Chapter 44: The Xiao Family Engagement and a Fateful Encounter

Even if your physique allows you to fully revert to a maiden’s appearance, do you truly intend to erase everything that has transpired? How utterly shameless! You old monster—no, wait… I should call you Master!

“I have a distinct feeling you’re thinking something incredibly rude, and it concerns me, your Master, no less.” As if sensing Luo Bingli’s internal musings, Liu Ruyan’s gaze turned icy once more.

“No… no, absolutely not! Master, you’re overthinking things!” Luo Bingli offered a faint smile, attempting to ease the tense atmosphere between herself and her Master.

“Hmph, that’s more like it.” Liu Ruyan took a deep breath, then slowly continued, “Regarding your marriage, this time it’s that girl from the Xiao family.”

The Xiao family…

Luo Bingli instantly recalled the plot. After she had finished her quest with Senior Sister Bai, she was compelled by a pre-arranged childhood engagement from her Master to return to her hometown, Wuyin City, which was also her Master’s ancestral home.

Upon her return, she discovered that the eldest young lady of the Xiao family, her betrothed, had suffered a continuous decline in cultivation for some unknown reason over the past two years. Her Foundation Establishment cultivation had plummeted to the third level of Qi Condensation.

Doesn’t that sound familiar? And it didn’t end there. In the original plot, Luo Bingli had thoroughly humiliated the Xiao family girl, almost outright calling her shameless, and had immediately annulled the engagement. Only later did she learn that not only did the girl possess an incredible physique, but a Fairy Sister also resided within her ring.

Her cultivation had continuously regressed precisely because the Fairy Sister was about to awaken. Moreover, this particular immortal in the plot was exceptionally skilled at playing games.

At this realization, Luo Bingli straightened her posture immediately, her expression turning serious. She quickly clasped Liu Ruyan’s hand and spoke with a hesitant tone, “Um… Master, you know I already have Senior Sister Bai now, so this engagement from before…”

“Oh, it’s fine! As my disciple, what’s wrong with having a few Dao Companions? It’s truly nothing. If you have fewer than ten Dao Companions in this lifetime, it simply means your Master’s teaching methods are flawed.”

“Ha…”

“Ahem, in any case, your visit this time is merely a formality. I heard that for the past two years, the Xiao family child’s cultivation regressed instead of advancing for some unknown reason, falling all the way to the third level of Qi Condensation. Although it stopped receding, it hasn’t progressed since. When you go, just tell her you’ve already reached Nascent Soul stage. Tell her that someone at Qi Condensation shouldn’t bother you, and she should just give up. If she’s sensible, then so be it. If she’s not, hehe… then you can trip her up. She’ll eventually give up and break off the engagement.” Liu Ruyan spoke with utter nonchalance.

However, Luo Bingli’s heart turned utterly cold.

She distinctly remembered that her Master’s old friend, Immortal Liuli, had been exactly like this. Her cultivation had suddenly vanished. Could it be that her Master had been as unyielding back then as she was today, and when Immortal Liuli refused to abandon their friendship, her Master had harmed her?

Truly, she was an old monster! Luo Bingli thought, her gaze filled with disdain as she looked at Liu Ruyan.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Perhaps Luo Bingli’s gaze was too piercing, causing Liu Ruyan to feel a hint of displeasure.

“Master! You can’t be so heartless! What if she rises to power in the future? Wouldn’t she target me to my dying day?”

“Oh, what’s that to worry about! The cultivation world is where the strong prey on the weak. Since she can’t keep up with your pace, why wait for others? As for her rising to power in the future, pfft, such things are incredibly rare in the cultivation world, aren’t they?”

Blinking, Luo Bingli quickly brought up Immortal Liuli’s situation. “But, Master! Wasn’t Immortal Liuli the same back then? Yet, despite your continuous interference, she not only survived but became a powerhouse in the cultivation world. I…”

However, before Luo Bingli could finish, Liu Ruyan immediately snorted. “Hmph! Don’t mention that person to me. That wretched woman just got lucky. She had already lost her cultivation, and knowing full well we were no longer in the same world, she still shamelessly sought me out, hoping to find some inexplicable sense of presence from me? She must have been dreaming! I have no idea where that woman found her fortuitous encounter. Not only could she cultivate again, but her cultivation eventually surpassed mine.”

“Hmph, what angers me most is that I apologized countless times, yet she’s incredibly petty and simply won’t forgive me. It infuriates me.”

Hearing these words, and then glancing at the new figure that had appeared not far away, Luo Bingli silently swallowed. Her body felt utterly weak at that moment. If not for the fear that gave her a surge of adrenaline, she would have collapsed long ago.

It was then that Luo Bingli’s mouth, seemingly of its own accord, began to speak. “Master, if… if you were given another chance, would you change how you treated Immortal Liuli?”

“Ha, goes without saying! Of course, I wouldn’t change a thing. In fact, if I had known that woman could recover her cultivation, I should have gone for the kill. If she had died, then the Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire would only have ice left, and no fire. Not only that, I would have completely gotten rid of that perverted woman who makes me cultivate the Heavenly Charm Demonic Physique while tormenting me. If I could go back… hehe…”

“Oh, you truly think so?” This time, Immortal Liuli appeared directly behind Liu Ruyan, speaking through gritted teeth.

“That’s natural, I… uh…” At that moment, Liu Ruyan also sensed something amiss. She glanced at her disciple’s limp posture, feeling a distinct sense of unease. Then, she twisted her head and saw Immortal Liuli, her face dark with fury, standing behind her.

In that instant, Liu Ruyan panicked. She truly panicked. After silently swallowing, she cautiously said, “Sister Liuli, you might not believe me, but what your little sister just said wasn’t from the heart.”

“Guess if I believe you!”

“As Sister Liuli’s number one little sister, I, Ruyan, believe that the kind, adorable, gentle, generous, and celestial Sister Liuli will surely believe your humble servant, won’t you? Look into your humble servant’s eyes, aren’t they so sincere?”

Immortal Liuli subconsciously looked into Liu Ruyan’s eyes and immediately realized that Liu Ruyan was using the demonic art ‘Secret Flirtation.’ Clearly, she was trying to hypnotize her—how could she allow that?

She promptly seized Liu Ruyan’s arms tightly and declared to Luo Bingli, “I’m taking your Master with me. You can go play by yourself.”

“No, no, no, Sister Liuli! You promised I could rest for half a day! It hasn’t even been an hour.”

“Hmph, don’t even think about resting these next few days.”

“Noooo!”

“Hmph!”