Chapter 474 – My Master Is Not Human – A Trap Within a Trap (21)
After Bai Tang returned again, aside from the fact that he had fallen into demonic cultivation, the way the two interacted was no different from before. If there was any noticeable change, it was that after losing his memories, Tang Tang had become even more innocent and easier to fool. The previous night, Pei Boyi had taken full advantage of him.
By the time the sky was fully bright, Pei Boyi estimated that the Xing Sect would soon send someone to summon him, so he used a warm towel to wake Bai Tang.
“Mmm~ What are you doing? Go away, go away.” The little squirrel in bed refused to get up, twisting around and whining sleepily.
“Oh baby, Tang Tang, my hand hurts.” Pei Boyi suddenly clutched his hand and cried out dramatically.
Bai Tang, who had still been lying in bed with his eyes closed, immediately jolted awake and flipped upright. “Where does it hurt? Let me see!”
He pulled Pei Boyi’s hand away, revealing the scabbed scratch marks underneath.
To Pei Boyi, this tiny injury was nothing at all. But in order to win Bai Tang’s sympathy, he deliberately avoided using medicine to treat it. He had even pressed hard on the scratches a few times, so what Bai Tang saw now was a ring of darkened skin around the scab, with the edges slightly lifted to reveal the raw red flesh beneath.
“How did it get worse than yesterday?” Bai Tang assumed he must have gone too hard on him while angry.
“Then… should I kiss it better again?” Bai Tang asked uncertainly.
Pei Boyi pulled him into his arms and casually wrapped a bandage around his arm. “It’s nothing serious. Tang Tang, get up and eat breakfast first.”
“Mhm~” Bai Tang habitually stretched out his arms, waiting for Pei Boyi to help him get dressed.
After the two finished washing up and straightening themselves out, someone knocked on the door.
The visitor was Xiao Qiu, the maid who often took the blame on Zhenzhen’s behalf.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, are you awake? The Sect Master requests your presence.” Her crisp female voice sounded pleasant enough, but although she hid it well, Bai Tang could still hear a trace of resentment in it.
What’s her problem? Did A-Yi do something to her? How dare she resent him?
Bai Tang rolled up his sleeves, ready to go teach her a lesson, but Pei Boyi caught him around the waist before he reached the door.
“Be good, Tang Tang. Someone like her isn’t worth dirtying your hands over. Leave it to me.”
“Hmph, I knew you were pitying women again.” Bai Tang simply could not stand seeing Pei Boyi defend other people, especially girls.
Trying to help only gets treated like ill intent. Fine then—just wait until some woman tricks you.
Pei Boyi answered with a brief “Please wait a moment,” then coaxed Bai Tang into turning back into a little squirrel.
“I’m not turning back. The world is huge—I can go wherever I want, and you can’t stop me.” The adorable little squirrel was jealous again.
“No.” Pei Boyi’s face suddenly turned cold, making Bai Tang’s heart pound.
“You’re yelling at me.” Tears began to gather in Bai Tang’s eyes. “Who are you to me anyway? What gives you the right to yell at me?”
“I’m not trying to control you. If anything, Tang Tang is the one controlling me.” Pei Boyi panicked. “Tang Tang, our important business isn’t finished yet. If the Xing Sect discovers you, wouldn’t we just end up wasting time here?”
“Emmm… but you yelled at me…”
“I’m sorry, Tang Tang. I was scared…”
Pei Boyi gently wiped away Bai Tang’s tears. Leaning against his shoulder, Bai Tang was suddenly enveloped in a faint white flash, and a round little squirrel appeared sitting in Pei Boyi’s palm.
“Chi chi chi—” Don’t be scared. I won’t leave, okay?
“Tang Tang…” Pei Boyi smiled faintly and held the little squirrel close to his chest. He would never let Tang Tang remain hidden away forever, unable to show himself openly.
He opened the door, and Xiao Qiu was waiting respectfully outside.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, the Sect Master requests your presence.”
“Then I’ll trouble Miss Xiao Qiu to lead the way.”
The Xing Sect’s status in the cultivation world had declined year by year, but a hundred years ago it had once stood alongside the Le’an Immortal Sect in fame. The sect grounds and buildings were no less impressive than those of the Le’an Immortal Sect.
