Master is pretending to love me - chapter three

Lin Liaoting looked at Jian Xiuyun’s suddenly serious expression, feeling a bit bewildered.

 

Everyone could see the way their master treated Kan Wenxiao on a daily basis. When Kan Wenxiao was trapped in the Yanluo Cave for a whole seven days and didn’t attend the morning lessons, the master didn’t even bother to ask. It was only Song Qingru’s concern that brought him back.

 

So why was the master suddenly so concerned about that ugly guy today?

 

“…I don’t know,” Lin Liaoting replied stubbornly.

 

Jian Xiuyun didn’t get angry because of his refusal. Instead, he moved his hand from Lin Liaoting’s shoulder to his neck and said calmly, “If you don’t tell the truth, you won’t need to speak for the next seven days.”

 

Lin Liaoting widened his eyes in disbelief, looking at Jian Xiuyun.

 

Was his master trying to impose a mute spell on him?!

 

From the time he became a disciple until now, Jian Xiuyun had never said a serious word to him. But today, he wanted to cast a mute spell on him just for the sake of Kan Wenxiao?

 

Seeing this scene, Song Qingru’s eyes flashed with surprise as well.

 

A feeling of absurdity arose in her heart, like the sun rising from the west.

 

Although both Lin Liaoting and Kan Wenxiao were her junior brothers, she had a slight bias towards Kan Wenxiao, as he was truly pitiable compared to Lin Liaoting.

 

So she added, “Liaoting, maybe Master needs to find Junior Brother Wenxiao for something urgent. Stop making trouble.”

 

Lin Liaoting was straightforward, and he never hid his feelings. If someone else treated him like this, he would have drawn his sword long ago. But Jian Xiuyun was different; he was the respected master he looked up to.

 

After a momentary inner struggle, Lin Liaoting lowered his head in frustration and unwillingly said, “He might be… at the back mountain.”

 

“Which part of the back mountain?”

 

“The Wudu Valley.”

 

Jian Xiuyun fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then lightly patted Lin Liaoting’s back with the fan in his hand and said, “Got it. Continue with your studies, and I’ll be back soon.”

 

After saying that, he walked out.

 

The Wudu Valley, as the name suggested, was a place teeming with poisonous insects.

 

Ordinary people wouldn’t survive there for an hour.

 

However, they were cultivators, and those ordinary poisonous insects couldn’t get close to them at all.

 

But Kan Wenxiao was particularly afraid of these snakes and bugs. It seemed that Lin Liaoting didn’t want to harm him by leaving him there; he probably just wanted to scare him.

 

Jian Xiuyun knew what was going on, so he wasn’t in a hurry. He strolled leisurely, as if taking a walk rather than going to rescue someone.

 

On the other hand, he had come to find Kan Wenxiao personally to build a good relationship with him. He still didn’t have a high opinion of Kan Wenxiao, especially after what happened in their past life.

 

He wouldn’t mind if Kan Wenxiao suffered a bit.

 

So when he arrived at the Wudu Valley, it was already about fifteen minutes later.

 

Upon entering the valley, Jian Xiuyun released some spiritual power to protect himself, and the snakes, ants, and mosquitoes automatically avoided him. He made his way smoothly.

 

He had thought it would take some time, but he was lucky, and in no time, he saw a black figure hanging upside down from a tree.

 

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Kan Wenxiao.

 

Jian Xiuyun was a bit puzzled. After all, Kan Wenxiao was at the Golden Core stage. How could he be trapped by a rope?

 

Upon closer inspection, Jian Xiuyun noticed that Kan Wenxiao was bound by the “Fuxian Binding Rope,” whose name alone revealed its formidable power. Not only could it trap even a cultivator who had achieved immortality, but it also suppressed the target’s entire cultivation, rendering them powerless and equivalent to an ordinary person.

 

Due to its immense power and the difficulty in its creation, each Fuxian Binding Rope was exorbitantly expensive, and each one could only be used once.

 

Lin Liaoting had actually used such a precious Fuxian Binding Rope to play a prank on Kan Wenxiao. Jian Xiuyun didn’t know whether to scold his disciple for being foolish or to praise the Lin family’s generosity.

 

Kan Wenxiao was clearly frightened, closing his eyes tightly. His body trembled slightly due to the suppression of his spiritual power, making it impossible for him to perceive his surroundings with his divine sense. He had no idea that Jian Xiuyun was standing not far away, concealed behind a tree.

 

Watching this scene, Jian Xiuyun couldn’t help but recall the time he was hung upside down in a dungeon in his past life. It was the same posture, with his eyes covered, surrounded by endless darkness. His sense of hearing became especially sensitive.

 

He heard Kan Wenxiao’s voice with a cold laugh, “Master, guess what gift your disciple has prepared for you today?”

 

Then came a continuous sound of rustling.

