Chapter 23: The Unusual Nature of Danbo Peak
The elderly man was inevitably a bit sentimental. Looking at his youthful skin and flesh, one might guess that if buried in the earth as an antique, he would far surpass the age limit.
Ling Xi didn’t want to affect her partner’s mood and thus jeopardize her own fortune.
The red string on her hand brought many conveniences but also many troubles. It would be great if no aura leaked when using it.
When she looked up again, Luo Chen’s eyes held a deeper, abnormal smile—one that looked like he was about to chop someone up.
Could it be that she said something too harsh? He was already quite old; surely there was no heartache left to cause such sorrow.
A strong spark of gossip flickered in Ling Xi’s eyes. She raised her hand, waving it in front of Luo Chen. “Master, is there something troubling you? Your disciple is willing to share the burden.”
Luo Chen bit his lip, his brows dark with gloom. “No! You can leave now!”
Ling Xi found it inexplicable; it was hard to understand why such an unreliable fellow would get angry.
No gossip today.
To avoid Luo Chen suddenly flying into a rage and beating her up, she quickly left.
As she closed the door, she tilted her head inside and revealed a sweet smile. “Master, I’m going to watch Senior Brother cook. When the meal’s ready, I’ll call you.”
Luo Chen instantly deflated like a punctured balloon, smiling helplessly. “Alright.”
“Don’t worry, Senior Brother’s fiancée won’t be marrying him,” Luo Chen explained as the door left only a narrow crack.
Ling Xi’s body trembled slightly, and she mumbled a reply before dashing away without a trace.
The sketchbook in her arms was burning hot. She thought Luo Chen had noticed it, but he hadn’t.
After dinner, she plunged into her room early, extinguished the light, and began reading her sketchbook with the help of the “Netherworld Shore” technique.
Not to boast, but Luo Chen liked to write 1v1 sweet romance stories that were vivid and lifelike, with strong imagery—no wonder they were beloved by countless young boys and girls today.
The bright moonlight parted the clouds, bamboo branches and green leaves veiled in light mist, while two or three cicadas in the forest kept their hoarse cries from ceasing.
In the corridor, a tall figure tiptoed, glancing left and right from time to time. His face was wrapped in bandages, and his amber eyes were filled with resentment.
Wen Jue carefully observed Luo Chen’s sleeping chamber, and after confirming the master’s candle had gone out, he breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to Ling Xi’s courtyard.
He was covered in dust, had cooked a meal, and yet still got severely beaten by the master.
It was definitely because Ling Xi had complained.
Faced with either tying him up in a sack to beat him or drawing a turtle face on Ling Xi, he chose the latter.
He didn’t think Ling Xi was fragile; he just feared she would complain again.
Ling Xi followed her usual habit, covered herself with the quilt, and eagerly flipped through the pages, growing more and more excited until she couldn’t sleep.
---
“Don’t move around, haha~” Ling Xi laughed in delight, paying no attention to her surroundings.
Wen Jue was startled, instantly holding his breath and raising his hands in place. “I’m not moving. Don’t overthink it.”
Ling Xi threw back the quilt and immediately understood what was going on.
The people from Danbo Peak were truly abnormal.
Who else would stay up late at night to dig into her spiritual root for experiments? And with a face full of bandages!
“Senior Brother, don’t come over! If you mess around, I’ll call Master.”
Ling Xi tugged at the quilt to make sure the sketchbook was fully covered, eyes darting to the door and windows, calculating which way would be easier to escape.
After a moment of panic, her gaze fell on her wrist, and confidence returned instantly.
Ling Xi twisted her right wrist, pressed her left index and middle fingers together on the red string, and focused on it. A spiritual light flowed, spreading from her wrist to Wen Jue’s.
His wrist burned hot, and Wen Jue involuntarily stepped back several paces, unable to approach Ling Xi.
“Senior Brother, you can’t do anything to me now. If you want to dig into the spiritual root, I’ve found someone for you. It’s my idea, so don’t fight it.”
Wen Jue’s terrifying mental control over objects was formidable; it was better to avoid major conflicts.
He rolled his eyes and trembled. “So it was you who complained to Master. I didn’t really bully you, did I?”
Ling Xi realized something was off and hesitated before opening the door. “I didn’t complain. I just asked you to cook a meal for me, which should be enough.”
Wen Jue doubted her. “If you didn’t complain, why did Master beat me up so badly?”
Ling Xi suddenly became interested and leaned closer. “Today, while talking and laughing with Master, he suddenly got angry. I was baffled. Did he often behave like this before?”
Wen Jue was suspicious but believed Ling Xi wasn’t lying. “No. Master occasionally kicks us, but he treats us well.”
Ling Xi gave a look as if looking at a madman, her eyes shining with detective-like insight. “I know what’s going on.”
Wen Jue looked at her, and she said, “Master is either going through menopause or has an aunt visiting, but we can’t rule out intermittent bipolar disorder.
As for you, Senior Brother, you’re probably a masochist.”
Wen Jue: “...”
The words sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite place their meaning. Whatever came out of Ling Xi’s mouth was never pleasant.
After speaking, Ling Xi crossed her arms and returned to her bed, locking eyes with Wen Jue.
“Why are you staring at me like a contest to see who has bigger eyes? Untie me; I want to go back to sleep,” Wen Jue said, pointing at himself.
Thanks to the red string, Wen Jue had to stay within a certain range of Ling Xi—unable to leave the room or get close. Even the dagger controlled by his mental power couldn’t approach her.
Ling Xi chuckled. “Uh... I won’t untie it. Even if I could, I wouldn’t. Who told you that contractI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.