The Beloved Master's Mad Dog Disciple - Chapter 36

Gui Nian’an had made up her answer on the spot and dared not utter another word.

She had never even met Bo Xuenong’s Master, so how could she possibly know what the Master was thinking?

Just as Gui Nian’an was at a loss for words, the door swung open, casting a beam of light into the room. Two beautiful women entered with the light. Though Gui Nian’an had seen countless beauties over the centuries, she still found herself captivated, especially by the woman leading the way. Her beauty was simply…

Lost in her gaze, Gui Nian’an suddenly saw Bo Xuenong, clutching her newly grown ears, rush toward the woman, calling out plaintively, “Master!”

Gui Nian’an quickly lowered her eyes, the captivated expression vanishing. She secretly prayed that Bo Xuenong hadn’t noticed her stealing glances at the Master.

Having mingled with the Heavenly Cuisine Sect for years, Gui Nian’an had seen it all. The sect members would stop at nothing to advance their cultivation. Take He Yongda, for example, whose exceptional innate talent had led him to engage in Dual Cultivation with over half the sect’s Elders, including a couple of Supreme Elders.

What was a master-disciple relationship compared to a Dao Companion? Gui Nian’an had seen even more unconventional pairings, like those between grandparents and grandchildren.

If it were just a typical Dao Companion relationship, she would have simply glanced at it and moved on.

But Bo Xuenong clearly cared too much about her master. Gui Nian’an’s neck still ached faintly from being choked earlier, and she had no desire to repeat the experience.

Gui Nian’an couldn’t tell if Bo Xuenong had noticed the fleeting admiration in her eyes or if she had clearly seen the absence of greed. Bo Xuenong wished everyone would revere Shen Yanting as a celestial being, just as she did. What truly bothered her was the lack of reverence in others’ gazes toward Shen Yanting, not genuine appreciation like Gui Nian’an’s.

Bo Xuenong rushed toward Shen Yanting, her right hand clamped tightly over the newly sprouted animal ear.

Her swift movements and pitiful whimpering as she clutched her ear instantly transported Shen Yanting’s memories back centuries. The young Bo Xuenong, newly taken under her wing, had been utterly dependent on her. Every scrape and bruise had to be shown to Shen Yanting immediately, likely driven by childish instincts to make a fuss over even the smallest wound, as if afraid Shen Yanting wouldn’t notice otherwise.

Later…

Perhaps it was because Shen Yanting had grown too aloof, or perhaps it was simply that Bo Xuenong had matured. She no longer clung to Shen Yanting so desperately, nor did she throw tantrums as often.

Shen Yanting couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment Bo Xuenong began to behave so obediently and reservedly. A perfunctory smile perpetually plastered on her face, Bo Xuenong seemed to tirelessly play the role of gentle and docile, living behind a mask.

After leaving the Imperial Tranquility Sect, Bo Xuenong seemed to come alive again. Her temper gradually resurfaced, and she grew increasingly affectionate towards Shen Yanting.

Shen Yanting couldn’t decide if this was a good thing or not.

But the sight of Bo Xuenong running towards her, calling out her name repeatedly, was undeniably much more endearing than before.

Shen Yanting instinctively reached out to catch Bo Xuenong, as if she were still the unsteady toddler from long ago.

Yet Bo Xuenong didn’t rush into Shen Yanting’s embrace. She stopped just short of touching her, her expression becoming markedly more respectful. “Master,” she asked, “have you dealt with your side of the matter?”

Feeling the emptiness of her outstretched arms, Shen Yanting withdrew her hand with a touch of melancholy. “No, I didn’t kill him.”

He Yongda escorted Shen Yanting to the residence of Jin Yuanliang, an Elder of the Heavenly Cuisine Sect. Having dealt with Jin Yuanliang before, Shen Yanting lifted her veil and stood before him. Jin Yuanliang immediately knelt and begged for mercy, tearfully claiming he had been coerced by Sect Leader Wu Liangyi into committing these acts.

Shen Yanting naturally didn’t believe him. However, Jin Yuanliang was an Out-of-Body Stage cultivator, and subduing him would require a prolonged struggle. Alerting others would only complicate matters, and Shen Yanting was anxious to rescue Liu Huairou, so she refrained from attacking.

The Elder assigned to Liu Huairou was named Hua Fangqi.

When Shen Yanting arrived, Hua Fangqi had just been summoned by the Sect Leader, leaving her no opportunity to act.

Their journey to find Bo Xuenong proved even smoother. The disciples didn’t dare to obstruct her, which meant Shen Yanting hadn’t even needed to draw her weapon since arriving at the Heavenly Cuisine Sect.

