The Beloved Master's Mad Dog Disciple - Chapter 41

Gazing at Shen Yanting’s porcelain doll-like form, Bo Xuenong was instantly stunned, a subtle thrill bubbling within her.

Even shrunk to a fraction of her size, her Master remained the most beautiful female cultivator in the world.

Shen Yanting’s features, already exquisitely refined, had lost some of their aloofness in miniature, gaining a delicate tenderness.

Her porcelain body had lost its softness. The skin, once as smooth as silk, now clung to a faint chill, like a thin layer of silk draped over her palm. Its supple smoothness invited gentle caresses, yet Bo Xuenong feared that even the slightest pressure from her fingertips might crush the delicate silk.

Bo Xuenong carefully lifted Shen Yanting’s petite form. Sunlight streamed down, making her resemble a flawless piece of white jade, without a single imperfection.

Her bright eyes reflected only the porcelain doll, growing more entranced with each passing moment, until her gaze became utterly dazed.

Shen Yanting raised a delicate finger and gently poked Bo Xuenong’s forehead. “Nong’er, what did you just feed me?”

What had she just fed her?

Bo Xuenong had no idea.

She was merely a System-selected assistant Host, not its true Master. She couldn’t communicate directly with the System, nor did she receive any verbal prompts or explanations. Using the System was far less convenient than it was for Feng Jin. At that moment, she could only cradle the System in one hand while poking at it with the other, mentally interrogating it about the nature of the Substitute Doll.

The Substitute Doll is a universal System skill usable in any world. The user’s body randomly transforms into a doll, detaching from its fleshly form and temporarily losing the sense of pain. Once the wounds heal and the pain subsides, the body will revert to its normal state.

Randomly transforms into a doll?

Did that mean there could be porcelain dolls, wooden dolls, and even rag dolls?

No pain?

That actually sounded quite good.

Bo Xuenong carefully examined Shen Yanting’s new form, cautiously asking, “Master, does it still hurt?”

“No…” Shen Yanting instinctively tried to reassure Bo Xuenong, but after carefully sensing her body’s changes, she realized the pain had indeed vanished. As her body transformed into a porcelain doll, she seemed to have truly become a pain-resistant porcelain figure, no longer coughing up bl00d. Her gaze toward Bo Xuenong took on a peculiar edge. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Bo Xuenong sighed in relief. “As long as it doesn’t hurt.”

Shen Yanting had many questions. Bo Xuenong’s technique was definitely not something she had learned from her. Where had she acquired it?

It was unlikely Bo Xuenong had another opportunity to study under a different master. Could this be an inherited trait from her Divine Beast Bloodline?

Shen Yanting suddenly recalled the Substitute Doll Bo Xuenong had used previously. There were similarities between the two methods.

Shen Yanting found herself in a dilemma.

She wanted to ask Bo Xuenong about the origin of this technique, yet she also wanted to respect her secret.

Before Shen Yanting could voice her questions, a cold glint suddenly pierced through the air, aimed directly at them.

Shen Yanting instinctively tried to channel her spiritual power to shield Bo Xuenong, but she discovered her power had vanished completely. Her porcelain doll body felt hollow, even moving was difficult. Reduced to this tiny form, she could only take small steps in Bo Xuenong’s palm. Frozen in place, she managed a weak, “Nong’er, be careful.”

Sensing the approaching danger, Bo Xuenong instinctively tucked Shen Yanting into her arms.

Darkness suddenly enveloped Shen Yanting’s vision, while her senses of smell and touch sharpened to an extreme. She could detect a rich, sweet fragrance and feel a warm breath enveloping her.

She was now pressed so close to Bo Xuenong that only a thin undergarment separated her soft chest from the Substitute Doll’s body.

The round, soft fullness pressed against the doll’s form through the thin fabric. Shen Yanting instinctively struggled forward, but Bo Xuenong was clearly engaged in a fight outside. With each of Bo Xuenong’s movements, Shen Yanting was jostled in her arms, repeatedly colliding with that soft chest, sinking deeper with each impact.

The honey-sweet scent relentlessly filled her nostrils. Shen Yanting suddenly felt frustrated that only the pain remained from the Substitute Doll’s body, while everything else had vanished.

