The Price of Mischief

Zhang Xiaocha’s heart suddenly trembled, and the anxious expression on her face nearly faltered.

[Hiss—]

[Chacha,]

[Chacha, I think I just heard the most terrifying sound in the world!]

Refusing to give up, she opened the system panel that tracked Disgust Value. There, she saw that Master, who ought to have held 100 points of aversion towards her, now registered only 99.

Her small, crumpled face involuntarily turned, casting a quick glance at Ling Qinxue behind her. Her heart cried out, [Wuwuwu… No… Master, why did your Disgust Value for me, Chacha, suddenly drop?]

As the soft, sweet thoughts echoed within her sea of consciousness, Ling Qinxue’s graceful brows subtly arched. ‘Disgust Value?’ she mused. ‘What Disgust Value?’

Nevertheless, when she met Zhang Xiaocha’s gaze, brimming with resentment, Ling Qinxue still offered an affirmative look.

This child, Xiaocha, possessed an overly mischievous nature. From her early years, Ling Qinxue had rarely found cause to praise her. Now, she had unexpectedly accomplished something pleasing.

‘Hmm…’

She decided it was still necessary to offer affirmation. ‘Even if my Jade Maiden Sect is currently in decline, it does not mean disciples within the sect can be freely probed by outsiders!’

Temporarily quelling the doubt in her heart, Ling Qinxue cast a cold glance at Yaoyue, who stood directly opposite her.

To unleash spiritual sense for probing at an equivalent cultivation level was nothing short of a provocation. It was even more egregious considering they were guests, and she the host!

From this vantage point, no one apart from Ling Qinxue herself had clearly witnessed Xiaocha’s actions moments ago! ‘Therefore,’ she concluded, ‘Yaoyue, you will suffer this loss, whether you accept it or not!’

[Hmm… What kind of look is Master giving me? Why is it so gentle?] Zhang Xiaocha pouted, her face a picture of discontent. [Has she gone mad? Or perhaps, has she been possessed?]

Ling Qinxue remained speechless.

Suddenly, Zhang Xiaocha’s eyes brightened. [Could it be that Master hasn’t given up on me yet…]

Ling Qinxue offered a faint smile. ‘Hmm…’

‘She’s not entirely irredeemable,’ Ling Qinxue thought. ‘At the very least, she still knows how to be happy after receiving encouragement. It seems I will need to encourage her more often in the future!’

[Her plan to make me her child bride?! How could that ever happen?] Zhang Xiaocha’s body suddenly trembled. [Oh… that’s truly terrifying!]

[It must be because I, Chacha, haven’t caused enough mischief in front of Master these past few days, leading her to develop some unrealistic notions!]

[Hmm… From now on, I, Chacha, must relentlessly cause mischief in front of her. Otherwise, if Master suddenly gets a crazy idea one day and truly makes me her child bride, how will I ever farm Disgust Value?] Her small hand rested on her chin as she secretly analyzed the situation, occasionally shaking her little head.

For a moment, Ling Qinxue felt a profound blockage in her heart. ‘So…’

‘Had Xiaocha’s personality truly undergone such a drastic change since she was four years old, entirely because of me?’

Before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, she saw Zhang Xiaocha’s eyes sparkling, bouncing towards her. [Hehe~ I’ve got it~]

The soft, cottony thoughts rippled through Ling Qinxue’s mind, and instantly, a sense of unease settled within her heart.

Yaoyue’s face was flushed crimson. As her narrow eyes caught sight of the two exchanging glances, an even more surging fury churned within her chest. She lightly raised her wrist, and a crimson spiritual energy condensed in her palm, swiftly snatching up the gleeful Zhang Xiaocha.

“Ugh…” Zhang Xiaocha yelped, her fair, slender legs flailing ceaselessly in mid-air. “Wuwuwu… o((>ω< ))o Bad person~ What are you doing? Quickly put me, Chacha, down!”

In that instant,

“Yaoyue!”

“Yaoyue!”

Two clear, sharp voices simultaneously echoed throughout the empty council hall. Shen Youwei and Ling Qinxue appeared, one on each side of Yaoyue.

Yaoyue’s gaze, upon lifting, immediately met a pair of eyes shimmering with mist. The hand gripping Zhang Xiaocha’s collar involuntarily loosened its hold. “Youwei, I…”

Yet, before she could complete her sentence, Ling Qinxue coldly cut her off.

“Sect Master Yaoyue, what tremendous authority you wield!” Ling Qinxue’s voice was sharp. “To dare oppress my disciple within my Jade Maiden Sect, and right before my very eyes as her Master!” With a swift motion, Ling Qinxue retrieved the profusely weeping Zhang Xiaocha from Yaoyue’s grasp, drawing her into a comforting embrace.

