56 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

The southern region of Mian Nan adjoins Tianzhou, filled with an expanse of mountains and water stretching for thousands of miles. Ji Wunien initially hadn’t prepared a specific place to stay here; after leaving Ming Yun, she merely found a cave to hide in. She didn’t need food or sleep, just started a campfire and quietly meditated to cultivate. However, once her body felt somewhat better, she still found it boring, so she wove a basket herself and, as previously thought, went to pick mushrooms. When Yue Bai found her, she was digging a delicate and juicy mushroom from beneath a tree root. “...That's not edible, is it?” Ji Wunien was almost used to her sudden appearances and just tossed the mushroom aside. “I won’t get poisoned anyway, so it’s fine to taste.” Yue Bai came next to her and saw that she had already filled half the basket. “Can you eat all these?” Ji Wunien dusted her hands off and untied her garments. “I planned to bring them back for you.” She smiled. “Since you’re here, why not try them now?” “...I just ate.” Yue Bai couldn’t eat anymore, but she picked up a mushroom and examined it closely without looking at her. “Do you know Congsheng?” Ji Wunien bent down and picked up a small trowel beside her. “The former Demon General, right? Read about her in the Zhong Pavilion.” She straightened up and tossed the trowel back into her basket, smiling at Yue Bai. “What’s up with her?” She's a bit like you. Yue Bai looked directly at her. “Want to meet her?” Ji Wunien’s pause was noticeable, but she still smiled. “How do you know Congsheng, Yue Bai?” Yue Bai observed her reaction, naturally not missing that moment of surprise, and smiled, countering with another question. “Don’t you know?” “...How would I know?” Ji Wunien was certainly hiding something, but Yue Bai wasn’t inclined to pry further, turning to walk away first. “If you don’t know, forget it.” Ji Wunien ran to her side, eyes curved in a smile that lifted the tear mole near her eye. “Don’t keep me in suspense...” Not waiting for Yue Bai’s response, she pressed closer, pinning Yue Bai against the tree, lips mere inches apart. “Or perhaps, this answer also needs a reward?” It had just rained; now the sky cleared, bringing a rainbow. Yue Bai lowered her head slightly but looked up. “Your back... is wet.” A breeze blew, and the hands wrapped around Yue Bai’s waist could feel the dampness from the tree. Ji Wunien, ever cheerful, ignored Yue Bai’s complaint, pressing closer. “Then take it off soon...” Yue Bai’s lips, always cool, warmed and parted slightly under Ji Wunien’s kiss, yielding to her. Reluctant to let Yue Bai’s back stay wet for long, Ji Wunien soon pulled her up, wiping away the moisture and smiling at her. Both cunning and foolish. Yue Bai didn’t really know why she was there, but seeing Ji Wunien’s expression made it hard to stay angry. She patted her back, circled around Ji Wunien, and continued walking. “When do you plan to go back?” “Once my body recovers.” Speaking of this, Ji Wunien pulled out Zhi Ge and caught up with Yue Bai. “Your bow is too strong; one arrow and I need to recuperate for ages.” “You’re not used to it.” Seeing Ji Wunien push Zhi Ge towards her, Yue Bai didn’t take it. “Keep it.” “Aren’t you afraid I’ll continue using your name to bluff?” Clearly, she already had been bluffing, and now she was just addressing it. Yue Bai responded lazily, “Just don’t involve me, and do as you please.” That was merely a mysterious woman using ice arrows, not Yue Bai. If Ji Wunien wanted to use that name, Yue Bai didn’t mind. Ji Wunien obediently put Zhi Ge away but took Yue Bai’s hand, smiling. “Yue Bai, don’t change the subject. How do you know Congsheng?” Yue Bai glanced at their intertwined hands, unwilling to address it. “Yue Bai, Yue Bai?” Ji Wunien shook her hand insistently. “She knows Su Yang,” Yue Bai replied. “She just invited me for a meal.” “Su Yang?” Ji Wunien couldn’t possibly forget that name and instead smiled wryly. “And how did you end up friends?” “She can probe my soul but has no cultivation method,” Yue Bai replied. “I helped a little.” “...Is that repaying evil with good?” She echoed the same question Su Yang had asked. Yue Bai stopped, turned and smiled. “Do you resent it?” Thinking of that wild night, with the person before her gently moaning in her arms, skin to skin, so compliant and submissive, did Ji Wunien resent it? Ji Wunien laughed softly. “I don’t resent it.” Not entirely lying. Even though she knew now that Yue Bai probably enjoyed it, she had held some resentment back then. