fenghe” The sharp-tongued A-Tao had just started to speak when the ribbon in Bai Fenghe’s sleeve whipped out like a dragon’s tail. A loud crack of a slap echoed, and A-Tao’s head snapped to the side.

“A mere minor cultivator dares to call This Seat by name?” Bai Fenghe said with a smile, her tone sounding sinister beyond words. Although A-Tao was resentful, she could only clutch her face, not daring to speak again.

Lingshui, standing behind with a face full of anger, also spoke up: “The General is a distinguished cultivator of the Imperial City and should know his current status is merely that of an investigating messenger. Even if you were to make an arrest, it should be the criminal. Our Sect Leader was framed. Instead of finding the truth and the real killer, what do you mean by arresting our Sect Leader!”

The people from the Imperial City were already in the wrong. Now, facing Bai Xiaochen, their momentum was completely crushed, and they naturally didn’t dare play any more tricks.

General Tuyun took a deep breath, raised his hand to retract the sword casket, and ordered the surrounding cultivators to stand down. As if a curtain had been swapped, the overcast sky cleared instantly as sunlight pierced through the dark clouds.

The sound of rain on the ground subsided. The scorching sun baked away the moisture in the breeze, and a rainbow arched across the sky. Everywhere was bright and clear.

General Tuyun also retracted his weapons and stepped forward to salute: “The Sect Leader is absolutely right. We were merely ordered to invite Sect Leader Bai to the Imperial City as a guest, and thereafter investigate the case with full effort. Perhaps our wording was poor, leading the Sect Leader to misunderstand; it was our negligence.”

Cheng Jinshu couldn’t help but let out a cold snort. Standing beside Yun Chuanzhi, she whispered in her ear: “Hypocritical lackeys.”

“Who says they aren’t,” Yun Chuanzhi cursed back. “Thick-skinned indeed.”

The two of them cursed loudly enough to reach the ears of those from the Imperial City. Their faces flickered with various expressions, but they didn’t dare erupt, choosing to pretend they hadn’t heard.

“Since that is the case, let us not stand here. Let’s go down, watch a play, and have some tea. In the meantime, summon the City Defender and the Military Secretariat so we can discuss whether This Seat is truly the killer, shall we?” Bai Fenghe said.

The others didn’t dare refuse.

Thus, a great battle arrived swiftly and ended just as abruptly. Fifteen minutes later, everyone was seated beneath the theater building of the Spring Greeting Garden. On the stage, music flowed like a stream; below the stage, the scent of tea filled the air.

It was eerily harmonious.

The people from the Imperial City and Bai Fenghe’s group sat in the center. In the right corner sat the Director of the Military Secretariat, a burly, dark-skinned man in armor. In the left corner sat the City Defender, Jiang, making her first appearance.

As a mortal, City Defender Jiang was clearly unaccustomed to this situation. She quickly finished her tea and, with nothing left to drink, could only look down and study her teacup.

A blue-robed cultivator under Bai Xiaochen pushed through the crowd and reported with a bow: “The messengers from the Muli Divine Peak are still on the way and won’t arrive for a while. Everyone else is accounted for.”

“Good.” Bai Xiaochen nodded. She looked toward City Defender Jiang and the burly man. “City Defender Jiang, Director Qiao, what are the facts of the case discovered so far?”

City Defender Jiang started to slide into a kneel but was held up by a gentle wind from Bai Xiaochen. After smoothing her sleeves, she spoke carefully: “In response to the Sect Leader, as of today, four households in the city have met a tragic end. They are: the Yuan family of thirty-six in Fuhua Street to the north; the Wang family of twenty-seven in Hidden Sword Street in the center; the family of Liu Pingsheng of eight in Change Street to the east; and yesterday, Member Xu’s family of forty-five, also on Change Street.”

At these words, gasps of shock rang out. The commoners peeking through the entrance all looked pale, feeling the weight of the danger.

“The bodies are currently kept at the Military Secretariat and have not been buried. Several coroners in the city have examined them thoroughly, but the internal organs of all the deceased were crushed, and the blood in their bodies was drained. Therefore, the true cause of death cannot be determined.”

