Chapter 44 Part 3

Jiang Chunhua had sighed, “I had been stuck at that stage for thirty years. I thought I’d be there for life. I never expected another chance to progress.”

Curious, Li Xiangshui asked to see the technique. One look, and she nearly burst with rage!

Thus, Li Xiangshui stormed over to confront her scummy master.

Li Jiangying was agitated and not eager to discuss such pointless matters. “You’re the one who didn’t want me modifying it. Alright, leave if there’s nothing else.”

“Hmph.” Li Xiangshui snorted coldly. “What kind of attitude is that?”

“What kind of attitude do you want me to have?!” Li Jiangying’s voice rose involuntarily. She stepped back, looking at Li Xiangshui impatiently. “I need to rest. Goodbye.”

Bang! She slammed the door right in her face.

Li Xiangshui was stunned. “You… What’s wrong with you?”

After a long moment, Li Jiangying’s languid voice drifted from inside. “Nothing’s wrong with me.”

“No, you…” Li Xiangshui bit her lip but finally couldn’t suppress her worry and voiced her true purpose. “Actually, the reason I came was to ask why you haven’t been back recently.”

“I’m busy.”

“Is that so? Lately, I’ve often felt our connection weakening. It weakens periodically, then returns to normal.” It had given Li Xiangshui quite a scare.

Silence filled the room for a moment, then a light laugh sounded. “It’s nothing. I’ve been researching Contract Arts recently, it might have caused some effects. Alright, it’s too late. You should go rest now too.”

Li Xiangshui held back, then asked, “You have nothing else to say to me?”

“Cultivate well?”

Li Xiangshui was finally relieved.

—

The next day, Cui Yu brought breakfast at the usual time. She knocked on the side hall door Li Jiangying was using to rest. “Jiangying, food’s here!”

“Coming, coming.” Li Jiangying opened the door, dark circles prominent under her eyes. She reached for the tray but yawned mid-motion.

Cui Yu shook her head with a smile, stepped inside, and placed the tray on the inner table.

“Thanks for the trouble.”

“No trouble.” Cui Yu watched Li Jiangying eat wearily and silently, unable to stop herself from voicing her concern. “Jiangying, you’re pushing yourself too hard. You really should rest more.”

“No.” Li Jiangying put down her spoon and looked up at her seriously. “Not only do I not want to rest, I want to go into seclusion training!”

Cui Yu: “Ah?!”

Li Jiangying pressed her lips together and nodded firmly. “Yes! Cultivation! I’m too weak, I need to cultivate!”

“There’s no need for seclusion! Ordinary cultivation would suffice, no need to go to such lengths… Wait, seclusion training?!”

Li Jiangying stood up abruptly, placing her hands on Cui Yu’s shoulders. “Please help me prepare the things for seclusion training.”

“Well… Jiangying, if you’re going into seclusion, you’ll need a good supply of Fasting Pills. And you can’t rely solely on them; you still need normal food occasionally. Seclusion at the Postnatal realm is troublesome like that.”

“Alright, alright.” Li Jiangying nodded randomly in response, then waved her hand. “I’ll go get busy now.”

“What are you busy with?” Cui Yu probed cautiously.

Li Jiangying paused, then said, “Nothing.”

—

In the afternoon, Li Jiangying suddenly snapped to alertness. She stood up and started walking out. She needed to find Cui Yu.

She went to Peach Blossom Grove first. Cui Yu wasn’t there. So Li Jiangying went to find Jiang Chunhua. “Please, could you prepare some Fasting Pills and food that keeps well for me?”

“Oh, for that, I have Fasting Pills right now.” When Jiang Chunhua asked how many, Li Jiangying thought about it and said, “Let’s start with a three-year supply.” She had no idea how long her seclusion would take. She’d thought Jiang Chunhua would need time to prepare, but she directly brought out thirty small jade bottles.

“Xiaohong usually can’t stand hunger. Since cooking takes time, I tell her to chew a few to tide her over. There are ten pills per bottle, one pill lasts three days. Don’t take more than one bottle at a time.” Jiang Chunhua smiled with a face full of motherly love.

