Chapter 31: A Fateful Encounter in the Forest

The Wolf Girl slipped into the dense forest, seeking solitude to clear her mind.

However, she hadn’t anticipated Shui Jingxuan following close behind.

“Senior Sister, are you upset about me holding you back earlier?” Shui Jingxuan asked softly, walking beside her.

“I had no other option; it was crucial to ensure the success of our training expedition.”

Her junior disciple had always treated her with a certain detachment, so this was the first time he had shown such genuine closeness. A flicker of warmth bloomed in the Wolf Girl’s heart.

She waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not angry, merely stepping out for some fresh air.”

“Is that truly all?” Shui Jingxuan offered a gentle, radiant smile, his charm so infectious that it prompted the Wolf Girl to subtly curve her lips upward in response.

At that precise moment, a chilling, shrill scream echoed from the distant woods.

A faint, metallic scent of blood drifted over on the breeze.

“Something’s happening. Let’s go investigate,” the Wolf Girl murmured, soaring like a specter towards the source of the sound. Shui Jingxuan, a subtle glint vanishing from his eyes, followed swiftly.

If his memory served him correctly, that scream belonged to a pregnant woman. It was through assisting this very woman in childbirth that the Wolf Girl and Zhuo Yihang would meet and eventually fall in love.

Both arrived at the origin of the screams almost simultaneously. The scene before them depicted an exceptionally handsome man frantically trying to help a heavily pregnant woman give birth.

His expression was utterly bewildered, clearly indicating this was his first encounter with such a situation. Meanwhile, the pregnant woman’s husband stood anxiously to the side, wringing his hands, too terrified to approach.

He appeared even more helpless than the handsome man.

“Ah! Young lady! Please, I beg you, save my wife!” The man, who had been pacing frantically, suddenly spotted the two figures silently approaching. Seeing a young woman leading the way, he felt no wariness, only immense joy.

In his eyes, the handsome man, being male, surely lacked the experience this young woman must possess.

Zhuo Yihang, who had been holding the woman’s shoulders and softly encouraging her, was startled by the man’s plea. He glanced towards the newcomers.

A pair of figures, picturesque as a painting, slowly advanced towards him. To be so close, yet he hadn’t noticed them at all. These two, despite their youth, possessed martial arts skills far surpassing his own, a realization that sent a shiver down Zhuo Yihang’s spine.

However, upon catching sight of the white-clad maiden leading the way, her ethereal presence almost otherworldly, Zhuo Yihang’s tense expression softened, and his heart began to pound.

The maiden’s face was veiled, revealing only a pair of slender, beautiful eyes. Yet, the cool, moon-like gaze within them was enough to captivate anyone. Zhuo Yihang’s eyes filled with infatuation.

It was only when the woman’s agonizing scream pierced the air that he snapped back to reality, filled with shame, and dared not look at the maiden again. Seeing the maiden’s composed demeanor and incredibly skilled movements, which clearly indicated medical training, Zhuo Yihang relaxed slightly.

He stole a glance at her, then turned his gaze to the red-clad youth who now stood beside him, observing him with downcast eyes.

The veiled maiden exuded an imposing aura, her white robes strikingly prominent against the deep night, instantly capturing Zhuo Yihang’s attention. Yet, once his initial emotions subsided and he looked at the youth, he was abruptly stunned. Even as a man, he felt a certain sense of breathtaking admiration.

The youth’s skin was like jade, his lips a vibrant crimson, his elegant brows extended to his temples, and his phoenix eyes held an inherent authority.

A tear-shaped vermilion mole at the corner of his eye (in truth, it was a drop of blood that Little Shui had forgotten to wipe away) added an exotic charm to his extraordinarily handsome features, making him even more striking than the maiden.

‘These two carry themselves with such grace and possess such uncommon beauty. What could their origins possibly be?’ Zhuo Yihang mused inwardly, feeling a touch of awkwardness under the youth’s scrutinizing gaze, prompting him to avert his eyes.

Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, the woman suddenly let out a piercing shriek. After a violent convulsion, she abruptly stopped breathing.

“Cui Liu! What’s wrong, Cui Liu? Wake up!” Seeing his wife lifeless, the man collapsed beside her, sobbing loudly. His heart-wrenching cries startled the birds roosting in the trees and drew a chorus of wolf howls from the distance.