 

It seemed like countless living creatures were crawling around him.

 

The sounds felt tangible, layer upon layer, constantly approaching but never stopping.

 

That day and night, Jian Xiuyun had nearly gone crazy with fear.

 

With a “snap,” Jian Xiuyun closed his fan with an affected air and put it in his waistband. Lin Liaoting hadn’t actually harmed Kan Wenxiao; he knew that Kan Wenxiao couldn’t use his spiritual power, so he had hung him on a very tall ancient tree. The Fuxian Binding Rope was tied to the central branch.

 

Under normal circumstances, no poisonous creatures could get close to him.

 

Kan Wenxiao would undoubtedly be rescued, but this scene triggered his bad memories, making him feel that Kan Wenxiao shouldn’t be saved so easily.

 

So he thought about it and took some ground-up lure grass from his Qiankun storage bag, then used his spiritual power to disperse it around Kan Wenxiao.

 

Lure grass was a type of spiritual herb that emitted a special scent, attracting nearby creatures irresistibly.

 

Then the lure grass would choose its preferred prey and devour it.

 

Soon, wave after wave of snakes, toads, centipedes, and lizards began crawling toward them.

 

Kan Wenxiao’s body trembled even more violently.

 

Jian Xiuyun stood nearby, watching this scene, feeling a twisted sense of satisfaction. He even felt quite good, taking out some unfinished pine nut lily and Su pastries from his Qiankun storage bag. However, upon opening the wrapping, he found the pastries had cooled and looked unappealing. He immediately lost his appetite and threw them back in.

 

After enjoying the pitiful sight of Kan Wenxiao trembling for a while, Jian Xiuyun was content. He released his spiritual power and dispersed the various poisonous creatures around them.

 

Then, putting on a surprised look, he walked out from behind the tree, striding toward Kan Wenxiao.

 

To his surprise, just as he was only a few steps away from Kan Wenxiao, a dark mass suddenly fell from the tree, landing straight on Kan Wenxiao’s body.

 

Jian Xiuyun hadn’t had time to see what it was, but he heard Kan Wenxiao let out a painful cry, low and suppressed, with a hint of a sob.

 

Feeling that something was wrong, Jian Xiuyun quickly flew up, using his spiritual power to shatter the Fuxian Binding Rope, and then caught Kan Wenxiao, who fell straight down from mid-air.

 

The dark mass landed on the ground almost at the same time as them. Jian Xiuyun looked closely and saw that it was an extremely ugly-looking snake. Its body was dark gray, covered with raised lumps with dense black spots.

 

Jian Xiuyun felt like he almost went blind and quickly flicked the snake away to a faraway place.

 

He paused for a moment and then looked down at the unconscious Kan Wenxiao in his arms. Kan Wenxiao clung to his robe tightly, trembling, his face as pale as paper, eyes shut tightly, and his lips showing an abnormal shade of grayish-purple.

 

Jian Xiuyun immediately realized that Kan Wenxiao had been poisoned.

 

“That snake… tsk.” Jian Xiuyun gritted his teeth; he had been careless.

 

Jian Xiuyun didn’t dare to waste any more time. He quickly searched for the wound on Kan Wenxiao’s body.

 

After looking around, he found that the snake had bitten him on the shoulder.

 

Jian Xiuyun tore open Kan Wenxiao’s clothes and saw that the skin around the two slender fang marks had turned dark blue. He needed to quickly suck out the venom.

 

Jian Xiuyun promptly stimulated the acupoints around Kan Wenxiao to prevent the poison from spreading further. However, he hesitated when it came to the next step.

 

How could he put his mouth on Kan Wenxiao’s shoulder?

 

As he watched the color of the fang marks on Kan Wenxiao’s shoulder darken, Jian Xiuyun wanted to kill his earlier reckless self.

 

This was the result of trying to steal a chicken but ending up losing the rice.

 

Jian Xiuyun closed his eyes with resentment and recalled the beautiful women he had drawn before, then slowly bent down and pressed his lips against Kan Wenxiao’s shoulder, forcefully sucking out the venom.

 

As the poison left Kan Wenxiao’s body, his consciousness gradually returned.

 

As soon as he opened his eyes, he felt a sharp pain coming from his right shoulder.

 

The last scene before he lost consciousness appeared in his mind, a snake falling from the sky and landing on his shoulder.

 

Continuing, a sudden burst of intense pain struck.

 

Kan Wenxiao almost dared not turn around, fearing that he would be facing another snake when he did.

 

However, he knew that the Five Poison Valley was full of poisonous creatures, not to mention the venom on the snake’s body. He had to quickly expel the poisoned blood.

 

Suppressing his fear, Kan Wenxiao turned his head and realized that his clothes had been half-stripped, exposing his right shoulder. Jian Xiuyun’s icy lips were pressed against his wound, sucking out the poison for him.

