The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 46

Yun Chuanzhi wanted to say something, but when she met Bai Fenghuo’s gaze, she swallowed her words and finally smiled.

“I understand,” she said.

Bai Fenghuo had always regarded others’ lives as meaningless, and Yun Chuanzhi herself was no different. Though a faint worry lingered in her heart, she couldn’t quite articulate it.

During her time in Avici City, apart from her parents who died early, her only connection had been with Sister Guiren. Beyond her, there was no one else. She had never cared about anyone, nor had she ever protected anyone.

The living population of Avici City was already small, and as for the demons and ghosts, their deaths were of no concern to him.

A person’s life was inherently solitary and empty, arriving alone and departing alone, each with their own destiny.

Therefore, Cheng Jinshu also had her own destiny.

Seeing Yun Chuanzhi offer no objection, Bai Fenghuo was pleased. The sharpness in her eyes faded as she extended her hand to Yun Chuanzhi, saying wearily, “Let’s go. Accompany This Seat to cultivate.”

Yun Chuanzhi took her palm in both hands and helped her walk toward the top of Wuwu Cliff.

The autumn wind whistled through the air, filling the desolate Wuwu Cliff Top with withered leaves. The swirling leaves danced in the wind, and if one stared at them long enough, the cliff seemed to sway like a great ship caught in a storm.

To steady her mind, Yun Chuanzhi had to lower her gaze to the withered yellow grass below.

Wuwu Cliff Top was Bai Fenghuo’s secluded cultivation ground, forbidden to ordinary people. Though Yun Chuanzhi had visited before, this was the first time she truly took in the details.

A towering, withered tree stood alone on the cliff. Its bark was long dried and lifeless, showing no signs of vitality. A swing had once hung from its branches, but since Yun Chuanzhi had secretly chopped it down to make an umbrella, only the solitary tree remained.

“Just watch from the side,” Bai Fenghuo said, releasing Yun Chuanzhi’s hand. She sat cross-legged, her bright eyes closing. Her robes billowed without wind, making her seem to float between the mountains and the sky.

Withered leaves swirled around him, drawn as if by an invisible force. From a distance, they resembled a swarm of dancing butterflies. At the center of this swirling vortex, Bai Fenghuo’s features were serene, her hair swaying gently, as if she were ascending to immortality.

So this is how cultivators in the Tribulation Transcension Stage cultivate, Yun Chuanzhi thought, mesmerized. She sat cross-legged as well, forming a meditation seal with her hands and entering a meditative trance.

With Bai Fenghuo by her side, Yun Chuanzhi felt the mountain’s spiritual energy surging toward her Spirit Platform, even without the aid of a Formation. The effect was far more potent than when using a Formation, achieving twice the results with half the effort.

The spiritual energy flooded her body, swirling gently within him, repeatedly strengthening her mortal meridians and expanding her divine sense.

In a moment of clarity, Yun Chuanzhi understood Bai Fenghuo’s true purpose in having her guard her. The pretense of protection was a facade; her real intention was to aid her cultivation. Reciting another Heart Incantation, she plunged her divine sense into her Spirit Platform, fully entering the realm of Heartflow.

In the void within her Spirit Platform, she thought of Bai Fenghuo, a strange mix of bittersweetness and warmth washing over him.

Once she entered this meditative state, time ceased to exist. When Yun Chuanzhi finally opened her eyes, her senses sharpened, a crescent moon hung high in the sky.

The deep azure sky framed the crescent moon like a glowing lantern, so close she could almost see the flowing silhouettes of Immortals upon its surface.

Bai Fenghuo remained in meditation, though the withered leaves had scattered. A chilling aura condensed around her, freezing the dark brows into a layer of frost. Sensing something amiss, Yun Chuanzhi leaned closer.

The closer she got, the more bone-chilling the cold became. Realizing this was no ordinary cultivation state, Yun Chuanzhi swiftly channeled spiritual energy into her hand and gently probed Bai Fenghuo’s brow.

Within her meridians, frigid energy clashed violently, causing spiritual energy to flow in reverse. Her fragile Spirit Platform teetered on the brink of collapse. Yun Chuanzhi hastily withdrew her spiritual energy and gently patted her shoulder. “Sect Leader?”

Could Bai Fenghuo have died from cultivation here? Yun Chuanzhi’s heart pounded with dread. She quickly channeled spiritual energy to draw a talisman in mid-air. After their recent cultivation session, she could now wield spiritual energy with ease, no longer fearing depletion.