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get close to Yue Bai but rather that Ji Wunien knew they each had secrets and seemed to have a tacit agreement not to ask. Although Yue Bai usually indulged her antics, once it truly got intimate, fear swept over Ji Wunien. Fearful of breaking their delicate balance. Afraid that she herself would waver. Afraid that Yue Bai would mind her being a burden. But this person never played by conventional rules, ignoring her fears and straightforwardly stepping forward, asking for a reward. “Yue Bai,” Ji Wunien followed her, smiling brightly. “When will you ask for your reward?” Jiu Yi shut his non-existent ears, unwilling to hear these wild words. Yue Bai glanced at her. Discussing this topic had once made her blush, yet now she showed enthusiastic interest. “Wait until your body is better.” Ji Wunien looked down with a light smile. “When my body is better…” Speaking of which, Leaf Two’s body wasn’t in great shape, which had made many question Ji Wunien’s decision to take her as an apprentice. Ji Wunien had also noted Yue Bai’s physical burdens. When they returned, she should properly nurse Yue Bai back to health, let her rest more. “…I think she’s mocking you.” Although Jiu Yi was the sensible one to "avoid," seeing Yue Bai utterly exhausted, he could roughly imagine the “battle situation” then. Utter defeat. “….” Yue Bai didn’t want to respond to Jiu Yi and asked Ji Wunien again, “Do you want to meet Congsheng?” “Why are you so persistent about Congsheng?” Rarely did Yue Bai repeat a question, especially about such a special person, which made Ji Wunien curious and slightly helpless. Congsheng was someone she had deliberately avoided, but if Yue Bai was so interested, it wasn’t impossible for them to meet. By this point, they had reached the cave where Ji Wunien usually stayed. Yue Bai let herself be led to a dry spot. Surveying the environment, it truly differed vastly from her previously well-prepared demeanor. Ji Wunien wasn’t in a hurry to ask for answers; instead, she let go of her hand and turned to set down her basket. Today, Ji Wunien wasn’t as teasing, even somewhat quiet. She crouched, her back bent, red clothes stretched into a curve, the hem inevitably picking up some dirt, not to mention her hands, which were stained from picking mushrooms. Despite being a noble from an esteemed sect, she looked like an ordinary village girl. Yue Bai stood behind her, placing her hands on her shoulders and pressing her down further, whispering in her ear, “Some things Congsheng did to Su Yang, I quite like.” Jiu Yi: “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Didn’t expect you to be like this, Yue Bai! Under her hands, Ji Wunien’s body noticeably paused. Yue Bai couldn’t see her face but seemed to sense her rising heat, not to mention those reddening ears, akin to a boiled shrimp, bent and red, perfect for a nibble. Before Yue Bai could act, Ji Wunien had already turned around silently, her face flushed, still unsure if it was due to anger or bravado. “Didn’t you just say to wait until my body is better?” One or two times, then she knows how to tease. Yue Bai let go of her, unperturbed. “You can learn first.” Jiu Yi regretted loosening his “ears,” deciding to shut himself off again, being the harmonious system he was. “I can teach myself.” Ji Wunien stood up, ready to confront her. Despite the lingering red on her cheeks, her pride urged her to retaliate. She approached Yue Bai, holding her waist to prevent escape, and smiled. “Yue Bai, tell me what you want?” Yue Bai didn’t know what methods Congsheng had used; after all, she had followed Jiu Yi’s advice to “act human.” Ji Wunien seemed to know about Congsheng, which didn’t surprise her much. However, Ji Wunien glanced at the cave entrance, noticing Yue Bai pulling out Qing Feng, preparing to tease and run again. “Let’s wait until your body’s better.” Her words lingered in the breeze, wiping away Ji Wunien's raised smile. She’s quick to run. Ji Wunien looked at her palm and then up to the sky. Think about Yue Bai, always pretending to be an innocent disciple, being stubborn. Yet in private, she, typically cold, would show her mischievous side, making her irresistibly cute. Greed doesn’t bode well. Ji Wunien felt this deeply. But she had always been ambitious, seeking the impossible, and carefully maneuvering to reach her current position. If she were to covet a bit more... Her fingers curled as if to grasp the heavens.