Wen Li raised a hand and rubbed her chin with a suspicious look. Aside from the chickens, ducks, and geese, every other animal raised in her sect had been neutered. She didn't want them urinating and defecating everywhere, nor did she want to witness any "nature documentaries" that might sear her eyes. She had performed the small surgeries herself, administering anesthesia and snip-snapping the goods away.
She guaranteed a painless transition into eunuch-hood.
“...”
Xie Tinglan and Hua Cishu felt a chill sweep across their groins just listening to her. Both instinctively squeezed their legs together, their expressions freezing.
This was not a conversation for them to hear.
Yao Dai’s eyes lit up. “Right! That saves me the trouble of researching pharmacology.”
“Master, you must teach me when we get back!”
Wen Li snapped her fingers. “Don't worry, I guarantee you'll master it.”
“...”
For the first time ever, Xie Tinglan and Hua Cishu were as quiet as mice, unable and unwilling to chime in.
They even shared a tacit look of mutual understanding, their gazes instinctively sweeping toward each other’s lower halves. After a moment, as if imagining a horrific scene, they both shuddered and looked away with utter disgust.
Madness. This was sheer madness!
Master was crazy, and Yao Dai was going crazy with her. She actually wanted to castrate the Saint Son? If that news got out, Yao Dai would be hunted by the Buddhist Order across half the Southern Province. They needed to stay far away from her in the future.
The group, each harboring their own bizarre thoughts, headed together toward the place where Qi Mei’er resided.
Glancing down from high in the sky, Wen Li spotted a tower in the middle of a dense forest. The area surrounding it was covered in arrays. It was no wonder Yao Dai and Xin Jiuxian had been discovered; even a butterfly would have been caught entering that place.
The four of them landed on a large tree branch. Wen Li raised her hand and brought out Hold On, using it to set up a Spirit-Erasing Array and an illusion array. These were far more advanced than the tower’s defenses, ensuring they wouldn't be spotted.
She looked at Xie Tinglan and instructed, “You stay here with Old Five. Release Xiao Du so he can catch a glimpse of Qi Mei’er in secret, but don't let him startle them.”
Xie Tinglan nodded. “Understood.”
Hua Cishu brought out the Cloud Porcelain Kunxu Fan but didn't open it yet. He waited until Wen Li and Yao Dai flew toward the tower before finally flicking the fan open.
With a soft swish, a handsome young man in a blue and white brocade robe appeared. His white hair flowed, and his fox ears twitched slightly. Xiao Du’s cool, gentle voice carried a hint of curiosity.
“You’ve released me. Does that mean you’ve found information regarding my identity?”
Hua Cishu pointed toward the tower. “Just watch and you’ll see.”
He then shot a glance at Xie Tinglan.
Xie Tinglan understood and formed hand seals to set up a barrier around them. This was to prevent Xiao Du from potentially losing control and rushing over, which would only cause trouble for Wen Li.
Wen Li led Yao Dai toward the tower. As soon as they touched the array and landed on the ground, the tower’s door opened.
With a soft creak, a figure in a peach-pink peony gown flew out. She was like a celestial maiden scattering blossoms, bringing a natural fragrance with her. Using a palm leaf fan to partially mask her face, she landed and looked at the two of them. Qi Mei’er’s brow arched, and her red lips parted slightly.
“It’s you.”
She clearly recognized Wen Li as the person who had questioned her during the Fire Fox clan explosion.
Yao Dai stood behind Wen Li, her gaze wary. “What did you do to Old Six?”
“Oh, you mean her? She was so exhausted she fell asleep.”
Upon hearing her words, Qi Mei’er knew “Old Six” referred to that little girl, Xin Jiuxian. She casually lifted the hem of her off-the-shoulder gown with her right hand and plopped down onto the tower steps, completely abandoning any air of refinement.
To help maintain Wen Li’s prestige, Yao Dai pulled a stool out of her storage space and held it for Wen Li. “Master, please sit.”
However, when Wen Li looked back, she saw the stool was as tiny as something for a kindergartener. It was better to just stand.
“You sit instead,” Wen Li said. This poor, silly child.
