The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 45

“Sect Leader, I, I still,” Reason told Lingshui that she should avoid this, but her lofty nature made her dislike inventing lies.

After she stammered for a while, Bai Fenghe gave her a way out first. “I left a few scrolls at Sect Leader Bi’s place just now. Go fetch them for me and put them back in Fengchun Pavilion.”

Lingshui breathed a sigh of relief instantly. She bowed, said “Yes,” and vanished in an instant.

Bai Fenghe’s palm was delicate, warm, and soft, like smooth jade that one feared might break if held. Yun Chuanzhi walked carefully, her gaze frequently landing on the other’s fingertips.

They were long and beautiful, making one want to hold and knead them in one’s own palm.

“What are you thinking about?” Bai Fenghe asked suddenly. Yun Chuanzhi hurriedly looked away, pretending to watch the ground.

“Nothing much,” Yun Chuanzhi smiled. She changed the subject. “Just now, we saw a crowd of cultivators heading toward Mingcun Hall in a hurry. I heard a Great Demon has appeared down the mountain.”

“I was wondering what a Tenth Grade Great Demon would look like, how terrifying its appearance would be.”

Bai Fenghe glanced at her sideways and pursed her red lips. “Not necessarily. The lower the grade of a demon, the more hideous its appearance. If a Tenth Grade Great Demon were actually standing in front of you, you definitely would not be able to tell if it was human or demon.”

That makes sense, Yun Chuanzhi nodded. The cultivation of a Tenth Grade Great Demon far surpassed that of ordinary demons. Even if its original form were a cockroach, it could manifest an exquisite countenance.

“Lingshui said the last time such a powerful demon was seen was twenty years ago. Did the Sect Leader ever see that Great Demon? Was it truly as powerful as the rumors say?”

Bai Fenghe shook her head. “I have never meddled in the trivial affairs of the sect, and I care even less about the safety of the mortals down the mountain, so I only heard the general gist. However, since it is a Tenth Grade Great Demon, its cultivation must be far above mine. I have no intention of looking for trouble.”

The two walked onto a flat stretch of road. The pebble path was flanked by lush shrubs dotted with nameless white flowers. The withered leaves on the ground had just been swept, but a few stray ones had already fallen again.

Seeing that Bai Fenghe had no intention of riding the wind back to the sect, Yun Chuanzhi guessed she wanted to stroll, so she supported her as they walked into the maple forest where leaves were rustling.

The maple forest was quiet and serene, with only the light sound of footsteps on leaves. The intersecting crimson branches were like a dome, filtering the sunset into fragments of gold on the ground.

“You are just a little immortal servant who has not even reached the Foundation Establishment stage; why do you suddenly care about the Great Demon?” Bai Fenghe spoke perceptively. She elegantly raised her palm and tapped Yun Chuanzhi’s shoulder with her fingertips.

Yun Chuanzhi felt as if a wall had crashed into her shoulder. Half of her body went numb instantly. She stumbled against a tree trunk, bending over with a groan.

This woman has no sense of restraint when she strikes, Yun Chuanzhi thought, breaking out in a cold sweat from the pain. Just as she was about to express her dissatisfaction, she saw the woman lean in close. Her waist was pinned against the tree by one hand, leaving her unable to move.

The other hand tilted her chin up. Yun Chuanzhi was forced to meet Bai Fenghe’s gaze. Her willow leaf eyes were filled with the light of the sunset, making it impossible to read her thoughts.

Is she guarding against me again? Yun Chuanzhi was speechless. Her eyes flickered, and she suddenly smiled. “Is the Sect Leader pinning me like this because she wants to force me?”

Hearing this, Bai Fenghe’s smile froze for a moment, and then she let out a contemptuous chuckle. “You are just a scrawny little girl. What motive would I have to force you?”

“I have put on a bit of weight recently, so I am not that scrawny anymore. Does the Sect Leader want to try?” Yun Chuanzhi followed her lead.

As she spoke, she tilted her head to one side. The girl’s fair neck was exposed to the sky. Occasionally, the setting sun swept over it, illuminating the fine peach fuzz on her delicate skin and the crisscrossing pulse of life beneath.

