63 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

The arrangement regarding Congsheng's matter was now on the agenda, and Yue Bai still had to figure out a way to invite Pu Shi. However, she wasn't keen on going out before the effects of the Beast Transformation Pill wore off, so she stayed cooped up in Qinglin Hall. Early in the morning, Ji Wu Nian had gone to Yun Yin Hall, while Yue Bai continued her cultivation in Qinglin Hall. Calm the mind, stabilize the spirit, circulate the spiritual energy. Unaware of the outside world, Yue Bai only slowly opened her eyes by the afternoon, exhaling gently. She was a bit hungry. Cultivators were supposed to transcend earthly needs, but Yue Bai hadn't been in the sect long enough and feared that fasting too early might attract unwanted attention. "…As if you’re not already drawing enough attention," Jiu Yi commented to her, "You just have a craving." "A craving for what?" Yue Bai spooned out a bowl of Jade White Soup, "This?" Yue Bai was a great cook, but since the Tri-Clear Sect focused on cultivation, even their culinary practices were somewhat ascetic. The ingredients delivered to Qinglin Hall each day were rather basic, turning cooking into a challenge. It wasn't that she couldn't make good food, but in a sect devoted to purity and cultivation, one had to mind their taste preferences. Though she didn't really care, Yue Bai wasn't one to insist on gourmet indulgence; she just grew tired of bland food occasionally. No wonder Jiu Yi didn't blame her for wanting to treat herself anytime she ventured out. Sitting on the doorstep with a bowl in her hand, tail swishing at her side, Yue Bai sipped her soup. A four-season tree stood in the courtyard, currently blooming with small white flowers, their petals fine and tightly wound. A gentle breeze made one petal flutter down while another soon took its place. A gust of wind blew, and a pale white petal fell between the jade and the white in her soup. Jade-like clarity, creamy white smoothness, and a light petal drifting gracefully. Yue Bai took a sip, then reached out to catch another couple of petals. Suddenly, a strong wind gusted, tossing up a wave of white, and amidst that turbulence fell a speck of orange-red accompanied by a shrill scream. Quickly retracting her bowl, Yue Bai acted before she even had time to look. She used her spiritual power, saving a chicken. Yes, a chicken. With yellow feathers, a sharp beak, and thin claws, it wobbled as it walked, its head bobbing back and forth, looking rather foolish. It was indeed a chicken. Yue Bai glanced up and confirmed the person who had thrown the chicken had quickly fled. She put down her soup bowl and took a few steps toward the courtyard. "…Huh…" Jiu Yi was puzzled, "Is this someone delivering food to you?" What a coincidence? "…I doubt that was the intention." Had she failed to act or lacked the power to do so, the chicken would have been smashed into a pulp in Qinglin Hall. The bloodstains would have been unsightly. "Probably someone who doesn’t like demons," Yue Bai approached a little more. The chicken behaved as if it hadn’t seen her, just ambling around as if it hadn't screamed in pain moments ago. Liu Li had warned her, after all, that many on the mountain despised demons. Before, the demonic energy within her had been suppressed because she was framed. Now, in her half-demon form, she likely provoked the ire of many. "…Oh, so the bullying begins?" Jiu Yi lacked much interest, confident Yue Bai wouldn’t be easy to bully. "Probably." Yue Bai picked up the chicken. It had no comb or tail feathers, just sturdy yellow plumage, and it seemed quite heavy, likely a free-range hen. The hen's head bobbed incessantly like any other chicken, meeting Yue Bai's gaze only briefly before darting away repeatedly, lost in its own thoughts. "…You’re hoping to understand a chicken’s thoughts?" Jiu Yi scoffed, "It’s just a chicken. Don’t make it difficult." "…Right," Yue Bai accepted the lesson earnestly, then posed a respectful question, "Should I use my claws, or the sword?" Jiu Yi didn't quite follow, "What are you talking about?" This silly system surely doesn’t get it. In the end, Yue Bai made the call herself; after all, she was very familiar