After the Villainess Awakens

But Leng Mushi was good at making excuses on the spot. After a brief moment of panic, she quickly turned the tables.

"Brother Xiao, what were you doing sneaking into a woman's room in the Flying Crane Courtyard in the middle of the night? Were you hoping to do something improper?" Leng Mushi raised an eyebrow at him playfully. "Are you disappointed you didn't find me?"

Xiao Mian: "…"

"What nonsense! I didn't go in." Xiao Mian frowned righteously. "I didn't need to go in to know whether you were there or not."

Xiao Mian looked at Leng Mushi, saying each word clearly: "I even know where you were."

Leng Mushi felt a cold sweat break out on the hand she held behind her back. She clenched it, then released it. For the first time, without the guidance of the plot, she moved closer to Xiao Mian, clinging to him annoyingly. "Why do you look like you're about to catch someone cheating? Even if I went to find another man last night, you're the only one in my heart, Xiao-gege."

Leng Mushi reached out and lightly touched her chest where her heart was. "Xiao-gege, you can tell I wasn't in my room without even going inside. Can you tell that you're the only one in here?"

Xiao Mian felt his ears slowly turning red. He knew she was trying to change the subject, but he couldn't help but feel a little hot.

In this world, how could there be such a woman?

So wild and bold, so wicked and kind, so clever and straightforward, so cunning and sincere…

Which one was the real her?

Xiao Mian felt that ever since he'd met that painted-skin demon, he'd been kept on his toes every day.

His eyelashes fluttered. Leng Mushi took a step closer, and he unconsciously took half a step back.

Leng Mushi could tell he couldn't handle this, so she pushed him back to a corner where no one could see them. Then, the affection on her face vanished without a trace. She raised her chin slightly. Although she was half a head shorter than Xiao Mian, she somehow managed to give off an air of looking down on him.

She spoke, her expression solemn as never before. At first glance, it was quite intimidating, but if one looked closely, one could tell that she was just imitating Xiao Mian.

"Xiao Mian, I saved your life," Leng Mushi said, looking at him almost accusingly. "Even if you're unwilling to repay your debt with your hand in marriage, at least don't bite the hand that feeds you. Since you know I wasn't in my room last night, you must also know why I wasn't there. And you must also know that your dear Tianyin was involved. You love to stand up for her, don't you? Weren't you upset when she was being stared at in that tavern on the way back?"

"Don't tell me you don't want her to join the sect so you can see her every day? Maybe she can even become your junior sister under your master's tutelage. Then you'll be able to spend day and night together. Wouldn't that be even better?" Leng Mushi curled her lips slightly. "She's very cute, isn't she?"

Leng Mushi spoke persuasively, using his beloved Leng Tianyin as bait. She didn't believe he wouldn't take it.

After hearing her words, Xiao Mian's expression changed slightly. He turned his head to avoid Leng Mushi's gaze and pressed his hand against his temple, trying to suppress the throbbing vein.

He barely managed to control his intense, unidentifiable emotions, but he couldn't quite suppress the corners of his lips from twitching.

What was she talking about? What did Leng Tianyin joining the sect have to do with him? She wasn't his sister. He had gone looking for her so late at night naturally because of other matters.

And when they were at the tavern, he was upset that the innkeeper had dared to look at her veiled face with such a gaze, trying to peek at the scar beneath.

But seeing how casually she was showing her face today, not caring about the gazes of others, Xiao Mian fiddled with the Rejuvenation Pill he had finally managed to obtain, hidden in his sleeve. He couldn't help but want to laugh.

Whose face was he worried about… It was as if he was the one who was worried and afraid that she would be ridiculed because of it.

But then Xiao Mian remembered something, and his smile faded. He turned his head back, his expression returning to its usual indifference.

What girl wouldn't care about her face being scarred?

The reason why the Rejuvenation Pill was in such high demand in the sect was that not only women but even men would secretly seek it out.

Xiao Mian still remembered the look of shock and sadness on Leng Mushi's face when she had stood on the shoulder of the great demon, negotiating with it, and had suddenly seen her disfigured face reflected in its eyes.

