Chapter 248 - 128: Yu Xiaoqian
The mountain wind howled.
The young woman clasped Jiang Mu’s wrist, floating along as she sped toward the mountainside.
Jiang Mu let himself be carried, floating through the air. He maintained a terrified expression, but inwardly, he was secretly memorizing the route.
However, as they reached the halfway point of the mountain, Nie Xiaoqian suddenly stopped.
She landed on a large, bluish-green stone.
She released Jiang Mu, turned around, and looked at him quietly.
Under the moonlight, the young woman’s delicate face held a hint of a ghostly aura. Her skin was so fair it was nearly transparent, yet it wasn’t frightening. Instead, it possessed a unique kind of beauty.
Her eyes, once misty and veiled, now regarded him with a complicated gaze.
"What’s wrong?"
Jiang Mu, who had just been plotting how to wipe out the Old Witch in one fell swoop, paused, somewhat baffled.
Nie Xiaoqian looked at him and suddenly spoke.
"Did you know? My name isn’t Nie Xiaoqian. That’s a fake name my grandma gave me."
Jiang Mu froze, completely baffled.
’Why is she suddenly telling me this?’
"My real name is Yu Xiaoqian."
The young woman’s voice was very light.
"Remember this name. Because... this is the first time I’ve ever been a good ghost, and it will also be the last."
Jiang Mu’s heart skipped a beat as a sense of foreboding washed over him.
"Miss... what do you mean?"
Yu Xiaoqian rolled her eyes coquettishly. With a look that was part pouting and part helpless, she said in exasperation:
"Are you for real, or are you just playing dumb? You still don’t get it?
I’m in a good mood today, so out of the great mercy of my heart, I’ve decided to let a blockhead like you live!"
"..."
Jiang Mu was completely speechless.
’Seriously...’
’Lady, are you out of your mind?’
’I worked my ass off acting for this long and was finally about to reach the nest, and now you suddenly decide to grow a conscience?!’
’I’m here to farm some easy XP!’
"Hurry up and go!"
Seeing him still standing there in a daze, Yu Xiaoqian grew anxious and gave him a push. "If Grandma finds out I let you go, you won’t be able to escape!"
Jiang Mu took a quiet breath, forcefully suppressing the urge to retort.
He quickly adjusted his expression, looking at Yu Xiaoqian with deep emotion as he said, his voice full of feeling, "Miss, I knew I wasn’t mistaken about you. You truly are as kind as you are beautiful."
Yu Xiaoqian pouted, but inwardly, she couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.
"Since you are so kind, Miss," Jiang Mu pressed his advantage, "your grandma must have been forced into this life. How about this? Take me to see her. I am willing to use the wisdom of the sages to enlighten her, to persuade her to lay down her butcher’s knife and follow the path of good..."
Yu Xiaoqian’s eyes went wide. She stared at Jiang Mu as if he were a complete moron.
’How can such a foolish bookworm exist in this world?’
’He’s even dumber than I am!’
’My sisters always said that scholars look naive on the surface, but they’re actually full of schemes and wicked intentions.’
’But this one...’
’He’s genuinely dense!’
She couldn’t resist rising onto her tiptoes and flicking him lightly on the forehead.
"You blockhead! I told you to leave, so just go! My grandma is no benevolent spirit. She kills without batting an eye!"
The young woman puffed out her cheeks. "There are two kinds of people she despises most in the world. One is the hounds of the Demon-slaying Bureau, and the other is bookworms like you, spouting nonsense about righteousness and morality!
If she catches you, she’ll skin you alive, rip out your sinews, and turn you into a lantern, leaving you to suffer the torment of being scorched by a flame day and night."
As she spoke, she made a fierce face, baring her teeth and waving her hands like claws to frighten him.
Jiang Mu looked at her earnestly.
"You’re trying to scare me."
"You!"
Yu Xiaoqian slapped a hand to her forehead, utterly exasperated.
’This blockhead... why won’t anything get through to him?’
"Fine, I’m done with you! Stay or go, I don’t care. I’ve done everything I could! If you’re determined to get yourself killed, don’t you dare blame me for not saving you when you reach the Underworld!"
With that, the young woman stomped her foot in a huff and turned to leave.
Jiang Mu stood his ground, his expression flickering with uncertainty.
’This is a problem.’
’This ghost suddenly developing a conscience has completely ruined my plan.’
’What should I do now?’
’Should I just grab her and torture the information out of her?’
’But given her ’sacrifice myself to save you’ act just now, even if I did capture her, this stubborn girl probably wouldn’t betray her grandma.’
’Follow her secretly?’
’But I’m afraid her grandma’s true form would sense my presence.’
"Hey, are you leaving or not?"
Yu Xiaoqian floated a dozen meters away, but when she saw Jiang Mu still standing there like a dummy, she couldn’t help but turn back and glare at him fiercely.
Just then, Ji Hongyuan’s teasing voice echoed in Jiang Mu’s ear:
"Hee hee hee... Little one, it seems your charm is as potent as ever. Even a ghost can’t bring herself to kill you. How about I lend you a hand?"
"How?" Jiang Mu asked in a low voice.
"Since this girl is so kind-hearted, let’s put on a little show for her. A classic ’hero saves the damsel’ act."
Ji Hongyuan chuckled.
"I’ll pretend to attack her, and you’ll be gravely injured protecting her, poisoned by my corpse toxin. The girl won’t have the heart to abandon you, so she’ll naturally take you back to her grandma’s to be cured."
"..."
Jiang Mu frowned.
’What kind of cheesy, cliché plot is this?’
"If I’m injured, wouldn’t she be more likely to send me down the mountain to find a doctor? Why would she take me to a den of demons?"
"Don’t you worry. I have my ways of making her take you."
Ji Hongyuan was full of confidence. "An ordinary doctor can’t cure my corpse toxin.
Her grandma is sure to have an antidote or some Spirit Medicine. If she truly wants to save you, her only choice will be to take you back with her.
Quick, get ready. I’m about to make my move. Remember to make your acting convincing."
Jiang Mu sighed in resignation.
’Fine. I’ll trust her this once.’
"Hey, say something. I’m asking you one last time, are you leaving or not?"
Seeing him muttering to himself, Yu Xiaoqian floated back impatiently and asked again.