“Wait, hold on! I grabbed the wrong one.” Yao Dai took a closer look and realized her mistake. She quickly swapped it for a normal chair and helped Wen Li sit down.
Thump, thump!
Watching the two of them act as if they were here for a long chat rather than a rescue, Qi Mei’er laughed in frustration. She rapped her right hand against the wooden boards of the stairs.
“Ladies, I’m still here. Could you at least show me some respect?” She leaned limply against the railing, gently waving her white palm leaf fan.
“Do you even want that little girl back? If not, you might as well just sell her to me. I find her quite kindred to my soul.”
Hearing about selling a disciple made Wen Li, who already had a prior record, feel her eyelid twitch. Xie Tinglan was watching from behind; if he were to recall how she had sold him before...
She immediately spoke with righteous indignation, “Excuse me, I am not the type of person who sells her disciples for personal gain. Yes, I want that girl back. Of course I do. Now, tell me, what do you want in exchange?”
Qi Mei’er twirled a lock of long hair around her finger as she watched her. “So you’re her Master.”
No wonder that little girl was so interesting, being the disciple of someone like this. “If you want her, you have to tell me why the two of them were following me so relentlessly. What are your intentions toward me? If you tell the truth, I’ll bring her out so you can see her.”
“Fine, we'll tell you!”
Wen Li nodded imperiously and turned to Yao Dai. “Tell her what your intentions were. Hurry up.”
“...” Yao Dai’s eyes widened. Master, how could you?
Seeing Qi Mei’er watching her, she had no choice but to force a dry laugh and make something up on the fly. “Hahaha! It’s just that Old Six and I like looking at beauties. This fox demon sister is so beautiful that we couldn't help but follow her. We didn't expect it to cause such a misunderstanding.”
Since Master is being useless, I have to buy as much time as possible for Old Five and let Xiao Du get a good look at her.
Qi Mei’er’s gaze turned cold upon hearing this. “You have one more chance.”
“...” Wait, so she gets angry even when people call her a beauty?
Yao Dai’s breath hitched. She shot a pleading look at Wen Li, only to find Wen Li staring back with an expression that said, "Hurry up and say something!" Yao Dai’s brain worked at high speed, her forehead dripping with sweat.
“Fine! I’ll tell the truth! I, Xie Tinglan, am in love with Dragon Young Master Long Qinyan! I was utterly devastated to hear he was going to become Dao companions with you! I just wanted to see what you looked like, to see what kind of woman could actually manage to seduce him!” Yao Dai stood with her hands on her hips, her nose turned up. She was really getting into the role now, putting on a show of malicious jealousy like a woman in a catfight.
Hurry up, mouth, keep going! “Hmph! Don't you just have a seductive little face? So what if your chest is bigger than mine, your butt is curvier, you're taller, your face is prettier, your voice is more delicate, and... and your cultivation is higher than mine? What’s so great about that? Why does Long Qinyan like you and not me?!”
“...” Is she praising her or insulting her?
At first, Wen Li had been nodding in approval, glad her eldest disciple had learned the art of making things up. But as she listened, a vein began to throb on her temple. Wait, why are you praising your opponent while acting out a jealous rival scene?
Even Qi Mei’er, who should have been angry, couldn't stop her lips from twitching upward. She fanned herself even faster with her palm leaf fan, her face heating up slightly from the unexpected compliments. Her gaze grew increasingly kind and friendly as she stared at Yao Dai, waiting to see what else the girl would say to praise her.
Yao Dai continued her performance. “I’m telling you, I’ve been in love with Long Qinyan since I was a child! If he hadn't saved me, I would have been sold to a heartless coal mine long ago! He was so good to me, buying me food and clothes, even teaching me how to cultivate. If you hadn't interfered, I’m the one he should have married! So I won't accept this! You’re not allowed to steal him from me!”
Wen Li’s mouth twitched. “...”
Love at first sight? When Sami came to help you, you treated him like a demon monk carrying Stupefying Drug. You managed to twist a genuine case of love at first sight into a sinister plot with the utmost malice. Truly impressive.
Rate on N.U.