Bo Xuenong remained unaware of these events, assuming Shen Yanting simply refused to stain her hands with bl00d.

After agonizing over it for a long time, she finally abandoned the idea of reminding Shen Yanting of the Heavenly Cuisine Sect’s countless atrocities, which deserved nothing less than death.

Bo Xuenong firmly believed Shen Yanting possessed the highest level of discernment between good and evil. Such reminders were unnecessary from someone with a tainted bloodline like herself. Shen Yanting simply didn’t want to act—what was wrong with that?

Her Master was an immortal, her heart filled with compassion for all living beings.

It was perfectly reasonable for her to be unwilling to kill.

Fortunately, Bo Xuenong was more than willing to kill. If Shen Yanting nodded, she would become her blade.

Bo Xuenong nodded to herself in silent approval, brimming with self-satisfaction. “If Master doesn’t want to kill, then I’ll be her blade!”

Shen Yanting’s gaze lingered on Bo Xuenong, observing her stubbornness and determination. She shook her head slightly, her expression disapproving. “Nong’er, you are not anyone’s blade.”

She paused, softening her tone deliberately to ensure Bo Xuenong would truly understand. “Not even mine.”

Bo Xuenong’s Bloodline, if properly harnessed, could indeed make her a lethal weapon. But Shen Yanting had no need for another blade.

“Why not?!” Bo Xuenong refused to back down, her resolve unwavering. “Master, are you rejecting me? I may not be strong now, but I just broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage! I’ll only become stronger from here on out. I promise I’ll be the sharpest blade you’ve ever seen!”

She nearly transformed into a razor-sharp weapon on the spot, ready to pledge her loyalty to Shen Yanting.

From then on, whoever Shen Yanting pointed at, she would kill.

“You broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage?” Shen Yanting showed no joy at Bo Xuenong’s breakthrough. Instead, she felt a pang of anxiety and quickly seized Bo Xuenong’s wrist.

She could smell the metallic tang of bl00d on Bo Xuenong’s body—a clear sign that she had broken through after killing.

Shen Yanting had heard from Mo Tingshu that the most terrifying aspect of the Bo Xuenong Bloodline was its ability to advance through killing without facing the Thunder Tribulation. For cultivators, the Thunder Tribulation was their greatest fear, making the prospect of bypassing it an irresistible temptation. Ordinary cultivators could easily lose themselves to this allure, let alone those with flawed Bloodlines.

Shen Yanting gazed intently into Bo Xuenong’s eyes, determined not to miss the slightest flicker of emotion. “Nong’er,” she asked, “do you want to kill me now?”

She wanted to gauge whether Bo Xuenong’s bloodlust had intensified. To her surprise, the girl who had just been excitedly declaring her willingness to be Shen Yanting’s blade now had eyes that instantly turned crimson. A thin veil of tears welled up in her eyes, and a faint blush crept along the corners, making her appear unusually fragile.

“Master!” Bo Xuenong cried out pitifully, like a small beast suddenly abandoned. Her sorrowful, desperate expression seemed to accuse Shen Yanting of abandoning her. “Master, even if the whole world harms you, I would never hurt you.”

This was completely unexpected. The Bo Xuenong Shen Yanting remembered never cried. Yet in just a few days, she had already made her cry twice. Feeling utterly helpless, Shen Yanting desperately wanted to change the subject. She slowly parted her lips and hesitantly offered, “I’m not that unpopular.”

Bo Xuenong’s dark eyes grew even redder.

Shen Yanting pulled out an embroidered handkerchief and gently wiped away the falling tears.

She had only ever comforted Bo Xuenong when she was very young, and no one else had ever needed her to do so. Her experience in this area was sorely lacking. Several times, she opened her mouth to speak, only to bite her lip and fall silent. She had even considered scolding Bo Xuenong sternly to make her stop crying, but seeing her so pitifully distraught, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything harsh.

The falling tears splashed onto the back of Shen Yanting’s hand, leaving a burning sensation that completely flustered her. “You… please don’t cry anymore, okay?”

Her soft, pleading voice drifted into Bo Xuenong’s ears, causing the ear hidden beneath her palm to tremble slightly.

It was as if Shen Yanting had never spoken to her so gently before, with such a hint of pleading. Instead of stopping Bo Xuenong’s tears, this only made her cry harder. Seizing the opportunity, she made a modest request: “Master, can I be your blade now?”

Bo Xuenong’s expression seemed to say, If you agree, I’ll stop crying.

Shen Yanting’s eyes filled with helplessness. “No, you can’t.”

She desperately wanted to comfort Bo Xuenong, but her request violated Shen Yanting’s principles. She couldn’t agree.

