“Damn it, my eyes are all swollen from crying. If that dog Xia Changqing sees me like this, looking pitiful like an abandoned bride, he’ll definitely run off to Moonview Peak again,” Murong Bing muttered, panicked as she stared into the Haotian Mirror at her tear-swollen eyes and ruined makeup, her usual dignity and pride utterly lost.
She hurriedly wiped away the tear stains, took out rouge and powder, and carefully redid her makeup, determined to capture the heart of the wandering rogue once more.
“Cough, come in,” Murong Bing cleared her throat and restored her usual cold, domineering demeanor, her voice aloof and composed.
“Disciple greets Master,” Xia Changqing said respectfully with clasped fists. He had come because of the fixed-point sign-in at the Azure Cloud Immortal Pool and was unaware of the conversation between Tu Xiaoxiao and Murong Bing — not that he would have cared even if he had known.
‘Huh, Master actually put on makeup? This naturally flawless face blessed by heaven and earth now adorned with makeup — it’s deadly beautiful! Hahaha, it’s exactly my favorite combination of cold royal elegance and the charm of a mature woman. Tsk tsk tsk, so beautiful! If Master changed her lofty Lingxu bun to a high spiral bun, her elegant mature aura would be even stronger. And if she wore a tight skirt, high heels, and black stockings, she’d be so stunning that every male cultivator on the Mystic Sky Continent would have a nosebleed. Hehehe, Master’s beauty should belong to me alone.’
While Xia Changqing outwardly remained courteous and respectful, inwardly he evaluated and desecrated Murong Bing’s appearance like a seasoned connoisseur.
‘Ptooey, this shameless dog of a man. He dares to dream of me wearing those indecent clothes for him to bully. Don’t think I’ll be happy just because you said I’m beautiful. You still owe me, and none of your debts will be forgiven!’ Murong Bing, though internally pleased and blushing at his silent admiration, scolded him furiously in her heart.
Such was the complicated nature of women — moments ago she had wished to chop Xia Changqing into pieces, but after a few shallow compliments, most of her anger had dissipated.
“Why aren’t you cultivating in your cave mansion? Why have you come to see me?” Murong Bing asked coldly. She couldn’t help but emphasize “cultivating” with extra frost in her voice, fully prepared to scold Xia Changqing harshly.
“Disciple recently obtained some legendary Enlightenment Immortal Tea and specially brought some to Master, hoping it will help Master break through to the Quasi-Emperor Realm and elevate our Azure Cloud Dao lineage,” Xia Changqing said, taking out a jar of Enlightenment Immortal Tea, wearing a sincere smile and looking every bit the dutiful, respectful disciple. Get faster updates on g.com.
“Hehe, having a disciple like you really is the Azure Cloud Holy Land’s fortune,” Murong Bing sneered sarcastically.
Had she not also reincarnated, she might have been fooled by Xia Changqing’s innocent facade. This man, after all, was the very one who had destroyed the Azure Cloud Dao lineage that had lasted hundreds of thousands of years and slaughtered millions of its disciples.
“If Master doubts my intentions, I can withdraw and send this jar of Enlightenment Immortal Tea to the Penitence Cliff, handing it over to the Grand Elder,” Xia Changqing said, pretending to be wronged.
He was well aware of Murong Bing’s private grudge with Grand Elder Li Qiushui. In his previous life, he had exploited the deep-seated divisions within the Azure Cloud Holy Land to bring about its downfall. Li Qiushui had once fought fiercely with Murong Bing’s master for the position of Supreme Leader and, after being defeated and heavily injured, had been confined at the Penitence Cliff. Though Li Qiushui’s life was nearing its end, her cultivation at the Quasi-Emperor Realm still hung over Murong Bing like a Damocles sword.
“You bold little beast! Are you planning to heal Li Qiushui’s soul injuries with this Enlightenment Immortal Tea and turn her against me? Treachery!” Murong Bing instantly appeared before Xia Changqing, snatching the tea jar from his hand, her voice icy and furious.
