Sheng Xizhu had no intention of telling Qu Qi who she really was.
She needed a brand-new identity now, one that would allow her to walk openly within the Sword Inquiry Sect without suspicion. Playing the role of a cat happened to be the perfect cover.
Qu Qi quickly wiped her face, her eyes curving with a smile. “I knew it! Mimi is so amazing; she wouldn’t die that easily.”
She proactively grabbed Sheng Xizhu’s wide sleeve, pulling her toward the warm campfire before resuming her usual “salted fish” slouch. Qu Qi looked at her, her voice eager as if coaxing a child: “If you don’t want roast chicken, how about steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, or steamed deer tail? Which one do you prefer?”
With every dish she named, the bound lamb and rabbit beside them let out tiny, pathetic whimpers.
Sheng Xizhu: “…There is no need.”
“Aren’t you hungry?” Qu Qi took a bite of her roast chicken. “Where did you actually go just now, and how did you suddenly turn into a person? You made me so worried.”
She knew spirit beasts could cultivate human forms, but she never imagined Mimi was powerful enough to shapeshift and such a stunning beauty at that! She looked even better than Su Fawhan. It felt like coming home from work and discovering your pet had suddenly turned into a supermodel.
Sheng Xizhu watched her happy expression as she nibbled on the meat and simply said, “As long as you eat, it is fine.”
Bathed in that gaze, Qu Qi suddenly felt shy. “Okay, then you rest for a bit. I’ll finish eating quickly.” Heavens, being watched by a beauty makes me so nervous—I have to be careful to eat gracefully!
Fortunately, Sheng Xizhu soon looked away. She felt the long-lost warmth and light of the fire, watching the silent bamboo forest rustle gently in the wind as a silver crescent moon peeked out from behind the clouds. Although it was a common scene, it felt vivid and novel now that she had regained a physical body. The Nightmare, seeing the light of day once more, looked around with a subtle curiosity at everything in the world.
“I’m done. Let’s go home.”
The “graceful” Qu Qi had made short work of the roast chicken, rabbit, and lamb. She extinguished the fire. “Oh, before we go home, I need to take you for a bath.”
Sheng Xizhu withdrew her gaze. “A bath?”
“Of course. You just came out of a tomb; you’re all dusty.” Qu Qi looked at her flawless face and said without a hint of guilt, “No lying on the bed without a bath.”
Sheng Xizhu allowed herself to be led away by the sleeve. The spirits watched the Great Demon follow the human girl with near-total obedience. Once they were out of earshot, they couldn’t help but gossip: “Why hasn’t she eaten that human yet? Is she addicted to being a cat?”
“You don’t understand the mind of the Great Demon. She’s definitely trying to trick that ‘silly-sweet’ human into trusting her first. When the girl becomes dependent on her, she’ll deliver the fatal blow. When the human’s fear and hatred reach their peak, she’ll eat her slowly.”
“Slurp… I heard Nightmares feed on negative emotions. Just thinking about it is delicious. Such deep scheming—as expected of the ruthless Sheng Xizhu!”
The “deeply scheming and ruthless” Great Demon followed the “silly-sweet” human through the bamboo forest to a steaming hot spring. White mist curled over the surface, and the warm vapor was incredibly soothing.
Qu Qi placed a set of clean robes by the water. “Mimi, the water here is very clear. You go first; I’ll wait outside.” She asked with some concern, “By the way, do you know how to bathe?” Since it’s the cat’s first time in a human body, maybe she’s not used to it?
Sheng Xizhu remained speechless at the name “Mimi,” her gaze unreadable. “…I do. You may leave.”
Qu Qi took three steps and turned back once, worried. “Then… I’m going. Do you really not need me to scrub your back?”
Sheng Xizhu expressionlessly pushed her away from the spring.
Once alone, the woman stepped toward the water. With a single thought, her black dress vanished. Her slender, graceful form merged with the milky mist. She lifted a dainty foot; a small red mole on her right ankle made her fair skin look even more alluring. She stepped into the water, and the ripples danced softly.
Qu Qi stood outside the grove, vaguely hearing the splashing water. She rubbed her face and leaned lazily against a tree, yawning.
A moment later, the water sounds stopped. Qu Qi heard footsteps and turned around. “You’re finished?”
