Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 91

Side Story 3

Time passed, and it was now the end of winter.

Mount Chao Yao’s gates were closed tight. Without a token, no one could enter or leave, and peace returned to the mountain.

Li Yu’s spiritual energy had recovered slightly, no longer needing Si Qinglan’s constant attention, so she decided to return to Chaoxi Pond with Mu Tao.

Before their departure, Si Qinglan, seeing that Mu Tao was still in a daze, not much better than before, and worried that Li Yu’s protective talismans wouldn’t be enough, gave her more.

Mu Tao clutched her little wooden box and Li Yu’s sleeve, her head drooping, her lips pouted, her brow furrowed, her displeasure evident, yet she didn’t dare utter a word.

Li Yu’s sleeve was wrinkled beyond recognition by the time they left Qianlizhu.

Before returning to Chaoxi Pond, Li Yu visited Qingke Hua.

She had been in this world for two years, mostly on Mount Chao Yao, yet she had never been here before.

The place was impeccably clean, even the long-unoccupied main hall was spotless, as if its owner had never left.

There were no other disciples here, so it must have been Mo Yichu who maintained it.

The little black bird landed on a snow-covered plum branch.

“Cangming Revered One! Mu Tao!” It chirped excitedly. “What brings you here?”

“Nothing much, just visiting.” Before Li Yu could finish, Mu Tao suddenly raised her hand.

“Bird!” She pointed excitedly at the little black bird, spiritual energy gathering at her fingertip, as if wanting to catch it.

Li Yu quickly stopped her. “Don’t grab it!”

Mu Tao’s face fell, she whimpered softly, and kicked at the snow with her foot.

The little black bird stared, stunned. “What’s wrong with Mu Tao…?”

Li Yu: “Nothing serious, she’s just…a bit…different. She’ll be fine.”

Little Black Bird: “Oh…”

Li Yu thought for a moment, then asked, “Qin Yuan said you were injured earlier, how are you feeling now?”

“Lingyao Revered One didn’t use his full strength, he just pushed us away. We’ve mostly recovered after a few days of rest.” The little black bird couldn’t help but ask, “Are you here to see Little Chu?”

“Mm…how is he?” Li Yu asked.

“He’s alright.” The little black bird flapped its wings and landed on Mu Tao’s shoulder.

Mu Tao’s eyes lit up, and she grabbed the little bird, making its eyes widen in alarm.

Li Yu was startled and quickly pried Mu Tao’s fingers open, afraid she would crush the little bird.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, doesn’t hurt!”

Despite its words, the moment it escaped, the little black bird flew a few feet away.

Mu Tao stared after it, a strange look in her eyes.

Holding the small creature in her hand earlier, she had clearly felt its heartbeat, its breath.

So fragile, so easily crushed, yet also so vibrant, every beat a tremor against her palm.

It was different from holding her master’s hand.

Her master was also fragile, but her heartbeat was stronger, her breath faster, and no matter how roughly Mu Tao played with her, she wouldn’t break, only making sounds that pleased her.

Thinking this, Mu Tao leaned against Li Yu, nuzzling her face against her neck.

Li Yu’s heart pounded, recognizing the returning possessiveness in the little wolf cub’s actions. She quickly placed a restraining talisman on Mu Tao’s hand.

Mu Tao froze, a flash of anger in her eyes, then a gentle spiritual energy made her stand up straight.

Perhaps sensing the commotion, or perhaps sensing their auras, Mo Yichu arrived and invited them inside, offering them tea.

With the talisman removed, Mu Tao didn’t dare act out, just held the teacup, her eyes fixed on Mo Yichu with childlike curiosity.

Li Yu reminded her, “This is your Senior Brother.”

Mu Tao tilted her head and repeated, “Shixiong.” (Senior brother)

Her vocabulary was expanding; this was good. Li Yu nodded approvingly.

Mo Yichu: “Master Li Yu rarely visits; what brings you here today…?”

“Some things…aren’t always clear when told by others.” Li Yu put down her teacup and sighed softly. “I’ve been recuperating at Qianlizhu for a while and will be returning to Chaoxi Pond today. I’m still not well, and traveling back and forth is tiring, so I thought I’d explain things to you before leaving.”

Mo Yichu listened without interrupting.

The North Sea four thousand years ago, Mount Chao Yao four thousand years later, Li Yu told him everything she knew, everything she suspected.

She thought, often, what made a situation painful wasn’t the severity of the mistake, but the lack of a clear right or wrong.