Li Jiangying: Found it! Another reason Moon Shadow Devil Palace is so poor!

“Thank you,” Li Jiangying said earnestly. “Also, I’d be grateful if you could prepare a bit more food that keeps well and is easy to eat, and deliver it personally to the Scripture Pavilion.” She planned to use the side hall for her seclusion cultivation.

Jiang Chunhua readily agreed. Li Jiangying asked where Cui Yu was, then followed her directions to Cui Yu’s residence.

Cui Yu’s place was planted with many flowers and trees, very quiet. Li Jiangying entered the yard, looked around, but saw no one. She went to the main hall and pushed open the door—empty as well.

She closed her eyes and focused her senses, feeling a human presence in one of the side rooms.

Li Jiangying walked over and pushed the door open. “Cui Yu!”

Cui Yu was sitting cross-legged on the floor, a small carving knife in hand, whittling wood. She was so absorbed that when she heard her name, she jumped in fright and quickly turned. “Jiangying?”

Li Jiangying swiftly scanned the room. It was filled with wooden figures, large and small, some painted, some not, all bearing the same vague face, densely packed and surrounding Cui Yu in the middle.

For a fleeting moment, Li Jiangying had the illusion of being watched by countless people.

“I came to tell you, you don’t need to go through the trouble of preparing food for me.” Li Jiangying smiled. “I’ve already arranged it.”

“Oh, oh, good.” Cui Yu, still a bit stunned, got up. Seeing Li Jiangying subtly peering into the room, she smiled and explained, “Just a personal hobby, not worth mentioning.” With that, she closed the door.

—

Everything was ready. Li Jiangying took a deep breath, closed the side hall door, and prepared to activate the seal to lock this place down for seclusion.

Then she turned around and saw her blankets bulging up in a large lump in the middle.

Li Jiangying’s head was full of question marks. She walked over and lifted the covers, revealing the Moon Shadow Devil Venerable curled up underneath.

“Li Yueying! What are you doing here?”

Li Yueying slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Li Jiangying, her eyes lit up, and she opened her arms for a hug. “Missed Jiangying so much! Want Yingying, want Yingying!!!”

Sick again. Li Jiangying sighed, a bit helpless. Although Li Yueying’s condition had improved drastically, her madness was linked to her Heart Devil, so there was no telling when she might suddenly relapse.

Li Jiangying stretched out both arms and scooped Li Yueying up. Li Yueying immediately wrapped her arms and legs around her, clinging like an octopus, tight and fast.

“Yingying, Cui Yu said you’re going into seclusion. Seclusion is so boring, I want to be with Yingying!”

“No!”

Li Yueying rubbed against her, twirling her fingers in her hair, whining softly. “Th-then… I can Dual Cultivate with Yingying! Yingying will get super strong super fast!”

A twisted expression flickered across Li Jiangying’s face. She carried her towards the door, kicked it open with her foot, and threw her out with both hands.

Thump! Li Yueying landed on her butt. Little Madwoman Yingying looked up at her, confused and aggrieved.

“I’m going into seclusion. Don’t bother me.” Li Jiangying’s tone was cold. The hands that had thrown her out were now clasped tightly behind her back, veins bulging.

Why not keep her here? She’s so enthusiastic. Dual Cultivation with her would be great, wouldn’t it? Slip a hand inside her clothes, caress her, then mess around… Prosperity, Democracy, Civility, Harmony… The criminal code states that engaging in sexual behavior with a mentally ill woman during a psychotic episode constitutes a crime!

In an instant, the grand, righteous pronouncement swept through Li Jiangying’s mind like a thunderbolt. The improper train of thought screeched to a halt, as if frightened away.

Li Jiangying breathed a sigh of relief. She looked down at Li Yueying, seeing glistening tears welling in her eyes. “Does Yingying not want me anymore? But… but I’ll miss Yingying so, so much!”

Seeing her like this, free from those annoying, strange thoughts, Li Jiangying regained some clarity. Her heart softened. “A Yue, be good. I’ll come out very soon. Actually, I’ve been lately…”

A soft laugh echoed in her mind. Oh, what’s there to say? Since you won’t let her stay, why say these things and make her worry needlessly?

