The Beloved Master's Mad Dog Disciple - Chapter 8

The bright moon silently climbed the horizon, its flawless radiance gradually spreading across the earth, draping all things in a silvery veil. Bo Xuenong sat quietly by the window, her left hand gripping a piece of wood while her right hand tightly held Xuan Mo. Under the moonlight, she meticulously carved the wood, Xuan Mo’s constant descent scattering wood shavings across the floor as the wooden doll slowly took shape.

When the world was completely bathed in moonlight, Bo Xuenong sliced open her palm with Xuan Mo. Bl00d quickly dripped onto the wooden doll, and as it absorbed more bl00d, the doll gradually turned crimson. Bo Xuenong swiftly drew a pattern on the doll’s back, her eyes beginning to glow with a crimson light.

Glancing out the window to confirm the night’s complete darkness, Bo Xuenong raised Xuan Mo and plunged it into the Bl00d Doll’s chest.

As the blade pierced the doll’s chest, a sharp pain shot through Bo Xuenong’s own chest. Ignoring the pain, she pressed Xuan Mo deeper into the doll, muttering a low incantation.

As her voice echoed, Xuan Mo began to shrink, gradually transforming into a silver needle that she completely embedded in the Bl00d Doll’s chest.

“Cough!” Bo Xuenong let out a low cough, a thread of bl00d escaping her lips. Ignoring it, she slapped the Bl00d Doll’s chest forcefully. The Xuan Mo embedded there glowed brightly, and the doll’s diminutive body rapidly expanded, instantly growing to match Bo Xuenong’s height.

Originally, the doll had only a vague outline. As it grew, its features gradually sharpened, its skin slowly transforming to resemble human flesh, becoming increasingly lifelike and resembling Bo Xuenong herself.

The Xuan Mo’s glow dimmed only when the doll had become an exact replica of Bo Xuenong.

By then, Bo Xuenong’s own skin had lost its fair, soft texture, turning crimson and hardening into a rigid, wood-like substance.

She touched her stiff, wooden skin, a satisfied smile curving her lips. It was a pity the Bl00d Doll couldn’t speak; its lips parted repeatedly without producing a sound, and its vacant, lifeless eyes made it seem less than human. It could pass for a while, but… glancing at the naked Bl00d Doll, Bo Xuenong frowned.

The Bl00d Doll sensed her intentions and immediately flew under the covers, pulling the blanket over itself and closing its eyes.

Bo Xuenong’s furrowed brow smoothed as she gazed deeply at the Bl00d Doll, which looked exactly like her. After confirming no one was around, she swiftly retrieved a mask from her storage ring, concealed her face, and vanished into the night. The moonlight streaming into the room illuminated only the Bl00d Doll, lying motionless on the bed, its face mirroring hers. The real Bo Xuenong had already melted into the darkness, racing toward Phoenix Spirit Mountain.

Bo Xuenong had cultivated for five centuries, always learning whatever Shen Yanting taught her, until Shen Yanting gifted her Xuan Mo as her Lifebound Sword.

Xuan Mo was truly an exceptional blade. Though it lacked a sword spirit, its spiritual energy was abundant.

The most remarkable thing happened after she broke through to the Golden Core realm. Once she could control the sword with her will, she discovered intricate spells etched along Xuan Mo’s blade. The characters were minuscule and uniquely stylized; had Xuan Mo not actively revealed them to her, Bo Xuenong would never have noticed them.

Bo Xuenong had considered telling Shen Yanting about this, but strangely, she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She had also suspected Xuan Mo might be problematic, yet Xuan Mo truly understood her. It not only knew her thoughts but could even mimic her bl00d aura. Like her, it both revered and feared Shen Yanting. If she abandoned Xuan Mo, she doubted she could ever find another Lifebound Sword so perfectly suited to her. Moreover, once a sword cultivator bonds with their Lifebound Sword, any damage to the sword would severely injure the cultivator as well. Such a drastic measure should only be taken in extreme circumstances.

Unable to confide in Shen Yanting, Bo Xuenong had never examined the spell in detail. It was only when she considered killing under Shen Yanting’s nose during the day that she decided to investigate. To her surprise, she found exactly what she needed: the Breath Exchange Technique.

To cast this technique, one must first nourish a Spirit Wood with fresh bl00d until it develops the same bl00d aura as the caster. After drawing the seal and performing the ritual, the Spirit Wood and the caster exchange bl00d auras. For three days, the Spirit Wood transforms into the caster, absorbing all their vital energy. It becomes an independent entity, perfectly mimicking the caster’s appearance and scent. Meanwhile, the caster retains their human form, but their aura becomes that of wood—cold, bloodless, and without bones or tendons. This technique is considered a top-tier method for evading pursuit.

Bo Xuenong couldn’t wait that long. She could only carve the wooden doll to resemble herself as closely as possible, and she even placed her Lifebound Sword, Xuan Mo, which had been stained with her bl00d for years, inside the doll’s body to compensate for its lack of vitality. Of course, this method had its flaws. For example, the Bl00d Doll couldn’t become an independent entity; it only moved according to Bo Xuenong’s will. If she didn’t control it, it would remain a lifeless piece of wood, easily exposing the ruse. Another drawback was that the Bl00d Doll looked less lifelike, and Bo Xuenong could feel any pain it experienced…

As Bo Xuenong thought this, the pain in her chest resurfaced.

I won’t die, but it hurts.

Guan Caimei must suffer even more pain for me to be satisfied.

Ever since returning from Phoenix Spirit Mountain, Bo Xuenong had been consumed by thoughts of Guan Caimei. Guan Caimei’s predatory gaze had burned itself into her heart, and the woman’s greedy thoughts echoed endlessly in her mind. Her heart knew no peace; only the sight of fresh bl00d could quell her agitation.

