The Abused-Novel Female Lead Holds a Mad Brush - Chapter 27
Chapter 27: Beep Beep Beep
Yu Jiaxue felt that her luck was indeed exceptionally good.
Not only had she encountered her Angel Investor, Pei Tianming, but he also had a fantastic temper. The atmosphere along the way was great as they chatted and laughed, and what’s more, she even bumped into an acquaintance when checking into an inn in the city.
“Miss Yu—Miss Yu?”
Yu Jiaxue hadn’t heard a thing, only turning around sluggishly after Pei Tianming tapped her.
Looking at the dark-skinned pixel character in front of her who stood a head taller than her, she found her strangely familiar.
Clad in red with a saber, she possessed a tall, straight posture.
Her ink-black hair was tied into a high ponytail behind her head, and her accessories were dark-toned. Though her skin was on the darker side, it didn’t look dull at all. Compared to Pei Tianming’s exaggerated facial expressions, the red-robed woman in front of her had almost no fluctuation in her expression, looking cold as frost.
—Oh! It’s that guy’s “fiancée”!
What a shame.
If this were a normal world, she would definitely be a dark-skinned beauty.
As Yu Jiaxue kept looking, her eyes gradually shifted from initial indifference to vibrant excitement.
Not only a dark-skinned beauty, but also a rare ice-cool big sister!
Awesome!
Because Yu Jiaxue had been staring for too long, Pei Tianming had no choice but to wave his hand in front of her: “Miss Yu?”
Yu Jiaxue finally shifted her gaze reluctantly, moving it up to the top of the other person’s head.
She noticed that after the cool big sister saw her, dialogue boxes continuously popped up above her head: […]
In an RPG game, what did this represent?
It represented a quest!
Yu Jiaxue’s eyes lit up, decisively turning passive into active. Taking three steps in two, she stepped forward and proactively spoke up.
“Do you have a quest to assign to me?”
Zhu Xingchui froze slightly, repeating in confusion, “A quest?”
Why did she feel that this future Sixth Senior Sister looked at her with a rather strange gaze?
Yu Jiaxue blinked, then switched to a more tactful phrasing: “You called out to me, so you must have something you want to say, right?”
Seeing the dark-skinned cool sister lower her eyes, looking somewhat hesitant, Yu Jiaxue rolled her eyes.
“Let’s go, let’s go! Let’s not stand on the street talking. Let’s go to a restaurant, order a big table of food, and chat slowly!”
If one meal couldn’t solve it, then on to the next meal!
This was a traditional virtue!
999: [Be normal, don’t make things up, don’t overthink, I beg you.]
Zhu Xingchui pondered for a few seconds and didn’t refuse.
Pei Tianming immediately spoke up: “We happen to be heading to an inn, and there’s a restaurant right next to it. I’ll take you two there.”
The three exchanged names along the way, and after walking just a few steps, they arrived at that luxuriously decorated restaurant.
White jade served as halls and gold formed the doors. Even the wooden floorboards on the lowest level were carved with exquisite patterns.
On the surrounding walls, a night-luminescent pearl was set every two steps, and between every two pearls was an embedded giant gemstone.
Just how big was this gemstone?
Yu Jiaxue stared at the gemstone in silence for a second, then turned to Pei Tianming’s… brilliantly golden pixel head.
Yu Jiaxue: “Your shop?”
Zhu Xingchui’s mouth twitched, unable to resist sneaking another glance at this junior disciple’s head for a second.
How should she put it?
If it weren’t for her future Sixth Junior Sister setting the precedent, Zhu Xingchui felt she certainly wouldn’t have imagined someone having such a strange “dream” inside the Floating Life Dream.
But now…
Recalling the heroic tale she had heard earlier about “a punch per tiger, ten thousand tigers like ten thousand rats,” Zhu Xingchui felt her future junior sister was still one step ahead.
System 999, which had expended a massive amount of energy to detect character emotions, fell silent.
Just this?
JUST THIS?!
Is a inexplicable urge to compete and a competitive spirit out of nowhere standard equipment for you Xihe Sect people?!
Unaware of the hidden thoughts of the two people and one system present, Pei Tianming scratched his head: “This is indeed a restaurant run by my family. Ladies, please don’t be polite in a moment—order whatever you like!”
