After the Villainess Awakens

"Mother, Father, don't worry. Tianyin only had her demon bone removed by the Immortal Master. She's just temporarily unable to walk. Elder Tianxuzi of Tai Chu Sect already promised to cure her. Isn't he like our family's living ancestor? And he likes Tianyin so much, he'll definitely cure her."

Leng Mushi said to her worried parents, "Besides, didn't the Fifth Elder send three disciples to pick us up?"

In front of Leng Mushi, a beautiful and gentle woman nestled in the arms of a tall man. Her features were delicate, her posture graceful. Her brows were furrowed with a deep, lingering tenderness—something that Leng Mushi yearned for in her previous life.

Now, it was back in her hands.

Leng Mushi pouted and said, "Mother, Father, aren't you worried about me? The spirit root testing stone that the Fifth Elder sent shows that I have mixed spiritual roots. Tianyin has pure water spiritual roots. What if after the entrance test, no one accepts me as a disciple and I have to sweep the floors in the outer sect?"

"Sister, that won't happen. Since the Fifth Elder sent someone to pick us up, he'll take us both as his disciples."

So the couple began to comfort their eldest daughter. Leng Tianyin also joined her parents in comforting Leng Mushi. In the room lit by flickering candlelight, the family of four was incomparably harmonious and happy.

It was the end of August, and the night carried a hint of coolness that heralded the coming autumn. The courtyard was very grand. Now, laughter filled the main house, while outside, cicadas chirped desperately, singing their hearts out in their last brief lives.

The master of this house had once been possessed by a demon. Under its influence, he had taken a mistress, frequented brothels, and even fathered a child with a demon bone. Fortunately, many years ago, an Immortal Master from Tai Chu Sect had bestowed medicine upon him, allowing him to regain his senses.

Now, the mistress had remarried, the prostitutes had disappeared, and the master had been forgiven by his wife and returned to his happy family. His wife was gentle and understanding, accepting the child of the mistress. During the years of his demonic possession, she had never given up on him. Only then could their family of four live such a happy life again.

The next day, Leng Mushi helped the now-immobile Leng Tianyin onto the carriage sent by Tai Chu Sect. Not long after they set off and had just left the city amidst their parents' farewells, a group of people chased after their carriage.

The carriage stopped, and Leng Mushi was called out to speak in the woods.

The young master with the servants was named Ji Jing. His features were so beautiful that they were almost too exquisite. Even when he wasn't sitting on a tall horse, he liked to look down at people with his nose in the air.

But in front of Leng Mushi, he didn't act arrogantly. He just scowled and said somewhat bluffingly, "You're leaving just like that? We promised to roam Fengyang City together and fight injustice for the poor. How can you break your promise!"

Leng Mushi smiled at the young man who was only half a head taller than her and apologized, "Ji Jing, I have to go to Tai Chu Sect. I can't accompany you anymore. But from now on, Fengyang City is all yours."

The young man took a step forward, as if he had something to say. But he had been pampered since childhood and often spoke without thinking. Now, looking at his former playmate, he didn't know how to express the words he had kept hidden in his heart for so long.

He only said insincerely, "Then you must take good care of Tianyin. She is my beloved!"

Leng Mushi nodded. "Don't worry, I will take good care of her."

Ji Jing pursed his bright red lips. After a moment, he said, "I heard your spiritual roots are very mixed! If you can't make it in the sect, come back! I…" I'll marry you.

But he couldn't say the words aloud. Leng Mushi immediately changed the subject. "Don't worry, even if I have to sweep floors, I won't come back. I also have someone I like."

"Who is it?" Ji Jing blurted out, too eager to hide his feelings from Leng Mushi.

Leng Mushi looked towards the carriage, at the young Immortal Master who was gently brushing the horse's back with a brush. "That's him. His name is Xiao Mian. He's the Fifth Elder of Tai Chu Sect's most prized disciple. He's talented and handsome."

Ji Jing looked at Xiao Mian. Xiao Mian also turned his head slightly in their direction at this time. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but cultivators had keen senses, and Leng Mushi's voice was indeed quite loud.

However, he didn't show any surprise on his face. He still looked solemn, only tilting his head slightly before quickly turning back.

