Chapter 438: Chapter 438

438: Chapter 424: Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs 438: Chapter 424: Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs His slow drawl sounded even more dangerous, “You say you don’t know her?

Then tell me why you would cross half a mountain every day to eat the sweet and sour spareribs she personally fries at the Nanshan Cafeteria, a habit that has lasted for hundreds of years.

And now you come to tell me that you don’t recognize her?”

Arao’s pale, bloodless fingers clutched the bedding tightly, and she bit her lips, refusing to speak.

He seemed to look at his trembling little disciple without compassion.

Seeing her remain silent for a long time, he leaned over, pressing half his body against hers, and pinched her chin with his fingers, forcing her to lift her pale, delicate face.

He gave her a casual glance, narrowing his eyes, and his mild expression seemed slightly aloof, “Traitorous disciple, when did you learn to deceive your master?”

Under the scrutiny of those clear eyes, so close it was as if trying to read all the secrets hidden in her heart, Arao felt the world spin around her, her waist grew weak, and her pale face flushed red in an instant.

Although she knew her master was a man indifferent to love, who would not deliberately exude demon energy to seduce respectable women, even his frivolous action of pinching her chin was done with the dignity of a noble gentleman.

He was a true gentleman, but in front of him, she could never be the virtuous lady who kept to her own heart.

In truth, she wanted to tell her master, don’t assume that by holding your disciple’s chin you make yourself the hunter.

In reality, the truly dangerous person would be you, elder.

The breath of the master nearing her was so close, if she relaxed even a little and couldn’t suppress her true nature, she would be capable of engulfing that breath, devouring him to the bone.

She wanted to tell him that.

Actually, you are not wrong at all.

She was a traitorous disciple, she wanted to deceive him even more.

But indeed, this ‘deceive’ meant something else entirely.

Arao had never before been treated so coldly, her master’s usual gentleness replaced by a rare air of coercive authority, disrupting all her defenses.

The tenderness and affection in her eyes, not well-hidden, became too straightforward, causing him to frown involuntarily as he sensed the desire and longing within her gaze.

Unfamiliar with matters of the heart and having been married for hundreds of years, his relationship with his wife Yun Rong was shallow, the enjoyment not in abundance; they found pleasure in their simple bamboo hut, under their own terms.

It was like a person who only drinks green tea, unaware of the strength of potent liquor.

In that moment, he truly did not understand what this longing desire meant, only feeling the burning gaze to be somewhat unnatural and uncomfortable.

Since when did Arao look at him with such audacious eyes?

He let go of her chin and slowly pulled back his leaning body to stand straight, saying, “Do you realize what kind of deadly peril you are in now?

The Demon Clan has come because of you, exposing their identity.

Within the ranks of the righteous, countless eyes are watching you.

Having come to this, do you still plan to deceive me and act on your own?”

“Master…” She slowly sat up and said earnestly, “I understand that all the evidence currently is against me, and because of my presence, the reputation of Tianxi has been questioned by the immortals.

But my entry into the mountain is solely to protect you, Master.

I can assure you that she is not some evil demon; she is in the mountain only to watch me from afar.

I do not ask Master to spare her, I only beg for a three-day reprieve.

After three days, I will give you a satisfactory explanation.”

To her request, his face remained cold, but he ultimately yielded a step, “In three days, if you still dare to be deceitful, it may be best if you lose your legs.”

Arao nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with joy.

She knew it, even if the whole world harbored prejudice and suspicion against her, only her master was different; he was unlike anyone else.

Even with no need for further explanations, he was willing to believe her, to be lenient with her.

She did not get the chance to clear her name three days later.

The next night, as Arao laid bored on her bed, she clumsily got up to find some water to drink from the desk.

At that moment, the chilling wind outside surged into the room, and amidst the deadly purple glare that filled the space, the night sky suddenly vanished, leaving only the fiercely dancing and interweaving Heavenly God’s thunderbolts in the air, aiming directly at Arao, who was reaching for a cup to pour water.

The shadow of death loomed instantly over her heart.

Arao’s body hair stood on end from the sudden and intense killing intent.

Her only thought was that the righteous assassins, harboring hidden murderous intentions against her, could no longer restrain themselves from striking her down.

But this was her master’s tent.

Even if he wasn’t there, how dared they be so bold?

She had no time to think it through.

A strong will to survive propelled her to conjure a brilliantly shining Ten Thousand Swords willow, the soft golden leaves reflected the fierce lightning like sharp scales.

The numerous scale-like leaves coalesced into a sword-like form three feet long, slashing straight through the purplish fierce thunderous ambush.

With this blow, she did not hesitate to use all her strength to protect herself.

She did not hope to severely injure the unwelcome visitor but aimed to dissipate much of the thunder’s force, holding out until her master returned.

What happened next was astonishing.

The vanished night reclaimed its place in the Demon World.

The terrifying lightning, fierce as it was, seemed like an illusion shattered by a sword, disappearing upon contact.

With the lightning gone, the sharp Ten Thousand Swords willow pierced through the assassin’s throat.

In the backlit night, the assassin’s visage gradually became clear.

It was a face horrendously marred beyond recognition.

Arao involuntarily held her breath, feeling as though she had plunged into an icy abyss, all her senses seemingly stripped away.

She watched as a vast spray of blood spilled from the opponent’s neck, as if something crimson crawled up, threatening to swallow her entire field of vision, her chest heavy with panic.

As if all strength had left her fingers, the Ten Thousand Swords willow slipped from her palm, gradually fading from its spirit light.

Staggering backward, she fell to the floor amidst a tremendous pain in her legs that took away her ability to stand, leaving her retreating on hands and knees in agony.

In her daze, she seemed to return to the distant past.

That was her first year officially becoming a disciple of Tianxi on Bai Tuo Mountain.

Her origin and appearance were different from others — she was born scrawny and peculiar, with two broken horns on her forehead, and a pair of tattered black wings which she could not retract due to lack of Spiritual Power; blind and unable to see, in the eyes of the other Tianxi disciples, she was no different than a crippled and useless demon.

What’s more, such a half-crippled member of the Demon Clan, who could be crushed and killed at will, became that person’s only disciple.

Naturally, there were more than a few in the sect who secretly ostracized and despised her.

He could hide her well, protect her well, but as the Master of Tianxi, and the lord of the Ten Thousand Swords, he was not always by her side, taking care of her every little need.