The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 21

The Fifth Peak’s weather truly shifted with Bai Fenghuo’s moods. As soon as Whitey was repaired, the thunder outside subsided significantly. By the time Yun Chuanzhi landed with Bai Fenghuo at the Kun Dan Sect, the wind had scattered the clouds, leaving the sky as clear as freshly washed water.

The brilliant setting sun hung halfway down the mountain, its golden rays filtering through the dense foliage to dapple the ground like molten gold. The Kun Dan Sect, still strewn with fallen petals and broken leaves from the earlier storm, saw many Immortal Servants sigh in relief as they swept through the grounds.

Bai Fenghuo abandoned Yun Chuanzhi without a word and vanished. Left to her own devices, Yun Chuanzhi strolled back to her room. Having exhausted her meager spiritual energy earlier, she now felt utterly drained. Spotting the bed, she collapsed onto it.

No wonder Bai Fenghuo’s personal Immortal Servants are replaced so frequently, she mused. Even if they escape with their lives, the mental and emotional strain must be unbearable. They probably flee before long.

Yun Chuanzhi had no idea when she might escape Bai Fenghuo’s clutches. She crossed her legs, swaying them leisurely as she closed her eyes for a nap.

He had barely drifted off when a series of urgent knocks jolted her awake. Sighing, she rose and opened the door.

No one was there. Looking down, she saw a puppet barely reaching her knee.

“Whitey? What are you doing here?” Yun Chuanzhi asked, crouching down. “Did the Sect Leader send you?”

“Nay,” Whitey’s shrill voice rang out, her head, now free of stiff joints, bobbing like a rattle drum. “She told me to say I came on my own.”

Yun Chuanzhi fell silent, suppressing a smile as she nodded. “Then what brings you here?”

She had always enjoyed interacting with puppets. These iron and wooden contraptions lacked hearts, making them refreshingly straightforward. Their conversations were amusing, and she found herself more patient with them.

“I’ve come to give you this.” Whitey produced a box made of golden sandalwood from who-knows-where and held it up to Yun Chuanzhi.

The box was exquisitely crafted, its wooden surface shimmering like flowing gold under the sunlight. Sturdy straps were attached to the sides, allowing it to be worn as a satchel around the waist.

Yun Chuanzhi took the box and opened it, her eyes widening in surprise. Inside lay a complete set of miniature woodworking tools—axes, chisels, adzes, and saws. Crafted from an unknown material, they expanded to full size when held.

When exposed to the wind, the tools emitted a clear, ringing sound like the chorus of a hundred birds.

“You’re giving this to me?” Yun Chuanzhi asked, stroking an axe with obvious delight. “Where did you get something so precious?” For both puppet masters and Artifact Refiners, a set of well-crafted tools was more valuable than any magical artifact.

Normally, her tools were handmade by Sister Guiren. After her death, they were naturally lost. Receiving such a set now filled her with overwhelming joy.

Whitey placed a hand on her head and patted it twice before finally speaking, “I stole these from Bai Fenghuo. Thank you for saving my life.”

Yun Chuanzhi smirked. “Did the Sect Leader tell you to say that?”

Whitey nodded. “She said if you asked, I should say I stole them.”

“Aren’t you afraid she’ll dig out your Spirit Platform for revealing her secrets?”

Whitey shook her head, a hint of helplessness visible on her pitch-black face. “She threatens to dig out my tongue every day to make me shut up, but when has she ever actually done it?”

He had a point. Bai Fenghuo threatened to take her life daily, yet she was still alive and well. Yun Chuanzhi smiled and thanked Whitey, watching the Iron Puppet hop away before closing the door.

Bai Fenghuo, that bastard. Sometimes he’s so petty and cruel, but other times she shows a childlike sincerity. He’s such a strange creature.

With her new tools in hand, Yun Chuanzhi was no longer sleepy. She sat cross-legged on the floor and began tinkering with new gadgets. Unfortunately, she had already dismantled all the tables and chairs in the room for materials, leaving the space bare and devoid of anything useful.

After frowning in thought for a moment, she turned her gaze to the bedding beneath her. A smile bloomed on her face as she retrieved a pair of scissors and began tearing apart the fabric and cotton stuffing into a chaotic mess.

She then sewed the pieces back together, weaving in a series of Heart Incantations and array formations. Soon, dozens of soft, white cloth dolls lined up at her feet.

With a snap of her fingers, the dolls sprang to life, forming neat rows. At a wave of her hand, they turned in unison; at a beckoning gesture, they marched forward, their movements surprisingly reminiscent of a grand military formation.

Yun Chuanzhi hadn’t felt this carefree in ages. She played from the moment the moon crested the horizon until it sank behind West Mountain, only then growing sleepy. Clutching the dolls, she lay down on the bare bed and drifted into a deep slumber.

Unaware of spring dreams by the pond,

The hibiscus tree before the steps already flourished.

Time on Mount Everlasting passed with astonishing speed. Before Yun Chuanzhi could fully savor the fresh spring greenery, early summer had quietly crept up the mountain slopes. On ordinary, towering peaks, the seasonal transition might have been less pronounced. But Mount Everlasting, a sacred mountain teeming with cultivators and nourished by abundant spiritual energy, experienced distinct seasonal shifts.

One morning, after attending to Bai Fenghuo’s morning rituals, Yun Chuanzhi was promptly dismissed. Unwilling to wait at the door like a proper Immortal Servant, she slipped away again, returning to her room to play her Seven Wheels Fan.