with the kitchen and knew where to find the cleavers. With swift movements, Yue Bai handled the chicken, from slaughtering to feathering to gutting. Soon enough, the hen was chopped and cleaned, ready for cooking. "…Why did you save it then?" Jiu Yi felt a pang of sympathy for the chicken, "It could have died a decent death." Such false hope, only to be dismembered in the end. "Dead is dead, either way," Yue Bai corrected, starting to parboil the chicken meat, "Besides, cleaning up would have been messy, and its texture would’ve been off." …That second part was the real clincher. "What about the person who sent it?" Jiu Yi gave up, back to the important matters, "Are you going to deal with them?" "Ignore them." Yue Bai’s focus was still on her cooking; she didn’t have much energy for irrelevant people. "But they bullied you in your own Hall!" Jiu Yi thought a rational system should encourage its host to stand up and teach the troublemaker a lesson. "At least inform Ji Wu Nian, right?" "Nope." Yue Bai found him annoying and replied indifferently, "Once they’re gone, who’ll send me more chickens?" …Bent on chicken, aren’t you? "…Seriously, you’re not even a real fox," Jiu Yi sighed, "Do they have to be like this?" "I have demon energy," Yue Bai fished out the chicken to set aside, "It's normal some people don’t like it." "I still think you should show them who’s boss," Jiu Yi insisted, "Otherwise, it seems weak." They bullied you right in your own place, yet you’re silent? "Is there a mission?" "…No." Yue Bai added mushrooms to the pot, "Then no." …Priority shifts only in mission times? *** Yue Bai initially planned to make stewed chicken with mushrooms but, considering the mountain's taste preferences, she switched to a lighter soup. The quality of the chicken truly shone, resulting in a golden broth, paired with the richness of mushrooms—it was mouthwatering. Yue Bai skimmed off the excess fat, keeping the clear soup, sipping it slowly. She couldn't deny it was tastier than the Jade White Soup. Still sitting on the doorstep, she again watched the four-season tree, extending her bowl to catch the tiny petals. The silken petals contrasted distinctly now with the hearty broth, unlike before. "…Aren’t you bored?" Jiu Yi wanted to mock her, but Yue Bai seriously responded, "I am." "Then go get them." "Not going." Yue Bai stirred the soup, the petals clinging to bits of chicken or mushrooms, no longer floating. Not going truly because she didn’t care enough to expend the effort, Jiu Yi knew he couldn’t persuade her. Finishing her bowl, Yue Bai cleaned up. Leaving the remaining soup to simmer on low, she prepared a small dessert, then returned to her room to continue cultivation. When she opened her eyes again, it was night. Ji Wu Nian had returned in the meantime, but Yue Bai pretended not to notice. Only when she finished circulating her spiritual energy did she leave her room. Her master had changed into a loose white robe, her long hair down and speckled with white. Yue Bai’s adjusted five-petal cake was in her mouth, a warm pink hue. By her side, an empty bowl with a few chicken bones in it sat. "Master." The little fox cub bowed her head as she greeted, her white ears twitching. Ji Wu Nian beckoned her closer and delightedly rubbed her furry ears. "Did anyone come to the hall today?" No one came except for a chicken, which now mostly ended up eaten. Yue Bai shook her head, "No." As her little disciple shook her head, her ears brushed against Ji Wu Nian's cheek, making her feel very satisfied, so she hugged her tighter, "That’s good." …Yue Bai didn’t find it very good, worrying her tail might poke someone, so she tried to keep it down. "…She surely has skin hunger," Jiu Yi dryly commented. "Master." Yue Bai patted her master's overly tight grip, not liking to keep her tail tucked, "Could you let go first?" "…Not yet." Despite this, Ji Wu Nian did loosen her grip a bit, guiding her to a nearby reclining chair, seating Yue Bai sideways on her lap, still holding her, smiling, "What did you do today?" At least her tail felt better now. Yue Bai swished it and replied, "I just cultivated in the hall." Ji Wu Nian nodded slightly as if in agreement, leaning on Yue Bai’s shoulder, chuckling, "You