Chapter 51
“Later, the elder from the Zuiyin Sect said something to him, and only then did Jiang Li reluctantly agree.”
“After learning that Jiang Li had met Yu Tai in private, they obtained a jade token from somewhere. Nothing appears unusual on the surface, but if someone deliberately activates it, the token will release demonic qi. Its wearer will be infected, suffer cultivation deviation, and fall into a berserk state.”
At this point, He Tianba could not help cursing. “Those righteous bastards only know how to use such despicable tricks. We demonic cultivators would never do anything like that!”
“They plan to have Jiang Li find an excuse to give the jade token to Yu Tai. During the match, she’ll suffer cultivation deviation and go berserk before everyone’s eyes. They’ll frame her as a demonic cultivator, then have Jiang Li kill her on the spot. After eliminating a demonic cultivator, Jiang Li’s reputation will rise to even greater heights.”
“Jiang Li reluctantly agreed, but… from what I saw, that doesn’t appear to be his true intention.”
A voice came from within the Black Mist. “Continue.”
“Jiang Li didn’t attend the first day of the elimination round, so I secretly followed him to see what he intended to do.”
“As it turned out… he found a secluded place and destroyed the jade token. Then he used a spell to create an ordinary token that looked almost identical.”
“My Lord, Jiang Li bears no killing intent toward Miss Yu Tai. He switched the jade tokens because he wants to save her,” He Tianba said.
“What does that jade token look like?” the Black Mist asked.
…
After bathing, Yu Tai stepped out of the tub. She had just reached for her bellyband out of habit when she suddenly remembered that Shu Li would be coming later.
After some thought, she left it off and slipped directly into a thin inner robe. Her half-damp hair hung loosely down her back, soaking the fabric and leaving the curves beneath almost entirely exposed.
This was the sight that greeted Shu Li when he entered.
Yu Tai watched him stand in the doorway, staring at her without blinking, and curled her lips. “Have Senior Brother’s legs stopped working?”
“I hope Senior Brother can finish quickly. I still want to meditate later,” Yu Tai said as she swept back her long hair.
Shu Li chuckled softly and followed her deeper into the room. “Junior Sister still expects to cultivate tonight?”
Reality proved that cultivation was out of the question. Yu Tai did not close her eyes once that entire night.
Shu Li would not allow her to.
“Look at me.” His normally clear voice had grown unbearably hoarse.
Yu Tai’s eyes were already red and swollen, and her dry, hoarse throat could no longer form proper words. Whenever she opened her mouth, only broken, incoherent sounds emerged.
“In your last life… you must have been… a beast.”
At her words, Shu Li lowered his head and kissed the reddened corner of her eye. “Mm. I was.”
…
When Yu Tai opened her eyes, her entire being radiated disbelief and utter shock.
[This is what you called the benefit of righteous qi?]
The System answered, [That’s right.]
Yu Tai nearly lost her mind. [You call this a benefit?! This is just a benefit?!]
Ladies and gentlemen, it was she, Yu Tai.
After one night’s sleep, she had gone from an ordinary cultivator at peak Nascent Soul to stepping through the gates of Spirit Transformation!
The protagonists of other cultivation novels endured endless hardships and crises, fought over countless opportunities, and struggled against the heavens themselves.
She had merely slept with the male lead.
Sensing the inexhaustible power inside her and the immense strength of her spiritual sense, Yu Tai sat there in a daze for a long time, reflecting on whether she had taken the male lead far too lightly.
Could this be called merely a benefit?! This was a cheat ability-a priceless treasure!
When Shu Li entered, he found Yu Tai sitting there hugging the quilt, her eyes unfocused and her face blank.
The marks on her neck had yet to fade. Her long hair fell messily behind her, and her red lips were slightly parted, making her look exceptionally easy to deceive.
But only Shu Li knew that if this beauty were truly angered, she would transform into a vicious tyrant flower.
“What’s wrong?”
He placed clean clothes beside her, then reached out to sweep a strand of hair away from her chest. Concern filled his eyes. “Does anything hurt?”
Yu Tai shook her head.
No. She felt positively refreshed.
Looking up at Shu Li, Yu Tai said in a complicated tone, “I’ve reached Spirit Transformation.”
Shu Li’s expression did not change at her words, as though he were not surprised. He merely nodded and said gently, “Congratulations, Junior Sister.”
“Jiang Li is here. Do you want to see him? He says he has something urgent to discuss with you.”
Yu Tai’s eyebrow twitched. “You spoke to him looking like this?!”
Shu Li shook his head and waved the thin mask between his fingertips. “I just removed it.”
Having completely forgotten her previous criticism of his disguised face, Yu Tai did not stop to wonder why he had gone to such trouble. She simply waved a hand. “Tell him to get lost. Who wants to meet their opponent before a match?”
For once, Shu Li did not nod. Instead, he lowered his eyes and explained patiently, “You should still meet him. After all, we don’t know what they intend to do. We might as well use this opportunity to probe him.”
She had to admit that he made a compelling point.
Half an hour later, Jiang Li, who had been waiting outside and pondering where to begin dismantling this damned formation, finally saw Yu Tai.
More precisely, he smelled the familiar fragrance before he saw her.
Jiang Li frowned at Yu Tai. “You smell even better.”
Yu Tai gave him a mirthless smile through the formation. “If Fellow Cultivator Jiang came only to say that, then farewell. I won’t see you out.”
Faced with Yu Tai’s unfriendly attitude, Jiang Li wasted no more words. He took out a jade token. “This token grants passage to the Upper Realm. After the Martial Tournament, the Zuiyin Sect will accept you as a disciple. Take it.”
Yu Tai raised an eyebrow. “There are many cultivators more outstanding than me. Why would your esteemed sect choose me?”
Jiang Li answered bluntly, “I don’t know.”
A jade token that granted passage to the Upper Realm.
It truly held a fatal attraction for Yu Tai.
Although she knew it must be a trap, she still accepted it.
“Remember to bring it to the match in two days.”
Without explaining why, Jiang Li left those words behind and turned away.
His behavior was entirely different from the ravenous manner in which he had pursued Yu Tai before.
Yu Tai casually tossed the precious jade token onto the table, sat down, and repeated Jiang Li’s words to Shu Li.
After listening, Shu Li suddenly said, “Xia Mo took bamboo onto your bed again.”
He had grown increasingly accustomed to calling her demon beast by the name Yu Tai had given it.
Yu Tai shot to her feet. “That little bastard.”
Watching Yu Tai storm away, Shu Li lowered his eyes to the jade token she had casually thrown onto the table.
He lightly touched it. A wisp of black qi flowed from his fingertip into the token.
After beating Xia Mo, Yu Tai returned to find Shu Li staring at the jade token.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Shu Li’s beautiful brows drew together. “There’s something wrong with this jade token.”
Yu Tai raised an eyebrow, pulled Shu Li toward her, and moved him away from the token.
She knew that brat Jiang Li had been up to no good.
Killing intent flashed through Yu Tai’s eyes.
Shu Li lowered his gaze to Yu Tai’s hand around his. His eyes were utterly indifferent.
Yu Tai needed no other good person by her side.
No one but him.