The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 36

At first, Bai Fenghuo thought she had misheard the wind. But as she stood frozen in surprise, the voice cut through the howling thunder and rain, ringing clearly in her ears.

“Bai Fenghuo! Aaaaaah!” As a snow-white figure flashed past, Yun Chuanzhi’s scream pierced the sky. Bai Xiaochen, clad in a silver-white cloud-patterned shoulder cape and a snow-white cloak, had appeared before Bai Fenghuo, radiating an icy chill.

The crystal-clear sword in her hand hummed with a resonant clang, poised to strike.

Meanwhile, the loudly screaming Yun Chuanzhi was clinging to Bai Xiaochen’s back, having lost two of her three souls. Soaked to the bone by the relentless rain, she weakly wiped the water from her face and gave Cheng Jinshu, who had just arrived, a wry smile. “Now I understand why your Wind Manipulation Technique is… so hard to describe.”

The upper beam crooked, the lower beam warped.

“General, he’s the Sect Leader of Mount Everlasting!” A’xing shouted urgently. General Tu Yun had already recognized Bai Xiaochen and took a step back, her expression darkening to an extreme.

Bai Fenghuo let out a sigh of relief, the light sword in her hand silently dissipating. She lowered her lashes to conceal the expression in her eyes, but when she looked up again, a sly, triumphant smile had replaced it.

“Senior Sister, what brings you here?” she asked with a smile.

“Spare me the pleasantries,” Bai Xiaochen snapped, her cold gaze sweeping across the assembled members of Celestial Emperor City. Her overwhelming spiritual pressure surged forth, causing several of them to tremble visibly.

“This Venerable One was enjoying a peaceful morning cultivation session until your reckless Little Immortal Servant barged into my Immortal Cultivation Grounds, wailing, causing a scene, and even threatening to hang herself to disturb my tranquility. Would I have bothered with your petty affairs otherwise?”

I see now, these two siblings are from the same sect, Yun Chuanzhi thought, clinging to Bai Xiaochen’s back. They both speak with forked tongues and have such unpleasant manners.

Unwilling to remain on the Sect Leader’s back any longer, Yun Chuanzhi shook Blackie out of her sleeve. The black egg transformed into a floating stone bed, and she released her grip, settling onto it.

Blackie floated steadily, though somewhat sluggishly, but it was far more comfortable than clinging to Bai Xiaochen’s back.

Ling Shui soon appeared beside Bai Fenghuo, instantly transforming the previously isolated and vulnerable scene into a bustling, crowded affair.

“Tu Yun greets Sect Leader,” General Tu Yun finally managed a forced smile, bowing slightly toward Bai Xiaochen.

“Celestial Emperor City’s people,” Bai Xiaochen stood as steadfast as a green pine against the raging wind, her robes billowing yet her form unyielding. “This Seat has yet to pronounce judgment on Sect Leader Bai. How dare you trespass on Mount Everlasting’s territory to make arrests?”

“This Seat is unaware when Celestial Emperor City’s reach grew so long.”

As a Great Ascension Stage cultivator, Bai Xiaochen’s cultivation far surpassed that of everyone present. Though General Tu Yun possessed a magical artifact bestowed by the Celestial Emperor, she still dared not act rashly, beads of sweat forming on her brow despite the biting wind.

“Sect Leader, Bai Fenghuo, she…” A’Tao, ever sharp-tongued, began to speak, but before she could finish, a silken ribbon shot from Bai Fenghuo’s sleeve like a dragon’s tail, striking her across the face with a sharp smack. A’Tao’s body lurched sideways.

“A mere Immortal Cultivator dares address This Seat by name?” Bai Fenghuo said with a smile, though her tone dripped with sinister malice. A’Tao, though resentful, could only clutch her cheek, silenced.

Ling Shui, her face flushed with anger, spoke up from behind, “General, as a cultivator from Celestial Emperor City, you should know you’re merely here as an investigating envoy. If you’re going to apprehend anyone, it should be the true culprit! Our Sect Leader has been framed, yet you refuse to investigate the truth and find the real criminal. What right do you have to arrest our Sect Leader?”

