Chapter 31: Watching the Show
Bai Jingxue, terrified of water, took two steps back as she saw the large wooden tub filled with a steaming red liquid that Luo Nianshang had prepared for their cultivation ritual. Then, she was scooped up by the scruff of her neck and tossed into the tub.
She let out a panicked shriek, her claws digging into Luo Nianshang’s wrist, her hind legs scrabbling against the edge of the tub.
Luo Nianshang had never seen the cat react so violently. She remembered the day she had found Bai Jingxue nearly drowned in a lake. The cat clearly had a traumatic memory associated with water.
She wouldn’t force the issue. She gently stroked Bai Jingxue’s fur, her voice soothing. “I’m here,” she said. “You’ll be fine.”
Bai Jingxue, staring at Luo Nianshang’s face, felt her panic subside. She tentatively dipped her hind legs into the water, then slowly lowered herself into the tub.
The tub was meant for humans, far too deep for a small cat and dog.
Bai Jingxue was initially tense, but then she realized she could swim. She paddled around the tub, surprised, then turned to Luo Nianshang and meowed.
Luo Nianshang’s lips curved into a smile. She grabbed the dog, who was playfully biting her robe, and tossed her into the tub.
Lü Qingyan yelped as she splashed into the water.
“Jingxue! Glub, glub! Jingxue! Glub, glub!”
Bai Jingxue, watching her flail around, couldn’t help but say, “Don’t you know how to swim?”
Lü Qingyan stopped struggling, her eyes widening as if she had just remembered something important. “Oh, right! I forgot!”
She resumed her playful antics, her body shrinking slightly in the water, her fur plastered against her skin as she paddled around.
A warm current, accompanied by a slight burning sensation, flowed through Bai Jingxue’s body. She was experiencing the wonders of cultivation, something she had only read about in novels.
Lü Qingyan, having calmed down, swam over to Bai Jingxue. “Jingxue, does it hurt?”
Bai Jingxue nodded. “A little.”
Lü Qingyan, adopting a mature demeanor, reached out with her wet paw, patting Bai Jingxue’s head. “It’ll stop hurting soon.”
Bai Jingxue shuddered, then rolled her eyes, turning away.
Lü Qingyan’s family life was complicated, but Bai Jingxue couldn’t understand how she could remain so cheerful, her laughter so carefree.
Luo Nianshang, the ever-attentive mother figure, watched them for a while, then left, but not before casting a spell to prevent any accidental drownings.
The medicinal concoction on the stove needed to be delivered to her disciple. It was cold outside, and the medicine wouldn’t be as effective if it cooled down.
She carried the pot into the chamber, but the bed was empty. Only a lump beneath the blankets remained.
She wondered what was wrong with her disciple. Ever since she had brought home the newly hatched demon beast, Hong Ying’s behavior had changed. She seemed even weaker, even more prone to chills.
Normally, even when she complained about the cold, Hong Ying would at least keep her head uncovered. But now, she was completely buried beneath the blankets.
Luo Nianshang reached out, trying to pull back the blankets, but they wouldn’t budge.
This was embarrassing. She sensed a resistance as strong as her own, and her usually stoic expression crumbled in surprise.
She frowned, her grip tightening, and with a ripping sound, the blankets were shredded.
The Demon Lord, caught off guard by Luo Nianshang’s brute strength, stared at the remnants of the blanket clutched in her hand, her jaw slack.
Silence descended upon the chamber as feathers rained down, as if a blizzard had erupted indoors. Luo Nianshang awkwardly withdrew her hand. “It’s time for your medicine,” she said.
The Demon Lord, accepting the bowl, downed the bitter concoction in a single gulp, abandoning her usual theatrics. Then, she rolled over, her back to Luo Nianshang.
Luo Nianshang, staring at the empty bowl, felt a pang of guilt. Her disciple was clearly upset.
She set the bowl aside, her voice soft. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Master,” the Demon Lord replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. “I have your care and attention. What could possibly be wrong?”
The cat and dog, soaking in the tub, their ears perked up, stretched their necks to peek over the edge, eager to witness the unfolding drama.
“Jingxue, what’s going on?” Lü Qingyan whispered.
Bai Jingxue had no idea, but she was dying to find out.
Luo Nianshang, her patience thinning, wanted to turn her disciple around and have a proper conversation. She placed a hand on Hong Ying’s shoulder, attempting to roll her over, but she wouldn’t budge.
This was strange. Luo Nianshang was confident in her strength, but her confidence was shaken now.
She tried again, her grip tightening, and with another ripping sound, the back of Hong Ying’s thin white undergarment was exposed, revealing the red sash of her undergarment.
Luo Nianshang quickly withdrew her hand, as if she had been burned. She hastily removed her outer robe and draped it over Hong Ying.
Lü Qingyan, watching the scene unfold, was about to burst with laughter. “Jingxue, this is straight out of a steamy romance novel!” she whispered, nudging the cat with her nose.
Bai Jingxue was also amused, but what truly entertained her was the rapid succession of emotions that flashed across Luo Nianshang’s face: shock, panic, guilt.
She was afraid Lü Qingyan’s laughter would disrupt the show, so she covered the dog’s mouth with her paw.
Luo Nianshang, her composure shaken, stammered, “I’ll… I’ll replace it.”
