The Sickly Beauty and Her Guide Leopard - Chapter 39

As she spoke, Murong Zheng’s eyes remained fixed on Zhang Yuan’s every move.

Zhang Yuan choked, unable to defend herself. She opened the food box and placed it before Murong Zheng, keeping her head bowed and throat tight as she said, “Eat.”

Murong Zheng wanted an explanation, but she wouldn’t let her anger interfere with food. With a clatter of chains, she brazenly sat on the ground, ignoring the chopsticks and grabbing the food with her hands.

Jian Li: “Aren’t you afraid of burning yourself?”

Murong Zheng: “This is nothing. When Dog Zhang forced me with hot tongs, she didn’t think about the heat.”

So violent, Jian Li couldn’t help but defend Murong Zheng. “Dog Zhang, ah, I mean Steward Zhang, how could you mistreat a prisoner like this?”

Zhang Yuan: “When she slaughtered countless lives, why didn’t you speak up for the dead?”

Jian Li: “Well, let’s keep things separate. She’s turned over a new leaf now, right, Zheng Zheng?”

Jian Li was a master of double standards, but Murong Zheng was too direct. Her mouth was smeared with grease from gnawing on meat, utterly lacking decorum, like a wild woman. She mumbled through mouthfuls, “I’ll kill you the first chance I get, Dog Zhang.”

One shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds them, but Murong Zheng was clearly a demon who didn’t follow such rules. Jian Li, frustrated by her lack of self-control, wanted to step in and teach her some manners.

Zhang Yuan roared, “I should have killed you! My conscience is blind!”

Murong Zheng, her mouth still full of meat, retorted fiercely, “You shameless wretch! You can’t even manage your own broken finger! I should chop off your hand and eat it!”

Spittle and food flew everywhere as they argued. Jian Li, who valued cleanliness, edged closer to Hua Feiyi, who was cracking melon seeds with gusto. Jian Li nudged her. “Huahua, I want some too.”

Hua Feiyi grabbed a large handful for her. “Let’s stay a little longer.”

Zhang Yuan: “Who chopped whose finger? When I woke up, my clothes were torn to shreds! And you dare accuse me of lacking chivalry?”

Murong Zheng and Zhang Yuan continued their heated exchange, each trying to outshout the other.

Jian Li asked Hua Feiyi, “Who stripped whose clothes off? Murong Zheng told me earlier that Zhang Yuan tore her clothes to shreds.”

Hua Feiyi: “You wouldn’t understand. Everyone wants to claim the moral high ground. One’s a prisoner, the other’s the steward. We can’t tell who’s telling the truth without the Truth Spell.”

Jian Li cracked a melon seed with a loud snap. “What’s the Truth Spell?”

Hua Feiyi: “It controls a person’s Spiritual Sense. If they lie, their Spiritual Sense will suffer unbearable torment. If they tell the truth, nothing happens.”

“It sounds like a spell that violates someone’s privacy,” Jian Li said, disapproving but curious. “Why aren’t they using it?”

“You’d have to ask them,” Hua Feiyi replied.

Jian Li and Hua Feiyi cracked open an entire bag of melon seeds, but they still hadn’t resolved the argument. Finally, Hua Feiyi took charge and stepped in to mediate.

Hua Feiyi brushed off the melon seed shells clinging to her clothes and cleared her throat. “Ladies, ladies, let’s not argue. I believe there’s a solution to this.”

Zhang Yuan immediately fell silent, her expression icy. Murong Zheng, however, refused to stop ranting, not having vented enough. Jian Li rushed forward and pressed the mechanism on Murong Zheng’s chains, shocking her into oblivion.

Hua Feiyi and Zhang Yuan stared in shock. Jian Li shrugged apologetically. “Sorry, but this was the only way to calm her down.”

As it turned out, Jian Li was right. When the shock ended, Murong Zheng was no longer in her earlier rage. Jian Li hurried to her side. “Good sister, are you alright?”

Murong Zheng looked utterly bewildered and shouted, “Deaf! Can’t hear you!”

Jian Li nodded in understanding. Turning to Zhang Yuan, she scolded, “See what you’ve done? The poor woman is deaf, and you’ve bullied her until she has no clothes left!”

