Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I tore myself free from the illusion woven out of ink-black characters, so disgusted by Zhang Sheng that I wanted to vomit.

But I had barely eaten anything, so nothing would come up.

After clapping a hand over my mouth and dry-heaving twice, I looked at Hongniang. “Was your face smashed by Zhang Sheng with the Golden Alms Bowl?”

Hongniang nodded, then shook her head. Tears slid down the undamaged half of her face.

“Zhang Sheng is only a pedantic scholar with no strength to speak of. He didn’t hit me. But to save me, my sister was taken away by Monk Pujiu.”

I looked at Simiao.

Simiao shook her head. “Don’t look at me. I can beat Pujiu, sure, but Devourer and demons are both anomalies in this world.”

“No matter how ungrateful Zhang Sheng is, he is still an official personally appointed by the imperial court. He holds office, so he is protected by the realm itself.”

“Forget Hongniang and Yingying-even I can’t easily touch Zhang Sheng.”

“If we want to save Yingying, you have to go.”

I pointed at myself in astonishment. “Me?”

Hongniang explained quietly, “Madam, you are still a mortal right now, so you are not bound by the unseen laws of heaven and earth.”

Simiao gave Hongniang a mild but pointed look. “Call her Miss.”

“Miss, you are still a mortal right now…” Hongniang repeated.

Afraid that talking too much would make her face hurt, I took over the rest for her. “I understand, I understand. I’m not bound by the laws of heaven and earth. But like you said, I’m a mortal. Even if I want to help save someone, I don’t have your earth-shaking abilities.”

“That’s easy. I can lend you my inner core for a day. Once you swallow my inner core, you’ll possess three-quarters of my power. Just remember, you must come back within twenty-four hours and spit it out to return it to me.” Simiao winked at me playfully.

I froze. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll covet your inner core?”

Simiao shrugged and asked as if it were only natural, “Would you?”

I very much wanted to say that I was a woman desperate to escape my current predicament, and therefore a greedy one. If I swallowed her inner core and felt that power, I might very well pull a Liu Bei borrowing Jingzhou-borrow it and never return it.

And yet, for some reason, faced with Simiao’s deep, unfathomable eyes, I shook my head as if possessed.

Seeing me do so, Simiao smiled, pulled a plate from her sleeve, and said while munching on it, “Trust me. If you really do covet my inner core, you will absolutely wish you were dead.”

“Even a woman who cares the least about her appearance would never be happy living in this world with a body that’s half human and half beast.”

I shuddered at what Simiao was implying.

On instinct, I wanted to refuse. Then I turned and looked at the charred half of Hongniang’s face.

The refusal circled around in my mouth, but when it came out, it had changed into: “Fine. I’ll go.”

But I soon regretted it.

Enduring the pain in her face, Hongniang said something even more shocking.

“Since this miss has agreed, Miss Si, hurry up and kiss her! Hurry up and kiss her! My sister can’t wait!”

Huh?

My eyes widened as I stared at Simiao in shock.

Simiao’s lips curved. Her brows lifted, and a touch of inhuman wickedness entered her smile. “The inner core has to be transferred mouth-to-mouth, or the essence inside will be lost.”

“Wait, I haven’t thought this through-”

After the inner core entered my body, a wave of heat rose from my dantian.

I didn’t even need to touch my face to know it was burning hot.

My cheeks must have been as red as blanched river shrimp by now.

I looked at Hongniang.

Hongniang had her head lowered, but the undamaged half of her face was clearly trying not to laugh.

Then I looked at Simiao.

Simiao looked completely open and aboveboard. “Desperate times call for desperate measures. Just think of it as me biting you.”

…

These two shameless scoundrels had obviously set a trap for me, Li Jin!

Furious, I slammed the door and stormed out.

Then I turned right back around.

“I’ve barely ever stepped out of Changping Marquis Manor, so I don’t know the way.” I picked up the painting scroll from the floor and motioned for Hongniang to get inside. “You lead the way.”

Even after I had been gone from the main courtyard for quite some time, I could still hear Simiao’s unrestrained laughter behind me.

I only regretted that the main kitchen hadn’t bought sturdier plates.

Ideally, one would choke her so badly she couldn’t speak!