The Celestial Emperor City cultivators were already in the wrong, and now facing Bai Xiaochen, their arrogance crumbled. They dared not resort to further tricks.

General Tu Yun swallowed deeply, then raised her hand to retract the sword case and ordered her accompanying cultivators to retreat. As if a curtain had been drawn back, the overcast sky transformed in an instant. Sunlight pierced through the dark clouds, bathing the world in warmth and clarity.

The rain gradually subsided, the scorching sun baking away the lingering moisture in the air. A rainbow arched across the horizon, and everywhere was washed clean and bright.

General Tu Yun sheathed her weapon and stepped forward to bow respectfully. “Sect Leader, your words are entirely correct. We were merely tasked with inviting Sect Leader Bai to Celestial Emperor City as a guest while we diligently investigate this matter. Perhaps our phrasing was unclear, causing Sect Leader Bai to misunderstand. This was our oversight.”

Cheng Jinshu couldn’t help but snort coldly. She moved to Yun Chuanzhi’s side and whispered in her ear, “Such sanctimonious lapdogs.”

“Who could disagree?” Yun Chuanzhi retorted, her voice equally scathing. “Their skin is thicker than a city wall.”

Their loud insults naturally reached the ears of the Celestial Emperor City delegation. Their faces varied—some flushed with anger, others pale with fear—but none dared to retaliate, pretending instead not to hear.

“Since that’s the case,” Bai Fenghuo said, “let’s not stand here any longer. Let’s go down to the Opera House, enjoy some tea and a performance, and summon the City Lord and Commander of the Military Affairs Office. We can discuss whether This Seat is truly the culprit. What do you say?”

The delegation had no choice but to agree.

Thus, a great battle that had erupted swiftly ended just as abruptly. Within the time it takes to burn an incense stick, everyone was seated beneath the Opera House stage at Welcome Spring Courtyard. Melodious music flowed from the stage, while the air below was thick with the aroma of tea.

A bizarre harmony settled over the scene.

The Celestial Emperor City delegation and Bai Fenghuo’s group occupied the central seats. In the right corner sat Commander Qiao of the Military Affairs Office, a burly, dark-skinned woman clad in full armor. In the left corner sat the Jiang City Guard, making her first public appearance.

As a mortal, the Jiang City Guard clearly felt out of place. She quickly drained her teacup and, finding nothing left to drink, could only lower her head and stare intently at the empty vessel.

A blue-robed Immortal Cultivator under Bai Xiaochen’s command approached through the crowd, bowing her head to report, “The envoys from Muli Divine Peak are still en route and won’t arrive for some time. Apart from them, everyone else is accounted for.”

“Very well,” Bai Xiaochen nodded, turning to Jiang City Guard and the burly man. “Jiang City Guard, Director Qiao, what have we uncovered about this case so far?”

Jiang City Guard immediately knelt, but Bai Xiaochen gently lifted her with a Dao Immortal Wind technique. After smoothing her sleeves, she carefully began, “Sect Leader, as of today, four families in the city have been brutally murdered. They are the Yuan family of thirty-six members on Flourishing Street in the north, the Wang family of twenty-seven members on Hidden Sword Street in the city center, the Liu Pingsheng family of eight members on Eternal Harmony Street in the east, and yesterday, Patriarch Xu’s family of forty-five members, also on Eternal Harmony Street.”

A collective gasp swept through the crowd. The commoners eavesdropping at the doorway paled, fear gripping their hearts.

“The corpses are currently stored at the Military Affairs Office, awaiting burial. The city’s coroners have examined them thoroughly, but all the victims’ internal organs were crushed, and their bl00d drained, making it impossible to determine the true cause of death.”

“Were there any external injuries?” Bai Xiaochen asked.

“Mostly none,” Wang City Guard replied, her expression complex. She glanced at Bai Fenghuo, who was leaning lazily against the wall, and forced herself to continue, “Some sustained minor injuries while fleeing, but none were fatal.”

“However, each body was stitched with the character ‘禾’ using silk thread. According to insiders, this is the shape of Sect Leader Bai’s sect emblem.”

