Flirting with the Villain's Mother - Chapter 23

An indescribable odor permeated the tomb chamber. Only the White-Haired Rabbit in Shen Suli’s palm emitted a faint fragrance. She drew closer to the rabbit, reasoning that Jiang Xu had already marked her for death, so distancing herself from Wei Nanyi now would be futile.

The fragrance calmed her fear.

Shen Su had to admit she was somewhat afraid of Jiang Xu.

She sought stability, but she wasn’t cowardly. Otherwise, she couldn’t have kept Wei Nanyi safe from the Mantis Demon for so long. But Jiang Xu was different. Even when reading the original novel, Shen Su had recognized him as a complete madman.

Facing the Mantis Demon, the worst outcome was death. But with Jiang Xu, it was far worse. His methods of torment were endless.

She didn’t want to die, but she wasn’t overly afraid of death. In fact, upon realizing she had transmigrated into this Xianxia Tragic Novel, she had already imagined countless ways she might meet her end.

Yet no one could calmly face a madman prone to sudden outbursts. Even if death was inevitable, she hoped it would be swift, not being crushed into minced meat by Jiang Xu or refined into a state of sensory deprivation.

Seeing Jiang Ruiping, who was even more powerful than Jiang Xu, Shen Su felt surprisingly more at ease.

She exhaled softly, her warm breath brushing against the rabbit’s ear. The rabbit gently stroked the back of her hand with its ear, reassuring her, “Miss Shen, don’t be afraid.”

Clutching the rabbit, Shen Su sighed softly, “I’m fine.”

At least, her life was safe for now.

Shen Su tilted her head slightly, her gaze returning to Jiang Ruiping.

To be honest, Jiang Ruiping was a great beauty, but her aura was overwhelmingly cold.

Just as Shen Su looked at her, Jiang Ruiping glanced back. She let out a soft “hmm” but didn’t linger, turning her attention to the Yu Ling Sword embedded in the stone wall. With a gentle wave of her hand, the sword flew into her palm.

The Yu Ling Sword’s blade was pitch-black, its tip still stained with the Mantis Demon’s foul bl00d. Pale green bl00d clung to the tip, congealing into viscous clumps that resembled greasy seaweed clinging to the blade. Jiang Ruiping frowned, withdrew an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve, and began gently wiping the bl00d from the sword. Her eyes lowered slightly, half her face shrouded in shadow, her expression unreadable.

The Jiang Xu of this era was still different from the cold-blooded, ruthless demon lord he would become—a man who acted decisively in every situation.

The current Jiang Xu was impulsive and lacked patience, especially when her life was threatened. She pressed herself more firmly against Shen Su, shielding her completely. “Jiang Ruiping, what do you want?!”

Jiang Ruiping’s hand paused briefly on the sword hilt. When she raised her eyes again, a cold glint flashed in their depths. “Is this how your A-Niang taught you? Where’s your respect for elders?”

The mention of Wei Nanyi made Jiang Xu’s expression twist uncomfortably. She glanced back at the White-Haired Rabbit still nestled in Shen Su’s arms, gently comforting the frightened girl.

Jiang Xu’s gaze darkened. She knew she could be extreme at times, but no one understood her—not even Wei Nanyi.

She was so terrified of anyone harming Wei Nanyi that she was constantly on guard, bristling like a hedgehog whenever anyone approached her.

Shen Su might appear frail, but in the few hours since they’d last met, she had not only gained cultivation but also become a half-demon. How could Jiang Xu possibly trust her?

She could have given Shen Su a chance to explain, but she had refused earlier and still didn’t want to. If Shen Su clarified everything, Jiang Xu might lose her justification for taking her ears.

She needed Shen Su’s ears.

Shen Su was the first person Jiang Xu had ever met who could still hear Wei Nanyi speak after she transformed into an animal. Jiang Xu knew that if she forcibly took those ears, Wei Nanyi would be devastated. But no one could understand how agonizing it had been to spend ten years with her A-Niang right beside her, yet exchange fewer than ten words with Wei Nanyi in total.

Wei Nanyi felt sorry for Shen Su, but she should also consider Jiang Xu’s feelings.

Clutching her throbbing palm, Jiang Xu said flatly, “My A-Niang never had the chance to teach me.”

Though they had traveled together all this time, they had never been able to truly communicate. Sometimes Jiang Xu felt like she was fleeing alone.

Hearing this, Jiang Ruiping’s eyebrow twitched slightly. “So it’s true what Jiang An said—that you killed your A-Niang and Senior Sister Sect Leader.”

Jiang An has no shame!

Even Shen Su’s eyes widened in disbelief. Jiang An had twisted the truth so brazenly at Approaching Immortals Mountain, and the people there actually believed it? This was beyond absurd.

Jiang Xu tugged irritably at her hair, glaring at Jiang Ruiping with wide, furious eyes. “Jiang Ruiping, I was just a teenager when I left Approaching Immortals Mountain! My A-Niang and the Sect Leader were both incredibly powerful—how could I possibly have the ability to kill them?!”