But this slight turn of his head was enough to amaze people. The mountain wind blew his headband and his pure white robe, making him look like an otherworldly immortal, untouched by the mundane world.

Ji Jing's appearance had been praised since childhood, but at this moment, he couldn't help but admit with a pale face that compared to this Immortal Master, he was nothing.

His pride and self-esteem wouldn't allow him to back down, but the secret admiration in his heart wouldn't allow him to just walk away. So he shifted his feet slightly and stood still, his mouth becoming even more unforgiving. "He's just good-looking. Besides, you've only met once!"

"How do you know you're not just blinded by his looks? Do you even know him? What if he's some hypocritical villain! Not all Immortal Masters are good people. You're too naive. You can't be so easily…"

"Hahahahaha…" Leng Mushi suddenly burst into laughter, as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world.

She raised her hand to cover her mouth and said to Ji Jing, "No, there's no one better than him. Maybe I'm the hypocritical villain…"

Ji Jing and Leng Mushi had grown up together. He had never seen her laugh so heartily, nor had he ever seen her fall for someone so quickly based on just one look.

His heart ached with a mix of jealousy and pain. He couldn't even maintain his usual arrogance. He glanced at Xiao Mian again and asked dejectedly, "You like him that much? Why… He's just good-looking…"

Leng Mushi stopped laughing, her eyes still curved. She looked like a sly little fox. "Yes, I like him very much."

"He is my world," Leng Mushi said, looking at Xiao Mian. She caught a glimpse of his reddening ear tips, then turned back to Ji Jing and winked. "And he is my paradise."

Ji Jing almost couldn't keep his composure. He scoffed and said dismissively, "What world, what paradise. You're starting to sound all mushy. I won't talk to you anymore. Just go if you want!"

He turned and strode towards his horse. But he couldn't help but shed a tear as he mounted his horse. His servant was so shocked that he almost fell off his own horse. The young master stubbornly bit his lip, never once looking back to let anyone see his vulnerability.

Leng Mushi stood there, watching him ride away with his servant. She sighed softly. "You will have a good wife who shares your interests in this life…"

She turned and walked back to the carriage. As she passed by Xiao Mian, he was still brushing the horse. Yi Tu and Xing Zhou were chatting and smiling behind the carriage. Just as Leng Mushi was about to lift the curtain and get into the carriage, she suddenly stopped.

She looked back at Xiao Mian, her eyes curved in a smile, her red lips and white teeth dazzling. Her hair was adorned with pearls and jade, a typical style for a young lady from a wealthy family. She had dressed up especially carefully today.

She shook her head full of "flowers" and asked Xiao Mian, "Xiao Gege, you heard that, right?"

Xiao Mian's arm trembled as he looked up at Leng Mushi. Leng Mushi said, "Don't misunderstand."

Xiao Mian relaxed slightly at her words. Even a blind man could see that the young master liked Leng Mushi. She must have used him as a shield to discourage the young master from having any hope, as she was going to join the sect.

Leng Mushi jumped into the carriage, then suddenly pushed open the window, stopping Xiao Mian who was about to go to the back of the carriage to call Xing Zhou and Yi Tu. Her fingertips almost touched his, but she stopped just before they made contact.

She didn't want to rush it, so she just looked at Xiao Mian with affection and said, "Don't misunderstand. Every word I said… is true. Heaven and earth are my witness."

Xiao Mian's expression remained unchanged, but heat rushed to his face uncontrollably. He was blushing furiously. He looked at Leng Mushi and moved his lips slightly, but he didn't know how to react to this situation.

Leng Mushi leaned on the window, her eyes tracing his features, his flustered appearance. Only when Xiao Mian hurriedly turned and left did she retract her gaze with satisfaction and close the carriage window.

Leng Tianyin had been lying inside the carriage. She couldn't sit up for long periods of time now, but she didn't feel sorry for herself at all. Because she was truly happy. She didn't know why, but she always had the feeling that this happiness was stolen.

Her sister clearly didn't like her when they were young, but one day, she suddenly accepted her. Her mother also forgave her own mother and even accepted her, doting on her like her own child.

Therefore, Leng Tianyin couldn't bear to say anything that would hurt Leng Mushi. She vowed to protect her sister for the rest of her life, just as her sister protected her.

However, she still said to Leng Mushi, "Brother Ji Jing doesn't like me."

