Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 90

Side Story 2

Li Yu, now devoid of spiritual power, worried that Mu Tao might hurt her in her current state.

But the girl, her mind still muddled, clung to Li Yu like a koala, refusing to let go.

Trying to reason with her was futile.

So, Li Yu stayed in the room Mu Tao had torn apart.

Si Qinglan, after some thought, gave Li Yu some restraining talismans, repeatedly warning her to use them without hesitation if the little wolf cub became dangerous.

Li Yu nodded, and Mu Tao, clearly understanding, glared at the talismans.

Her little face puffed up, she looked like she wanted to snatch them but didn’t dare.

Li Yu quickly put the talismans away in her spatial pouch.

Seeing the talismans disappear, Mu Tao’s expression softened, and she lowered her head, looking dejected.

“Be good, and I won’t use these,” Li Yu said, patting Mu Tao’s head.

Mu Tao didn’t respond, just stared at the torn pieces of cloth on the floor, lost in thought.

Si Qinglan had said that Mu Tao’s soul wasn’t damaged, that her current mental state was temporary.

Although Mu Tao was still recovering from her injuries, her condition didn’t seem to be caused by any physical damage but rather by some emotional trauma, a subconscious self-preservation mechanism.

So, she was in a primal state—driven by instincts, with a basic survival drive.

This wasn’t the worst-case scenario; emotional wounds were difficult to heal, but it was better than a damaged soul.

With patience, she would eventually recover.

Si Qinglan’s words reassured Li Yu.

Immortals had long lifespans; she could wait for Mu Tao to remember.

Li Yu had initially worried about taking care of Mu Tao, but it turned out to be easier than she had imagined.

Although the girl seemed lost, not remembering anything, and prone to violent outbursts, she still subconsciously clung to Li Yu.

Li Yu patiently stayed by her side, trying various methods to help her regain her sense of self.

It took many attempts, much coaxing and encouragement, before Li Yu could even get Mu Tao to use chopsticks.

Even with her mind muddled, using chopsticks was muscle memory; it wasn’t difficult for her.

But that didn’t change the fact that the little girl, who identified as a “wolf,” found using chopsticks incredibly inconvenient.

She would even get frustrated with the food, waving her chopsticks angrily.

Her puffed-up cheeks and frustrated expression reminded Li Yu of the little wolf cub struggling to write in the snow four thousand years ago.

And the moment Li Yu picked up the talismans, Mu Tao’s fearful reaction was even more familiar.

During her free time, Li Yu tried to teach Mu Tao how to speak.

Speaking, like walking, eating, and sleeping, should have been an instinct, a skill not easily forgotten, but although Mu Tao understood her, she couldn’t seem to learn.

“You’re hungry, you need to eat, what we’re doing now is called eating. Come on, say—eating!”

“Master!”

“This is Qianlizhu, the person who often visits us is Qingxuan Revered One, this is her home. Come on, say—Qianlizhu!”

“Master!”

“Qianlizhu!”

“Master!”

Li Yu took a deep breath and tried a different word. “Qingxuan Revered One!”

“Master!”

After a long silence, Li Yu flicked Mu Tao’s forehead.

Mu Tao froze, then looked at her with a hurt expression.

Teacher Li Yu knocked on the table. “I’m your only master, calling someone else ‘Master’…are you betraying me?!”

Mu Tao tilted her head and stammered, “Mas…Mas…”

Li Yu’s eyes lit up. “You can call her…Senior Aunt.”

Mu Tao opened her mouth, then nodded seriously. “Sheshu!”

Li Yu nodded in satisfaction.

She was still young, pronunciation could wait. As long as she didn’t just call everyone “Master.”

As the days passed, Mu Tao gradually learned a few words.

Si Qinglan visited three times a day, pleased with Mu Tao’s progress. After less than half a month, she felt reassured enough to remove the barrier around the courtyard.

The moment the barrier disappeared, she told Mu Tao, “Say thank you to Qingxuan Revered One.”

“”

“Good girl.”

Si Qinglan patted Mu Tao’s head, then, as soon as she let go, Mu Tao hid behind Li Yu, seemingly afraid.

Si Qinglan shook her head, not minding, and left.

Another winter arrived.

With the barrier gone, Li Yu took Mu Tao outside and taught her how to build a snowman.

Mu Tao knelt in the snow, her hands supporting her, her head tilted like a puppy’s, watching the snowball grow larger.

A flicker of light appeared in her light brown eyes.

They finished the small snowman together.

Li Yu then scooped up some snow, shaped it into a flower with a spell, and carefully placed it in Mu Tao’s hand.

Mu Tao looked at the ice flower, her eyes filled with joy, her mouth opening and closing as if she wanted to say something.

Li Yu waited expectantly.

Suddenly, a crunching sound, and the ice flower vanished into Mu Tao’s mouth.

Li Yu sighed, pulled Mu Tao’s ear playfully, pinched her cheek, and then, ignoring her muffled protests, went back inside.

Mu Tao, not daring to speak, followed quietly.

Li Yu sat down by the window.

Mu Tao sat on the floor beside her, her head resting on her knees. “Master…not angry…” she mumbled.

Her voice was soft, her fingers nervously tracing the thin fabric of Li Yu’s robes.

Li Yu stroked her hair and looked out the window.

The snowman in the courtyard, with its pointy ears and a large, fluffy tail, looked just like the one in her memory.

But this courtyard was different from Chaoxi Pond.

Qianlizhu was always filled with colorful flowers, blooming out of season, their vibrant colors undimmed even by the snow.

The same scene, snow-covered flowers, yet her mood was different now.

Both the flowers and the snow brought her a sense of peace.

