AI Cultivation: Reborn as a Sword
Chapter 65: Lady Yue (1)

The woman sitting across from us lifts one arm out of the water and gently swipes her palm across her pale skin. The way the water falls away from her is strange, leaving behind not a single drop as if her skin was made of those advanced materials from my time that could completely repel water.

Her green eyes are half-closed and, for the briefest of moments, her intensity wanes as she focuses on the more immediate task. She rolls her shoulders, sighing contently. Even so, perhaps especially because she ignores Lan Xiaohui’s existence, to me it appears even more malevolent, intense, and tyrannical — as if Lan Xiaohui’s fate is now unavoidable, even if it is delayed.

For almost a whole minute, the woman ignores Lan Xiaohui whose heart beats increasingly faster. Lan Xiaohui stares at the woman, both enchanted by her beauty and terrified by the depth of her cultivation. She too understands that escape is no longer possible and neither is resistance.

After this minute, the woman snaps her fingers with a slight smile, and the grotto quickly begins to develop significant changes.

First, the ambient temperature increases, and somewhere in the distance I feel the presence and operation of an array, but I can neither tell its location nor its bearing from my coordinates. Second, the walls of the grotto quickly become overrun with climbing vines, like those already present, and these vines produce flowers and fruits. A carpet of greenery grows from even the barren places in the ground, as if unaware that it is winter, and that the soil is unsuitable for supporting their existence.

A thick, rich Qi begins to fill the grotto as it transforms in the span of a few seconds, with the progression of nature continuing at a much slower pace.

Next, with a mere glance, the woman extinguishes Lan Xiaohui’s fireplace, the flames instantly dying and even the wood losing all its embers and heat.

Only then does the woman focus her attention on Lan Xiaohui once more and, after setting her gaze on my owner, slowly approaches her, rising halfway from the water, her naked body from the hips and up entirely visible.

Seeing the woman’s naked body, Lan Xiaohui looks away and, perhaps becoming conscious that she also lacks the common decency and modesty expected in this situation, she covers her chest with her arms.

“What brings you to my grotto?” the woman asks. "Even chased away my familiars."

Lan Xiaohui opens her lips as if to speak, but no words come out. There is an expression of comprehension on her face as she no doubt realizes that either the elk or the fox — or even both — are the woman’s familiars and that they should’ve been a warning to dissuade her from making her home here.

“And causing all that ruckus a few weeks ago, which interrupted my cultivation,” the woman adds, settling down in front and slightly to the side of Lan Xiaohui.

The woman was only slightly taller than Lan Xiaohui, but the way she cocked her head to the side and down made it so that she regarded Lan Xiaohui from below who desperately tried to avoid the woman’s gaze but was unsuccessful in doing so.

“I did not know,” Lan Xiaohui whispered. “If I did, I would have left you in peace. I did not mean to disrespect you. I did not mean to disturb—“

Lan Xiaohui’s words were silenced by the finger the woman pressed to my owner’s lips. The woman’s nails were all painted in different, but dark colors. Dark red, dark blue, dark purple, dark green — each nail painted a different color and never repeating.

The woman’s hand opened, fingers resting on Lan Xiaohui’s chin from below, slowly turning her head until Lan Xiaohui had no other choice but to look at the woman, almost nose-to-nose.

Her expression was stern and her eyes betrayed a deep amusement. Not the kind of amusement one might express at a joke or a good outcome; this kind of amusement that the woman had was entirely malevolent and sadistic — as if she was anticipating the progression of this conversation to its inevitable conclusion.

Of greater interest to me than this conversation is the mystery behind the woman’s appearance. Where did she come from? Why did I not sense her?

No matter how far I cast my perception, I see no hidden entrance within the grotto nor do I find any secret chambers where a cultivator might hide. I do not doubt that the woman was here — I can find no tracks in the snow outside the grotto, and even if she could fly, there should be some kind of indicator of her passage. No, I am certain the woman is telling the truth and was somewhere in the mountain.

But where? How?

It is no surprise that the woman notices that Lan Xiaohui does not apologize, as made evident by the woman’s frown. This is also unavoidable. Lan Xiaohui’s Dao does not allow her to take responsibility for something that was not her fault. Apologizing is like begging for her life; How can Lan Xiaohui, a murderer — despite the circumstances of those killings — dare to beg for life? This is the path she chose for herself, and there is no turning back. To apologize, she must first feel guilt.

“Which Sect are you from?”

“I am from the Seven Killing Swords Sect, but I am not sure if I am still a disciple there,” Lan Xiaohui answers now trying to look the woman in the eye, but finding it difficult.

“Oh? How so?” the woman asks.

“They left me here to die.”

The woman regards Lan Xiaohui coldly, but her frown slowly begins to change into a smile. “Poor little thing,” the woman whispers next to Lan Xiaohui’s ear. “I don’t dislike wretched, broken things like you.”

Lan Xiaohui’s eyebrows furrow and I feel the desire in her heart to cut this woman — even if it comes at the cost of her life — rise. But that desire quickly disappears when the woman presses her lips to Lan Xiaohui’s and then slowly climbs into her lap.

Throwing both arms around Lan Xiaohui’s neck and resting easily in my owner’s lap, the woman looks down at the exile of the Seven Killing Swords Sect. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ N0vᴇlFire(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Did you have a lover there?” the woman asks.

A blushing, overheating Lan Xiaohui nods slowly at the question.

“I can tell. Despite the appearance you keep up to hide it, it makes it all the more obvious,” the woman says with a satisfied smile. “I can see the depth of your hurt. You were betrayed?”

Once again, Lan Xiaohui nods and swallows. She wiggles, uncomfortably, but finds no way to escape from the woman without offending her further.

Finally, the woman looks in my direction and I do not see the same glimmer in her eyes that others would have when they are affected by my [Avarice].

“An awakened treasure,” the woman says, then returns her gaze to Lan Xiaohui. “A profound physique. An understanding of the Sword Law, even at your shallow cultivation. The heavens truly have blessed you. Do you feel fortunate or unfortunate?”

This question causes Lan Xiaohui to stop wiggling, and her expression falters. Lan Xiaohui likely has never thought about it like this before.

Lan Xiaohui glances in my direction and then makes up her mind. “Despite what happened to me, and what may happen to me in the future, I feel the most fortunate I could’ve been.”

The woman laughs at those words, her trilling melody resounding inside the grotto.

“To you, I am Lady Yue,” the woman says, and then glances at Lan Xiaohui’s lily corsage. “Do you want to seek the Dao, my little Lily?”

Lan Xiaohui was silent for a moment, likely considering what the cost of this may be, but then nodded.

“I do, Lady Yue.”

It was better than dying.

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