The talisman formed swiftly. Yun Chuanzhi murmured a Heart Incantation and pressed it against Bai Fenghuo’s chest.

The glowing talisman sank through her robes and into her body, threading through her meridians to reach her Spirit Platform. Like a gentle breeze, it settled upon the Spirit Platform, its power rapidly dispersing the frigid energy. The frost on Bai Fenghuo’s body quickly melted into mist, then condensed into droplets that trickled down her cheeks, neck, and into her robes.

Before long, Yun Chuanzhi’s hands were soaked, yet Bai Fenghuo remained unconscious. Afraid to withdraw her support prematurely, she maintained the flow of spiritual energy.

A gust of wind chilled the moisture on Bai Fenghuo’s skin, causing her to frown and begin to shiver.

Yun Chuanzhi finally understood why Bai Fenghuo, despite being a once-in-a-century genius who had cultivated for over a hundred years, had only reached the Tribulation Transcension Stage. If every cultivation session brought her to the brink of disaster, it was no wonder she had grown lax in her practice.

After all, who knew when the next violent clash of cold energy might send her soul to the Western Paradise?

Another incense stick’s worth of time passed. Bai Fenghuo trembled even more violently, but the chaotic flow of spiritual energy in her meridians finally began to stabilize. Guided by the talisman, the surging energy slowly returned to its proper channels, flowing back into her Spirit Platform.

Color returned to her pale face, and her willow-leaf eyes gradually opened, meeting Yun Chuanzhi’s gaze.

She lowered her head, her dark brows visibly twitching as she stared at Yun Chuanzhi’s hand resting on her chest.

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” Yun Chuanzhi hurriedly explained, her words tumbling out in a rush, terrified that Bai Fenghuo might misunderstand and, in a fit of anger, decapitate her.

“The cold energy had invaded your body. I was just trying to help,” Yun Chuanzhi whispered, then steeled herself to dispel the talisman and withdraw her hand.

Her palm was damp, whether from sweat or the melting frost on Bai Fenghuo’s body, she couldn’t tell.

“You’re quite bold,” Bai Fenghuo said coldly, though her voice was so weak it sounded like a mosquito’s buzz. “Aren’t you afraid This Seat might suffer a qi deviation and blast you to smithereens first?”

Seeing Bai Fenghuo so frail for the first time, Yun Chuanzhi realized her threats carried no weight.

No wonder Bai Fenghuo never allowed anyone to approach her during cultivation, even setting up multiple layers of barriers on the cliff, Yun Chuanzhi thought. And no wonder she never let the Medical Immortal near her.

If others knew about her chronic illness and how she looked during cultivation, those who hated her would rush in without hesitation, Yun Chuanzhi realized.

Just as Yun Chuanzhi was thinking this, Bai Fenghuo swayed momentarily and collapsed backward. Instinctively, Yun Chuanzhi reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her into her embrace.

Overestimating Bai Fenghuo’s weight, Yun Chuanzhi accidentally used too much force, causing them to collide abruptly. To an outsider, it would have looked like a tender embrace.

“I-I’m sorry,” Yun Chuanzhi murmured apologetically. Bai Fenghuo lay buried in her arms, seemingly drained of all strength, responding with only a faint hum.

Yun Chuanzhi tried to release her, but the moment she loosened her grip, the woman’s body slumped downward like a willow branch severed from its trunk.

Forced to maintain the hold, Yun Chuanzhi awkwardly glanced around. “Should I go find some Ling Shui?”

Bai Fenghuo remained silent for a long moment before finally whispering, “What do you think?”

That meant no. Yun Chuanzhi nodded. Fortunately, her recent cultivation had significantly increased her internal energy and physical strength, making it easy to cradle Bai Fenghuo in her arms.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Yun Chuanzhi cautiously asked, “Is every cultivation session like this for you?”

“Yes,” Bai Fenghuo replied, her brow furrowing in discomfort. “Due to my old injury, cultivating causes spiritual energy to backflow. The longer I cultivate, the more drained I become.”

It was hard to imagine this proud and arrogant figure enduring such suffering in secret. Yun Chuanzhi’s heart ached as she looked away.

My heart is too soft, Yun Chuanzhi thought.

