The caveman’s expression turned into one of pure confusion as he stared at her.
But he didn’t move his hand.
Tian Luo’s face was so livid that it didn’t even turn red. Clearly, at this moment, she wasn’t feeling the slightest bit shy. Her brain had been completely occupied by anger.
I’m so mad, so mad, SO MAD!!!
Was a beautiful young lady’s chest something people could just touch whenever they wanted? Fine, if you touched it, then you touched it—but what was with that frigid, indifferent expression, like he was casually feeling a steamed bun?!
Jerk! Jerk! JERK!
When girls got angry, there was no reasoning with them. Their courage could shoot straight into the heavens.
She slapped the villain’s hand off her chest.
That slap contained all her strength.
Smack!
The sound was astonishingly crisp.
So loud it was practically deafening.
Lu Qizhi froze for a moment.
He rarely experienced such emotions anymore. But immediately afterward, his brows sharpened, and monstrous fury gathered in his eyes. The frustration of seeing his enemy yet failing to take revenge finally erupted from deep within his heart.
“You hit me?”
he demanded.
That’s right. The caveman actually dared to question a beautiful girl?!
Tian Luo became even angrier.
She hastily pulled her clothes closed, sat up on the bed, and demanded, “What were you doing just now?!”
Her gaze was sharp as blades.
She was giving him a chance to explain himself. If his reasoning convinced her, she might forgive him.
After all, the caveman didn’t seem like some pervert with that kind of fetish.
But what if he was just hiding it well?!
Lu Qizhi’s expression darkened. His golden pupils could no longer remain concealed, glowing like molten gold flames.
With a sweep of his sleeve, he turned his head away.
As if looking at her any longer would make him angry enough to snap her neck.
Tian Luo: ????
I haven’t even done anything to you, and you’re the one getting angry first?!
Are all cavemen like this?!
And if we’re arguing, then argue properly! What is this silent treatment?! I’ve already prepared a hundred winning lines in my head, and now I can’t use a single one!
Anger +99999.
Her head was practically smoking from frustration.
Just as she was about to speak again, the caveman suddenly turned back and coldly said,
“You’re certainly energetic now.”
What kind of statement was that?
Then Tian Luo suddenly remembered how she’d nearly coughed up blood from her heart condition earlier.
Could it be…
Was he actually saving her just now?
After calming down and thinking rationally, it seemed very likely.
She had a heart problem. He had placed his hand over her chest. According to cultivation world’s healing methods, he was probably transferring spiritual energy to heal her.
As she thought about it, Tian Luo touched her chest.
Sure enough.
It felt warm and comfortable now.
Much better than before.
So Caveman… no, Villain… no, Lu Qizhi really had been saving her.
And she’d misunderstood him.
In that case, his anger suddenly seemed a lot more justified.
As Tian Luo reflected on how she’d let her imagination run wild and wrongfully accused him, the livid greenish color on her face gradually faded.
Then her cheeks slowly turned pink.
Finding a graceful way to back down after realizing she was wrong had always been one of her strengths.
Tian Luo clenched her fist and thumped herself in the chest.
Lu Qizhi: “?”
Tian Luo spoke.
“It’s all your fault! Didn’t you, Nine-Qilin Armor, promise to protect me? The way you left my defenses completely open just now was seriously ridiculous! Super misleading! Don’t do that again, okay?!”
Nine-Qilin Armor: “????”
Lu Qizhi: “?”
Tian Luo raised her head and looked at Lu Qizhi seriously.
“I’m sorry for misunderstanding you and slapping you just now. Please forgive me. If you can’t forgive me, then I’m willing to pay compensation. After all, it was my fault. Compensation for both physical and emotional damages is only fair.”
After saying that, she felt like something was off.
Because… no matter how you looked at it, she’d still been touched.
But…
Forget it.
Nothing was more important than staying alive.
She was an extremely reasonable person.
“Humph!”
Lu Qizhi let out a cold snort.
He neither answered nor said whether he forgave her.
Nor did he mention compensation.
But Tian Luo figured he probably wasn’t planning to kill her.
Even though his temper was genuinely awful and those golden eyes had practically been spitting fire earlier.
Still…
He was a reasonable person.
Communication between two reasonable people was usually pleasant.