She stated the facts, but Jiang Ruiping merely replied, “That’s hard to say. Neither Senior Sister Sect Leader nor your A-Niang would have suspected you.”

Jiang Ruiping’s words contained another truth: had Jiang Xu been the one to attack, Shen Yinxue and Wei Nanyi might have died even faster.

Jiang Xu was a firsthand witness, while Shen Su possessed a god’s-eye view. But for those caught in the midst of the conflict, any speculation was understandable.

Jiang Xu’s chest heaved violently with rage at Jiang Ruiping’s dismissive words. He channeled his cultivation technique and charged forward, but the outcome was predictably disastrous. Despite his innate talent, his youth proved his undoing; he stood no chance against Jiang Ruiping.

Jiang Ruiping held the Yu Ling Sword in one hand. With her free hand, she effortlessly seized Jiang Xu’s attacking arm, twisting it sharply until every bone in his hand snapped.

The sickening crack of breaking bones echoed through the air, yet Jiang Xu refused to cry out. He glared at Jiang Ruiping with burning hatred. “Jiang Ruiping, you disgrace your position as Supreme Elder of Approaching Immortals Mountain!”

Jiang Ruiping’s gaze flickered momentarily. “Whether I’m fit to be Supreme Elder isn’t for you to decide.”

Even Spirit Tools knew to protect their masters, let alone Divine Tools with sentient Sword Spirits. As Jiang Xu was injured, the Yu Ling Sword in Jiang Ruiping’s hand grew restless. Its ink-black blade glowed with blinding light, threatening to break free from her grasp. Jiang Ruiping’s eyes turned icy, and her aura surged tenfold, forcibly suppressing the Divine Tool’s Sword Spirit into submission.

Wei Nanyi gazed at the ink-black sword, her expression darkening. “It’s chosen a master,” she murmured. “This could be troublesome.”

Though Jiang Xu didn’t cry out, Wei Nanyi heard the sickening crack of bone.

“Xu’er!” she exclaimed in alarm.

Seeing the White-Haired Rabbit trembling in her palm, Shen Su scrambled to her feet and rushed to Jiang Xu, cradling the rabbit.

Jiang Xu glanced at Shen Su, but her injured hand prevented her from taking the rabbit. She could only gently stroke its forepaw, whispering, “I… I’m fine.”

Shen Su’s gaze fell to Jiang Xu’s other hand, which hung limply, still bleeding. The broken bone had pierced through the flesh at the wrist, the stark white bone wrapped in bloodied flesh, a horrifying sight.

Yet, to spare Wei Nanyi worry, Shen Su remained silent.

Wei Nanyi didn’t believe Jiang Xu’s words, but she was blind and unable to approach. Jiang Xu refused to let her near, denying her any chance to touch or even speak words of concern.

This wasn’t the first time Wei Nanyi had felt helpless in her current state, but this time, Shen Su was by her side. “Miss Shen,” she asked, “is Xu’er alright?”

Shen Su hadn’t yet figured out how to comfort Wei Nanyi when Jiang Ruiping shoved her aside, her face twisted with fury. She pressed the Yu Ling Sword against Jiang Xu’s neck, threatening to harm her own master with the Divine Tool. The sword’s resistance intensified, its light growing brighter with each passing moment, while Jiang Ruiping’s expression darkened further. Though the blade remained still, her voice dropped to a chilling whisper: “Jiang Xu, I want to kill you now.”

Jiang Ruiping wanted to kill Jiang Xu, and neither of them had the power to stop her.

Even if Wei Nanyi transformed into her human form, the frail, defenseless girl would have no leverage against Jiang Ruiping. None of them dared to gamble on that.

Jiang Xu finally felt a flicker of fear. She wasn’t afraid of death itself, but what would become of Wei Nanyi if she died?

Her face flushed crimson with desperation. “Jiang Ruiping, you’re being unreasonable!”

Jiang Ruiping scoffed as if she’d heard a joke. “Hah! If you were reasonable, you wouldn’t be here trying to steal a half-demon’s ear.”

Huh?

Shen Su glanced at Jiang Ruiping in surprise. If she wasn’t mistaken, Jiang Ruiping seemed to be defending her.

It wasn’t just Shen Su who noticed—even Jiang Xu caught on.

Jiang Xu stared at Jiang Ruiping in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock. “Jiang Ruiping, are you actually defending a half-demon? If I remember correctly, you despise demons more than anyone.”

Hearing Jiang Xu mention her likes and dislikes, the icy frost on Jiang Ruiping’s face softened slightly. “You still have some filial piety left, remembering my preferences even after ten years away. But that won’t stop me from killing you.”

Jiang Xu sneered. “If you truly considered yourself my elder, you should uphold justice for me, not murder an innocent person here.”

“Uphold justice?” Jiang Ruiping chuckled, her eyes curving slightly. “Jiang Xu, who do you think ordered your pursuit?”

