Chapter 8: I Will Raise Her

Linlang’s crimson eyes looked at Huo Zhi, aloof and distant, making Huo Zhi feel that her uninvited ruffling of Linlang’s feathers had been terribly rude.

“Sorry, I’ll explain later!” Huo Zhi said to Linlang.

“…” Linlang’s eyelids drooped slightly, and she didn’t move.

Huo Zhi was still worried that Linlang’s Happiness Value might decrease, but 006 did not announce any change.

Very soon, the Spiritual Qi in the room fluctuated violently, and Qin Ceyi entered.

“Master, why are you back so soon? Did you find that person?” Huo Zhi went over to greet him and asked.

“I didn’t find him. I investigated the disciples of Lotus Mist Peak, and it’s true, a Menial Disciple named Mo Zhenfeng is missing. Where could this Menial Disciple have gone? It’s like searching for a needle in the sea, incredibly hard to find. I’ve sealed Lotus Mist Peak for now. If he’s still on the peak, he certainly won’t be able to run,” Qin Ceyi said.

To the side, the motionless Linlang grew a little suspicious when she heard Qin Ceyi mention Mo Zhenfeng in an unfriendly tone. She didn’t know what exactly had happened, but it seemed the relationship between Huo Zhi and Mo Zhenfeng wasn’t very good.

Huo Zhi was disappointed by Qin Ceyi’s words. That Mo Zhenfeng had probably received a warning from a Fortune Guiding Talisman and escaped long ago.

“Yu’er, while I was looking for that disciple, I felt a loosening in my cultivation bottleneck. I’ll need to go into seclusion for a few days. I came here first to give you some instructions.” Qin Ceyi didn’t seem angry that he hadn’t found Mo Zhenfeng. His eyes gazed at Huo Zhi as if she were his forbidden possession.

As Huo Zhi’s skin crawled, her heart lurched, nearly causing her technique to go awry.

Wasn’t Qin Ceyi’s breakthrough to Core Formation Great Perfection supposed to be the day she died?

And this so-called ‘sealing the mountain to catch Mo Zhenfeng’ was probably just an excuse to trap her!

In the original story, Qin Ceyi had also sealed Lotus Mist Peak, but not this quickly. He had sealed it when he reached Core Formation Great Perfection and was about to use Huo Zhi’s original body as a Cauldron. Everything had changed now.

“What are your orders, Master?” Huo Zhi asked, suppressing her emotions.

“I’ve never had to worry about you. Just cultivate obediently, and send me a Sound Transmission if anything happens. Once I come out of seclusion, I’ll come find you. This Cinnabar Bird has woken up. How is her condition?” Qin Ceyi asked.

“Master, it seems the torture has turned her stupid. She knows nothing, only chirps like a bird, and tries to run around wildly. Just now, I was trying to catch her, which is why I couldn’t answer your Sound Transmission in time. Her injuries are too severe. I infused her with some Ice-Type Spiritual Qi, and she immediately behaved,” Huo Zhi said to Qin Ceyi, glancing at Linlang.

She hoped Linlang wouldn’t blame her. It would be even better if she could play along.

Linlang, on the other side, remained completely motionless, looking dazed and listless.

“Captured a piece of trash. What bad luck!” Qin Ceyi frowned, but he didn’t doubt Huo Zhi’s words. After all, when Linlang was at Beast Slave Peak, they said she was also silent, no matter how they beat or tortured her.

“Master, weren’t you going to interrogate her?” Huo Zhi asked, looking at Qin Ceyi.

“There’s no need to ask her right now. I’ll ask when I come out of seclusion. She still has a few Tail Feathers left on her body. Those can be plucked and sold for Spirit Stones first,” Qin Ceyi said, scanning Linlang’s body with his Spiritual Sense. She was covered in wounds, extremely weak, with barely a wisp of Spiritual Qi in her body. Sure enough, Huo Zhi’s Ice-Type Spiritual Qi was inside her.

Qin Ceyi still needed to go into seclusion; the opportunity was fleeting. With Linlang in this state, Qin Ceyi didn’t want to waste time interrogating her right now.