He patted his chest and guaranteed, “Connected to the back of the restaurant is the inn. If it gets late later, you can just rest right there!”
Zhu Xingchui nodded, displaying great poise: “Thank you, Young Master Pei.”
Yu Jiaxue followed suit: “Thank you, Young Master Pei.”
Pei Tianming was fine hearing the first sentence, but the moment he heard Yu Jiaxue’s thanks, his expression drastically changed.
He frantically waved his hands on the spot: “No, no, no! You’re flattering me to death, please don’t be so polite—I am a junior, I can’t bear this honor!!!”
Good heavens! Pei Tianming even had a feeling like his own father was sarcastically thanking him.
Usually under such circumstances, if he didn’t say something nice, he would be beaten in the next second!
999: [?]
999: [Woah, Host, I think he harbors wild ambitions!]
999: [I won’t allow him to join this family!]
No matter how 999 shrieked hysterically in her mind, Yu Jiaxue remained unmoved, saying without changing her face: “Alright, then I take it back.”
Zhu Xingchui blinked slowly.
The speed at which this Junior Fellow Pei waved his hands was so fast.
And…
Watching how Pei Tianming completely relaxed after hearing Yu Jiaxue “take it back,” Zhu Xingchui was slightly confused at first, then thoughtful.
So young junior disciples nowadays really can just ‘take back’ their words?
The passage of time inside the Floating Life Dream differed from the outside world, but one would still feel hunger. Under the hospitality of the young master, Pei Tianming, Yu Jiaxue happily consumed pixels without the slightest discomfort.
Having eaten and drunk her fill, it was time to get down to business.
Yu Jiaxue looked at Zhu Xingchui and cut straight to the point: “May I ask why Miss Zhu came looking for me?”
Outside the Water-Moon Mirror
Master Wanren’s eyebrows were tightly knit, furrowed enough to crush a rat.
He had started feeling displeased ever since he saw Yu Jiaxue finish her first bowl of rice completely clean, and upon seeing Yu Jiaxue actually ask for a second bowl, his whole being entered a state of disbelief.
Master Wanren: “She’s a girl, yet she actually wants to eat two bowls of rice?!”
Clearly looking so otherworldly and refined, how could she do such a thing?!
These words were an exact reflection of Master Wanren’s inner thoughts, so his voice was raised extremely high, causing those around him to subconsciously look back.
Yu Yinglian found it bizarre: “What’s wrong with eating a bit of rice?”
Master Wanren’s handsome face faintly cracked: “That isn’t a bit of rice! That’s two bowls of rice!”
Yu Yinglian rolled his eyes.
How come he hadn’t noticed before that Master Wanren of Chanjuan Peak looked young and had a decent face, but seemed to lack a brain?
“What about two bowls? What business is it of yours? Even if she eats two hundred bowls, it’s none of your business—”
“Junior Brother Yu.”
Shen Xuezhu stepped in just in time to stop Yu Yinglian.
After all, this was the Xihe Sect, which valued “elegance.” For a disciple of the Xihe Sect, Yu Yinglian’s profanity-laced statement was still far too ahead of its time.
Master Wanren raised his head coldly and said to Shen Xuezhu: “A disciple of Wangshu Peak is so insolent. As the Acting Peak Master of Wangshu… you must discipline him properly upon returning.”
Master Wanren originally wanted to speak more severely or even directly discipline him, but in the end, due to certain reasons, he didn’t dare act rashly.
Daoist Master Yuanru glanced at Master Wanren, seeing through his thoughts at a glance, and couldn’t help letting out a soft sneer.
Certain reasons, he says.
When it comes down to it, it’s nothing more than three words: “Shen Xuezhu.”
Shen Xuezhu nodded: “Master Wanren’s words are reasonable. I will naturally discipline him upon returning.”
His demeanor was warm and composed, seemingly not influenced in the slightest by Master Wanren’s irritation. The curve at the corner of his lips sat at a very proper angle—neither appearing sycophantic nor overly cold.
Green robes and a jade hairpin, features like a painting, a complexion as pale as snow exhibiting a hint of sickly aura, yet his lips were red, resembling a wilting flower falling onto a heap of snow.
Though the flower exuded a sense of death, it uniquely made the snow come alive.
