Chapter 65: Was This Also Absurd?
The deathly silence in the room stretched on.
Li Yu huddled in the corner, her hair disheveled, her cheeks burning, silently straightening her clothes.
Her mind was blank, her thoughts sluggish, her actions purely instinctive.
Only after she was properly dressed did she realize that even simple tasks like dressing and fixing her hair required only a simple spell, and her forgetting that must have looked incredibly foolish.
But then she thought, with the curse poison still in her body, even simple spells caused discomfort, best avoided if possible.
As for Mu Tao…
Li Yu could feel her intense gaze, unwavering.
But she didn’t dare meet her eyes.
She couldn’t explain why, perhaps afraid of being overwhelmed, perhaps afraid of seeing the disappointment in Mu Tao’s eyes.
Mu Tao must think she was angry.
Perhaps she had scared Mu Tao, or perhaps…hurt her.
In the oppressive silence, she lost track of time.
It felt like both a fleeting moment and an eternity as she slowly processed what was happening.
Her seemingly obedient and well-behaved little disciple had harbored these unusual desires for a long time.
Was she afraid, repulsed?
She thought she would be, but now, she realized she wasn’t as resistant as she had imagined.
She wasn’t entirely against Mu Tao crossing that line, just…surprised, unsure how to react, how to accept it.
For a moment there, during that unexpected intimacy, she had almost…surrendered.
She just needed time, time to process everything…
If it weren’t for the curse…
…she wouldn’t have said those hurtful words.
She hadn’t wanted to, but she couldn’t explain their current situation to Mu Tao.
It seemed that any hint of affection from her was interpreted by Mu Tao as…permission.
Besides forcefully stopping her, besides emphasizing their precarious master-disciple dynamic, she couldn’t think of any other way to make Mu Tao understand.
For now, she could only delay, searching for a way to remove the curse or subtly inform Mu Tao about it.
Li Yu sighed softly.
The sound broke the silence in the room.
Li Yu’s gaze was lowered, but she saw a flash of red from the corner of her eye as Mu Tao approached.
She almost stopped breathing, instinctively wanting to move away, but her body froze.
This time, Mu Tao didn’t try anything, just sat beside her and gently started combing her tangled hair.
After a moment of hesitation, Li Yu didn’t pull away, just looked away, letting Mu Tao’s fingers play with her hair.
Mu Tao’s touch was incredibly gentle, as if afraid of hurting her.
Her gaze softened, her mind drifting as the soft strands of hair slid through her fingers.
She carefully combed Li Yu’s hair, a hint of reluctance as she tied it back with a ribbon.
As if once this task was done, she would have no further excuse to be so close.
They shouldn’t be so silent, she thought.
Had she done something wrong?
She had done something her master wouldn’t like, crossed a line no disciple should cross.
But even if she stopped now, could they ever go back to how things were before?
She didn’t understand.
“Master must be hungry,” Mu Tao suddenly whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
She stood up but didn’t leave, seemingly waiting for a response.
Li Yu nervously clutched her robes, her heart pounding, then finally managed a soft “Mm.”
Mu Tao’s nose twitched, and she walked to the door, pausing just before leaving.
“This disciple will prepare some food for Master,” she said in a low voice, then left, closing the door silently behind her.
As Mu Tao left, Li Yu saw a faint barrier appear outside the door.
Her insecure little disciple still needed to lock her in to feel safe.
Li Yu lowered her gaze, hugging her knees, her back against the cold stone wall, her mind a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts.
The spiritual fire flickered, casting dancing green shadows, as she pondered her situation.
Finally, she felt a glimmer of hope.
Despite the curse, Mu Tao was still listening to her, not completely lost in her obsession like in the original story.
Thankfully, the curse was dormant when she wasn’t using spiritual energy.
She remembered the excruciating pain from last time and had expected far greater damage, but she seemed mostly fine now.
Either the curse wasn’t that potent, or the person who cast it still had some…compassion.
Regardless, their situation had changed; she needed to adapt.
Li Yu composed herself, stood up, and walked to the window, opening it.