At these words, everyone turned to look at Bai Fenghuo. The woman was leaning back in her chair, idly picking at the grape skin with her long nails. Noticing their gazes, she glanced up and met their eyes, her voice cold as she said, “What are you looking at This Seat for? If I brand those corpses with the words ‘Celestial Emperor City,’ does that mean the city killed them?”

General Tu Yun’s face darkened. She wanted to retort, but when she met Bai Fenghuo’s defiant gaze, she gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger.

“Sect Leader Bai speaks truly,” she forced a smile. “However, according to my information, you spent the night in Youji City yesterday. That very night, Patriarch Xu and her entire family died violently. This…”

“You know I only arrived in Youji City yesterday?” Bai Fenghuo pinched the grape skin, squeezing the juicy fruit into her mouth. “Why would you blame me for all the deaths that occurred before that?”

“Your immortal power is extraordinary,” General Tu Yun pressed on. “If you wished to conceal your tracks, it would have been a simple matter.” She gestured for the Commander of the Military Affairs Office to step forward. “Director Qiao, you explain.”

The burly woman rose, leaning on her long spear. She bowed respectfully, her voice rough as she spoke, “Reporting to the Immortal Masters, this humble one has thoroughly examined the Unceasing Mountain Sect’s records. They mention Sect Leader Mingcun’s Nine Revolutions Soul-Crushing Palm. This technique can instantly shatter an opponent’s internal organs. Within the entire Unceasing Mountain Sect, only Sect Leader Bai Fenghuo is proficient in this technique.”

General Tu Yun waved for her to sit. “All the evidence points to Sect Leader Bai, which is why we wish to bring her back to Celestial Emperor City for questioning by the Celestial Emperor herself. Sect Leader…”

“Even so,” Bai Xiaochen, who had remained silent until now, tilted her chin slightly, her gaze sweeping disdainfully over the man. “Youji City falls within Mount Everlasting’s territory, and Bai Fenghuo is a cultivator of our sect. Any questioning should be conducted by this Seat, not by the Celestial Emperor’s court.”

General Tu Yun suddenly chuckled. “If my memory serves me correctly, Sect Leader Bai, you and Bai Fenghuo are junior sisters from the same sect. Yet since the deaths of over a hundred people in the city, Mount Everlasting has remained conspicuously silent. Could it be that you’re letting old ties cloud your judgment, Sect Leader?”

“Are you accusing this Seat of favoritism and shielding a culprit?” Bai Xiaochen’s voice rose sharply, and the woman hastily lowered her head, bowing deeply. “I dare not,” she murmured.

General Tu Yun’s words were carefully crafted to sway public opinion. As the surrounding crowd listened, their biases gradually shifted, their gazes toward Bai Xiaochen growing increasingly suspicious. The onlookers at the entrance began whispering among themselves.

Seeing the public sentiment wavering, Bai Xiaochen clenched her fists, about to speak when Bai Fenghuo, who had been observing the scene with detached amusement, gracefully rose to her feet, interrupting her with a smile.

“Having heard General Tu Yun’s so-called evidence, it seems to be based largely on speculation. Have you considered the possibility that someone might be deliberately framing this Seat?”

General Tu Yun sneered, “Oh?”

“Coincidentally, This Seat has often been framed, so I understand these matters better than you,” Bai Fenghuo replied, her gaze sweeping intently across the general’s face. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a Death Warrior.

The shadow-like Death Warrior materialized from the ground, startling Jiang City Guard so badly that she nearly toppled backward. Only Ling Shui’s quick reflexes, steadying her chair, prevented her from falling.

The Death Warrior tossed a loosely wrapped bundle to the ground. The contents spilled out with a clatter: the pair of bound-foot shoes they had seen earlier, along with rouge, powder, and other cosmetics.

Before anyone could examine the shoes, the Death Warrior hurled a child forward. The boy was tightly bound and snarled like a wild dog, snapping at the air.

“Liu Dagou!” Jiang City Guard paled at the sight and leaned forward to help, but Ling Shui yanked her back.

Standing at the back of the crowd, Yun Chuanzhi heard the familiar name and her face darkened. She had merely made up the name on a whim—how could someone actually be called that?

“Mother, don’t act rashly,” Ling Shui warned, frowning.