A disciple summoned the courage to take a glance, then couldn’t help looking a second time.
In the end, that disciple even became entranced.
The disciples of Xihe Sect hadn’t originally dared to interact much with this legendary Senior Brother. Yet seeing him today, they found that the rumors didn’t seem entirely true?
Especially in contrast to Master Wanren losing his composure, Senior Brother’s conduct seemed much more elegant!
“Junior Brother Yu.”
Shen Xuezhu turned to Yu Yinglian, furrowing his brows with a sigh, looking somewhat plagued by a headache.
“You are always so outspoken. But you must also remember that in this world, not everyone can swallow the truth.”
Under everyone’s gazes, Shen Xuezhu remained cool and composed: “You ought to know that our Xihe Sect has always been lofty, refined, and elegant, upholding the path of ‘elegance.’ One must never point fingers at others—that is not the way of a gentleman.”
As his words fell, everyone displayed varied expressions. The corner of Daoist Master Yuanru’s mouth twitched, wanting to laugh but unable to, twisting into a contorted angle.
Looking at Master Wanren’s suddenly changing expression, Yu Yinglian laughed wildly in his heart.
Did you guys really think Shen Xuezhu was some proper, decent person?
What proper person goes against the heavens?
What proper person becomes Lord Jiuyou!
In other words, if Shen Xuezhu were a proper person, how could he, the grand Demon Lord Yu Yinglian, have been tortured into obedient compliance by this half-demon lineage back in the day?
Shen Xuezhu’s words held no concealment whatsoever; it was a blatant indirect insult. No matter how foolish Master Wanren was, he could understand it.
He immediately turned red with anger: “Shen Xuezhu! You—”
“Master Wanren, please do not be angry.”
Shen Xuezhu raised his eyes, swept a glance, and said with tolerant helplessness: “I have always respected my teachers and the Dao, with no intention of offense. Just like how Master Wanren previously at the Wushang Sect—”
Speaking up to this point, Shen Xuezhu paused, casting another glance at Master Wanren.
This glance seemed capable of speech—hesitant yet meaningful, overflowing with countless thoughts.
Shen Xuezhu sighed: “In short, regarding that matter concerning the Wushang Sect, no one on my Wangshu Peak has ever brought it up in the open.”
Master Wanren: ?
What happened to me? What happened with the Wushang Sect?
Master Wanren was utterly baffled. However, as the trailing end of Shen Xuezhu’s voice drifted in the air, suppressed gasps broke out among the disciples one after another!
Senior Brother is so right!
Earlier, they had only focused on gossiping about the Wushang Sect, almost forgetting that as the two most prestigious sects in the cultivation world, apart from daily spars between disciples, the two sects frequently held exchanges.
And within Xihe Sect, besides Master Wanren of Chanjuan Peak—whose natal soul mark was a sword—the one who loved running to the Wushang Sect most was another person.
Master Yiyao, who dragged his disciples through competitive grind every single day, determined to make Poshuang Peak the number one peak of Xihe.
Disciples: !
A junior disciple who popped out from nowhere lowered his voice: “I wonder if our two elders have ever sampled the local specialties of Xihe Sect?”
Yu Yinglian gave a complex look at Shen Xuezhu, who was calmly drinking tea.
Being able to create avatars is amazing, huh?
Suddenly stared at by countless burning eyes, Master Yiyao remained entirely unfazed.
Staring at the Water-Moon Mirror, he smiled: “This female disciple who entered the Floating Life Dream belongs to Wangshu Peak, right?”
Shen Xuezhu nodded slightly: “She is an inner disciple of my Wangshu Peak, named Zhu Xingchui.”
At this moment, the scene was frozen at the moment Yu Jiaxue curiously asked Zhu Xingchui about her purpose.
Master Yiyao’s smile deepened, and he strode forward, stroking his beard as he said loudly: “She cannot speak of it.”
“The rules of the Floating Life Dream state that barring special circumstances, one must not act out of pleasure with their identity in the dream, nor randomly speak to disrupt a disciple’s trial.”
Of course, as for Master Yiyao sending Yu Guanghao himself to test Yu Jiaxue’s depth…
Ahem, how could Poshuang Peak’s disregard for rules be counted as breaking the rules? Haha, it was merely nipping danger in the bud.
