Chapter 26
At Yu Tai’s words, Shu Li calmly extended his hand and asked with a gentle expression and mild voice, “Where should I feed it?”
Those few short words automatically transformed in Yu Tai’s mind into-
*Which mouth should I feed?*
The System: […No, Host. You’re the one with the problem. That is definitely not what he meant!]
Feigning composure, she took the illusion beast’s blood from Shu Li and swallowed it in one gulp.
She did not need righteous qi at the moment. She had merely mouthed off because she wanted to tease him.
Shu Li leaned sideways against the quilt wrapped around him. Several strands of black hair fell untidily across his cheeks. Normally, his back was always straight and every movement carried an air of elegance, but now he nestled there with an uncharacteristically languid expression, his unfocused gaze resting on some distant point.
Even Yu Tai, who had begun developing an immunity to his face over the past several days, could not help looking a few more times.
She had no idea that his gaze was actually resting on the tips of her ears.
The tips of those small, pale ears had turned pink, nothing like the composure she displayed.
Yu Tai’s body was far more honest than she was.
A deafening thunderclap exploded outside the cave. Every hair on Xia Mo’s body stood on end, and it plunged headfirst into Yu Tai’s arms, knocking the unprepared Yu Tai sideways into Shu Li.
Yu Tai recovered and was about to rise when an arm reached around her back and encircled her waist, drawing both woman and panda beneath the quilt.
The cool fragrance lingering at the tip of her nose made Yu Tai sniff unconsciously. “Let go.”
Shu Li’s gentle voice sounded above her head. “You only brought one quilt, and the cave is cold and damp. A young woman should take care of herself.”
Xia Mo rested in Yu Tai’s arms. It poked its head out, set its chin on her shoulder, and nodded as though agreeing with Shu Li.
Yu Tai pursed her lips. *You certainly know the contents of my spatial pouch well.*
She had originally intended to meditate, but perhaps Shu Li’s embrace was too comfortable or the panda in her arms was too warm. She unconsciously nuzzled closer until she found the most comfortable position, then slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep against the man behind her.
Once Yu Tai’s breathing gradually evened out, Xia Mo abruptly lifted its head and hummed triumphantly at Shu Li, who sat with half-lidded eyes, lost in thought.
Shu Li chuckled, tapped its little nose, and said with helpless amusement, “You win. She truly didn’t abandon you.”
“But I won’t interfere again after this.” He lowered his eyes toward Yu Tai, sleeping soundly against his chest. The emotion in his gaze was dark and unreadable.
Xia Mo raised one paw as if to say, *Leave it to me.*
The Black Plague Fruit had been inconspicuous among the pile of fruit Jiang Yibai brought.
When Jiang Yibai faced Shu Li, he had seemed terrified. The fruit had spilled from his hands, and Xia Mo had picked up every piece.
It recognized the poisonous Black Plague Fruit at a glance. Trusting that Shu Li would recognize it too, it pushed the fruit toward him so he could throw it away.
But Shu Li merely said, “Eat it.”
Xia Mo’s intelligence far surpassed that of ordinary humans. In some ways, it was extraordinarily shrewd, needing only the slightest hint to understand.
When it saw Yu Tai lower her eyes and angrily inspect Shu Li’s wrist, it swallowed the lethally poisonous fruit without hesitation.
This journey belonged to the three of them. It had no intention of traveling with those humans.
Xia Mo knew that Shu Li had expected Yu Tai to abandon it once she learned what Black Plague poison was. After all, the word *self-interest* might as well have been carved across Yu Tai’s forehead. She was absolutely not the kind of person who would sacrifice herself when there was nothing to gain.
But the facts proved Xia Mo had not misjudged her.
In the end, Yu Tai chose it.
…
The torrential rain continued for three days. Outside the cave, the floodwater was deep enough to submerge trees five people tall. Only their highest branches remained above the surface, swaying in the violent storm like they were struggling on the edge of death.
Yu Tai sighed.
There had been no storm in the original novel. The moment Shu Li and Xia Mo emerged, Bishui Secret Realm had begun gradually collapsing. It certainly had not lasted until now.
As the days dragged on, Yu Tai could not help wondering whether Bishui Secret Realm would truly collapse at all, or whether the qilin inner core in her stomach had caused the deviation.
Sensing the haughty sullenness radiating from the qilin inner core within her, Yu Tai sighed inwardly.
“The rain will stop tomorrow.”
The clear voice behind her made Yu Tai turn around.
Shu Li stood silently at her back. His bright eyes looked past her to the vicious weather raging outside the cave as though determined to destroy the world.
“Oh? Senior Brother sounds very certain.” Yu Tai raised an eyebrow.
Shu Li did not take offense at her doubt. He asked mildly, “Would you like to make a wager, Junior Sister?”
“No,” Yu Tai answered without hesitation.
Shu Li chuckled, the final note trembling. “Mm. Good girl.”
Yu Tai: […]
Damn it. That was irritating.
She had to admit, he was the male lead for a reason.
The rain that had seemed endless finally stopped the next day.
The dark clouds retreated, and daylight returned to the world.
Fortunately, Yu Tai was a cultivator and had fasting pills. Otherwise, the food problem alone would have driven her mad.
Xia Mo had been extremely clingy these past few days. Now that they were preparing to leave, it hung around Yu Tai’s neck and refused to come down.
Yu Tai had no choice but to carry it on her back as she brought Shu Li aboard her flying sword and descended.
Under the flood’s relentless advance, the once-lush forest had become a vast ocean.
There was no end in sight.
Yu Tai estimated the water’s depth and wondered whether the Qingshan Sword Sect’s treehouse was still intact.
She suddenly felt grateful that she had chosen Xia Mo and Shu Li.
Yu Tai had a poor sense of direction, so she turned naturally to Shu Li. “Which way?”
At her question, Shu Li casually pointed in a direction. Yu Tai nodded slightly and flew that way without hesitation or asking for any explanation.
It was as though she believed from the bottom of her heart that if Shu Li said it, it had to be right.
But Shu Li knew this was not because Yu Tai trusted him… Quite the opposite.
Still, ever since he learned that particular truth, Shu Li seemed too lazy to continue hiding. He was slowly beginning to reveal his unusual abilities to Yu Tai.
They flew on the sword for a very long time. No matter how high Yu Tai’s cultivation, even she could not withstand such relentless consumption day and night. Worse, she had to remain alert for demon beasts attacking from beneath the water. Xia Mo could not fight in the air, making Yu Tai their only source of combat strength for now.
When the flying sword began to slow, Shu Li paused as though recalling something. “Why not search your storage space?”
He had said “storage space,” not “spatial pouch.”
The flying sword stopped without warning. Momentum pitched Shu Li forward, and he caught Yu Tai in a full embrace.
Xia Mo: *You’re… crushing the panda!*
Yu Tai raised an arm and smoothly rested it around Shu Li’s neck. Her fingers traced gentle circles over the vital point there, but the threat was unmistakable, as though she would pierce straight through it without hesitation in the next instant.
“How did Senior Brother know?” Darkness settled completely in her eyes, and her voice turned dangerous.