Flirting with the Villain's Mother - Chapter 21

“Jade Marrow! Give me the Jade Marrow!”

No matter how fast Shen Su ran, the Mantis Demon relentlessly pursued her.

She pressed onward through the Demon Fire, her flesh searing and blistering, large patches of charred skin appearing across her body. The stench of rotting flesh and bl00d mingled in the air, creating a nauseating stench.

The Mantis Demon had tried to force Shen Su to stop with his attacks, but his demonic power was swiftly devoured by the flames, leaving her unharmed.

Mirror Quilt truly was a cunning Demon. Whether it was the Pixiang Mirror Dragon Formation or the refined Jade Marrow, both were blessings she had left for Shen Su.

Now armed with the Jade Marrow and bearing Mirror Quilt’s bloodline, combined with Wei Nanyi’s understanding of the Pixiang Mirror Dragon Formation, Shen Su could precisely avoid every trap. She remained unscathed, while the Mantis Demon fared far worse.

Wei Nanyi explained that the Pixiang Mirror Dragon Formation shifted its orientation upon detecting external intrusion, even intensifying its defenses. What was once a path to the Gate of Life had become a path to the Gate of Death. To retreat, they had to tread carefully on the Qian Position, moving with feather-light steps to avoid triggering any mechanisms.

The Mantis Demon couldn’t hear Wei Nanyi’s voice and was naturally unaware of the Pixiang Mirror Dragon Formation’s secrets. He couldn’t understand why, despite meticulously following Shen Su’s footsteps, he still couldn’t avoid triggering the traps.

Shen Su watched as streams of azure water erupted from the ground, enveloping the Mantis Demon in a misty, blue haze. Strangely, the water and the original flames didn’t clash; the flames didn’t evaporate the water, and the water didn’t extinguish the Demon Fire.

The substance encasing the Mantis Demon appeared to be a thin layer of water, yet in an instant, it brutally peeled off a layer of his flesh. Though the demonic creature’s regenerative abilities were swift, the pain remained. The Mantis Demon shrieked, opening his mouth to spew a cloud of green mist that chased after Shen Su’s back. Before the mist could touch her, the Demon Fire incinerated it completely.

Shen Su exhaled in relief, silently reciting two phrases in her heart:

Thank you, ancestors. Thank you, Wei Nanyi.

As the only person who could still hear Wei Nanyi’s voice even after she transformed into an animal, Shen Su felt a strange sense of joy. Would Jiang Xu be willing to keep her around if he learned of her ability?

Perhaps because she had nearly died at Jiang Xu’s hands, Shen Su shuddered at the thought of him. She suddenly realized it was entirely possible that Jiang Xu might resort to extreme measures and cut off her ears.

In the original novel, the Demonic Sect possessed a technique to refine human organs for their own use.

No matter how Shen Su tried to escape, the end of the tunnel was blocked by a collapsed stone wall.

Staring at the mountain of rubble ahead, Shen Su inwardly cried out in alarm.

They had no way out!

Clutching the rabbit, Shen Su stopped. “Madam, there’s no way out.”

After transforming into an animal, Wei Nanyi was rendered blind and mute. Though her animal eyes were lively and beautiful, she couldn’t see what was happening outside. Though she could open her mouth, only Shen Su could hear her voice. Therefore, Shen Su had to explain everything to her, fortunately, her hearing and sense of touch remained intact.

“Miss Shen, what about the Mantis Demon?”

Shen Su glanced at the limping Mantis Demon, still closing in on them. “He’s still chasing us, but he’s badly wounded.”

Badly wounded was an understatement. His healing abilities seemed severely diminished.

The White-Haired Rabbit’s ear brushed lightly against Shen Su’s jaw, its voice barely audible: “Miss Shen, the Formation Arts’ Death Gate has already drained most of his demonic power. You can try fighting him now.”

Wei Nanyi had never expected the tunnel to completely kill the Mantis Demon. Her plan was to use the Demon Fire within the tunnel to weaken him, and now that his power was nearly exhausted, the time had come.

If Shen Su hadn’t inherited the Mirror Quilt’s power, they would have been facing certain death. Even with his power diminished, the Mantis Demon was still a creature with formidable cultivation. But now, things were different. Shen Su had absorbed the Mirror Quilt’s residual energy, breaking through to the peak of Qi Condensation. Though she lacked combat experience, she now possessed the strength to challenge this weakened, wounded Mantis Demon.