She couldn’t tell if she was hurting Bo Xuenong with the impacts. All she knew was that her usually clear head was growing dizzy from the constant jostling, her lungs filled with nothing but fragrance and heat. Even the porcelain doll’s body had grown noticeably warmer. Shen Yanting desperately needed to crawl out and gasp for air, or she would suffocate.

Clutching Bo Xuenong’s collar, Shen Yanting slowly began to climb out.

Finally, her hands gripped the collar, and using it as leverage, she managed to push her head free.

Shen Yanting had just taken a breath of fresh air when Bo Xuenong’s slender finger pressed against her forehead, gently pushing her down. “Master, stay hidden.”

Bo Xuenong’s warning reached her ears, and Shen Yanting understood that Bo Xuenong was acting in her best interest. But the space inside Bo Xuenong’s robes was stifling and hot, and she couldn’t see what was happening outside. How could she possibly stay put?

Shen Yanting refused to retreat, but Bo Xuenong, focused on battling Hua Fangqi, didn’t notice her resistance and continued to press her closer.

Seeing that Bo Xuenong wasn’t paying attention to her, Shen Yanting tilted her head back and bit down hard on Bo Xuenong’s finger.

Her delicate teeth left a ring of bite marks on Bo Xuenong’s fingertip.

Though the pain wasn’t severe, Bo Xuenong instinctively lowered her head to look at Shen Yanting.

Finally, she saw the protest in Shen Yanting’s eyes.

Bo Xuenong lowered her head further, gazing at the tiny Shen Yanting. “Master,” she murmured softly, “it’s too dangerous out there.”

Shen Yanting ignored her words, pushing Bo Xuenong’s finger away. Her small hand gripped the edge of Bo Xuenong’s robe as she fully emerged, peering out with her head.

The situation outside wasn’t too dire. The Golden Talisman she had just unleashed had caused a significant commotion, alerting all the Beast Tamers surrounding the Heavenly Cuisine Sect. The sect was now in chaos, with many of the cultivators who had besieged them dead or severely wounded. Those still able to move had mostly retreated in another direction, seemingly to intercept someone approaching from that way.

The Golden Talisman had claimed many lives, and the sheer number of corpses provided Gui Nian’an, the Corpse Cultivator, with ample material to work with.

Under her control, the corpses rose and turned to face their former comrades.

Liu Huairou and Si Xianling were both incapacitated, remaining at the rear protected by two corpses controlled by Gui Nian’an. Perched on Si Xianling’s shoulder was the awakened Greyfur Rabbit.

The Greyfur Rabbit was Si Xianling’s Lifebound Beast, a Spirit Beast with a special Bloodline. After escaping the formation, it could absorb natural Spiritual Qi to repair its Meridians. The rabbit had been on the verge of awakening just before Shen Yanting’s body suddenly shrank. Once Shen Yanting transformed into a porcelain doll, the rabbit immediately returned to Si Xianling’s side.

Its crimson eyes were deep and fathomless, radiating an aura even more imposing than its Master’s.

The rabbit’s ears stood tall and erect, emitting a faint pink glow, as if transmitting a message to someone.

Bo Xuenong was fighting Hua Fangqi, a Formation Cultivator whose combat prowess was inherently weaker. Having recently expended much of his spiritual power on a First-Grade Golden Talisman, Hua Fangqi stood little chance against Bo Xuenong, a sword cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm. Though Bo Xuenong held the upper hand, Hua Fangqi was surrounded by a small formation that continuously replenished his spiritual power.

If Hua Fangqi fully recovered his Spiritual Qi, Bo Xuenong, facing a Spirit Transformation Realm opponent, would have no chance of victory.

Shen Yanting raised her head and urgently called out, “Nong’er, he’s a Formation Cultivator! He has formations to restore his spiritual power and protect himself. You must break his formations first to deliver a fatal blow!”

A fatal blow?

That meant killing him.

Shen Yanting’s command to kill her opponent was the greatest encouragement Bo Xuenong could receive.

She wouldn’t hesitate to fight even a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator in peak condition, let alone an injured one.

Bo Xuenong never lacked the courage to fight.

She suddenly intensified her attacks. Hua Fangqi sneered dismissively, “You’re just a Nascent Soul cultivator. What makes you think you can fight me? I advise you to hand over Shen Yanting quietly, and I might spare your life.”

Though he spoke these words, his true thoughts were entirely different.