Bai Fenghuo continued, “Yun Chuanzhi, about this…”

“Don’t worry,” Yun Chuanzhi assured him, raising both hands in a gesture of promise. “I’ll never tell anyone.” As soon as she lowered her hands, the body in her arms slumped backward again. Yun Chuanzhi quickly bent down to catch him.

Bai Fenghuo’s crimson lips twitched as if she wanted to curse her, but she lacked the strength and barely managed to restrain herself.

“Take This Seat back to my chambers to rest,” Bai Fenghuo said, closing her eyes.

Yun Chuanzhi nodded. She knelt down and carefully lifted her into her arms. Bai Fenghuo’s layered robes made her awkward to carry, but Yun Chuanzhi’s recent gains in strength and cultivation made the task manageable.

Bai Fenghuo was visibly surprised. Leaning against her shoulder, she murmured in astonishment, “You seem to have grown taller.”

“Just growing up,” Yun Chuanzhi replied with a smile, stepping toward the stairs leading to the jungle path.

Bai Fenghuo chuckled softly in Yun Chuanzhi’s arms, then after a moment, said, “Yun Chuanzhi.”

“Hmm?”

“This Seat is a bit cold.”

The woman shivered. Yun Chuanzhi suddenly realized that the body in her arms was icy cold. After all, it was a chilly autumn night, and Bai Fenghuo’s clothes were soaked through, causing her to tremble uncontrollably.

“These clothes are too heavy,” Bai Fenghuo said. “Help This Seat change.”

Her voice was ethereal. This vulnerable Bai Fenghuo, so different from her usual sharp and seductive self, was even harder to refuse. Yun Chuanzhi said nothing, but carried her to a nearby pavilion and gently set her down.

When her hand reached for Bai Fenghuo’s collar, she paused.

If the woman removed her outer robes, she would be left in only a thin undergarment. The sheer silk fabric barely concealed her skin even when dry, and now that it was soaked, it was even more translucent and flimsy.

But Bai Fenghuo was shivering incessantly, her lips showing faint signs of turning purple. Yun Chuanzhi suppressed her conflicted emotions and swiftly unfastened the robes. She retrieved a fresh set from a wooden chest and draped it over Bai Fenghuo’s shoulders.

The new robes were made of cloud brocade, dyed a delicate lake-blue hue. Wispy white gaps resembling clouds remained at the hem, lending the garment an elegant and refined air.

Yun Chuanzhi knelt to tie the sash around Bai Fenghuo’s waist. Bai Fenghuo leaned against a pavilion pillar, her dark eyes reflecting Yun Chuanzhi’s bowed head, her thoughts drifting into a daze.

Yun Chuanzhi’s nimble hands tied the sash into a perfect knot. Bai Fenghuo asked softly, “Did you make this robe?”

“Thanks to the Sect Leader, I managed to get a spinning wheel. This is the fabric I wove a few days ago as a trial run,” Yun Chuanzhi replied. “I originally intended to make it for myself, but I accidentally made it too large.”

Her mind had wandered while cutting the fabric, drifting back to her previous life’s figure. Only after finishing the sewing did she realize her current body was too slender to fit into it.

Bai Fenghuo gets lucky again, she thought wryly.

Bai Fenghuo chuckled, her expression inscrutable.

Yun Chuanzhi straightened Bai Fenghuo’s skirt and stood up. Bai Fenghuo naturally extended her noble arm toward her. Yun Chuanzhi paused for a moment, silently acknowledging her entitlement, before resignedly bending down and lifting her into her arms once more.

It was better when she was smaller and weaker, Yun Chuanzhi mused. With greater power comes greater responsibility. If Bai Fenghuo refuses to walk from now on, will I have to carry her around every day?

She shook her head, laughing at her overthinking. Bai Fenghuo was too proud to let anyone see her being carried by a mere Little Immortal Servant.

That’s good, she thought, secretly rotating her aching wrist. This is exhausting.

The night was dark and quiet. They encountered no one on their way back to Spring Encounter Pavilion. Yun Chuanzhi successfully carried Bai Fenghuo back to her chambers, closed the door with her foot, and gently laid her back on the bed.

Yun Chuanzhi lit another calming incense stick and set down the fire starter. By then, Bai Fenghuo had already draped her hand over the edge of the bed, fast asleep.

With her eyes closed, much of her usual coldness and sharpness vanished. Yun Chuanzhi watched her quietly for a moment before gently placing her wrist back on the bed and covering her with the quilt.

He was simply exhausted. With Bai Fenghuo’s cultivation level, a night’s rest should be enough to restore him.

