As a half-demon, my body usually carried no detectable demonic energy. If the Demon Lord hadn’t probed me deeply back then, he wouldn’t have discovered my heritage. The same went for Mu Xuan—his future self didn’t notice, and his current self certainly wouldn’t either. But if I used the spell now and he realized I was half-demon, his identity as the senior disciple of Cang Lan Sect would compel him to kill me without hesitation.
I couldn’t die here, not like this!
Just as I felt I was drowning, a warm hand gripped my back and pulled me upward. I was pressed against a solid chest—comforting and warm.
But the comfort didn’t last long. The next thing I knew, I was flung like a sack of rice onto the rock, and two heavy palms pressed against my chest, pushing down hard enough to nearly flatten it.
Coughing up water, I gasped desperately for air.
Mu Xuan, soaked and dripping, stood over me. His wet hair dripped onto my face as he muttered in a tone filled with disdain, “So useless…”
I clenched my fists, swallowing down the urge to curse him out. Turning my head, I gazed at the vast starry sky, imagining myself as the moon high above—untouched by mortal frustrations. After a long moment of fantasy, I finally calmed down.
But my calm was short-lived. My drenched clothes clung to my body, and the winter breeze made them feel even colder than the spring water. Shivering uncontrollably, I stammered, “M-M-Master, I don’t w-want to bathe anymore… L-let’s g-go b-back…”
Mu Xuan raised an eyebrow. “Cold?”
Wasn’t it obvious? Did he think I was trembling with excitement? Swallowing my sharp retort, I meekly nodded.
He didn’t move, simply studying me in silence for what felt like an eternity.
Truly, he and the Demon Lord were the same person. This infuriating habit of staring without saying anything was identical. If you’ve got something to say, just say it already!
Just as I was about to ask what was on his mind, he suddenly turned and walked away.
I blinked, hugging my arms as I sat up. Moments later, I saw him return with the clothes he had left by the rock.
My eyes lit up—I caught a glimpse of the Ling Jing wrapped inside the garments!
Throw it to me! Throw it to me!
I silently screamed in my head. A moment later, he did toss the clothes to me… but only the clothes.
The Ling Jing remained tucked securely behind him as he stood on the other side of the rock. “Change into these before we go back.”
Holding his clothes, I froze for a moment before realizing what had happened. He felt guilty! He must have pushed me into the water to test whether I had any magical abilities, and he hadn’t expected me to nearly drown.
Peeking cautiously around the rock, I saw him leaning against it, staring off into the distance with a proper, upright posture befitting a virtuous gentleman.
I let out a breath of relief. If I hadn’t hidden my abilities underwater, I might not have been saved by a warm hand but rather cut down by the cold edge of his Xi Feng Sword.
He was perceptive, but my near-death struggle must have convinced him of at least part of my story—if nothing else, that I didn’t know any spells.
I changed into Mu Xuan’s clothes, which were absurdly large on me. Despite his lean appearance, his garments draped over me like a child playing dress-up.
“Done?”
He sounded impatient from the other side of the rock.
“Yes, Master,” I replied, stepping out. “Your physique is truly impressive, Master—your clothes are enormous.” I tugged at the collar with one hand and the hem with the other, realizing no matter how much I pulled, I couldn’t stop the fabric from dragging along the ground. Knowing how much he valued cleanliness, I could only look up at him in helpless resignation. “Master, I swear I didn’t do this on purpose. I promise I’ll wash these clothes clean tomorrow.”
He stared at me, his expression unusually dazed.
I blinked up at him. “Master?”
His gaze shifted, and he turned his head away abruptly. “Let’s go.”
In the moonlight, a soft breeze carrying the scent of pine, I thought I caught a faint redness at the tips of his ears.
Could it be… Was this… embarrassment?
I had spent the past month pouring my heart into gaining even a flicker of his attention, all in vain. But now, standing before him soaking wet, disheveled, and drowning in oversized clothes, I had somehow elicited an emotional reaction?
Men… truly incomprehensible.
I bit my lip, deep in thought. Perhaps seduction was the simplest and most direct way to steal the Ling Jing after all.
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