“Master, she’s lost so many feathers. She’s so ugly, how many Spirit Stones could she be worth? I heard Cinnabar Birds are very beautiful. Are her feathers ugly because of her injuries? Would they look better if her wounds healed a little? Master, I want to help you do something. Could you let me raise her for a few more days? By then, her Tail Feathers should be worth more Spirit Stones, right?” Huo Zhi said, unsure if she was acting out of character in front of Qin Ceyi. In her current state of the Dao of Ruthlessness, she was still very reluctant to let Linlang’s feathers be plucked. She could only use the most reasonable excuse possible.

“Yu’er truly is the most considerate. Right now, this bald bird is indeed worthless. This Cinnabar Bird Demon will stay with you for now. I’ll tell Zhu Cui to help you. If anything comes up, call her for assistance. Your master is going into seclusion for a few days,” Qin Ceyi said to Huo Zhi.

Huo Zhi was currently in the state of the Dao of Ruthlessness, which wasn’t much different from usual. The idea of raising the Cinnabar Bird was somewhat passable. Qin Ceyi was about to reach Core Formation Great Perfection, and when he did, he would need Huo Zhi to willingly act as his Cauldron. This small request from Huo Zhi was one Qin Ceyi agreed to.

Linlang’s injuries were severe, her body weak. Without a Healing Talisman, she couldn’t possibly recover quickly, so she wouldn’t cause any trouble. Conveniently, Huo Zhi’s Ice attribute countered her.

He had sealed Lotus Mist Peak. Before he came out of seclusion, no one could leave.

“Your disciple will watch over this Cinnabar Bird well. Master, focus on your cultivation without worry. I wish you an early breakthrough!” Huo Zhi said.

“Be good and wait for your master to come out.” Qin Ceyi looked at Huo Zhi, reached out to pat her head affectionately, his gaze lingering on her for a moment, then flashed away.

Huo Zhi felt goosebumps rise on her skin, her technique circulation thrown into chaos. She held it in until Qin Ceyi’s aura completely vanished. Then, the flowing Spiritual Qi broke free from its reins, and after breaking from the technique, her tail emerged. Huo Zhi’s cold, desireless expression crumbled at a visible speed.

“What is Linlang’s Happiness Value?” Huo Zhi first asked 006, looking at Linlang.

“Negative 8620. It has risen some. Just now, when the Host was speaking with Qin Ceyi, I didn’t dare interrupt,” 006 said.

Huo Zhi recalled saying Linlang was stupid and ugly and was afraid Linlang had gotten angry and her Happiness Value had dropped. Instead, it had actually risen!

“Just now, I had no choice. I couldn’t let Qin Ceyi take you away. I offended you. You’re not ugly right now, really, you’re extremely beautiful. When your feathers grow back properly, you’ll be even more beautiful. Everything I said to Qin Ceyi was false. Don’t take it to heart,” Huo Zhi said to Linlang.

Linlang looked at Huo Zhi.

Extremely beautiful?

This person certainly knew how to put on an act.

Linlang had seen Huo Zhi’s ‘performance’ clearly. It was a seamless blend of truth and falsehood, leaving Linlang once again doubting the authenticity of Huo Zhi’s current expressions and actions.

But Huo Zhi’s act just now had been to protect her, to the point of deceiving her own Master. Linlang’s impression of Huo Zhi grew even more complicated.

Linlang was currently in the form of a Cinnabar Bird. Huo Zhi couldn’t read Linlang’s expression. She only found her both cool and adorable, and wanted very much to stroke her feathers and the crest on her head, just like before…

“This Mo Zhenfeng you mentioned, who is he? What does Qin Ceyi want to capture him for?” Linlang recalled Qin Ceyi’s talk of capturing Mo Zhenfeng. She sent a Sound Transmission to ask Huo Zhi, wanting to hear how Huo Zhi described their relationship.

After all, in their previous life, their fates were deeply intertwined.

Before Linlang had fainted, things were still happening according to her past life’s memories. But after waking up, everything seemed slightly different.

“Mo Zhenfeng is a Menial Disciple on Lotus Mist Peak. He has a treasure, and Qin Ceyi wants it, so he wants to capture him. That Mo Zhenfeng is a terrible person. If you see him, absolutely do not engage with him. Stay far away,” Huo Zhi said hurriedly, hearing Linlang ask about Mo Zhenfeng, afraid she might take notice of this person.

Even though the Love Poison Talisman was gone now, who knew how that Male Lead Aura would behave.