Xiao Qiu led Pei Boyi through a winding path. Judging by the increasingly overgrown scenery around them, they were heading farther and farther into a remote area.
Pei Boyi followed silently. Even after walking for a long time, he never once asked where this unfamiliar road led.
After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a small wooden cabin appeared before them. Xiao Qiu stepped aside and gestured ahead.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, it’s right up ahead.”
“Are you certain the Sect Master is the one who wishes to see me?”
“Of course. The Sect Master personally instructed me to come fetch Fellow Daoist Pei.”
Before she could finish speaking, Pei Boyi struck her with the edge of his hand and knocked her unconscious.
With Daoist Jiayi’s level of cultivation, if he truly wanted revenge, there would be no need to go through so much trouble to lure him here. Which meant the person inside the cabin definitely was not the Xing Sect’s Sect Master.
Inside the wooden cabin—
Zhenzhen lit a stick of Bewildering Incense. She had ordered Xiao Qiu to lure Pei Boyi over, and after waiting so long, he should have arrived by now.
She looked around at everything she had personally prepared. Thinking about what was about to happen made her both nervous and excited.
Last night, Pei Boyi had embarrassed her, but he was such an outstanding young talent, rare to find even once in a lifetime. He had rejected her father’s proposal—didn’t that prove he wasn’t greedy for wealth and status, and that he was an honorable gentleman?
She had never heard of him having someone he loved, so she believed even more strongly that his excuse about having a beloved partner was merely a reason to reject her father.
After today, Pei Boyi would be leaving. She still could not bear to let the opportunity slip away, so this was her last chance. Maybe he did not like her very much yet, but she believed that once they were together, he would eventually see her good side and be moved enough to fall in love with her.
Zhenzhen imagined their future together. Once Xiao Qiu brought him over, he would inhale the Bewildering Incense, and things would naturally progress further. Then Xiao Qiu would summon the elders. At that point, no matter how much Pei Boyi wanted to deny it, he would have no way out.
Pei Boyi dragged the unconscious Xiao Qiu into the wooden cabin and tossed her inside. Zhenzhen was startled by the shattered door. The backlight from the entrance made her squint, and it took her quite a while to recognize who had come.
“Xiao Qiu… Xiao Qiu…” Zhenzhen hurried to support the collapsed maid.
Pei Boyi looked down at her from above, as though mocking her for overestimating herself.
“You went through so much trouble to invite me here. Do you have nothing to say?” Pei Boyi stroked the little squirrel that had popped out.
“Squeak squeak squeak-” I told you she had bad intentions, but you wouldn’t believe me.
The little squirrel jumped from Pei Boyi’s shoulder onto the incense burner that was releasing curling streams of fragrant smoke, then kicked it over with one paw. The ashes of the Bewildering Incense scattered all over the floor.
As someone skilled in medicine, Pei Boyi only needed one glance at the ashes to understand what it was. He beckoned to the little squirrel, now covered in soot.
With a leap, the little squirrel jumped back onto his shoulder and even mischievously rubbed the ash in his fur onto Pei Boyi’s face.
“You little troublemaker.” Pei Boyi teased him with a few gentle strokes, then held him up and kissed him again and again, completely unconcerned by his messy fur.
Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
Zhenzhen’s eyes widened in disbelief.
How was this possible? He had inhaled the Bewildering Incense—why was he completely unaffected?
Meanwhile, Zhenzhen herself, who had also breathed in the incense, could no longer endure its effects. Her gaze became unfocused, her consciousness gradually slipping away as her hands restlessly tugged at her own clothes.
“How disgraceful.” Pei Boyi covered the little squirrel’s eyes, then tore down a curtain and used it to tie Zhenzhen up.
With both her body and hands restrained, Zhenzhen could no longer pull at her clothes. She could only helplessly follow behind Pei Boyi as he dragged her all the way to the cliff at the back mountain.
Her clothes were disheveled as she was tied to a tree. The effects of the Bewildering Incense would fade after about two hours, and leaving her there would help clear her mind.
Before summoning Pei Boyi, Xiao Qiu had already informed the Grand Elder that Pei Boyi had gone to the back mountain to watch the sunrise.
