Chapter 24
The young woman before the tree demon had a calm expression. Her face was untouched by makeup, and she wore no accessories. There was only a snow-white jade hairpin inserted into her black hair, yet her elegance could not be concealed.
The tree demon did not transform into human form and simply spoke directly. “Zhai Wangyou of Tianjian Sect? What, have you found news of my little fox?”
It had only been two days, right? Was the cultivation world that small?
Although the tree demon’s tone was gentle, Zhai Wangyou still felt ashamed. After returning, she had encountered marriage proposals, then Qingchuang had used news of her master to trade for…
In these two days, she had not gone to search for the little fox the senior had mentioned.
She shook her head. “This junior has not searched yet. I came this time for another matter.”
The tree demon’s tone did not change. “What matter?”
Zhai Wangyou’s voice was full of expectation. “Senior once personally saw my master have her inner core dug out and… and die from her injuries. This junior came this time because I heard someone say my master did not die, so I specifically came to ask Senior for confirmation.”
The tree demon’s entire face darkened. “She really died. Although she still had breath at the time, after I saved her, she lasted less than three days. My little fox also ran off to the cultivation world because of her and still hasn’t returned.”
That middle-aged Daoist nun had been far too troublesome. Who knew what she had said to the little fox to make the little fox secretly slip off to the cultivation world and not come back for so long?
Zhai Wangyou froze in place.
The hope that had just risen was shattered once again.
So it had only been wishful thinking? Her master…
And her Dream-Entering Grass…
She bowed to the tree demon in thanks. “Thank you, Senior, for once lending aid to my master and for saving me before. After this junior returns, I will do my best to search for the little fox’s whereabouts, to repay Senior’s life-saving grace.”
The tree demon watched her hurriedly leaving back and called out from behind, “My little fox has just formed her demon core and still cannot transform. She is a three-hundred-year-old little fox demon. She’s red, very innocent, very pure…”
From far away, seeing Zhai Wangyou nod, the tree demon finally lowered her brows and sighed. That little fox was far too playful. When would she come back?
After Zhai Wangyou returned to the cultivation world, before she even had time to descend the mountain, she noticed movement from the communication jade talisman in her storage ring. She stopped.
“Eldest Senior Sister, Hall Master Qingchuang of the Deacon Hall wants to see you. Is it convenient for you to meet her now?”
It was Guanlan’s voice. She must have used the jade talisman to send a message because she had not directly gone to Beishan Peak to disturb her.
Zhai Wangyou had only publicly announced she was entering seclusion half a day ago, yet someone had already come to find her again.
“Meet her.”
Although she increased her speed, by the time Zhai Wangyou returned to Beishan Peak, it was already noon.
“Fairy Wangyou truly made me wait.”
The moment she entered the courtyard, she heard Qingchuang’s voice.
Zhai Wangyou’s face was slightly cold. “This junior was in seclusion. Who brought Senior here?”
Had she not said that if there was no major matter, no one was to disturb her?
Someone had only come to visit, yet they had brought her here.
Qingchuang smiled. “I merely saw that you were not on Beishan Peak, so I came here on my own to wait.”
In other words, she had opened her spiritual sense and examined Beishan Peak. After discovering Zhai Wangyou was not there, she had dismissed the Tianjian Sect disciple and come up the mountain alone.
Thinking this, Zhai Wangyou’s eyes grew colder. To casually allow an outsider to walk around like this, without anyone following…
The Sect Master spent all day in seclusion, Elder Nanshan never handled matters, and her master had met with an accident. The sect’s management had become increasingly lax.
She sighed inwardly and looked at Qingchuang. “What important matter does Senior have?”
“There is a small matter I would like to ask about. May I ask what Fairy Wangyou usually does with that Dream-Entering Grass inside dreams?” Qingchuang raised her brows and smiled, her eyes fixed tightly on Zhai Wangyou.
Zhai Wangyou froze slightly.
Had they already entered a dream?