"I know." Leng Mushi replied, pouring herself a cup of water and handing another to Leng Tianyin.

After Leng Tianyin finished drinking, she said, "He… likes you."

"I know." Leng Mushi took a sip of her second cup of water and replied vaguely.

"Sister, you know everything, then why…" Leng Tianyin said, her eyes welling up. "You and Brother Ji Jing grew up together. If it weren't for me dragging you up the mountain to cure my illness, we wouldn't have to be separated. We might even be engaged by the end of the year."

Leng Mushi put down her cup and pointed at Leng Tianyin. "Hold back your tears. I'm not going up the mountain for you. I'm going for my sweetheart."

She deliberately emphasized the word "sweetheart." Xiao Mian, who was outside preparing to drive the carriage, almost fell on his butt.

"You really like Xiao…"

"You're not allowed to call him Xiao Gege," Leng Mushi interrupted. "Call him Senior Brother."

"Oh, but I haven't entered the inner sect yet."

Leng Mushi glanced at her. Leng Tianyin stuck out her tongue and obediently agreed.

Soon, her face was filled with the gossipy expression of a little girl who had just heard that the other party had a sweetheart.

Leng Mushi said, "He is mine."

Xiao Mian, who had suddenly and passively become someone else's, sat in the driver's seat with a strange expression. The carriage started moving quickly. After a while, Leng Mushi went to the side of the carriage again, lifted the curtain, and looked at Xiao Mian up close.

Xiao Mian felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end under her gaze. He wasn't good at dealing with this kind of thing. The female cultivators in the sect who liked him would shyly give him gifts or something. When had he ever met someone so bold?

Leng Mushi admired him like a scenic spot all the way. By the time they set up camp in the mountains at night, Xiao Mian's whole body was stiff.

The bonfire was lit. Leng Mushi carried Leng Tianyin out of the carriage to warm themselves by the fire and eat something.

She didn't need anyone's help. Although she was slender herself, she carried Leng Tianyin as if she were weightless. After putting her by the fire, she followed Xiao Mian, who had entered the forest.

Away from Leng Mushi's gaze, Xiao Mian finally relaxed a little. He had just finished relieving himself on a small hillside and was about to turn back when he bumped into Leng Mushi, who had followed him.

"Xiao Gege, I have something to tell you." Leng Mushi pretended to be a shy girl, kicking the weeds at her feet with her eyes full of affection.

After she finished speaking, she looked at Xiao Mian, waiting for him to be shy, waiting for him to be at a loss. But Xiao Mian didn't react as she expected. He turned and ran.

He was really frightened by Leng Mushi's nymphomaniac behavior today. It was dark at night, a man and a woman alone… He didn't know why he, a cultivator, was afraid of her, but his feet just wouldn't listen to him and started running.

He didn't use his spiritual power to run, just his legs. Leng Mushi chased after him effortlessly, but she still pretended that she couldn't catch up and shouted behind him.

"Xiao Gege, wait for me…"

"Xiao Gege, why are you running…"

To Xiao Mian, her voice sounded like a ghost demanding his life. He panicked and ran even faster, not knowing where he was going. And for some reason, it seemed like he couldn't use his spiritual power anymore.

Xiao Mian felt that he was too scared, which was why he was like this. He ran in circles, unable to tell where he was. Then he tripped over a tree root and was caught by Leng Mushi, who grabbed his belt.

With a ripping sound, the belt broke. Leng Mushi grabbed Xiao Mian's waist sash, once again taking in the sight of his open robe and his flustered and ashamed expression. She laughed like the Black Mountain Demon from the stories.

Xiao Mian tried to snatch the waist sash from Leng Mushi's hand. There was a jade pendant on it that was very important to him. But this time, Leng Mushi turned and ran.

Then, everything happened so naturally, as if it were yesterday once more. Leng Mushi retreated to the edge of the hillside and rolled down with Xiao Mian.

It was only after Xiao Mian got up that he realized where they had rolled down to. His whole body was burning red with embarrassment.

Leng Mushi got up, flicked the water off her hand, and leaned closer to Xiao Mian. "I've only heard of puppies peeing to mark their territory. Does this… count as me being marked into Xiao Gege's territory, becoming Xiao Gege's person?"

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