This scene was one of tragic separation, utterly horrifying. The Wolf Girl and Zhuo Yihang stared at him, their eyes filled with sorrow.

“Why are you crying? The child can still be saved. It’s not too late to cry after the child is safe, otherwise, both will perish!” Shui Jingxuan, annoyed by the man’s commotion, frowned.

His clear, magnetic voice jolted the man back to his senses, immediately halting his wailing.

The Wolf Girl, too, felt a sharp jolt. Steeling her heart, she decisively opened the birth canal and delivered the child. She tore a strip from her pristine white skirt, carefully wrapped the weakly breathing infant, and gently placed it into the man’s hands.

‘This is a child I saved with my own hands!’ A myriad of emotions surged within the Wolf Girl, her beautiful eyes overflowing with a soft glow that blurred Zhuo Yihang’s vision and made his heart pound like thunder.

In that very moment, he fell in love with this mysterious maiden, who was at times aloof, at times tender.

The fragile infant, cradled in its father’s arms, let out a tiny cry. Tears streamed down the man’s face as he lowered his head, rubbing his cheek against the baby’s soft body, his intense paternal love moving all who witnessed it.

Noticing the man’s tattered clothes and emaciated appearance, and with his wife now gone, Zhuo Yihang worried that raising the child alone would be impossible.

Having always been chivalrous and eager to help others since childhood, he instinctively pulled out an exquisite round jade pendant and offered it to the child’s father.

“These are chaotic times, and life is hard. Take this jade pendant. You can exchange it for some money to raise your child.”

The man hesitated, but thinking of the child in his arms, he gritted his teeth and accepted it, profusely thanking Zhuo Yihang.

Shui Jingxuan, however, gazed at the jade pendant in the man’s hand. He recalled that Zhuo Yihang’s senior sister, He Luhua – who was also Baiyun’s daughter – had accepted the jade pendant, thereby offending He Luhua.

In her rage, He Luhua had killed both the man and his infant, who was less than a month old.

‘Truly the daughter taught by Baiyun. How alike they are!’ Shui Jingxuan scoffed inwardly. ‘The Wolf Girl, with her inherent sense of justice, actually appears more like a member of an orthodox sect than her.

Her later drastic change in temperament was also due to this.’

Shui Jingxuan, inwardly mocking, casually remarked,

“My good man, this jade pendant doesn’t seem like something a man would wear. It’s likely a gift from a cherished confidante to someone else. Aren’t you afraid of angering that confidante?”

While he cared little for others’ lives, this father and son’s fate was truly unjust. If he could prevent their demise, why should he begrudge a few words?

Zhuo Yihang’s body stiffened. Upon hearing Shui Jingxuan’s words, his face flushed crimson. He instinctively glanced at the Wolf Girl, his heart filled with apprehension, and quickly waved his hands. “No, it’s not—”

The man, too, now realized the jade pendant was indeed an item typically worn by women. Connecting this to its origins, he found himself in an awkward predicament, unsure whether to keep it or return it.

His expression was one of acute embarrassment.

A flicker of annoyance stirred in the Wolf Girl’s heart, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint why. ‘Perhaps it’s the handsome man’s fervent gaze that makes me uneasy,’ she mused, lowering her head, her expression growing cold.

As the man grappled with his dilemma, he felt immensely grateful for Shui Jingxuan’s thoughtful consideration and foresight on his behalf.

After returning Zhuo Yihang’s jade pendant, he knelt and kowtowed three times to Shui Jingxuan, then turned to do the same for the Wolf Girl and Zhuo Yihang.

By the time he rose again, the figures of his three benefactors had vanished.

Shui Jingxuan and the Wolf Girl sped through the forest together. After covering some distance, Shui Jingxuan inquired, “Senior Sister, shall we head back?”

The Wolf Girl looked disdainfully at the blood-stained hem of her skirt. Shaking her head, she replied, “You go ahead. I want to find a place to clean myself.”

“Then I’ll return to report to Master,” Shui Jingxuan said with a smile, watching the Wolf Girl’s graceful figure disappear into the shadowy depths of the dense forest.

