Chapter 63: “Master Doesn’t Like This?”
Li Yu suspected Weisheng Xuanzhu truly needed a long sleep. Whatever obsession he harbored, he should deal with it after waking up because he was clearly not thinking straight!
This curse poison’s method of transference was ridiculous!
Although a simple method might make it difficult to target the intended victim, this was absurd!
She did like Mu Tao; the girl was wonderful, even closer to her than her best friend from school, with whom she used to do everything together.
But even so, she didn’t have those kinds of feelings for Mu Tao!
Yes, master-disciple relationships were often a breeding ground for inappropriate feelings, but not all masters in novels developed such feelings for their disciples!
Mu Tao looked so young, a high school student at most in modern terms.
Although high school was a prime age for romance, gender and the person involved also mattered.
Did she look like someone who would violate her role as a master?!
How could Weisheng Xuanzhu think such a curse would work?!
The more Li Yu thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed, and the more ridiculous it seemed, the more she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
This made the dull ache in her chest worsen.
Fatigue washed over her, and her recently recovered consciousness began to fade.
Was she about to faint again?
And there was nowhere to land and rest.
If she had to, she’d fall into the ocean. Although terrifying, the original owner was a being of the West Sea; even if she couldn’t swim, her instincts should prevent her from drowning.
As Li Yu thought this, she saw a dark red cloud of resentment appearing on the distant horizon.
Although not a pleasant sight, it made her relax slightly, the anxiety that had been weighing on her dissipating.
She felt a strong pull towards that direction, but the pain in her chest intensified, a gnawing, tearing sensation that made it hard to breathe.
She lost control of her spiritual energy, which dissipated completely.
But the pain didn’t lessen.
Her body plummeted downwards, the already aching feeling in her chest intensifying as the sudden weightlessness made her feel like her heart was about to leap out of her throat.
She tried to gather her spiritual energy, to stabilize herself, but the pain was too much; she lost all her strength.
What a vicious curse.
The wind roared, the sun above blazed, and she closed her eyes, surrendering to the feeling of falling.
Her last thought was—
Mu Tao probably wouldn’t be able to catch her in time.
Falling from this height, even onto water, would be…unpleasant.
But immortals had protective spiritual energy; she should be more durable…
Hopefully, she could still move when she woke up.
“You just checked; is the Exalted God still unconscious?”
“Yes.”
“It’s strange. We’ve both examined her; her injuries are healing, although she’s still weak, it’s not life-threatening. Why hasn’t she woken up after so many days?”
“She’ll wake up eventually.”
“I know, but it’s strange. Could it be…the demonic energy’s influence…?”
“Hanyu, you shouldn’t say such things.”
“…”
Yan Buqiu said softly, “Exalted Immortal Li Yu is fine, just weak, that’s why she hasn’t woken up yet. If Mu Tao asks, that’s all you should say.”
“I understand…” Xiang Hanyu sighed and lowered her gaze.
When she and Mu Tao rushed to Mount Chao Yao, anticipating a battle, she sensed Li Yu’s spiritual aura before even reaching the mountain.
But the aura was weak, and when she saw the Exalted God, the figure was already swaying unsteadily in the air.
Before she could react, the figure’s spiritual energy dissipated, and she plummeted towards the ocean.
Her white robes billowed in the wind, like a bird with broken wings.
Instantly, black flames and resentment surged across the vast distance, forming a cushion on the surface of the sea.
The resentment and demonic energy carefully caught the falling figure, avoiding direct contact.
But a few wisps of demonic energy still entered her body.
Mu Tao rushed forward, retracting the demonic energy, and gently caught Li Yu in her arms.
It had been six days since then, and they had returned to the Demon Lord’s palace in the Demon Realm, yet Li Yu was still unconscious.
There were no signs of injury besides the depleted spiritual energy. If it wasn’t the demonic energy’s influence, then what was it?
Although Xiang Hanyu suspected something else, if Mu Tao asked, she couldn’t mention the demonic energy.
