When a Yandere Cannon Fodder Meets a Dark, Twisted Villain - Chapter 17

Seeing that Shi Yining wasn’t angry, Zhao Mingfang relaxed slightly. “I think Fellow Daoist Shi is a wonderful person. Why are there those rumors outside saying…?”

“Saying I am arrogant and domineering?”

“It’s all just people wagging their tongues. Please don’t take it to heart, Fellow Daoist Shi.”

Shi Yining smiled and shook her head. “I was indeed like that once, but that is all in the past.”

“Eh? Anyway, I think you’re great. My mother is currently annoyed with me, and I don’t want to go back to my sect yet. Would it be possible for you to take me in for a while?”

“This…”

“If it’s inconvenient, then never mind~ I’ll think of something else.”

“It’s not inconvenient, but the Dao Discussion Assembly starts in three days. You will surely participate, Fellow Daoist Zhao. Even if you don’t return now, Sect Leader Zhao will soon send someone to find you.”

Zhao Mingfang’s eyes curved slightly. “Mother won’t notice for a moment. Even staying for half a day is a win for me. If I go back now, I’ll just be stuck in miserable meditation and reflection.”

“In that case, you may stay at Guest Peak.”

“Fellow Daoist Shi… could I stay at your Xigui Peak instead?”

Shi Yining hesitated. “Xigui Peak does have vacant houses, but they haven’t been lived in for a long time. They aren’t as well-furnished as Guest Peak.”

“That’s nothing. Anything is better than being dragged back to the sect for punishment.”

Hiding in the shadows, Jiang Liuyue felt a surge of jealousy erupt in her heart.

Miss Shi is too good; there are far too many people coveting her. One after another, it’s impossible to guard against them all… The dark urge to hide Miss Shi away entirely, to keep her from the sight of others, grew heavier and more suffocating.

Back at Xigui Peak

A short while later, at Xigui Peak of the Xuanqing Sect.

Among the vacant houses, Zhao Mingfang immediately chose the small building closest to Shi Yining’s residence. At that moment, the bitterness and jealousy in Jiang Liuyue’s heart were nearly impossible to suppress.

Only a shred of remaining logic told her that she couldn’t strike out at the guest, or Miss Shi would be truly furious with her. When she accompanied Miss Shi, time always felt too short—but now, watching Miss Shi talk and laugh with someone else, every breath felt like an agonizing eternity.

Finally, after an incense stick’s time, Miss Shi returned.

Jiang Liuyue appeared instantly, tightly embracing the person she had been yearning for. Caught off guard, Shi Yining tried to struggle, but as expected, she couldn’t break the hold.

“Jiang Liuyue, let go! You lied to me like that—I haven’t forgiven you yet!”

“Miss Shi, I’m sorry…”

“If you let go before apologizing, it would seem much more sincere!”

“Promise me first that you won’t drive me away…”

Shi Yining laughed out of pure frustration. “Jiang Liuyue, you are the one in the wrong, yet you’re the one setting conditions! What’s the point of asking? If I did try to drive you away, would you actually leave?”

“Of course not.”

“Then what is the point of asking?”

“If Miss Shi drives me away, it means you have grown completely weary of me… I would not leave you, but I would take you with me to a place where no one could find us. I would hide you away, so that day and night, you belong only to me…”

The bone-deep obsession in that answer left Shi Yining both startled and fearful. “Jiang Liuyue, you truly are completely mad… Are you telling me your plans so bluntly because you are certain I cannot escape you?”

“Miss Shi can try… but if you fail, you must accept the punishment.”

“You are so self-righteous despite being the one at fault. I truly cannot imagine what kind of person you are!”

“Whether I am good or evil, Miss Shi, you are destined to be with me…”

A hot breath brushed against her ear, followed by a dense, nibbling sensation on her neck that caused Shi Yining’s body to stiffen instantly.

“Jiang Liuyue, have you forgotten our agreement?”

The figure behind her paused. “Of course not.”

“Then follow the second rule: no biting without my permission!”

“Fine…” The biting sensation vanished.

But in the next instant, a sharp gasp rang out. “Jiang Liuyue! Why are you undoing my clothes?!”

“In our ‘Three Rules’ agreement, you never mentioned that I couldn’t undress you, nor did you say I couldn’t do more…”

Shi Yining was furious. “Jiang Liuyue, you wouldn’t dare!”

“Do you know how much of a torture it is for me to see you close to others? I was thinking… if we had performed Dual Cultivation earlier and I had fully claimed your body and soul, perhaps these things wouldn’t happen…”

“Jiang Liuyue, doing this will only make me hate you!”