Tian Luo decided to let the matter go.
She glanced around and discovered they were inside a bamboo house on the Tenth Peak.
Apparently, she’d been brought back after her heart condition flared up.
Right.
Guo Lin.
The moment she remembered him, her tone became urgent.
“Did you kill Guo Lin earlier?”
No matter how tempting a ten-thousand-year ginseng spirit was to cultivators, the Guo Lin described in the original novel had left a deep psychological shadow on her.
It had scared her when she was merely reading about him.
Now that she’d become the actual ten-thousand-year ginseng spirit, the shadow was even worse.
Lu Qizhi immediately understood she meant the cultivator who had escaped.
His expression, which had just improved slightly, instantly darkened again.
Seeing his gloomy, cold, furious, and deeply irritated face, Tian Luo immediately understood.
“Guo Lin didn’t die.”
Even someone as powerful as the villain hadn’t managed to kill Guo Lin?
That meant Guo Lin was even stronger than the villain.
Unconsciously, the look in Tian Luo’s eyes seemed to say:
So you’re not that amazing after all. You couldn’t even kill a Guo Lin.
Lu Qizhi got angry again.
The rage inside him was like a prairie fire.
The Iron Fan Princess herself couldn’t have extinguished it.
Darkly, he said,
“Next time, come with me. I’ll let you watch me tear him apart with your own eyes.”
You need me to accompany you just to kill someone?
Did you forget that we actually weren’t close?
Still, Tian Luo said,
“Then can I deliver the finishing blow? You beat him until he’s down to a sliver of health, and I’ll handle the last strike.”
Lu Qizhi couldn’t understand why killing someone had to be so complicated.
He was about to refuse.
But then Tian Luo continued,
“I have a grudge against him too. You understand, right? Nothing feels better than personally killing your enemy. But since you have a grudge against him too, you can beat him to your heart’s content and get ninety percent of the satisfaction. I’ll just take the last ten percent.”
Personally killing one’s enemy.
Lu Qizhi narrowed his eyes.
Then he sneered.
“Fine.”
“Little Ah-Luo, are you awake?”
Wuyinzi’s cheerful voice came from outside the door.
Lu Qizhi glanced toward the door and simply closed his eyes, too lazy to respond.
Tian Luo looked at him, climbed out of bed, straightened her clothes, and opened the door.
Outside stood Wuyinzi, with Su Miantang peeking over his shoulder, both hands tucked into his sleeves.
“Sect Master.”
Tian Luo greeted sweetly.
Wuyinzi smiled and casually glanced inside.
Then he said,
“Little darling, your Senior Brother wants to talk to you.”
Tian Luo let out an “Oh” and naturally closed the door behind her.
Only after doing so did she realize something.
This was Wuyinzi’s room.
And her action had looked suspiciously like she was hiding a lover in a golden house.
Thinking of the villain as her hidden beauty made Tian Luo giggle.
Following Wuyinzi into the courtyard, she asked Su Miantang,
“Senior Brother, what did you want to talk about?”
Su Miantang looked bewildered.
“????”
Wuyinzi cleared his throat.
“Actually, it’s your master who wants to talk to you.”
Tian Luo blinked.
She immediately noticed the word master.
Without the slightest hesitation, she called out,
“Master, didn’t you say you weren’t taking any more disciples?”
That was how it was written in the novel.
His three personal disciples were Tian Yue, Nan Rong, and Su Miantang.
Su Miantang had been his final disciple.
Wuyinzi blinked too.
“Because you and I are destined to be master and disciple! Starting tomorrow morning, follow your Senior Brother Su to the Sword Sect training grounds and have him teach you swordsmanship.”
An old man acting cute was actually…
Kind of adorable.
Tian Luo nodded enthusiastically.
“Then where will I live from now on?”
“Right here. We’ll have Goudan build you a couple of small houses later. But that’s not important. What’s important is…” Wuyinzi paused and gestured toward the room behind them.
“What exactly is your relationship with the person inside?”
Tian Luo unconsciously copied everyone else and tucked her own hands into her sleeves.
She thought carefully about her relationship with the person inside.
Then answered,
“We’re in a relationship between a life-saving benefactor and someone repaying that kindness.”
The life-saving benefactor was her.
The one repaying the kindness was him.
