Chapter 001
Chapter 1: You Nearly Died in Hundred Demon Valley!
[Alert! Alert! The system is under an unknown attack—beep beep beep…]
The sharp, jarring alarm gradually faded from Shi Zi Chu’s mind. She opened her eyes, her crimson lips curving into a faint smile.
Before she could fully grasp her surroundings, a strong arm wrapped around her slender waist, pulling her lithe body backward, then into the warmth of a broad embrace.
Something seemed to click in her mind, and Shi Zi Chu widened her eyes. Her gaze, somewhat dazed and mechanical, slowly drifted downward.
The thin silk blanket had been draped over her waist, leaving her soft, delicate arms exposed.
Still in disbelief, she followed the lean, muscular arm with her eyes, only to meet a sharp, cold face—hard angles and an air of indifference.
The man, still in slumber, lacked his usual cold, ruthless edge. His deep, dark brows softened, and there was a trace of satisfaction in his features.
Master…?
Shi Zi Chu’s mind stalled for a brief moment.
So, she had… rebirthed right into the moment of crawling into the bed of Master?!
The damn Heavenly Dao is truly a trickster!
Suddenly, the arm around her waist tightened slightly.
The unconscious movement from the man startled Shi Zi Chu, freezing her in place. She held her breath, afraid to disturb the man behind her.
After a long while, confirming that Xing Lan was still deep in sleep, she made her decision, just like in her past life—run!
She confirmed that her ring, the Initial Bell, was still in her spiritual sense. Then, carefully, she shifted the arm across her waist.
The man, lying on his side, had his undershirt slightly loose, the collar open enough to reveal a smooth chest adorned with well-defined muscle lines.
Glancing at the marks on his firm chest, Shi Zi Chu quickly turned her gaze away, afraid to linger. She swiftly sat up, only to nearly collapse back onto the bed!
Her entire body felt limp and sore!
The vast disparity in cultivation made for an uneven balance of strength. It was truly exhausting!
But, to be honest, it felt strangely… satisfying.
Fearing that she might wake Xing Lan, Shi Zi Chu refrained from using spiritual power to alleviate her discomfort. Instead, she shakily climbed off the bed and began gathering the clothes that had been scattered on the floor.
Her peripheral vision caught sight of the belt she had torn earlier, and the memory from a few days ago suddenly surged in her mind. Shi Zi Chu’s face turned hot with a mix of charm and embarrassment.
She quickly put on her gown, letting her long hair fall loosely behind her, only securing it with a hairpin. Then, she staggered toward the door, her gait slightly awkward.
“Peak Master Xing Lan, we are here by order to take Shi Zi Chu to the Hall of Justice for interrogation!”
“Shi Zi Chu pushed Chu Zhi Rou into Hundred Demon Valley during the Green Mountain Secret Realm trial. We ask that Peak Master Xing Lan inform us of Shi Zi Chu’s whereabouts!”
“Please, Peak Master Xing Lan, tell us where Shi Zi Chu is. This is just a routine interrogation!”
The voice of the elder from the Hall of Justice pierced through the peak’s protective barrier and reached Shi Zi Chu’s ears with clarity.
Stopping at the door, Shi Zi Chu froze, the faint, languid charm in her peach blossom eyes darkening.
In her past life, she had been forcibly bound by that damned female villain system. When she refused to become the stepping stone for the female lead, that treacherous system took control of her body and leapt into the female lead’s schemes!
And what was more absurd? Her fellow disciples!
Not a single person noticed anything wrong with the female lead’s weak tricks. Everyone, without question, stood on the side of the female lead, criticizing and condemning her blindly.
In the end, abandoned by all, she was kicked out of the sect and later captured by the female lead’s lover, tortured as a form of entertainment just to please her.
As she recalled this, Shi Zi Chu’s eyes darkened, her gaze now both passionate and cold, her peach blossom eyes filled with a deadly allure.
It wasn’t the best time to go out, but staying here was also unthinkable.
Just as she stood at a crossroads, a cold, oppressive voice sounded from outside the main peak barrier. “I will find her and bring her to the Hall of Justice for interrogation.”
Perhaps because he had just woken up, his voice was hoarse and low, a strange, almost seductive quality to it.
Shi Zi Chu stiffened.
