After the Villainess Awakens

Leng Mushi felt like she had woken up from a dream. Xiao Mian's words brought back memories of the past six months.

Xiao Mian looked at her nervously. He knew he might be rushing things, that this might not be the best time to be direct. But he couldn't stand Leng Mushi's distance. They had been practically inseparable these past months, no different from a real couple.

Leng Mushi's distance was subtle, just a lack of closeness towards Xiao Mian. But for Xiao Mian, it felt like abandonment.

He understood her. Having just broken through to the Moon rank, her mind must be consumed by alchemy. The fact that she could use a human soul to refine a pill was unheard of in the world of alchemy. Leng Mushi must be ecstatic.

Xiao Mian knew she was obsessed with alchemy, her heart set on the path of cultivation. He didn't expect to occupy much of her thoughts, only hoping she would think of him occasionally, spare some time for him, and not reject his closeness…

"I…" Xiao Mian started to speak, but Leng Mushi suddenly frowned and raised her hand, interrupting him.

Xiao Mian's heart instantly turned cold, bitterness spreading across his tongue. The gentle and charming expression he only wore for Leng Mushi was on the verge of cracking.

Was it truly impossible?

Did all the companionship in these months fail to move her heart even a little?

Xiao Mian took a small step back, his lips trembling. Leng Mushi looked up at him and subtly motioned with her eyes.

They had a certain level of understanding. Even though Xiao Mian was on the verge of heartbreak, he instantly understood Leng Mushi's meaning. He turned his head and saw…

"Senior Brother You, what is this?" Xiao Mian saw You Zishu standing behind him. You Zishu was holding onto Xiao Mei, who was clutching a limp piece of painted skin.

You Zishu's cold gaze swept past Xiao Mian and landed on Leng Mushi. "I hope you can explain this demon. She claims to be yours."

You Zishu had reinforced the seal on Xiao Mei's demon power, so he had returned to his somewhat shy and timid appearance. You Zishu was pinching his slender wrist, leaving a visible red mark.

Xiao Mei looked up at Leng Mushi, her hand holding the pink lotus flower shrinking towards her chest. Her eyes were filled with apology—the apology of someone who failed to protect their beloved… demon.

Leng Mushi paused, looking at the pink lotus flower that had almost become a piece of dead skin due to the exhaustion of its demon power. She said, "She is indeed… mine."

"As a disciple of Tai Chu Mountain, you dare to privately keep a great demon?!" You Zishu's tone suddenly became severe. "Even though you are Second Elder's disciple, and there are countless demons and beasts in the Second Elder's courtyard, this painted skin demon is clearly untamed. She even has a history of devouring living people. How dare you keep such a demon by your side? What are your intentions?"

"You searched her soul?!" Leng Mushi's scalp instantly tingled. After all, even if she was foolish, the pink lotus flower would never reveal such a thing unless You Zishu had searched her soul.

Leng Mushi said, "Senior Brother, you can't do this. She just helped us kill so many Balo bones and shielded the other disciples. How can you turn around and search her soul, digging up her past to accuse her? What are your intentions?"

No wonder the pink lotus flower was so weak. Leng Mushi thought it was because the Transformation Pill she refined wasn't good enough. It turned out she had been bullied.

"I brought you all out here and am naturally responsible for your safety. Although she helped us in times of crisis, she is ultimately an untamed great demon with such a history. The potential danger is unpredictable. You ask me what my intentions are?"

You Zishu couldn't remember the last time he was so angry. The last time was probably during the entrance exam for new disciples. And naturally, the one who angered him then was also the person in front of him.

The atmosphere became extremely tense. Xiao Mei pursed his lips tightly. Although he was the Third Elder's disciple, because he was a demon, he didn't have much say in the sect.

He could only frown and hold the unconscious pink lotus flower, the reinforced sealing formation in his heart faintly heating up.

Leng Mushi looked at You Zishu, meeting his emotionless, dead-fish eyes that made everyone want to gouge them out and step on them. She wanted to scold him for being ungrateful.

But Leng Mushi opened her mouth, then thought about how he had single-handedly held up the barrier for so long against the Balo bones. Although he was at the peak of the Moon rank, he must have exhausted himself in that hopeless situation, perhaps even tearing his meridians. He just didn't say a word.

Leng Mushi also remembered how he didn't tell the Law Enforcement disciples about her refining the Soul Control Pill. Although he brought Xiao Mei here to confront her… he still avoided the crowd, prioritizing not causing panic among the disciples. This was the most lenient thing his rigid personality could do.