Descriptions like creditor and debtor, boss and bodyguard, carried too much personal emotion and failed to fully summarize their relationship.
After some thought, Wuyinzi nodded.
“Understood.”
Listening from the side, Su Miantang also nodded.
“I understand too.”
What they understood:
The life-saving benefactor was him.
The one repaying the favor was her.
That meant the person inside could roughly be considered a benefactor of the Zixu Sword Sect as well.
After all, Tian Luo was a disciple of the Zixu Sword Sect.
And the Zixu Sword Sect excelled at repaying kindnesses and protecting their own.
Therefore, taking in a benefactor was perfectly natural.
Tian Luo felt their expressions were somehow…
Strange.
But she couldn’t quite describe why.
Whatever.
The important thing was—
Right!
Two elders from Tianyan Sect had died.
Why was everyone in the Zixu Sword Sect acting so calm about it?
“Master, what are we going to do about those two dead Tianyan Sect elders?”
Her tone had somehow become equally calm.
Wuyinzi replied,
“It’s no big deal. They came here looking for trouble themselves. It’s not like we went to Tianyan Sect and killed them.”
Su Miantang added,
“Don’t worry. We’ve already dug a hole and buried the bodies.”
Wuyinzi even gave Su Miantang a thumbs-up.
After hearing that, Tian Luo actually felt the logic was flawless.
There was nothing wrong with it.
They had come to cause trouble.
They got killed because they weren’t strong enough.
Perfectly normal.
Wasn’t the cultivation world all about the strong preying upon the weak and strength reigning supreme?
That left only one final issue.
Tian Luo’s expression suddenly became grave and profound.
Wuyinzi thought this expression had something to do with the person inside.
His own face became serious as well.
“What is it?”
Tian Luo answered solemnly,
“Master, I think I might have a congenital heart condition.”
Wuyinzi: “…?”
Tian Luo looked worried.
“My heart isn’t very good. Sometimes when I get excited, I think it might trigger an attack.”
Looking back, the first attack had happened when she got too excited while collecting mulberry leaves.
The second one was today, when she got too excited after seeing her enemy.
Wuyinzi had heard of mortals born with weak hearts who needed to remain bedridden.
But Tian Luo wasn’t mortal.
And besides, she looked healthy, energetic, and full of life.
How could she possibly have heart disease?
In his opinion, the way she worried she had a heart condition made it seem more likely she had a brain condition.
Had something happened in the Bixi Secret Realm that damaged her mind?
At that moment, Su Miantang stepped forward to explain.
“I’ve heard of this illness before.”
His expression was extremely serious.
Tian Luo immediately leaned closer.
“What is it? Can it be cured? How expensive are healers here? Will the Zixu Sword Sect reimburse medical expenses?”
Su Miantang wore the solemn expression of someone announcing a terminal illness.
“It can’t be cured. Healers are expensive. No reimbursement.”
Tian Luo choked.
What?
Even the cultivation world couldn’t cure heart disease?
Su Miantang continued gravely,
“This illness is called lovesickness. When it strikes, your heart hurts so badly it feels as if someone is squeezing it. Everything begins because of another person.”
Tian Luo: “…”
Wuyinzi: “…”
Tian Luo felt Su Miantang probably wasn’t very bright.
Whatever.
He was still her Senior Brother.
She would forgive his nonsense.
Taking a deep breath, she asked,
“Master, Senior Brother, do either of you know a healer who gives discounts?”
Finding a proper healer still sounded more reliable.
“I know an alchemist!” Su Miantang answered instantly.
“The pills he sells work incredibly well! Zixu Sword Sect disciples get a twenty percent discount!”
He seemed to have a special talent for answering questions before anyone else could.
“When can you introduce me?” Tian Luo asked.
Su Miantang replied,
“A message jade slip is enough. He’ll come over.”
“Then please arrange it for… tomorrow. It’s getting late today.”
Tian Luo looked at the darkening sky.
It was almost dinner time.
“Done!”
Su Miantang agreed immediately.
Finally finding a chance to speak, Wuyinzi said,
“Tonight you’ll stay with—”
He paused and glanced meaningfully toward the room.
Tian Luo instantly understood.
“His name is Lu Qizhi.”
