Chapter 0067

Chapter 67: Can’t Hit It, Can’t Have It: I’ll Drive You Mad and Make You Crave It!

Mo Liu Su froze for a heartbeat, then her smile grew even prouder as she declared: “You’re jealous.”

Saying it felt like a breath of fresh air. [At last.] She still remembered Mu Rong Ya’s old sneers: “You’re jealous I’m stronger, jealous I’m prettier, and jealous the little one likes me more!” Just thinking of those words made her boil with anger. Now she could finally say them back.

Mu Rong Ya didn’t get angry. She only said, almost kindly: “You’re pitiful, clinging to that old trinket and feeling smug. I’ll show you something much more interesting.” She held up the signet ring on her finger.

Mo Liu Su lost her calm at once as she demanded: “What is that!”

Mu Rong Ya’s lips quirked: “Take a guess.”

Mo Liu Su snapped, no longer holding back: “I asked what it is!”

Her fine features twisted with fury, yet there was a strange beauty in it, sharpened by a touch of madness. Of course she knew. The signet ring carried a spiritual aura she knew too well. Colored light swirled off it, far grander than her wooden bead. It was clearly a supreme protective charm. Worse, it belonged to Mu Rong Ya alone. Even if someone stole it, they couldn’t use it, and the aura on it might even hurt them. It was blatant favoritism and pampering.

“You’re jealous again,” Mu Rong Ya said, laughing as she twisted the knife.

Mo Liu Su panted hard and stared at Mu Rong Ya with pure hatred, as if she could tear her apart.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Mu Rong Ya said sweetly. “The little one insisted on giving it to me. I told him not to, but he wouldn’t listen. What could I do?”

Long Ling Yun and the little demoness both shivered. They had not expected their master to be this shameless.

“I don’t believe it,” Mo Liu Su said weakly, trying to prop herself up with any excuse. “You must have forced him.”

“You still dare to deny it? Today I’ll cure that stubborn mouth of yours,” Mu Rong Ya said, eyes going fierce like a mother leopard ready to protect what mattered most. She opened her space signet ring, and a stack of scrolls spilled out.

These were the practice pieces she had made to disperse an unlucky calamity. The little demoness and the others knew Mu Rong Ya had been painting, but they had never seen the subjects. Today, they finally could.

A scroll unrolled to show Zhou Tong in profile, commanding a shipbuilding yard. He was full of spirit, every gesture confident and bright, the very picture of a shining youth.

Mo Liu Su’s eyes widened despite herself. She had to admit she had not seen that expression on Zhou Tong’s face for a long time. [What happened over these years? How did that brilliant, high-spirited boy turn so bleak?] She could still see in her mind the cold, lonely figure of Zhou Tong walking away from the sect.

She clenched her fists and thought, [Was I wrong? Maybe I was. But that is past. From now on, I will treat him better.] Out loud, she stayed hard: “It’s only a painting. What does it prove?”

“Fine. Won’t cry till you see the coffin, right? Then I’ll make you face reality,” Mu Rong Ya said as she opened another scroll. It showed Zhou Tong looking at a breathtaking woman with a soft, gentle gaze, a moment so tender it felt almost eternal.

Mo Liu Su’s face flushed hot. She only managed a cold snort and fell silent. She was, truly, jealous.

“Silent now? I know you’re still not convinced. Then look at these,” Mu Rong Ya said as scroll after scroll unfurled. She rattled off the captions, proud and unstoppable: “This is the little one cooking for me.” “This is the little one holding me in his arms.” “This is the little one resting with his head on my lap.” “The little one rubbing my shoulders.” “The little one thumping my legs.” “The little one massaging my feet.” “And the little one coaxing me to sleep.” “And that’s not all. There’s more…”

She did not skimp on details. Her cheeks burned like fire now from pure embarrassment, but she kept going. On any other day, she would rather die than show these in public. But to strike her old rival, she was willing to suffer. Even if it hurt her eight hundred to wound the enemy a hundred, she was delighted.

“Master is terrifying,” the little demoness whispered as she huddled with Long Ling Yun in a corner, both of them shaking.

From the next cell, even “Zhou Tong” went wide-eyed, as if his view of the world had been flipped over.

Lian Han Xing groaned and almost grabbed Mu Rong Ya by the collar as she blurted: “I used to think I lacked shame, but now I feel like I don’t fit in because I’m not twisted enough! Stop it already. Being this creepy is just rude. You’re a grown woman, yet you still act cute to your disciple and make him take care of you. Are you a baby?”

The one under the heaviest blow was Mo Liu Su. She stood frozen like a statue. Only the spreading bloodshot in her eyes proved she was still alive. At last, she couldn’t take it and spat a mouthful of blood.

“You wanton woman, go die!” she screamed, flinging a beam of spiritual light with both hands. It slammed into the iron door and fizzled; the metal here was clearly no common stuff.

Mu Rong Ya laughed in triumph and shook the signet ring again: “Can’t hit me, so get mad!”

She tilted her chin and added: “Can’t have it, so crave it!”

Mo Liu Su swayed, dizzy with rage. She had never imagined she would be driven this far.

“No matter what, I win,” she hissed. “I’m taking Tong’er today. You can hug those memories for the rest of your life.”

Mu Rong Ya’s smile faded. Mo Liu Su flicked her hand and split open the door of the next cell, stepping inside with practiced grace.

Curled up inside, “Zhou Tong” flinched and hugged his knees as he snapped: “Why are you here? I don’t want to see you again!”

Mo Liu Su’s heart leaped. From his tone, his rejection of her had softened a lot, as if he had suffered badly. That guest elder seemed reliable after all. Now if she lowered her posture and said a few soft words, Zhou Tong would yield.

She softened her voice and coaxed him: “Be good, don’t sulk. No one but me can protect you. Or do you want to stay here and keep suffering?”

“Zhou Tong” clearly shivered at her words, but he forced himself to say stubbornly: “If you send me back to how it was, I’d rather die here.”

Mo Liu Su promised in a warm tone: “Your teacher guarantees it. That won’t happen again. As long as you behave and stop fighting with your junior brother, I will cherish you.”