Bo Xuenong, that obedient dog of Shen Yanting, truly lives up to her reputation. The moment Shen Yanting spoke, her attacks became far more ruthless. I never imagined they could escape the Sect-Protecting Grand Formation—how infuriating! If I were more familiar with Formation Cultivator techniques, I wouldn’t be in this humiliating state. Damn it! I should have practiced those Forbidden Arts from the book earlier; now I’d have more ways to capture her and her master. Shen Yanting and Bo Xuenong are both Top-Tier Targets, and their appearances are exquisite. If only I could…

Hua Fangqi’s thoughts abruptly ceased as Bo Xuenong’s sword grazed his chest, slicing off a piece of his robe.

Bo Xuenong stared at the fabric, regretting she hadn’t managed to take a piece of his flesh instead.

Hua Fangqi was still indulging in fantasies even at this critical moment. His earlier thoughts had revealed his initial plan: to lie low in the Heavenly Cuisine Sect until reaching the Body Integration Stage, then capture Shen Yanting for Dual Cultivation—first claiming her body, then her heart. From that moment, Bo Xuenong had wanted to kill him, and now her desire was even stronger.

He never expected them to escape the Grand Formation. But did Bo Xuenong ever imagine his audacity would reach such heights?

Even at a time like this, she’s still thinking about Dual Cultivation.

Damn it.

Bo Xuenong drew the Suspended Ink Sword. Shen Yanting’s warning had confirmed her suspicions: there was indeed something wrong with the blade.

Yet the Suspended Ink Sword was her Lifebound Sword. Their synergy was unparalleled, and its Spiritual Qi was abundant, rivaling even Divine Artifacts. Facing a Spirit Transformation Realm opponent like Hua Fangqi, no ordinary sword could prevail. She had no choice but to rely on the Suspended Ink Sword.

Shen Yanting had only cautioned her to use it sparingly, not forbidden its use entirely.

Bo Xuenong harbored no resentment toward Shen Yanting for choosing such a flawed blade for her.

It was clear Shen Yanting had never intended to give her a problematic sword. Moreover, aside from its tendency to absorb corpse qi, the Suspended Ink Sword was an exceptionally rare and precious weapon.

Grasping the Suspended Ink Sword once more, Bo Xuenong’s aura sharpened.

Her right hand tightened around the hilt as she held the sword vertically against her chest. With a sudden, forceful twist, she released the blade. The Suspended Ink Sword began to spin rapidly against her chest, emitting streaks of icy light that shot toward Hua Fangqi. Her hands moved swiftly through a series of hand seals, and a cyan mist drifted toward the spinning sword. “Gather gold, seal the soul!”

The Suspended Ink Sword emitted a sharp clang as a layer of golden scales suddenly materialized on its ink-black blade.

The scales clung tightly to the sword, instantly separating it into thousands of golden fragments.

The golden scales swirled around Hua Fangqi, forming a protective barrier that spun relentlessly.

Hua Fangqi sneered, “Empty theatrics.”

Bo Xuenong ignored his mockery and struck out with her palm. The thousands of golden scales instantly transformed into barbed chains that shattered Hua Fangqi’s hastily formed defensive array. The chains pierced his flesh, tearing away chunks of crimson flesh with each struggle.

Hua Fangqi screamed in agony, rapidly gathering spiritual energy to shatter the chains. He lunged at Bo Xuenong.

The moment he closed in, Bo Xuenong swiftly retreated, cradling Shen Yanting against her chest. She shielded Shen Yanting’s exposed head with one hand while hurling a handful of golden scales at Hua Fangqi with the other.

These were the scales she had concealed in her palm when the Suspended Ink Sword fragmented.

Hua Fangqi was too close to react in time. The golden scales struck him squarely in the face.

The moment the golden scale touched his skin, it transformed into a barbed chain. Hua Fangqi couldn’t react in time, and the chain tore across his face, instantly disfiguring him. One of his eyes was gouged out, and even his nose was ripped off.

Hua Fangqi’s hatred nearly overflowed.

He chased after Bo Xuenong like a rabid dog, closing in on her.

Hua Fangqi gathered a ball of spiritual mist in his palm, amassing more and more, ready to deliver a fatal blow. To his surprise, Bo Xuenong didn’t evade.

Protecting Shen Yanting, she charged toward Hua Fangqi. At the last moment, she clenched her fist.