Jiang City Guard couldn’t bear to watch the child’s plight. She clasped her hands in a formal gesture and said, “Sect Leader, this boy is a street urchin. She was snatched by wild beasts in the mountains as a child and raised among them, hence her wolf-like nature. I rescued her two years ago.”

“But her animal instincts remain strong, making her difficult to control. She broke through the door and windows and escaped a few days ago. He’s never harmed anyone, so perhaps there’s been some misunderstanding…”

“Rest assured, Jiang City Guard,” Bai Fenghuo said. “This Seat will not harm him.” She glanced at Yun Chuanzhi, who retrieved a helmet from a box and placed it on Liu Dagou’s head.

They repeated the earlier questions. The same answers echoed from the helmet, the child’s innocent voice falling into the vast theater’s silence.

Bai Fenghuo broke the silence. “Yesterday, while this Seat was resting at the Jiang City Guard’s residence, this child secretly infiltrated the estate. She used a sleeping incense to knock everyone unconscious, then placed the deceased’s family heirloom—a waist pendant—in This Seat’s room, attempting to frame me for the crime.”

“According to her testimony, a white-robed woman, standing eight feet tall, instructed her to do this. This proves the true culprit is someone else.”

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances. A’Tao, who had been standing beside General Tu Yun, spoke up. “What is that thing Liu Dagou is wearing?”

“It’s called the Truth Helmet,” Yun Chuanzhi interjected, her smile widening as she approached A’Tao with the helmet. “Anyone who wears it must answer truthfully, even if they’re mute. Care to test its veracity?”

A’Tao hastily shook her head.

“If General Tu Yun doesn’t believe me, he’s welcome to try it herself,” Yun Chuanzhi said, approaching General Tu Yun. The general’s face darkened, as if she wanted to explode in anger, but she managed to suppress her fury and replied, “There’s no need.”

If it truly answers all questions, who would dare wear it? General Tu Yun stewed in frustration for a moment before asking, “But where in the city could we find a woman eight feet tall?”

“This device can answer that question,” Yun Chuanzhi interjected, speaking for Bai Fenghuo.

She pointed to the platform shoes on the ground. “These are worn by actors in plays to imitate the pitiful women of the barbarian lands who were forced to bind their feet. If a tall woman were to wear these shoes and don a long skirt, wouldn’t she appear to be an eight-foot-tall woman to a child?”

“As for the woman’s voice, I believe everyone in Youji City knows of the Horned Painted Eyebrow Immortal. He’s not only a skilled ventriloquist but can also mimic dozens of different voices.”

Before she finished speaking, the gentle music on the stage paused imperceptibly for a moment before resuming its flowing melody.

Bai Xiaochen’s eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at Bai Fenghuo before ordering, “Bring the Painted Eyebrow Immortal here.”

The music stopped. After a moment, a tall, slender woman descended from the stage. She had sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a fair complexion, and no facial hair. Her voice was gentle and melodious as she bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Immortal Masters.”

It was the same person who had driven General Tu Yun away from the rear courtyard earlier.

“A mortal?” General Tu Yun stared in disbelief, then turned to Sect Leader Bai. “Sect Leader Bai, how could a mortal kill so many people? And why would she frame you?”

“Haven’t you noticed that all the victims were mortals too?” Yun Chuanzhi interrupted.

General Tu Yun bristled at her rudeness, but Bai Fenghuo waved Yun Chuanzhi back to her side.

Then she spoke, “Do you want to know how This Seat discovered you, Pei Shaoqing?”

The man, who had maintained her composure until now, visibly trembled at the mention of that name. After a long pause, she finally looked up with a faint smile, remaining silent.

“You still underestimate This Seat. Did you think such a simple trick could trap me?” Bai Fenghuo leaned back in her circular chair, her eyes narrowed as she studied the man. “Do you know that This Seat keeps a detailed register of everyone I’ve killed?”

“It lists their names, reasons for execution, and the names and details of their family members—everything is meticulously recorded,” Bai Fenghuo said, tossing a gold-stamped ledger onto the table before him.

The ledger fell open, revealing a page with three glaring characters:

“Pei Xunqian.”