Chapter 333: Snake Spirit, You Have No Shame

Chapter 333: Snake Spirit, You Have No Shame

Back at the cloth shop of Willow Earth Deer, he had already departed to escort Yang Qianyuan far away, and was not present. The place had been taken over by the Saintess as her temporary headquarters. She sat leisurely in the main hall, reclining back in her seat.

“You two go change first. Covered in blood—stinking, reeking, and clotted—it’s truly an eyesore.” Xia Chichi pretended to pinch her nose, a look of disdain on her face. “I really don’t know how you could stand being all tangled up in there. I hear someone likes to dive into secret realms with stinky girls—now I see it’s true. What a peculiar fetish.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Too cocky... If Yue Hongling were here, I feel like you’d get a beating...

Forget it. She’s anxious outside, and I was inside doing that—it’s really my fault. Zhao Changhe couldn’t talk back, so he just said, “Alright, we’ll go change first.”

Huangfu Qing had no desire to be left alone with Xia Chichi’s face; she feared she might lose control and hit her. She made to follow him to change.

But just as she started, Xia Chichi called out, “Hold on. Going to change together? Planning to get cozy in there?”

Huangfu Qing ground her teeth but had no choice but to stop.

Xia Chichi leaned back lazily. “Look at all this blood on you—must have been through plenty of danger. You’ve worked hard. First, tell me the findings of this investigation. Is this fire beneficial to our sect?”

Huangfu Qing was irritated just looking at the little minx, but as Wing Fire Snake, she couldn’t afford to slip up. She had to feign submission and report respectfully: “Though it’s not the fire corresponding to our holy sect, this special flame still holds great value. Once presented to the Venerable One, it should broadly benefit those in the sect who cultivate fire attributes.”

Xia Chichi didn’t press too much on the fire. She wasn’t familiar with flames, and besides, this was a mission directly assigned by Vermilion Bird—not her jurisdiction. Asking too much might seem like overstepping. She nodded and said, “Since you’ve collected it, report directly to the Venerable One. I won’t pry further... How are your injuries? Healed?”

At this moment, Xia Chichi was genuinely concerned for a sect sister. Personal grudges were personal, but they were still sisters in the sect—she ought to care.

And at this moment, Huangfu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she didn’t press about the heart flame, it was fine.

But joy turned to sorrow. Not being cautious enough, she blurted out, “Thank you for your concern, Saintess. I’m not injured.”

“?” Xia Chichi found it strange. “Not injured? Then what’s all this blood?”

Huangfu Qing: “This... it’s the enemy’s blood. Yes, the enemy’s.”

“Is that so?” Xia Chichi wasn’t so easily fooled. She eyed her suspiciously.

This bloodstain didn’t look like it came from splattering. It looked more like someone had been leaning against her—especially the deep patch on her chest, as if pressed against for a long time, with the stain spreading outward and dripping downward.

And you’re telling me this is the enemy’s blood?

Xia Chichi could almost picture the exact position and scene. She could even guess that Zhao Changhe’s injuries were likely sustained while helping this woman.

The sourness in her heart made all excuses about caring for a sect sister vanish.

Xia Chichi took a deep breath. “Was he badly hurt? Did dual cultivation help?”

Huangfu Qing turned her head away and said nothing.

This time, Xia Chichi truly understood. She stretched lazily, her gaze falling on the teacup beside Huangfu Qing. “Hmm... I’m a bit thirsty.”

Huangfu Qing didn’t catch on at first. After a moment, her face slowly flushed red.

So this meant the senior wife was ordering the concubine to serve tea?

Huangfu Qing ground her teeth audibly. The guilt and caution she’d felt earlier vanished in an instant.

She’d originally planned to slip away quietly, drop her disguise, and be done with it. But now that you’re pushing me like this, I’m not leaving even if you beg me! This is too much!

Being Wing Fire Snake meant being bullied, but it also had its perks—she could openly snatch a man. Do you really think I wouldn’t dare?

“Saintess, I don’t quite understand what you mean...” Huangfu Qing finally forced out a seductive smile. “Are you implying that you, in front of your subordinates, are openly violating sect rules by taking a man?”

Xia Chichi’s eyes went wide.

Damn... I got too carried away showing off and forgot about this.

Technically, in front of the sect members, she had to pretend she had nothing to do with Zhao Changhe.