Shen Yanting firmly believed that every individual was an independent entity. No matter the relationship, one party should never become subservient to the other, even if they willingly chose to do so.

In truth, if Bo Xuenong’s Bloodline had willingly attached itself to her, monitoring her would have been much easier. But Shen Yanting refused to allow it.

Her expression grew serious. “You belong only to yourself.”

Shen Yanting had wanted to be a good Master who respected her disciple’s life, but things hadn’t gone as planned.

Bo Xuenong’s opposition was fierce. “I want to belong to Master! Master, I want to obey you in everything!”

This is wrong.

If it’s wrong, it must be corrected.

Shen Yanting had realized that feigning indifference couldn’t sever the bond between her and Bo Xuenong, and she had immediately changed her approach. Now, she needed to correct this as well.

With a stern face and as cold a tone as she could muster, she asked, “If I demanded your life, would you give it to me?”

Shen Yanting was focused on correcting Bo Xuenong’s thinking, forgetting that Bo Xuenong feared death least of all.

“Of course!” Bo Xuenong’s dark, gleaming eyes suddenly brightened. She eagerly leaned closer to Shen Yanting. “Master, how would you like Nong’er to die? By your sword? By your palm strike? Or perhaps as a sacrifice? That way, Master’s Cultivation might even increase a little?”

Shen Yanting was speechless. Bo Xuenong, her face earnest, pressed on, “Master, which way do you think would be a better death?”

Bo Xuenong seemed to genuinely look forward to dying.

This made Shen Yanting’s heart race, her usual composure beginning to crumble.

She gripped Bo Xuenong’s arm, her trembling hand betraying her panic. “I don’t want your life,” she said. “I want you to live, to live well.”

A flicker of confusion crossed Bo Xuenong’s eyes. She didn’t understand why Shen Yanting was contradicting herself. “Master, what’s wrong? Why don’t you want my life anymore? I’m willing to give it to you.”

Afraid Shen Yanting might not hear, Bo Xuenong leaned closer to her ear. “I really am!”

The soft, warm breath brushed against Shen Yanting’s earlobe, making the tip of her ear burn.

She instinctively touched her slightly flushed earlobe, her fingertip accidentally brushing against Bo Xuenong’s lips, which were so close to her ear.

Now her fingertip burned.

Shen Yanting had a sinking feeling that she had completely botched her first attempt at taking a disciple.

A disciple who was eager to die for her.

Something was definitely wrong.

If Mo Tingshu were ever in danger, Shen Yanting would gladly risk her life to protect her. But she wouldn’t rush to die for Shen Yanting’s sake.

She didn’t yearn for death.

Shen Yanting gazed quietly at Bo Xuenong, then hesitantly asked, “Is death really so wonderful?”

“That depends on how you die!” Bo Xuenong persisted, trying to persuade her. “If I were killed by an enemy, I’d be furious. But if I died for Master, I’d consider it an honor!”

This contradicted Mo Tingshu’s teachings entirely.

Mo Tingshu had often said, “Yan Ting, you were born beautiful, so naturally many will flock to your side. But remember, their affection isn’t genuine; they have ulterior motives. The moment your beauty fades, they’ll scatter. They might even turn on you the instant you’re in danger, and if they don’t kick you while you’re down, consider them virtuous. Only by constantly cultivating and raising your cultivation level can you protect yourself. In the Cultivation World, you won’t find anyone willing to risk their life for you. And even if you do, they’ll inevitably resent you afterward.”

Shen Yanting had always found Mo Tingshu’s words to be perfectly reasonable. From the moment she began cultivating, she had been diligent and diligent, practicing daily. Despite having dual spiritual roots and choosing only one path, she still studied Techniques, formations, Talisman Arts, and even Beast Taming Arts to strengthen herself. She never dared to slacken her efforts, not even for a single day. But now, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

She desperately wanted to ask Mo Tingshu what she should do if she encountered a cultivator willing to die for her without her ever being in danger.

Unfortunately, Mo Tingshu was now far away, and in name, they were no longer master and disciple.

Mo Tingshu couldn’t answer her questions or resolve her doubts.

Shen Yanting stood motionless, the clamor outside the courtyard failing to disturb her composure. Suddenly, she asked Bo Xuenong with earnest sincerity, “Nong’er, if one day I grow old and ugly, and find myself in mortal danger, would you still be willing to die for me?”

“Of course!” Bo Xuenong replied instantly, even shaking off Shen Yanting’s hand and raising her left hand. “I would die for Master at any time! I can swear an oath!”

Shen Yanting pulled down Bo Xuenong’s hand, her tone flat. “There’s no need. I don’t want your life.”

