Chapter 27
Shu Li tilted his head slightly. The wind stirred the veil of his hat, giving Yu Tai a clear view of his smooth, beautifully shaped chin and sensual lips.
He lowered his lashes to look at her, his expression faintly innocent. His gaze swept over the simple, ancient ring on her hand as he asked naturally, “Isn’t that a storage-space ring?”
“Storage-space rings are artifacts made specifically for powerful experts with substantial family wealth, allowing them to store their possessions. Didn’t Junior Sister take both the chain and the veiled hats from it? The collection inside is clearly extensive. Perhaps there is something in there that can solve our current difficulty.”
When he finished, his gaze remained perfectly straight and his voice sincere. “If my words upset Junior Sister, I apologize.”
With a face beautiful enough to outrage both humans and gods, a sincere voice, and an earnest gaze, could anyone in this world truly be heartless enough not to forgive him?
The System: [Yes.]
“Apology rejected,” Yu Tai sneered.
At her merciless reply, even Shu Li froze for several seconds.
How should one put it? Though he had fallen from genius to disgrace and suffered countless humiliations, this was undoubtedly the first time in his life anyone had refused his apology.
Even when he was young and accidentally released a monstrously evil dragon that had been imprisoned for a thousand years, no one could bear to blame him further after he sincerely admitted his mistake.
At Shu Li’s startled expression, Yu Tai curled her lips with malicious delight.
*Didn’t expect that, did you, genius? Someone in this world actually rejected your apology.*
Though surprised, Shu Li quickly recovered. His lips pressed into a line, and fragments of light drifted in his eyes. “Then what must I do for Junior Sister to forgive me?”
Yu Tai leaned back, rested her head on his shoulder, and answered without hesitation, “Give me a kiss.”
She was running low on righteous qi. She had forgotten to replenish it these past few days, and now he had delivered himself straight to her.
The moment she finished speaking, a cool kiss landed decisively on her cheek. Then Shu Li withdrew with perfect efficiency.
Yu Tai: […]
She met his open gaze with a complicated expression. Even from such an unflattering angle, his features remained exquisitely beautiful. Fine, that was not the point-
The corner of Yu Tai’s mouth twitched. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you, Senior Brother?”
Shu Li sounded faintly innocent. “Why would Junior Sister say that?”
Yu Tai was about to answer when something began squirming frantically beneath her. Only then did she realize that Xia Mo, who had been clinging to her back, seemed to have been squeezed underneath them…
She turned and scooped up the resentful panda. Xia Mo chirped furiously.
It had nearly been flattened into a panda pancake! Did these people have no humanity?
“Sorry. I forgot about you.”
Yu Tai stroked its head. Before it could react, she swiftly stuffed Xia Mo into the demon-beast pouch in one smooth motion.
There. What came next was not suitable for children. It could not watch.
Grabbing Shu Li by the collar, Yu Tai lifted her head and said seductively, “It’s time for a bad boy to be punished.”
Just as she prepared to press her lips to his, a cool palm covered her face, enveloping her palm-sized features.
Only her two furious eyes remained visible beyond Shu Li’s hand, glaring at him.
Imagine traveling for ages until you were starving, only for the food in your hands to refuse to let you eat it.
Yu Tai did not know how anyone else would react, but the demonic qi clamoring inside her made her increasingly irritable.
“Someone’s coming.” Shu Li’s thumb brushed her cheek, laughter hidden in his voice.
He seemed to enjoy watching Yu Tai hunger for something she could not have.
Yu Tai pulled his hand from her face. Her voice was gentle, but her gaze was vicious. “Senior Brother, you had better not be playing hard to get.”
The System: […Here we go again.]
Just how many romance novels had she read?
*On Yu Tai’s Years as a Male Lead in a Romance Novel.*
The aura of cultivators and faint cries for help did indeed approach from nearby. The instant Yu Tai turned away, Shu Li’s fingers gently brushed the curve of her waist. “I’ll make it up to you later,” he murmured.
It would be troublesome if he drove the hungry little cat too far.
He could hardly allow her identity as a demonic cultivator to be exposed. That would offer him no benefit at all.
His gaze clung to Yu Tai’s small, pale, rounded earlobe, and his usually clear eyes darkened. But the woman before him was still lost in the tingling sensation from that fleeting touch and noticed nothing.