Guided by her will, the barbed chain instantly coiled around Hua Fangqi’s right hand, where he was gathering spiritual mist. Layer upon layer of the chain wrapped around his hand and arm, growing thicker and thicker. Bo Xuenong struck the chain once and retreated swiftly. A wisp of mist leaked from the chain, followed by a deafening explosion. Hua Fangqi’s entire right arm was obliterated by his own spiritual power.

Seizing the moment while he howled in agony, Bo Xuenong closed in again.

Golden Scale, sensing its connection to her palm, transformed back into the Suspended Ink Sword the moment Bo Xuenong approached Hua Fangqi. The blade pierced straight through Hua Fangqi’s heart.

With a violent twist, Bo Xuenong pulverized his heart into dust.

Only then did a faint smile appear on Bo Xuenong’s face. She withdrew the Suspended Ink Sword and let Hua Fangqi’s body collapse to the ground. Hua Fangqi’s lips twitched into a sinister grin. “I won’t die,” he rasped. “You can’t kill me. Even if you destroy this body, my soul will remain indestructible.”

His greatest strength wasn’t this mortal shell, but the otherworldly soul within.

Bo Xuenong knew this all too well. She drove the Suspended Ink Sword through Hua Fangqi’s neck, pinning him to the ground.

The Soul-Searching Technique was a forbidden art, and with so many eyes watching, she couldn’t risk using it.

But… Hua Fangqi’s soul absolutely couldn’t be allowed to remain.

Bo Xuenong summoned the System Panel again, silently chanting: Give me a soul-destroying method, but not a forbidden art.

Ding! One-time Soul-Devouring Gu successfully exchanged.

This time, Bo Xuenong had learned her lesson. She immediately inquired about the Soul-Devouring Gu’s usage. After reviewing the System’s description, she felt slightly more reassured.

The Soul-Devouring Gu is an extremely rare technique among Gu Cultivators in the Cultivation World. It devours souls to enhance its power. This single-use Soul-Devouring Gu cannot grow; it can only be used when the target’s body is on the verge of death. After devouring a soul, the Gu immediately vanishes, ensuring the soul is consumed invisibly without leaving any trace. Each Gu costs only 1,000 Points. We welcome your next exchange.

Only 1,000 Points!

What do you mean “only”!

For a single-use item to cost over 1,000 Points… Bo Xuenong suddenly remembered she hadn’t checked how many Points the Substitute Doll had cost.

She hurriedly flipped through her records and discovered the Substitute Doll had actually cost 2,000 Points. Her initial 3,500 Points had dwindled to… Wait, her Point count seemed off. Bo Xuenong quickly reviewed both panels again.

Assistant Bo Xuenong successfully made intimate contact with Top-Tier Target Shen Yanting. Points +100

Assistant Bo Xuenong successfully made intimate contact with Top-Tier Target Shen Yanting. Points +90

…

The True Love Endures panel now displayed over twenty new notifications, each indicating a successful intimate contact with Shen Yanting. Each notification initially granted 100 Points, but the reward decreased by 10 Points with each subsequent notification until it stabilized at 20 Points. Any further notifications would then grant a fixed 20 Points.

Her remaining Points now totaled 1,600.

The newly added points were from what had just happened.

Had she just had intimate contact with Shen Yanting?

How could she have completely missed it?

Bo Xuenong was momentarily stunned before realizing that when she had struck Hua Fangqi at the flower shop, Shen Yanting’s porcelain doll body had repeatedly collided with her chest.

Was this what counted as intimate contact?

Bo Xuenong seemed to be figuring out the System’s point-awarding rules.

It was an emotional strategy system, and the “emotion” wasn’t limited to romantic love, familial affection, or friendship. Any loving touch with a Target would earn points. This explained why stroking Feng Jin’s head had earned them five points.

The first instance of a particular intimate contact action yielded the highest points. Subsequent repetitions would earn fewer points, gradually decreasing until reaching a minimum threshold. After that, repeating the action would only award the minimum points.

When a Target harbored emotional fluctuations toward her—regardless of the specific emotion—close physical contact could earn points. The amount varied, and the points awarded gradually decreased with repeated contact. For example, touching her chest through clothing had initially granted 100 points, but later attempts had steadily dropped to 20 points.

Since the points stopped decreasing at 20, it meant that for a Level 1 Target, the minimum points for repeating this action was 20.