Listening intently, he confirmed that Zhuo Yihang, who had been trailing them, was indeed following the Wolf Girl. The smile on Shui Jingxuan’s lips deepened further. He knew that what would unfold next was the classic, iconic bathing scene from the film.

Within an ancient cave adorned with exquisite erotic murals, the Wolf Girl would bathe naked, completely capturing the pure, youthful heart of Zhuo Yihang.

Though the scene was iconic and alluring, Shui Jingxuan had no interest in watching. He simply needed to confirm that his ‘little butterfly’ had not disrupted the predetermined plot. That was enough. It was time to report back to his Master.

***

In the Demon Sect’s dark, secluded chamber, Ji Wushuang and his twin sister sat back-to-back, cross-legged on the ground, cultivating their internal energy.

Ji Wushuang’s twin sister’s brows were furrowed, her face etched with anxiety. Ji Wushuang’s jaw was clenched tight, veins protruding on his forehead, clearly enduring immense pain.

Sweat dripped from his body as he circulated his internal cultivation technique, desperately trying to erase the incessant images of his beloved disciple that flickered through his mind.

Several moments later, when his body was steaming with heat, Ji Wushuang slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a turbid breath.

“Little brother, what have you been thinking about lately? Your mind is in such disarray,” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister asked anxiously after recovering.

“Nothing,” Ji Wushuang replied, lowering his gaze, his voice stiff. “I just want to master the demonic arts as quickly as possible so I can seek revenge on that wicked Taoist, Ziyang.”

He could share anything with his twin sister, yet he was utterly unwilling to reveal the fervent, unfamiliar emotions he had just experienced.

“Little brother, you’re too impatient. With an unstable mind, your martial arts won’t progress. Perhaps you should temporarily halt your cultivation,” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister said proudly.

“Fortunately, the boy possesses extraordinary talent; he reached the sixth stage of the demonic arts in just five years. Give him a little more time, and I believe we won’t even need to act ourselves. He’ll be able to flatten Wudang and slay that wicked Taoist for us.”

Due to their unique physical condition, the twins were quintessential homebodies, staying indoors whenever possible. Their initial adoption of the exceptionally talented Wolf Girl was indeed driven by the intention of cultivating a tool for revenge.

However, Ji Wushuang felt a strong aversion to this mindset when applied to his beloved disciple. He immediately frowned and stated coldly,

“Revenge should naturally be carried out by our own hands. Otherwise, what have we been painstakingly cultivating the demonic arts for all these years?”

“Indeed, you’re right!” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister nodded, her eyes flashing with a bloody gleam. “Just thinking about personally slaying Ziyang makes me tremble with excitement!”

With that, she let out a piercing laugh, as if victory was already within her grasp.

Concerned about his disciple still at the encampment, Ji Wushuang cast a fleeting glance at his frenzied twin sister and said, “Let’s go. We should check the situation outside.” He then rose and headed towards the deliberation hall.

“Where is the Left Protector?”

Upon seeing dozens of crates filled with treasures—exquisite silks, high-grade leather, rice, grains, gold, and silver—piled high in the open space before the deliberation hall, the ten elders and numerous disciples were overjoyed.

Yet, his beloved disciple was nowhere to be seen. Ji Wushuang’s heart pounded with dread, fearing that his disciple had met with misfortune after his departure. He urgently demanded, his voice sharp, “Where is the Left Protector?”

“Reporting to the Sect Master, the Right Protector left without authorization after her training expedition. The Left Protector, worried, followed to investigate,” Azhuang quickly stepped forward, kneeling to report the truth.

“Oh? So the boy actually knows to care about the Wolf Girl now? Could it be that he’s grown up and reached the age of first love?” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister frowned, making a wild guess.

After all, Shui Jingxuan had never genuinely paid attention to the Wolf Girl, so his actions today were indeed abnormal in the eyes of those familiar with him.

Azhuang’s heart jumped. Considering the Wolf Girl’s stunning beauty, he found the Sect Master’s conjecture surprisingly plausible.

The seven individuals who had just returned to the sect immediately kowtowed in apology. With a wave of the Sect Master’s hand, they rushed out, scrambling to find their leader.

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