Bo Xuenong muttered softly, “How could you not want it?”

Every action she took revealed her eagerness to die for Shen Yanting. No one could doubt Bo Xuenong’s unwavering resolve to sacrifice herself for her master.

Shen Yanting’s gaze darkened slightly, and her breathing quickened.

Burning.

This time, it was her heart.

Shen Yanting pressed her hand against her chest, suppressing the strange throbbing. “As long as you live, I will always be by your side.”

Bo Xuenong’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Really?”

“Mm.”

Shen Yanting didn’t understand why she had said those words.

Seeing Bo Xuenong abandon her suicidal thoughts, she felt that the declaration was only right.

The commotion outside the courtyard grew louder, but Shen Yanting remained calm. She began asking Liu Huairou who she wanted to find first.

Liu Huairou’s appearance had drastically changed due to the Contending Blossom Talisman. Hearing Shen Yanting call Liu Huairou’s name, Gui Nian’an finally recognized the pale, beautiful young woman before her. “You… you’re my mother?”

“……” Gui Nian’an wasn’t the only one afraid to acknowledge the truth. Liu Huairou, too, couldn’t believe that this filthy, bloodstained girl—cold and sinister, more like a corpse than a person—was her daughter. Her jaw dropped, and tears streamed down her face. “You… you’re An’er?”

Gui Nian’an now had no doubt about Liu Huairou’s identity.

Though she had never returned to Guolan Shou Village, she had spent centuries at the Heavenly Cuisine Sect and had seen many Spirit Supplements whose appearances had been altered by the Contending Blossom Talisman.

She immediately understood Liu Huairou’s situation and spat fiercely. “The Heavenly Cuisine Sect are a bunch of beasts!”

Gui Nian’an was so deeply tainted by corpse qi that she barely resembled her former self. Her disheveled hair obscured most of her face, leaving anyone who looked at her with only the impression of icy dampness. Were it not for her faint breathing, she would have appeared entirely like a corpse.

Liu Huairou stepped forward and grasped Gui Nian’an’s hand, reaching out to stroke her daughter’s now-unfamiliar face. “An… An’er, are you alright?”

Seeing the approaching hand, Gui Nian’an retreated several steps, hiding half her body behind Bo Xuenong. “Mother,” she said awkwardly, “I… I’m covered in the stench of corpses. Please wait until I’ve washed. You…”

Before she could finish, Liu Huairou had already moved around Bo Xuenong and pulled her into a tight embrace. “An’er.”

Gui Nian’an, who thought she had no tears left to shed, felt the urge to weep again. She patted Liu Huairou’s back reassuringly. “Mother, I’m fine.”

She briefly repeated what she had told Bo Xuenong earlier, skipping over the details of her miserable time at the Heavenly Cuisine Sect. Yet Liu Huairou’s heart still clenched with worry. “You… you’ve suffered so much.”

Gui Nian’an shook her head, carefully wiping away Liu Huairou’s tears. “Mother, I’m alright… but the others can’t be saved.”

Liu Huairou’s eyes filled with sorrow.

She glanced at Shen Yanting, but seeing her remain motionless, she lowered her gaze in disappointment.

Hearing that the Heavenly Cuisine Sect accepted disciples with low-grade spiritual roots not out of kindness, but to cultivate talented Demonic Cultivators by sacrificing the lives of those with inferior roots, Shen Yanting lost all desire to act. The children of Lanshou Village had already embarked on the path of Demonic Cultivation, constantly devouring the lives of those with low-grade spiritual roots to enhance their own Innate Talent. They had even become the Heavenly Cuisine Sect’s accomplices, helping to deceive the villagers of Lanshou Village into willingly offering themselves as Spirit Supplements.

The villagers of Lanshou Village endured hardship solely to reunite with their children, unaware that those children had become allies of their enemies, even eagerly anticipating their share of Spirit Supplements.

The Contending Blossom Talismans weren’t sent under duress, but willingly offered to perpetuate the Heavenly Cuisine Sect’s deception.

Shen Yanting had initially worried that rescuing too many people would make it impossible to protect them all. Now that the group had dwindled to just two, one of whom was a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, her confidence grew.

Shen Yanting understood Liu Huairou’s affection for the children, but those spiritual roots had been built upon a foundation of human lives.

Even if such Demonic Cultivators could be saved, Shen Yanting wouldn’t save them.

Their hands were stained with the bl00d of too many, including the lives of their own villagers. This wasn’t something that could be excused with a simple “I had no choice.”

The disciples from the Imperial Tranquility Sect who had followed He Yongshi to the Heavenly Cuisine Sect had likely already become part of those Demonic Cultivators’ spiritual roots.