“Wuwuwu~ Master, Sister Yaoyue is so ‘scary’~” Her choked sobs echoed throughout the grand hall.

Ling Qinxue’s slender fingers gently stroked Zhang Xiaocha’s back, a gesture of profound comfort.

Before Yaoyue could even utter a word, Shen Youwei, elegant in her white phoenix-pattened gown, swiftly produced a storage ring. Her demeanor was exceptionally sincere. “My apologies, Peak Master Ling,” she began, “Yaoyue acted rashly!”

“Here are five hundred thousand spirit stones. I understand this might not fully compensate…”

Even as she spoke, a small, soft, boneless hand reached out and deftly retrieved the storage ring. Zhang Xiaocha’s breathing became rapid and erratic, her large, dark eyes fixed unblinkingly on the ring before her.

Her spiritual sense subtly probed its contents. “Five hundred thousand spirit stones!” Her small mouth parted slightly, and she abruptly lifted her head, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Ling Qinxue. “Master, it truly is five hundred thousand spirit stones~”

[Oh… I, Chacha, seem to have struck it rich~]

[Within the Jade Maiden Sect, even Senior Sister’s monthly stipend amounts to only ten thousand spirit stones. Roughly speaking, that’s equivalent to fifty Senior Sisters~]

[Hoohoohoohoo~ I, Chacha, am far too valuable~ Just by being lifted once, I earned five hundred thousand spirit stones~]

[And if she were to lift me a few more times, wouldn’t I be able to even support Master?]

[This… this isn’t a bad person at all~ This is clearly my personal ATM~] With this realization, Zhang Xiaocha’s gaze toward Yaoyue couldn’t help but burn with a newfound intensity.

[Moreover, this way Master will no longer have to worry about lacking spirit stones for crafting talismans~]

[Oh… and right, right, I can also buy Little Eight many, many spirit pills for her cultivation~] She subconsciously tugged at the hand that held her, wanting to burrow into Yaoyue’s palm.

The soft, sweet thoughts filled Ling Qinxue’s sea of consciousness. Observing Zhang Xiaocha’s utterly unpromising demeanor, a warmth spread through her heart, and the words she had been ready to use for a reprimand were swallowed back unspoken.

‘She still possesses a shred of conscience,’ Ling Qinxue mused, her lips unconsciously curving upwards.

“Very well, since my disciple has accepted your apology, let us conclude this matter for now!” Ling Qinxue cast a cold glance at Shen Youwei and Yaoyue before her. ‘What a pity…’

‘Had Xiaocha not accepted this storage ring so prematurely, I fear we would have garnered far more compensation. However, I’ve also inadvertently learned of Xiaocha’s intention to support me, so perhaps it’s not a complete loss!’

Upon hearing this, Shen Youwei visibly relaxed a little.

Just then, as Zhang Xiaocha was idly playing with the storage ring in her hand, another AI prompt suddenly echoed within her sea of consciousness.

[Ding… Ling Qinxue’s Disgust Value has decreased by two points. Current Disgust Value: 97 points.]

Instantly, she snapped her head up, gazing at Ling Qinxue who stood so close. Her beautiful, autumn-water eyes couldn’t help but mist over, and her heart swelled with a playful indignation. [Ugh…]

[How could this happen?]

[Here I, Chacha, was just preparing to support you, Master! Yet, after such a short time, you betray me?] Her small face puffed up in indignation. [Since it has come to this, don’t blame me then, Chacha~]

[Hehe~]

The soft, sweet thoughts rippled through Ling Qinxue’s sea of consciousness. Instantly, a terrible premonition surged within her. Just as she moved to cover Zhang Xiaocha’s mouth, the child’s shocking words rang out, “Master~ When will we ‘conceive’ together~”

“When I, Chacha, was little, didn’t you always wish for me to grow up quickly? Well, I, Chacha, am an adult now~”

For a moment, an intense silence fell over the scene. The gazes of the four sect masters darted back and forth, fixated on Ling Qinxue and Zhang Xiaocha.

‘Master-disciple play?’

Who would have thought that the usually proper and dignified Ling Qinxue, in private, was involved in such a thing…

Zhang Xiaocha remained utterly oblivious, pouting her lips and gazing innocently at her Master, Ling Qinxue. She watched as Ling Qinxue’s normally fair cheeks instantly flushed a deep crimson.

The very next instant, an AI prompt resounded within Zhang Xiaocha’s sea of consciousness.

[Ding… Ling Qinxue’s Disgust Value has increased by three points. Current Disgust Value: 100 points.]

Her lips couldn’t help but curve upwards. [Hehe~ And just like that, the Disgust Value is back again~]