Chapter 7: I Said, That Was the Last Time! (1)
The sentence echoed in her mind, disassembled and reassembled, always carrying the same meaning. Mu Qiandan’s expression changed drastically; she laughed in disbelief. “Get lost.”
Forget licking it, even recalling the feeling of being bitten made the pain worse, her mood as turbulent as a boiling pot. Was she crazy to let that girl near her again?
The single word wasn’t enough to vent her frustration. She almost unleashed a wave of spiritual energy to knock the girl over. She missed, but debris flew from the wall as Shang Shang dodged just in time, jumping up and pressing herself against the wall. “What are you doing?! I’m trying to help!”
Mu Qiandan braced herself against the ground, sweat dripping down her neck, gritting her teeth, “Biting me was helping?”
Shang Shang retorted, “You attacked me first, that’s why I bit you!”
Mu Qiandan knew that, but she hated admitting fault. Leaning against the wall, she said coldly, “I don’t need your help. Get away from me.”
Shang Shang had seen her restlessness in her sleep and wanted to help, but was met with such cold rejection. Anyone would be offended. Her cheeks puffed up, and she snorted, “Fine, I’ll get lost. Even if you beg me later, I won’t heal you. Just let the pain kill you!”
She brushed the dust off her ragged clothes and turned to leave the cave.
Seeing her furious expression and determined stride, Mu Qiandan placed her hand on her storage pouch, considering whether she could force the girl to stay in her current weakened state.
Winning a fight wasn’t the issue, but she was vulnerable now, and if the girl took another bite, she couldn’t handle it.
After a moment of thought, Mu Qiandan decided to try a different approach. “Is that how you speak to your master?”
As if just remembering this fact, Shang Shang stopped, turning back as if to say something, but then swallowed her words upon meeting Mu Qiandan’s gaze.
She changed her tone, “It’s because you’re my master that I’m trying to make amends and heal you, so we can be even. Otherwise, I would have left you a long time ago!”
Mu Qiandan frowned after a moment of silence. “Is that how you use the phrase ‘make amends’?”
“Oh, come on!” Shang Shang ruffled her hair in frustration. “Anyway, I’m trying to get along with you.”
Mu Qiandan said, “I don’t care about getting along. Just stop talking nonsense and behave yourself.”
Shang Shang retorted, “I’m speaking normally! And even if I was asleep, you could have just called me. Why did you have to attack me? And now you’re blaming me.”
Mu Qiandan pretended not to hear, closing her eyes and leaning back against the wall to rest.
“…” Shang Shang was dumbfounded.
She had never met such a horrible person!
Normally, she would just punch someone like this. But this woman was her master, someone she couldn’t defeat, so she had to suppress her anger. But she couldn’t do nothing; she had to make her feelings known.
She took out two gold nuggets, tossing them into her mouth and chewing loudly, the grating sound of metal against teeth deliberately meant for Mu Qiandan to hear. Seeing the woman frown, seemingly annoyed, Shang Shang swallowed the gold with a satisfied smirk.
The cold stone wall drew the warmth from Mu Qiandan’s body, also absorbing the cold sweat from her sleep. She ignored Shang Shang, slowing her breathing, one hand gently rubbing her wound, silent.
Sparks flickered in Shang Shang’s throat. She held the tip of the flame in her mouth and said seriously, “You said you wouldn’t hit me without reason. You probably forgot, so I don’t mind those two kicks.”
“But if it happens again…” she rubbed her backside with both hands, her face serious, “If you lay a hand on me again, I will leave!”
She added for emphasis, “And I won’t look back!”
The girl spoke earnestly, hoping for an equally serious response. Unfortunately, she was facing someone who enjoyed trampling on sincerity, her expectations doomed to be dashed.
The morning sun slanted into the cave, extinguishing the last embers, thin white smoke curling upwards. The rain had stopped, and dawn had broken. Mu Qiandan opened her eyes and stood up, without looking at the girl, walking straight out of the cave.