Even though it was a fleeting expression, how could it be that she didn't care?

He looked at Leng Mushi, suppressing the chaotic emotions he couldn't even identify himself. After a moment of silence, he said to her, "I can keep quiet."

Leng Mushi thought to herself, "As expected, Leng Tianyin is still the most effective tool to use on him." In the original plot, she wasn't able to enter the inner sect, but Leng Tianyin was able to become the disciple of the Fifth Elder, Tian Xuzi, who was also the one who had ordered Xiao Mian and Xing Zhou to bring her and Leng Tianyin back.

What a joke, saying that he had severed his worldly desires and wouldn't care about them. This Tian Xuzi had no intention of accepting any disciples and only cared about spiritual roots. The only one he didn't want was Leng Mushi herself, with her poor spiritual roots.

If she and Leng Tianyin were really sent down the mountain because of what she did last night, it would be very difficult to enter the Tai Chu Sect again.

Even though the plot would eventually circle back, the problem was that Leng Mushi didn't want to go through all that trouble. She just wanted to get this awful plot over with quickly so she could live her own life in peace.

As soon as Xiao Mian agreed, Leng Mushi was immediately relieved. She put away her newly learned serious expression and smiled, reaching out to pat Xiao Mian's shoulder in a brotherly manner. "Brother Xiao, you…"

"I can keep quiet, but you have to eat this." Xiao Mian interrupted her, taking the pill he had been holding in his hand and bringing it to Leng Mushi's lips. "Eat this, and I'll pretend I didn't see anything last night."

Leng Mushi: "…What is this?"

Xiao Mian initially wanted to tell her the truth, but the previous two times he had mentioned the sect's Rejuvenation Pill, she had acted resistant, pretending not to care.

He was afraid that the more she cared, the more resistant she would be, and the less he could casually mention it. Xiao Mian didn't understand the roundabout and complicated thoughts of a young lady. He really couldn't repay her by marrying her, and the only way he could repay his debt was to find this pill for her and let her recover her appearance.

So Xiao Mian moved his lips and lied for the first time, "It's… a medicine that can improve one's spiritual roots."

Unlike Leng Mushi, who would exaggerate and make up a bunch of reasons to support her lies, making people dizzy and willing to be led by the nose, Xiao Mian lied without changing his expression or heart rate. His expression was impeccable, as serious as if he were discussing some rigid and outdated cultivation technique, making it impossible for anyone to doubt him.

"This… where did you get it?" Leng Mushi asked. "Isn't this against the rules? You…" You probably want to get me kicked out of the mountain for breaking the rules.

Before Leng Mushi could finish her sentence, Xiao Mian swiftly took advantage of the moment when she opened her mouth to speak and tossed the pill into her mouth. Then, as Leng Mushi's eyes widened, he reached out and grabbed her by the side of her neck, his thumb rubbing the underside of her jaw.

Leng Mushi felt an intense itch. She swallowed instinctively, and with a "gulp," the pill went down her throat.

Leng Mushi: "…"

Xiao Mian watched as she swallowed. He should have let go of her now. Once she recovered, he could be considered to have repaid a small part of his debt.

But as if possessed, he didn't immediately let go. The skin under his hand was delicate and smooth, slightly damp with sweat, which inexplicably reminded him of the day she had channeled her spiritual energy into the spirit pouch. He remembered her fragile, delicate neck as she leaned against his shoulder, as if it could break with the slightest touch.

Xiao Mian didn't even know what he was doing. He stared intently at Leng Mushi with the same look one might give a rare magical beast. Then, instead of removing the hand that was holding her neck, he gently rubbed it again.

"Gulp." This time, there was no pill, only saliva.

"Gulp."

"Gulp."

Leng Mushi: "…I already swallowed it! Ah— Look! Is my neck fun to play with? I don't even have an Adam's apple! Why don't you go squeeze your own!"

Leng Mushi slapped his hand away and, taking advantage of the situation, pinched his protruding Adam's apple. Caught off guard, Xiao Mian felt a sharp pain shoot down his spine, as if he had been whipped.