Not only Jiang Xu, but even Wei Nanyi froze in shock. “Martial Uncle Jiang…”

Shen Su stroked the White-Haired Rabbit’s fur, cradling it closer. She understood Wei Nanyi well; the girl held Jiang Ruiping in utmost reverence. When she first heard Jiang Xu was being hunted by Approaching Immortals Mountain, her immediate thought had been that Jiang An was responsible. She never imagined Jiang Ruiping would be behind it.

Shen Su, however, had long suspected Jiang An wasn’t involved. That hypocritical “gentleman” would never openly order the assassination of his own daughter.

“It’s you!” Jiang Xu’s eyes turned crimson. Only now did she realize how absurd her earlier plan had been—to help Wei Nanyi regain her human form and then seek justice from the Supreme Elder of Approaching Immortals Mountain. Jiang Ruiping was nothing more than a hopelessly muddled and foolish woman. “I’ve already told you, I didn’t kill my A-Niang, nor did I kill the Sect Leader! Jiang An is the one who did all this!”

Jiang Ruiping sheathed the Yu Ling Sword and shook the embroidered handkerchief in her palm. “You father and daughter are truly fascinating. You both keep shifting the blame onto each other.”

Jiang Xu scoffed coldly. She wasn’t shifting blame onto Jiang An; Jiang An was the one who had committed these crimes.

Jiang Ruiping didn’t immediately refute Jiang Xu’s words. Instead, she countered with a question: “Jiang Xu, consider this: one is the current Grand Elder of Linxian Gate, who has made extraordinary contributions to the Sect. The other is a nameless junior who defected from the Sect a decade ago. As the Supreme Elder of Approaching Immortals Mountain, whom should I trust? And whom should I protect?”

Shen Su understood perfectly.

Jiang Ruiping wasn’t muddled at all. In the absence of concrete evidence, she trusted neither Jiang An nor Jiang Xu. In her heart, Approaching Immortals Mountain came first. As the Supreme Elder, she would protect whoever served the Sect’s interests best.

Before the truth came to light, Jiang An had always been a loyal servant of Approaching Immortals Mountain, a Grand Elder who had made countless contributions to the sect.

But this explanation simply didn’t add up. Why would she order Jiang Xu’s assassination? Could she have ulterior motives?

Shen Su stared at Jiang Ruiping for too long. Jiang Ruiping turned to glance at Shen Su, and surprisingly, she showed no hostility. Instead, she asked, “Do you have something you want to ask me?”

Jiang Ruiping had just broken Jiang Xu’s wrist, yet now she was patiently questioning Shen Su. Shen Su’s eyes widened in astonishment, but she quickly regained her composure. Clearing her throat, she hurriedly asked, “Senior Jiang, if you trust no one, why are you still hunting Miss Jiang? Is it simply because Jiang An was the Grand Elder of Approaching Immortals Mountain?”

Jiang Ruiping shot a disdainful look at Shen Su and Jiang Xu. “With hearing this poor, what use would Jiang Xu have for your ears?”

Feeling Jiang Ruiping’s contempt, Jiang Xu clenched his fists in anger. Shen Su blushed in embarrassment, unsure how Jiang Ruiping had concluded her hearing was poor. In truth, she believed her ears worked perfectly well—except for their uncontrollable sensitivity.

Despite her disdain, Jiang Ruiping still answered Shen Su. She pointed to the Yu Ling Sword in her hand. “I already told you, I came for this.”

Shen Su suddenly remembered that Jiang Ruiping had mentioned she was here to retrieve the sword when they first met.

Shen Su asked, her voice tinged with suspicion, “Senior Jiang, were you pursuing Miss Shen because of the Yu Ling Sword?”

What was truly strange was that Jiang Ruiping, whose temperament was as volatile as Jiang Xu’s, didn’t erupt in anger at Shen Su’s questioning. Instead, she patiently replied, “Yes. Originally, I only wanted the sword, not to kill her. But the sword has chosen its master.”

As she spoke, she frowned slightly, her expression hovering on the edge of fury.

The Yu Ling Sword was clearly suppressed in Jiang Ruiping’s hand. Its light grew increasingly intense, yet the sword spirit remained powerless to manifest, serving only as a glowing lamp in her palm. The sword spirit’s voice echoed through the tomb: “Little Master, Ruoqing can’t defeat her.”

Ruoqing’s voice, as delicate as her name suggested, was as soft and light as a willow strand, drifting down without leaving a trace. It hardly seemed like the voice of a sword spirit dwelling within a Divine Tool.

Hearing Ruoqing’s voice, Jiang Ruiping channeled a cold light into her palm and struck the sword. “Who told you to call her ‘master’?”

Jiang Xu gritted his teeth in fury. “Don’t bully my sword!”

Jiang Ruiping’s beautiful brows furrowed deeper, her breath growing colder. “Jiang Xu, the Yu Ling Sword belongs to Senior Sister Sect Leader.”