But then Huangfu Qing leisurely picked up her own teacup, took a sip, and paused. “Do you know, Saintess, that Changhe has joined the sect? He has taken the position of Room Fire Boar under Black Tortoise Venerable.”

Xia Chichi’s eyes widened.

“The union of Wing Fire Snake and Room Fire Boar is something the sect looks upon favorably... Originally, Vermilion Bird Venerable sent me to get close to him for this very purpose—open and aboveboard.” Wing Fire Snake sighed. “Actually, the Venerable doesn’t need to keep saying it. The Saintess herself knows that now is really not the right time for you. You can say what you like to me, but don’t let the other sect members find out...”

Xia Chichi was stunned.

Earlier, Vermilion Bird had laid it all out—one, two, three, four. Other points could be ignored, but the sect rules were real, and Vermilion Bird acted according to them. Whether Vermilion Bird obstructed her or not, as long as Xia Chichi still cared about the sect, she knew she couldn’t flaunt this in front of the members and shake their faith.

Unless she truly wanted to rebel... The Four Symbols Sect had treated her well. Vermilion Bird guided her meticulously, provided all resources, let her choose any technique, gave her everything she needed—pushing her cultivation, which had been delayed, to its current level in just a year, rivaling Yue Hongling.

Within a month of joining, her status was above ten thousand. Many old sect members bowed to her. They even planned to make her the future sect leader. They had truly given their all. And she wanted to rebel just for love?

Indeed, she shouldn’t. That was why Xia Chichi had never truly talked back to Vermilion Bird.

As Xia Chichi thought this, Huangfu Qing thought the same, and suddenly felt that snatching this man was completely justified—she should snatch him!

Just as a victorious smile was forming on her face, Xia Chichi sighed leisurely. “Maybe I’m not the most suitable... But Sister Wing Fire Snake, have you forgotten? You are his stepmother.”

Huangfu Qing choked on her tea. A master of the Triple Hidden Realm nearly coughed herself to death.

Xia Chichi leaned forward from her reclining position, propping her chin on her hand with a smile. “If we’re talking about unsuitability, is there anyone in this world more unsuitable than you? Even if I’m unsuitable, I seem to be just a little bit better than you.”

Huangfu Qing opened her mouth but couldn’t find a word to say.

Xia Chichi continued, chin in hand, “I know you took on this identity for the sake of the sect. And look, I took on this identity for the sect too. We’re both doing it for the sect, so can we drop the sect-related and identity-related talk?”

Huangfu Qing fumed, “You can twist it around like that?”

Xia Chichi smiled sweetly. “Shall we continue discussing the stepmother issue?”

“Forget it...”

“Then, setting aside sect and identity, can we talk about who came first?” Xia Chichi leaned back into her chair again, languidly. “I’m thirsty.”

Huangfu Qing held the half-full teacup, unsure whether to be relieved that this little vixen had some brains, or annoyed that she was about to be bullied again.

Your future skill in governing the sect—if it’s even half as good as your skill in tearing apart vixens, I’ll rest easy...

Just as the awkwardness hung in the air, Zhao Changhe finally returned to the hall after changing. “Hey... why are you still in that bloody robe? Go change first. Chichi asking about the Fire Yan Kun investigation doesn’t have to be right this moment.”

It was as if the freeze in the hall had been broken, and everything came alive.

Huangfu Qing rose with a smile, holding the half-drunk tea she’d sipped from. She swayed her snake-like waist over to Zhao Changhe, her voice soft and sweet. “Thirsty? Want a drink?”

Zhao Changhe, unsuspecting, took the cup and was about to drink. “Thanks.”

Xia Chichi’s voice seemed to squeeze through her teeth. “Dare to drink, and see what happens!”

Zhao Changhe stood there, cup in hand, bewildered. But then Huangfu Qing laughed and threw herself into his arms, tilting her head up to kiss his lips. “No tea is fine—there are other things to quench thirst...”

Xia Chichi shot to her feet. “Snake spirit, you have no shame!”

In Zhao Changhe’s dazed mind, he felt he’d heard a similar cry of indignation somewhere before.

Ah, yes. That was when Chichi had tied up Yangyang and kissed him right in front of her.

But whether then or now, Zhao Changhe had no idea what he was supposed to do...

He couldn’t exactly push Huangfu Qing away, could he?

Poor Bloodthirsty Asura, so mighty outside, had never known how to handle a battlefield of love. His mind was completely blank, with not a single clue.

Could some senior please teach me? Otherwise, how am I supposed to get through days like this...