Chapter 36: A Stirred Heart Part 1

Gui Nian’an had made it up casually, so she dared not make a sound.

She had never even seen the master that Bo Xuenong spoke of, so how could she know what Bo Xuenong’s master was thinking?

Just as Gui Nian’an didn’t know what to say, the door to the room was pushed open. A beam of light shone in, and along with the light came two beautiful women. Gui Nian’an had seen countless beauties over the past few centuries, but she still felt stunned, especially by the woman walking in front. Her appearance could be described as…

She stared in a daze until she suddenly saw Bo Xuenong clutching her newly grown ear and rushing toward that woman, calling out plaintively, “Master.”

Gui Nian’an quickly lowered her gaze. The look of amazement vanished as she secretly prayed that Bo Xuenong wouldn’t notice how she had just stared at her master several times.

She had seen all sorts of things during her years in the Heavenly Feast Sect. Those people would do anything to raise their cultivation, regardless of the means. Take He Yongda, for example—with his exceptional talent, he had dual cultivated with more than half the sect’s elders, including a good couple at the Supreme Elder level.

What was a master-disciple pair becoming Dao companions? She had even seen cases spanning generations of ancestors and descendants.

If it were just an ordinary Dao companion relationship, then looking was looking.

But Bo Xuenong clearly cared too much about her master. Gui Nian’an’s neck still ached faintly, and she didn’t want to be strangled again.

Gui Nian’an didn’t know if Bo Xuenong had caught the fleeting amazement in her eyes, or if she had clearly seen that there was no greed in Gui Nian’an’s gaze. Bo Xuenong wished that everyone would treat Shen Yanting like an immortal fairy, just as she did. What bothered her had always been when others’ gazes on Shen Yanting lacked respect, not this kind of appreciation from Gui Nian’an.

Bo Xuenong rushed quickly toward Shen Yanting, her right hand clamped tightly over the extra animal ear.

Bo Xuenong moved so fast, and her pitiful appearance of clutching her ear and whimpering pushed Shen Yanting’s memories back several centuries. Back then, the newly taken-in Bo Xuenong had been very dependent on her. Whenever she got a bump or scrape, she always showed it to her first. Perhaps it was childish nature at work, but even a tiny wound would make a huge fuss, as if afraid Shen Yanting wouldn’t hear.

Later on.

Perhaps because she had been too aloof, or maybe because Bo Xuenong had grown up day by day, she stopped being so clingy and no longer threw tantrums like that.

Shen Yanting couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it started, but Bo Xuenong became very obedient and reserved. A perfunctory fake smile hung on her face at all times. Even Shen Yanting occasionally felt tired for her, yet Bo Xuenong persisted tirelessly, playing the role of gentle and compliant, living behind a mask.

After leaving the Imperial Serenity Sect, Bo Xuenong seemed much more lively and spirited. She gradually couldn’t suppress her temper and grew closer to her step by step.

Shen Yanting couldn’t say if it was good or bad.

But seeing Bo Xuenong run toward her, calling out nonstop, she looked far cuter than before.

Shen Yanting subconsciously raised her hand, wanting to catch Bo Xuenong.

Just like… a very, very long time ago, when facing that Bo Xuenong who couldn’t even walk steadily.

But Bo Xuenong didn’t throw herself into Shen Yanting’s arms. She stopped just before touching her, her expression becoming much more respectful. “Master, have you dealt with the people on your side?”

Shen Yanting felt the emptiness in her embrace and retracted her hand with some disappointment. “No, I didn’t kill him.”

He Yongda had taken Shen Yanting to Elder Jin Yuanliang’s residence in the Heavenly Feast Sect. She had dealt with Jin Yuanliang before. When she removed her veil and stood before him, he immediately knelt and begged for mercy, tearfully claiming that Sect Master Wu Liangyi had forced him into it.

Shen Yanting naturally didn’t believe him. But Jin Yuanliang was an out-of-body realm cultivator, and dealing with him would require some entanglement. Alerting others would only complicate things, and since she was anxious to save Liu Huairou, she hadn’t made a move.

The elder assigned to Liu Huairou was named Hua Fangqi.

By the time Shen Yanting arrived, he had been summoned by the sect master, so she didn’t even get a chance to act.

Their path to find Bo Xuenong had been even smoother. The disciples hadn’t dared to block her at all. This meant that despite being in the Heavenly Feast Sect for so long, Shen Yanting hadn’t lifted a finger.

Bo Xuenong didn’t know any of this. She assumed Shen Yanting simply didn’t want blood on her hands.

After racking her brains for a long time, she gave up on reminding Shen Yanting about all the evils of the Heavenly Feast Sect and how they all deserved to die.

Bo Xuenong firmly believed that Shen Yanting possessed the highest ability to discern good from evil. There was no need for someone with problematic bloodline like her to point it out. Shen Yanting simply didn’t want to act, so what was wrong with that?

Her master was an immortal fairy, with the welfare of the common people at heart.

It was perfectly reasonable for her not to want to kill.

And she herself was very willing to kill. As long as Shen Yanting gave the word, she could be her blade.

Bo Xuenong nodded to herself inwardly, full of approval for the idea. “If Master doesn’t want to kill, then I’ll be Master’s blade!”

Shen Yanting’s gaze lingered on Bo Xuenong, seeing her stubborn determination. She shook her head, not quite agreeing. “Xuenong, you are no one’s blade.”

She paused her voice, deliberately softening it to ensure Bo Xuenong heard it in her heart. “Not even mine.”