The reason Shen Yanting didn’t gain points from touching Bo Xuenong’s head was likely because the points weren’t high enough to trigger an increase.

Ordinary interactions naturally yielded lower points. Moreover, as the System’s assistant, Shen Yanting only received half the points Feng Jin earned. Since her point gains always started at five, never dipping to Feng Jin’s one- or two-point increments, it meant she only earned points from tasks worth ten or more.

Feng Jin could accumulate points through small, frequent tasks, but Shen Yanting couldn’t.

If Feng Jin had completed these tasks today, her point total would likely be close to breaking ten thousand.

Bo Xuenong had known from the start that Feng Jin earned more points from tasks, but she hadn’t realized the difference would be so vast. While the points from small tasks seemed insignificant, their higher completion rate made them far more efficient.

Even when Shen Yanting touched her head, Bo Xuenong gained no points.

This meant that ordinary interactions with Silver-Tier and Black-Tier Targets would be even less likely to yield points.

As a Silver-Tier Target, Bo Xuenong had gained five points the first time the System’s assistant touched Feng Jin’s head. Although the System later penalized her for being too eager to gain points, she still earned points in small increments. If Shen Yanting, a Gold-Tier Target, touched Feng Jin’s head, could she potentially gain dozens of points?

No.

Bo Xuenong lowered her head to look at Shen Yanting, who was nestled against her chest, craning her neck to peer outside. Her heart softened into water.

She cherished the feeling of Shen Yanting’s dependence on her, even more so the special treatment she received.

Once Shen Yanting had touched her, she couldn’t touch Feng Jin anymore.

Could she see Yu Cenwan right now?

Not for any particular reason.

Mainly because she believed that meeting Yu Cenwan would allow her to profit from Feng Jin.

Motherly love was genuine too.

The problem was that her Points were accumulating too slowly and being spent too quickly.

Bo Xuenong now felt like forcing Feng Jin to complete tasks. No wonder Feng Jin cursed the System—it was both exploitative and expensive.

By resolving Hua Fangqi’s soul, she was essentially cleaning up the System’s mess. She didn’t expect the soul-annihilation method to be free, but it didn’t need to be this exorbitant, either.

Bo Xuenong sighed deeply. She covered Shen Yanting’s eyes with one hand and gripped Hua Fangqi’s wrist with the other. The black Soul-Devouring Gu crawled from her palm onto Hua Fangqi’s body. The smile on Hua Fangqi’s face instantly froze, his arrogance replaced by terror. “You… you understand…”

Before he could utter the soul-annihilation method, Hua Fangqi’s eyes glazed over.

He was utterly dead, soul and all.

With Hua Fangqi’s death, a surge of dense spiritual energy flooded into Bo Xuenong’s body, startling her. This influx was five times greater than what she had gained from killing Guan Caimei.

Congratulations, Deputy! You have received the “Slaying Otherworldly Soul” reward. The soul’s vessel possessed Spirit Transformation Realm cultivation. Your bloodline spiritual energy growth has been increased tenfold!

It took Bo Xuenong a moment to grasp the System’s meaning. Her bloodline inherently possessed the potential to grow through killing, granting her a surge of spiritual power with each life taken. This was independent of her cultivation level, though the difficulty of the kill did matter. The more complex and refined her methods, the greater the spiritual energy reward—a form of refinement in itself.

The bodies of otherworldly souls, however, were directly linked to their cultivation level.

The higher the cultivation level of the soul’s vessel she destroyed, the greater the trouble she resolved for the System, and the more the System would amplify the spiritual energy growth from her bloodline.

Guan Caimei’s low Golden Core cultivation had yielded no such reward.

Hua Fangqi, a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, was a different matter entirely.

Killing Hua Fangqi alone was equivalent to slaying ten ordinary cultivators. And he was merely a common Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator. If she were to target higher-level Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators, or even those in the Body Integration Stage, wouldn’t killing just one be worth dozens, perhaps even hundreds of lives? Bo Xuenong swallowed hard.

The System was tempting her to become its enforcer, tasked with eliminating souls that had strayed into this world.

Bo Xuenong had always resisted the idea of cultivating through killing, but this temptation… killing one soul could be equivalent to many. Didn’t that mean she could achieve immense power with minimal bloodshed? No, Shen Yanting wouldn’t approve.

