The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 39

Actually, Yun Chuanzhi had heard what she said, but she felt it didn’t sound like something Bai Fenghe would say. After turning the thought over in her mind, she decided she must have misheard.

It turned out that the chicken soup she brewed suited Bai Fenghe’s palate exceptionally well. Yun Chuanzhi felt a bit smug. She thought that if she ever left Mount Buxi, she might be able to open a small eatery in Youji City.

There, far from conflict, she would deal with pots and pans every day. If she were happy, she’d open for guests; if not, she’d close up and sleep. With no worries about food or drink, it would be a life even more divine than staying at Mount Buxi.

Her thoughts drifted far away, her eyes filled with longing for the future. Bai Fenghe watched her expression and seemed to sense Yun Chuanzhi’s thoughts. Her eyelashes drooped imperceptibly, and a faint displeasure stirred in her heart.

After the truth of the massacre came to light, the dark clouds that had hung over Youji City for days vanished. The flow of people on Hidden Sword Street grew even denser. Many performers and monkey-show stalls that had previously hidden away returned to the city. Drums and gongs sounded; it was incredibly lively.

Bai Fenghe did not disguise herself this time. Many citizens who had seen her the previous day recognized her. As she passed, they bowed in greeting, and some even plucked wildflowers from the roadside to respectfully offer them to her.

Bai Fenghe quickly cast aside her displeasure. Her slender waist was ramrod straight as she nodded elegantly to the people. The four or five mile stretch of Hidden Sword Street took a full half hour to traverse, and the sun was high by the time they left the city.

This time, Yun Chuanzhi returned to Mount Buxi by holding onto the corner of Bai Fenghe’s robe. She finally escaped the fate of vomiting whenever she traveled. She had to admit that Bai Fenghe’s wind-riding technique was top-tier, far smoother than the shaky rides provided by Bai Xiaochen or Cheng Jinshu.

It was so stable that as Yun Chuanzhi gripped the hem of the robe and soared through the white clouds, she even had the presence of mind to reach out and touch the wild geese flying alongside them.

The news of Bai Fenghe’s exoneration naturally reached Mount Buxi. Those cultivators who had previously insisted she was the murderer fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Overnight, Bai Fenghe’s reputation seemed to take a sharp turn for the better. Although people still feared her, she was no longer depicted as a “man-eating monster.”

Yun Chuanzhi’s life also returned to its routine. The conditions at Mount Buxi were far superior to those at Lingshui’s home; even the bed was much softer. Not to mention the “treasures” she had crafted for laziness and cooling off. Every day, after finishing her chores, she would lie on her couch and slowly savor the treats she had “borrowed” from Bai Fenghe, feeling as though she had ascended the throne as an empress.

As her days passed swimmingly, time felt like a shuttle. In a blur, the sweltering summer passed, and the steamer-like earth was washed into vibrant colors by several autumn rains.

One day, looking out the window, she realized the emerald maple trees had quietly turned a deep red, as if scorched by fire.

It was the day of White Dew. The moisture from the autumn rain still clung to the branches at night. Yun Chuanzhi skillfully attended to Bai Fenghe’s washing and dining, then brewed her the Muli Spring tea that had been newly delivered yesterday.

Waiting until Bai Fenghe went to the peak of Wu Cliff for her morning cultivation, Yun Chuanzhi finally stepped out of the Pavilion of Spring. She held a fresh apple, munching on it as she took a stroll.

Other immortal servants passed by from time to time, mostly carrying various blooming chrysanthemums to replace the wilted potted plants. When they saw Yun Chuanzhi, they all nodded in greeting, and she smiled back politely.

When she first arrived, the other servants thought she was merely Bai Fenghe’s new toy, someone who would be sent away or killed after a few days of amusement. Consequently, most had treated her with disdain and neglect.

But now, she had stayed by Bai Fenghe’s side for several months and had even been personally named by the Sect Leader. She was clearly a favorite. Thus, the old mistreatment vanished instantly. Now, as she walked through the sect, people would even bow to her.

