NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42: Living in an Invisible World
I want to kill Master Yu Xia.
Si Jingzhu had thought about this quite a lot.
Ever since that woman brought her, smuggled as a baby, to the Water Moon Sect.
She had wanted to kill her since then.
That woman really treated her well.
In front of everyone, she became the beloved daughter of the sect leader, the pampered princess of the sect.
She had never abused her; as long as Si Jingzhu obeyed and didn’t cause a ruckus, she would be left alone.
But a silent lamb, no matter how long it waits, will eventually find itself served on the table.
Si Jingzhu still hated her.
From the bottom of her heart.
Hated that woman.
“Alright.”
Si Jingzhu’s eyes glimmered with determination as she said seriously:
“I want you to help me take revenge on that woman.”
“Even if afterward, you want to eat a part of my body, it doesn’t matter.”
“No matter the cost, I want her to experience the pain of being imprisoned!”
“Good.” Young Master Sang nodded in satisfaction.
“But no matter what price you pay, it won’t work.”
Si Jingzhu was taken aback.
Young Master Sang said with a serious face: “Because I can’t beat her.”
“What the hell were you doing, stirring up emotions and playing with me!!!”
Watching Si Jingzhu explode in anger, Young Master Sang cleared his throat and said softly:
“We should get somewhat practical here. As a lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator, how could I possibly kill a Crossing Tribulation Stage old hag?”
“But there’s no need to be so pessimistic.”
“At least I wasn’t lying about the earlier part.” Young Master Sang suddenly smiled, “You’re at least safe for now.”
“As long as Master Yu Xia can’t break the mountain gate, you don’t have to worry about being eaten by her.”
Si Jingzhu’s beautiful eyes flashed with concern: “But, what if someone from the Demon Cult wants to eat me…”
“We’ll deal with that if it happens.”
Young Master Sang sprawled comfortably in his chair: “If someone wants to eat you, you can figure out how to kill them.”
“Anyway, for now, you’re being well treated here in jail. Enjoy the luxuries.”
“This prison is off-limits to outsiders, so there’s no need to worry about anyone getting any bad ideas about you.”
“And I don’t fancy your unwashed self, so you might as well stay here. You can call me over for a chat when you’re bored.”
“Just live a plain and safe life for now; maybe one day you’ll get the chance to kill Master Yu Xia.”
Si Jingzhu was silent for a long time, biting her soft lips before finally speaking bitterly:
“Why… are you helping me?”
“Clearly, when we were at the Water Moon Sect, I was the one who bullied you. Don’t you hate me?”
“Of course I hate you.” Young Master Sang rocked back and forth in his chair, leisurely saying, “But didn’t I tell you?”
“Everyone has their own business to attend to.”
“So whether I hate you or not is my problem and not yours.”
“My job right now is to interrogate you and find a way to turn you to the dark side, betraying the sect to join the Demon Cult.”
“And as an excellent Punishment Department employee, it’s my duty to keep personal and public matters separate.”
“Our grudge can be settled after work.”
Si Jingzhu blinked.
She still felt this person was strange.
Even when they were at the Water Moon Sect, Young Master Sang had always been an odd one.
But now that they were in the Demon Cult.
He seemed even more different.
“Heh.”
Young Master Sang heard Si Jingzhu suddenly giggle softly.
“Trash is still trash, no matter how you try to look cool.”
She slowly raised her head, revealing a provoking expression: “Just talking big and picking pretty words, what does that mean?”
“Want me to join the Demon Cult? Then capture Master Yu Xia for me and let her suffer just like I have.”
“If you can’t even do that, don’t try to trick me.”
Though she said that, Young Master Sang saw that there was less hostility in her eyes.
Sure enough, the next moment, she changed her tone:
“Before that…”
“Let’s just say I’ll reluctantly allow you, trash, to take care of my living needs.”
Upon hearing that.
Young Master Sang, accustomed to dealing with tsundere types, knew he had hit the mark.
At just the right moment, the system chimed in:
【Si Jingzhu conquest progress: 50%】
Okey-dokey.
It seems the remaining conquest focus is on Master Yu Xia.
That’s something he didn’t need to worry about.
After all, sending a Foundation Establishment cultivator to bump heads with one of the most renowned peak powerhouses in the cultivation world was just asking for trouble.
But what if?
What if one day Master Yu Xia got into a fight with the Demon Cult Leader, lost, and was knocked out by Hua Jianglian?
One must still have dreams, right?
“Then you just stay here and behave.”
Young Master Sang stretched lazily, preparing to leave.
Just as he took a couple of steps, Si Jingzhu’s voice suddenly called out from behind:
“Do you know why I singled you out to bully when we were at the Water Moon Sect?”
Young Master Sang halted.
“Because when I first saw you, I felt that you were a lot like me.”
Si Jingzhu revealed a somewhat unusual expression:
“Reclusive, not fitting in, and everything around you is bright and noisy but has nothing to do with you.”
“It’s as if… you’re out of sync with this world.”
Exactly.
That day at the corner when she first collided with that frail, unremarkable boy.
Si Jingzhu realized.
He was different from the other disciples. There was no trace of reverence or fear in his eyes towards the sect leader’s daughter.
There wasn’t even a hint of light.
Only a deep sense of confusion and a feeling of disconnection from the surrounding world.
Just like herself.
Living in a false, glamorous cage, seeming comfortable every day, but in reality only counting down the time of her life.
So was he.
He seemed to live in some invisible world of his own.
Yet, thinking back now, Si Jingzhu felt that her past self was rather foolish.
She wanted to attract his attention but could only come up with such a clumsy method.
In fact.
She almost caused him to lose his life.
When Si Jingzhu learned that her followers had indeed taken Young Master Sang out to the outskirts.
That was the first time she felt so anxious about someone.
But when she rushed over, there were already only a few corpses left.
One dying disciple told her that Young Master Sang had betrayed the sect and joined the Demon Cult, and Si Jingzhu couldn’t even tell if she felt regret, sorrow.
…Or a hint of relief.
“I won’t apologize; after all, I’ve bullied you before, and apologizing would just feel insincere.”
“But.” Her voice suddenly softened, seemingly a bit shy.
“If… if I’m not eaten and get a chance to survive.”
“I could let you… bully me back…”
The last few words came out nearly inaudibly.
Her cheeks even subtly flushed with an almost imperceptible embarrassment.
Young Master Sang didn’t strain to hear her.
He simply waved his hand lazily: “We’ll talk about that later.”
“Work hours are over now; I’m clocking out.”