Bo Xuenong shook her head in defiance.

She craved power, but even more, she longed for Shen Yanting’s approval as her disciple.

Only kill the wicked, never the innocent.

But those otherworldly souls were all wicked, weren’t they? They were… they were fair game.

A voice urging her to kill echoed in her mind. Bo Xuenong’s recently calmed heart began to race again. The faint scent of bl00d, which she had barely noticed before, now seemed overwhelmingly potent.

She unconsciously swallowed, the sound catching Shen Yanting’s attention. Shen Yanting gently pushed aside Bo Xuenong’s hand, which had been blocking her view. Tilting her head back, she could only see Bo Xuenong’s snow-white jawline from this angle. Unable to reach Bo Xuenong’s fingers, Shen Yanting lightly patted the nearest part of her hand.

Perhaps her strength was too weak, as Bo Xuenong showed no reaction.

Shen Yanting could only resort to butting Bo Xuenong with her head.

Her head struck the hollow of Bo Xuenong’s neck, yet Bo Xuenong remained unresponsive.

Shen Yanting was still unaccustomed to this petite and fragile body. Bo Xuenong seemed to have drifted off into some distant reverie, oblivious to Shen Yanting’s attempts to get her attention.

Having exhausted all other options, Shen Yanting turned her head, strained upward, and managed to bite Bo Xuenong’s neck. The faint mark left by her pearly teeth finally caught Bo Xuenong’s attention.

Bo Xuenong lowered her gaze and saw the tiny Shen Yanting.

She seemed to be sulking, her expression rather sour.

Perhaps due to her shrunken form, the usual coldness had been replaced by a soft tenderness. Bo Xuenong didn’t bother scolding Shen Yanting for biting her. Her gaze lingered on Shen Yanting before she slowly extended her index finger and gently tapped Shen Yanting’s still-wriggling head. “Master, what’s wrong?”

Shen Yanting had intended to offer Bo Xuenong some advice, but now, trapped in this tiny body, she couldn’t maintain her usual aloof demeanor.

She gently bit her lip, avoiding Bo Xuenong’s fingers. “Change me back.”

Bo Xuenong lifted Shen Yanting from her arms, holding her high to ensure their eyes met. “Master, I… I’m sorry. I… you can change back once your injuries heal.”

Shen Yanting had initially been displeased with her shrunken form, but seeing Bo Xuenong’s face filled with guilt, she found herself softening.

Though she didn’t understand Bo Xuenong’s methods, the disappearance of her pain made it clear that the girl had done this out of concern for her suffering.

Bo Xuenong harbored no ill intentions, only genuine care for her.

She shouldn’t hurt a child who was so wholeheartedly devoted to her well-being.

Shen Yanting pressed her tiny palm against Bo Xuenong’s forehead, gently stroking it twice. “Nong’er, Master knows you’re worried about me too.”

Bo Xuenong nodded eagerly. Though her small palm radiated little warmth, Shen Yanting still felt a warmth spreading through her heart. “Master, Nong’er would never harm you.”

Shen Yanting gently stroked Bo Xuenong’s forehead, her hand slowly drifting down to the faintly reddened circles around Bo Xuenong’s eyes. Her cool fingertips brushed away the lingering sorrow, as if erasing the crimson stain of grief. “Nong’er, I understand.”

Bo Xuenong nestled contentedly against Shen Yanting’s palm, when Si Xianling suddenly exclaimed dramatically, “Heavens! Little disciple, what exactly did you do to Sister Shen?”

After Bo Xuenong dealt with Hua Fangqi at the flower pavilion, many of the surrounding people dispersed, while others surged toward the opposite direction.

It seemed someone of great importance was approaching from that direction, and they were all rushing to intercept them.

The remaining cultivators were wounded, easily handled by the corpses Gui Nian’an controlled. Si Xianling had been half-carried over by Liu Huairou, the spider on her back still unable to speak, but the greyfur rabbit on her shoulder could now talk. “I’ve never seen such a technique before,” it remarked.

Bo Xuenong couldn’t answer them, so she simply didn’t.

She pointed to the battlefield, now nearly empty save for the corpses. “Where are the Heavenly Cuisine Sect people?”

Si Xianling raised her chin, a hint of smugness returning to her face. “Isn’t it obvious? They’ve gone to deal with our reinforcements.”

Reinforcements?

