Chapter 114 - The Harem Rescue Project

"The illusions may not harm anyone, but it's best not to linger on them too much." Mu Weiyin urged Lin Qianshuang to help her walk forward. Pointing to a peculiar patch of green beneath the desolate underground palace, she said, "Head over there; there's a thatched cottage where we can rest briefly. Avoid the main estate, don't enter recklessly. The cultivators above won't leave soon, but in half an hour, someone will come to assist us." Lin Qianshuang only then straightened her bent back, releasing the petite Mu Weiyin, and asked, "City Lord, you’re awake?" Mu Weiyin nodded, looking up at Lin Qianshuang with a serious tone, "Let's engage in dual cultivation; this City Lord needs to recover her vitality." Lin Qianshuang's lips twitched. Only Mu Weiyin could mention dual cultivation with such sternness, as if discussing an unparalleled secret technique. Pushing open the door, they were greeted by a room so dusty it made their noses itch. Before Lin Qianshuang could start tidying, Mu Weiyin's palm turned over, emitting a low-level cleaning charm, instantly making the interior spotless. "Get inside, lay out the bedding, lie down, and leave the rest to this City Lord." The ambiguity in Mu Weiyin's instruction was apparent, yet her emotional intelligence matched her stature, so Lin Qianshuang chose not to dwell on it. She rummaged in the cabinet, found the bedding, and spread it out on the hard wooden board. Mu Weiyin observed Lin Qianshuang's hesitant posture on the wooden bed and wondered why the girl seemed so reluctant when dual cultivation could benefit her too. With her profound spiritual essence, she should be a highly sought-after partner for dual cultivation, surpassing the average cultivator's decades of seclusion. Her thoughts drifted back to the day by the lake. She had intended a simple session of dual cultivation, but lost control briefly, benefiting against Lin Qianshuang's will, and Xiao Lanle had witnessed it... Recalling this made her feel unfair and quite unscrupulous, although she had been entirely out of control at that time, for reasons still unclear. Mu Weiyin harbored a slight sense of guilt towards Lin Qianshuang. Such a loyal subordinate wouldn’t have risked her life to jump down and save her otherwise. "The previous incident, this City Lord apologizes. Rest assured, this time it's purely for dual cultivation." Lin Qianshuang lay flat, watching the intricately carved girl figure lean over her, with soft black hair brushing against her face. Mu Weiyin's small hand clasped her wrist, intertwining their fingers. The girl's gentle voice reassured her, "Don't be afraid, I won't harm you this time." Facing her, Mu Weiyin always carried a cold, authoritative air, but it was the first time she showed such softness. Lin Qianshuang was amused by Mu Weiyin's tender "Don't be afraid." It was quite ironic and entertaining to see such a petite girl reassuring an adult in such a sweet, earnest voice. As the gentle dual cultivation energy cycled around them, Lin Qianshuang stared blankly. If someone stood nearby, they might notice her gaze was fixed squarely on Mu Weiyin's face, as if repeatedly examining her features. In truth, Lin Qianshuang was contemplating Xiao Lanle's fluctuating favorability on her interface, deeply pondering her next move. After Xiao Lanle became the head of the Penglai Immortal Sect, the City Lord of Tianxu had long been at odds with the orthodox sects, deepening the intrigue. A romance brewing between the City Lord and Xiao Lanle would indeed be a tale of love and conflict, making the City Lord shed tears would be only too easy. Still, while the bond between Xiao Lanle and the City Lord seemed genuine, Xiao Junior Sister might hold some feelings for her. Regardless, some people, no matter how deeply etched in memory, are merely fleeting visitors. Who weighs more, it's obvious Xiao Junior Sister would choose what's beneficial to herself. Mu Weiyin shifted slightly on the bed, making sure not to press on Lin Qianshuang. She didn't shy from Lin Qianshuang's gaze and let her look openly but felt a little awkward after being stared at for too long. She was used to shrouding herself with an air of authority, and rarely had anyone dared to meet her eyes for so long. She sought a topic to ease the moment: "Jieyu, how did you and Lanle come to know each other? I once heard from the Vice Lord that, given your separate studies and busy lives, opportunities to meet and connect would have been rare, and such deep affection was unexpected." Lin Qianshuang, feeling comfortable from the energies, relaxed and responded, "There's hardly any affection between Xiao Junior Sister and me. When we first met, she was eager to cut me down with her sword. Her heart belonged to someone else, and that someone happened to be Liang Jingxuan." Mu Weiyin's curiosity piqued upon hearing about the person in Xiao Junior Sister's heart. It was a private matter she only knew the gist of: "Liang Jingxuan is a name this City Lord has heard, yet he seems to have caused quite a scandal within the Penglai Immortal Sect, known throughout the cultivation world." Lin Qianshuang, worried about the missing Liang Jingxuan, wished Mu Weiyin would use her connections to find him and safeguard the dangerous, unstable element. She replied candidly, "Recently, our Sect Master was murdered, and the culprit was Xiao Junior Sister's former fiancé, Liang Jingxuan. He was my junior from the same sect, but displayed a vile character, greedily eyeing the sect's treasure and causing harm to many innocent people. He deceived numerous fellow disciples, pursued the divine fire recklessly, and disrupted the peace by unlocking a seal imprisoning demons. During his execution, an anomaly saved him, and he remains missing to this day." Mu Weiyin held deep respect for those who mastered