Li Yu gazed at the flowers outside, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

As she was lost in thought, Mu Tao quietly went outside and, bending down, blew the snow off the petals, then picked a flower.

Seemingly unsatisfied with just one, she picked more and more,

Leaving a small, bare patch in the flowerbed.

Li Yu snapped back to reality. “Mu Tao! Don’t pick the flowers!”

Startled by her shout, Mu Tao quickly retreated, clutching the flowers, and ran back inside.

Li Yu took a deep breath, about to scold her, but seeing Mu Tao’s wide, innocent eyes, her head nuzzling against Li Yu’s arm, her soft, apologetic “Master~”,

Li Yu’s heart softened, her tone gentler. “The flowers are blooming so beautifully, why did you pick them?”

Mu Tao blinked, offered the flowers to Li Yu, and mumbled, “Master…likes…wanted to…give to Master…”

Li Yu hesitated, then said, “These flowers aren’t mine, you can’t just pick them.”

Mu Tao lowered her head, looking ashamed, her grip on the flowers tightening.

Li Yu quickly took the flowers. “I like them very much, but you can’t just take Qingxuan Revered One’s things. I’ll keep these, but if you want me to feel better about it, you should…apologize to her somehow.”

Mu Tao blinked, not quite understanding. “Apologize…how?”

Li Yu thought for a moment, then took Mu Tao’s hand, and, braving the wind and snow, guided by the system, they found the kitchen at Qianlizhu.

“Cooking someone a meal…is a good way to apologize. Let me teach you, how about that?”

Li Yu rolled up her sleeves and started preparing the ingredients.

Mu Tao watched her for a moment, then joined in, quickly taking over the kitchen, her movements as familiar and practiced as if she were in her own home.

—Success!

A perfectly executed plan, disguised as a good deed! She could enjoy Mu Tao’s cooking again!

Li Yu’s heart soared.

That day, Si Qinglan, looking at the delicious food, after a moment of hesitation, forgave Mu Tao for decimating her flowerbed.

“Don’t let it happen again!” she said, sitting down and picking up her chopsticks.

As she ate, she couldn’t help but sigh, “Little Taotao, why aren’t you my disciple? I would also treat you very well.”

Mu Tao’s eyes widened, unsure how to respond, just staring at her.

Li Yu: “Don’t listen to her, she has disciples all over the mountain, it would take her six months just to see them all, she doesn’t need another one.”

Mu Tao: “Mm!”

Si Qinglan: “…”

Fine, one with a broken body, the other with a broken mind,

She, the magnanimous one, wouldn’t argue with these two invalids.

Half a month passed.

During this time, besides Si Qinglan and Qin Yuan, Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu also came to visit Li Yu and Mu Tao.

Apparently, after Mu Tao left, the Demon Realm quickly descended into chaos.

In that place, loyalty was fleeting, and with the strongest suddenly gone, everyone vied for the position of Demon Lord, various factions clashing.

Not belonging to the Demon Realm, Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu had no desire to get involved and left.

After some consideration, they decided to come to Mount Chao Yao instead of returning to Lingzhou.

With the Upper Spirit Lamp and the Heavenly Mirror here, they wanted to contribute, to help protect this place.

Although Mu Tao was wary of strangers, she subconsciously recognized these two who had accompanied her through the darkness.

Their presence on Mount Chao Yao, their occasional visits and conversations with Mu Tao, reassured Li Yu.

But Mu Tao’s condition hadn’t improved much. Although she could speak a few simple words now, her thoughts were still fragmented, her actions often strange and unpredictable.

Fortunately, although erratic, she was mostly obedient.

She listened to Li Yu and seemed to understand most of what she said.

The only problem was…her nighttime restlessness.

For the first ten days or so, it was just cuddling and nuzzling.

Then, gradually, it escalated.

She didn’t remember anything from before, but certain instincts, muscle memory, seemed to surface easily.

And since this was Qianlizhu, and Si Qinglan often dropped by, Li Yu was afraid of being too…enthusiastic at night and then facing her colleague the next morning.

So, when Mu Tao’s advances crossed a line, she instinctively used the talismans Si Qinglan gave her.

But she soon discovered a serious problem…

The current Mu Tao couldn’t be reasoned with.

When it came to “this,” her logic was simple and brutal.

In bed, she wanted…

…and if she got what she wanted, she would calm down.

If not, she would become incredibly agitated.

This agitation could last for days, a persistent sulking that no amount of coaxing could dispel.

To appease the little wolf cub, Li Yu had to establish some ground rules.

First, she would undress herself; no more tearing clothes!

Second, no marks!

Third, no telling anyone about their nighttime activities, and everything had to be cleaned up immediately upon waking!

She didn’t know if Mu Tao understood, but the moment the talismans were removed, she was pinned down.

And every morning, she would wake up with pearls scattered on the pillow, digging into her skin.

And the little girl, her hair disheveled, would carefully collect them, one by one, placing them in a small wooden box she seemed to have conjured from thin air.

So, Li Yu added a fourth rule.

—Hide these pearls; no one else can see them.

Hearing this new rule, Mu Tao nodded vaguely, then, seemingly agreeing, carefully clutched the wooden box and, out of curiosity, picked up a pearl and popped it into her mouth.

“Hey!” Li Yu instinctively tried to stop her.

But the girl’s teeth were strong, the pearl crushed instantly.

After tasting it, Mu Tao realized it wasn’t very good, certainly not as delicious as her master.

But she still found them beautiful, just like her master, captivating.

Whenever her master cried, these little pearls would appear.

It was fascinating.

Every night, she found ways to make her master cry.

Then, the next morning, she would have a collection of beautiful little pearls!

But her master was so fragile, easily exhausted.

She had to be patient, take it slowly, to fill the little wooden box.