Bo Xuenong instinctively thought of Feng Yingbo and her group, but quickly dismissed the idea. Among Feng Yingbo’s party, only Feng Yingbo herself possessed any real combat ability.

Suddenly, several tiger roars reverberated through the air, causing cracks to spiderweb across the ground beneath Bo Xuenong’s feet. Her body swayed involuntarily.

Afraid of dropping Shen Yanting, she quickly tucked the child back into her arms.

Shen Yanting, having anticipated this, tightened her grip on Bo Xuenong’s collar and leaned out to peer at the scene.

Bo Xuenong worried that Shen Yanting would tire from supporting herself with just her arms. After a moment’s thought, she took the red cloth draped around her neck and wrapped it around her neck several more times, deliberately leaving one loop longer than the others. She then tied the ends securely.

The resulting red loop resembled a miniature swing. Bo Xuenong settled Shen Yanting comfortably in the longer loop, then tucked the child’s body further into her robes, ensuring that most of Shen Yanting’s weight rested against her chest. This way, if Shen Yanting were to fall, she would only tumble into Bo Xuenong’s arms. Only then did Bo Xuenong release her grip.

Now Shen Yanting could hang onto her effortlessly. Bo Xuenong had truly tied the red cloth correctly—not only did it make it easier for Shen Yanting to hold onto her, but it also provided a comfortable place for her to rest.

Bo Xuenong nearly applauded herself. She turned to Shen Yanting, seeking praise. “Master, isn’t this more comfortable?”

Bo Xuenong was immensely proud of her own cleverness, completely oblivious to the changed looks in Si Xianling and the others’ eyes.

No one had ever imagined Bo Xuenong would create a miniature swing on her neck for Shen Yanting to sit on.

Shen Yanting remained silent, as always.

She couldn’t decide whether to praise Bo Xuenong’s thoughtfulness or scold her for her recklessness.

Bo Xuenong’s actions were entirely unpredictable, bordering on obsessive and mad, with a strange, unconventional logic. Her thought processes seemed fundamentally different from most people’s. Shen Yanting still couldn’t fathom how she had raised her disciple to be this way, nor whether such upbringing was right or wrong.

Seeing Shen Yanting ignore her, Bo Xuenong called out again, her voice tinged with disappointment, “Master.”

She hadn’t used to expect Shen Yanting to respond to every word. But after discovering that Shen Yanting did, in fact, respond to every word, she now felt hurt when her words went unanswered.

Greed, after all, grows little by little.

Bo Xuenong offered her burning heart, and Shen Yanting felt it would be wrong to douse it with cold water. Her innate sense of morality compelled her to nod. “Mm.”

That single, simple word was enough to fill Bo Xuenong with boundless joy.

Her laughter rang with delight, and even her conversations with Si Xianling and the others radiated happiness.

She’s so easily pleased, Shen Yanting thought.

Clutching the two red cloths tightly, Shen Yanting sat on the small swing Bo Xuenong had specially made for her. The urge to sigh grew stronger.

As Bo Xuenong walked, the swing swayed gently. Shen Yanting’s delicate feet occasionally brushed against Bo Xuenong’s outer robe, or kicked into the soft fabric of her undergarment, sinking into its plushness. Without the clamor of battle and the shouts of war, the sensations became even more vivid.

Her porcelain-white skin flushed faintly pink. Fortunately, her body wasn’t currently overwhelmed by heat, or she might have been burned.

Shen Yanting didn’t want to move, but with her strength depleted, she had no control over her body.

Nor could she let Bo Xuenong stand motionless in place.

Shen Yanting wanted to remind Bo Xuenong that such physical contact was inappropriate for their master-disciple relationship, but when she met Bo Xuenong’s sincere, ardent gaze, she swallowed the words. Bo Xuenong seemed like a naive, innocent creature, acting out of pure, fervent affection.

If she were to point out the ambiguous distance between them, their future interactions might become awkward.

That wasn’t what she wanted, yet… the occasional soft touches were also unwelcome. Too soft, too intimate, she… she couldn’t imagine any other master-disciple pair behaving this way.

Shen Yanting silently allowed Bo Xuenong to guide her forward, barely registering Si Xianling and the others’ attempts to speak to her. It wasn’t until Bo Xuenong cried out, “Master, look! So many Beast Tamers are approaching!” that she snapped out of her daze.