With me here, nothing can go wrong.
Perhaps Cheng Huan’s words had shocked Lu Qing’an so profoundly that she didn’t immediately realize she could move again.
Lu Qing’an watched Cheng Huan warily. Her foot unconsciously shifted backward, but she forgot that the two of them were standing on palm-sized treetops.
In an instant, the sensation of freefall jolted Lu Qing’an back to her senses. Realizing her Immobilization Spell had been undone, she was about to steady herself and land.
Suddenly, a firm grip tightened around her waist. Before Lu Qing’an could react, she was pulled into a warm and soft embrace.
The faint, clean fragrance of the woman filled her nostrils, along with a hint of blood that was hard to ignore.
It was the Nine-Tailed Bone Fox’s blood.
The moment their feet touched the ground, Lu Qing’an instantly wrenched herself free of Cheng Huan’s embrace and aimed her sword at her.
Her gaze fell on the still-dripping tail in Cheng Huan’s hand, and she frowned deeply. “What exactly do you want?”
Cheng Huan sighed. “I’ve stated it very clearly. You become my disciple, and I help you attain the Dao and ascend.”
Lu Qing’an: “I have a Master.”
“I don’t mind.” Cheng Huan didn’t care about such formalities. Her sole objective was to help the Female Lead quickly achieve her dream.
“I mind.” Lu Qing’an narrowed her eyes, her voice frosty.
A teacher for a day, a father for life. A person could only have one true Master in their lifetime. How could one simply take another Master? It was a behavior abhorred and despised by the world.
Cheng Huan frowned; this was a bit troublesome.
She had initially thought the fastest way to help the Female Lead reach the culmination of her path was to become her Master. That way, she could leave this Retirement Experience World as quickly as possible.
Cheng Huan hadn’t understood the retirement rules at first. She didn’t know that a Retirement Experience World couldn’t simply be exited at will.
She had stayed in this world for a long time and had long since grown tired of it. She had been about to talk to the System about switching to a different Retirement Experience World when she was informed that this one couldn’t be terminated midway. The world’s Child of Destiny needed to accomplish the dreams and goals set by the Heavenly Dao for her before she could leave.
Otherwise, forcibly exiting a Retirement Experience World for personal reasons would incur the Heavenly Dao’s punishment.
After hearing this condition from the System, Cheng Huan immediately studied the “Retirement Guidelines” thoroughly. Only then did she understand that when Taskers selected a Retirement Experience World, they weren’t completely free and unrestricted. They, too, were bound by the Heavenly Dao’s limitations.
Presumably, the Heavenly Dao feared that Taskers, relying on their retired status and thinking no one could control them, might commit irreversible, extreme actions. Hence, these rigid conditions were set.
Cheng Huan hadn’t planned on meeting Lu Qing’an today, which was why she had been concealing her presence earlier.
Her original plan was to follow Lu Qing’an and the others back to the Primordial Pavilion. Then, during the Primordial Pavilion’s Grand Selection, when all disciples were reassigned Masters and cultivation peaks based on their strength and merit, she would mix in, get herself the identity of an Elder, and then snatch Lu Qing’an from the Primordial Pavilion’s Sect Master.
That way, she could legitimately help the Female Lead.
Why snatch Lu Qing’an?
Because she had compared the Male and Female Leads’ respective strengths and felt that Lu Qing’an, with her current power, would achieve the Great Dao much faster. The Male Lead was still too weak.
Cheng Huan hadn’t been impressed.
Now, Lu Qing’an had discovered her and refused her offer of discipleship. The sudden change in plans had caught Cheng Huan somewhat off guard.
Lu Qing’an watched Cheng Huan fall silent, her delicate brows tightly knitted, as if she had encountered a highly vexing problem she couldn’t solve.
Lu Qing’an looked at the severed tail of the Nine-Tailed Bone Fox in her hand. Hou An had been wounded by the Nine-Tailed Bone Fox, and his injury was severe.
Even after swallowing the Profound Qi Pill, his survival was barely hanging by a thread. But if she could obtain the blood of the Nine-Tailed Bone Fox to nourish Hou An’s fragile, shattered Spirit Sea, there might yet be a sliver of hope.
She knew the Nine-Tailed Bone Fox had been scared away by the woman before her. This person’s strength was unfathomable. Fighting her offered absolutely no chance of victory.
But she still wanted to gamble.
Since this person wanted to take her as a disciple and hadn’t become angry when refused, Lu Qing’an decided to take the risk.
Lu Qing’an rotated her wrist, and a talisman paper appeared in her palm.
Her cold eyes shifted, and the Cloud-Cutting Sword shot straight toward Cheng Huan’s forehead.
Cheng Huan hadn’t expected Lu Qing’an to suddenly attack her. She dodged aside. Just as she was about to speak and stop Lu Qing’an’s suicidal action, she felt her palm empty. In the next second, a cloud of smoke billowed before her eyes.
Cheng Huan waved her hand, dispersing the smoke in front of her. The space before her was now completely empty. She sensed the residual spiritual energy fluctuation lingering in the air.
“A Teleportation Talisman?”
She hadn’t done anything to Lu Qing’an! Why had she been so frightened that she used a Teleportation Talisman to escape?!
