Ostentatious Zhao Yao - Chapter 9

T/N: This is a pretty long chapter. I’ve been off for a while, but hopefully I’ll get a few weeks of respite now, finally. whew.

“Come, repeat after me.” I said calmly to Zhi Yan. “Yesterday I dreamt of Lu Zhao Yao again. She still wanted me to burn Netherworld Money for her. I couldn’t enter the Forbidden Grounds, so I had to make do here.”

“I….I dreamt of Lu Zhao Yao again yesterday, she made me burn Netherworld Money…I could only come here….to make do.” She stammered through such a simple statement, but at least the meaning was still the same.

Mo Qing fixed his gaze on her, looking like he was pondering something, but before I could work out just what he was so intently thinking about, he turned his gaze away. He looked at the cart of Netherworld Money burning at the side, and the other cart full of Netherworld Money close by.

Zhi Yan laughed awkwardly. “Haha, it’s a bit too much. I had no choice, she insisted on so much…”

“Shut up, who said you could reveal so much!” I berated her.

For such matters of deception, it is best to be mysterious and vague. You have to keep others guessing; explaining everything clearly would only have the opposite effect.

After being rebuked, Zhi Yan immediately bit her lip, her face full of grievance and frustration.

Just as I thought she had made a mistake, and she also thought she had made a mistake, Mo Qing, who had a cold expression all the while, suddenly…seemed to laugh softly. His lips had not even opened – it was more like a light breath of laughter.

“It is her style.”

I startled, and raised my head to glance at him, only to see that he was gazing at the crackling flames, the embers burning brightly in the darkness of the night. He seemed to have fallen into an absent-minded daze, but it was only a moment later that his gaze darkened.

His gaze was shuttered, hiding his thoughts. His emotions were carefully restrained.

This demeanor…it did somewhat match the emotion Zhi Yan was talking about… grief.

“Nn…there’s still some incense and candles here, do you…do you want to burn some for her?” Zhi Yan was similarly staring at Mo Qing, and she suddenly spoke, her voice trembling.

“I don’t want him to burn it.”

“She would surely not like to see me offering up incense to her.”

Mo Qing and I spoke at the same time.

I saw the kneeling Zhi Yan’s neck turn slightly, as if it took her everything to not glance over at me.

I did not explain my reasons. Mo Qing, too, remained silent, and did not speak further. Only Zhi Yan, who knelt in between us, fidgeted like she was sitting on a bed of needles.

“Then…I’ll continue burning?” Zhi Yan seemed to muster all of her courage to ask, and it was unclear if she was asking me, or Mo Qing.

Mo Qing took two steps back. “Continue.” His back was leaning lightly against the trunk of the tree directly opposite; he faced me, yet was unable to see me. He lowered his head to gaze at the fire, which burned with increasing brilliance, and stared at the ashes dancing in the sky. I could not fathom his deep thoughts.

The Netherworld Money finished burning, and Mo Qing left just as suddenly as he appeared, without any warning whatsoever.

Zhi Yan, after seeing the last of the embers die down, turned around while still kneeling. When she saw that there was no one behind her, she released a breath of relief, and slumped onto the ground as if her legs were paralysed. She lightly pounded on her legs, massaging them. “You two Demon Kings…just what sin did I commit…”

“Be careful with your words in the future,” I said. “The moment you started burning the Netherworld Money, he appeared. Who knows when he might be watching you with the Thousand Li Gaze.”

Upon hearing this, Zhi Yan’s entire body went stiff and unmoving.

“But there is no need to be too afraid, the Sect Leader is always busy. He just came by personally, so now he probably has no time to be watching you.” I guessed: “When a demonic cultivator reaches Chen Li Lan’s level, he can easily move between places with simply a thought. Yet yesterday we were able to talk for so long in the Forbidden Grounds; he only arrived after 11pm. He likely saw you when coincidentally glancing across the mountain range, and therefore came over even before anyone reported the matter to him. It is probably the same situation today – he noticed you by coincidence. Otherwise it wouldn’t have taken him so long.”

Zhi Yan finally relaxed slightly, and softly asked, “Then in the future, should I come up with an explanation before I do or say anything? So I can at least explain myself if  I get seen again.”

“If your body can be completely taken over by me, then there wouldn’t be so many problems.” I glanced at the sky. “It is midday, the money has all been burnt. I’m going back to rest before I take over your body at night.”

I figured that I should first go to the Ghost Market tonight. Once the money Zhi Yan burnt for me went through, I would be able to buy Godly Speed Pellets and float over to the Hidden Books Chamber. I wouldn't even need to seek Mo Qing’s permission and risk arousing his suspicion.

To seduce and flatter someone, it is best not to discuss any conditions or requests in the beginning. One should seduce whole-heartedly and focus on ingratiating yourself, to the point of letting others think that you are single-mindedly devoted to this man… That is the true path of seduction.