Flirting with the Villain's Mother - Chapter 12

Shen Su spoke. Wei Nanyi glanced ahead, her gaze sweeping across the empty stone walls that surrounded them. Dark, branching passages stretched into the depths. She lowered her eyes, a hint of melancholy in her voice as she asked Shen Su, “What do you see, Miss Shen?”

“Foxes! So many foxes!”

Wei Nanyi saw nothing. Not even a hint of anything unusual. That was why she had suggested waiting for Jiang Xu to arrive earlier.

Times had changed. Without her spiritual power, she could no longer detect the tomb chamber’s mechanisms.

As Shen Su continued to lead her forward, Wei Nanyi felt a flicker of panic. “Miss Shen, I…”

Having returned to ordinary life, she now found herself fearing the unknown.

Wei Nanyi wasn’t worried about herself; she feared the dangers ahead. If they triggered a trap, she wouldn’t be able to protect Shen Su.

Before she could voice her concerns, Shen Su understood. Pointing to the two foxes tugging at her skirt, she explained, “There must be over a hundred Jade-Eyed Foxes. They look just like the Jade Fox in the Ancestral Hall outside, but they’re only illusions, hazy and indistinct. They’re all crowding into the passages ahead. I’m not trying to move forward—two of these illusory foxes are pulling me.”

Shen Su spoke at length, as if determined to describe everything she saw to Wei Nanyi. Wei Nanyi was momentarily stunned. “Miss Shen, you…”

Shen Su pointed to her eyes. “Since Madam can’t see, I’ll be her eyes.”

Wei Nanyi gazed at her, speechless for a long moment.

Shen Su’s warmth had softened her heart. In the end, all her emotions coalesced into a soft chuckle. “They probably have treasures to offer you, Miss Shen. Just remember to walk where they’ve already stepped, and you’ll be fine.”

Now that she understood the situation in the tomb chamber, Wei Nanyi breathed a sigh of relief and allowed Shen Su to lead her forward. When she caught Shen Su’s confused gaze, she patiently explained, “The Pixiang Mirror Dragon Formation is an advanced and rather unique Formation. Most Formations are powered by Spirit Stones, but this one uses the true forms of Demonic Creatures. Its strength depends on the power of the creatures in life. It’s often used to guard tomb chambers. Miss Guiyan’s cultivation far surpasses these creatures, so to find what they seek here, they must rely on your bloodline, Miss Shen.”

Shen Su listened to every word Wei Nanyi said, unable to resist asking, “Before her death? So the demonic creatures involved in setting up the formation will die?”

Wei Nanyi smiled bitterly. “Demonic creatures and cultivators are fundamentally different. Cultivators care little for the lives of demons, while demons only seek to devour cultivators to enhance their cultivation. Naturally, the formations devised by cultivators would disregard the lives of demons. However, Junior Brother Shen loved Miss Guiyan deeply, and these fox phantoms haven’t attacked us. It’s likely Miss Guiyan willingly sacrificed her life to establish this formation.”

Wei Nanyi’s current explanation directly contradicted her earlier account of her ancestor’s history.

Instead of directly exposing Wei Nanyi’s lie, Shen Su asked, “The Pixiang Mirror Dragon Formation uses the true forms of demonic creatures to establish the formation. But Madam, you just said my ancestor wasn’t a fox demon. So why are all these fox phantoms in the tomb chamber?”

Wei Nanyi paused for a moment, then chuckled. “Miss Shen should be a little more naive.”

She showed no anger at having her lie exposed, nor did she rush to cover it up. Instead, she calmly admitted the falsehood and said with a hint of helplessness, “Miss Shen, peaceful coexistence between demons and humans is nearly impossible. The original inclusion of demonic creatures into the sect was merely a matter of mutual exploitation.”

Shen Su’s breath hitched, and a surge of overwhelming anger flooded her heart. “Madam, are you saying the Four Great Sects conspired to kill my ancestor?”

This fury stemmed from the lingering consciousness of the original owner of the body. Having inherited this body through bloodline, Shen Su also inherited its deep attachment to the Shen Family. If the Four Great Sects had indeed conspired to harm Guiyan, was Wei Nanyi also complicit?

The anger flashed in her eyes for only a moment before giving way to hesitation and conflict. She didn’t want hatred to exist between herself and Wei Nanyi.

But Wei Nanyi quickly calmed her turbulent emotions.

