After the Villainess Awakens

Xiao Mian's appearance hadn't changed much from a few months ago, but there were subtle differences. His features were more defined, and he had grown a year older, celebrating his birthday in July.

Leng Mushi had celebrated his birthday with him. Coincidentally, their birthdays were only two days apart, his on July 22nd and hers on July 20th.

It was said that those born in July had hard lives. Leng Mushi thought that since they had both entered the world of cultivation and their paths were smooth, they could be considered to have hard lives.

Now, Leng Mushi was nineteen years old, and Xiao Mian had just reached the age of adulthood, twenty.

In just one year, the youthfulness had faded from him, but he wasn't yet mature by the standards of an adult man. He was like a fruit, half red and half green, at the most beautiful stage of life.

Most cultivators of this age in the sect would go to the Aromatic Grass Hall to request a Youth-Preserving Pill to stay at this prime age. However, Xiao Mian didn't. He wanted Leng Mushi to refine one for him.

Leng Mushi had agreed, but she had been busy recently and hadn't had the time, so it was delayed. She felt that Xiao Mian hadn't fully matured physically yet. She just felt that he should grow a little more.

Therefore, she and Xiao Mian agreed that after this training expedition, she would refine a Youth-Preserving Pill for him, and they would stay at their best age together.

After the date for the training expedition was set, Leng Mushi became extremely busy. This time, the secret realm they were going to was the Demon Clan Ruins.

It was the place where the four Demon Generals of the Heavenly Demon had once resided. Leng Mushi had only read about the awakening of the Heavenly Demon and the havoc wreaked by the four Demon Generals in books.

It was said that 17,000 years had passed since the last awakening of the Heavenly Demon.

Currently, the Heavenly Demon was suppressed at the bottom of the Blood Demon Mountain's ley lines, and the four Demon Generals were also slumbering there with their master.

This time, they were going to the Demon Clan Ruins, where only low-level demonic beasts that couldn't cause serious harm to cultivators remained.

The Demon Clan Ruins had been cleared out by various immortal sects as a training ground for their disciples for thousands of years. Some of the demonic beasts inside had been domesticated by the guardians for a long time and had become docile.

In addition, some puppet beasts made by elders and Immortal Venerables from various sects were also placed inside. These puppet beasts looked no different from demonic beasts, but they would automatically dissipate when they pushed the disciples to their limits during training.

The training of new disciples was naturally treated with great caution, so this time, the disciples accompanying them included not only high-level disciples but also many mid-level disciples. They were divided into two groups, one led by disciples from the Disciplinary Hall and the other led by You Zishu, the head disciple.

Yes, it was Leng Mushi's nemesis, You Zishu.

It was said that his cultivation had increased again due to a breakthrough in his state of mind after being punished.

Upon hearing that You Zishu was leading the team, Leng Mushi wasn't worried at all. Instead, it was Xiao Mian who comforted her, "Don't worry, I'm here."

Leng Mushi had laughed helplessly at that time, "He wouldn't dare to take revenge, would he? As the leader, with so many eyes watching him, and the training formation's spiritual mirror directly connected to the sect, would he be so shameless as to tamper with it?"

However, what Leng Mushi was worried about wasn't You Zishu leading the team, but the fact that going to the Demon Clan Ruins was an adventure for other disciples, while for her, it was a shopping trip for her shop.

She had to prepare enough storage bags, enough Profound Glass Stones for storing pills, bring the size-changing pill furnace that Xiao Mian had given her for his birthday, and all the tools needed for collecting materials, and so on.

Leng Mushi was so busy that she didn't even notice that Xiao Mian's storage bag was filled with her things. He had brought her many changes of clothes, as well as food and dry rations.

"Take a break, have a bowl of chicken soup and a chicken leg," Xiao Mian said as he walked in with a pot of stewed chicken, placed it on the table, and served it. He then pulled Leng Mushi to the table, wrung a wet cloth, and wiped her hands. He was as patient and gentle as if he were taking care of a child. "You're too tense. Are you trying to move the entire Demon Clan Ruins back here?"

Xiao Mian smiled, his lips red and glossy, clearly having just tasted the soup for saltiness. He looked so beautiful and captivating. With his immortal-like appearance and gentle demeanor, it would be difficult for any woman in the world to not be moved by him.

However, Leng Mushi seemed blind and didn't react at all. She lowered her head to drink the soup and said, "If I could move it, I definitely would."

