Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 154 - 153: The Thieving Cat Ji Xichan Invaded Yueqiu and Master's Residence

The first light of dawn broke over the horizon, illuminating the stacked layers of clouds.

After a quick wash, Qing Yueqiu picked up her Luminous Shadow Sword, ready to begin her daily morning practice.

Even though her Cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul realm, allowing her to split mountains and shatter clouds with a single wave of her hand when channeling Spiritual Qi, the young woman still sealed all the Spiritual Qi in her body during her daily practice. She would wield her sword with the simplest Swordsmanship, just like a mortal.

This was what her master had taught her. The pinnacle of the Sword Dao was simplicity. She had to cast aside external forces like Spiritual Qi Cultivation and practice the Sword Dao in a way that was closest to its true essence.

The young woman tirelessly raised her sword, slicing through snowflake after snowflake that drifted down before her. With all her Spiritual Qi sealed, Qing Yueqiu's stamina began to fail after a thousand swings, and beads of sweat glistened on her brow.

Just then, she caught sight of a handsome figure in her peripheral vision. The young woman immediately perked up and swung her sword with even greater concentration.

"Yueqiu, you're up so early practicing your sword?"

Pei Yuhang walked past Qing Yueqiu, carrying a new set of bedding.

"Yes. Master, didn't you say so yourself? Dawn is when the sun's first violet qi is born, making it the best time for cultivation."

Qing Yueqiu replied with a smile.

Then, her gaze fell to the bedding and other household items in Pei Yuhang's hands, and a vague sense of foreboding rose in her heart.

'The last two times Master appeared before me laden with bags and bundles like this was when his wife and my junior sister moved in… And, unsurprisingly, they siphoned away his care and attention from me.'

'And now… Don't tell me Master is going to move another strange woman in!'

Qing Yueqiu didn't want that to happen, so she asked her master, a little nervously, hoping it was all just her imagination.

Unfortunately, Pei Yuhang's words shattered Qing Yueqiu's last sliver of hope.

"Oh, I was originally planning to tell you all together once Xiaoxiao was up."

Pei Yuhang pointed to an empty house a short distance from Qing Yueqiu's and Yu Xiaoyan's residences.

"Yes… From now on, Miss Ji Xichan will likely be staying with us at the Cold Palace Sword Mansion for a long time. I know you and she have some bad blood, Yueqiu, but I still hope you can get along."

Qing Yueqiu's crimson eyes widened in a daze. For a moment, she wondered if she had misheard.

"Master… why is Ji Xichan moving into our home? Doesn't she have her own master and residence?"

After she spoke, Qing Yueqiu seemed to realize she had been too impulsive with her master and quickly added:

"I'm sorry, Master… I'm not questioning your decision."

She was, in fact, questioning it.

"I was just so surprised."

'What kind of love potion did that bitch Ji Xichan feed Master? Why didn't I just run her through with my sword during the Sect tournament?'

Qing Yueqiu knew she wasn't being truthful. To prevent Pei Yuhang from seeing her true thoughts, she lowered her head, not daring to look her master in the eye.

But even though Qing Yueqiu said nothing, Pei Yuhang could sense his disciple's reluctance. He had already given his word to Chen Tiansheng, however, and a promise was like spilled water—impossible to take back.

Because of this, Pei Yuhang could only hope to compensate his disciple in the future to appease her feelings.

With this in mind, Pei Yuhang said, "Yueqiu, since you don't want to see Miss Ji, I'll just build another house for her on the back mountain. That way, she won't be living near you."

Pei Yuhang had thought his kind offer would make Yueqiu happier. Who would have guessed that upon hearing it, the young woman would react like a cat with its fur on end and hastily refuse?

"No! Just let Ji Xichan live in the empty house near us!"

Pei Yuhang hadn't expected Yueqiu to be so insistent. Though he didn't quite understand, her willingness to accept Ji Xichan living nearby was probably a good thing… right?

"Alright, then I'll go get Xichan's room ready."

"Yes, Master. Take care."

Qing Yueqiu watched Pei Yuhang's departing figure, her crimson eyes narrowing.

'Good, I managed to stop Master from putting Ji Xichan on the back mountain… After all, the back mountain is only separated from Master's residence by a wall or two. For a Cultivator, an obstacle like that is as good as nonexistent.'

'If that lecherous cat Ji Xichan, who's already coveting Master, were to sneak into his room in the middle of the night…'

Just thinking about the possibility sent a shiver down Qing Yueqiu's spine. She had no doubt about that woman's shamelessness and perversion; after all, this was the disgusting woman who had declared during the Sect tournament that she wanted Master to lick her toes.

It was a classic case of the broken windows theory.

Compared to the terrible consequences of Ji Xichan living on the back mountain, Qing Yueqiu was much more willing to accept her living nearby. This way, she could keep an eye on the little stray's movements.

But no matter what, the thought of an infatuated woman who made no secret of her covetous desires living in her master's residence still made it impossible for Qing Yueqiu to suppress the killing intent in her heart.

...

...

Ji Xichan groggily opened her eyes to the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling.

And the distinct scent of a man.

The daze in Ji Xichan's eyes vanished. She sprang up like a startled cat, warily scanning her surroundings, ready to summon her Great Demon Spirit to obliterate everything at a moment's notice.

'Are those… Pei Yuhang's clothes?'

Most of the young woman's vigilance faded when her eyes fell on the white robes hanging on a clothing rack.

She gently rubbed her temples and tried to recall the events of last night.

'What in the world happened last night… Why did I wake up in Pei Yuhang's room?'

Ji Xichan tried her best to remember. Slowly, images that brought her extreme shame began to surface in her mind.

She had been on all fours on the ground, like a puppy, while Pei Yuhang stood behind her, looking down with a disdainful gaze.

The crisp, loud sound of smacking echoed endlessly through the bamboo forest.

The peerless young prodigy who had once swept through the Major Sects was now lying prone in the mud, her clothes and face filthy. She had even been beaten until she was covered in sweat, her body trembling uncontrollably.

It was exactly like a story from one of those obscene chapbooks she had once read out of curiosity.

The chapbook told a wicked story about a female genius from a Major Sect who was captured by an old Demon while traveling. He then exploited her weakness—being spanked—to discipline and humiliate her.

Back then, after finishing the story, Ji Xichan had been so angry she had sliced the chapbook to pieces with her sword.

'A proud prodigy of a Sect should choose death before allowing an enemy to humiliate her! How could she possibly be forced into submission by a Demon's wicked methods?'

She never thought that, with the passage of time, she would end up experiencing the same treatment last night… The only difference was that the one disciplining her wasn't a Demon, but an extraordinarily handsome Sword Immortal.

'So… did Pei Yuhang literally beat me unconscious last night before bringing me back here?'

At this thought, utterly mortified, Ji Xichan couldn't help but curl her toes.

Phantom pains flared up on her little bottom, and she instinctively covered it, as if afraid of being hit again.