While Pei Boyi was dealing with Zhenzhen, the Grand Elder led the other elders toward the back mountain.
The two groups met along the mountain path.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, so you’re here,” the Grand Elder said with a smile. “I’ve already retrieved the Radiant Pearl.”
One of the elders behind him carried a box. As the lid slowly opened, a crystal-clear pale blue pearl could be seen embedded inside.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, this is the Radiant Pearl. Today, it is yours. As for the fifty Soul-Returning Jade Pills…”
“This junior always keeps his word.” Pei Boyi took out a bottle containing the pills and exchanged it with the Grand Elder—one hand trading the box, the other the bottle.
After receiving the item, the Grand Elder opened the porcelain bottle and poured out the pills to inspect them.
Fifty pills. Not one more, not one less.
The Radiant Pearl was no longer useful to Pei Boyi, but to Bai Tang, it was a precious treasure capable of concealing the aura of a demonic cultivator.
He stuffed the Radiant Pearl into the little squirrel’s paws. Thinking it was something tasty, the squirrel instinctively shoved it into his mouth, and with one gulp, it accidentally slid down into his stomach.
“Blegh, blegh—” The little squirrel grabbed his throat and gagged. His belly felt strangely warm—the Radiant Pearl had actually fused with Bai Tang’s body.
“Tang Tang…” Pei Boyi hurriedly ran toward the wooden cabin, using it to block the others’ line of sight.
“How are you feeling?” Pei Boyi asked anxiously.
A flash of white light faded away, and Bai Tang reappeared in human form, his eyes red and watery as if he were about to cry.
“I-I got choked on it~”
“It’s alright, it’s alright. Let me check.” Pei Boyi rubbed Bai Tang’s stomach, but he could no longer sense the location of the Radiant Pearl.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, did something happen?” The Grand Elder’s voice came from outside the door. If the prized disciple of the Le’an Immortal Sect were to encounter trouble within the Xing Sect, the sect would never escape responsibility.
“Nothing is wrong, Grand Elder, there is no need for concern. If you have matters to attend to, please go ahead. This junior will head to the main hall shortly to bid farewell to the Sect Master.”
“Oh no, oh no! Senior Sister Zhenzhen is in trouble!”
A young maid came running while shouting, successfully causing the Grand Elder—who had just been about to leave—to stop in his tracks.
“Who did you say was in trouble?” the Grand Elder hurriedly asked.
Panting for breath, the maid pointed toward the wooden cabin.
“Senior Sister Zhenzhen is inside! Senior Sister Zhenzhen said she wanted to watch the sunrise and would return afterward for breakfast, but it’s already been a long time past mealtime and she still hasn’t come back…”
Terrible acting. Completely fake.
That was Bai Tang’s judgment after peeking at the maid through the window.
But fake or not, the Grand Elders actually believed her.
Someone knocked on the cabin door, and the Grand Elder’s voice sounded again.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, is Zhenzhen inside? Please open the door.”
Bai Tang hurriedly tugged at his clothes, trying to straighten them out in panic. Pei Boyi took over and swiftly helped him get dressed.
“Don’t be afraid. No one can detect the demonic aura on you now.”
The people outside were just about to break down the door when Pei Boyi opened it from the inside instead, catching the maid and the others off guard and causing them to stumble onto the ground.
“Grand Elder, accusations require evidence. Miss Zhenzhen is not here, and the room inside cannot be entered.”
The more he tried to hide it, the more suspicious it seemed. If there was nothing going on inside, then why be afraid of letting people look?
The more Pei Boyi blocked them, the more convinced the Grand Elder and the others became that Zhenzhen was inside.
“Grand Elder, if you insist on entering, then the friendship between your sect and the Le’an Immortal Sect—”
“Grand Elder, please save Senior Sister Zhenzhen!” the maid cried anxiously from the side.
The Grand Elder found himself caught in a difficult position. But if he could not even protect his own people within his own sect, how could the Xing Sect continue to hold its place in the cultivation world? And what meaning would there be in maintaining friendly ties with the Le’an Immortal Sect then?
The Grand Elder’s expression turned solemn.
“Fellow Daoist Pei, forgive the offense.”