Mu Tao cared deeply for Li Yu; if her demonic energy was responsible for Li Yu’s condition, even slightly, she would be devastated…
Having been in the Demon Realm with Mu Tao for six months, how could Xiang Hanyu not understand this?
Time flew by.
It seemed like only yesterday that she and Yan Buqiu had arrived in the Demon Realm.
On the day resentment enveloped Lingzhou, Li Yu had told her not to forget the wrong she had committed.
She didn’t dare forget; it was etched in her memory.
Li Yu wanted to protect Mu Tao, just as she wanted to protect Yan Buqiu, willing to do anything for her.
Mu Tao’s Demon Bone had awakened because of her; she could never repay this debt to Li Yu.
Although she didn’t know what happened, Li Yu had fainted in the passage between realms, seemingly suffering from the backlash of the Harmony Bells, but she believed Li Yu must have had her reasons.
She had witnessed Li Yu’s care for Mu Tao; it was genuine.
Mu Tao was alone now.
In the ruthless Demon Realm, a newly transformed little wolf demon, even with a Demon Bone, how could she survive alone?
After much deliberation, Xiang Hanyu, after returning Li Yu to Mount Chao Yao, immediately went back to Lingzhou and told Yan Buqiu her thoughts.
She wanted to repay her debt to Li Yu, to atone for her mistake.
She wanted to go to the Demon Realm and protect Mu Tao for Li Yu.
The Demon Realm was dangerous; she didn’t know how long she would be gone or when she would return.
But this was a debt she had to repay.
She said that she knew Mu Tao had a Demon Bone and might one day lose control, leaving the Demon Realm and causing havoc in the human realm.
But that was precisely why she had to stay by Mu Tao’s side, to help her maintain her last shred of humanity.
Perhaps one day, when Li Yu was no longer constrained, she could return to Mu Tao.
She couldn’t let Li Yu see a Mu Tao who had completely lost herself.
Yan Buqiu, hearing this, looked at the melting snow and sighed softly.
“I’ll go with you.”
“You…aren’t you staying to protect Lingzhou?”
“Protecting the Demon Bone is also protecting Lingzhou.” Yan Buqiu said softly, her gentle eyes reflecting Xiang Hanyu’s image. “Besides, all of this is partly my fault; you shouldn’t bear the burden alone.”
“I…”
“Hanyu, from now on, no matter where you are, no matter what you decide, I’ll be with you.”
That day, Xiang Hanyu saw unwavering resolve in Yan Buqiu’s eyes.
They bid farewell to the mountain spirits, left Lingzhou, their home for so long, and traveled through the hidden passage, into the lightless Demon Realm.
After searching for several days, they finally found the little wolf demon, curled up beside a few demon corpses, a faint trace of resentment guiding them.
Seeing Mu Tao again, Xiang Hanyu was stunned.
She had imagined the little girl, always clinging to Li Yu, crying and trembling in fear after being abandoned in the Demon Realm.
But when Mu Tao sensed their approach, she simply looked up, her eyes cold and alert, staring at them.
She looked…unfamiliar.
Those eyes were so different from the usual gentle gaze, like a lone wolf, without a trace of vulnerability.
“Why are you here?” Mu Tao asked in a low voice.
“We…were worried about you.”
“Did Master send you?” Mu Tao asked.
Xiang Hanyu hesitated for a moment, then lied, “Yes.”
But that brief hesitation didn’t escape Mu Tao’s notice.
Mu Tao curled up tighter, a flicker of disappointment in her crimson eyes.
After a moment of silence, she said calmly, her voice devoid of emotion, “It’s all lies.”
“We’ll stay with you…”
“Whatever.” Mu Tao closed her eyes, seemingly wanting to rest.
Xiang Hanyu quietly observed the little wolf demon.
She looked dirty, her clothes stained with dried blood.
The bloodstains, dark against the red fabric.
She clutched something tightly in her hand, only a bit of red string visible.
A faint demonic aura flickered around her small frame, dangerous yet controlled.
Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu waited patiently until Mu Tao stood up, then followed her as she walked away, her destination unknown.
For six months, they followed Mu Tao.
The initial aimlessness didn’t last long; the little girl quickly found her purpose.