Leng Mushi wasn't good at understanding others, but she was good at remembering their kindness. Her tense face suddenly relaxed, and she smiled at You Zishu.

She narrowed her fox-like eyes, her smile incredibly ingratiating.

"Senior Brother, since you've already searched her soul, you must have seen it. Although she has devoured living people, they were all sinners, her enemies. It's karma. She has no karmic debt, which proves she has never harmed an innocent person."

Leng Mushi continued, "Master knows that I brought her with me."

Whether it was because she brought up Second Elder Hua Yanyue or because of Leng Mushi's sudden change in attitude, the frost on You Zishu's deadpan face softened slightly.

Leng Mushi racked her brains and continued, "Actually, Master asked me to bring her along."

Sorry, Master, you can take the blame for this.

You Zishu wasn't so easily fooled. "Why?"

"Why would a new disciple on their first outing, especially an alchemist, be asked by the Second Elder to bring an untamed great demon?"

Leng Mushi: "…" Brother, weren't you a man of few words? When did you become so talkative?

"It's because…"

"It's because…"

Xiao Mian and Leng Mushi spoke at the same time. Xiao Mian wanted to say it was because Second Elder had fed this great demon a Heart Oath Pill, and harming anyone would result in her heart being devoured, so there was nothing to fear.

Anyway, You Zishu had no way to verify whether it was Xiao Mian or the pink lotus flower who had taken the Heart Oath Pill.

But as soon as he opened his mouth, Leng Mushi also spoke.

Their eyes met, and Xiao Mian, knowing he was no match for Leng Mushi's quick wit, doubted he could come up with a more ingenious excuse. So he closed his mouth.

Leng Mushi thought, don't you like me?! How can you not understand my eyes at a time like this?!

She could only glare at Xiao Mian and say with a straight face, "She… is actually a… mount that Master arranged for me!"

"Yes, a mount!" Leng Mushi looked at the limp pink lotus flower and said to You Zishu with a smile, "You've seen her transformed form, she's quite ferocious, hahaha."

You Zishu: "…Mount? Second Elder wants you to use an untamed great demon as a mount?"

Leng Mushi hummed in affirmation. "So what? Third Elder's mount is a magical beast!"

"You've met Third Elder?" You Zishu asked.

Of course, Leng Mushi had only heard of him, but she tilted her head and looked at You Zishu, wishing that Leng Tianyin, with her exceptional sewing skills, could sew his mouth shut without leaving a trace.

Still, she said, "Master told me. She said that we alchemists are not skilled in swordsmanship and are not good at protecting ourselves, so our mounts naturally need to be fierce."

"But cultivators at the Star rank can't form a master-servant bond with their mounts. When you left the mountain, you were only at the middle stage of the Star rank," You Zishu pointed out.

Leng Mushi gritted her teeth. "Master calculated that I would break through on this trip. I'm at the Moon rank now! I'll form the contract now!"

As she spoke, Leng Mushi took two steps forward and bit her fingertip, drawing blood. Without caring whether the unconscious pink lotus flower was willing or not, she directly placed the blood contract on her skin. She originally wanted to place it on her head, but in her current state, she couldn't tell head from tail, so she just chose a random spot.

The next moment, the contract took effect. A burst of spiritual light emanated from the pink lotus flower, and Leng Mushi's body trembled. Xiao Mian quickly supported her.

The blood contract established a spiritual connection between the mount and the master. The master could deprive the mount of its abilities but had to provide it with spiritual energy.

Leng Mushi had just broken through, and a significant portion of her spiritual energy was suddenly drawn away by the pink lotus flower. She felt dizzy and collapsed into Xiao Mian's arms.

Xiao Mian knew this wasn't the time to be happy, but he couldn't help but smile.

After absorbing the spiritual energy, the pink lotus flower was enveloped in spiritual light and regained her former appearance. She fell to the ground, dazed, looking like a beautiful woman in a delicate, water-green robe.

You Zishu looked at Leng Mushi, then at the great demon bound by the master-servant contract. He turned and left without a word, summoning his sword and flying away. Before leaving, he said, "Our next stop is Wanbo Town. Don't be too late. I heard there are disciples from other sects participating in this demonic realm trial."

You Zishu rode his sword into the wind, leaving the remaining four people staring at each other.

After realizing what had happened, the pink lotus flower should have jumped up. But for some reason, after the dizziness subsided, she stared at Leng Mushi, her usually playful face now serious.