“Tonight, you and Lu Qizhi can stay in your master’s room. Since he’s your life-saving benefactor, you should repay the favor properly.”
Tian Luo thought that made sense.
The villain was repaying a favor.
She nodded.
“Thank you, Master.”
Wuyinzi was about to say something else when a loud bell suddenly rang throughout the Zixu Sword Sect.
Then Tian Luo watched her master immediately draw his sword and fly away.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry! Get to the dining hall! Dinner’s starting!”
Meanwhile, Su Miantang had already disappeared.
He was at least two hundred meters away.
Tian Luo: ?
Family, I still can’t fly!!!
She hurried back inside to find her bodyguard chauffeur.
Opening the door, she found Lu Qizhi sitting cross-legged on the bed, meditating.
He wore white robes made of smooth silk-like fabric.
The material clung slightly to his body.
Though his collar was only slightly open, the fabric perfectly outlined the muscles beneath.
Tian Luo’s mind immediately began recalling the sight of the villain’s naked body.
There was a saying, wasn’t there?
Half-covered was always more alluring.
When he’d been completely naked, she’d simply thought he looked like a savage.
But now, dressed properly while still exposing just a little skin in blatant violation of male virtue, combined with that stunningly handsome face…
Lu Qizhi suddenly opened his eyes.
As if he’d sensed all the inappropriate thoughts in her head.
The expressionless face instantly darkened again.
Gloomy.
Violent.
Hostile.
Well.
The villain’s terrible temper really killed the mood.
“Dinner’s started. Want to go eat together?”
Tian Luo invited enthusiastically.
“Let’s go kill someone.”
Lu Qizhi got off the bed.
He’d already waited through their conversation.
That was more than enough patience.
“???”
Big brother, were we even talking about the same thing?
How could your expression be so natural and confident?!
“How about this? Drop me off at the Sword Sect dining hall first, then go do your thing.”
Though she said that, she’d already been tossed onto Lu Qizhi’s shoulder.
As usual, he carried her one-handed and took off.
And clearly, they were not heading toward the legendary Zixu Sword Sect Grand Dining Hall.
How did she know?
Because she could see countless sword cultivators rushing desperately in one direction.
Like if they missed this meal, they’d never eat again.
And their direction was the complete opposite.
Pain.
“I’m hungry. I want to eat first.”
Tian Luo attempted a protest.
“Going to kill Guo Lin.”
Lu Qizhi answered.
Tian Luo immediately smiled like a spring breeze.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier? Let’s go! Hurry up and kill him. Afterward we’ll come back and eat together. My treat.”
“Humph.”
Lu Qizhi snorted.
Thinking about how dangerous, cunning, and deceptive Guo Lin was, and how the villain might not even be able to beat him, Tian Luo quickly pulled out another jar of foot-soak water from her mustard seed pouch.
“Before a fight, let’s drink a jar to restore your strength and boost your combat power.”
Lu Qizhi looked at the jar she offered.
He didn’t refuse.
This spiritual brew really did taste good.
Sweet and refreshing.
It also helped heal the hole in his chest.
Taking the jar, he drank it all in one smooth gulp.
“Oh right, I forgot to tell you.”
Tian Luo seized the opportunity.
“That entire spirit stone mine belongs to me now. You can’t use it for account deductions anymore. Which means your debt has increased by another one thousand high-grade spirit stones.”
Lu Qizhi frowned involuntarily.
“?”
Tian Luo spoke confidently.
“Here’s the thing. Let’s review the facts. Back in the Bixi Secret Realm, you were acting all fierce and talking about killing people. Then you did some mysterious hand motions in the air, reached inside, and immediately collapsed unconscious. I saved you from being turned into meat paste. I’ll give you a discount and only charge one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones for that.”
“Then I spent two whole days dragging you around and carrying you out of the Bixi Secret Realm instead of abandoning you. That one’s worth four hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones.”
“Adding everything together, you technically still owe me money. But we’re practically acquaintances now, so I gave you a discount and accepted the spirit stone mine as payment.”
“Therefore, every jar of spiritual brew you drink from now on requires separate payment.”
By then, Lu Qizhi had already shut off his hearing.
He couldn’t be bothered to listen.
As long as there was spiritual brew, she could keep babbling all she wanted.