Chapter 21: This Was the Second Time Master Had Given Her a Gift! p3
When she came back to her senses, Mo Yichu was gone, leaving only Mu Tao staring at her, head tilted slightly, her big, bright eyes filled with confusion.
Li Yu: “…”
Mu Tao: “Is Master troubled?”
Troubled? She had so many worries that even her dreams were filled with immortal deathmatches.
Deathmatches where she had to avoid a beautiful little disciple with a sweet smile and a broken sword in her hand.
Of course, she couldn’t tell anyone about those troubles.
Better change the subject.
“Where’s your senior brother?” Li Yu asked casually, looking around.
“Senior Brother said he has an artifact that can increase speed, but to use it on such a large ship, he needs to set up a formation to amplify its power.” Mu Tao replied seriously. “Setting up a formation on the ship requires the owner’s permission, so he went to find Lord Zhao.”
Li Yu nodded. “If it works, it’s for the best. The sooner we reach shore, the better, I’d rather not drift aimlessly on this empty sea.”
She realized she was slightly afraid of the vastness of the ocean.
She couldn’t explain it, but it was frightening.
But Mu Tao looked back at the sea and smiled. “The sea is nice.”
Li Yu: “You like the sea?”
“Yes! I can’t explain why, but I’ve always liked it, although I could only look at it from afar before.” Mu Tao turned and asked, “Doesn’t Master like it?”
Li Yu instinctively wanted to say “no,” but then she remembered that the original owner of this body was a Jiao from the West Sea, a divine being born in the deep sea. How could she not like the sea?
So, she lied. “I like it.”
Mu Tao’s eyes lit up. “If Master likes it, then this disciple likes it even more!”
Li Yu chuckled. “So if I didn’t like it, you wouldn’t either?”
Mu Tao nodded vigorously. “Mm!”
Li Yu couldn’t help but gently tap Mu Tao’s nose. “You’re so spineless.”
“Master’s stance is this disciple’s stance!” Mu Tao said earnestly.
Looking at Mu Tao’s serious expression, Li Yu’s heart melted.
The little protagonist was so adorable, well-behaved, and beautiful. No wonder the male protagonist was drawn to her and wanted to protect her.
Having such a sweet disciple by her side was like being a mother without any of the hard work, enjoying the benefits without any of the responsibilities!
She hadn’t even done anything.
Just regifted a cultivation manual the original owner wrote, and the little protagonist was completely devoted to her.
How embarrassing.
In that case, she might as well regift something else.
Thinking this, Li Yu raised her right hand and took out the Harmony Bells she had confiscated earlier.
Mu Tao tilted her head, looking at the two strings of bells in her master’s hand, confused.
“Master, this is…”
Before she could finish, Li Yu took her right hand and tied one string of bells around her wrist.
Mu Tao’s eyes widened, her mouth slightly open, her confusion and surprise gradually turning into delight.
This was…
The second time her master had given her a gift!
“These are Harmony Bells, a pair. One for you, and one for me.” Li Yu tied the other string around her own wrist. “From now on, no matter where you are, no matter how far apart we are, as long as you activate them with your spiritual power, I will be able to find you.”
“Master!” Mu Tao’s eyes reddened.
Her left hand instinctively grasped the small silver bells on her right wrist.
Li Yu could see the deep emotion in Mu Tao’s eyes.
But she couldn’t help but feel guilty.
She could find her, but what was the point?
In the original story, the male protagonist gave the female protagonist the Harmony Bells so he could protect her at any time.
But her giving Mu Tao the Harmony Bells… who knew who would be protecting whom in the future…
The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt. She looked up at the sky.
Mu Tao immediately noticed this and followed her gaze, her eyes still teary.
Time flew by so fast; the sun was almost directly overhead!
Mu Tao: “Is Master hungry? This disciple will go and cook for you!”
Li Yu: “…Huh?”
That was fast!
Before Li Yu could finish, Mu Tao had already run off!
There were cooks on the ship; lunch was probably almost ready.
Mu Tao asked for directions to the kitchen, tried the ship’s food, and decided it wasn’t good enough for her master. So, she asked cautiously, “Excuse me, could I…borrow the kitchen?”
She had already decided that if they refused, she would just borrow some ingredients and find a spot on deck to cook.
She had brought her pots and pans; a kitchen was preferable, but not essential.
However, in the eyes of the people on the ship, this seemingly young girl was a “Young Immortal” from the immortal mountain. How could they refuse her?
