Chapter 161
Chapter 161: Know When to Stop
Fu Qi Xiu struggled to lift his head, his bloodshot, emerald serpent eyes filled with murderous intent.
Shi Zi Chu raised an eyebrow, her smile radiant and innocent, as if all the world was hers to command.
Her face was as serene as Guanyin, but her heart as venomous as a serpent’s fangs.
Seated upon a low couch, Shi Zi Chu crossed her legs with lazy grace, the soft smile on her lips as she gazed at Fu Qi Xiu.
An unspoken standoff lingered until Fu Qi Xiu finally bowed his head, yielding.
The smile on Shi Zi Chu’s lips deepened with satisfaction. “Beg me.”
“Beg… Master!” His words were forced out, his tone sharp as if trying to tear Shi Zi Chu apart with them.
Shi Zi Chu was unfazed. She leaned forward, her fingers curling around Fu Qi Xiu’s chin, forcing him to look up.
Reluctantly, Fu Qi Xiu gazed into her alluring peach blossom eyes.
“Open your mouth.”
With humiliation burning through him, Fu Qi Xiu clenched his teeth, his gaze still burning with contempt.
Shi Zi Chu held his face, forcing his mouth open with a swift, practiced movement.
A greenish-blue spirit pill melted on his tongue the moment it touched his lips. The healing effects rushed through him, rapidly mending the wounds caused by the backlash.
Fu Qi Xiu’s eyes flickered in astonishment.
It was a sixth-rank rejuvenation pill.
Shi Zi Chu lightly tapped his cheek, her tone gentle. “A’Xiu, if you behave, I won’t treat you unfairly.”
Hearing this, Fu Qi Xiu let out a cold laugh, his delicate features filled with sarcasm.
Though he said nothing, his look screamed mockery at Shi Zi Chu’s naive expectations.
“If you don’t listen…” Shi Zi Chu sighed with a touch of feigned sorrow, her face clouded with reluctance. “Such a beautiful face, I truly don’t want to harm it.”
“Hypocrite! Liar!” Fu Qi Xiu spat, venom in his words.
Shi Zi Chu’s response was swift, her hand striking him across the face with a sharp slap.
“Such a brat,” she muttered under her breath. “Go kneel outside and reflect.”
…
When Meng Xi Yu returned, he saw Shi Zi Chu sitting on the stairs, while a demon cultivator knelt in the courtyard.
Fu Qi Xiu stiffened slightly, clearly not wanting anyone to witness his current, humiliating state.
Noticing the clear slap mark on Fu Qi Xiu’s face, Meng Xi Yu’s gaze shifted to Shi Zi Chu.
What kind of drama was this?
Shi Zi Chu looked at him with an innocent expression.
Meng Xi Yu chose to ignore the scene. He walked over and stood in front of her, his face showing clear signs of hesitation.
Shi Zi Chu stood up, brushing her sleeves with a gentle motion. “Is the matter settled?”
Meng Xi Yu’s hesitation grew even heavier.
“What’s wrong?” Shi Zi Chu asked softly.
Meng Xi Yu furrowed his brows, finally speaking, “The Blue Rain Marsh matter, Father wants me to lead the team. Ji Yan from Sacred Dawn Peak has already taken disciples to Supreme Virtue City.”
On one side, there was the undeniable responsibility of being the Sect’s Junior Master, and on the other, Shi Zi Chu.
The Blue Rain Marsh had always been dangerous, and the appearance of heavenly treasures only amplified the danger. Ji Yan had all but drugged him to ensure he led the team.
“Go,” Shi Zi Chu said, her voice gentle as she smiled. “I’ve heard of the Blue Rain Marsh incident. This is your responsibility as the Junior Master.”
“And what about you?” Meng Xi Yu asked.
Shi Zi Chu chuckled lightly. “I’m not a disciple of Jade Void Sect, am I?”
Seeing her look, completely unburdened by any obligation, Meng Xi Yu finally nodded. “We’ll depart the day after tomorrow.”
Shi Zi Chu agreed with a soft hum.
Meng Xi Yu said a few more words before hastily leaving.
When Jiang Wan Sheng returned, Fu Qi Xiu was still kneeling in the courtyard.
“Qing Qing, would you like to join me on a training trip?” Jiang Wan Sheng asked as he set the food down.
Shi Zi Chu shook her head.
Seeing her refusal, Jiang Wan Sheng didn’t press further.