He’s awake?
The silence beyond the barrier signified his departure.
Then, soft rustling sounds echoed in the eerily quiet room, amplifying the noise.
Shi Zi Chu couldn’t quite decipher Xing Lan’s attitude.
But one thing was for certain: she would never allow herself to be placed in a passive situation.
As Shi Zi Chu turned to shed a few crocodile tears and beg for forgiveness, the words in her throat were suddenly choked off.
Just a few steps away, Xing Lan stood tall and imposing, exuding an aura of cold nobility. His presence was overwhelming.
His white undershirt fit him perfectly, outlining his lean, powerful physique. The slightly open collar revealed a glimpse of his collarbone, marked with a few distinctive bite marks.
Shi Zi Chu quickly averted her eyes, not daring to look any longer. Her neck, pale and slender, flushed with a faint pink.
Master, why isn’t he dressed yet?!
Xing Lan approached her slowly, his gaze cold as he looked at the seemingly obedient Shi Zi Chu. His voice was devoid of emotion, but strangely reliable. “Jiu Jiu has grown up. You’ve gained some skill.”
“Master…” Shi Zi Chu slowly lifted her gaze, her beautiful face softening into a delicate smile. Her eyes, like water, glinted with a faint sorrow as she spoke in a soft, almost coquettish tone, “Disciple has only gone astray because of my admiration for Master. Please, Master, punish me.”
Xing Lan stepped closer, reaching out to steady Shi Zi Chu as she pretended to kneel.
“Jiu Jiu, have you gotten what you wanted?”
Shi Zi Chu’s eyes widened in surprise.
A chill, yet gentle, spiritual power entered her body, dissipating the lingering soreness and fatigue.
Shi Zi Chu’s long eyelashes trembled slightly, and suddenly, many things began to make sense.
Before she could speak, Xing Lan’s cold voice interrupted, “Go to the Hall of Justice. I will come shortly.”
Now understanding more than before, Shi Zi Chu reached out with her soft, pale fingers, lightly grasping the sleeve of Xing Lan’s undershirt. Just one simple motion betrayed her unease and vulnerability.
The Green Mountain Secret Realm trial was difficult, but not impossible to handle.
The easiest way to resolve it was to have Xing Lan on her side. As long as he spoke up, the Hall of Justice would have no choice but to retreat.
“Master…” her voice softened, tinged with anxiety.
Shi Zi Chu’s eyes were slightly red at the corners, her gaze glistening with tears, her appearance delicate and pitiful.
Her helplessness was so sincere that anyone would find it hard to resist.
Xing Lan reached up to stroke Shi Zi Chu’s head, his voice cold yet oddly comforting. “Go.”
Shi Zi Chu said nothing further, lowering her eyes. “Alright.”
After opening the door, she stepped out and quickly cast a dust dispelling spell.
Xing Lan had always been a man who couldn’t tolerate any flaws. The image recording stone in the Green Mountain Secret Realm might have been damaged, and under the pressure of Chu Zhi Rou and her senior brothers’ accusations, it was unlikely that Xing Lan would stand by her side.
She couldn’t be foolish enough to place all her bets on Xing Lan!
And…
Thinking of the brainless elders and disciples of her sect, Shi Zi Chu truly wished she could dig out their decorative brains!
At Jade Void Peak, in the Hall of Justice, Shi Zi Chu knelt at the center of the hall, dressed in white. At the head of the room sat the Hall Master, with Chu Zhi Rou and several senior brothers flanking her.
“Hall Master! Shi Zi Chu pushing the junior sister into Hundred Demon Valley is a clear and undeniable fact! Please, Hall Master, punish her severely!”
The voice, sharp and filled with disgust, came from Xu Zhou Ye, Chu Zhi Rou’s senior brother, and Shi Zi Chu’s own senior brother.
“Senior Brother, I believe our second senior sister didn’t do it on purpose,” a soft voice piped up. A girl in white, holding Xu Zhou Ye’s sleeve and shaking his arm, pleaded for mercy.
Xu Zhou Ye, who had looked at the pale, delicate face of Chu Zhi Rou with disgust, now softened his expression, his voice full of pity and concern. “Little junior sister, how could you still plead for this poisonous woman? You nearly died in Hundred Demon Valley!”