Chapter 201
Chapter 201: I Learned Something from You—The System Shop
Seeing the look on Xing Lan’s face, as though he was preparing to settle accounts in the future, Shi Zi Chu clung to his strong waist, hugging him tightly while acting coquettishly, “Master, I know I was wrong~ I shouldn’t have resorted to any means just to improve my cultivation~”
Xing Lan’s expression remained cold, unmoving as he showed no signs of being swayed.
Jiu Jiu was always like this. Every time, she would apologize with sincerity, claiming to understand her mistake. Her attitude would be earnest and genuine, yet the next time, she would make the same error again.
The root cause of this lay in his repeated indulgence. Because of his tolerance and concessions, Jiu Jiu felt secure and unafraid.
There were many times when he knew he shouldn’t give in to her, but every time he saw her shed crocodile tears, he couldn’t help but soften, relent, and give in.
But this time, he was determined to teach Jiu Jiu a lesson.
“Master, please forgive me just this once~” Shi Zi Chu tilted her small face upward, her pale face filled with pitiful sorrow.
Xing Lan’s gaze shifted elsewhere, his resolve unyielding.
“Master…” Her voice softened, tinged with a slight sob.
Xing Lan spoke coldly, “Crying won’t help.”
Hearing this, Shi Zi Chu buried her face in Xing Lan’s chest, appearing helpless and pitiful, but a hint of frustration flashed in her eyes.
It was the first time she had seen Xing Lan this angry. It seemed her actions had truly touched a nerve, crossing a line she hadn’t realized.
“Master has every right to be angry,” Shi Zi Chu murmured, her voice filled with sorrow and guilt, “It’s my fault. I… I don’t value myself, and now… I…”
Xing Lan delivered a slap to the back of Shi Zi Chu’s shoulders, neither too light nor too heavy. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
No matter the situation, such self-deprecating words should never come from Jiu Jiu’s mouth. Furthermore, when had he ever shown disdain for her? If he truly disliked her, could she still cling to him, playing tricks and acting spoiled?
“Master doesn’t despise me, but I still feel deeply guilty,” Shi Zi Chu choked on her words. “I trouble you with everything, and I have such a narrow view that it has made you so angry.”
As she spoke these seemingly heartfelt words of remorse, Xing Lan pulled her from his chest, looking into her tear-filled eyes.
“Jiu Jiu, that’s not what I want to hear,” he said coldly.
Whether it was an apology or confession, he didn’t care about that. What concerned him was Jiu Jiu’s feelings toward Ye He Qi.
Was it purely for personal gain? Or had something deeper formed?
“I only have feelings for Master,” Shi Zi Chu said, lifting her gaze to meet his, her eyes brimming with sincerity.
Her soft, watery gaze seemed to reflect Xing Lan’s image as though he was the entire world to her.
For a moment, Xing Lan shifted his gaze, his cold expression softening like melting ice. His eyes flitted toward the door, and his voice remained indifferent. “So, you have no feelings for Ye He Qi?”
“I only have feelings for Master,” Shi Zi Chu answered without hesitation, her voice firm.
Her unshakable answer greatly eased Xing Lan’s jealousy.
As Ye He Qi had said, Jiu Jiu wasn’t someone to stay in one place. She wouldn’t put all her chips on a single person. The occurrence of such things was only a matter of time.
In truth, given his personality, he could have locked Jiu Jiu up on Rising Succession Peak. He could have done that easily.
But he didn’t dare.
He had already lost Jiu Jiu once. The years without news were too painful, too hopeless. He couldn’t bear to lose her again.
So, he forced himself to turn a blind eye.
But when things actually happened, he realized he had overestimated his own tolerance.
“Jiu Jiu.”
Shi Zi Chu responded, confusion flickering in her affectionate, gentle gaze.
Xing Lan reached up and gently grasped her chin.
The touch was tender yet full of unspoken emotions. Though he knew the affection was only superficial, he couldn’t help but become lost in it. In love, the one who feels more deeply is always destined to lower their head.
Finally, the words that were on Xing Lan’s lips shifted. “Just this once.”
If this happens again, she will remain at Rising Succession Peak permanently.
Shi Zi Chu nodded in agreement.
Xing Lan released his grip. “Come with me. You need to prepare for your tribulation crossing.”
Shi Zi Chu shook her head, seeing the coldness return to Xing Lan’s face, and she explained, “Ruo Ruo has arranged to meet me. I must go.”
Xing Lan didn’t press the issue. “I’ll take you back to the manor.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded obediently.
As they stepped out of the room, they saw Ye He Qi standing in the courtyard.
Shi Zi Chu glanced at Xing Lan, realizing that his earlier question seemed to have been deliberately directed for Ye He Qi’s benefit.
Master could be so petty sometimes.
Ye He Qi greeted Xing Lan with a respectful salute, his posture calm and elegant, exuding respect.
After accompanying Shi Zi Chu back to the manor, Xing Lan returned to Ye Clans, looking for Elder Ye Cheng, who had managed to irritate him.
Half-step tribulation-crossing Elder Ye Cheng stood no chance before Xing Lan.
When the Ye Clans’ ancestors were alerted to the situation, their vision blurred.
Upon learning what Elder Ye Cheng had done, their sight darkened even further.
Standing beside them, Ye He Qi, the clan chief, wore a face of helplessness.
In the end, thanks to the intervention of the ancestors, Elder Ye Cheng was spared his life.
…
The next day.
Shi Zi Chu woke up naturally and immediately made her way to the spatial storage ring.
“Little dog, come here,” came the gentle voice, yet it carried a note of command.
Curled up in its dog bed, the female villain system reluctantly dragged itself over.
Shi Zi Chu flipped her palm, and a soul-condensed comb, formed from soul force, appeared.
When the little dog-shaped female villain system finally reached her, she crouched down and gently began brushing its fur with the comb.
At first glance, the soul-condensed comb appeared harmless, but it drew thin, delicate wounds along the little dog’s back.
[Aaaaah!!!] The female villain system’s sharp, desperate scream echoed through the spatial storage ring.
Shi Zi Chu tightened her grip on the little dog’s neck to prevent its escape, a gentle smile playing on her lips. “Did that hurt? Bear with it.”
The soft tone paired with the brushing motion created a picture of peacefulness, but the continuous cries of the little dog made the scene feel strangely eerie.
“The thing that augments roots isn’t something Chu Zhi Rou can give you. But I learned something from you—The system shop.”
Shi Zi Chu’s voice was as smooth as a melody, and she continued brushing without pause.
The little dog on the floor was near death, its body covered in wounds, beneath which mechanical symbols flowed.
[What??] The female villain system, close to crashing, was utterly stunned.
“You didn’t know? Your precious heroine has a system,” Shi Zi Chu’s voice grew even softer, “Little dog, don’t you have a system shop?”
She had experienced the system’s abilities firsthand. The power that had granted her two spiritual roots must have come from Chu Zhi Rou’s system.
Tsk, it seemed systems always had a habit of courting death!
The mechanical voice of the female villain system was filled with horror, [How could the heroine be bound to a system—Warning! Warning! System crash! Beep beep—]
Seeing the female villain system crash and disconnect, Shi Zi Chu boredly withdrew her hand, casting a dust dispelling spell before walking toward the nearby tower.
Worthless trash.
As she recalled how she had been tricked by such a worthless thing in her previous life, her underlying ruthlessness nearly bubbled to the surface.
Oh well, it still had its uses. She couldn’t finish it off just yet.