Bo Xuenong’s bloodline, if used well, would indeed be a lethal weapon, but Shen Yanting didn’t lack blades.

“Why!” Bo Xuenong didn’t change her mind. She was exceptionally persistent. “Master, are you looking down on me? I’m not that strong right now, but I just broke through to nascent soul. I’ll get even stronger in the future. I’ll definitely be a very sharp blade!”

She wished she could transform into a sharp weapon on the spot and pledge loyalty to Shen Yanting.

Whoever Shen Yanting pointed at in the future, she would kill.

“You broke through to nascent soul?” Shen Yanting felt no joy at Bo Xuenong’s breakthrough. Instead, her heart raced in panic as she hurriedly grabbed Bo Xuenong’s wrist.

She could smell the blood on Bo Xuenong, which meant she had broken through after killing.

Shen Yanting had heard from Mo Tingshu that the most terrifying thing about Bo Xuenong’s clan bloodline was breakthrough by killing, without needing to face thunder tribulation. Cultivators feared thunder tribulations the most, and the temptation of skipping them was too great. Ordinary cultivators could easily lose themselves to it, let alone one with a problematic bloodline.

Shen Yanting gazed intently into Bo Xuenong’s eyes, determined not to miss the slightest change in her expression, before asking, “Xuenong, do you want to kill me right now?”

She wanted to check if Bo Xuenong’s desire to kill had increased. But the Bo Xuenong who had just been excitedly offering to be her blade suddenly had red eyes. A thin mist of tears filled her sockets, and a faint blush tinged her eye tails, making her look more delicate.

“Master!”

Bo Xuenong’s cry was so pitiful, like a little beast suddenly abandoned.

Her mournful, despairing look was a full accusation against her master for discarding her. “Master, even if everyone in the world hurts you, I never would.”

This was completely beyond Shen Yanting’s expectations. The Bo Xuenong in her memories didn’t cry easily, but in these short few days, she had made her cry twice. She felt at a loss, overwhelmed by the urge to change the subject. She slowly parted her lips and hesitantly said, “My relationships aren’t that bad.”

Bo Xuenong’s eyes grew even redder.

Shen Yanting pulled out an embroidered handkerchief and wiped away the falling teardrops for her.

She had only coaxed Bo Xuenong when she was very young. No one else needed her coaxing either, so she truly lacked experience in this. Several times she wanted to speak but only bit her lip instead. She even considered being stern and scolding her to make her stop, but seeing Bo Xuenong cry so pitifully, she couldn’t bear to say anything harsh.

The falling teardrops splashed onto the back of Shen Yanting’s hand, leaving a scalding heat that completely flustered her. “You… don’t cry, alright?”

The low, soft voice drifted into her ears, and Bo Xuenong’s ear—hidden under her palm—trembled.

It seemed like the first time Shen Yanting had spoken to her so gently, even with a hint of pleading. Far from stopping her tears, it made Bo Xuenong cry even harder. She took the chance to make a not-too-excessive demand. “Master, can I be your blade now?”

Bo Xuenong’s expression seemed to say that as long as she agreed, she would stop crying.

Shen Yanting’s eyes filled with utter helplessness. “No.”

She naturally wanted to comfort Bo Xuenong, but what Bo Xuenong said went against her principles. She couldn’t agree.

Shen Yanting believed that everyone was an independent individual. No relationship should turn one party into an accessory, even if voluntary.

Actually, if Bo Xuenong’s bloodline were willing to attach to her, monitoring her would be easier, but she didn’t want that.

Shen Yanting gradually grew serious. “You belong only to yourself.”

Shen Yanting wanted to be a master who respected her disciple’s life, but things didn’t go as planned.

Bo Xuenong’s opposition was intense. “I want to belong to Master. Master, I’ll listen to anything you say!”

This was wrong.

What was wrong needed correction.

After realizing that feigning coldness couldn’t dilute the bond between her and Bo Xuenong, Shen Yanting had corrected it immediately. Now, she needed to do the same.

She schooled her face into sternness, speaking as coldly as possible. “If I wanted your life, would you give it?”

Shen Yanting only meant to correct Bo Xuenong’s thinking, forgetting that Bo Xuenong feared death the least.

“Sure!” Bo Xuenong’s dark, bright pupils suddenly lit up. She eagerly leaned her head much closer to Shen Yanting. “How does Master want Xuenong to die? Under the sword, or by palm strike? Or by sacrifice? That way, Master could even gain some cultivation.”

Shen Yanting was speechless. Bo Xuenong asked sincerely, “Master, which way of dying do you think is best?”

Bo Xuenong seemed to eagerly anticipate death.

This made Shen Yanting’s heart race again, her usual composure on the verge of collapse.

She grabbed Bo Xuenong’s arm, her slightly trembling palm revealing her panic. “I don’t want your life. I want you to live, live well.”

A flicker of confusion surged in Bo Xuenong’s eyes. She didn’t quite understand why Shen Yanting’s words didn’t match. “Master, what’s wrong? Why don’t you want my life anymore? I’m willing to give it to you.”

Afraid Shen Yanting wouldn’t hear, Bo Xuenong leaned even closer to her ear. “I really am willing!”

The soft, warm breath brushed her earlobe, making Shen Yanting feel her ear tip grow hot.

Subconsciously, she touched her slightly burning earlobe. But her fingertip happened to graze Bo Xuenong’s lips, which were very close to her ear.

It burned even more.

This time, it was her fingertip.