Sheng Xizhu gave a soft “Mm.” Dressed in the white gauze dress Qu Qi had provided, her features were indifferent. She looked as if she were melting into the silver moonlight, with only the red silk cord around her neck adding a splash of vivid color.
Qu Qi’s eyes lit up. “Wow, it fits perfectly!”
Sheng Xizhu said, “Your turn.”
“Wait for me, I’ll be quick.” Qu Qi hummed a song and hurried into the grove for a lightning-fast “combat bath.”
When she emerged, Sheng Xizhu was standing in the shadows of the trees. Her golden eyes were fixed on the night sky, her thoughts unknown, making her seem inexplicably distant. Qu Qi hesitated, then walked up to pat her shoulder, but Sheng Xizhu instinctively dodged.
Qu Qi didn’t mind. “I’m out! Let’s go home.”
Sheng Xizhu looked at her and suddenly reached out, tapping Qu Qi lightly between the brows. Qu Qi felt a wave of dizziness, and when she regained her senses, they were already standing in the middle of the wooden hut.
“Holy crap?” Teleportation?! Turning into a human comes with such high-level skills?
Sheng Xizhu sat on the bed with practiced ease, looked at her, and asked, “Sleeping?”
Qu Qi: “!”
This scene… is so weird! Let me look again!
If Mimi were a cat, there would be nothing strange about this. But now Mimi was a person—a breathtakingly beautiful woman sitting on the bed, asking calmly if they were going to sleep together. It was hard not to misunderstand…
“Um, hey, Mimi.” Qu Qi walked over cautiously. Faced with the beauty’s aura which was as cold as a refrigerator, she felt a lot of pressure. “Are you planning to sleep like that?”
Sheng Xizhu: “Is there a problem?”
Qu Qi stammered, “I mean maybe, how about you change back first?”
Sheng Xizhu remained unmoved.
Qu Qi tried a different tactic: “The bed is a bit small. It can’t fit two people.”
Sheng Xizhu frowned at her. Qu Qi immediately lost her nerve. The “Cat Master” was already arrogant; now that she was a human and stronger than her, who knew what she might do? She could do whatever she wanted with a black cat, but she didn’t dare cross a beautiful woman.
She resigned herself. “N-never mind. Just pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Sheng Xizhu’s brow smoothed, and she gave a faint “Mm” before closing her eyes. She sat cross-legged in meditation, surrounded by a mysterious, cold, and thick aura. She appeared to be cultivating.
Qu Qi didn’t understand it and didn’t dare disturb her, so she sat nearby and read a storybook. Halfway through, she suddenly felt dizzy. Her vision darkened, and a sharp pain flared in her abdomen. “Ugh!”
Is this low blood sugar or my period? How annoying, I didn’t know the cultivation world had periods!
Hearing the noise, Sheng Xizhu immediately opened her eyes. She saw Qu Qi curled up in the corner of the bed like a shrimp, her face pale and drenched in sweat, looking in immense agony.
Sheng Xizhu quickly grabbed Qu Qi’s hand. A deep black aura flowed from her palm into the girl’s veins, searching through her spiritual residence. A cold sneer appeared on her face. “Backlash from the Binding-Kill Array?”
In the morning, Qu Qi had disrupted the elemental balance of the tomb, and now she was being hit by the curse of the array—the “No Peace in Eternity” backlash. Sheng Xizhu hadn’t expected the array to be so malicious that even the one who broke it would suffer.
The Binding-Kill Array was meant for dead souls; since Qu Qi was alive, it only functioned at half-strength. Even so, it meant she would suffer the pain of “bone-coroding and heart-carving” every night, the same pain Sheng Xizhu had once endured.
Sheng Xizhu had used Qu Qi to break the seal, but she didn’t want to cause her undue suffering. Besides, the girl’s cultivation was too low; if left alone, she wouldn’t survive the night.
Sheng Xizhu looked at Qu Qi. The girl’s face was bloodless, and she was biting her lip so hard that a sliver of bright red seeped from the corner of her mouth. Having spent so long underground, Sheng Xizhu knew exactly what this pain felt like.
She remained silent for a moment, then let out a “tsk.” She raised her nails and roughly tore a gash across her own wrist.
Pale golden blood seeped from the wound, dazzling and brilliant, like celestial nectar. Sheng Xizhu lifted her wrist, forced Qu Qi’s mouth open, and pressed it against her lips, forcing her to drink.