Chapter 9: You’re Right, Well Said

"What's wrong, Brother?"

"Oh... no! It's nothing!"

Luo Xing regained his senses and forced a steady smile. "I just... I feel like Sister is too good to me... I'm very moved... Yes... very moved..."

'She's much better than that woman, Ye Li!'

"Sigh, don't say that," Luo Han advised earnestly. "Perhaps Elder Ye was delayed by something and couldn't return in time. Or... maybe she went to find some rare cultivation resources for you."

Her own master had once mentioned that their grandmaster had traveled to an extremely dangerous place to find a spiritual plant to help refine a constitution-improving pill for her. She had even encountered a fierce beast and nearly lost her life.

"Heh... if only that were true..." Taking the chance to change the subject, Luo Xing quickly set the food box aside. "If something really happened to Ye Li, then we could both rest easy."

Of course, the possibility of such a thing happening was slim. Ye Li’s strength in the original story was quite high. Even the Sect Master of the Xuantian Sect, Bai Li Qin Mo, could have his head snapped off by her.

Luo Han frowned. "Brother, what you're saying is..."

"Is right..."

A cold voice rang out abruptly, sending a shock through Luo Xing's entire body.

He watched as Ye Li slowly walked into his line of sight from behind Luo Han. A faint, cold smile played on her breathtakingly beautiful face. "Well said~"

After confirming he wasn't hallucinating, Luo Xing clutched his blanket, his voice trembling as he spoke. "Mas... Master..."

Ye Li’s smile remained unchanged. "Heh..."

***

Outside the house.

"I am truly sorry..." As the elder sister, Luo Han bowed respectfully to Ye Li. "Elder Ye, my brother doesn't actually have a prejudice against you. It's just... I blame myself for neglecting his discipline. I hope the Elder can forgive him."

Ye Li stood with her hands behind her back, observing the gentle young woman before her...

She remembered Luo Xing telling Luo Han to stay far away from her, though she hadn't heard the reason at the time.

"That is natural." Ye Li gave a thin smile. "The disciple is immature. As his master, I naturally have to be more tolerant. You needn't worry."

As she spoke, she lowered her eyes to the storage ring on her finger, her thumb lightly brushing over it. "Besides, this was my oversight. It’s inevitable that he would have some grievances."

Hearing Ye Li say this, Luo Han felt relieved. At the same time, her opinion of Ye Li became even more certain.

'As expected, Elder Ye is a very gentle person.'

"By the way..." Ye Li suddenly shifted the conversation. "Your brother seems to have some... misunderstandings about me as his master?"

Since Luo Xing wasn't willing to talk, his sister should be more than happy to explain...

"Oh, those are all misunderstandings." Luo Han naturally had no guard against Luo Xing's master. "It was just an unrealistic dream he had."

And so, Luo Han recounted everything Luo Xing had told her that day to Ye Li. However, because the things Luo Xing had said back then were too "advanced," she only remembered things like "Elder Ye is terrifying," "She is bad to me," and "I must stay away from Elder Ye." Key terms like "Yuri," "angst novel," and "protagonist" were completely forgotten.

As Ye Li listened to Luo Han’s words, her eyes darkened slightly...

She still didn't believe the story about a dream, but she didn't think Luo Han was intentionally covering for him.

Her eyes were too clear...

As for the plot of that dream...

That was even more nonsensical.

She admitted she was a bit willful, but that was innate. Even her own master, who had long since ascended, believed it was unchangeable.

But she felt she was a fairly normal person. At the very least, she wouldn't bully someone for no reason...

'Jun Wujin: Speak with a conscience!'

As for Luo Han...

Ye Li looked her up and down...

She didn't look like any of her enemies, and Ye Li felt no innate disgust toward her. Therefore, the things Luo Xing said had no basis at all...

It seemed she still had to get the truth out of him...

***

After Luo Han left, Ye Li walked into the bamboo house. Luo Xing was already kneeling obediently by the bed...

Don't talk to him about a man's dignity. Right now, he was just trying to survive!

Seriously, why did she always appear whenever he bad-mouthed her?

Is there some scientific basis for this?

Seeing Luo Xing's behavior, the corner of Ye Li’s mouth curled into an imperceptible smile...

Having not seen him for two months, he had become much more obedient...

Yes, this was good...

Ye Li walked to the bed with her long legs. After reclining on her side, she propped up her cheek with her right hand and said indifferently, "What? It seems you really didn't want your master to return?"

"Master, I was wrong..." Knowing she would settle the score, Luo Xing had already prepared his excuse. "I..."