Leng Mushi slowly straightened up, also looking at the pink lotus flower. As the master-servant bond connected their minds, it inevitably brought with it many distant memories, giving them both a sense of unreality.

The shock on Leng Mushi's face gradually faded, replaced by calmness. After a long while, she chuckled and said, "So it was you… Fate is truly strange. When you told me about that heartless man, I felt an inexplicable familiarity, but I never imagined…"

She never imagined that the pink lotus flower was the courtesan her father kept in a secluded mansion, besides Leng Tianyin and her mother.

How could things in this world be so coincidental? Back then, the pink lotus flower told Leng Mushi how she became a demon and how she killed the heartless man and escaped.

At that time, they didn't mention any towns or names, but it turned out they were talking about the same place, the same person.

The Leng family wasn't destroyed by the pink lotus flower. Her father had offended someone and was murdered along with the entire family. When the pink lotus flower arrived, the entire Leng family, except for the escaped Leng Mushi and Leng Tianyin, only had her heartless and shameless father, Leng Xuezhen, who was being tortured for information by a group of assassins.

The pink lotus flower killed those who slaughtered her entire family, and she also killed Leng Xuezhen.

What goes around comes around.

Leng Mushi's state of mind was no longer what it used to be. Moreover, after her mother's death, she had wished for Leng Xuezhen to pay with his life more than once.

The pink lotus flower killing him was both revenge and karma. Therefore, Leng Mushi let out a soft sigh after a while and said to the pink lotus flower, "You'd better keep this secret tightly sealed. Otherwise, even if I don't kill you, Leng Tianyin won't spare you."

After all, Leng Tianyin was truly doted on growing up. Even though Leng Xuezhen never truly loved Leng Tianyin's mother and even kept a courtesan, he still pampered his well-behaved daughter.

When disaster struck their family, both she and Leng Tianyin had already become motherless children. Leng Mushi could disregard the pink lotus flower killing that old beast, but if Leng Tianyin found out, it would be difficult for her not to seek revenge for her father.

Leng Mushi said, "I won't hide it for you. She's always wanted to find the person who killed our family, which is why she cultivates so diligently."

The pink lotus flower tensed up, her eyes looking at Leng Mushi with an unclear emotion, a mix of guilt and something else…

They had come all this way together. One year might seem short, but they had genuinely developed feelings and a bond.

Few people didn't care about a courtesan's status. The pink lotus flower genuinely liked Leng Mushi and genuinely felt her respect for demons and courtesans.

The pink lotus flower was still thinking about how she had found her beloved and wanted to follow Leng Mushi forever. Yesterday, when she saw Leng Mushi break through, she was genuinely happy for her…

She didn't even get angry when she realized she was treated as a mount, bound by a blood contract that was incredibly humiliating for a great demon. She only wanted to argue with Leng Mushi a little.

But suddenly learning that Leng Mushi was the daughter of that heartless man, the pink lotus flower felt like an ant on a hot pan, not knowing what to do.

The pink lotus flower trembled slightly. Xiao Mei stepped forward from behind and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, looking at Leng Mushi with a hint of pleading.

Leng Mushi sighed again. "But I won't betray you. If Leng Tianyin doesn't directly ask if you were the one who killed our family, I won't tell her the truth."

The pink lotus flower immediately breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Leng Mushi for a long while, wanting to walk towards her and apologize.

But Leng Mushi said, "You guys go ahead. Let me be alone for a bit. I don't hate you."

Leng Mushi said, "You weren't the one who killed the innocent members of my family. As for Leng Xuezhen… hmph." Back then, Leng Mushi couldn't wait for someone to kill him.

The pink lotus flower's charming face was filled with tears. After a moment, she said, "He didn't use the name Leng Xuezhen in front of me. He said his name was Yong Wenxuan. I called him Yonglang…"

"Yonglang, my ass… Don't disgust me here. Get lost! If you don't leave, I'll turn you into a cow and ride you, believe it or not?!"

Leng Mushi suddenly yelled. Seeing the intimate scenes between her father and the pink lotus flower in her memories made her hair stand on end. She hurriedly shooed the pink lotus flower away, her yelling scaring away the tears that welled up in her eyes.