After a while, Shi Zi Chu looked up and noticed Jiang Wan Sheng sulking. She couldn’t help but tease him with a smile. “Have you turned into a different person?”
Normally, he would have made a scene by now.
Jiang Wan Sheng’s eyes were filled with grievance.
What good would making a scene do?
If he annoyed Qing Qing, he would truly regret it!
“Sheng Sheng, be good,” Shi Zi Chu coaxed gently. “There will be other chances for training.”
Jiang Wan Sheng grumbled under his breath, trying to appear indifferent.
Shi Zi Chu, as though she hadn’t heard him, simply carried on.
…
Blue Rain Marsh
The blue raindrops fell steadily, like pearls broken from a necklace, the heavy moisture weaving into a misty haze.
A group of disciples from Jade Void Sect, over thirty in total, stood at the entrance to Blue Rain Marsh, waiting.
“This is ridiculous. We’ve been waiting for a whole tea session, and Shi Zi Chu still isn’t here? Does she even have a sense of time?” Fang Wei An complained, his voice full of impatience.
Meng Xi Yu shot him a cold glance, and Fang Wei An immediately fell silent, though irritation still simmered inside him.
Chu Zhi Rou spoke softly, “For An, Senior Sister already mentioned she had matters to attend to and would arrive after us by about a stick of incense’s time.”
Fang Wei An sneered, “Junior Sister Rou Rou, stop making excuses for her. ‘Matters to attend to’? Who knows what nonsense that is…”
“What nonsense?” A soft, melodious voice interrupted him.
Shi Zi Chu arrived gracefully, dressed in her disciple robes, with a masked man following her.
Fang Wei An snorted derisively. “Some people really love putting on airs. Making us wait here while the Junior Master is off enjoying herself. Don’t be surprised if others start thinking you’re the real Junior Master.”
Shi Zi Chu surveyed the group briefly.
There weren’t many disciples from Rising Succession Peak present—besides Chu Zhi Rou, there was only Liang Wei Sheng and another inner sect disciple.
She turned her gaze back to Fang Wei An, her smile growing. “Since you’ve forgotten your place, let me remind you.”
As her soft voice faded, shimmering blue silk threads appeared out of nowhere.
With a shriek of pain from Fang Wei An, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles.
Meng Yun Jiao leapt forward, pointing angrily at Shi Zi Chu. “Shi Zi Chu, how dare you injure a fellow disciple!”
“Is this injuring him?” Shi Zi Chu asked with a smile, her slender fingers curling as Fang Wei An’s exposed skin began to ooze blood.
Chu Zhi Rou opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to defend him, but remembering her hard-earned closeness to Shi Zi Chu, she fell silent.
“In front of everyone, you can’t deny this!” Meng Yun Jiao shouted, pulling out a whip to strike. “I’m going to teach you a lesson on behalf of Master!”
From Meng Yun Jiao’s body, aqua blue silk threads shot out, wrapping around Shi Zi Chu’s hand.
It was as if Meng Yun Jiao had become a puppet, her face contorted with pain.
Shi Zi Chu’s fingers curled once more, and the threads moved, causing Fang Wei An and Meng Yun Jiao to scream in agony.
The other disciples stood in stunned silence, not daring to speak.
Shi Zi Chu’s cultivation was only second to the Junior Master, and as long as the Junior Master didn’t intervene, no one dared to act rashly—after all, there were already two who had suffered because of it.
“Shi Zi Chu, you’re practicing demonic arts!” Meng Yun Jiao shrieked, cursing through her pain. “I’ll report you to Master for harming your fellow disciples!”
Shi Zi Chu smiled sweetly.
She turned to Meng Xi Yu, who had been watching quietly, and spoke softly, “A’Yu.”
Meng Yun Jiao was adopted, but Meng Xi Yu was his true son.
This was her chance to make use of him.
“They brought this upon themselves,” Meng Xi Yu said coldly, before adding, “But you should know when to stop.”
Though his words appeared neutral, his bias was obvious.
Shi Zi Chu seemed to comply, lowering her hand. “Alright, I’ll listen to the Junior Master.”
Meng Xi Yu gave her a sidelong glance, then looked toward the disciples from Sacred Dawn Peak.
Ji Yan from Sacred Dawn Peak raised his hand, signaling for his disciples to step forward and check on the condition of Meng Yun Jiao and Fang Wei An.