The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 5

“If you won’t drink the toast, you’ll drink the penalty!” the woman cursed, lunging forward to drag the frail-looking girl out the door. But before her hand could touch the hem of her robe, something pinched her fingertips.

He looked down in astonishment to see a tiny, exquisitely carved stone figure gripping her hand. The miniature figure glowed with an ethereal blue light as it floated effortlessly before him.

In that moment of shock, the girl across from her suddenly smiled, her lips curving into a mischievous grin. The stone figure mirrored her expression, its stubby arms lifting in a swift, graceful arc.

In an instant, the man’s massive body was flung backward, crashing into the cooking pot with a resounding thud. Hot porridge splattered everywhere, showering the room as she clutched her scalded rear and howled in agony.

Yun Chuanzhi, quick-witted and nimble, ducked under the table. But the crowd that had gathered to watch the commotion wasn’t so lucky. Scalding porridge rained down on their heads and faces, and a chorus of wails erupted as the crowd scattered in panic.

The room was in utter chaos, like a pot of boiling porridge gone wild. Immortal Servants scattered in panic, clutching their heads, while the woman who had fallen on her rear abandoned her tirade against Yun Chuanzhi and fled out the door in search of water to wash herself off.

As the commotion faded into the distance, the once-raucous West Sloping Pavilion quickly fell into silence.

The floating stone figure, having exhausted its last trace of spiritual energy, plummeted to the ground with a thud, shattering into several unremarkable pebbles.

Yun Chuanzhi gazed regretfully at the dull, lifeless stones. The spiritual energy within them had been nearly depleted by the Body Offering Formation; using them even once more would be impossible.

Still, she carefully gathered the pebbles into her sleeve. After all, this crude little stone puppet was the closest thing she had to a friend since arriving in the Qianyuan Realm.

However, the food near the stove had been completely ruined in the chaos. After rummaging through the mess, Yun Chuanzhi managed to salvage a bun that wasn’t too dusty.

Thank goodness! If she rinsed it off, it would still be edible. She carefully stowed the bun away and turned to leave the West Sloping Pavilion.

Meanwhile, in the Spring Encounter Pavilion at the summit of Fifth Peak, a woman in a smoky purple robe reclined on a soft chair cushioned with silver silk. Her brow furrowed in displeasure, and the tea beside her had grown cold.

Before her floated a bronze mirror magnified dozens of times, its surface reflecting Yun Chuanzhi’s retreating figure as she left the West Sloping Pavilion.

“After she woke up, did she only go to the West Sloping Pavilion? Nowhere else?” Bai Fenghuo asked, gently massaging her temples with her index finger as she closed her eyes to rest her weary gaze.

“No, Sect Leader,” Ling Shui replied, kneeling with her head bowed at the doorway.

“Did she ask you anything after waking up?” Bai Fenghuo pressed.

“Nothing much…” Ling Shui hesitated, then her eyes lit up. “Oh, right! She asked what year it was.”

“Oh? What was her reaction?” Bai Fenghuo lowered her lashes to glance at Ling Shui. When their eyes suddenly met, Ling Shui’s shoulders jerked in fright, and she quickly lowered her head again.

“I, I didn’t really notice…”

Useless, Bai Fenghuo thought, withdrawing her gaze. She picked up a half-dry handkerchief from the table, wiped her mouth, and tossed the cloth to the ground. “This handkerchief is dry. Bring me a fresh one.”

Ling Shui hesitated for a moment before summoning her courage to speak. “Your lips are almost bleeding from rubbing…”

But halfway through her sentence, she met Bai Fenghuo’s gaze, and the rest of her words died in her throat. She could only respectfully exchange the soiled handkerchief for a fresh one made of the finest cloud silk, sprinkled with precious Heavenly Spring Water, and kneel to present it to Bai Fenghuo.

She watched as the woman took the handkerchief and wiped her lips again, already stained crimson.

Bai Fenghuo pinched the used handkerchief between two fingers and tossed it aside, unable to shake off her disgust. She meticulously cared for her lips daily, using priceless lip rouge purchased from Celestial Emperor City. How could she have been careless enough to let that demon defile them?