 

Jian Xiuyun? His master!

 

Kan Wenxiao was stunned.

 

He saw Jian Xiuyun, dressed in white, with a noble and distant appearance, like an immortal who did not partake in worldly matters.

 

But now, he was half-kneeling on the ground, sucking the poison from Kan Wenxiao’s shoulder.

 

Kan Wenxiao closed his eyes again, feeling that he must have been affected by the toxins, creating hallucinations. He might be beyond help.

 

It was only when the blood that was sucked out turned back to pure red that Jian Xiuyun stopped.

 

Then, he tore off a piece of cloth from Kan Wenxiao’s clothes and bandaged his wound.

 

After finishing all of this, Jian Xiuyun took out two bottles of Snow Mountain water from his storage bag and rinsed his mouth, then gently patted Kan Wenxiao’s face, trying to sound gentle, “Kan… Wenxiao, wake up.”

 

As soon as Jian Xiuyun’s hand touched Kan Wenxiao’s face, he woke up.

 

Kan Wenxiao stared at him for a while, then hesitantly called out, “Master?”

 

Jian Xiuyun responded, “Hmm, still in pain?”

 

Kan Wenxiao didn’t answer, and the expression in his eyes changed from surprise to complexity, then turned dark and unclear.

 

“… Not in pain.” After a while, Kan Wenxiao replied.

 

As he spoke, he tried to sit up, but due to the remaining poison, his body was weak and powerless. He couldn’t stand up.

 

Jian Xiuyun on the side: “…”

 

It was another opportunity to strengthen their relationship, even though he didn’t want it at all.

 

Jian Xiuyun did some mental preparation and turned around to face Kan Wenxiao, half squatting on the ground.

 

“Come up.” Jian Xiuyun said briefly.

 

Kan Wenxiao was almost scared and considered lying back down.

 

He must have misheard.

 

Thinking so, Kan Wenxiao didn’t move.

 

However, the next second, Jian Xiuyun seemed impatient, turned his head, and said to him, “Come up quickly.”

 

Kan Wenxiao felt his throat dry and hoarse. With difficulty, he let out a questioning “Master.”

 

Jian Xiuyun didn’t respond, and the thought of “forget it, let him live or die here” crossed his mind for the hundredth time.

 

Just as his patience was about to run out, and he was considering turning around and carrying Kan Wenxiao back, a distinctly knuckled hand reached out and carefully climbed onto his shoulder, applying a little force.

 

Seeming to have finally determined something, Kan Wenxiao’s other hand also reached up and lightly held Jian Xiuyun’s neck.

 

Jian Xiuyun just wanted to end this as soon as possible, so when he felt Kan Wenxiao getting up, he stood up, carrying him on his back.

 

For a long time, both remained silent.

 

It wasn’t until they were halfway through the journey that a voice finally came from behind, “Master, how did you know I was here?”

 

Jian Xiuyun replied, “You didn’t come to the morning class, and I was afraid something happened to you, so I came out to find you.”

 

Jian Xiuyun tried to make his tone sound sincere.

 

There was silence from behind, and after a long time, Kan Wenxiao continued, “But, this isn’t the first time…”

 

Kan Wenxiao didn’t finish his sentence, but they both understood what he meant.

 

“Eh…” Jian Xiuyun hesitated and didn’t know what to say. After pausing for a while, he awkwardly changed the topic, “Is the wound still hurting?”

 

Without the restraint of the Immortal Binding Rope, the spiritual energy in Kan Wenxiao’s body began to circulate, repairing the injuries on his body bit by bit. But it still hurt.

 

However…

 

“Not hurting anymore.” Kan Wenxiao replied.

 

“That’s good.”

 

Another silence.

 

Kan Wenxiao buried his head in Jian Xiuyun’s shoulder. When he raised his eyes, all he could see was Jian Xiuyun’s smooth side face, his skin white and flawless, like a top-quality porcelain. His nose was filled with Jian Xiuyun’s scent, clear and pleasant like that of others.

 

Kan Wenxiao suddenly felt like crying.

 

He felt like he was going crazy because of Jian Xiuyun. Jian Xiuyun treated him like a worn-out shoe, even the slightest glance annoyed him. He didn’t care about anything related to him, observing from a distance with cold eyes, as if treating a dispensable joke. He allowed himself to be bullied and humiliated, trampling on his infatuation and genuine feelings casually.

 

But…

 

Why did he have to be so gentle with him when he was feeling resentful and hating him?

 

Kan Wenxiao couldn’t figure it out, couldn’t guess, couldn’t understand.

 

Two strong emotions intertwined in his heart, making him almost explode.

 

Finally, he couldn’t hold back any longer and asked softly, “Master, what kind of feelings do you have for me exactly?”