“I’m telling you this…for selfish reasons. What you’re hearing now is different from the rumors outside.” Li Yu said seriously. “Perhaps…you should trust your own judgment, your own sense of right and wrong. These things…they’re rarely black and white. Dwelling on them is just self-torture.”

Mo Yichu hesitated several times, wanting to speak, then just nodded silently.

Seeing the darkening sky outside, Li Yu knew it was time to take Mu Tao home.

It had been a while since she returned to Chaoxi Pond. It felt unfamiliar.

Mu Tao followed closely behind her, all the way to her old residence.

The room was dark and cold, the heating spell dissipated, a thin layer of dust covering everything.

A blue light flickered, the candles lit up, the dust vanished, and everything looked as she remembered.

Mu Tao looked around, a flicker of light in her eyes reflecting the dancing candle flames.

She clutched the small wooden box filled with pearls, searching for a hiding place.

But the room was too bare, nowhere to hide anything, and she looked confused.

“I can keep it for you,” Li Yu said casually.

Mu Tao immediately clutched the box tighter, shielding it with her sleeve, afraid of it being taken away.

Li Yu: “I don’t need these, there’s no need to be so protective. If you’re still worried, put it in your spatial pouch.”

Mu Tao tilted her head, confused.

Li Yu beckoned her over, sat her down, and gently touched her hand, guiding her with spiritual energy.

“When your cultivation reaches a certain level, you’ll develop a spatial pouch for storing items. No one else can access it.” She pinched Mu Tao’s cheek playfully. “Now you don’t have to worry about anyone stealing your things, right?”

Mu Tao nodded excitedly, her gaze unfocused for a moment as she examined her spatial pouch.

“There are…things…”

She muttered, taking out a folded piece of paper and a handful of small pearls.

Li Yu quickly looked away, her cheeks burning.

Mu Tao happily opened the wooden box, put the pearls inside, then curiously unfolded the paper.

“Li, Li Yu… and Mu Tao… are not…just…master and disciple…”

“Li Yu sincerely…wants…to marry…Mu Tao…”

She struggled to read the words, and Li Yu, hearing them, wanted to bury herself in a snowdrift.

She didn’t notice the light flickering in Mu Tao’s eyes at that moment.

As she wondered how to discreetly destroy the paper, she suddenly felt herself being lifted into the air.

The signed paper, the box of pearls, all disappeared with a flash of light.

Mu Tao carried her to the bed, kicked off her shoes, and started undressing her.

“Mu Tao, wait…”
“Master!”

“We just got back, no rush…”
“Master!”

“I’m still hungry…”
“Master!”

Li Yu suspected that this little wolf cub, despite having a beautiful human form, was just using “Master” as a meaningless sound, a way to interrupt her and get her way.

She held a restraining talisman, ready to use it, but even as her clothes were removed, even as she was held in a compromising position, she couldn’t bring herself to use it.

Because for a fleeting moment, she had seen a spark of clarity in Mu Tao’s eyes.

She put the talisman away and, her arm around Mu Tao’s neck, asked softly, “Do you…remember anything?”

Mu Tao didn’t answer, just nuzzled against her neck and whispered, “Master…let’s…try…”

Li Yu paused, surprised. “Tr—”

Before she could finish, a cool, clear stream of spiritual energy, a warmth spreading through her body,

A soft touch, a surge of heat, a clash of spiritual energies, overwhelmed her senses.

The cool energy flowed through her damaged meridians, following the rhythm of their heartbeats, their intertwined breaths.

A tingling sensation, like an electric current, draining her strength.

She instinctively grasped at something, her fingers tightening, only to pull off a ribbon.

Mu Tao’s soft hair cascaded down, obscuring the flickering candlelight.

Remembering the sensation from before, Li Yu tried to protect her sea of consciousness, but her defenses crumbled within seconds.

The world around her shifted, the blue sea rippling, cold and warmth intertwining with the soft blue light.

The towering tree, its branches blocking the sky, their hair entangled in its shadows, spreading like ink on the mirror-like surface of the sea.

Her senses heightened.

—The little wolf cub’s words in bed were truly unreliable.

Li Yu weakly pushed against Mu Tao, a familiar voice echoing faintly in her ears,

“Master, don’t let your spiritual energy dissipate…”

Her fading energy rallied.

She looked at Mu Tao, that deceptively innocent, dangerous face, and thought—

When she wanted Mu Tao to forget, she cried and refused.

Now that she wanted her to remember, she seemed to have forgotten everything but this.

Dual cultivation did have healing properties, and since she had to appease Mu Tao anyway, it was a win-win situation.

When they both recovered, she would teach this little wolf cub a lesson.

That day would come.