She couldn’t wait another moment. She was willing to risk injury to kill Guan Caimei tonight.

This was what Guan Caimei deserved.

Guan Caimei not only looked at Shen Yanting like prey, but she also coveted her, scheming with others to defile her. If Bo Xuenong didn’t send her to her death, she would be betraying Shen Yanting’s nurturing grace. The only thing bothering Bo Xuenong was that she hadn’t yet extracted the identities of the male and female leads.

If she asked directly, Guan Caimei might not answer.

Bo Xuenong’s face darkened as she pondered how to interrogate Guan Caimei later. The more she thought about it, the more agitated she became.

The hastily crafted Bl00d Doll could only sustain its form for a limited time. She needed to return quickly to ensure Shen Yanting wouldn’t discover her absence. Moreover, Feng Yingbo, whose cultivation surpassed her own, resided on Phoenix Spirit Mountain. If she were caught murdering a fellow disciple, her Master would undoubtedly be furious.

Bo Xuenong slowed her pace slightly, considering whether to let Guan Caimei live for another two days. But just as she hesitated, she surged forward again, a voice ringing with absolute clarity in her mind: A disciple like Guan Caimei, who dares to covet and defile our Master, is better off dead!

Bo Xuenong moved like a piece of wood, landing on Phoenix Spirit Mountain without making a sound. Even the birds in the trees remained undisturbed by her arrival. Following her daytime memories, she raced upward, spotting Feng Jin long before reaching Guan Caimei’s residence.

Bo Xuenong activated a spell to amplify her vision and hearing.

From a distance, she saw Feng Jin furtively clutching an ancient book. After glancing around to ensure she was alone, Feng Jin buried the book beneath a tree, knelt before it, clasped her hands in prayer, and murmured earnestly, “I’ve wronged you by burying you in Feng Kan all these years. Please don’t blame me. Feng Yingbo has a habit of organizing my storage pouch regularly, so I had no choice but to hide you here. I’ll dig you up tomorrow and study you properly!”

Bo Xuenong crept closer silently. By then, Feng Jin had already left the tree and was preparing to depart.

Her footsteps were hurried, but Bo Xuenong closed the distance just as quickly, catching only a fleeting thought:

Heavenly Father, protect me…

Protect her? From what?

Bo Xuenong vividly recalled Feng Jin’s earlier thoughts about digging up the Forbidden Art Manual from Feng Kan. At the time, she hadn’t paid much attention, dismissing the idea that Feng Kan could possibly contain such a manual. After all, Feng Kan was merely a nickname for Fu Yunqing’s courtyard, and Xuenong knew Fu Yunqing’s capabilities well. Yet, Feng Jin had actually unearthed something from Feng Kan, buried it here, and done so with such carelessness…

Xuenong stared at the small, freshly turned mound of earth, its vivid color accentuated by a small flower deliberately planted as a marker. Her usually cold expression twisted momentarily. She couldn’t tell if Feng Jin was trying to hide something or deliberately draw attention to it.

Ever since Guan Caimei’s arrival on the mountain, Xuenong had found her Sixth Junior Sister increasingly strange. However, Xuenong wasn’t one to meddle in others’ affairs. She withdrew her gaze from the mound, preparing to hurry off and find Guan Caimei. But just as she turned to leave, a sudden gust of wind swept a Little Sparrow from its perch. The bird plummeted straight onto the mound, its flapping wings clearing away the loose soil. Oblivious to its actions, the sparrow took flight again, its tiny feet brushing against the ancient book as it lifted off, hooking it perfectly.

Little Sparrow seemed to disdain the book, flinging it away with force. By sheer coincidence, it landed right at Bo Xuenong’s feet, flipping open a few pages as it fell.

Bo Xuenong instinctively glanced down, and her gaze became fixed. The words “Soul-Searching Technique” were clearly written on the page.

This is too convenient, she thought. Just moments ago, she had been agonizing over how to uncover the identities of the male and female leads in the book Guan Caimei had mentioned in her thoughts. Now, this forbidden art had suddenly appeared before her.

Is this a trap? Or a snare?

The book had been dropped by Feng Jin. Was Feng Jin plotting against her? And if so, what was she after?

Would Feng Jin really dare to scheme against me? Her inner thoughts are so timid.

Bo Xuenong stared at the book, still undecided whether to pick it up, when it suddenly flew into her palm. The book shrank rapidly, until it reached a certain size and burrowed beneath her skin, gradually transforming into a faint cyan line etched into the center of her left palm.

Bo Xuenong had never witnessed such a scene before, but she had read about it in books: this was the process by which a Divine Artifact recognized its master.

Recognizing its master? A book recognizing its master? Is this book a Divine Artifact?

If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, Bo Xuenong would never have believed this scene was real. No, even after witnessing it, she still couldn’t accept its reality. After all, she was currently inhabiting the body of a Bl00d Doll, her entire being as stiff as wood, without a single drop of bl00d within her. A master recognition process that skipped the bl00d-letting ritual entirely… Feng Jin was deeply problematic. Could she also hear Guan Caimei’s inner thoughts? Or perhaps she could hear Bo Xuenong’s own thoughts?

Yet Feng Jin seemed unwilling to stop her from killing Guan Caimei, even offering assistance.

Bo Xuenong raised her head to gaze at the moon. The silvery moonlight only deepened the chill on her face. Abandoning her struggle with the book, she swiftly approached Guan Caimei’s residence, summoning the book and flipping through its pages to review the Soul-Searching Technique. The more she read, the more grave her expression became…