Her gaze was like ten-thousand-year-old ice, bone-chilling and impossible to meet.
“Hehe, Master loves me so dearly. The moment I got this divine treasure, of course, I rushed to offer it to you. How could I possibly collude with the enemy? Besides, the Grand Elder is Ye Zheng’s master, and given my deep enmity with the Ye family, how could I ever betray you? I will always stand by your side, Master, through thick and thin,” Xia Changqing said with a cheeky smile, completely unbothered by her cold glare.
“Hmph, always stand by my side? Sounds nice. But who knows, the one to stab me in the back one day might be you, Xia Changqing,” Murong Bing scoffed, her frosty expression melting into a rare display of girlish petulance.
“No one may betray you, Master. Only I never will,” Xia Changqing said with a gentle smile as he gazed at Murong Bing’s familiar face, involuntarily recalling his wife in the Immortal Realm.
“Shut your dog eyes! Look at me like that again and I’ll gouge them out. You disrespectful, lustful brat,” Murong Bing scolded, flustered and angry, her heart pounding like a young girl’s under Xia Changqing’s affectionate gaze. She had seen that look too many times — it was his signal of wanting to have his way with her.
‘Damn this crazy woman. Who wants to look at her? I was reminiscing about my beloved wife in the Immortal Realm. She’s just a stand-in, a tool for sentimental projection,’ Xia Changqing sneered inwardly at her sudden outburst. Read the latest chapters at novelping(.)com.
“Hmph, if you have something to say, say it. If not, get out of my palace!” Murong Bing crossed her arms, looking down at him coldly, though there was a hint of proud smugness in her disdainful expression. Xia Changqing’s silent inner grumbling satisfied her more than she let on — but being called a fool, a substitute, and a tool still made her furious.
“Reporting to Master, my Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art has been unstable recently, and I fear I’m falling into a demonic deviation. I wish to enter the Azure Cloud Immortal Pool to wash away the demonic energy and stabilize my Dao Heart,” Xia Changqing said, putting on a pitiful act of being near death, hoping to earn her sympathy and permission to enter the pool.
“You have the Immortal-Demonic Dao Bones and Sage’s Pupils protecting you. Anyone else might fall into demonic deviation, but not you. Clearly, you’re lying. You must have an ulterior motive for entering the Azure Cloud Immortal Pool. Perhaps you want to steal my immortal pool water to refine some Elixir of Eternal Youth for your beloved?” Murong Bing’s phoenix eyes stared intently at Xia Changqing.
“Aiya, Master, you’re overthinking it. How would I dare pull any tricks under your nose? Didn’t you promise to teach me the Nine Heavens Emperor Scripture? Entering the Azure Cloud Immortal Pool would let me familiarize myself with its Dao arts in advance,” Xia Changqing said flatteringly, trying to shift the conversation.
“Hmph, I don’t feel like teaching you the Nine Heavens Emperor Scripture anymore. What can you do about it?” Murong Bing snorted coldly. Xia Changqing’s recent betrayal made her angry.
“Master, the Enlightenment Immortal Tea, when brewed with water from the Immortal Pool, will have even greater effects. I shall take my leave,” Xia Changqing said, turning to leave without hesitation, though turbulent waves surged in his heart.
‘This capricious, unreasonable woman! Daring to mock me like this — once I reach the Emperor Realm, I’ll make sure to torment her a hundred times over. What a waste of my Enlightenment Immortal Tea.’
“Pfft, serves you right, you fickle dog of a man. You’ll never get rid of me, Murong Bing,” Murong Bing chuckled as she watched Xia Changqing’s seemingly carefree yet secretly frustrated back.
Her stunning, cold face softened into a radiant smile that was like the warm sun in winter, dispelling all the world’s coldness. Even the divine flowers in the heavenly pools above the Nine Heavens paled in comparison.