Her gaze following Mu Qiandan’s retreating figure, Shang Shang blinked and called out, “You haven’t answered me!”
The woman didn’t stop, her figure disappearing in the blink of an eye. Shang Shang stamped her foot in frustration, unable to contain her anger, breathing fire onto the remnants of the fire. The charred branches turned to ash instantly, even the cave floor scorching black.
Mu Qiandan, ignoring the commotion behind her, walked out of the cave and stood in a clearing.
She looked up at the sun. The forest, washed clean by the rain, was a vibrant green, swaying like waves. The air was fresh and pure, cleansing her lungs.
Her thumb rubbed against the tips of her other fingers, then rested in her palm, her fingers curling into a fist, a habitual gesture for calming herself. A moment later, her eyes, like eternally frozen glaciers, were calm and unreadable.
Temporary tolerance in exchange for resources in the real world, this was a profitable deal. Even if she felt disgusted and impatient with everything, she had to endure.
Besides, compared to her past life, even these chaotic few days were relatively peaceful.
She summoned Bai Tong. After a surge of spiritual energy, the giant crane stood facing the wind, its sharp claws gripping the stone. Its jade-like feathers, elegant posture, and graceful demeanor were the epitome of beauty.
These pure white feathers could undoubtedly be used as weapons, yet they looked soft and fluffy, like a thick blanket. Mu Qiandan regretted not summoning her last night.
Wouldn’t sleeping on her back be more comfortable than the cold, hard cave floor?
Bai Tong lowered her long, swan-like neck, looking at her with a gentle, caring gaze. Despite her blind, white eyes, she seemed to be looking directly at her, offering her sister endless warmth.
Mu Qiandan had never liked animals, big or small, but somehow, she instinctively reached out, touching the crane’s soft, warm feathers.
Bai Tong lowered her head, gently nudging her palm.
At that moment, Mu Qiandan’s eyes widened slightly, feeling a steady, vibrant resonance in her blood, emanating from the point of contact, a strong pulse like an amplified heartbeat, connecting them.
A thought naturally arose in her mind: She senses my poor condition, she’s worried about me.
Mu Qiandan suddenly remembered something. This wasn’t just a spirit beast crane; it was her sister, connected by blood.
‘Wait…’ she withdrew her hand, studying the blank white eyes. ‘This sister is related to me by blood, our minds almost connected. Won’t she realize I’m not the original sister?’
Li Biyuan said, ‘Actually, the reason I chose you is because your personality is similar to the original Yao’e, so she hasn’t noticed any difference yet.’
Mu Qiandan repeated, ‘Similar personality… the vicious supporting character?’
Li Biyuan hurriedly explained, ‘No, no, I mean you’re both beautiful, intelligent, aloof… uh…’
Mu Qiandan snorted, ‘You should have grabbed my brain instead of my heart, letting knowledge seep into that low-density area. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so tongue-tied.’
Li Biyuan said, ‘You’re both sharp-tongued.’
Hurried footsteps approached from behind, deliberately heavy, as if the person wanted to emphasize her displeasure.
Mu Qiandan gestured downwards, and as Bai Tong lowered her body and spread her wings, she carefully climbed onto the crane’s back, looking down at the girl with the messy, curly hair. “Hurry up and get on, stop dawdling.”
Shang Shang glared at her before begrudgingly preparing to take off her clothes. But as she untied her belt, the woman said, “No need to undress.”
“Hmph,” the girl muttered, “So strange.”
Three days later, Bai Tong crossed Tianyu Gate’s protective formation, entering the sect’s territory.
The more renowned the sect, the more secluded and dangerous its location.
On the one hand, it was closer to nature, with more abundant resources and spiritual energy, beneficial for cultivation. On the other hand, it was far from human settlements, creating an air of otherworldly detachment. After all, most people associated with immortality preferred to avoid contact with mortals.
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