Chapter 70: Possessiveness - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

**Chapter 70: Possessiveness** Su Chichi's talent is truly remarkable. Her innate Daoist physique is unparalleled in the world when it comes to cultivation. Even if she spends her days aimlessly and idly, just like Chen An, her cultivation level climbs rapidly. Chen An can achieve such ease due to the accumulation from his previous eight lives. Each time he completes the task of a previous life, he gains the physique of that life’s female lead. This simple stacking results in terrifying effects. But Su Chichi is different; she simply possesses pure talent. She began her cultivation journey at the age of nine. Now, a year later, she is already close to reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. And this is despite spending a large part of her days playing around with her master. Throughout this year, Chu Qingli has visited many times. Every time, she arrives impeccably dressed and with a cold arrogance, only to leave with damaged attire and a dejected look. Su Chichi’s attitude towards Chu Qingli has changed from initial enthusiasm to increasing weariness. For the first time, she felt a tinge of annoyance. Annoyed by the woman’s incessant entanglement with her master, and her unwavering persistence. Most importantly, she is annoyed by how every appearance of Chu Qingli interrupts her time with her master. Even though she spends all day with her master, it never seems enough. This sense of insufficiency often peaks whenever that woman in sky-blue attire appears. She feels as if a part of her master, who should belong solely to her, is inexplicably being shared. The young girl doesn’t understand that this is possessiveness for something she cherishes. She merely suppresses this feeling in her heart. —— For Chen An, there isn't much to do in the mountains. Every day, he eats and drinks as needed, waiting for that destined day to arrive. If anything were to be considered a task, it would be managing Su Chichi’s mischief as she gets herself dirty from her playful escapades. This causes Chen An some concern. She has a penchant for climbing trees, starting with those in the valley. Once she had conquered enough, her gaze turned to those beyond. Ever since she was little, she has been lively and mischievous. A few months ago, she could still manage to sit still, but now she's become quite like any ordinary troublesome child. The sound of water trickling can be heard. Chen An is washing Su Chichi's face. Her Daoist robe has a prominent tear, likely caught on something, though fortunately, she is unhurt. Her little face is smudged with grime, while her bright eyes dart around energetically. Su Chichi enjoys her master’s gentle care, feeling delighted inside, though she outwardly pretends to be remorseful, adopting a cautious demeanor. She whispers, "Master, by being so naughty, am I giving you a lot of trouble?" Chen An pauses briefly, then shakes his head, "Since you’re willing to stay with me in this desolate mountain, how could I think of you as a burden?" Su Chichi laughs, pinching the corner of her robe, indicating the tear, and speaks with grievance: "Master, today I met a big, fierce tiger in the mountains. It was so mean! I just plucked a hair, and it chased me for ten whole miles and even tore my clothes." Chen An is startled, knowing there's a tiger spirit outside the valley that has cultivated by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. Although they have always kept to their own territories, he didn't expect Su Chichi would provoke it today. He chuckles, "Don't provoke it, or next time you might not run fast enough and get swallowed whole." Su Chichi scoffs, "Master, don’t underestimate me. Today, it caught me off guard. Tomorrow, once I’ve rested, I'll go back and settle the score." Chen An gently wipes away the last bit of dirt from her face, replying, "From where you fall, you must rise again. Your master supports you." With that, Su Chichi flops backward into her master's arms, closes her eyes, and a smug smile creeps across her lips. She's likely celebrating in advance for her vengeance planned for tomorrow. Having indulged in outdoor play all day, the girl soon becomes drowsy, yawning deeply, and her head tilts as she falls asleep in her master’s embrace. As the sun sets, the sky is adorned with a splendid orange glow. Chen An holds the girl gently in his half-crouched position, not moving. Only when he hears faint snores from his arms does he stand, carrying Su Chichi back inside. —— The next morning, Su Chichi wakes up early. She skips around the valley, warming up and stretching her limbs. Then, she returns to her room, specifically inviting her master to witness how she will take down that awful tiger and redeem herself. Chen An never refuses the girl’s requests. He smiles and agrees. Together, they leave the valley, heading east for half an hour until they spot a massive, snow-white tiger lying in the forest. The tiger snores softly, clearly still asleep. Su Chichi's eyes light up, and with a small wave, she signals her master to stay put while she goes ahead to tame it. She sneaks up on the white tiger, her expression serious, then suddenly leaps into the air, executing a sliding kick towards its massive head. A sharp sound cuts through the air. The white tiger's eyes snap open, revealing a pair of cyan vertical pupils. —— Three minutes later, the forest echoes with a girl’s cry. "Master, help me!" The once spirited Su Chichi has lost her early morning vigor. Instead, she finds herself being chased by the tiger, frantically darting about in a sorry state. Perhaps her extensive tree-climbing experience comes in handy, as Su Chichi moves as nimbly as an eel. No matter how fiercely the tiger pursues, she always manages to evade at the last moment. The white tiger's eyes almost blaze with fury, opened wide. Just when it can’t hold back any longer, wanting to use its real skills to teach her a lesson, it suddenly senses a gaze upon it. A man in a pale blue Daoist robe stands amidst the forest, calmly looking over. The gaze lacks much emotion and carries no hints of warning. Yet the tiger instinctively retracts its outstretched claw. It immediately wants to grovel at the man's feet, pleading, its entire being exuding a strong will to survive. However, the man simply shakes his head slightly. Wisely, the tiger understands the gesture. With a sudden roar, the forest erupts as birds and beasts flee in all directions. Then, it resumes its swift chase with the persistent little girl, engaging anew in a game of cat and mouse. Though this big cat isn't exactly living up to its fearsome reputation... (End of Chapter)