If only she hadn’t hesitated yesterday, she could have struck while the iron was hot and killed her then and there. It was also that demon’s cunning—he had disguised herself as Cui Ergou at the critical moment.

When people act recklessly, they often need a surge of momentum to carry them through. Yesterday, Bai Fenghuo had that reckless energy, killing without hesitation. But now that the momentum had dissipated, more cautious considerations had taken over.

What exactly was this “calamity” Old Woman Whitebrow spoke of? Would it threaten Mount Everlasting? And if she were to perish in this calamity, would it bring satisfaction to those who hated her?

If her spirit were to witness them clapping and cheering, wouldn’t she explode with rage?

These thoughts swirled endlessly in Bai Fenghuo’s mind, leaving her restless and irritable.

She took a sip of cool tea, finally dispelling some of her inner turmoil. “Has the outer sect Immortal Servant who shared a room with Cui Ergou awakened?”

“Sect Leader, she has awakened,” Ling Shui reported. “According to her account, after Cui Ergou fainted and regained consciousness, she seemed like a completely different person. She wielded dark magic, acted viciously, and inexplicably knocked her unconscious. She remembers nothing after that.”

Bai Fenghuo hummed in acknowledgment, her gaze fixed on a distant point. Her slender, polished nails tapped rhythmically against the armrest of her circular chair, as if deep in thought.

After a long silence, she spoke again, her voice cool and measured: “Do not inquire further about Cui Ergou. If you attract unwanted attention, you know the consequences.”

Though her tone remained mild, the underlying threat was chillingly clear.

“This servant wouldn’t dare,” Ling Shui replied hastily.

“Excellent.” Bai Fenghuo was pleased with her obedience. “Go bring her here.”

Before Ling Shui could respond, Bai Fenghuo frowned slightly. “Never mind. You’d be too slow and might disturb my afternoon rest.”

With a flick of her sleeve, a vibrant purple light, like swirling clouds, filled the chamber. The Void-Piercing Bronze Mirror vanished from mid-air.

As the light faded, Yun Chuanzhi, covered in dust and grime, materialized in the center of the chamber with a thump. The air filled with choking smoke and swirling dust. A gust of wind swept through, lifting Bai Fenghuo’s meticulously styled hair into the air, where it tangled into a rope-like mass above her head.

Bai Fenghuo’s sharp nails nearly pierced her palm as she pressed her lips into a thin line, her expression unreadable as she stared at “Cui Ergou.”

The girl sat cross-legged, a dazed look on her face. In her left hand, she held a mud-caked roasted chicken, while her right hand gripped a wooden skewer impaling a roasted fish. A roaring bonfire blazed before her, billowing black smoke that transformed the fragrant, elegant chamber into something resembling a boiler room.

Ling Shui stood with her mouth agape, pressing a hand to her forehead, unable to bear the sight of this catastrophic scene.

Their Sect Leader was a meticulous person who wouldn’t let a single strand of hair fall out of place, even in sleep. Could this incident drive her to skin Cui Ergou alive?

What’s going on? Yun Chuanzhi silently swallowed the chicken in her mouth, glancing around wordlessly.

Earlier, she had been so hungry that her stomach was pressed against her back. Forced to venture into the mountains, she relied on hunting skills from her past life to catch a plump wild pheasant and net a fresh fish from the stream.

Now, after only a few bites, she was being dragged here?

Two more bangs followed, and the fire and smoke before Yun Chuanzhi vanished completely. She looked up to meet Bai Fenghuo’s gaze. The woman had already restored her cloud-like black hair, now covering her red lips with a handkerchief, revealing only a pair of slightly disdainful willow-leaf eyes.

“Ling Shui, stand guard outside,” Bai Fenghuo ordered. Ling Shui, feeling as if she had been granted a pardon, rose and retreated immediately.

Only the two of them remained in the hall.

“As my personal Immortal Servant, you abandoned your post without permission. Do you realize the gravity of your offense?” Her voice was soft, yet her tone brooked no argument. Each word seemed to weigh down on her heart, making it sink a little deeper with every syllable.

Is she finally going to retaliate? Yun Chuanzhi’s heart tightened, but Bai Fenghuo suddenly shifted her tone mid-sentence.