She lived her days in a daze, unaware of the date, but she could sense the chill in the wind gradually fading, replaced by a stifling heat that left her drenched in sweat.

So, she casually swiped half a bowl of red bean Ice Brand that Bai Fenghuo had left unfinished at noon and lay back in the cool breeze to savor it slowly, living a life of leisurely contentment.

The distinctive, rhythmic footsteps of Ling Shui approached outside the door, soft and steady. The door slid open, and Ling Shui stood before her, sleeves hanging loosely.

“Cui Ergou,” she sighed helplessly, “you’re slacking off again.”

“What’s wrong? Is the Sect Leader angry?” Yun Chuanzhi jerked upright like a startled fish.

“No, the Sect Leader is busy with important matters and doesn’t have time for you.” Ling Shui had grown accustomed to Yun Chuanzhi’s laziness. She used to scold her, but when she realized it was futile, she stopped bothering.

Her gaze fell on the red bean Ice Brand in Yun Chuanzhi’s hands, and she sighed repeatedly. “You’re eating the Sect Leader’s leftovers again. If she finds out, he’ll punish you.”

“But you said it yourself—they’re leftovers,” Yun Chuanzhi grinned, taking another bite. “If I don’t eat them, she’ll just dump them in the pond for the Brocaded Carp. What a waste! Besides, I don’t mind sharing with the Sect Leader.”

But the Sect Leader might mind sharing with you, Ling Shui thought, her expression complex as she looked at Yun Chuanzhi. Finally, she averted her gaze, deciding it was better not to see what she didn’t want to know.

“Since the Sect Leader isn’t angry, why are you here looking for me, Sister Ling Shui?” Yun Chuanzhi asked, setting down her bowl.

Ling Shui’s delicate features clouded with worry. She turned, her snow-white skirt billowing as she sat beside Yun Chuanzhi. “Tomorrow is Mount Everlasting’s Core Sect Day.”

Yun Chuanzhi had heard about this from the Immortal Servant who died at Bai Fenghuo’s hands, so she wasn’t surprised. She simply asked, “So what? Didn’t the Sect Leader forbid our Sect Leader from attending?”

“It’s just a minor internal competition,” Yun Chuanzhi said. “I doubt the Sect Leader cares.”

“You don’t understand,” Ling Shui said, her words strained. “The Sect Leader wouldn’t care about a grand event where all the Immortal Sects gather, but she cares deeply about matters within Mount Everlasting.”

Her gaze drifted into the distance as she continued, “I went to find the Sect Leader earlier, but I searched the entire Kun Dan Sect and couldn’t find him. My heart has been racing ever since, so I came to talk to you.”

“If even you can’t find the Sect Leader, I certainly can’t,” Yun Chuanzhi said calmly, picking up the Ice Brand from the ground and handing it to Ling Shui.

She smiled. “Have some of this. It’ll help you calm down. Don’t worry so much about the Sect Leader. No matter how capable you are, you’re still just an Immortal Servant like me. There’s no need to be so devoted.”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Ling Shui said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her starry eyes lowered. “When my family sent me to Mount Everlasting Breath, they held high hopes that I would become an Immortal Cultivator under a master’s tutelage.”

“Unfortunately, the disciples of Mount Everlasting had become too numerous in recent years, and none of the sects were accepting new apprentices. I applied to four mountain peaks in succession, only to be turned away each time. It was only when I sought entry to the Kun Dan Sect that the Sect Leader finally accepted me.”

“But I thought the Sect Leader had no disciples?” Yun Chuanzhi asked, surprised.

“That’s right,” Ling Shui replied with a bitter smile, shaking her head. “I only learned the next day that she had taken me as an Immortal Servant, not a disciple. But having already arrived, I dared not leave.”

Bai Fenghuo must have threatened or tricked her, Yun Chuanzhi thought, Bai Fenghuo’s beautiful, cunning face flashing through her mind. She cast Ling Shui a sympathetic glance.

“There’s still some of the Sect Leader’s Ice Brand left today. I’ll sneak some for you. A little sweetness might cheer you up,” Yun Chuanzhi said with a smile, rising to her feet. As she stepped toward the door, she nearly collided with a woman entering the room.

The woman wore a short, emerald-green cloud brocade jacket, its sleeves bound with green cloth strips. Her hair was braided into numerous small plaits, tied in colorful bundles atop her head, giving her a vibrant, lively appearance.

Though her expression was slightly melancholic, lacking her usual vibrant spirit.

“Cheng Jinshu? What brings you here?” Yun Chuanzhi asked, clutching her bruised shoulder. Why is everyone flocking to me today? It’s getting quite lively.

Cheng Jinshu seemed unfazed by the commotion, merely dusting off her shoulder with a troubled expression.

“I considered pretending not to know, but since it concerns you all, I thought it best to inform you,” she said hesitantly, twisting the fabric at her sleeve.

“Tomorrow is Core Sect Day. Today, all the Sect Leaders and their disciples will gather at Mount Everlasting’s main peak. Just now, I saw my aunt storm through the Hundred-Zhang Cascade in a fit of anger.”

“She clashed with the other Sect Leaders. According to onlookers, she endured considerable provocation and is now engaged in combat before Bright Existence Hall.”

“Facing four opponents alone… she’s bound to be at a disadvantage!”