the Four Divine Cycles of Heaven, and she found it hard to believe. "How could the heavenly laws, which are supposed to be just, favor someone of such poor character?" Lin Qianshuang smiled faintly, "If the heavenly laws were truly fair, why would they pass arbitrary judgments to exterminate innocent lives on behalf of such a scoundrel?" Her derisive smile was interrupted when Mu Weiyin's now-normal hand gently pressed against her face. "You are unlike others in this mundane world. The heavens must have noticed you for a reason. This City Lord has searched through countless collections of rare creatures and magical records but found nothing about your original form. You certainly do not belong to this mortal realm." This implied that her original form was not a young Canglan Beast, as noted in the archives, which certainly had records of Canglan Magical Beasts. Lin Qianshuang knew she transformed into her unusual silver-white beast form by consuming an unknown demonic pill. Since it wasn't a Canglan Beast's pill, there must have been a purpose when it was given to her. She always worried the unknown entity inside the pill might harm her. "Does the City Lord have a method to uncover my original form?" Mu Weiyin leaned in to examine the demonic mark on Lin Qianshuang's forehead closely and said, "Judging by your appearance, you seem to have forgotten. Stay in Tianxu City; one day, this City Lord will help you discover your origins." Lin Qianshuang had already prepared herself to remain in Tianxu City for an extended period, and she naturally accepted Mu Weiyin's words. Her thoughts drifted elsewhere, and she voiced her concern: "The situation at the Penglai Immortal Sect is unstable. I'm worried Xiao Shimei might be deceived and harmed by Chen Shangqing. We need to leave as soon as possible." Mu Weiyin returned to her usual form, rising as she said, "If Xiao Lanle can't handle such matters herself, she's unfit to lead the Penglai Immortal Sect. Rather than worrying about her, think about how to deal with the traitor Chen Shangqing. Jieyu, Chen Shangqing is the last name on your list. This City Lord will keep her promise to you." Then, suddenly, a gust of wind slammed into the cottage door, flinging it open, yet no one was outside. Lin Qianshuang was about to investigate but was pulled back by Mu Weiyin, and they tumbled into the narrow space beneath the bed. Their noses nearly touched, their warm breaths mingling across each other's faces. Lying there next to Mu Weiyin, Lin Qianshuang noticed the cautious look in her eyes and asked, "City Lord, is there something dangerous outside?" Mu Weiyin softly responded, "This estate is protected by eternal guardian stone beasts. We're both injured; fighting them would be a waste of time and energy." As she spoke, she placed a hand over Lin Qianshuang's mouth, and they both held their breaths. Outside, they could see a massive stone leg pacing back and forth in front of the house, seemingly on the lookout for something suspicious. The ground shook with each heavy step of the stone beast's colossal hooves. The fragile cottage trembled, hairline cracks forming on its walls. A split appeared on the wooden bed, causing one side to collapse. Before Lin Qianshuang could react, Mu Weiyin swiftly pulled her over to safety. Lin Qianshuang instinctively turned her head to assess the situation and was caught off guard by a delicate fragrance brushing against her lips. Mu Weiyin, still holding her, seemed surprised, her typically aloof visage displaying a flicker of emotion as their lips brushed. What kind of foolish thing had she done? Had she accidentally kissed the City Lord? Startled, Lin Qianshuang momentarily forgot about their cramped hiding space and tried to sit up, only to hit her head against the wooden plank overhead with a loud thud. The stone beast outside, which seemed to be moving away, suddenly halted, and its slow, heavy steps drew toward the cottage once more. What was with this relentless creature? Lin Qianshuang thought about holding her breath and concealing her aura, but her gaze fell upon the wooden window. Large stone eyes, like bronze bells, stared ghostly into the room, sending chills over her shoulders and cold sweat down her back. She realized that the stone beast, as sensed through her demonic energy, should be far from the cottage. How did its eyes appear at the window so quickly? "You've been discovered," Mu Weiyin stated matter-of-factly. She had the option to throw Lin Qianshuang out the window to resolve the situation quickly or use another method to conceal her aura. Lin Qianshuang was just a piece on the chessboard, easily discarded, yet there was a subtle discomfort at the thought. Xiaochi seemed to have a fondness for her too. Mu Weiyin's expression wavered with momentary hesitation before she pulled Lin Qianshuang into her arms, shielding her with her own body. Mu Weiyin leaned forward, her soft lashes almost brushing against Lin Qianshuang's cheek. With one hand, she gently grasped Lin Qianshuang's chin, gazing into her eyes, and whispered, "If you want to live, close your eyes and don't move." Terrified by the monstrous eyes at the window, Lin Qianshuang quickly shut her eyes tightly. Mu Weiyin gazed at the alarmed face so close to her own and found it inexplicably endearing. She exhaled a soft breath, leaned in, and gently transferred her breath across their lips. A faintly elegant aroma seeped between their locked lips, and the lightly pressing softness sealed them together. A warm sensation emanated from where Mu Weiyin held her chin, enveloping Lin Qianshuang in an unusual scent that filled the air around her hair, nostrils, and ears with Mu Weiyin's presence. Her body stiffened, and with her eyes closed, her mind short-circuited from the shock. If her senses weren't deceiving her, she was certain she had been kissed.