Zhang Yuan sighed in exasperation. “What does this have to do with her having no clothes? Besides, didn’t you shock her earlier?”

Jian Li refused to back down, showing no sign of weakness. “It’s all your fault for telling me about the mechanism. Everything that’s happened is your responsibility.”

Her gaze shifted to Hua Feiyi. “Huahua, I think you should consider Zhengzheng’s hearing impairment more carefully.”

Hua Feiyi replied solemnly, “Leave it to me.”

Having realized that Jian Li, after transforming, wouldn’t side with her even slightly, Zhang Yuan regretted her decision immensely. Why had she given her a Form Transformation Pill of all things? Now that Jian Li was human, even trying to take advantage of her was impossible.

Zhang Yuan: “You little ingrate! I know someone who can keep you in line.”

Jian Li: “Who?”

Zhang Yuan: “I’m not telling you.”

“Alright, alright,” Hua Feiyi chuckled, trying to defuse the tension. “First, I’m sure neither of you wants this matter to escalate. Second, you both believe the other has wronged you. Well, wrongdoing deserves punishment. Ten lashes each.”

The mention of lashes reminded Jian Li of Yan Qingshuang kneeling in the dungeon, bearing the whip’s sting. This punishment was too harsh for their offenses. She tugged at Hua Feiyi’s sleeve. “That’s too severe. No.”

Hua Feiyi, as if she hadn’t heard, raised her voice. “Of course. You both want to avoid punishment and prevent this from escalating, right?”

Zhang Yuan and Murong Zheng exchanged glances before quickly looking away, but both silently acknowledged Hua Feiyi’s point.

Knowing exactly what she was about to say, Hua Feiyi frantically suppressed a smirk. “Here’s what we’ll do. According to Spirit Taming Peak’s rules, after a quarrel, reconciliation requires a hug and a kiss. That’s how we settle things.”

Zhang Yuan’s face paled in shock. “Since when has Spirit Taming Peak had such a rule? I’ve never heard of it before!”

As the esteemed Steward, she knew the regulations of every peak inside and out. Hua Feiyi’s move was too ruthless.

Hua Feiyi shrugged. “I just made it up. Is that not allowed?”

You’re something else, Huahua! Jian Li stared at Hua Feiyi with starry eyes, wholeheartedly approving of her suggestion. “Exactly! They always say, ‘A couple’s quarrel at the head of the bed ends in reconciliation at the foot of the bed.'”

Murong Zheng, hard of hearing, didn’t catch the “quarrel at the head of the bed” part. She only noticed Zhang Yuan’s face shifting colors like a chameleon and chuckled.

Urged by Jian Li, Zhang Yuan finally grudgingly agreed. “A hug is fine, but no kissing. She’s disgusting—never cleans up properly after eating.”

“That’s unfair,” Jian Li retorted. “She has no Demonic Power, no weapons, no Cleansing Spell, and no bathwater.”

Zhang Yuan glared at her. “You’re the only one who can’t keep her mouth shut.”

Remembering Zhang Yuan’s threat, Jian Li fell silent and retreated to Hua Feiyi’s side, looping her arm through Hua Feiyi’s and pressing close. “Zhang Yuan wants to send someone after me. You’re my guardian now.”

Hua Feiyi chuckled. “So I’m your guardian now? What about Senior Sister Yan?”

Jian Li pouted. “Why bring her up? She’s not mine. She’s her, and I’m me.”

Still being stubborn, Hua Feiyi thought. This little Spiritual Beast was restless all morning while we were fishing, and every other sentence she uttered was about Yan Qingshuang. But there was something else that caught Hua Feiyi’s interest.

Hua Feiyi stroked Jian Li’s soft hair. “How about giving me a few of those Red Fruits you mentioned?”

Jian Li’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed with a knowing look. “Huahua,” she said solemnly, “considering our relationship, I’ll give you one—no, three.”

“For free?” Hua Feiyi asked.

Actually, I wanted to use Hua Feiyi as a test subject, Jian Li thought. But since the subject had volunteered, she nodded. “No charge. So, how do you plan to use them?”