Bo Xuenong had heard all this before and wasn’t particularly concerned.

She would do whatever Shen Yanting instructed.

To her, neither the Spirit Supplements from Lanshou Village nor her connection to the children there mattered much.

Ever since hearing those words of eternal companionship, joy had been permanently etched on her face. She pinched herself repeatedly, as if trying to confirm she hadn’t misheard. Strangely, her right hand remained pressed against her head, motionless, as if concealing something in her palm.

Shen Yanting frowned. “Nong’er, what are you hiding?”

Bo Xuenong’s right hand trembled involuntarily. The joy on her face crumbled, and she bit her lip, whispering, “Master, you said you’d always be with me. If… if I become ugly, you won’t abandon me, will you?”

Shen Yanting’s confusion deepened. “Ugly?”

Bo Xuenong gritted her teeth, finally steeling her resolve.

She released her hand, letting it slide down from her head, revealing the extra ear.

The pure black ear, though resembling that of a fennec fox, was unmistakably different upon closer inspection.

Its dense, jet-black fur appeared remarkably smooth, radiating a soft, luminous sheen. Both its color and shape were strikingly beautiful.

Shen Yanting raised her hand and instinctively tugged at the ear.

It wouldn’t budge.

It was real.

Though the species remained unknown, this was clearly not an ear that could grow on a human.

Shen Yanting had always felt that Bo Xuenong resembled a small beast, but that was merely a feeling. Now that Bo Xuenong had actually sprouted animal ears, she was caught completely off guard.

What could have caused this?

Could it be because she broke through to the Nascent Soul Stage by killing?

That seemed unlikely.

Bo Xuenong’s fellow disciples had both killed and cannibalized, yet none of them exhibited any bestial traits.

They did possess feral beast bloodlines, but after generations of interbreeding with humans, the bloodline had become so diluted that all traces of animal characteristics had long vanished.

Shen Yanting’s fingers couldn’t resist tracing the ear’s contours, searching for the reason behind its sudden appearance.

Her slender, delicate fingers brushed against the ear’s smooth surface, gently sweeping across the soft fur. Bo Xuenong felt a ticklish sensation crawl up her ear, burrowing deep into her chest. She instinctively rubbed her chest, but the itch persisted.

The itching intensified, escalating from gentle rubbing to pressing.

She applied more force, but instead of relief, her chest began to ache.

Bo Xuenong withdrew her hand, gazing blankly at Shen Yanting.

Her gaze landed on Shen Yanting’s face, lost in thought. Staring at that flawless visage, the itching surged anew.

It felt as if she had encountered a flock of mischievous demon beasts, each plucking their softest feathers. Some tickled her ears, others her chest, while others…

It’s too itchy.

Bo Xuenong’s delicate ears trembled uncontrollably beneath Shen Yanting’s fingertips. Suddenly, her ears folded flat against her head, pressing tightly against her skull. “Master, it itches.”

Shen Yanting snapped out of her reverie. Bo Xuenong, still teary-eyed from her recent crying, stared at her with unwavering intensity.

Those soft, pleading eyes seemed less like those of a feral beast and more like those of a small, tail-wagging demon begging for affection.

“Mm…” Shen Yanting slowly withdrew her hand, her voice betraying a momentary tremor despite her attempt at composure. She instinctively reassured Bo Xuenong, “You’re not ugly. You’re very beautiful.”

Bo Xuenong’s ears, which had been pressed flat against her head, perked up again, swaying uncontrollably back and forth, even twitching from side to side.

Suddenly, she grabbed Gui Nian’an’s hand and gave it a light, careless pat. “You’re so clever!”

Gui Nian’an, startled by Bo Xuenong’s sudden enthusiasm, hastily withdrew her hand and stole a timid glance at Shen Yanting.

Bo Xuenong noticed the glance but couldn’t guess what Gui Nian’an was thinking, nor did she care to.

All she knew was that she was deeply grateful to Gui Nian’an.

If Gui Nian’an hadn’t stopped her, she would have sliced off her ear just now, and she wouldn’t have heard Shen Yanting’s praise.

Shen Yanting’s compliment about her ears completely dispelled Bo Xuenong’s resentment toward the sudden demonic transformation. She couldn’t resist leaning closer to Shen Yanting, the soft fur on her ears unconsciously brushing against Shen Yanting’s cheek, leaving a faint blush. Oblivious to the effect, she declared, “Master, wait for me! I’ll definitely find a way to grow back the other ear!”

Bo Xuenong was itching to start searching for a solution immediately when a furious shout suddenly echoed through the courtyard: “Shen Yanting, come out here!”