A few demon maids passed by outside, seemingly not noticing her.
She looked out at the dim sky through the thin spiritual barrier.
It wasn’t night, not the complete darkness of night.
But the sky was still dim,
Like a sudden storm, the clouds obscuring the sun.
This was the Demon Realm, a truly lightless place.
It was said to be as cold as a snowy winter in the human realm.
But she didn’t feel any chill; the barrier seemed to be blocking not just her escape, but also the cold.
The human realm had four seasons, but the Demon Realm didn’t.
The demons, accustomed to this constant cold, could no longer tolerate the human realm’s summer and autumn.
Perhaps because of the darkness and the cold, the plants here were strange and distorted.
The dark trees, with their sparse, blue-tinged leaves and gnarled branches, flickered with a faint, dark light.
Even the flowers were unlike those in the human realm.
Regardless of their color, they all glowed faintly, as if even plants needed spiritual energy to survive here.
Any life that could thrive in this place must be incredibly resilient, Li Yu thought.
And Mu Tao…
Having reached such a high position in just six months, how resilient was she, what hardships had she endured?
She still wanted to protect Mu Tao, care for her, treat her well, as she had before.
But many things had changed silently.
Abandoning Mu Tao at the entrance to the Demon Realm had hurt her deeply.
She had thought she could make amends, but fate, it seemed, had other plans—the author, the garbage system, even her seemingly reasonable colleague, they all pushed her towards this predicament.
Now, still constrained, how could she heal Mu Tao’s wounds?
Li Yu couldn’t find an answer, so she just sat down, resting her chin on her hand, and looked out the window.
She didn’t know how long she had been unconscious, nor what was happening on Mount Chao Yao.
Si Qinglan, having awakened and released her, would have to face Weisheng Xuanzhu alone.
She had left in such a hurry, so many things forgotten, urged on by Si Qinglan.
She hadn’t even told Si Qinglan about Weisheng Xuanzhu’s true identity.
She wondered how Si Qinglan was doing, whether Weisheng Xuanzhu was making things difficult for her.
Mu Tao’s blackening value always increased whenever Si Qinglan visited Chaoxi Pond.
With her changed personality, would Mu Tao even be willing to inquire about Si Qinglan…?
As she was lost in thought, she saw the girl in red, carrying a food box, hurrying towards her.
Seeing her by the window, a smile appeared in the girl’s eyes.
She entered the room, her steps quick, and placed the food box on the black stone table.
The door closed behind her.
As usual, Mu Tao took out the dishes and placed them on the table.
She looked up at Li Yu tentatively. “Master, dinner is ready.”
Her voice was soft, a hint of apprehension in it.
After what happened earlier, the atmosphere in the room was slightly tense.
Li Yu took a deep breath and sat down at the table.
Mu Tao’s eyes lit up, and she placed the bowls and chopsticks before Li Yu.
Looking at the familiar dishes, a familiar ache arose within Li Yu.
“I vaguely remember…Master didn’t particularly like these dishes.” Mu Tao sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and said softly, “The Demon Realm is barren, and although the Demon Lord’s palace has ingredients from the human realm, the selection is limited…so I could only make these…”
She lowered her gaze. “It’s been a long time since I cooked these; I hope they’re still to Master’s liking.”
It had been a long time since Li Yu had tasted Mu Tao’s cooking.
She had never found it displeasing, even that bland, slightly fishy grilled fish in the snowy wilderness was now a fond memory.
Li Yu picked up her chopsticks and started eating silently.
The taste was just as she remembered.
For a moment, it was as if they were back at Chaoxi Pond, those peaceful days of quiet companionship.
She fought back tears and whispered, “It has been a while, but the taste is still the same.”
Mu Tao: “Does Master still like it?”
Li Yu: “Mm.”
Mu Tao: “Has the food at Qianlizhu improved?”
Li Yu: “No.”
Mu Tao: “Master must have suffered.”
Li Yu: “…”
What suffering had she endured?