She wanted to become stronger, so strong that no one could bully her.
The power of the Demon Bone, even demons feared it.
But Mu Tao accepted it readily, not resisting, just striving to control and adapt.
In this ruthless world, she repeatedly used that volatile power, enduring the backlash each time it threatened to consume her.
Neither Xiang Hanyu nor Yan Buqiu could heal her injuries.
Because both demonic and immortal energy were rejected by the Demon Bone.
But perhaps because of the Demon Bone, Mu Tao’s regenerative abilities were far superior to ordinary beings, her wounds healing at a visible speed.
As if impervious to pain, she constantly challenged renowned demon cultivators, never resting, always pushing herself.
Xiang Hanyu lost count of how many times she tended to Mu Tao’s injuries.
Perhaps because of their prolonged interaction, Mu Tao was no longer as cold and distant, occasionally talking to them.
But besides wanting to control the Demon Bone’s power, almost every conversation revolved around the master who had abandoned her.
There seemed to be no hatred in her words, either well hidden or truly gone.
She seemed to believe that as long as she was strong enough, Li Yu would return to her side—no matter the cost, she would make her return.
Xiang Hanyu watched as she relentlessly pursued power.
Mu Tao’s name gradually spread throughout the Demon Realm.
But she wasn’t satisfied; she wanted to be the strongest, to have the power and authority to obtain what she desired.
And Xiang Hanyu could see that all Mu Tao wanted…was Li Yu.
This girl, with the terrifying Demon Bone, her deepest desire was surprisingly pure.
This desire made her cling to the last words Li Yu spoke to her before leaving.
—Injure, but not kill.
But the Demon Realm was chaotic; often, to protect herself, she had to kill.
Every time this happened, she would say with a wry smile that she had disobeyed her master again, that her master would be angry.
She seemed troubled by this, but it didn’t stop her.
Recently, Mu Tao finally became the strongest in the Demon Realm.
She was severely injured in the process and spent a long time recuperating.
Then one day, a trader from the human realm brought news.
Li Yu, the Exalted Immortal of Mount Chao Yao, was about to be married, and her betrothed was Lingyao Revered One, who should have been in hibernation, yet had somehow awakened.
That day, after hearing about the events on Mount Chao Yao, Mu Tao fell into deep thought.
The green spiritual fire in the room flickered, illuminating the shifting emotions in her eyes.
Xiang Hanyu couldn’t decipher her thoughts.
She only knew that Mu Tao, ignoring her injuries, immediately went to the passage between realms.
Xiang Hanyu followed, unable to help but remind her, “Mu Tao, this could be a trap! They know you care about Li Yu, they’re trying to lure you…”
“What if it’s not?” Mu Tao interrupted.
“…”
“If it’s not, then Master…truly doesn’t care about me anymore, right?”
“…”
For a moment, Xiang Hanyu saw a flicker of vulnerability in the usually resolute girl’s eyes.
“Then I hope it is a trap, that Master was forced, I’ll save her, bring her back to the Demon Realm…” Mu Tao whispered, a strange glint in her eyes. “And she’ll stay with me forever.”
How fortunate, her wish was granted.
As she rushed towards Mount Chao Yao, her master was also fleeing.
She didn’t know why, but amidst her heartache, Xiang Hanyu saw a flicker of joy in Mu Tao’s eyes.
It was the first time she had seen such joy since arriving in the Demon Realm.
Xiang Hanyu’s own feelings had also changed during these past six months.
Her initial worries hadn’t materialized.
Although Mu Tao had changed drastically since that winter day they first met, she hadn’t lost her core values.
For someone with the Demon Bone to achieve this alone was beyond her expectations.
Perhaps because of this, she no longer stayed by Mu Tao’s side just to repay her debt, but also because she saw this kind and stubborn girl as a younger sister, genuinely hoping for her happiness.
“Mu Tao has been waiting anxiously, refusing to eat properly…” Xiang Hanyu sighed. “I hope the Exalted God wakes up soon. Mu Tao will be overjoyed.”
