Shen Yuefu stood with his back to the light, his whole figure radiating an aloof, untouchable aura. His cold gaze swept over the cup of spirit tea before him. Suddenly, his brows moved ever so slightly.
"What is this tea in the bowl?"
Yao Ranran had already drunk a cup. She answered casually, "Maybe it's Cuiya Spirit Tea they sell in the market outside. Tastes quite fragrant!"
Shen Yuefu watched as she drank it without any sign of abnormality. He lifted his hand slightly. With a flick of his fingers, the teabowl flew into his palm of its own accord.
"Mm… Elder Shen, I'll check inside to see if there are other tea leaves to brew instead!"
Before he could react, Yao Ranran darted into the wooden hut and shut the door behind her.
Inside, Bai Qingwu withdrew the jade stone with a wave and praised, "Ranran Daoyou did well. Leave the rest to me."
Yao Ranran nodded. "Then I'll leave through the back door."
"Good." Bai Qingwu smiled, stepping up behind her. Then, tilting her head curiously, she asked, "Ranran Daoyou, your robe—does it attack enemies on its own?"
"Oh, that? I'm controlling it on purpose right now, so it won't strike you again. No need to worry, Bai Daoyou."
Yao Ranran didn't look back. She thought he was still concerned about what had happened before.
Ever since her robe had injured her, she had used her rest time to adjust its enchantments. Now she could suppress its counterattacking feature, keeping only the simplest defensive shield.
Bai Qingwu chuckled, a strange gleam flashing in his eyes. "Then Ranran Daoyou should hurry. Best not let Shen Yuefu notice anything."
Yao Ranran suddenly turned around and cupped her hands. "Bai Daoyou , fate willing, we'll meet again."
Bai Qingwu blinked rapidly, rubbing his eyes. He muttered, "Something just flew into my eye… Ranran Daoyou, fate willing, we'll meet again!"
"Heh… We'll be seeing each other again very soon."
Bai Qingwu wiped his eyes in mock irritation, but from the corner of his gaze he tracked her every move, his eyes glinting.
"By the way, Bai Daoyou..."
"Ow, the forest is crawling with insects! My eyes are killing me." Bai Qingwu rubbed them harder.
Yao Ranran gave her a sympathetic look.
Poor transmigrator. Doesn't even know how to channel the Holy Maiden's spiritual power. Is that Holy robe just for show?
…
Wait!
The Holy Maiden's cultivation in the book was extremely strong, at least late Golden Core. Even if this body had been seized by a useless soul, no insects would dare come close.
Yao Ranran's heart skipped.
She had always acted weak in front of her, which made her look down on her. But in truth, her strength was far from simple.
"Ranran Daoyou, what is it you wanted to say to me?" Bai Qingwu looked up with reddened eyes.
Yao Ranran's lips curved. "I wanted to say, fellow villager, take care."
"…Take care."
Bai Qingwu smiled, her eyes narrowing in delight.
Before meeting this transmigrator, Yao Ranran would never have believed that the word "lecherous" could be used on a Holy Maiden.
She forced herself not to dwell on the unsettling feeling in her chest and strode to the back door.
The moment she pulled it open, a blinding white light burst forth. Reflexively, she flung out the Nine Lotus Ring, sending dragon-like streaks of light lashing through the air.
"Ah!" A muffled cry of pain came from the left.
"Bai Daoyou, is that you?" Yao Ranran called sharply.
Bai Qingwu clutched her face. Her cheek was red and swollen, a lotus-shaped mark seared into it.
Enduring the pain, she hastily swallowed a pill and forced his voice steady. "Was Ranran Daoyou calling me? I'm behind you."
Yao Ranran blinked. The glare vanished, leaving only a snowy expanse stretching before her.
She glanced toward where the voice had come from, but then a knock sounded from the front door.
Knock knock knock! Knock knock knock!
Bai Qingwu said with a smile, "Ranran Daoyou, go quickly. I'll deal with this."
She cast her one last look, seeing the confidence in her side profile, then stepped out of the hut.
She didn't notice her gaze following her every step.
At the front door—
Shen Yuefu sipped the spirit tea, then his eyes caught sight of a cluster of photinia flowers growing by the corner of the hut.
The blooms were modest, half-hidden, but their faint fragrance drifted strangely through the air.
Shen Yuefu immediately set down the cup.
His aura turned colder. At the tip of his nose lingered not only their scent but that of other herbs mixed within.
Knock knock knock! Knock knock knock!
He flickered to the hut's door and knocked.
"Yao Ranran, what have you done in here?"
But Yao Ranran had already left through the back.
Inside, only Bai Qingwu remained.
"Oh, my dear male lead, why so impatient?"
She sashayed to the door, eyes laughing, and swung it open with a graceful wave.
A flush burned across Shen Yuefu's face. The instant the door opened, his knees buckled and he dropped to one knee. "Yao Ranran, what have you done to me?"
He clenched his teeth and raised his head. A figure in flowing white skirts twirled before his eyes.
But it was not Yao Ranran.
"Elder Shen, searching for someone? I'm right here. Come inside, let's talk…"
Bai Qingwu extended a soft, jade-like hand to help him up.
Several sharp ice arrows instantly congealed in the snow, striking between them and exploding into shards of frozen petals.
The smile in Bai Qingwu's eyes froze into scorn. "Shen Yuefu, you carry a strange affliction. Now that you've fallen into my Spring Fragrance Seven Desires Formation, there is no way you'll leave alive today!"
…
"Bai Qingwu, you scheming brat!"
Yao Ranran looked around. Two layers of overlapping illusions pressed on her senses.
One was false, a mirage meant to trap her.
Ever since she had reached the tenth level of Qi Refinement, she had discovered a new ability—
She could see through illusions, even cast simple ones herself.
Last time, she had used it without thinking, tricking Tang Xiangyin so badly that she nearly cut a piece of flesh from her own body.
Yao Ranran hefted her spirit stone pouch angrily. "No wonder she paid me so readily. She never intended to let me leave smoothly!"
All those sweet words, calling me "fellow villager"—a lie from start to finish!
"Good thing it was only my feelings he toyed with. If he had swindled me of money, I'd march straight back…
Back to the Beiming Holy Palace itself, drag out the Holy Master who's been in seclusion for centuries, and make him deal with this body-snatching monster!"
Her fury simmered until she suddenly noticed the snow beneath her feet squirming.
The thick frost melted in an instant. A black hexagram array surfaced, streaked with blood-red threads that reeked of iron and rot.
From its center, a crimson human-shaped frame slowly rose, and the once-clear heavens turned scarlet as if drenched in sunset.
Yao Ranran hurried out of the woods, leaving the hut and the array behind. The sky cleared again.
"Bai Qingwu said she only wanted to form a Dao couple bond with Shen Yuefu. But looking at this… what she's after isn't a partner."
Her breath caught.
"It's a life!"