Before he could finish, a snowy-white jade foot was extended in front of him...

Luo Xing looked up at Ye Li, but she had closed her eyes as if resting, merely giving her smooth, white foot a gentle wiggle...

"Master, I really know I was wrong..."

By the bed, Luo Xing held Ye Li’s heel with one hand and gently massaged the sole of her foot—a foot so perfect it looked like a work of art—with the other. "I was just... well... I was upset..."

'You made me eat grilled fish and live like a savage for two months. Shouldn't I be allowed to be a little angry?'

"Hmm, so it's my fault then?" Ye Li spoke coldly. "Should I apologize to you?"

"No... no, no, no! I didn't say that..." Luo Xing waved his hands frantically. "I didn't mean—"

"I told you to use your hands, not your mouth." Ye Li opened her eyes slightly. "You can talk, but don't stop moving."

Luo Xing curled his lip, wondering in his heart whether his relationship with Ye Li was that of a master and disciple or...

"Master... how could Master be wrong..."

"Mhm. Then tell me, who is wrong?"

Luo Xing was suddenly silenced...

Who is wrong?

What kind of question is that...

"Of... of course it's this disciple's fault..." Luo Xing gritted his teeth and forced himself to say, "It's all my fault..."

"Mm... is that so?" Ye Li withdrew her foot and extended the other one toward Luo Xing. "Tell me then, what did you do wrong?"

To be fair, the little guy’s massage was quite comfortable...

**[Massage: 3/10]**...

Watching the information change in his mind, Luo Xing became increasingly certain that this was his golden finger—the system that would change his fate.

Fine!

Just you wait!

Once I figure out this system, I'll make you kneel and sing for mercy!

"Naturally... I was wrong for failing to appreciate Master's painstaking efforts..." Luo Xing said respectfully. "Master's... sudden departure... was surely to train my independent survival skills. After all, in this world of cultivation, the strong prey on the weak, and strength is respected. So..."

Having read hundreds of novels, he wasn't just good at this kind of rhetoric; he was a master.

After hearing Luo Xing's explanation, Ye Li nodded slightly. "Mhm, it's good that you understand."

Luo Xing: "..."

'You really are... shameless...'

As they spoke, a small emerald jade bottle suddenly appeared before Luo Xing.

"Master? This is..."

"Mhm, this is something I found for you... well... Body Tempering Liquid."

Luo Xing picked up the jade bottle. "Body Tempering Liquid?"

Ye Li withdrew her snowy-white feet. "Your Spirit Root is insufficient. This bottle of Body Tempering Liquid can temper your constitution and make up for your deficiencies."

She wasn't lying. This bottle of Galaxy Drunk had Blood Cleansing Grass added to it. For an ordinary cultivator, it was just a slightly better-tasting wine. But for a mortal who hadn't yet entered the Qi Refining Realm, it was a spiritual medicine that could temper the physical body and wash away impurities. It was much more effective than a Body Tempering Pill, and it tasted better too.

The only drawback was...

"Thank... thank you, Master."

Although he didn't know what Ye Li was planning, Luo Xing knew that offering thanks first wouldn't be a mistake.

"Mhm..." Ye Li sat up. "Drink it. I will protect you while you absorb it."

Luo Xing: "..."

Suddenly, he didn't feel very reassured...

Having him take medicine and then "protecting" him?

How was this any different from saying, "Try these mushrooms, I'll call the ambulance if anything goes wrong"?

He looked down at the jade bottle in his hand, and the unease in his heart grew stronger...

Was this woman trying to mess with him?

"What? Drink." Seeing Luo Xing’s hesitation, Ye Li raised an eyebrow and urged him. "Could it be you're worried I might harm you?"

"How... how could that be..." Luo Xing forced a smile. "I'd doubt anyone before I'd doubt Master, ahahaha..."

'That's right, I'm doubting you...'

"In that case..." Ye Li spoke again. "Drink."

Luo Xing pursed his lips and then uncapped the bottle...

As soon as the cap was opened, a strong aroma of alcohol hit his nose, making Luo Xing feel three parts drunk on the spot.

'Master!? This scent isn't right!'

"What's not right about it?" Ye Li tilted her head and smiled. "Could it be... you've had this Body Tempering Liquid before?"

Of course he hadn't.

But smelling this scent...

Luo Xing’s eyes twitched as he looked down at the mouth of the bottle. Inside, a green liquid with faint purple flickers of light was sloshing around.

Looking closer at the rim of the bottle, there was a faint, shimmering lip print...