Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 10

Chapter 10: She Wasn’t One with an Unwavering Dao Heart

On her third day in the world of Demon Bone, Li Yu wholeheartedly embraced the art of slacking off.

Many things in life become easier with practice, and even those that don’t become second nature eventually.

For example, the awkward small dinner gatherings. By the fifth time, Li Yu had fully accepted the “eat without speaking” setting. The others at the table also gradually lost their initial stiffness.

Thus, she smoothly settled into a routine of two meals a day, arriving and leaving on time.

Of course, to prevent the original storyline’s romantic subplot from developing behind her back, she personally saw Mo Yichu off from Chaoxi Pond twice a day.

Despite this, she still felt uneasy.

They say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach.

Mo Yichu’s culinary skills were author-approved. Even simple home-cooked dishes tasted amazing.

This delicious food both delighted and worried her, creating an internal conflict that made her fear an impending mental breakdown.

After an internal struggle, Li Yu made a decision that betrayed both her heart and her taste buds.

—As soon as Mu Tao no longer needed medicine, she would find an excuse to dismiss this free and punctual chef!

She couldn’t decoct medicine, but she could still cook.

Even if her cooking wasn’t as good, it should be more than enough to feed a disciple.

Lost in these idle thoughts, Li Yu unknowingly let thirty-something uneventful days slip by.

The good news was that during this time, her character compatibility gradually increased and stabilized around 85%.

Although it showed no signs of breaking 90%, considering that her “dear colleague” Si Qinglan was very keen on visiting for idle chats lately, and each chat inexplicably cost her two or three compatibility points, she felt that 85% was a beautiful number.

As for the bad news…

She had studied the original owner’s “skill tree.”

—It was complex and incomprehensible.

No matter how much time passed, or how many times she tried, she could only rely on the system to use the most basic spells.

She could use them, but she didn’t understand the underlying principles, so she couldn’t teach them.

Recently, Mu Tao’s health had been improving day by day. She was becoming more lively and even had the energy to build snowmen in the courtyard.

Whenever Li Yu saw the girl with her pointy ears tucked back, fluffy tail swaying, and a bright smile on her face as she played in the snow, she would remember the promise she made a month ago.

And whenever she thought of that promise, she regretted her loose tongue.

Sometimes, she felt she desperately needed to learn the basics of cultivation from someone.

Preferably something beginner-friendly, perfect for newbies.

However, her status didn’t allow her to ask anyone for help.

So, she continued to laze around in bed every day.

Fortunately, just as Li Yu was at her wit’s end, the system kindly offered assistance.

【Considering the host’s complete lack of teaching ability, the system has found a cultivation manual that should suffice!】

Li Yu immediately sat up in bed.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier! You made me worry for so long!” She raised her hand without thinking, urging excitedly, “What cultivation manual? Show me!”

A flash of spiritual light later, a brand-new, yellow-covered manual appeared in her palm.

It wasn’t thick, and there was no title on the cover.

“Can I learn this?” Li Yu asked, flipping through a few pages.

After a moment of silence, she slowly closed the book.

Never mind, upon closer inspection, this wasn’t suitable for her.

The elegant, slightly messy, and difficult-to-recognize traditional characters, combined with a bunch of unfamiliar cultivation jargon, made her head spin in minutes.

She figured she was past the age of enthusiastic learning and had lost her zeal for exploring unknown fields.

No need to force herself.

This kind of manual, only comprehensible to cultivators, should be left to actual cultivators.

Li Yu: “Did ‘I’ write this?”

【This cultivation manual was written by the original owner. Most of the techniques and methods for circulating spiritual energy have been modified to suit the protagonist’s half-demon constitution. Although not suitable for the host, it’s a perfect set of basic cultivation techniques for the protagonist!】

Li Yu: “When was this written?”

【Because the timeline is unclear, the system cannot pinpoint the exact time. It was a long, long time ago.】

Li Yu: “…”

So, the original owner had written this manual but never gave it to her only disciple.

If she remembered correctly, Si Qinglan had mentioned that the former “her” was always pursuing a state of “no-self.”

That sounded like the Path of Heartlessness. [T/N: 无情道 (wúqíngdào) is a cultivation path in Xianxia where practitioners suppress or eliminate their emotions.]

Come to think of it, Li Yu, the Exalted Immortal in the novel, was indeed someone devoted to cultivation, detached from worldly affairs.

Before Weisheng Xuanzhu’s long slumber, he had asked her why she was so fixated on that legendary supreme state.

She replied that the resentment in the world hadn’t dissipated, and the seed of the Heavenly Demon hadn’t been extinguished.

Four thousand years ago, when the Heavenly Demon appeared, the world was protected by ancient gods. Now, the ancient gods had fallen. When the Upper Spirit Lamp shattered and the Heavenly Demon was revived, someone would have to shoulder this burden.

She firmly believed that person would be her, just as she firmly believed that preventing the Heavenly Demon’s return was her only Dao.

But she wasn’t someone with an unwavering Dao heart.

She had wavered for Mu Tao, more than once.

Mu Tao was inherently kind, but because no one ever truly chose her, she gradually descended into darkness.

If Mu Tao knew that her seemingly indifferent master had secretly written a cultivation manual for her, perhaps everything would have been different.

Such a pity…

A look of seriousness appeared in Li Yu’s eyes.

Now that this manual was in her hands, Mu Tao would finally see it.

As for saving the world and righteousness, what did that have to do with her?

She decided to give it to Mu Tao on the day she stopped taking medicine, the same day she would dismiss the chef.

This way, even if Mu Tao felt reluctant, the manual would distract her.

With this major problem solved, she no longer needed to wish for Mu Tao’s slow recovery!

From the moment she received the manual, Li Yu felt much better about everything, even Si Qinglan, who frequently came to deduct her compatibility points, seemed more agreeable.

More than half a month passed.

Mu Tao finally finished the last dose of medicine needed to cure the chill in her meridians.

Li Yu was delighted. She immediately summoned Mo Yichu outside and, after expressing her gratitude, calmly delivered the words that severed their arrangement: “Since Mu Tao no longer needs medicine, there’s no need for you to come here every day.”

She smiled warmly. “Thank you for your hard work these past few days. Remember to catch up on your cultivation when you return.”

Mo Yichu, upon hearing this, left readily, as if he had been waiting for this day.

For a moment, Li Yu even felt that this person was even more eager to clock out than she was.

Regardless, his respectful bow and swift departure gave her an unprecedented sense of security.

For nearly two months, the protagonist and male lead had seen each other every day under her watchful eye, yet no sparks had flown.

This was wonderful!

Li Yu returned to the room, a triumphant smile on her face. As she closed the door, she met Mu Tao’s curious gaze.

The girl stood by the dining table, her hands behind her back, tilting her head, ears perked up, and blinking innocently. “Will Senior Brother not be coming tomorrow?”

Li Yu: “…Mm.”

Mu Tao: “Oh.”

This ambiguous response made Li Yu feel a bit guilty.

Mu Tao lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, her fluffy tail drooping motionless, lost in thought.

This reaction made Li Yu’s heart clench.

Oh no, that expression!

Could it be that the little protagonist was reluctant?

Was it too late to give her the manual?