Logically speaking, Master Yiyao was correct.
However, recalling Zhu Xingchui’s peculiar personality—where one couldn’t tell if she was truly foolish or feigning foolishness…
Yu Yinglian: …
He always felt things wouldn’t be that simple.
Inside the Floating Life Dream
“May I ask why Miss Zhu came looking for me?”
Yu Jiaxue was extremely curious.
The more she interacted, the more she realized the Miss Zhu before her wasn’t as simple as an NPC.
And just like Pei Tianming, she gave her a strange sense of familiarity.
Zhu Xingchui put down her chopsticks.
If this were another dispatched inner disciple, they might really have tried to dodge the topic and brush it off.
However, the person standing here right now was Zhu Xingchui.
“I cannot say.”
After all, by setting, the two of them were love rivals.
Yet saying this out loud made Zhu Xingchui herself feel a bit embarrassed.
Her future Sixth Junior Sister had just experienced such a major upheaval, yet she still accompanied her to chat and treated her to a meal—even though another Daoist friend paid for it, this was entirely her future Sixth Junior Sister’s heart at work!
999: …?
Are all you people from Wangshu Peak a bit abnormal in the head?
Zhu Xingchui pondered for a moment, and suddenly a method flashed through her brain.
She suggested seriously: “How about you threaten me?”
Yu Jiaxue: “Huh?”
“Threaten me to force out my fiancé’s whereabouts, or else you’ll beat me to death. I will feel deeply humiliated and unwilling to speak, but if I don’t, I will be beaten to death by you, so I am forced to speak.”
Zhu Xingchui abandoned her previous shy and quiet demeanor, as if switched to double speed, “This way it fits—it becomes very reasonable!”
Yu Jiaxue suddenly understood: “I get it.”
This was just like a game map: you clearly knew the shortest distance between two points was a straight line, but you couldn’t directly chop trees and slaughter beasts through it; you had to swallow your pride and follow the designated map route.
Yu Jiaxue signaled Pei Tianming with a glance to close the private room door, then slapped the table: “Ha! You are in my hands now! Still not going to confess truthfully?”
Zhu Xingchui: “No, I won’t say.”
Yu Jiaxue raised her hand: “Do you still think that person will come to save you?”
Zhu Xingchui: “He will definitely come.”
Yu Jiaxue spun the tabletop: “Khehehehehehehehehehe, he won’t come! Although you are nominally his fiancée, he doesn’t remember your birthday, doesn’t know your preferences, and doesn’t even know you’re allergic to pollen!”
“Admit it, he doesn’t love you at all!”
Zhu Xingchui: “No, it’s not like that. You don’t understand.”
She paused, staring at the character outline written by the Yuge Peak disciples in mid-air, reading mechanically in a floating tone:
“He. Loves. Me. So. Much.”
This line was truly a bit disgusting, requiring ample psychological preparation.
However, Yu Jiaxue wasn’t affected in the slightest. She finally managed to pick up the light-yellow pixel block she wanted to eat, taking a bite delightfully.
It was dragon beard candy! Delicious!
“Ha, seems like if I don’t get serious, you won’t speak!”
Yu Jiaxue savored the sweet taste in her mouth, a stroke of genius striking her as she summoned a certain equally “sweet” existence.
“Come forth, Xiao Mei!”
Pei Tianming had been bewildered the entire time, but he heard this single phrase with crystal clarity.
Whoosh! Pei Tianming grabbed his sleeves to cover his eyes, hugged his shoulders with the other hand, and ducked under the table in an absolute defensive stance.
Zhu Xingchui’s face still lacked expression, but a question mark slowly popped up in the dialogue box above her head.
Why is he so practiced at this?
Just as this thought emerged, in the next second, a giant—something that one couldn’t tell what it was—appeared out of thin air on the table.
Yu Jiaxue: “Xiao Mei! Intimidate her!”
Xiao Mei: “AWOO! AWOO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O—”
Though it was only a single syllable, it shrieked out a thousand different tunes.
Demonic sound piercing the ears, rising and falling dramatically.
Zhu Xingchui: “…”
Zhu Xingchui: “…”
Even her facial expression, which had been emotionless during the mechanical reading, slowly cracked open at this moment.