Bai Fenghe was the first to let go. Her figure retreated a few steps, her hair fluttering in front of her face and hiding her expression.

Yun Chuanzhi knew such tactics worked on Bai Fenghe, but this time, it felt different from before. This time, even her own face felt slightly hot.

Taking advantage of Bai Fenghe having her back turned, she fanned her own face vigorously with her hand to dispel the heat.

Could it be that because I have inhabited this girl’s body for too long, my skin has grown thin as well? Yun Chuanzhi wondered. Her expression remained neutral as she rubbed her shoulder, only to find that the aching left shoulder was now exceptionally warm, and her entire body felt light and airy.

“Sect Leader, did you just tap my pressure points?” Yun Chuanzhi was somewhat surprised. She swung her comfortable arm and stepped forward to support Bai Fenghe again, only to have her hand brushed away by the woman’s sleeve.

Bai Fenghe swept aside the remaining hair from her face, glared at Yun Chuanzhi, and walked ahead on her own.

“Rest easy, I am not a relative of that Great Demon,” Yun Chuanzhi caught up with Bai Fenghe with a smile. “I was just thinking that if I could get the inner dan of a Great Demon, I could reach the Foundation Establishment stage very quickly.”

“It is truly rare for you to actually care about cultivation,” Bai Fenghe sneered.

It is not that I care, Yun Chuanzhi thought, I just want to take a shortcut to live a few years longer.

After walking for another fifteen minutes, Bai Fenghe finally rode the wind back to the sect. The next day was a rest day. Bai Fenghe did not need to get up early to lecture at the main peak, so she slept in, not calling Yun Chuanzhi to serve her in the morning.

Yun Chuanzhi rarely had such leisure, but she was woken up early by the cries of wild geese flying south. Once awake, she could not fall back to sleep.

Bored, she got up to wash. She meditated in the center of a drawn formation for half an hour. When she opened her eyes again, the brilliant morning sun was streaming through the window, bathing her in warmth.

If she had not opened the window to smell the crisp autumn wind, she would have thought it was still spring.

Yun Chuanzhi stretched and stood up lazily. She took a sip of the cold tea left overnight on the table and felt refreshed instantly. Today’s cultivation felt much smoother than usual.

Her method had not changed. Could it be that Bai Fenghe’s strike yesterday had cleared her meridians, allowing her to achieve twice the result with half the effort?

Bai Fenghe can be quite thoughtful occasionally, Yun Chuanzhi curled her lips. Although using the word thoughtful to describe Bai Fenghe felt a bit bizarre, she felt happy as she picked up the cloud collar she had already woven from beside her pillow.

She had been a bit lazy lately and had not yet embroidered the pattern Bai Fenghe wanted. Since Bai Fenghe had helped her yesterday, she would be more diligent today. It would serve as a thank you gift.

Yun Chuanzhi sat cross legged and bowed her head to embroider. Hei Dan’er crawled out from its small wooden bed in the corner and imitated her, sitting cross legged beside her and watching curiously.

Yun Chuanzhi had never learned embroidery, but a master artifact refiner’s hands were exceptionally nimble. Though her stitches were crooked at first, by the seventh or eighth stitch, they were already looking quite professional.

Fortunately, while Cui Ergou’s body had poor aptitude for cultivation, her dexterity was sufficient to manifest the ideas in her mind.

She embroidered from morning until noon, and the phoenix flower was largely formed. However, she was a bit hesitant about the colors of the branches and leaves. She held it up to ask Hei Dan’er, but the puppet just propped its chin on its hand, unable to say anything meaningful for a long while.

“Why am I even asking a puppet like you?” Yun Chuanzhi muttered to herself. She stood up and walked out, intending to find Cheng Jinshu to help her decide.

However, she shouted into the horn several times, but there was no response from the other side. A trace of doubt rose in Yun Chuanzhi’s heart, and she felt increasingly uneasy. She instructed Hei Dan’er: “If Lingshui or the Sect Leader looks for me, say I went to find Cheng Jinshu.”

After saying this, she walked out of Fengchun Pavilion. Standing under the eaves, she tried reciting a few mental charms while channeling spiritual energy from her sea of consciousness. She attempted to spread it around her body to catch the winds passing by.