“Just to eat for fun,” Hua Feiyi replied.

Even eating for fun requires caution, Jian Li thought. But considering Hua Feiyi’s vast knowledge and her ability to handle 200 aroused Spiritual Beasts, Jian Li trusted her self-control.

“Then remember to tell me what you think after you try it,” Jian Li said.

“Why don’t you try it yourself?” Hua Feiyi asked.

Jian Li chuckled sheepishly. “I already did. My constitution makes it useless for me, but Little Shuang tried it, and it helped ease her pain.”

“Oh…” Hua Feiyi said pointedly. “Your Little Shuang, your Little Shuang.”

Having accidentally revealed her true feelings, Jian Li nudged Hua Feiyi playfully. “Don’t say that,” she chided. “I stand by what I said before: I’m me, and she’s her.”

“Don’t speak too soon,” Hua Feiyi teased. “Guess who’s behind you?”

Who else could it be? Jian Li thought dismissively. She turned her head, her expression disdainful.

But when she saw who it was, she froze instantly, as if time itself had stopped.

Yan Qingshuang’s face was unnaturally pale, as if she were clinging to life by a thread. Her frail figure seemed ready to collapse with the slightest breeze, yet a faint smile lingered on her lips.

She was still wearing her usual thin, moon-white robe, the same one she seemed to wear every day.

The sight stirred Jian Li’s emotions, a sharp ache rising in her chest, her eyes misting over.

They had only been apart for a morning. Not seeing Yan Qingshuang was bearable, but the moment she appeared, Jian Li felt an overwhelming bitterness in her heart.

Yan Qingshuang remained silent, her gaze fixed calmly on Jian Li, who sniffled, fighting back the urge to cry.

“I’m going home,” Jian Li told Hua Feiyi.

“Alright, go ahead,” Hua Feiyi replied. “I’ll handle things here.”

Just as Jian Li took a few steps, she remembered something. “Steward Zhang! I still believe you violated Zhengzheng!”

Zhang Yuan hadn’t anticipated Junior Sister Yan’s swift arrival. Jian Li had sent the message only moments ago; even with a sword flight, such speed seemed impossible.

With Jian Li’s support, Murong Zheng’s courage surged, reinforcing her conviction that Zhang Yuan had indeed assaulted her and sullied her honor.

Jian Li approached Yan Qingshuang, her grievances bubbling to the surface. She took the bamboo staff from Yan Qingshuang. “Why aren’t you resting at home?”

Yan Qingshuang’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “Thank you both for taking care of her,” she said to Zhang Yuan and Hua Feiyi. “Senior Sister Zhang, I received your message.”

So it was her!

Jian Li asked Yan Qingshuang to wait, then rushed to Murong Zheng, pinched her ear, and whispered, “I’ll find a way to get you out of here someday.”

Zhang Yuan’s gaze followed Jian Li’s movements. Seeing the two whispering, she couldn’t help but ask, “What are you talking about?”

Jian Li: “I told her to serve you properly in the dungeon, didn’t I, Zhengzheng?”

Murong Zheng chimed in smoothly, “Exactly, Dog Zhang—I mean, Steward Lord—you can strip me bare if you like.”

“Oh my!” Jian Li playfully slapped Murong Zheng, her cheeks flushing. “What are you saying? That’s not what I meant by ‘serve’!”

I should have kept my mouth shut, Zhang Yuan thought miserably, already mentally scouting plots of land at the foot of the Sect’s mountain for a permanent residence.

Jian Li returned to Yan Qingshuang’s side, took her hand, and led her away. Her icy-cold hand left Jian Li uncertain whether the Bamboo Staff or Yan Qingshuang’s touch was colder.

She unconsciously tightened her grip. “Does it still hurt?”

Yan Qingshuang: “No, it doesn’t hurt when you’re here.”

The directness of her words sent a blush creeping from Jian Li’s ears down her neck. Fortunately, Hua Feiyi and the others had stopped watching them.

Jian Li awkwardly retorted, “I’m not a Pain Relief Pill, you know.”

Yan Qingshuang: “Perhaps not.”