“Can you bear to let me enter someone else’s dream and do those things with them that I did with you?”
“Inside the dream or outside it, I only want you.”
“Eldest Senior Sister, will you come find me?”
“Eldest Senior Sister, I’ll find a way to come back.”
She dazedly remembered those whispers, and the emotions in her eyes rose and fell. Her voice was icy, without the slightest feeling. “I did nothing.”
Qingchuang smiled again. “I know. Then what did the Dream-Entering Grass do to you in the dream?”
Was it truly an unconscious attack?
A trace of vigilance rose in Zhai Wangyou’s heart. This person seemed to be verifying something. Did the Dream-Entering Grass do something in the dream?
Could it be like what happened between them…
No matter what it was, as long as it benefited the Dream-Entering Grass, it was fine. She made her decision inwardly.
“I allowed her to do as she wished.”
Those four short words left Qingchuang unable to continue asking. Could it be that she really allowed that grass to strangle her in the dream?
She raised her brows. “I heard Fairy Wangyou lets that grass enter your dreams every day. You truly can endure what ordinary people cannot.”
Enter her dreams every day? Endure what ordinary people could not?
Zhai Wangyou almost summoned her sword. Just what had the Dream-Entering Grass told others…
How could the matters between them be spoken of to outsiders…
Seeing that Zhai Wangyou’s expression did not change, Qingchuang, for some reason, opened her spiritual sense. Then her heart jolted.
Late Nascent Soul!
She had clearly still been at early Nascent Soul yesterday. In one night, she had broken through again? Was that possible?
The Dream-Entering Grass already belonged to her. Could it be that Zhai Wangyou had some other secret method, and the grass’s effect was not that great?
But the way she had hesitated yesterday did not seem like that.
Had all of it been deliberately performed for her to see? It seemed this Zhai Wangyou was not as simple as she appeared. That made sense. Which cultivator who could survive to the Nascent Soul stage was not unfathomable?
She glanced down the mountain and said faintly, “It seems Fairy Wangyou has some other method to improve cultivation. That grass’s effect does not seem very impressive.”
A slight ripple rose in Zhai Wangyou’s eyes.
Its effect was not impressive?
After hesitating for a moment, she said calmly, “She is only a spirit pet I raise.”
“Then I truly owe you an apology. It seems I accidentally seized what someone else loved.” Qingchuang continued smiling. That grass was not completely useless. If her inner core had loosened, then she had gained another chance of breaking through. In the end, she still profited.
Zhai Wangyou stared at her smiling face, her tone becoming increasingly cold. “My master has indeed died. Senior’s information was useless.”
“At the very least, it allowed you to confirm Elder Beishan’s death. Could Fairy Wangyou be thinking of going back on your word? Farewell.” Qingchuang sneered. She had not obtained any useful information today. It was a wasted trip.
She would return now and make that grass enter her dream. It could only enter dreams once per day, so she should not waste the opportunity.
Now Zhai Wangyou was also at late Nascent Soul. It was better to leave herself more backup plans, lest more trouble arise. Thinking this, Qingchuang walked even faster.
Zhai Wangyou watched her back and silently lifted her head to glance at the sun hanging in the sky. It was already noon. Autumn days were short, and night would come earlier.
The sky would be dark soon.
At the Deacon Hall, after Qingchuang returned to her room, she opened the Purple-Gold Cover and transformed it into the size of a room, placing herself inside it as well.
“Enter the dream at once.”
Her attitude was commanding, her tone impatient.
Xi Zhou said nothing and obediently transformed into human form.
Inside the dream, she still pretended to be unconscious. But this time, she attacked even more fiercely than before, her movements more decisive. Her left hand directly gripped Qingchuang’s throat, using all her strength from the very beginning.
Since she could not refuse, she might as well get out earlier—and make this old witch suffer while she was at it.
Author’s Note:
Eldest Senior Sister: A dark and windy night is perfect for stealing grass. The sky is about to turn dark…
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