Villainous Fox’s Sickly Beauty Master - Chapter 3

Jiang Jinheng had been keeping a close eye on the girl in the grey cloth robes. Seeing a disturbance in the crowd, her brow furrowed slightly. With a single thought, she used a flash-step to appear in the center of the group, catching Qi Ranyan’s hand just as it was about to strike Fu Yi.

The incessant chattering of the surrounding crowd vanished instantly upon Jiang Jinheng’s appearance. Every eye was fixed on this spot, terrified of missing a single movement.

Jiang Jinheng remained silent. In just a few breaths, Qi Ranyan’s expression shifted from terror to grievance, and then to tearful eyes.

After all, Qi Ranyan was only sixteen. Although she had a foul temper, she hadn’t actually committed any irreversible harm yet. Jiang Jinheng released her hand after a moment, her gaze sweeping over the onlookers who were hoping for a show before finally settling back on Qi Ranyan.

“The Great Selection is imminent. In the future, you may all become the pride of this sect, standing together against demons and evils. Why then, today, beneath this Great Hall and before everyone’s eyes, do you sow such discord?”

Qi Ranyan wanted to explain herself, but her lips parted only to find no words. She could only lower her head, looking exactly like she did when receiving a lecture from her clan elders—a far cry from her arrogant demeanor just moments ago.

“I have received the letter from your father. Looking at you today, Second Miss Qi indeed possesses an excellent foundation, and yours is a rare Pure Water spiritual root, which is well-suited for my Shuiyun Peak. With a divine artifact to assist you, both your talent and resources are top-tier.”

Jiang Jinheng paused there. She watched as Qi Ranyan lifted her head, her spirit returning to her eyes as she cast a triumphant smirk toward Fu Yi at her side. Jiang Jinheng’s expression immediately turned stern.

In the next heartbeat, Qi Ranyan’s face turned deathly pale.

“However, those who walk the path of the Dao do so to help the weak and uphold justice. I declare here clearly: my Shuiyun Peak will not accept a disciple who bullies others without cause.”

This single sentence from Jiang Jinheng was equivalent to a death sentence for Qi Ranyan’s prospects. The surrounding crowd let out a collective gasp of shock.

Qi Ranyan’s lips trembled, wanting to protest, but the pressure radiating from the woman before her made her feel as though she were in an ice cellar, unable to move an inch.

Host, you’re amazing! It seems you’ve merged with this body quite well. Once the spiritual and physical forms are fully integrated, you’ll be able to recover your memories! But why did you run over to block that hit for Fu Yi? That shouldn’t have anything to do with our mission, right?

“Just consider it a case of me protecting my own.”

After all, this was the only disciple she intended to accept during the upcoming Master Selection.

Based on 007’s descriptions, Jiang Jinheng had already gained a certain understanding of Fu Yi. She had brilliant natural talent and had never been lazy. The only issue was her half-demon identity, which tended to draw criticism, but Jiang Jinheng didn’t care about that. Although Shuiyun Peak focused on musical cultivation and Fu Yi’s mutated Fire-Lightning root was better suited for sword cultivation at the neighboring Tianhuo Peak, Jiang Jinheng figured that she wasn’t incapable of teaching the sword herself.

Jiang Jinheng felt that this system from another dimension was good in every way except for being a bit too chatty, constantly buzzing around in her sea of consciousness.

Furthermore, Jiang Jinheng had little interest in reclaiming her memories. Given her personality, she likely hadn’t met anyone or anything truly important in the last century; her only goal now was to become proficient with various spells and spiritual artifacts. The spatial teleportation she just used was a technique of the Nascent Soul stage; she would need to practice higher-level immortal arts in the coming days.

As she was thinking this, she prepared to return to her high seat, only to see Fu Yi clutch her head in pain before collapsing unconscious onto the ground.

Everyone’s attention had been on Qi Ranyan and Jiang Jinheng. No one expected a sudden emergency from Fu Yi. Recalling what Qi Ranyan had just said and done, the crowd began to whisper again, pointing the finger at her. If she had been silent before out of guilt, Qi Ranyan now felt completely wronged and took several steps back.

“It has nothing to do with me! I didn’t even touch her!”

Not just her, but everyone else had automatically stepped back when Jiang Jinheng arrived. Seeing Fu Yi like this, they retreated even further.

Jiang Jinheng knew it wasn’t her, as she had been watching personally. However, looking at the unconscious Fu Yi—whose face still bore an expression of agony—she felt a sense of confusion.

007 was also caught off guard by this sudden development. Before Jiang Jinheng could ask, it volunteered an explanation.

This wasn’t in the script arranged by the Heavenly Dao. However, it’s possible your actions saved Fu Yi from a fight with Qi Ranyan, creating a butterfly effect.