Yun Chuanzhi knew that human nature was just like this, so she wasn’t surprised. If they bowed, she accepted it. She walked through the sect every day with her head held high, happily enjoying the spotlight.

“Sister Yun, look at these two pots of flowers. Which one would be more suitable for the Lake Heart Pavilion?” A small servant with a face like a peach blossom curtsied to her, her face flushing as she asked.

Yun Chuanzhi stopped to look for a moment, then pointed to the yellow one. “This one. It’s more eye-catching.”

“Yes,” the small servant said with a sweet smile, quickly scurrying off with the pot.

“Sis, ter, Yun,” Cheng Jinshu’s voice rang out unexpectedly from behind. Yun Chuanzhi had already heard her footsteps and turned around while munching her apple.

She laughed, “Why are you here again?”

“I’m bored. Right now, I’m the idleest person in all of Mount Buxi.” Cheng Jinshu vaulted onto the railing of the boardwalk. Beneath their feet was a vast lake filled with clusters of koi.

“I thought you’d be idle too, so I came to kill time. I didn’t expect to turn a corner and see you busy chatting with someone,” Cheng Jinshu teased. “What, now that your name has changed, your popularity has improved too?”

Yun Chuanzhi threw her apple core into the lake, watching the koi swarm toward it and then retreat in disappointment. She said with a grin, “It’s a bit better.”

“Where’s my aunt?”

“Morning cultivation, of course. She seems to have become much more diligent since returning from Youji City. She didn’t use to practice this frequently.” Yun Chuanzhi found a long bench and sat down. “Perhaps she felt she lost face during the fight with the people from the Imperial City and came back to reflect and improve.”

Cheng Jinshu curled her lip. “My aunt’s natural talent was famously brilliant and clear; otherwise, my Grandmaster wouldn’t have cherished her so much. It took her only three days to go from opening her spiritual root to the Qi Refining stage, and only a month from Qi Refining to Foundation Building. Even my Master couldn’t hope to catch up.”

“If it weren’t for the suffering she endured back then, which damaged her foundation and left her with old injuries, she would have reached the Great Completion stage long ago,” Cheng Jinshu remarked regretfully.

Cheng Jinshu had always both loved and feared Bai Fenghe; Yun Chuanzhi could sense it.

She smiled and said, “What about you? You lost half your cultivation and yet you’re still at the Golden Core stage. You must have had excellent talent before that.”

“I was far behind her.” Cheng Jinshu dangled her hand over the railing, pretending to touch the fish she couldn’t reach.

Whenever Cheng Jinshu mentioned the past, she avoided the details. Although Yun Chuanzhi was curious, it wasn’t right to pry, so she asked about something else, “Are you still practicing now?”

“Occasionally I practice techniques or recite heart mantras.” Cheng Jinshu’s mood dipped for a moment before she became cheerful again. “I’m a rogue cultivator without even a sect; there’s not much point in practicing.”

She quickly turned the question back, “What about you, Yun Chuanzhi? Haven’t you thought about finding a Master and becoming a true cultivator?”

“No,” Yun Chuanzhi replied decisively. She leaned against the railing, the lake light reflecting in her eyes. “I have no attachments. I live just to eat a few more bites of food. I don’t want to fight with others, and I don’t want to become an immortal.”

“Though, in my spare time, I do meditate a bit. Having a bit more spiritual energy will be useful eventually.”

“You’re quite open-minded.” Cheng Jinshu tilted her head to look at her. “How does a little girl live so much like an old sage?”

Yun Chuanzhi smiled but didn’t speak. She took a ball of cotton thread out of a wooden box and picked it up with two wooden sticks shaped like chopsticks. The straight sticks whirled quickly in her hands, and the cotton thread rapidly closed into a flat fabric.

Cheng Jinshu’s gaze was quickly drawn to her movements. She jumped off the railing and leaned in, “What is this?”

“A neck warmer. I’m knitting it to pass the time. Winter is coming, and the immortal servants’ clothes will likely be hard to keep warm in. This will come in handy then.” Yun Chuanzhi’s fingers flew nimbly, becoming almost a blur.