“Are there any external injuries?” Bai Xiaochen asked.

“Mostly none.” City Defender Jiang’s expression was complex. She glanced at Bai Fenghe, who was leaning back lazily, and pushed on: “Some sustained bruises while fleeing, but none were fatal.”

“However, every person had the character ‘He’ stitched onto them with silk thread. According to those in the know, this is the shape of Sect Leader Bai’s personal seal.”

Everyone looked at Bai Fenghe. The woman was leaning against the back of her chair, using her long nails to peel a grape. Seeing the stares, she looked up to meet their eyes and said coldly: “What are you looking at This Seat for? If I go and brand the words ‘Imperial City’ onto those corpses right now, does that mean the Imperial City did the killing?”

General Tuyun’s face turned dark as ink upon hearing this. He wanted to say something but, catching Bai Fenghe’s provocative gaze, he bit his lip and endured it.

“Sect Leader Bai makes a fair point,” he said with a forced smile. “However, as far as I know, the Sect Leader spent the night in Youji City yesterday, and that very night Member Xu’s entire family died. This”

“So you also know This Seat only arrived in Youji City yesterday?” Bai Fenghe pinched the grape skin, popping the juicy fruit into her mouth. “So many people died before that, how are those to be blamed on This Seat as well?”

“Your immortal power is peerless. If you wished to hide your tracks previously, it would surely have been simple,” General Tuyun added. He signaled the Director of the Military Secretariat: “Director Qiao, you speak.”

The burly man stood up, leaning on his spear. He bowed with cupped hands and spoke in a gravelly voice: “In response to the Immortals, I ordered a careful search of the Mount Buxi archives. It mentions the Nine-Cycle Soul-Shattering Palm created by the former Sect Leader, Ming Cun. Once this technique is used, it can instantly crush the opponent’s internal organs. In the entire Mount Buxi sect, only Sect Leader Bai Fenghe is skilled in this technique.”

General Tuyun waved his hand for him to sit: “Now all evidence points to Sect Leader Bai. That is why we wished to take her back to the Imperial City for a personal interrogation by the Emperor. Sect Leader”

“Even so.” Bai Xiaochen, who had been silent, tilted her chin up slightly and looked down on the man. “Youji City is within the territory of my Mount Buxi, and Bai Fenghe is a cultivator of my Mount Buxi. If there is to be an interrogation, it shall be conducted by This Venerable. Why should the Imperial City be bothered?”

General Tuyun suddenly laughed: “If I remember correctly, Bai Fenghe is your junior sister from the same master. Now that a hundred people have died in the city and Mount Buxi has done nothing, could it be that out of old affection, you are”

“Is the General questioning whether This Venerable is showing favoritism and harborering a criminal!” Bai Xiaochen’s voice rose. The man hurriedly lowered his head and bowed, saying he wouldn’t dare.

Tuyun’s words were layered with leading implications. The onlookers’ hearts began to waver, and the way they looked at Bai Xiaochen grew increasingly strange. The commoners at the door also began to whisper and gossip.

Seeing that public trust was shaking, Bai Xiaochen tightened her fists, about to speak. However, Bai Fenghe, who had been watching like a spectator, rose gracefully and interrupted her with a smile.

“This Seat has heard the General’s so-called evidence. Most of it is merely speculation. Have you never considered what should be done if someone is deliberately framing This Seat?”

General Tuyun looked disdainful: “Oh?”

“As it happens, This Seat is frequently framed, so I understand these matters a bit better than you.” Bai Fenghe swept her gaze across his face and raised her hand to summon her death warrior.

The shadow-like death warrior rose out of the ground, startling City Defender Jiang so much her feet flew up. If Lingshui hadn’t been quick to steady the chair, she would have flipped over.

The warrior threw out a bundle with his left hand. It wasn’t tied tightly, and the items inside spilled out: it was the pair of stilt-shoes seen earlier, along with some rouge and powder.

Before anyone could get a clear look at the shoes, the warrior threw out a child with his right hand. The child was bound tightly, snapping his teeth everywhere like a dog.

“Liu Dagou!” City Defender Jiang’s face turned pale at the sight. She leaned forward to help but was pulled back by Lingshui.