Thus, Mu Tao not only easily occupied the kitchen but also somehow acquired a group of eager helpers.
She was so flattered that she almost questioned reality.
Meanwhile, Li Yu waited patiently in her cabin for lunch.
Soon, a knock came from the door.
She simply said, “Come in.”
A procession of people entered, each carrying a dish, all volunteering to serve her.
Such overwhelming hospitality was hard to refuse!
As they left the cabin, Li Yu looked at Mu Tao in surprise.
Mu Tao, empty-handed, also looked back at Li Yu, equally bewildered.
Then someone from the kitchen shouted, “Mu Tao, remember, you’re in charge of the meals until we reach shore, and we’ll help you!”
Mu Tao: “Mm-hmm!”
Confusion flickered in Li Yu’s eyes.
Mu Tao waved goodbye to the kitchen crew and turned to her confused master, quickly explaining, “I asked to borrow the kitchen, and they helped me a lot. They also praised my cooking and asked if I could make extra so everyone on the ship could enjoy it.”
“You agreed?”
“Mm!” Mu Tao nodded happily.
“Did you ask for payment?” Li Yu asked.
“Payment…what’s that?” Mu Tao tilted her head in confusion.
Such a silly girl, working for free right after leaving the mountain!
Li Yu: “Forget it, let’s eat.”
Mu Tao nodded and quickly sat down at the table, picking up her chopsticks.
She seemed to be in a particularly good mood, excitedly recounting how helpful everyone in the kitchen had been, vying to wash and chop vegetables, and fetch plates and bowls.
Li Yu listened, both happy for her and worried she might get carried away.
She couldn’t help but remind her, “They are being nice to you because they know you’re from Mount Chao Yao.”
Mu Tao: “I know!”
Li Yu: “What do you know?”
“People are nice to me because Master is nice to me.” Mu Tao smiled. “They might not genuinely care about me, but I don’t care. As long as Master cares about me, that’s all that matters!”
This girl…
She was the protagonist after all. Seemingly naive, she actually understood many things.
She knew that if her master treated her well, those who usually looked down on her wouldn’t dare bully her so openly.
But the more she understood this, the more she felt unworthy, believing that no one would truly care for her.
This wasn’t a healthy mindset.
Li Yu cleared her throat. “Actually, not everyone who is nice to you is because of me…”
For example, Si Qinglan genuinely liked the little protagonist, calling her “Little Taotao” so often it was nauseating.
Mu Tao nodded seriously. “Senior Brother is also very good to me!”
Li Yu: “…”
That wasn’t what she meant!!
Mu Tao: “Master might not know why I participated in the Cloud Platform Trial.”
Li Yu: “…”
Of course she knew!
Inspired by Mo Yichu’s words, you felt a spark of ambition and couldn’t resist testing your limits!
Mu Tao: “Senior Brother told me that although the moon isn’t as bright or hot as the sun, it has existed for millennia, eternally unchanging. Whether it’s cold or warm, full or waning, depends only on when and how people look at it!”
Li Yu: “So?”
“He was right…” Mu Tao said softly, her eyes downcast, her lips pursed.
Li Yu held her breath, afraid the little girl would say something like, “Senior Brother is so wonderful, if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t even know why I’m alive,” completely undoing all her hard work.
But often, what you fear most comes to pass.
“Senior Brother is a good person.” Mu Tao blushed, her voice softening. “If it weren’t for Senior Brother, I wouldn’t know… I wouldn’t know…”
Oh no, she was blushing.
So, the two protagonists seemed distant during the day, but the fire was still simmering, ready to ignite at any moment!
Li Yu: “You wouldn’t know what?”
She instinctively pressed for the rest of the sentence, not noticing the subtle change in her tone.
It was a mix of coldness and a detached calmness, as if saying, “What does any of this have to do with me?”
—Truly embodying the spirit of the living dead.
Mu Tao was stunned, unsure why her master suddenly seemed unhappy.
There was no one else in the room, so she must have said something wrong.
She panicked, her lips opening and closing, hesitating for a long time, before finally continuing in a timid voice,
Mu Tao: “If it weren’t for Senior Brother, this disciple wouldn’t know…”
Li Yu: “…”
Mu Tao: “…that Master actually cares about this disciple…”
Li Yu: “…?”
“Although that decision angered Master, and Master punished me severely, I don’t regret it!” Mu Tao bit her lip and looked up at Li Yu earnestly. “Because, I saw a different Master!”
Hmm…
That wasn’t what she expected.
But it seemed…like a good thing?
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