The presence of other living beings did not disrupt Yu Tai’s pace. Though inwardly alert, she followed Shu Li’s suggestion and searched the ring left by her Demon Lord father, focusing on the heap of miscellaneous objects that had clearly come from the same place as the rare treasures.
To her surprise, she actually found something excellent.
Yu Tai released the protesting Xia Mo from the demon-beast pouch. They landed on a boulder that had not yet been completely submerged, and she tossed the miniature boat in her hand onto the water.
In an instant, an enormous and extravagantly beautiful ship appeared before the two humans and one panda.
Yu Tai: […]
*So this is the appeal of having a rich dad?*
The System: [If all else fails… maybe we should kowtow to Daddy a few times.]
With complicated feelings, Yu Tai brought Shu Li and the excited Xia Mo aboard. The ship required neither wind nor a helmsman. With a single thought from Yu Tai, it moved according to her wishes, making it almost absurdly convenient.
When they boarded, she had also glimpsed dense patterns glowing faintly across the hull. They were clearly formations carved there to protect against attacks from demon beasts in the water.
Yet her Demon Lord father had casually tossed such a treasure among his miscellaneous belongings.
One could only imagine how extravagantly wealthy he had been while alive.
If he had not died, the original character would have been a princess of the Demon Realm. Why would she have needed to hide, live in constant fear, and exchange false pleasantries with a group of righteous cultivators?
With that thought, Yu Tai guided the ship toward the cries for help.
It was not because she was kindhearted or fond of meddling in other people’s business. She had merely swept the area with her spiritual sense and recognized someone she had met once before.
She would consider it repayment of a favor.
…
Zhang Xiaoxiao clung desperately to a piece of wood. Blood from her wounds stained the surrounding water red, and the pitiful young woman’s pale face was filled with despair.
The sudden flood had separated her from the other Beast-Taming Sect disciples. Before an unstoppable natural disaster, even cultivators were terrifyingly small and powerless.
Moreover, Beast-Taming Sect disciples were not especially strong themselves. Their contracted demon beasts were their true weapons.
And now, she had lost her demon-beast pouch.
As her arms grew weaker and her wounds became increasingly numb in the cold water, the despair in Zhang Xiaoxiao’s heart steadily expanded.
There was nothing around her except endless water. She was the only living creature left.
She did not want to die. Could someone please save her?
But in this terrifyingly empty world that seemed capable of swallowing a person’s will, were there truly any other living beings?
The sound of disturbed water suddenly came from the distance. Hope flashed in Zhang Xiaoxiao’s eyes, and she shouted desperately for help.
A small boat appeared across the previously empty water.
Hearing her cries, the boat stopped.
Zhang Xiaoxiao called even louder.
Several cultivators appeared on the boat and looked down at the wretched Zhang Xiaoxiao, studying her as they discussed the matter for a long while.
“Which sect do you belong to, Fellow Cultivator?” someone above asked.
Zhang Xiaoxiao shouted hoarsely, “I’m a disciple of the Beast-Taming Sect!”
Once she identified herself, a flash of contempt passed through the eyes of the cultivators who had seemed somewhat hesitant.
The Beast-Taming Sect was a minor sect that relied exclusively on demon beasts in battle.
“My apologies, Fellow Cultivator, but there isn’t much room left on our boat.”
The sight of the boat sailing away without hesitation cut deeply into Zhang Xiaoxiao’s eyes.
She knew the boat was not truly out of space. They simply believed a disciple from a minor sect was not worth wasting a place to rescue.
Zhang Xiaoxiao, who had been raised amid love and care, slowly lost the light in her eyes. A bitter tear rolled down her cheek. “Don’t go… Please don’t go… Save me…”
“I don’t want to die… Master… Senior Brother…”
At some point, several vultures had begun circling overhead, their sharp eyes fixed on Zhang Xiaoxiao.
They seemed to be waiting for the instant their prey took her last breath so they could swoop down and feast.
*Master, I’m sorry. Xiaoxiao won’t be able to care for you anymore.*
Using the last of her strength, Zhang Xiaoxiao looked up at the sky. At last, her arms gave out, and she slipped beneath the surface.
In the final moment before she sank into the freezing water, an enormous and magnificent shape seemed to be approaching from the distance…