Yun Chuanzhi, standing at the back of the crowd, heard the familiar-sounding name and her expression soured. She had just made up a name randomly; who knew there was actually someone called that?

“Mother, do not act rashly,” Lingshui whispered, frowning.

City Defender Jiang looked at the child with pity and said with cupped hands: “Sect Leader, this child is a little beggar from the streets. He was carried off by mountain beasts as a baby and grew up among them, so he developed the nature of a wolf. I rescued him two years ago.”

“However, his beastly nature hasn’t faded, and he’s hard to control. He broke out through a window a while ago and ran off. But he never hurts people, so is there perhaps some misunderstanding”

“Rest assured, City Defender Jiang, This Seat will not harm him.” Bai Fenghe glanced at Yun Chuanzhi, who took the helmet from her box and placed it on Liu Dagou’s head.

She then asked the same questions as before. The same answers echoed from the top of the helmet. When the child’s youthful voice fell silent, the large theater was shrouded in total silence.

Bai Fenghe then broke the silence: “This Seat stayed in City Defender Jiang’s manor yesterday. This child snuck in, used knockout incense to incapacitate everyone, and then placed the deceased’s family waist token in my room to frame me.”

“And according to him, an eight-foot-tall woman in white instructed him to do so. This proves the killer is someone else.”

The crowd looked at one another. At this moment, A-Tao, who had been standing by General Tuyun, spoke up: “What is that thing Liu Dagou is wearing?”

“This is called the Helmet of One Word. Anyone who wears it can answer any question, even if they are mute,” Yun Chuanzhi chimed in. She walked toward A-Tao with the helmet, smiling. “Why? Do you want to test if it’s real?”

A-Tao shook her head repeatedly.

“If the General doesn’t believe it, he should try it too.” Yun Chuanzhi walked toward General Tuyun. His face was ugly in the extreme; he seemed to want to explode but could only suppress his rage, saying: “No need.”

If it could truly answer every question, who would dare wear it? General Tuyun brooded for a long while before adding: “But where in the city is there an eight-foot-tall woman?”

“This object can answer that question,” Yun Chuanzhi spoke on behalf of Bai Fenghe.

She pointed at the stilt-shoes on the floor: “These are worn by actors in plays to mimic poor women from barbaric lands forced into foot-binding. If a tall man wears these and dons a silk skirt, wouldn’t he look like an eight-foot woman to this child?”

“As for a woman’s voice, I believe everyone living in Youji City knows that there is a famous actor here, Immortal Oriole, who is not only skilled in ventriloquism but can also mimic dozens of different voices.”

Before the words finished, the flowing music on the stage faltered for an imperceptible moment before continuing like a never-ending stream.

Surprise appeared in Bai Xiaochen’s eyes. She glanced at Bai Fenghe and then ordered: “Bring Immortal Oriole here.”

The music stopped. After a moment, a tall man walked down from the stage. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, a pale face without a beard, and a gentle, pleasant voice. He bowed with cupped hands: “Greetings to the Immortals.”

It was indeed the one who had sent General Tuyun away in the backyard earlier.

“A mortal?” General Tuyun looked over in a daze and turned back. “Sect Leader Bai, how could a mere mortal kill so many people? And why would he frame you?”

“Have you not noticed that the people killed were also all mortals?” Yun Chuanzhi cut him off.

General Tuyun wanted to take issue with her rudeness, but Bai Fenghe beckoned Yun Chuanzhi back to her side.

Then she spoke: “Do you want to know how This Seat discovered you? Pei Shaoqing.”

When this name was spoken, the previously calm man trembled. It took a long time before he looked up with a small smile, saying nothing.

“You still underestimated This Seat, thinking such a simple trick could frame me.” Bai Fenghe leaned back in her chair again, squinting her eyes at him: “Do you know that This Seat keeps a ledger of everyone I have killed?”

“Names, reasons, how many family members they had, their names, and so on; it’s all perfectly clear.” As she spoke, Bai Fenghe threw a gold-leafed booklet in front of him.

The wind flipped the booklet open, stopping on a page where three words were clearly written.

“Pei Xunqian.”

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