After the Villainess Awakens

It was the first time Leng Mushi had allowed herself to feel so cared for by another person. Xiao Mian was very good at taking care of people. His personality seemed cold and aloof, but unlike You Zishu's true coldness, he was warm on the inside.

You could also say he was outwardly quiet but inwardly passionate.

Every day after his evening classes, he would quietly come to find Leng Mushi and bring her food. In just a few days, he had, just like in her past life, figured out Leng Mushi's favorite foods and how much she ate.

Of course, every meal included freshly steamed dried meat from the Chenhuo beast. Leng Mushi stayed obediently in the Flying Crane Courtyard and didn't go out. Her daily routine consisted of waiting for Xiao Mian.

She no longer used her abilities, all the way until the Immortal Gate Test arrived.

Leng Mushi could have easily displayed extraordinary spiritual roots and chosen any sect she wanted. But this time, she suppressed her abilities, making her spiritual roots appear even weaker than in her previous life.

Without her outstanding performance in the Cangsheng Courtyard that had attracted Hua Yanyue's attention, this time, when the disciples were accepted into the sect, there was no Second Elder who suddenly appeared to take her as a disciple.

Leng Mushi naturally ended up in the Outer Sect, beginning her sweeping career.

She was observing Xiao Mian's reactions and attitude towards her. Using a little bit of her ability, she got herself assigned to a remote and desolate courtyard. Besides doing chores during the day, she returned to her courtyard at night and would always see Xiao Mian arriving with a food box after his evening classes.

Leng Tianyin entered the Inner Sect, and even Fenlian successfully became a disciple of the Third Elder. Of course, the Third Elder was not present at the sect, so Fenlian was led in by a Senior Brother. This Senior Brother was none other than her sweetheart, Xiaomei.

Unlike Leng Mushi, Fenlian didn't want to go through the trouble of starting over. So she had Leng Mushi awaken Xiaomei's memories. The two immediately became inseparable, living a sweet and happy life together.

Leng Tianyin became a disciple of the Fifth Elder. The Fifth Elder was already searching for a spiritual object that could replace the demonic bone. Everything was the same as in her past life, yet completely different.

For example, Leng Mushi and Xiao Mian had never been so close.

Xiao Mian had become increasingly diligent recently. Not only diligent, but he also squeezed out time from his sleep at night to browse through ancient texts, searching for ways to enhance Leng Mushi's spiritual roots and advance her cultivation.

Outer Sect disciples also had access to resources and cultivation techniques suitable for their current spiritual roots. But because of their insufficient aptitude, even with great diligence, their progress was very slow.

As Leng Mushi ate, she watched Xiao Mian holding a book about mixed spiritual roots. She could guess what he was doing. She could have easily performed well, but she really enjoyed her current dynamic with Xiao Mian.

To have someone who didn't dislike any part of you, who wholeheartedly wanted the best for you, this feeling was more intoxicating than the strongest wine in the world. Just a sip, and your entire being felt warmly ablaze.

Leng Mushi didn't even have to worry about reciprocating. She completely saw herself as a dodder flower clinging to him. Every day, apart from saying sweet nothings to him, she didn't do anything serious.

"I received my monthly allowance," Xiao Mian said, still engrossed in his book, as he saw she had finished eating. "It's all in the storage bag. Take whatever you need."

Leng Mushi wiped her mouth and looked at Xiao Mian with wide, adoring eyes, like a rare and precious beast. "Can't I have it all?"

Xiao Mian paused, then smiled helplessly. "There are two high-grade spirit stones that are not suitable for you to use right now."

Leng Mushi was about to say, "Aren't you being stingy?" when Xiao Mian continued, "But you can save them for later. Remember not to use them, and don't let other Outer Sect disciples see them."

Leng Mushi swallowed her words and moved closer to Xiao Mian, kissing his cheek with her oily, not-so-clean lips. "Look at me, brother. Don't look at that. The time you spend with me every day is too short. It's hard to bear the pain of longing…"

Xiao Mian's hand holding the book tightened slightly. He wanted to resist, but in the end, he couldn't. He sighed and put down the book, pulling Leng Mushi onto his lap to embrace her.

He was indeed anxious to help Leng Mushi advance. He knew there were a few cultivator couples in the sect that the elders turned a blind eye to, often going on missions together. He also wanted Leng Mushi to advance quickly so he could take her out into the world. She wouldn't have to do anything, just broaden her horizons. He would protect her anyway.

However, with the beauty in his arms, Xiao Mian had little resistance to someone as clingy as Leng Mushi. He could only indulge her and himself, thinking he would finish reading the rest when he returned tonight.

"I have to go down the mountain to get rid of some evil in a few days. Two months later is the new disciples' trial. You can enter the Inner Sect then to watch the competition. It will be beneficial for you. I have already asked Senior Brothers Yitu and Xingzhou to look after you."

Leng Mushi responded vaguely, having no interest in the new disciples' competition in the Inner Sect. However, before that, there was something she wanted to do.

So, the next day, after being quiet for just over a month, Leng Mushi got into a conflict with the Inner Sect disciples. It was none other than Zhu Rong and her group of friends.

Outer Sect disciples usually didn't dare to go against Inner Sect disciples. After all, Inner Sect disciples were like children born to the legitimate wife, while Outer Sect disciples were like those raised by the stepmother. If something happened, the Outer Sect would always be the first to be sacrificed by Tai Chu Mountain.

Leng Mushi and Zhu Rong tore at each other's hair until it was scattered all over the ground. They were finally separated by others, and the disciples from the Disciplinary Hall took them away for questioning.