“I overlooked your impertinence that day, considering your youth and lack of discretion. Therefore, I refrained from punishing you.”

Bai Fenghuo rose slowly. Her tightly fitted waist and voluminous skirt accentuated her graceful figure, swaying with each movement. “Do not repeat this transgression.”

Yun Chuanzhi was inwardly astonished.

Bai Fenghuo was not one to tolerate such disrespect. Why was she letting this go so easily? What was she really up to?

Could it be that she was so wary of her that, despite repeated tests, she still hesitated to eliminate him? But she was merely a powerless Immortal Servant, devoid of spiritual energy. What threat could she possibly pose?

If not suspicion, then why would she tolerate such insolence? Or did she have some other motive?

Yun Chuanzhi lowered her head, her mind racing with possibilities.

Just then, her stomach rumbled loudly. She spoke softly, “Sect Leader, may this servant…”

He was about to mention that the roasted chicken would lose its flavor if it cooled when two sharp bangs echoed through the air. The heavy roasted chicken and fish in her hands instantly dissolved into shimmering dust, vanishing into the air.

Bai Fenghuo’s languid voice drifted softly into Yun Chuanzhi’s ear: “This sect leader’s chambers will not tolerate such filth.”

Yun Chuanzhi’s heart pounded wildly.

Her roasted chicken, her fish—the food she had finally managed to find after three days of starvation—had vanished into ash before her very eyes.

If she were Yun Chuanzhi, she would have darkened her face, pinned the offender beneath her palm, and taught them a brutal lesson, then torn them to shreds in her fury. But in her current state, she was utterly powerless.

What if she were Cui Ergou?

A helpless, bullied, starving girl, overwhelmed by injustice.

With this thought, she squeezed her eyes shut, cleared her throat, and steeled herself.

Then, she collapsed into a soft kneel, covered her face, and began to wail uncontrollably.

Her sudden, heart-wrenching sobs startled Bai Fenghuo, who instinctively recoiled two steps, her delicate shoulders trembling in shock.

Ever since Bai Fenghuo had established her independence as Sect Leader of Fifth Peak, no one had dared to act so brazenly before her. Even shedding tears was done with trembling caution, let alone such a soul-shattering cry.

“Just some trash, not some rare delicacy. Why are you crying so hysterically?” Bai Fenghuo frowned and cursed, raising her hand to silence Yun Chuanzhi’s wails. However, when the purple light struck the girl twice, the crying only intensified, threatening to shake the heavens and shatter the earth.

Bai Fenghuo was genuinely stunned. Her Immortal Art had failed against this girl.

Just what kind of being is this fiend?! Bai Fenghuo’s heart churned with alarm. She subtly shifted her posture, concealing the panic flashing in her eyes from Yun Chuanzhi’s view.

“Enough! Stop this pathetic wailing. It’s an eyesore,” Bai Fenghuo snapped, but she didn’t press the matter further. “If you want something, just say it. Stop acting like a child.”

“This servant is hungry,” Yun Chuanzhi said.

Her slender frame sat huddled on the ground, knees drawn up to her chest, enveloped in her oversized robes. Her hair hung disheveled down her back, and her small face was wet and glistening like a flower bud drenched in rain, making her look utterly pitiful.

Her eyes, however, shone brightly, brimming with crystal-clear tears as she gazed at Bai Fenghuo with wounded innocence.

Most people approached Bai Fenghuo with a measure of fear, but this girl showed none. Her gaze held nothing but hurt, and for a fleeting moment, Bai Fenghuo found her anger dissipating under that unwavering stare.

How strange, Bai Fenghuo thought, lowering her lashes. She paced forward irritably, her sleeve sweeping through the air to conjure a low mahogany table before the girl. Several fragrant dishes arranged themselves neatly upon it.

“Eat,” Bai Fenghuo said coldly.

Yun Chuanzhi sniffled, raising a hand to wipe her tears. But when she saw the dust smudged on her sleeve, she lowered it with a hint of distaste.

After glancing around, she picked up a clean, flower-scented corner of a purple skirt from the ground. Under Bai Fenghuo’s astonished gaze, she meticulously wiped her face with it.