A wave of dizziness hit her. Li Jiangying rubbed her temples. Strange… what was she about to say just now?

Forget it. Not important.

Anxiety and unease made Li Jiangying as restless as if her backside was on fire. She warned Li Yueying, “I’m very serious about seclusion this time. Don’t disturb me before I come out. If you dare come and bother me… I’ll… I’ll… I’ll fly far, far away and never pay attention to you again!”

Li Yueying: “…”

The sobbing stopped abruptly. Li Yueying scrambled up from the ground. She raised a hand and brushed her cheek—the few teardrops that had been hanging there, yet to fall, vanished without a trace. Her expression was vicious, devoid of any smile. “Ridiculous. Tricking this Venerable One like a child? Li Jiangying, you’ve suddenly become so diligent. What, are you that afraid of dying, trying to hide from this Venerable One?”

Li Jiangying: “???” Wait, you switch moods way too fast!

Li Yueying pursed her lips, pale with little color. Compared to her eyes, the rest of her face seemed rather plain. She was actually very thin; though heavy, her bones felt sharp when held. But when she was… normal, like now, she always exuded an overwhelming presence that dared no disrespect.

Her ink-black hair fell past her ear. Her neck was slender and snow-white, showing no trace of her true form as a giant black serpent. “But… fine.”

When she spoke, her throat moved subtly, drawing Li Jiangying’s gaze involuntarily.

Li Yueying was speaking words of threat, but they went in one ear and out the other for Li Jiangying. “Good. The higher your cultivation, the more slowly this Venerable One can torment you. You had best be quite resilient, don’t go dying too easily from the fun.”

So white, so slender, so delicate… If one were to cut it… a gentle slash… probably, bright red blood would flow right down.

“What did you say?” Li Jiangying shuddered, her eyes darting to Li Yueying’s chest. It was also…

“This Venerable One said…”

“Forget it.”

Bang!

Li Jiangying didn’t give her a chance to repeat it, slamming the door right in the esteemed Moon Shadow Devil Venerable Lord’s face. Li Yueying stared at the tightly shut door, shocked and disbelieving. Li Jiangying actually dared to be this brazen! Was she so certain she wouldn’t just casually kill her?!

Li Yueying clenched her fists, so angry her eyes reddened slightly. She didn’t even notice the shimmer of moisture welling up in her own eyes, a faint grievance circling her heart. But she didn’t recognize it as grievance; she was just furious at her.

Li Jiangying, how dare you…

Thud!

A muffled sound came from inside, interrupting Li Yueying once more. It startled her. For a fleeting moment, a feeling of worry surged, urging her to disregard everything and barge in.

Luckily, Li Jiangying’s voice, laced with exhaustion, calmed her. “Don’t disturb me, Your Highness. Whether it’s punishment or death, wait until I come out, alright?”

Her nails dug deep into her palms. In the dark of night, the Moon Shadow Devil Venerable stood before the closed door, motionless despite the cold wind.

She looked at this door, as if seeing a towering mountain.

“I’m fine… really. I just want to calm down and go into seclusion. I’ll be out very soon, truly.” Li Jiangying’s voice trembled slightly as it came through.

Truly… would it be true?

Li Yueying drew a long breath and finally turned to leave. After a few steps, under the curtain of night, she looked back, casting a deep glance at the tightly shut door.

Fine. I’ll trust you one more time. You liar… don’t disappoint me.

—

Inside the door, Li Jiangying stood before a wall, head slightly bowed, hands pressed against her forehead. Her Sea of Consciousness seemed roiled up, restless and uneasy. She shouted inwardly: Shut up!

A moment later, she lowered her hands, revealing a face streaked with blood.

The snaking streams of blood hadn’t appeared on Li Yueying’s neck, but on her own head.

Starting from the wound on her forehead, the blood dripped down her face, drop by drop. Expressionlessly, she stared at the bloodstain on the white wall before her. The corner of her mouth twitched spasmodically.

Right. Seclusion training.

Otherwise… she was afraid she might lose control.