And why did she snatch the Nine-Tailed Bone Fox’s tail away?
It was almost midnight. Even if Lu Qing’an took it, it would be useless!
Cheng Huan knew Lu Qing’an had taken the tail to save Hou An, who was near death. Nine-Tailed Bone Fox blood could nourish a shattered Spirit Sea. It was just that…
A few caws of crows sounded from the sky, like a signal.
Midnight had arrived. All the assets she owned would vanish.
Except for the white robe on her body—which was cleaner than her face—and the White Jade Peony Hairpin on her head, everything else… whether given to her by others or earned through her own efforts, would disappear the moment midnight struck.
Cheng Huan had finally understood the true meaning of the “Destitute” label on her second Persona Card.
Initially, she thought it meant she would be a child from a poor, suffering family, and she could rely on her abilities to make money.
Now she knew the true, maddening power of this Persona Card.
No matter how awesome, noble, or high-and-mighty your identity was… even if you possessed wealth rivaling a nation during the day, at midnight, it all vanished like smoke.
One blow and you were knocked back to your original broke-ass form.
Cheng Huan imagined that the Nine-Tailed Bone Fox’s tail in Lu Qing’an’s hand must have disappeared by now.
When that happened, Lu Qing’an would surely think it was her trick. Then, if Hou An couldn’t be saved, Lu Qing’an might blame her for it.
What a headache!
Cheng Huan’s frustrated mood was sensed by the Little Hedgehog. Feeling its Host’s unhappiness, it immediately trotted out eagerly.
[Host, don’t be unhappy.]
… Cheng Huan thought the Little Hedgehog wanted to cuddle again and immediately put up her hand in a stopping gesture. “Stop! No getting close. Please maintain a safe distance from me.”
The Little Hedgehog knew its Host was afraid of it because of its spines. [Host, don’t be afraid of me. I won’t prick you again.]
Cheng Huan looked at the Little Hedgehog warily. “Then why did you come out? I didn’t call you.”
[I sensed Host’s dejected mood and wanted to help Host with your troubles.]
“Help with my troubles?” Cheng Huan crouched down where she was, propping her cheeks on her hands. “My biggest trouble is wanting to leave this world right now, immediately. Can you do that?”
The Little Hedgehog: [Cannot.]
“…” Cheng Huan had long known this wasn’t something the Little Hedgehog could accomplish. She said lazily, “Then what’s the point of talking about helping with my troubles? Are you going to help light the road ahead with that brightness of yours that rivals a floodlight? Is that your idea of helping?”
The Little Hedgehog, its entire body radiating a brilliant white light like a high-wattage incandescent bulb, illuminated the area around Cheng Huan.
[Host, don’t be sad. I can still think of other ways to help.]
“What ideas could you possibly have to help me?” Cheng Huan lifted her eyelids. “The Female Lead already refused to become my disciple. How else can I make her quickly achieve her dream so I can exit this world?”
The Little Hedgehog blinked. [Why must Host make the Female Lead become your disciple in order to help her achieve her dream?]
“To be legitimate and justified, of course!”
A Master teaching a disciple—it’s a natural, heaven-ordained principle.
The Little Hedgehog was puzzled. [Why must it be legitimate and justified?]
“…”
Cheng Huan was stunned by the Little Hedgehog’s question.
Why must it be legitimate and justified?!
She wasn’t on a mission, where everything needed a reason.
With her identity in this world, she didn’t need a reason to do anything at all!
The Persona Card didn’t restrict all her actions. After all, the only real rule was that she couldn’t massacre the carrier of this world or try to destroy it.
So, wanting to help Lu Qing’an quickly achieve her dream… she didn’t necessarily have to become her Master!
Realizing this, Cheng Huan felt she must have become stupid from staying too long in this retirement world. Her mind had grown dull; she was still using the thought processes and ideas from her days as a Tasker to face this world.
This was simply being stuck in a rut!
Filled with renewed fighting spirit, Cheng Huan forgot the pain in her excitement. She lifted her hand and vigorously rubbed the Little Hedgehog.
The very next second.
“AAAHHH——”
Cheng Huan looked at her palm, nearly impaled by the spines, and wept bitter tears.
Nearby, the group from the Primordial Pavilion, resting by a creek, heard an extremely miserable scream. Frightened, they immediately grabbed their Natal Swords and scanned the surroundings warily, trembling as they kept watch, terrified of possible danger.
Jing Chen looked at Gu Chuan and said worriedly, “Eldest Senior Sister hasn’t returned yet?”
Lu Qing’an had said she was going to find some fruit to curb their hunger. She had been gone for a long time without returning, and everyone was beginning to worry.
Gu Chuan stared into the distance, his grip on his sword never loosening. “I’ll go look for her.”
Jing Chen nodded. “Alright.”
Gu Chuan had just taken a step when he heard footsteps approaching from ahead. He looked toward the sound; it was Lu Qing’an.
“You’re back. Are you alright?” Gu Chuan immediately went forward to ask.
“Fine.” Lu Qing’an handed the bag in her hand to Jing Chen. “Green Fruit. Not poisonous. Distribute them.”
Jing Chen took it. “Thank you, Eldest Senior Sister.”