Having carried her all the way, Yun Chuanzhi was also utterly drained. She closed the palace doors, returned to her chambers, and tried to fall asleep as usual. However, after tossing and turning for what felt like an eternity, her mind remained stubbornly clear.

For the first time since arriving in the Qianyuan Realm, where she had slept soundly every night, Yun Chuanzhi found herself sleepless. She tossed and turned so much that even Blackie, the black egg nestled in the corner, grew annoyed. Finally, she leaped out of bed, pushed open the door, and stepped outside.

The moon hung high overhead, a slender crescent tonight, yet its light remained undiminished. Perhaps because the sky was utterly cloudless, the earth seemed dusted with silvery frost, shrouding everything in a luminous veil.

Yun Chuanzhi carried a jar of wine she had somehow acquired—it had been gathering dust in her room. Hoping to induce drowsiness, she took a sip, only to spit it out immediately.

“This is awful,” she muttered, setting the jar down with distaste and settling onto the steps beneath the eaves, her heart heavy with an unidentifiable weight.

Light footsteps approached from behind. Without turning, Yun Chuanzhi knew it was Ling Shui. She grabbed the wine jar from the ground and tossed it to her. Ling Shui flipped her wrist, conjuring a vortex of qi in her palm to catch the jar steadily. She tilted her head back and took a long swig.

The cool, elegant woman stood beneath the moonlight, wine spilling down her cheek, yet radiating a sense of bold abandon.

“You actually drink?” Yun Chuanzhi remarked. Ling Shui wiped her mouth, tugged lightly at the hem of her robe, and gracefully sat down.

“Not very well,” Ling Shui sighed, her eyes tinged with worry. “The Sect Leader is preoccupied with urgent matters and has only dispatched Sect Leader Bi and a few Immortal Cultivators to deal with the Great Demon. They haven’t mentioned searching for Cheng Jinshu at all.”

“A Tenth-Tier Great Demon is no easy foe. With Cheng Jinshu alone out there, I can’t shake this unease,” Ling Shui shook her head.

Ling Shui possessed an innate sense of responsibility, making her a promising candidate for Immortal Cultivation, one who genuinely cared for the world. Yun Chuanzhi glanced sideways at her, recalling their recent closeness—the three of them had grown close, often working, laughing, and sharing stories together.

In Ling Shui’s heart, Cheng Jinshu must have already become a dear friend, hence her deep anxiety.

“Aren’t you worried at all?” Ling Shui suddenly asked.

Yun Chuanzhi’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to shake her head, but her neck stiffened. Finally, she forced a smile. “Of course I’m worried. But what can I do?”

Ling Shui nodded, though she didn’t intend to blame him, Yun Chuanzhi could sense the disappointment hidden in her eyes. Her heart trembled again, and she looked away.

“Cheng Jinshu’s whereabouts remain unknown. The Sect Leader isn’t worried, nor is the Sect Leader. As for me…” Ling Shui’s face fell, and she let out a long sigh.

“Yun Chuanzhi, don’t you think that even though Mount Everlasting is filled with cultivators, all their cultivation seems to lead to arrogance and indifference?” Ling Shui said, taking another sip of wine, her expression both perplexed and lost.

Yun Chuanzhi gazed at her, recalling the impoverished Jiang City Guard down in Youji City. She had initially thought the two bore no resemblance as mother and daughter, but now she saw a faint similarity.

“Indeed,” Yun Chuanzhi replied truthfully.

“Is the sole purpose of Immortal Cultivation merely to break through to Great Ascension and attain immortality?” Ling Shui’s eyes were filled with confusion. She chuckled. “After cultivating for so long, rising higher and higher, do we truly come to see all living beings as mere ants, unable to muster even a shred of compassion?”

“You’re drunk,” Yun Chuanzhi said, shaking her head.

“I haven’t,” Ling Shui said, setting down the wine jar. She suddenly stood up, her snow-white robes blending seamlessly with the moonlight. “Yun Chuanzhi, I want to go down the mountain.”

Yun Chuanzhi’s heart tightened. “Where are you going?”

“To find Cheng Jinshu,” Ling Shui replied, gripping the long whip coiled around her waist. “In such a vast sect, surely someone should care enough to look for her.”

“Besides, her disappearance is suspicious. She might not have gone to seek out the Great Demon on her own. She could be under its control, or being threatened. She probably didn’t tell us because she didn’t want us to worry.”