Shen Su silently recited a cultivation technique, and wisps of pale purple mist materialized in her palm. The mist floated gently, showing no signs of combat prowess. As the hideous demon drew closer, Shen Su swallowed nervously. “Madam, what should I do?”

Wei Nanyi understood. Before entering the Pixiang Mirror Dragon Formation, Shen Su had been a frail young woman with no combat experience. Expecting her to master spiritual Qi to its fullest potential was unrealistic. It would be better to find her a suitable magical artifact. While the Jade Marrow was valuable, it lacked offensive capabilities.

Wei Nanyi recalled the thumb ring that had fallen into Shen Su’s lap with her. “Junior Brother Shen’s magical artifact should be inside the ring.”

The White-Haired Rabbit burrowed into Shen Su’s embrace. Unable to see, it groped around, its tiny paws brushing against her soft flesh through the fabric, gently scratching her skin again and again.

Shen Su’s face flushed crimson.

She yanked the rabbit out with one hand and retrieved the thumb ring with the other, feigning nonchalance. “Madam, how do I use this ring?”

After retrieving the ring, Shen Su tucked Wei Nanyi back into her embrace.

With the ring removed, Wei Nanyi remained still, her front paws gripping Shen Su’s lapels tightly. She whispered, “The ring has already been stained with Miss Shen’s bl00d. Just wear it, circulate your spiritual Qi, and channel it into the ring. You’ll be able to see what’s inside. Martial Uncle Jiang once gifted Junior Brother Shen the Azure Flame Twin Blades. These blades possess spiritual sentience and inherent combat capabilities. Miss Shen, you should use those.”

The finger ring was a Storage Ring.

Due to its unique properties, the Jade Marrow couldn’t be stored inside the ring; its accumulated spiritual power would have shattered it. However, most of the items left behind by Mirror Quilt and her companions remained within.

Shen Su quickly followed the instructions, slipping the ring onto her thumb. She then used a cultivation technique to condense Qi and channel it into the ring.

She had initially assumed that Shen Yiwen, an Inner Sect Disciple expelled from Approaching Immortals Mountain, and Mirror Quilt, a Wild Goose Jade Mountain Demon unable to return to her homeland, wouldn’t have left behind much. But when Shen Su finally saw inside the ring, her pupils dilated violently.

Piled high like a small mountain were spiritual pills and elixirs, along with various medicinal herbs. Though Shen Su couldn’t yet identify their specific types, the abundant spiritual Qi radiating from them made it clear they were extraordinary treasures.

Shen Su remained frozen, but the Mantis Demon’s footsteps grew closer. Wei Nanyi, her heart pounding with anxiety, asked, “Miss Shen, what’s wrong?”

Shen Su’s pupils refocused, and she let out a heavy sigh. “Madam, my ancestors left behind a wealth of treasures.”

Wei Nanyi had assumed Shen Yiwen hadn’t left behind any magical artifacts, but Shen Su was referring to something else entirely. She gently tugged at Shen Su’s sleeve. “This isn’t surprising. Martial Uncle Jiang was the most talented of her generation. Not only was her cultivation formidable, but she was also proficient in Pill Dao and Formation Arts. Though her temperament was difficult, she treated her disciples reasonably well. Junior Brother Shen was her only disciple, so he possessed far more treasures than other Inner Sect Disciples. Even when Junior Brother Shen was expelled from Approaching Immortals Mountain, Martial Uncle Jiang never asked for them back.”

Jiang Ruiping truly was exceptionally gifted. Her strength was unparalleled, she excelled in Pill Refinement, and she was even a master of Formation Arts. While most cultivators dedicated their entire lives to mastering a single Dao, Jiang Ruiping had mastered three.

Although Shen Yiwen likely possessed more treasures than other Inner Sect Disciples, Wei Nanyi, as the Eldest Senior Sister of Approaching Immortals Mountain, undoubtedly had even more. Jiang An had likely coveted and seized all of it.

Shen Su took note of Wei Nanyi’s use of the word “only.” “Madam, after my ancestor left, did Senior Jiang Ruiping ever take another disciple?”

Wei Nanyi fell silent for a moment at the mention of Jiang Ruiping. When she spoke again, her voice carried a hint of nostalgia. “Martial Aunt Jiang found it too troublesome and never took another disciple.”

It was clear that, unlike her feelings toward Mirror Quilt, Wei Nanyi held deep respect for Jiang Ruiping.

Shen Su stared at the mountain of treasures piled up within the ring, silently thanking Jiang Ruiping profusely.