The Demon Lord sighed, her patience wearing thin. The chamber might be warm thanks to a spell, but she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
She turned to face Luo Nianshang, forcing a smile to mask her annoyance. “It’s just a garment, Master,” she said. “There’s no need to be so formal.”
She needed to address the issue with the child, but she couldn’t be direct. She let a shadow of sadness cross her face. “Seeing you with your daughter reminded me of my own parents,” she said, her voice trembling.
She wiped away a tear, seeking comfort from her master. “Master, do you remember your parents?”
Luo Nianshang hesitated. She had lived for so long that many memories had faded, including those of her parents. She no longer remembered them.
“I’ve lived for too long,” she admitted. “I’ve forgotten.”
The Demon Lord’s heart sank. She grabbed Luo Nianshang’s hand, her voice laced with anxiety. “Will you forget me too, Master?”
Her demeanor was so desperate, so vulnerable, that Luo Nianshang, her heart softening, didn’t pull away. “You’re still young,” she said. “You have a long life ahead of you.”
Her answer, vague and evasive, wasn’t what the Demon Lord wanted. She coughed violently, her face paling. “But I feel like I’m going to die before you, Master,” she whispered.
She clutched Luo Nianshang’s hand, as if clinging to a lifeline, tears welling up in her eyes. “Please promise me you’ll remember me, Master. Even after I’m gone.”
Luo Nianshang felt a wave of guilt. She couldn’t lie, but time was a cruel force, eroding even the most intense emotions.
No one had ever asked her for such a promise before. She had never considered the possibility of being forgotten.
But now, she took the request seriously. “I can’t promise you that right now,” she said, her voice sincere, “but I will find a way to remember you.”
The Demon Lord finally released her grip, wiping away her tears. “You’re so kind, Master,” she said, her voice trembling. “I envy your partner.”
Luo Nianshang frowned. “Partner?”
Seeing her confusion, the Demon Lord elaborated. “You have a child, Master.”
Luo Nianshang shook her head. “She’s just a foundling,” she said. “I found her on the road. She imprinted on me, seeing me as her mother.”
The Demon Lord’s eyes widened, then a wave of relief washed over her. “Oh,” she said. “I thought you had a Dao companion.”
Luo Nianshang shook her head. She had never considered finding a Dao companion. Romantic entanglements were a distraction from cultivation. Although dual cultivation was a method of enhancing one’s power, Luo Nianshang, a traditionalist, considered it an unorthodox practice.
“I’ve never thought about finding a Dao companion,” she said. “But you… has the Demon Lord contacted you recently?”
“No, Master.”
Luo Nianshang nodded, satisfied. But now that her disciple had experienced the complexities of love, she needed to find her a new love interest, just to be safe.
But her disciple rarely left the mountain. Her social circle was limited. If she was interested in women, then Fu Yuan was probably the most suitable candidate.
Fu Yuan was a good girl: beautiful, talented, kind, skilled in both cooking and sewing, and, most importantly, she possessed a strong will hidden beneath her gentle exterior. She was the perfect disciple-in-law.
Luo Nianshang, channeling her inner matchmaker, was quite pleased with her choice. Unfortunately, her disciple was in love with the matchmaker.
“Master, what are you thinking about?”
The Demon Lord, sensing Luo Nianshang’s intense scrutiny, interrupted her thoughts.
Luo Nianshang, staring at her disciple’s rather ordinary face, felt a surge of concern. “What do you think of Fu Yuan?” she asked.
The Demon Lord wanted to say “She’s as bland as a steamed bun,” but she was currently playing the role of the devoted disciple. She forced a smile. “Senior Sister Fu is beautiful and kind,” she said. “She’s very gentle.”
Luo Nianshang, encouraged by her disciple’s positive assessment, her matchmaking instincts kicking into overdrive, nodded. “Good, good.”
The Demon Lord, unsure of what she was plotting, but sensing an opportunity, asked, “Are you worried that Senior Sister Fu wouldn’t treat me well, Master?”
That wasn’t what Luo Nianshang had in mind, but she couldn’t reveal her true intentions. It might backfire.
She patted her disciple’s head. “It’s getting late,” she said. “Time for bed.”
The Demon Lord, assuming she had received Luo Nianshang’s approval, was delighted. But Luo Nianshang was simply avoiding a lie.
The Demon Lord, her eyes wide and innocent, looked up at Luo Nianshang. “I’m a bit scared, Master,” she said. “Could you stay with me?”
Then, as if realizing she had overstepped, she added, her voice laced with disappointment, “But it’s okay if you can’t, Master.”
Luo Nianshang was helpless against such a display of vulnerability. She hesitated for a moment, then lay down on the bed, her body stiff and straight.
She was still uncomfortable with physical intimacy.
But as a good master, she couldn’t refuse such a simple request.
Besides, her disciple wasn’t like the Demon Lord, who indiscriminately preyed on anyone, regardless of age.
Luo Nianshang had developed a habit of taking subtle digs at the Demon Lord whenever she felt frustrated.
It was a surprisingly effective method of venting her anger.
Feeling a sense of satisfaction, she closed her eyes.
The cat and dog, having witnessed the entire scene, retreated to their tub. They continued their soaking session, the water gradually turning clear.
Lü Qingyan, watching her fur float in the water, turned to Bai Jingxue. “Jingxue, do you think they’ve forgotten about us?”
Bai Jingxue tried to get out of the tub, but an invisible force pushed her back in. “Probably,” she said, her voice laced with resignation.
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