Zhu Xingchui knew her future Sixth Junior Sister’s actions could be quite ahead of her time—especially after witnessing her pass the Hongmeng Scroll—
But this was way too far ahead.
It was almost transcending reality.
Zhu Xingchui stared at the “Xiao Mei” that had suddenly popped out, pausing strangely for a second: “After you left Xuan Yeyang was in utter agony wishing for death dying without a burial site constantly reminiscing about you and plans to go to the cliffside on the seventh day which is your first-seven day mourning to pay tribute to you.”
Spoken without a single pause throughout, her speed even faster than before.
Pei Tianming felt dizzy listening, but saw Yu Jiaxue slap the table, flying into a rage: “Pay tribute to what?! Great, so he thinks I, his ancestor, am dead!”
Pei Tianming: ?
This works too?
999: [Unexpected, right? This is the value a client places on life!]
Zhu Xingchui fell silent for a second.
She thought about it; in Xuan Yeyang’s eyes, it seemed that really was the case?
Thus, Zhu Xingchui said seriously: “That’s exactly what he thinks.”
Yu Jiaxue grew even angrier: “Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west! Today’s humiliation—I will return it a hundredfold seven days from now!”
Zhu Xingchui showed a gratified smile: “Miss Yu has great ambition.”
Pei Tianming: What a harmonious conversation!
He immediately grew vigilant, feeling that his position as the eldest son and grandson was in jeopardy at this moment!
999: [I see you still haven’t recognized reality!]
However, when Pei Tianming tried to chime in, he found there was no opportunity to exploit at all!
Ending with Yu Jiaxue’s “Count yourself sensible, I’ll spare your life this time,” before Zhu Xingchui left, she silently instructed: “The forces in Xuan City are intricate and complex. Be careful.”
Yu Jiaxue blinked slowly, double-checking that she hadn’t misheard.
She didn’t know about her “no upper limit,” so she was reminding her to be careful of the Xuan family’s numerical advantage.
Yu Jiaxue praised sincerely: “Miss Zhu is truly beautiful and kind-hearted.”
Counting the Hongmeng Scroll, this was the second time Yu Jiaxue had praised her beauty.
Zhu Xingchui smiled, still not taking it to heart.
She knew what beauty was.
One had to be like Yu Jiaxue—with skin fair and translucent, facial features exquisite like a painting, a pair of lively and endearing eyes, an aura hovering like an immortal, pristine and unworldly when not smiling—that was beauty.
Even without Yu Jiaxue’s top-tier appearance, one should at least be like most female disciples of Xihe Sect: either soft and lovely, charming and delicate, or cold and noble, with soul marks of fluttering butterflies or competing flowers… only then could it be called “beauty.”
Substantially, Zhu Xingchui was the exact opposite of these words.
Her skin was on the darker side, her features sharp and heroic, and even her height was taller than ordinary women.
Not to mention her personality was so rigid and boring, and her soul mark was a saber devoid of any delicacy, unable to even touch the edges of “elegance.”
Facing the strange gazes of the crowd, Zhu Xingchui had also felt inferior in her heart and had envied others, but she had never felt jealousy.
She patted her junior sister’s head: “Protect yourself well.”
Then, she nodded to Pei Tianming and drifted away.
With the competitor finally gone, Pei Tianming breathed a sigh of relief and immediately seized the opportunity: “The Xuan family has a long history and immense power; even my Pei family doesn’t dare compete with them easily, not to mention Xuan Yeyang is there. I’ve dealt with him before—though arrogant and romantic, he is also a dragon among men. If you want to fight him, I’m afraid it will take some effort. Why not…”
Yu Jiaxue waved her hand grandly: “Why so much trouble!”
Caressing Xiao Mei, she let out an evil smile: “We just need to wait at the cliffside to ambush him!”
Pei Tianming shuddered: “Wh-What do you plan to do?”
Yu Jiaxue pondered: “I want him to experience the pain I felt before.”
Pei Tianming realized, and then a bit of pity welled up inside him.
He had already extracted the main points from the conversation between Yu Jiaxue and Zhu Xingchui.
Regarding how his ancestor (?) had actually suffered such pain, Pei Tianming felt deeply enraged.
“Miss Yu is doing the right thing! Do you need me to prepare kidnappers?”