seem to have a leisurely day…" Yue Bai let her lean, her gaze tracing from the dark strands of hair down to a few white petals, asking, "Was Master busy today?" Ji Wu Nian had been out since morning. "…I was at Yun Yin Hall the whole time," Ji Wu Nian said, her hand gently resting on Yue Bai’s waist, her eyes distant, "Senior Brother Liu Li went to Ming Yun, but the pavilion master didn’t meet him. It was Qin Bi Chu, their chief disciple, who received him. Qin just returned from his travels. Ming Yun is in turmoil, with clans demanding explanations..." The clans had entrusted their children to Ming Yun due to their faith in the sect's teaching and protection. But the recent debacle led to the death of many young elites. Not just any death, but some lived while others didn’t. These children were the pride and joy of various families, and with some surviving and others not, questions arose. Why did ours perish while theirs survived? Why? On what grounds? Was there bias within Ming Yun? Did they play favorites with those from powerful families? Was there collusion? "…Qin Bi Chu is rigid; he likely angered the clans even more," Ji Wu Nian spoke wearily, "Ming Yun expected Wu Xing to handle this, but he…" That night, Wu Xing was the first to be agitated by the demonic energy, swiftly turning to strike another elder with his sword. "The elders suffered casualties, and Mu Tianwen avoided meeting anyone, while even Qin Bi Chu, upon rushing back to Ming Yun, couldn’t stabilize the situation. Not to mention the rampant rumors inside Ming Yun, and with the hasty death order from Pavilion Master Mu on that day, who knows how many people will misinterpret that now," Ji Wu Nian chuckled, catching a glance of her disciple’s white tail, and couldn’t help but twirl it around her fingers, her tone soft and lingering, "In such a scenario…" It's almost better if everyone had just perished. Yue Bai’s tail tip felt a bit ticklish from being petted, so she twitched it, prompting a light laugh from Ji Wu Nian. The chuckling Ji Wu Nian lowered her head, burying her face into her disciple’s shoulder, releasing her beloved tail and wrapping her arms around Yue Bai’s waist instead. The grip around her waist tightened slightly, making Yue Bai shift closer to allow her master to hide more comfortably. With fingers trailing down her master’s hair, Yue Bai plucked white petals off Ji Wu Nian’s back, gathering them into her other palm. One petal for Qian, one for Kun, placing them right where they belong. A small eight-petal array, Yue Bai flicked her hand, sending it flying behind Ji Wu Nian’s back. The mountain wind was gentle, not letting them drift too far. One petal settled on Ji Wu Nian’s hair tips, contrasting starkly against the dark chair beneath. "Yue Er." Ji Wu Nian’s voice was muffled, but her tone was clear. "Master?" "Promise me something." "Of course, Master." "…If Ming Yun faces peril in the future," Ji Wu Nian nuzzled Yue Bai’s neck, "do everything in your power to save them." "…" Yue Bai had her doubts but couldn’t refuse, "Understood, Master." In these ten days, even if the sky fell or the earth crumbled, Yue Bai would comply with her master's wishes. Now satisfied, Ji Wu Nian rubbed her disciple’s shoulder, her eyes sparkling like the night sky. She kissed Yue Bai’s cheek softly, smiling like a child, making Yue Bai return a gentle smile. Ji Wu Nian's eyes curved as she praised, "Yue Er, you’re so obedient." …Though it did sound a bit strange. "…Why doesn’t she go herself?" Jiu Yi, who had just tactfully retreated due to the intense romantic atmosphere, jumped in now to break the mood with a snide comment, "Sending a disciple to… save them. There’s got to be more to this." This system is truly foolish. Seeing the smile she was about to show furl back up, Ji Wu Nian quickly changed the subject, "By the way, in three days, a wandering cultivator skilled in talisman crafting and painting will give a lecture at Wushi. Many from Bai Cao and Jing Yu will attend, so you should go as well." It wasn’t a question; she was determined for Yue Bai to go. Yue Bai twitched her ears, "Master, is it appropriate?" Her tail swayed slightly beside Ji Wu Nian. "You’ll know when you go," Ji Wu Nian replied with a smile.