Xiao Mian laughed helplessly. At this moment, Xuan Zhu also entered from outside, following the aroma. These days, it was Xuan Zhu again, not Hua Yanyue. Of course, Xiao Mian now knew this secret.

"Senior Brother Xuan Zhu, I made chicken soup. Come and have a bowl," Xiao Mian called out warmly and served him a bowl of soup enthusiastically.

Xiao Mian had accidentally discovered Xuan Zhu transforming into Hua Yanyue in front of him. Then, he was dragged into the cellar by Hua Yanyue, who had fed him a Heart-Swearing Pill, making him swear that he would never tell anyone about their master-disciple dual-soul situation, or else he would die from the curse.

Xiao Mian's fate was truly bumpy. First, he was planted with a Virgin's Mark by Xuan Zhu, and then he was fed a Heart-Swearing Pill by Hua Yanyue. However, he really had no interest in telling anyone about their master-disciple dual-soul situation. On the contrary, he was secretly happy about it.

He had been worried that Xuan Zhu and Leng Mushi would fall for each other. Now that he knew about Xuan Zhu and Hua Yanyue's dual-soul situation, and that the Virgin's Mark on his wrist was specifically given to Xuan Zhu by Hua Yanyue, Xiao Mian was extremely happy.

He was so happy that he even became respectful towards Xuan Zhu, addressing him sweetly as "Senior Brother Xuan Zhu" every time he saw him.

At first, Xuan Zhu thought he was sick, but he couldn't bring himself to hit someone who was smiling at him. As time passed, his attitude towards him naturally softened, and he no longer tried to play tricks on him. However, Xuan Zhu, being a true bamboo shoot, didn't realize that when he was being mean, he was even worse than a bamboo shoot.

Xiao Mian could see the difference in Xuan Zhu's attitude towards Hua Yanyue. Every smile and kindness he showed him was actually mocking him.

See? I have no hope.

You have even less. Hua Yanyue won't even let you have feelings for him!

A forbidden master-disciple love story, how exciting and hopeless, hahaha.

Every time Xiao Mian saw Xuan Zhu and thought of Second Elder Hua Yanyue's "touch me and you die" demeanor, he couldn't help but smile at Xuan Zhu.

Sometimes, his smile made Xuan Zhu feel creeped out, so he would use his own method to read Xiao Mian's thoughts.

However, over time, Xiao Mian also learned how to guide his thoughts so that Xuan Zhu wouldn't be able to see through him so easily.

Just like now, Xuan Zhu tried to peek into the mind of Xiao Mian, who was smiling innocently but inexplicably creepily. As a result, all he could see were thoughts like "Nian Ci is so cute" that Xiao Mian wanted him to see.

Xuan Zhu didn't bother and sat down opposite Leng Mushi, picking up his spoon to drink the soup. Xiao Mian also sat down, and the three of them drank their soup harmoniously.

"You added Paralyzing Mushrooms," Leng Mushi said to Xiao Mian, "Was it an accident?"

Xiao Mian shook his head. "No, I only added one. I saw that you've been too tense recently, and a little bit can help you relax."

After spending so much time with Leng Mushi, constantly exposed to pills and recipes, helping her test medicine and organize herbs, Xiao Mian inevitably gained a deep understanding of the effects of these medicines, even demonic beasts.

Leng Mushi nodded and continued, "Then why did you add dates and so many red berries?"

Leng Mushi said, "I see you adding these to the food every time you cook recently. Why…"

Xiao Mian didn't answer. This time, Xuan Zhu couldn't help but interrupt, "Just eat. Why so many questions? You're always so clueless."

Xiao Mian and Xuan Zhu exchanged glances, seeing a hint of awkwardness in each other's eyes. Leng Mushi really didn't pay attention to everyday matters.

She was practically a little lunatic who cared about nothing but alchemy. Xuan Zhu had never been optimistic about Xiao Mian, always looking at him like a pig eyeing his prized cabbage.

However, after seeing Xiao Mian secretly spending his nights sewing stronger protective runes with spirit energy threads onto Leng Mushi's damaged disciple robes and protective talismans after she went to the back mountain to catch demonic beasts, Xuan Zhu was convinced.

In addition, Xiao Mian took care of all of his little junior sister's food, clothing, and even… like today, every time she was about to get her period, he would cook something warm and blood-activating for her to eat, so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable and wouldn't have to take Bliss Pills or Blood-Stopping Pills.