The pink lotus flower hurriedly got on Xiao Mei's sword. As they flew into the air, her sharp voice came down, "You're so vicious! If you dare turn me into a cow, I'll throw you into a dung pit—"

Leng Mushi was so angry that she really wanted to turn her into a cow. Fortunately, Xiao Mei flew away quickly on his sword. Xiao Mian hugged Leng Mushi, stroking her head to soothe her. "I know you're upset. Don't be angry. We'll buy you delicious food when we pass by the next town…"

Although cultivators above the Moon rank were advised not to consume mortal food to avoid impurities accumulating in their bodies, which could affect their cultivation, it didn't matter for Leng Mushi. She was an alchemist and ate Cleansing Pills like candy. Xiao Mian also had a bunch of them. They were still far from reaching the Sun rank, where they needed to abstain from worldly desires.

Leng Mushi was quickly calmed by Xiao Mian's soothing touch. She leaned against his shoulder, breathing steadily, enveloped in his embrace as he rubbed his chin against the top of her head.

Leng Mushi finally realized what was going on. During this time, between her and Xiao Mian… she thought they were good brothers, walking the path of cultivation together. But Xiao Mian was actually courting her.

She had been completely oblivious, her bottom line gradually lowering, unknowingly taking advantage of his kindness.

Leng Mushi wasn't unfamiliar with this approach. After all, she used to hang out with a group of rich kids and had seen a lot. What Xiao Mian was doing was—boiling the frog in warm water.

The kid wasn't old, but he knew how to play mind games.

Leng Mushi leaned against Xiao Mian, her expression unreadable. She listened to his comforting words as she closed her eyes, recalling the past six months, every scene since she rejected him and he started to change.

She couldn't say he wasn't smart. In fact, he was quite cunning.

However… Leng Mushi thought about their intimate moments, which were limited to hugs at most. Other than that, it was just him taking care of her, washing her undergarments.

Xiao Mian was very restrained, never crossing the line. Otherwise, after all this time, he wouldn't have just now tried to confess, only for Leng Mushi to finally realize his intentions.

Xiao Mian's actions could be interpreted as those of a friend, but there was a certain underlying intention. Leng Mushi initially thought he was tempering his meridians for testing medicine, so she always took extra care of him when refining pills, giving him more to eat.

Xiao Mian had always been proactive, but he hadn't broken through in the past few months, spending all his time around her… If he had feelings for her, it all made sense.

Leng Mushi wanted to laugh. He was quite persistent, not wallowing in sorrow after being rejected, quietly changing his approach.

She really did chuckle, then, maintaining their current position, she gently bumped her forehead against Xiao Mian's shoulder.

"Does my hair feel nice?" Leng Mushi asked.

Xiao Mian froze.

Leng Mushi raised her head, looking at Xiao Mian from a close distance. As she looked up, her lips almost brushed his jaw.

"Am I comfortable to hug? Am I soft?"

Xiao Mian's entire body stiffened.

Leng Mushi got up and pushed him away, taking a step back.

Xiao Mian hurriedly grabbed her arm.

"Nianci…" Xiao Mian called out softly, his handsome face filled with panic, like a white deer being chased by tigers and leopards in a snowy field.

Leng Mushi looked at him, speechless for a moment. She enjoyed his flustered expression after being caught, thinking about how she had been fooled by this silly boy for so long. She couldn't help but want to tease him.

At the same time, she recalled the events in the latter part of the plot… After Xiao Mian awakened as a heavenly demon, he would become madly infatuated with Leng Mushi, who possessed the pure and elegant beauty of a water-elemental spiritual root.

Leng Mushi knew she wasn't even remotely close to being pure and elegant. He was destined…

—He's destined for someone else. Don't even think about it, reject him.

The Law, which had been silent, suddenly spoke in her mind. Leng Mushi's heart skipped a beat, her expression turning serious.

Xiao Mian thought she was angry and hurriedly let go of her sleeve. Leng Mushi looked at him, thinking about their past closeness and compatibility. A sense of defiance rose within her.

Why?

Why was Xiao Mian destined for someone else? She had already changed her own fate, couldn't she change his too?

Besides, maybe there was no such thing as a predetermined plot!

But just as she was about to take a step towards Xiao Mian, the Law spoke again—Look at your ambition. Are you not going to follow the plot? Are you satisfied with just the early stage of the Moon rank? The early stage of the Moon rank is nothing in the cultivation world. Even someone like You Zishu can crush you with one finger.

The Law's voice was filled with mockery—Xiao Mian might seem like a harmless rabbit now, but once he awakens as a heavenly demon and loses interest in you, he can obliterate your soul with a single slap. What are you doing taking a step towards him?!

Leng Mushi stopped in her tracks, her brows furrowed.