“I’ve never seen weaving done by hand like this. It’s truly eye-opening.” Cheng Jinshu marveled. She reached out to touch Yun Chuanzhi’s fingers and sighed, “I don’t know how these hands of yours grew to be so clever. You can make anything.”

Pleased by the praise, Yun Chuanzhi said, “I’ve already finished one. Once this neck warmer is done, I’ll give it to you.”

Although high level cultivators could manifest clothes, garments created with immortal arts were very different from ordinary woven clothes. They were worn only for cover; they felt light and chilly, almost as if one were wearing nothing at all.

Because of this, one had to add a warming charm, which was quite troublesome. Therefore, most cultivators still preferred to wear ordinary clothes.

Cheng Jinshu naturally agreed readily. She sat nearby watching Yun Chuanzhi knit, but she soon grew sleepy. She said her goodbyes and went back to her room for a nap.

Thus, Yun Chuanzhi was left alone in the center of the lake. She lowered her head to knit seriously until her eyes felt a bit strained. Suddenly, she heard the light, soft footsteps of a woman approaching.

Looking up, she saw the peach blossom faced servant from earlier. Her hands were twisted in front of her, her pink lips bitten pale. She had two round buns tied atop her head, with a string of bells hanging from each. They jingled with every movement, making her look very lively and adorable.

Yun Chuanzhi liked the bells quite a bit, so her starry eyes crinkled. “What is it? Are the flowers all set?”

“Thank you, Sister Yun. They are all set.” The small servant showed a dimpled smile and sat down beside her, asking curiously, “Sister Yun, this object is,”

“A neck warmer.” Yun Chuanzhi was happy to introduce her invention to others. “Why? Do you like it?”

The small servant nodded repeatedly, her bells ringing crisply. “I like it! It’s so beautiful.”

“Then once I finish this one, I’ll knit another to give to you,” Yun Chuanzhi said with a grand wave of her hand.

“Really? Thank you, Sister Yun!” The servant laughed naively and leaned a bit closer to her side. “My name is Xia Qiuqiu. I was originally a cook at the West Leaning Tower. Although my cooking isn’t great, I’m very good at making pastries.”

“Tomorrow I’ll make some for you as a return favor.”

“That would be excellent,” Yun Chuanzhi nodded.

At that moment, Bai Fenghe, who had just finished her morning cultivation, was descending from the peak of Wu Cliff. As she passed by the Emerald Lake, she noticed the familiar figure on the boardwalk in the center.

“Look, that girl is being lazy again.” Even as Bai Fenghe spoke, her tone was not angry. “Is This Seat usually too lenient with her?”

The white fluffball perched on her shoulder grumbled, “It’s too lenient. I’ve never seen anyone dare to be so bold in front of the Sect Leader. Why not find a day to tie her up and give her a good thrashing with a whip to teach her a lesson?”

Bai Fenghe frowned.

“Forget it,” she said. “Either way, she has no other motives. Being a bit lazy isn’t a bad thing for us.”

Behind her back, the fluffball stuck its tongue out wildly in mockery.

“Bai Fenghe, there seems to be someone else next to her. The two are sitting quite intimately.” The fluffball craned its neck to look. “Oho, it’s another little girl.”

Yun Chuanzhi had grown quite a bit taller recently. At her body’s age, she should have had a growth spurt long ago, but she had stayed small and thin due to lack of food. Now, with daily meals and the nourishment of spiritual energy, her entire person was like a green bamboo shoot in spring, growing inch by inch.

Seen from a distance now, with her black hair tied up and a smile like a silver bell, she looked like a lotus bud ready to bloom, clear, bright, and carrying a hint of youthful spirit.

The person beside her was also in the prime of her youth, chatting with her with a charming smile. The two made a very pleasing sight.

For some reason, Bai Fenghe felt a flash of displeasure. She folded her fingertips, her lips pressed tight, and her tone turned cold. She spoke in a low voice.

“Who is that person talking so happily with Yun Chuanzhi?”

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