There were too many of these small but significant acts of kindness that made Xuan Zhu feel that it would be quite suitable for Leng Mushi to be with Xiao Mian.

Not only did she have a man who was quite good-looking and truly loved her, enduring pain and desire for her, but she might even be able to find solace from the pain of losing her mother in Xiao Mian's meticulous care… Xuan Zhu felt that Xiao Mian could even be a competent mother.

Anyway, Xuan Zhu admitted that he couldn't compare.

From this point of view, it wasn't without reason that his master didn't respond to him. Xuan Zhu felt that he hadn't done enough.

The day of their departure finally arrived. Leng Mushi was finally ready and gathered with all the disciples who were going to the Demon Clan Ruins at the foot of the mountain.

Leng Mushi rarely went down the mountain. In the entire Tai Chu Mountain, only Second Elder's disciples had the privilege of not attending classes held by other elders.

However, even though Leng Mushi didn't go down the mountain, she was very famous.

A few months ago, during the new disciples' trial, she had become famous in one "battle." Later, because Leng Tianyin was well-behaved and progressed quickly among the new disciples, Leng Mushi, as her often-mentioned elder sister, had always maintained the image of a forbearing and kind sister in everyone's ears.

However, the most important thing, something that not many people knew about but those who did were shocked by, was that Leng Mushi had now begun to refine daily-use pills for the sect's disciples.

Every month, when disciples went to the Healing Heart Courtyard to collect pills, they would even specifically ask if they were made by Leng Mushi because the quality of the daily-use pills she refined, regardless of their grade, was always the best.

Moreover, sometimes there would be some unique effects, and she was constantly innovating and fusing.

Therefore, all the high-level disciples who had been to the Healing Heart Courtyard to collect pills were very friendly towards Leng Mushi.

One must know that she was an alchemy disciple who could supply pills to the sect, and she had only been initiated for a short year. What kind of genius was she?

At that time, during the entrance trial, everyone had seen that she had mixed spiritual roots.

With such spiritual roots, she had now reached the middle stage of the Star realm. One could imagine how much effort she had put in.

There were no shortcuts in cultivation. Some people even sourly remarked after Leng Mushi announced her advancement on her birthday that it must have been Second Elder who had forcefully raised her cultivation with pills.

However, those disciples who could see Leng Mushi's solid foundation and the change in the elders' attitudes towards her wouldn't think that she had advanced by relying on her master's pills.

Therefore, Leng Mushi was now a celebrity. Many of the high-level disciples who had seen her when collecting pills nodded in greeting.

Even You Zishu couldn't help but glance at Leng Mushi.

However, Leng Mushi only nodded lightly to everyone. Leng Tianyin had grown a year older and finally had some tact. Although she was still very close to Leng Mushi, her eyes sparkling with excitement, she didn't pounce on her without regard for her wishes.

In the past, it was her fault. At that time, after the sudden destruction of her family, only Leng Mushi, her blood relative, was left. She was young and inexperienced, so it was natural for her to want to rely on her without any reservations.

However, over the past year, Leng Mushi's distant attitude had made Leng Tianyin gradually understand that it was she who had been delusional. It was just like when she was a few years old, when she had followed her mother into the sect, causing her sister's mother to fall seriously ill, yet she had still naively wanted to make amends with her. She didn't understand anything.

Her and her mother's existence was a wound to Leng Mushi. This was an undeniable fact.

Therefore, Leng Tianyin restrained herself, smiled at Leng Mushi, and called out, "Elder Sister."

Leng Mushi nodded and finally walked up to a slender young man with delicate features.

"Senior Brother Xiao Mei, about that…" Leng Mushi winked at him, asking about Fen Lian's whereabouts.

Yes, Senior Brother Xiao Mei was the senior brother who had specifically given her first-class disciple robes when she had gone to receive them after becoming Hua Yanyue's disciple, upon hearing that she was Second Elder's disciple.

Fen Lian had gotten together with him. In fact, Leng Mushi had only found out about it two months ago, on her birthday, when Fen Lian had taken the initiative to bring Xiao Mei back with her.

The reason why Senior Brother Xiao Mei hadn't handed over Fen Lian, this wandering evil spirit, was that he himself was a Plum Blossom Spirit who had recently entered the sect.

Xiao Mei was originally a very shy person. He smiled at Leng Mushi and looked down at his sleeve. Leng Mushi immediately understood that Fen Lian was in his sleeve.