After returning to Mount Chao Yao, besides cultivating and recuperating, she had done nothing.
The food at Qianlizhu wasn’t as good as Mu Tao’s, but it was just…bland, not inedible.
She hadn’t suffered; Mu Tao was the one who had suffered.
She couldn’t bear to think about what Mu Tao had endured during these past six months, yet Mu Tao never mentioned it, as if nothing had happened, as if all those hardships paled in comparison to not having a good meal.
The more Mu Tao acted like this, the more Li Yu’s heart ached.
She looked at Mu Tao, wanting to say something, then just sighed softly and lowered her gaze. “I didn’t suffer…”
Mu Tao nodded and silently ate her rice.
A moment later, some food was placed in her bowl.
She paused, then accepted it.
More and more food appeared in her bowl, and she bit her lip, her eyes reddening slightly.
Li Yu: “Don’t just eat rice.”
Mu Tao: “Mm.”
A brief exchange, then silence again.
Mu Tao finished her meal, tears in her eyes, a mix of happiness and bitterness in her heart.
She couldn’t believe that her master, who treated her so well, truly only saw her as a disciple.
She couldn’t accept it.
After putting down her chopsticks, she hesitated, unsure whether to leave or find an excuse to stay.
Li Yu asked softly, “Do you want to stay and talk?”
“Yes!” Mu Tao replied instantly.
Tears, which she had just wiped away, started falling again.
She thought she had so much to say, but now, she didn’t know where to begin.
Thankfully, Li Yu spoke again.
Looking at Mu Tao with sympathy, she said, “You must have suffered a lot these past six months.”
Mu Tao: “Seeing Master again makes it all worthwhile.”
Li Yu: “…”
Mu Tao: “Master…won’t leave again, right?”
Li Yu: “I won’t leave.”
Mu Tao looked into Li Yu’s eyes, then asked after a long moment, “Now that Master knows…my feelings…can we…still be the same as before?”
Li Yu: “If you’re willing, I can…”
Mu Tao interrupted. “What if I’m not willing?”
Li Yu: “…”
Mu Tao: “In Master’s heart, am I…destined to be just your disciple?”
Li Yu: “…”
Mu Tao: “You’re willing to give me such an important place in your life, why can’t you…let me be even closer?”
Li Yu: “…”
“I can cook for Master forever, I can protect Master forever.” Mu Tao’s voice was soft, her eyes filled with a near-desperate longing. “Anything Master desires, as long as the Demon Realm has it, I can give it to you. And if it’s not here, I can find it for you in the human realm!”
She said, she wasn’t willing.
She didn’t want things to go back to how they were.
She no longer wanted to be the one being cared for, protected, loved, seemingly carefree and happy, yet ultimately powerless.
She hated her former self, the one who was always so easily satisfied just by being near her master.
That self was always passive.
Ostracized, mocked, bullied, she could only swallow her humiliation.
When those who protected her were hurt, she could only watch helplessly.
It hadn’t been so bad; she had believed things would get better, especially after her master finally started caring for her.
She could eat with her master every day, she had her own cultivation manual, she went to the human realm with her master, and her master finally started teaching her spells.
But she was still too passive…
For two hundred years, whether bullied or loved, she had only passively accepted everything.
She always felt insecure, the underlying anxiety never truly disappearing, no matter how happy she seemed on the surface.
She knew how long and unpredictable life could be.
And in this long life, everything could change.
If her master wanted to leave, just like how she had suddenly decided to be kind to her, she wouldn’t need her permission—she couldn’t stop her, couldn’t make her stay.
So when that moment arrived, watching her master’s retreating figure disappear into the darkness, her heart felt empty, as if she had never possessed anything.
She stood alone in the darkness.
Only a faint blue light lingered beside her.
She stood beneath the light, her heart numb, yet still hoping her master would return.
But it was wishful thinking; she was deceiving herself.
She said she waited there for a long time.
Until the light finally faded.
Her world seemed to crumble around her.
Crumbling into an endless darkness, without a single spark of light.
But she survived.