The cause was, of course, Xiao Mian. Xiao Mian was soon summoned by the Disciplinary Hall as well. Leng Mushi knelt in the main hall with her hair disheveled, her mind filled with one thought after another, each one making her want to laugh.

Zhu Rong's hair was also a mess, but she had at least tidied herself up a bit, so only a few red marks were visible on her face.

She actually felt very strange because when she was fighting with Leng Mushi earlier, she had wanted to use her spiritual power to push her away, but she couldn't use it at all.

They had argued because of Xiao Mian. It was no secret in the sect that Zhu Rong liked Xiao Mian. Many female cultivators liked him. After all, he was talented, kind, and always took good care of his fellow disciples during trials.

Zhu Rong's life had been saved by Xiao Mian once, which was why she liked him and had given him the dried meat from the Chenhuo beast. Unfortunately, Xiao Mian only said it was a trade and gave her a Cleansing Curse Pill in return.

Zhu Rong had treasured it, fantasizing that Xiao Mian might also have some feelings for her. She never expected this Outer Sect disciple to not only mock her but also claim that she and Xiao Mian were a couple?

Ha!

What a joke! Zhu Rong was so angry that she almost went crazy. In a moment of impulsiveness, she had made her move.

However, it was just hair-pulling, and she hadn't gained the upper hand against Leng Mushi. She had even been hit a few times by the broom in Leng Mushi's hand.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Zhu Rong saw Xiao Mian entering and immediately looked at him with tears in her eyes, her lips trembling as if she wanted to speak but couldn't. She looked truly pitiful.

In contrast, Leng Mushi, with her disheveled appearance, looked nothing but disheveled and far less endearing.

However, as soon as Xiao Mian arrived and saw Leng Mushi like that, his brows furrowed. This kind of matter didn't need to involve the elders and could be handled by Yin Qiao, a disciple of the Disciplinary Hall.

He said to Xiao Mian, "These two female cultivators got into a fight because of you." Yin Qiao paused here and glanced at Xiao Mian, thinking to himself that this guy was quite popular with the ladies.

Xiao Mian looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes. If not for his youthful energy, Yin Qiao would have suspected he was suffering from excessive indulgence.

"That Outer Sect disciple insists that you are a couple. This whole thing started because of her words," Yin Qiao said. "This kind of thing, if it reaches the elders' ears, no one will be happy. Let's settle it here."

Xiao Mian pursed his lips slightly. Yin Qiao misunderstood, thinking that he was annoyed by the two female cultivators' childish fight over him.

He was about to make a decision, to punish Zhu Rong and her friends by making them sweep the long stairs and help out in the Five Grains Hall. As for that Outer Sect disciple with the rarest of mixed spiritual roots, she would be sent down the mountain.

But before he could speak, Xiao Mian said, "She wasn't lying. I am indeed planning to become Dao companions with her."

As soon as Xiao Mian finished speaking, all the disciples of the Disciplinary Hall in the hall were stunned, their expressions turning even more complex.

Zhu Rong was dumbfounded. Tears, whether from grievance or something else, streamed down her face. Xiao Mian walked over to Leng Mushi, frowning slightly at the bloody scratch on her neck, and gave Zhu Rong a subtle look.

That one look from Xiao Mian almost made Zhu Rong break down and cry in shame and humiliation right there in the Disciplinary Hall. After all, no matter how anyone looked at it, it was unbearable for a girl to see the person she liked fall for someone else, someone who was clearly inferior to her, and to be met with displeasure from him because of that person.

And indeed, in Xiao Mian's eyes, it was Zhu Rong who had bullied Leng Mushi. Tai Chu Mountain always favored Inner Sect disciples. Zhu Rong and Leng Mushi's strength differed greatly, yet after such an incident, the Disciplinary Hall only wanted to punish Zhu Rong and send Leng Mushi down the mountain.

In front of everyone, Xiao Mian admitted his relationship with the Outer Sect disciple and even personally fixed Leng Mushi's hair, his face full of heartache.

Leng Mushi leaned delicately against him, her eyes filled with tears as she recounted her grievances. She was completely different from the wild person who had been fighting with Zhu Rong over a hair ornament and had to be pulled apart by three disciples from the Disciplinary Hall.

A feeling of joy surged within Leng Mushi. Xiao Mian didn't despise her for being a troublesome and useless Outer Sect disciple. He even admitted their relationship in front of everyone.

Naturally, she was overjoyed. Xiao Mian truly loved all sides of her, just as he had promised.

In this life, Leng Mushi couldn't help but want to test Xiao Mian's vow. She desperately wanted to know, with a different identity and circumstances, starting from a disadvantaged position, without the memories of their past life, would he still choose her?

The answer was yes.

Soon, the entire Tai Chu Mountain was abuzz with the news that Tianxuzi's prized disciple was entangled with a useless Outer Sect sweeper with terrible spiritual roots.

In the end, Leng Mushi wasn't sent down Tai Chu Mountain because Xiao Mian, despite being reprimanded by Tianxuzi, insisted on being with her.

Even when she swept the floors, she did so with her tail held high.

However, soon before the new disciples' trial, Xiao Mian had to go down the mountain with others to get rid of some evil. Once he left, Tianxuzi personally met with Leng Mushi.

Leng Mushi had the honor of experiencing firsthand the cliché scene of a patriarch offering money to break up a couple.

Tianxuzi said, "I shall grant you a lifetime of wealth and health in the mortal realm, and bestow upon you immortal medicine to free you from all ailments. Leave my disciple and go down the mountain."

Leng Mushi managed to hold back her laughter by biting the inside of her cheek.

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