Xiao Mei was a disciple of Third Elder. Third Elder was a renowned eccentric who traveled all year round. His disciples were all strange creatures with poor aptitude who couldn't cultivate normal human cultivation techniques.

Therefore, most of Third Elder's disciples also roamed the mortal world. Currently, only Xiao Mei remained in the sect because although his cultivation was mediocre, he was very kind and was often assigned to guard various gates.

That was how he had bumped into Fen Lian. At that time, Fen Lian's demonic power had regressed to the size of a small butterfly, and he had caught her. Then, he had used his own demonic power to nourish her. He was gentle, handsome, and exactly the kind of immortal that Fen Lian desired. Moreover, he happened to be a spirit, a perfect match for her. It was only natural that they would fall for each other.

Fen Lian was happily occupied, so it was only natural that she would abandon her principles.

Leng Mushi also smiled and went to chat with Xing Zhou Yitu.

Xiao Mian followed closely behind Leng Mushi. His gaze, which seemed cold to others, warmed up when it fell on her. Everyone was used to it because Leng Mushi's limited trips down the mountain for meals were always with Xiao Mian.

When everyone who was going on the training expedition had assembled, they checked the Life-Binding Bands on their heads and the protective talismans on their disciple robes before setting off together.

Many of the new disciples had already learned how to fly on swords, but they couldn't do it for extended periods. After all, not everyone progressed as quickly as Leng Mushi.

Therefore, they rode on Celestial Feather Beasts raised at the back of the mountain.

Celestial Feather Beasts were shaped like horses from the mortal world but had large, bird-like heads with broad, blunt beaks. They were gentle in nature, feeding on insects and fruits, and had wings on their backs, allowing them to both fly and run.

Their speed wasn't as fast as flying on swords, but they were much faster than the best horses in the mortal world. They were even faster when flying. However, since they had to pass through towns on their way to the Demon Clan Ruins, they couldn't fly in the sky to avoid causing panic.

Moreover, the content of this training expedition wasn't limited to the Demon Clan Ruins. They had also accepted low-level demon-exorcising missions from the mortal world, taking these new disciples to witness the true evil that plagued the human world.

This was a kind of inheritance and cycle. Cultivators absorbed the vitality of heaven and earth, cultivated their own Dao, and also exorcised demons and eliminated evil for the sake of peace in the human world, generating more vitality.

Once they were out of Tai Chu Mountain's territory, the high-level disciples had to cast concealment formations on the Celestial Feather Beasts, making them appear as ordinary horses to mortals.

It was Leng Mushi's first time riding such a Celestial Feather Beast. Their backs were very wide, and she would pat and touch them from time to time, full of curiosity.

Even when they weren't flapping their wings, the Celestial Feather Beasts ran with all four hooves off the ground, swift and steady. The riders could even practice swordsmanship on their backs, let alone write while sitting cross-legged like Leng Mushi.

Xiao Mian rode another Celestial Feather Beast, following closely beside Leng Mushi like a protective deity. He would hand her water and fruits from time to time throughout the journey.

Leng Mushi didn't think much of it and accepted it naturally. After all, this was how they had been getting along for the past few months. Leng Mushi's lack of formality was a kind of natural intimacy, which was precisely the effect Xiao Mian wanted.

However, it didn't seem that way to others. Many of the low-level disciples who were traveling with them were eager to show off their cultivation and fight for the sect's honor. They couldn't stand to see Leng Mushi being waited on hand and foot by her senior brother.

Alchemy was different from swordsmanship. They couldn't tell how powerful Leng Mushi's cultivation was. They only knew that she spent all day reading and writing, not looking like she was on a training expedition, but rather like she was going to take an imperial examination.

After a day's journey, they finally stopped at a town. As Leng Mushi dismounted from the Celestial Feather Beast, Xiao Mian was not far away, negotiating with the waiter about feeding the beasts fruits and fresh vegetables.

The waiter was quite experienced. With merchants coming and going, it wasn't like he had never seen rich people with rich horses. At most, they only ate refined grains and not grass.

He had never heard of horses that only ate fruits and vegetables.

It wasn't that the inn didn't have these things, but he didn't think that the horses these people were riding were anything special, so he couldn't help but remind them, "Eating only those things will give them diarrhea."

The disciples' robes and even their appearances had been slightly altered using concealment talismans. They didn't look like eye-catching immortals in white. Each of them looked like ordinary people, not attracting any attention.