“If it were me or you—or even Sect Leader Bi or Sect Leader Mo—who had gone missing, she would definitely come looking for us,” Ling Shui said, her eyes reflecting the moonlight. “Please apologize to Sect Leader Bi for me. Ling Shui is abandoning her post without permission. If I return alive, I’ll accept whatever punishment she deems fit.”

“You can’t go alone!” Yun Chuanzhi sprang to her feet, frowning. “That’s a Tenth-Tier Great Demon! You’re only at the Golden Core Stage. How could you possibly stand a chance?”

“Don’t worry. Sect Leader Bi and Immortal Elder Mo Liuzheng have already gone to Floating Jade Mountain. If I get any news, I’ll immediately ask them for help,” Ling Shui said, her determination clear. She smiled at Yun Chuanzhi, her eyes shining brightly.

“Take care of the Sect Leader and wait for my return,” Ling Shui said, swiftly turning into a beam of white light that ascended into the moonlit sky, merging seamlessly with the lunar glow until she vanished completely.

She moved too quickly for Yun Chuanzhi to stop her, leaving her standing rooted to the spot, stomping angrily on the moonlit ground.

I should never have formed connections with others. I should never have interfered with their karma. Yun Chuanzhi tilted her head back to gaze at the moon, recalling a memory from years ago. After slaughtering invaders, she had returned home covered in bl00d. Sister Guiren, who was cooking soup, had smiled at him.

“Yun Chuanzhi, Yun Chuanzhi, how can you be colder and more heartless than my puppets?” she had teased. “If you ever have a lover, will you treat them with such indifference?”

Yun Chuanzhi had never had a lover, nor even a friend. Even when Sister Guiren died in her arms, she hadn’t shed a tear. Instead, a void had opened in her heart, a void that remained empty to this day.

Closing her eyes, Yun Chuanzhi felt an overwhelming weariness. She turned and walked back into the hall, quietly gathering spirit stones and clothing into a wooden chest.

Blackie sat on the table, tilting her head to watch her. Yun Chuanzhi reached out and patted her icy head, saying in a low voice, “I’ll send you to Bai Fenghuo later. When she wakes up, tell her I’m still worried about Cheng Jinshu and need to go down the mountain to gather information.”

“If she gets angry, help me sweet-talk her into forgiving me. If she takes her anger out on you, just let her. You can’t die anyway, and your head is as hard as a rock.”

Blackie rolled her eyes.

Yun Chuanzhi paused, then continued in a soft murmur, “Sect Leader Bi drinks a cup of clear spring water from Muli Divine Peak every morning, steamed with the freshest Ice Lotus petals. She washes her face with Rootless Water that never melts, collected from the summit of Mount Everlasting’s Main Peak, and eats freshly steamed Poria and Osmanthus Cake. At 10 AM daily, she needs a cup of Beauty and Nourishing Soup. Since it’s getting colder, skip the Ice Brand and switch to freshly brewed Pu’er Tea…”

“I’m leaving now. Take care of her for me.”

With that, she picked up Blackie, placed her on her shoulder, and tiptoed into the inner chamber. Bai Fenghuo was still sound asleep, her brow relaxed, indicating she had weathered the worst of her illness.

Yun Chuanzhi set Blackie down and, by the moonlight, tucked the kicked-off blankets back around Bai Fenghuo. She then channeled spiritual energy into her body, confirming her pulse was steady and the lingering cold had dissipated. Satisfied, she relaxed.

She rubbed her palms together, feeling a lingering unease. After pouring morning tea and placing it on the table, she drew a calming talisman and affixed it to the headboard. With nothing left to do, she crouched beside the bed, gazing blankly at Bai Fenghuo’s sleeping profile.

This isn’t right, she thought. I should be avoiding these chores, yet I’m doing them so naturally now. Yun Chuanzhi glared at Bai Fenghuo, resentment simmering in her heart, but she knew there was no other way.

She reached out to smooth a stray strand of hair at Bai Fenghuo’s temple, then tucked the corner of the blanket more securely around her before quietly leaving.

As the door closed, Bai Fenghuo’s tightly shut eyes slowly opened, moonlight glinting coldly in their depths. Blackie jolted awake and scrambled to escape, but a silken ribbon snaked around him, lifting her heavily into the woman’s palm.

“Where did Yun Chuanzhi go?” Bai Fenghuo asked softly, a faint smile playing on her lips.