Instead of directly answering Shen Su’s question, Wei Nanyi countered with another: “Miss Shen, do you truly believe the Mirror Canopy Society, which leads all the demonic creatures of Wild Goose Jade Mountain, could be so easily manipulated?”

Of course not.

In the original novel, when the male lead ventured to Wild Goose Jade Mountain for training, he was nearly tricked into having his Immortal bones extracted by the mountain’s cunning demonic creatures.

Demonic creatures were notoriously cunning, especially a great demon leading an entire region.

Shen Su: “Madam, should I trust you?”

Wei Nanyi raised her eyes and glanced at Shen Su. “Miss Shen shouldn’t ask me that.”

Shen Su smiled, her mood suddenly brightening. Wei Nanyi had just saved her life; how could she not trust her?

She didn’t press further, and Wei Nanyi didn’t elaborate.

The fox pulling Shen Su quickened its pace. Suddenly, the foxes scouting ahead grew agitated, darting back and forth. Their tails swept across the lanterns lining the stone walls, extinguishing six in quick succession. A brief darkness enveloped Shen Su, punctuated by the crackling of sparks.

Instinctively, she tightened her hold on Wei Nanyi in her arms. But as her arm tightened, it inadvertently brushed against the wound on Wei Nanyi’s back. Wei Nanyi, nestled in her embrace, let out a muffled, pained gasp. Shen Su immediately loosened her grip. “Madam, I’m so sorry.”

In the darkness, Shen Su couldn’t see Wei Nanyi’s expression, only hear her weak voice. “It’s nothing, Miss Shen. Just watch your step.”

Wei Nanyi was the kind of person who never complained about her own pain, yet overflowed with compassion for others.

Shen Su’s guilt deepened, and she lowered her hand slightly. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.

Wei Nanyi’s voice was tinged with exasperation. “Miss Shen, why are you being as stubborn as Xu’er? I’m truly fine.”

Shen Su mentally recalled Jiang Xu’s image, piecing together only a picture of a fanatical madman. Wei Nanyi was wrong; she wasn’t like Jiang Xu. She wasn’t stubborn, nor was she mad.

Just as she was about to protest her innocence, the extinguished lamps in the tomb chamber flickered back to life. However, Shen Su could no longer see the ghostly fox figures. The force pulling her split into two streams, one tugging her right, the other left, making it nearly impossible to move.

Overwhelmed by the situation, Shen Su’s voice trembled slightly. “Madam, the foxes have vanished.”

Hearing this, Wei Nanyi immediately lowered her gaze. Though she couldn’t see the supernatural phenomena, she could see the hem of Shen Su’s skirt being lifted by an unseen force.

Her brow furrowed. “No, they haven’t vanished. It’s just that you can no longer see them. You were likely perceiving them through your bloodline’s power, not your own cultivation.”

Just as Shen Su was about to ask Wei Nanyi what to do, Wei Nanyi placed her palm on Shen Su’s lower abdomen and gently pressed down. “Miss Shen, close your eyes and repeat after me: Zǐwēi luò, guìfēng qǐ, duànyù níngshén…”

“Zǐwēi luò, guìfēng qǐ, duànyù níngshén…” With each syllable Shen Su recited, the qi within her body grew stronger, her lower abdomen warmed pleasantly, and the force pulling her away gradually weakened.

Suddenly, Shen Su’s eyes snapped open, a faint purple glow suffusing her beautiful pupils.

A thin white mist surged from her abdomen, gently pushing Wei Nanyi’s palm away. Though the force was light, Wei Nanyi, with her frail frame, staggered back two steps. Shen Su quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into her arms. “Madam, are you alright?”

Wei Nanyi shook her head slightly. “Miss Shen’s bloodline is truly perfect for cultivation. You’ve managed to condense qi so quickly.”

Shen Su’s face lit up. “Does that mean I have exceptional talent?”

Wei Nanyi nodded. “Indeed.”

Shen Su wasn’t one to wear her emotions on her sleeve. In fact, even Jiang Xu had praised her remarkable ability to quickly regain composure. But now, having received Wei Nanyi’s acknowledgment of her innate talent, Shen Su was brimming with excitement. “Then, Madam, please teach me well! Once I’ve mastered my skills, I’ll personally avenge you by slaying your enemies!”

Her eyes shone with genuine fervor, burning with fervent determination.

Wei Nanyi gazed into those eyes, lost in thought.