Although performing the wind riding technique was a bit forced with her level of cultivation, the cliff where Cheng Jinshu lived was not far. Thus, after half an incense stick of time, she landed on the edge of the cliff where the river surged.

A giant rock protruded below the cliff, with a crooked neck tree growing on it. Beside the tree was a dilapidated thatched cottage; this was Cheng Jinshu’s current residence.

Yun Chuanzhi scrambled down the cliff and pushed the door open. The room was clean and tidy, with some books stacked neatly by the window. Besides that, there were some papers scattered by the wind. Yun Chuanzhi glanced at them; the ink marks were messy, as if she were repeatedly writing someone’s name.

However, Cheng Jinshu’s handwriting was no better than ghostly scribbles; Yun Chuanzhi could not make out the specific word.

“Cheng Jinshu!” Yun Chuanzhi simply raised her voice to call her. The shout echoed in the room and rushed out the window, quickly swallowed by the deafening sound of the water.

Where did she go in broad daylight? Yun Chuanzhi’s heart felt even more suspended. She simply rode the wind back to Fengchun Pavilion and went to Lingshui’s door, raising her hand to knock.

The door opened quickly. Lingshui, holding a bamboo scroll, appeared at the door. Her voice was gentle. “Yun Chuanzhi? Is the Sect Leader calling me?”

“No, the Sect Leader should still be resting.” Yun Chuanzhi pursed her lips and said, “Cheng Jinshu is missing.”

Lingshui did not seem to care at first. She only nodded and said, “She always loves wandering in the mountains. Maybe she has run off to the main peak again. Do you need her for something?”

“It is nothing specific, but I find it suspicious. She and I have a horn we use for talking. Usually, she responds with just one call, but today I shouted into the horn for a long time and did not hear a single sound,” Yun Chuanzhi said with a frown.

“I just went to her room to check. She is not there, and her horn is gone, so she must still have it on her. But this horn has a range limit. If the distance between us is too great, we cannot communicate.”

Hearing this, Lingshui’s gaze also turned serious, but she still consoled her. “Don’t panic yet. I will go ask around. Maybe someone saw where she went.”

Lingshui was indeed efficient. She went out to inquire immediately. In less than fifteen minutes, a white light flashed, and she returned to Yun Chuanzhi, accompanied by the autumn wind.

She said with a grave expression, “I asked the cultivators patrolling the skies above Mount Buxi. They said they saw her alone last night, heading southwest.”

“Southwest?” Yun Chuanzhi asked. “What is to the southwest?”

Lingshui shook her head. “Everyone in the sect is currently discussing the Tenth Grade Great Demon. It is said the demon has already occupied Mount Fuyu and has devoured all the villagers in the area.”

“Mount Fuyu is exactly to the southwest. Could it be,”

Yun Chuanzhi’s heart sank. Lingshui also had a deep frown, her eyes full of worry.

“Although I do not know if Cheng Jinshu went to Mount Fuyu because of what happened back then, this trip will surely be fraught with danger. I will go report to the Grand Sect Master first before making any plans.” After saying this, Lingshui left in a hurry.

Yun Chuanzhi was about to follow her out when a person suddenly appeared in front of her. She had to brake sharply to avoid crashing into the other’s arms again.

She looked up and, sure enough, it was Bai Fenghe. The woman stood before her elegantly, her features indifferent.

Caught off guard, Yun Chuanzhi felt a lingering shock. She took a step back and spoke. “Sect Leader.”

“I am about to cultivate. You will come and protect my dharma,” Bai Fenghe spoke slowly. She turned and walked toward the sleeping quarters. Seeing that Yun Chuanzhi had not followed after two steps, she looked back coldly.

“If Cheng Jinshu can make such a decision, she should pay the price for her choice. I have already done all I can by not stopping Lingshui from reporting to my Senior Sister.”

“As for you, you are my person.” Bai Fenghe’s voice was very soft, but her gaze was as sharp as a blade. “Except for me, the lives of others have absolutely nothing to do with you.”

“Do you understand, Yun Chuanzhi?”

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