007’s explanation was a bit forced, and it couldn’t even convince itself. Jiang Jinheng approached and knelt down, closing her eyes to instinctively check Fu Yi’s pulse. She sensed two surges of spiritual energy clashing within her dantian. Both purple-red energies seemed to come from the same source, but one was darker and more domineering, suppressing the other and rampaging through her body. With Fu Yi’s small frame, she would explode and die within the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Jinheng placed her palm against Fu Yi’s lower abdomen and infused her own spiritual energy. Being an Ice-root musical cultivator, her energy was soothing and gentle—ideal for calming others. Yet, the moment her energy entered the body, the weaker energy settled down, while the darker energy seemed provoked. It not only continued its rampage but began to fight against Jiang Jinheng’s ice-blue energy, turning the girl’s body into a fierce battlefield.

At that moment, Fu Yi let out a muffled groan. Jiang Jinheng, staying close by her side, was suddenly sprayed with blood. Her pale green robes were stained with a heavy smear of red, causing the onlookers to cry out in alarm.

Jiang Jinheng was at a loss. Her actions had been driven by habit, yet she had inadvertently worsened Fu Yi’s condition. But why? She stared at the coughing girl, her mind wandering until 007 shouted three times to bring her back.

Host! Did you hear me?!

“Hmm?”

Realizing Jiang Jinheng might be shaken—and knowing from her earlier actions that she cared about this girl—007 used its experience from many previous cultivation world missions to offer a suggestion.

Why not try a seal?

A seal?

Her hands moved faster than her thoughts. The moment she heard 007’s suggestion, Jiang Jinheng’s palm covered Fu Yi’s dantian once more. The ice-blue spiritual energy within transformed into chains, firmly locking down the purple-red energy. It continued to struggle, but it was no longer as unruly as before. After completing this, Jiang Jinheng hesitated. Feeling it wasn’t enough, she used two fingers to draw a few strokes over Fu Yi’s dantian, appearing to write a talisman.

Seeing the situation stabilize, 007 breathed a sigh of relief but couldn’t help muttering.

If both those energies didn’t carry her aura, I’d suspect this girl was being possessed by someone else.

Jiang Jinheng had the same thought when she touched those energies. Even knowing they were from the same source, there was a strange, indescribable feeling in her heart.

However, seeing that Fu Yi no longer looked in pain, Jiang Jinheng felt much calmer. Having listened to 007 tell the life stories of these people like a fairytale, only Fu Yi’s story had truly moved her.

She felt a deep pity for this child.

Since there was nothing else to do, Jiang Jinheng used a Cleansing Curse to remove the blood from the ground and herself. She then sat cross-legged, letting Fu Yi lean comfortably against her shoulder. After some searching through her storage ring, she finally found a Rejuvenation Pill and fed it to Fu Yi.

She did it casually, but the eyes of the onlookers went wide. While Rejuvenation Pills were basic medicines for alchemists, everyone had seen a flash of golden light—proving it was at least an Earth-grade pill, capable of bringing back the dead. For someone who had only coughed up a bit of blood, Immortal Lord Luanqiu had used such a top-tier pill. People couldn’t help but marvel at her wealth.

Jiang Jinheng didn’t care what they thought. She was debating whether to take the girl directly to her Xuanyun Hall. The thought vanished as quickly as it appeared; protocol dictated that if Fu Yi didn’t demonstrate her talent during the Great Selection, taking her as a personal disciple would lead to nasty gossip, similar to the talk about her relationship with Fu Yanqing.

Host, aren’t you going back? The spiritual root testing ceremony is about to start.

“No rush. Besides, isn’t the disciple I want to take already right here?”

Jiang Jinheng glanced at the girl in her arms. By her estimation, she would wake up in about half the time it takes to burn an incense stick—plenty of time to make it.

What about Mo Tong? You aren’t taking him?

007 seemed surprised, but Jiang Jinheng was perfectly composed.

“Of course not.” That was all she said, but she seemed to be in a very good mood. She glanced to the right; not far away, Mo Tong’s gaze followed her. Their eyes met in the air. She could clearly see a strange mix of inferiority and arrogant entitlement in his eyes. Just then, the great bell before the hall rang. Everyone rushed to test their spiritual roots as quickly as possible. In an instant, the two sitting on the ground were left alone.

She stared blankly for a moment before turning her head back, even letting out a light chuckle.

“He must be certain that his family’s favor to me means I will take him. He’s certain that the rumors say he is the only disciple I will accept.” Jiang Jinheng really didn’t want to recall that ridiculous story; every time she did, she felt like laughing out of sheer anger. “And according to what you said, I only cared for him because of his family’s misfortune, and because his talent was poor, I took him as a disciple just to ensure he had a place.”

Jiang Jinheng’s gaze followed Mo Tong once more, her eyes brimming with an unprecedented coldness.

“In that case, I am the first and greatest ‘Luck’ he has encountered in over a decade. How could I let him have his way? Furthermore”

“How could someone with such aptitude and character be worthy of being my disciple?”