In the original story, several beauties fell for him, throwing away everything for him, even abandoning their lives.

She had to give Linlang a heads-up in advance, tell her to absolutely ignore that man Mo Zhenfeng.

Linlang heard Huo Zhi’s words and did not send any more Sound Transmissions.

This answer shattered some more of Linlang’s previous speculations.

Right now, Huo Zhi seemed to have no relationship with Mo Zhenfeng, and even had a poor impression of him.

Then the current Huo Zhi couldn’t be measured by the standards of her past life.

“I’ll step out for a moment. Put your clothes on properly. I have something to tell you later,” Huo Zhi said when she saw Linlang wasn’t speaking, then turned and left.

Watching Huo Zhi leave, dragging her tail, an odd thought surfaced in Linlang’s mind: Was she in a bad mood, causing her tail to droop like that?

Outside the room, Huo Zhi forced herself to calm down for a while, circulated her technique again, and tidied her dress.

Huo Zhi’s thoughts also cooled down. It was fortunate she hadn’t rushed to use a Healing Talisman on Linlang earlier. If Qin Ceyi had come and checked, finding Linlang’s wounds healing too quickly, he would have been suspicious.

Now Qin Ceyi had gone into seclusion. She didn’t know how many days it would last. It was like a blade with a countdown timer already pressed, slowly descending, coming to harvest her head and Linlang’s.

The moment Qin Ceyi emerged from seclusion, Huo Zhi would be in trouble, and Linlang would be in trouble too!

She had to quickly think of a way to escape!

“Are you done? Can I come in?” After thinking for a while, Huo Zhi felt it was about time inside and called out to Linlang.

“I’m done,” Linlang’s voice came. Huo Zhi walked in.

Linlang’s clothes were properly worn again. The heat wave was temporarily suppressed by Huo Zhi’s Ice-Type Spiritual Qi. Her complexion was much more normal, but her expression was cold and distant, like an extremely alluring flower covered in a layer of frost.

Even in her state of the Dao of Ruthlessness, Huo Zhi felt a sense of amazement.

“Linlang, you must have a lot of doubts in your heart. I’ll explain now. You saw my tail just now. I have a Heavenly Fox Physique. That is my greatest secret. I have Demon Beast blood. My protecting you wasn’t out of pure kindness. It’s just mutual benefit. You are Fire attribute, I am Ice attribute. Our interests won’t conflict. You should understand this, right?” Huo Zhi calmed herself and sent a Sound Transmission to Linlang, not speaking aloud, making her words more private.

Analyzing problems in her current state of the Dao of Ruthlessness was indeed logical and organized.

By mentioning that her Ice attribute and Linlang’s Fire attribute countered each other, Huo Zhi also wanted Linlang to understand that she wouldn’t covet the Fire-attribute Inherited Spirit Talisman on Linlang.

But just because she personally didn’t want it didn’t mean she wouldn’t sell Linlang out to someone else.

Linlang looked at Huo Zhi, who finally seemed somewhat normal, listening to her words without speaking.

“You saw my Master, Qin Ceyi, just now. Today, Mo Zhenfeng and that disciple called Su’er wanted to harm you. It just so happened Qin Ceyi and I went to Beast Slave Peak, and Qin Ceyi brought you here thinking you had a secret. You heard what he said earlier; he won’t be polite to you. Once you are useless, you’ll just be sold as Talisman Materials.”

“And as for me, I protected you just now, but I probably can’t even protect myself afterwards. He knows about my Heavenly Fox Physique. I’m just a tool he keeps caged. He’s in seclusion now, and when he comes out, he’ll likely be at Core Formation Great Perfection. Then he’ll use me as a Cauldron to break through the Core Formation Stage. Once I’m useless, I’ll probably just be Talisman Materials worth Spirit Stones in his eyes. Our situations are actually quite similar.”

“Qin Ceyi mainly cultivates the Wood attribute, and his Talisman Arrays are Wood-based. To leave this place, we need to join forces. I’ll help heal your injuries, completely recover. You help break the barrier. Only then can we leave here together,” Huo Zhi transmitted to Linlang.

Through her rational analysis, Huo Zhi had elevated her and Linlang’s relationship to the level of mutual help—sisters in hardship riding the same boat. Huo Zhi felt it was very persuasive.

Huo Zhi looked earnestly at Linlang, waiting for her reply.