From that moment on, she vowed to become so strong that she could hold onto everything she desired.
Then, she would never have to fear being abandoned again.
“Mu Tao…”
“Master, I wish…you were still the master I respected. I don’t want to…disobey you.” Mu Tao’s eyes were red as she asked softly, “Can’t you…be like before, fulfilling all my wishes, as much as possible?”
“…”
Li Yu’s silence extinguished the last flicker of hope in Mu Tao’s eyes.
Mu Tao lowered her gaze and chuckled humorlessly, as if suddenly seeing clearly.
“It’s fine,” she said faintly, a slight smile on her lips. “One day…Master will change your mind.”
A black flame flickered at her fingertip and then, without warning, flew into Li Yu’s forehead.
Li Yu frowned, a momentary discomfort, then nothing.
“What did you do to me?”
“Just…sealed your meridians.” Mu Tao’s eyes, though filled with tears, held a bright, innocent smile, just like before. “Now…Master can’t leave this place.”
Li Yu couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Although seemingly cruel, it didn’t really matter to her.
With the curse poison already in her body, this additional seal, blocking her meridians, actually prevented the minor backlash from casual spellcasting.
“From now on, Master will belong only to me,” Mu Tao said, standing up and walking behind Li Yu, gently caressing her face. “How wonderful, no one else can share you with me, not even for a moment.”
Li Yu instinctively flinched from her touch.
Mu Tao looked down at her flushed ear, her smile widening.
She playfully traced the curve of Li Yu’s ear with her fingertip.
Li Yu’s heart raced, and she took a deep breath, closing her eyes, her brow furrowed.
“I often felt that Chaoxi Pond wasn’t secluded enough, supposedly our residence, yet people could come and go as they pleased.” There was a hint of annoyance in Mu Tao’s voice, but she quickly corrected herself. “From now on, Master will live here, undisturbed.”
“There’s a barrier outside, ordinary people can’t see inside, and sounds can’t travel out…” She smiled and put her hands behind her back. “So, only I can see Master.”
Li Yu didn’t dare respond, just squeezed her eyes shut tighter.
Mu Tao clearly didn’t like her silence, her tone turning slightly sullen. “Master is now…like how you were before—I don’t like this Master.”
…Didn’t she just say she did?
“But it’s fine, Master has just woken up, you must be feeling…restless.”
…Here we go again.
“I’ll come and keep Master company every day, I’ll cook for you, just like before.” Mu Tao leaned closer to Li Yu’s ear and whispered, “Do you…prefer the old me? Although…I can’t go back, but I’ll try…to be more like her.”
Her words carried a forced cheerfulness, a hint of underlying sadness. “Please…cooperate, Master. If I’m not happy, I…I can’t keep pretending.”
She gently kissed Li Yu’s flushed ear.
Li Yu flinched, trying to pull away, but a strong arm wrapped around her waist, holding her in place.
She swallowed nervously and said, trying to sound firm, “Mu Tao, have you forgotten what I just said…?”
Mu Tao frowned slightly. “No.”
“Then let go…”
“Is this also…absurd?” Mu Tao asked, pressing her cheek against Li Yu’s, a hurt look in her eyes. “Master’s standards are so high; this disciple is at a loss.”
“…” Li Yu felt a wave of helplessness wash over her.
“I’ve always obeyed Master. You raised me, protected me, I should listen to you.” Mu Tao blinked innocently, a hint of confusion in her voice. “But now, Master, you depend on me. Isn’t it only natural that you…listen to me sometimes?”
Natural? This was a complete role reversal!
The now dominant disciple continued, her voice filled with mock grievance. “Earlier, Master was lying in bed, unable to move, and this disciple, unable to control herself, acted…inappropriately—If Master finds it inappropriate, I accept the blame.”
“But now, I’m not doing anything like that, just…wanting to be closer to Master…” She tightened her embrace.
After a moment of silence, she asked, her tone slightly displeased, “If this is also absurd, aren’t you worried that this disciple will be unhappy?”
“…”
“If I’m unhappy…I might…stop being so obedient.”