Yu Jiaxue: “?”
Yu Jiaxue: “Why prepare kidnappers?”
Pei Tianming froze: “Didn’t you want him to experience what you felt?”
Wasn’t it to let him experience the feeling of being abandoned by others?
“What does that have to do with kidnappers?”
By now, the two had left the private room, walking from the restaurant’s backyard garden toward the inn’s guest rooms.
Yu Jiaxue gave Pei Tianming a strange look: “Since we’re going to the cliffside anyway, can’t I just grab him and dive into the water together?”
D-Dive into the water?
Pei Tianming instinctively said: “Is that… a bit inappropriate?” Is that too light a punishment?
“How could it be?” Yu Jiaxue tilted her head, counting on her fingers, “Since it’s for revenge, he must do better than me! His posture must be more standardized, no superfluous movements during spins and flips, and his expression must be elegant—oh, and the splash he makes upon entry definitely cannot be bigger than mine!”
Pei Tianming instantly fell into deep thought.
Although he didn’t know what many of the terms in this speech meant, recalling Yu Jiaxue’s grand diving posture…
Outside the Water-Moon Mirror
Everyone in front of the mirror went black before their eyes.
A Yuge Peak disciple said tremblingly: “I remember… I remember in the setting, those two Daoist friends Pei Tianming and Xuan Yeyang know each other… Maybe… maybe Junior Fellow Pei will… will stop her…!”
This was the entire sect’s last hope!
A junior brother from Chanjuan Peak immediately slammed the table and rose, shouting at the top of his lungs: “Pei Tianming! Pei Tianming, say something!”
Under everyone’s praying gazes, they saw Pei Tianming think for a moment, and then his eyes grew brighter and brighter, practically glowing.
He slapped the table, saying excitedly: “It can actually be played like this!”
In the next second, realizing his tone was wrong, under the collective gazes of the surrounding people, Pei Tianming instantly shrank his neck, let out a soft cough, tidied his attire and appearance, and only then spoke in a leisure manner.
“I mean, can it really be done like this? Isn’t it a bit inappropriate~”
The gazes of the surrounding guests instantly became extremely disdainful.
Don’t be a hypocrite, man.
If you dropped that flirtatious tone of yours, we could barely believe you for a second.
In front of the Water-Moon Mirror, Master Yiyao threw down his teacup with a clatter.
“We can’t wait any longer!”
They had to save themselves!
Master Yiyao said in a deep voice: “Sect Master, hear me out. The trial stage this time is beyond imagination. This old man believes it’s time to let someone turn the tide!”
His disciple Yu Guanghao was also in the Floating Life Dream. When the time came, as long as he took action, wouldn’t dealing with a little girl be child’s play?
Sect Master Xihe lowered his eyes, and after a long silence, said: “Granted.”
This little girl’s line of thinking was bizarre, yet her luck was exceptionally good.
Especially after learning that Xuan Yeyang wouldn’t return to the cliffside until seven days later, during these seven days, under Pei Tianming’s hospitality, she did whatever she pleased, living so comfortably it couldn’t get any better.
It was indeed time to let her experience what it meant by “the path to immortality is long and fraught with obstacles.”
Yu Yinglian sent a telepathic message: “Old man Yiyao harbors bad intentions. As the Senior Brother, aren’t you going to step in and stop him?”
“Why should I stop him?”
Shen Xuezhu was confused: “Do you really think that foolish clan-brother of yours can win against her?”
Yu Yinglian froze for a moment, then slowly widened his eyes, feeling the blood all over his body start to boil.
Right, what did Yu Guanghao even count for?
It doesn’t matter; my (future Sixth Junior Sister) will take action!
Inside the Water-Moon Mirror, Yu Guanghao, who received the message, didn’t take it seriously at all.
He had been ordered to enter the Floating Life Dream to guide the trial, and besides completing the Sect Master’s trust, there was one more thing.
Yu Guanghao gave an interest-filled smile.
He wanted to go check first—what did this Du family woman who dared to reject him actually look like?
While Yu Guanghao and Du Piaopiao were caught up in their back-and-forth entanglements, Yu Jiaxue had already taken Pei Tianming to wait in the bushes by the cliffside.
The seven-day deadline had arrived—welcome the King of Diving back to her throne!