He stiffened his back in shock, pursed his lips, and took a step back. Then, he quickly walked past Leng Mushi and out of the corner, his back looking a little panicked.

Leng Mushi clicked her tongue and slowly walked out as well. As soon as she looked up, she met Leng Tianyin's gaze.

Leng Mushi felt a pang of guilt. After all, Xiao Mian, who had just run away, was Leng Tianyin's future man.

But then she remembered that the plot had just begun, and there would be countless misunderstandings like this in the future. She quickly regained her confidence as a vicious female supporting character.

She calmly walked out of the corner, not even bothering to analyze the emotions in Leng Tianyin's eyes.

They had visited a total of six elders' courtyards that morning, all of which were basically the same, even the layout.

By the end, Leng Mushi couldn't remember the names of the senior brothers who had shown them around each courtyard, nor the names of the elders who were interested in taking on disciples.

It was lunchtime. The prospective disciples had been wandering around all morning. Although this immortal mountain was filled with spiritual energy, they were still mortals who needed to eat to survive, unless they had reached the辟谷stage where they no longer needed food.

There was one last courtyard left to visit. They had been waiting at the entrance for a long time, but no senior brother came out from inside to receive them.

Moreover, this courtyard was truly secluded. It was hidden in the sense that the grass and trees in front of the gate were overgrown, clearly untended. Among all the other elders' courtyards, which were either imposing or elegant, this one was too crude and desolate. It didn't even seem to have a back wall, with a dense forest and cliff directly behind it.

There was no plaque hanging above the gate indicating which courtyard it was, only that this was the courtyard of the Second Elder, Hua Yanyue. And Immortal Yanyue cultivated the Dao of Pills.

The group waited at the gate for a long time, but no senior brother came out to receive them. The inner sect senior brother who had brought them here tried to enter and inquire, but was blocked by a rune barrier.

It was late September, early winter, and in the mortal world, it was the season to add more clothes. But on this Tai Chu Mountain, it was still as hot as summer, especially under the midday sun, which was hot enough to make one sweat oil.

Hungry, tired, and hot, even though everyone was still curious about the immortal sect, they had seen so many elders' courtyards that they had a rough idea of which sect they wanted to join.

As for this particular courtyard, which had rudely shut them out, it was naturally not among their choices.

Although cultivating the Dao of Pills didn't have high requirements for spiritual roots and was quite popular among other cultivators, it was extremely difficult for pill cultivators to achieve great success. They were either poisoned to death by the pills they refined or blown up by their pill furnaces. As their cultivation level increased, the chances of survival decreased dramatically.

And the higher their cultivation, the purer the pills they refined, and the more dangerous it was to open the pill furnace. They needed their masters to watch over them every step of the way, or they would be blown to pieces.

Therefore, although pill disciples were scarce and highly valued in various sects, very few people actually chose to cultivate this path.

Just looking at this desolate courtyard, half-hidden by grass and trees, with no other disciples in sight except for this Xuan Zhu, one could tell that this Pill Dao elder couldn't be a good master. They didn't even have a decent environment, let alone any generous treatment.

So after waiting for a while, some people couldn't take it anymore and started suggesting that they should go eat first. Anyway, if their spiritual roots weren't pure enough and they weren't chosen as inner sect disciples, even if they went to the outer sect to sweep the floors and do chores while waiting for an opportunity, they wouldn't want to become the disciple of this Pill Dao Second Elder, Hua Yanyue.

The senior brother who was currently leading them was very kind. Leng Mushi remembered that his name seemed to be Yan. Someone called him Senior Brother Yan, which was obviously wrong, but he didn't change his expression.

After gently placating everyone, he hesitated. They had visited all the elders' courtyards that were interested in taking on disciples. If they were to leave now from the Second Elder's courtyard, given the Second Elder's temper, these prospective disciples would probably never be able to enter again in their lifetime.

Just as everyone was feeling anxious, a handsome young man finally walked out of the courtyard. However, he wasn't wearing a disciple's uniform but a neat black outfit. He walked to the edge of the barrier and stood there for a moment, looking at them. However, his gaze wasn't like he was looking at people, but more like he was estimating how many pounds of meat a pig could yield.