“Yes,” Yan Buqiu replied, looking towards the closed door of the bedchamber, her voice filled with hope. “And I hope…Mu Tao can find the answers she’s looking for, answers that will bring her peace.”
On her eighth day in the Demon Lord’s palace, Li Yu slowly opened her eyes.
Her vision was blurry, as if shrouded in darkness, only a few flickering green lights visible.
Slowly, her vision, and her memory, returned.
This was an unfamiliar place.
A bedchamber made of black stone, lit by green spiritual fire, its faint light casting long shadows.
The furnishings were dark and heavy, the bed curtains a deep blue.
A girl in red knelt by her bedside, her eyes closed, her brow furrowed, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly.
This scene felt familiar, a hazy echo from a distant past.
Without a dying candle to judge by, Li Yu couldn’t tell how long the girl had been here.
She just stared at the familiar, youthful face, so familiar it felt like they hadn’t been apart, yet also like a lifetime ago.
Mu Tao seemed to have lost weight.
Li Yu’s heart ached, and she raised a stiff finger, gently caressing the cheek she hadn’t seen in so long.
Mu Tao’s eyes snapped open.
Without a word, tears welled up in her light brown eyes.
She sat up straight, grabbed Li Yu’s hand, opened her mouth as if to say something, then just sniffled and whispered,
“Master…”
Her voice was soft, as if afraid to break a beautiful dream.
She had been waiting for so long, and only now, looking into those deep blue eyes through her tears, did she truly believe her master was back.
“Master, I missed you so much,” she choked out, her voice breaking.
A surge of emotion overwhelmed Li Yu.
“I…missed you too…” She tried to keep her voice steady, but tears blurred her vision.
A single tear rolled down her cheek, forming a pearly white bead that landed on her dark hair.
Li Yu froze, a wave of embarrassment washing over her.
Tears turning into pearls, it sounded beautiful in novels, but experiencing it herself was mortifying!
She quickly turned her head, trying to discreetly hide the pearl with her hair.
But Mu Tao picked it up first.
Her fingers brushed against Li Yu’s hair, a light flickering in her eyes as she looked at the pearl.
“This is the second time Master has cried for me,” she whispered, a tearful smile on her face.
She gently touched Li Yu’s cheek with the back of her hand.
Her cool fingers brushed against Li Yu’s face, wiping away the tearstain.
Her eyes became unfocused, a hazy longing in their depths.
This sudden touch, that intense gaze, made Li Yu’s heart clench. Was this…appropriate?
She instinctively pulled away slightly.
Mu Tao’s hand froze in midair, the adoration in her eyes shifting.
She frowned slightly, confused.
The joy in her heart, like a dream shattering, was pulled back to reality.
“Master, what are you hiding from?”
“I…”
“Master doesn’t like this?”
“…”
“But Master, don’t you always do this?” Mu Tao asked softly, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
She took Li Yu’s left hand and placed it against her cheek.
She could feel Li Yu trying to pull away, a flicker of panic in her blue eyes.
Mu Tao: “Master abandoned me for so long, and now that we’re finally reunited, you seem…afraid of me?”
Li Yu quickly explained, “Mu Tao, I’m not afraid of you…”
Mu Tao: “Really?”
Li Yu: “Really, it’s just…”
Mu Tao interrupted. “You told me to learn to control the Demon Bone, and I did—it can no longer influence me!”
She nuzzled against Li Yu’s hand.
The silver bells in her sleeve chimed softly, and a determined glint appeared in her eyes.
“When I brought you back, I noticed you were still wearing your Harmony Bell.”
“Actually, I never took mine off either…”
“You promised to stay by my side, to teach me how to control the Demon Bone, to help me gain power, protect those I want to protect, and obtain everything I desire—you broke your promise, but I did it all on my own.”
Mu Tao’s lips gently brushed against Li Yu’s fingers, feeling her tremble.
“Master,” she said, “I can protect you now.”
A tear fell onto Li Yu’s hand.
Warm droplets slid down her wrist, wetting the red string tied to the silver bells.
Mu Tao took a deep breath and gently touched the bells,
Her eyes red, she whispered—
“So…does that mean…I can finally have you too?”
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