“Even hate is better than being ignored… When hate reaches its depths, is it not a form of love?”

As her garments fell one by one, Shi Yining’s face turned scarlet with rage. “Jiang Liuyue, don’t force me to hurt you!”

“To have Miss Shi strike me would also be a blessing…”

Shi Yining closed her eyes. This “evil spirit” was clearly immune to reason. Just as she resolved to use force, a knock sounded at the door.

“Eldest Senior Sister, are you there? The Sect Leader requests your presence at Qinghe Peak.”

Shi Yining responded immediately, “Thank you for informing me, I will be there shortly.” She turned her gaze back. “Jiang Liuyue, did you hear that? If you don’t want Master to discover you, stop right now!”

After a brief silence, the rogue shadow slowly ceased her movements. “Sect Leader Qin likely already suspects my existence. Otherwise, why would she send for you at such a ‘coincidental’ time?”

Shi Yining huffed. “Saying that… are you finally afraid?”

Jiang Liuyue countered with a question: “If Sect Leader Qin wants to eliminate me, what will Miss Shi do?”

“I would obviously…”

Shi Yining wanted to say she would follow her Master’s decision, but for some reason, the thought of this person vanishing from the world was difficult to accept. “Jiang Liuyue, Master is a person who distinguishes clearly between gratitude and grudges. You haven’t harmed me; she won’t want to kill you.”

“Since Miss Shi says that, it means you want me to be safe… Your heart has softened for me after all.”

Shi Yining felt awkward but didn’t deny it. “Think what you want. Let go, I need to see Master.”

The restriction around her loosened. “Go and come back quickly.”

“If you promise not to act like you just did, I’ll come back. If you don’t, I’ll stay at Qinghe Peak.”

“Fine, I promise…”

Shi Yining was skeptical. “Promising so fast? Are you lying again?”

Jiang Liuyue twined a strand of her beloved’s hair around her finger and sniffed it. “If I go back on my word, you can tell Sect Leader Qin to find a way to destroy me.”

“You know I won’t do that. Such a guarantee is useless.” Shi Yining bit her lip, snatched her hair back, and hurriedly adjusted her disheveled clothes before walking out.

At Qinghe Peak

Sect Leader Qin Wu looked at her disciple, whose face was still flushed, and felt more certain of her suspicions. She didn’t ask directly, but instead brought up another matter.

“The daughter of the (Qishan) Sect Leader visited today and you allowed her to stay at Xigui Peak. Have you considered the negative impact this might have if word gets out?”

Shi Yining was confused. “Master means…?”

“The Yuehua and Qishan Sects intend to form a marriage alliance. You should have heard of this.”

“Master, do you mean people will think I am interfering to sow discord and break the alliance?”

“Exactly.”

Shi Yining smiled freely. “My reputation is already poor. Even if Fellow Daoist Zhao hadn’t come, rumors would still spread. I don’t care about those things. If false rumors could hurt me, I wouldn’t go far on the path of cultivation.”

Qin Wu nodded in approval. “I am glad you think so. However, if the rumors become too much, I won’t ignore them. Now… tell me the truth. Are you being haunted by a ‘Living Soul?”

“I…”

“Do not lie. I sensed it long ago. I was waiting for you to tell me, but since you haven’t, I am asking directly.”

“Master’s guess is correct… but she hasn’t harmed me. She’s just…”

“Do you like her?”

Shi Yining denied it instinctively. “Of course not!”

Qin Wu, having seen through it all, said casually, “Since you don’t like her and she’s clinging to you, how about I go and eliminate her for you?”

“No!” Shi Yining lost her composure, her voice rising. “Master, she isn’t bad by nature. She hasn’t done anything wicked. She has just… lost her memory, and that’s why she follows me.”

“Losing memory means you know nothing of her identity. Have you considered she might be our enemy?”

“If she recovers her memory and turns out to be an enemy, it won’t be too late to deal with her then…”

“As long as you know what you are doing. Since you want to protect her, I won’t interfere. But if she ever harms the sect, I will not let her go.”

The sky grew dark. Shi Yining stayed at Qinghe Peak to avoid Jiang Liuyue for a while. She didn’t know that back on Xigui Peak, the “Living Soul” felt like every second was a year.

Unable to wait any longer, Jiang Liuyue secretly followed her.

That night, while Shi Yining was meditating on her bed, she suddenly felt a presence. She looked toward the window. In the next heartbeat, a figure rushed in and pinned her onto the bed without a word.

“Miss Shi is so heartless. You promised to come back early, yet you stayed at Qinghe Peak…”

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