Everyone felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze and began to whisper among themselves. At this moment, the young man in black shook his head at the senior brother leading their group. "My master hasn't found any disciples he's looking for. Please return."

Everyone looked at each other in dismay. Some impatient ones even complained out loud. Senior Brother Yan laughed awkwardly. "Brother Xuan Zhu, what do you mean? This is against the rules. Elder Yanyue clearly told the sect that she wants to take on disciples this year. These are all prospective disciples, and their spiritual roots haven't been tested yet. You can't be sure that none of them are suitable. Brother Xuan Zhu, just by looking…"

"Alright, alright, come in!"

The man called Xuan Zhu raised his hand and clapped. The runes on the barrier lit up, and only then did Senior Brother Yan lead everyone inside. He went to speak with the impatient-looking Xuan Zhu and then left.

Xuan Zhu looked at the group, his expression and tone unfriendly. "Look around, but don't wander off, don't touch anything, and watch your step."

Everyone was already feeling uncomfortable and didn't really want to see the disciples' courtyard. It looked desolate from the outside, and upon entering, it was just like a small courtyard in the countryside, without the slightest hint of an immortal sect's grandeur.

At this point, facing the harsh words of Senior Brother Xuan Zhu, no one had any desire to join the Pill Dao elder's sect.

Everyone was thinking that they would just take a casual look and wait for someone to take them to eat.

Leng Mushi was also tired, hungry, and hot, but she used one hand to shield her eyes from the sun and wasn't as anxious as the others. She felt that this place was more than twice as spacious as the other elders' courtyards. As soon as she entered, she could smell a faint fragrance of flowers and herbs, and the temperature seemed to be much lower than outside.

The others pretended for a while, but then they couldn't keep up the act any longer. They discovered that the disciples' courtyard was actually a shabby place, even more dilapidated than a woodshed in the mortal world! So they all huddled under a fruit tree, whispering among themselves, waiting for someone to come and get them.

Leng Mushi wanted to go over there as well, but as soon as she took a step, she saw something rustling in the fruit tree, which was more than three times the height of an adult. It was right above the heads of the crowd, and the leaves rustled, but no one below noticed.

Leng Mushi caught a glimpse of the creature's body through the gaps in the leaves and was shocked. A small section of its body was as thick as an adult's waist, and it seemed to have scales. It was earth-yellow!

What was that thing?

Leng Mushi didn't dare to scream, afraid of startling the creature in the tree. She quickly turned to look for Senior Brother Xuan Zhu.

Senior Brother Xuan Zhu was standing not far behind Leng Mushi, arms crossed casually. But unlike his previous impatience, he now had a look of amusement on his face, clearly waiting to see a good show.

Leng Mushi looked at him. He raised a finger to his lips, and even though he didn't make a sound, Leng Mushi could hear his voice as if he were right next to her ear. "Don't shout. You'll scare it, and it'll eat people."

Leng Mushi: "…" What kind of evil elder and evil disciple were these!

Although the Tai Chu Sect wouldn't go so far as to raise a demon in their midst to harm prospective disciples who hadn't even entered the sect yet, if this thing's true form were to be revealed, it would be enough to scare the wits out of the people below.

Naturally, Leng Mushi didn't listen to the evil Senior Brother Xuan Zhu. Just as she was about to walk over there, the senior brother suddenly put his finger in his mouth and blew a sharp whistle…

Rustle, rustle, rustle—

This time, the creature's movements were so loud that the people under the tree finally noticed something was wrong. They looked up, and everyone screamed and ran in all directions.

Leng Mushi finally saw the creature's true form and was so scared that she stumbled back, bumping into Senior Brother Xuan Zhu, who had walked up behind her without her noticing.

The creature coiled around the fruit tree was actually a four-legged snake, more than ten feet long!

Author's Note:

Leng Mushi: Even though I went to find another man last night, you're the only one in my heart.

Xiao Mian: … I didn't quite catch that, could you say it again?

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