That night, Zongzheng Huangyue woke up.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Wen Li sitting in the room reading a book, while Gu Linshu was nearby drawing talismans. A charcoal brazier burned in the room; the night was somewhat chilly, so it had been placed by the bedside to keep her warm.
She propped herself up with one hand on the bedframe and slowly rose.
“Ngh...”
Hearing the movement, Wen Li and Gu Linshu stopped what they were doing and came over.
“Take it slow. Drink this medicine.”
Wen Li supported her, letting the girl lean into her embrace. With a flick of her hand, the bowl of dark, murky decoction on the table flew into her grasp. With a nudge of her fire-attribute spiritual energy, she instantly heated it to the perfect temperature.
Zongzheng Huangyue didn’t ask what the medicine was; she simply tilted her head back and drank the entire bowl as Wen Li held it to her lips.
Gu Linshu stepped forward and took the empty bowl.
“How do you feel? Any other discomfort?” Wen Li used her sleeve to wipe the fine beads of cold sweat from the girl’s forehead.
Zongzheng Huangyue shook her head slightly. “Aside from the pain in my kneecaps, everything else is fine.”
Wen Li asked directly, “It was Zongzheng Yingchu, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Zongzheng Huangyue nodded and looked up, her expression calm. “Master, Zongzheng Yingchu told me to pass on a message. He said that if you have the ability to snatch this disciple away, you should do so, as long as you aren’t afraid that one day I will betray you just as I did him. He might no longer be my master, but I must remain a princess of Houchi Kingdom, and I must return there in ten years.”
“I tried to negotiate with him, but he saw through the fact that I had already abandoned him. He crushed my knees and sentenced me to thirty-eight whip strikes as punishment. Three days ago, he brought me to a hidden teleportation array within the Ancestral Temple that no one knows about and sent me to Beiqiong Kingdom alone.”
Zongzheng Huangyue suddenly remembered something, and her face turned pale. “Master, please check if he left any tracking spells on me. I’m afraid he might come after us.”
“It’s fine. You’ve been unconscious for two hours, and he has yet to appear. It seems he has no intention of seeking me out; my threat worked.” Wen Li stroked the girl’s forehead.
“Given his arrogant nature, punishing you was his way of letting you go. This was a show of power toward me. You can consider him your cover for the next ten years. I only regret that you had to suffer like this.”
Zongzheng Huangyue placed her hand over Wen Li’s. “Master, these injuries were caused by Zongzheng Yingchu, and I will certainly settle this debt myself. You don’t need to worry about me. These wounds were a fair price for ten years of freedom. It’s enough.”
Her words were clearly intended to prevent Wen Li from feeling guilty over her injuries.
Wen Li patted her head. “Don’t worry. You will take your own revenge, and I have my own accounts to settle with him—but that will happen after you’ve had your turn.”
“Understood.” Zongzheng Huangyue nodded and lowered her eyes, leaning into Wen Li’s warm embrace.
Recalling something, she asked curiously, “Master, what exactly did you say to make Zongzheng Yingchu so angry, yet force him to send me away?”
She had never seen the ice-faced Zongzheng Yingchu so enraged. If she could learn that trick, she could annoy him to death in the future.
Beside them, Gu Linshu also looked up in curiosity. Had Master revealed her main account and used physical force to threaten him?
“I said...”
Wen Li shrugged, a mocking glint appearing in the curve of her eyes.
“Cover for Zongzheng Huangyue’s departure from Houchi Kingdom for ten years, or I will sell shadow stones everywhere of you being chased by an estrus pig demon during the Central Province Aptitude Battle—fleeing in a pathetic state with your clothes in disarray. Selling price: one Low-Grade Spirit Stone.”
“...”
“...”
The silence was deafening.
Zongzheng Huangyue and Gu Linshu, who had expected some kind of martial suppression or life-threatening ultimatum, froze in place.
Chased by an estrus pig demon...
Fleeing with his clothes in disarray?
Gu Linshu, who knew the specific details of that year’s Aptitude Battle, raised a hand to his forehead. He hurriedly groped for the table to steady himself as he sat down, fearing he might faint from the shock of his Master’s actions.
They were on the man’s home turf!
One wrong move and they would be hunted across the entire Eastern Province. He was still young; he didn’t want to be unable to return to the Northern Province.
Zongzheng Huangyue, who only knew of the general grudge but not the details, asked in confusion, “Master, what exactly did you do back then?”
Was it more than just scattering Beast-Attracting Powder and Frenzy Powder?
“After I gave those Eastern Province disciples a beating, they were hunted by demon beasts all over the mountains. After resisting for a while, they were exhausted and their spiritual power was depleted, leaving them with only their physical strength to flee. The beasts were in a state of frenzy and estrus, and since I had scattered powdered female demon beast dung on them, they were naturally targeted as objects for venting.”
“Zongzheng Yingchu wasn’t exempt. He was chased by a Nascent Soul demon beast and nearly lost his life. While he was powerless to resist, the low-level demon beasts around him all wanted to try something. Fortunately, he was rescued by the elders of those Central Province sects, so he managed to preserve his virtue.”
Wen Li casually detailed how she had trapped the geniuses of the Eastern Province back then, adding another comment.
“Oh, that sachet I gave you should have exploded by now. Inside was my exclusive blend of Frenzy Powder and Estrus Powder. I specifically added powder ground from dried Nascent Soul-level female demon beast dung. It contains a unique scent that cannot be washed off by any spiritual liquid once it touches them.”
“Even if Zongzheng Yingchu used spiritual power to encase the powder immediately, the scent would have followed his spiritual energy and attached itself to his body. I reckon he’s probably hiding in some cave right now, not daring to step outside.”
She hadn't been entirely certain she could stop Zongzheng Yingchu from tracking Zongzheng Huangyue to hunt her down; after all, she was very confident in her ability to attract hatred.
Therefore, she hadn’t just used the threat of the shadow stone; she had also prepared that estrus powder. Since the sachet was given to him by Zongzheng Huangyue, he likely wouldn’t have suspected any danger. In his arrogance and condescension, he wouldn’t think a Foundation Establishment disciple could pose any threat to him.
But now, once he opened it, the second backup plan would take effect. Zongzheng Yingchu knew very well that the effects of her powder couldn’t be washed away with spiritual liquids; he would have to stay in hiding for at least a month.
After all, Nascent Soul-level demon beasts could shape-shift. Those beasts in human form would sniff out the scent of a special female demon beast and come searching from all over—it would be more than enough to give him a headache.
If he dared to come after her, he could try his luck—he’d either lose his life or his virtue.
Rate on N.U.