The Law continued—The plot in the demonic realm is crucial. Follow it, and I guarantee you'll gain more insights into the heavens and advance further in your cultivation.

Leng Mushi looked up at Xiao Mian, her gaze slowly sweeping across his eyebrows, his nose bridge, his lips, and finally his jaw.

She weighed her options in her mind, ruthlessly dissecting her own desires and comparing them. In the end, Xiao Mian couldn't outweigh her own path.

Leng Mushi retracted the step she had taken and let out a soft sigh.

With a calm and indifferent expression, she said, "Let's go. We'll fall behind the others soon."

Leng Mushi asked with a distant smile, "Senior Brother Xiao, will you still give me a ride on your sword?"

Xiao Mian looked at her for a moment, then turned and summoned his water cloud sword. Without looking back, he said in a strained voice, "Let's go."

They took to the sky again, their relationship even more distant than when they left Letan Town. Xiao Mian sat stiffly on the sword in front of Leng Mushi, his back straight, betraying no outward sign of his emotions, but his eyes were slightly red.

Leng Mushi continued to bargain with the Law in her mind. Finally, the Law agreed that after this plot point, it would teach her how to suppress her other spiritual roots while cultivating alchemy.

This was even more tempting to Leng Mushi than the offer of purifying her spiritual roots.

As long as she could freely suppress and utilize her spiritual roots… what did she need the Law for?

Leng Mushi knew what she wanted and how to achieve it.

Therefore, she didn't speak to Xiao Mian throughout the journey. They flew thousands of miles in one go before finally landing in Wanbo Town, the nearest town to the demonic realm.

This place was frequented by cultivators from various sects for training, so there were many inns catering to them. The mortals who did business with cultivators were all experienced and well-mannered.

The group of Tai Chu Mountain disciples directly booked an entire inn. Because they arrived late at night, the streets were relatively empty. Leng Mushi only saw a few female cultivators in red gauze dresses walking past, their laughter carried by the night wind along with a faint, alluring fragrance.

Leng Mushi, Leng Tianyin, and the other female disciples in the group were actually more captivated than the male disciples. This was because Tai Chu Mountain forbade its disciples from wearing overly elaborate accessories, even the female disciples. They could only tie two ribbons on their belts and had to be careful not to be caught by the Law Enforcement disciples.

However, these female cultivators were adorned even more extravagantly than mortal women, and their accessories were not ordinary items but magical artifacts, dazzling and beautiful, making it hard to look away. After all, what woman didn't love such trinkets?

"They are female cultivators from the Joyful Union Sect."

You Zishu stood at the entrance, his expression as mournful as if he were attending a funeral, completely at odds with the alluring atmosphere. He spoke in a grave tone, "Do not be tempted. Once you engage in dual cultivation with them, you will become their furnaces, your hard-earned cultivation serving only to benefit them."

The disciples quickly averted their gazes from the female cultivators. However, Leng Mushi noticed a male cultivator among them. His figure and appearance were no less stunning than the women's, his every move and smile utterly bewitching.

She snuck another glance, mainly because she noticed the faint aura of death surrounding him. To her surprise, the male cultivator winked at her.

Leng Mushi blinked and smiled.

This scene, witnessed by Xiao Mian, felt like a sharp stab to his eyes.

So she refused him because she preferred this type of man?

Xiao Mian couldn't help but think that Leng Mushi had said she liked Xuan Zhu, who also had a somewhat wicked air.

He pursed his lips tightly, his heart churning with unknown emotions.

After everyone settled in, Leng Mushi decided not to go downstairs for dinner. For the past six months, she had never had to worry about anything, everything always taken care of.

But now that she had hurt Xiao Mian, he probably wouldn't…

"Knock, knock, knock." There was a knock on the door.

Leng Mushi raised an eyebrow and looked towards the door. After the third knock, she walked over and opened it.

A wave of moisture hit her, mixed with a faint floral scent. Xiao Mian's long hair was untied, wet strands scattered across his shoulders. The red lanterns in the hallway cast a hazy, reddish glow on his handsome face.

Leng Mushi's gaze traveled down his disheveled figure, noticing his loose collar revealing glimpses of his fair and toned chest. He held a food box in his hand, water droplets still dripping from his hair onto his hand, which was clenched so tightly around the handle that the tendons were almost visible.

Leng Mushi gasped softly, a surprised "Oh" escaping her lips.

Looking so inviting in the middle of the night, what was he up to?

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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