Therefore, the waiter didn't show them the respect he usually reserved for passing immortals. In the end, since they were paying a lot, the waiter agreed. After they went upstairs to their rooms, he kindly reminded them not to open their windows at night, as the town had been restless lately, and to beware of being entangled by the Night Crying Child.

This was the first request for help from mortals that they were going to handle after leaving the sect.

The new disciples were all very excited. A group of over fifty people gathered in You Zishu's room that night to listen to him recount the description given by the person who had gone to Tai Chu Mountain for help.

"This Night Crying Child hasn't harmed anyone yet. It's a child who drowned two years ago from a family on the east side of Le Tan Town. His nickname was Er Lang."

You Zishu's voice was flat, his face still as expressionless as ever.

"Everyone, rest well tonight. Tomorrow, you can split up to investigate, but remember, if you encounter the Night Crying Child, do not act alone. Although it doesn't harm anyone, it goes around calling for its mother at the windows of houses in the city at night. It's not a ghost, but the condensed resentment of a child, which can easily enter the body and is difficult to remove."

You Zishu said, "After gathering information tomorrow, we'll meet here again after noon to exchange clues and make further plans."

No one objected. They returned to their rooms to rest. Those who were hungry ordered food to be brought up, or they could go downstairs to the main hall to eat and perhaps gather some information from the mortals who hadn't returned to their rooms yet.

Leng Mushi wasn't interested in going downstairs. She hadn't been out in a long time, and now she felt a sense of familiarity and strangeness towards the hustle and bustle of the town and the mortals.

It had only been a year, and she already felt estranged from the life of the mortal world.

However, it was almost nightfall, and she had no desire to go out. Returning to her room, before her bottom could even touch the chair, there was a knock on the door.

Xiao Mian stood at the door, beckoning her, "I saw a persimmon tree in the backyard. You ate a lot of dry rations during the day and must not be hungry. I'll take you to pick some persimmons to eat. I asked the waiter, and he said we could pick some."

He had given the waiter some silver, and that was why he was allowed to pick some.

He was smart enough not to pick them and bring them back directly. Instead, he took this opportunity to interact with Leng Mushi. This was the experience he had gained during his "brotherhood" period.

Interact whenever possible. If it's really not possible, express regret, then do the task well, surprise her, make her get used to his closeness, then take the initiative to get close to him, and finally, miss him when she doesn't see him.

Xiao Mian had always done a good job. Sometimes, Leng Mushi felt that they were too close, exceeding the boundaries of brotherhood. However, every time she showed a hint of this feeling, Xiao Mian remained the same, without any awkwardness, making Leng Mushi feel like she was overthinking.

Over time, she became more and more fond of interacting with him, following him around, looking at every little novelty, treating it as a way to relax from alchemy.

It could be said that apart from the time she spent on alchemy, and the time she spent on bathing, using the toilet, and sleeping, Leng Mushi basically spent all her time with Xiao Mian.

Xiao Mian was still waiting for Leng Mushi's decision at the door. Leng Mushi glanced at the sky. "It's almost dark. What if we're entangled by the Night Crying Child?"

"We'll go and come back quickly," Xiao Mian said. "If you're scared at night…"

He paused, cleared his throat, and said, "You can come and stay with me."

Leng Mushi looked at him. He quickly added, "You can sleep on the bed, I'll just meditate."

Leng Mushi smiled and shook her head. Seeing that she was relenting, Xiao Mian entered the room and naturally took her hand. After closing the door, he quickly led her towards the backyard. "Hurry up, I saw some big ones at the top of the tree. The waiter said he's going to pick them later to feed the Celestial Feather Beasts."

Leng Mushi and Xiao Mian ran. They passed through the main hall. Many disciples and ordinary people who were eating looked up at the sound, but they had already gone through the hall and into the backyard.

The wind stirred up by the hem of her skirt blew out the door, carrying with it something fluffy.

At that moment, the sky completely darkened. Those fluffy things that had been swept up, like glowing fireflies, flew around them, emitting a soft light.

Even Leng Mushi, who wasn't easily moved by romantic scenery, couldn't help but be amazed by this scene.

She reached out to touch them, her mind, usually filled with thoughts of alchemy, finally relaxing. She smiled and said, "So beautiful…"

Xiao Mian let out a soft sigh of relief, a tender smile appearing on his lips. His eyes were even gentler than the countless glowing fluffs, thinking to himself, the timing is just right.

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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