Chapter 12: Not as Shameless as You

Su Xi cannot perform internal observation right now, so she cannot see the state of her divine mansion. But she feels her mental state has become exceptionally good, and even the burning sensation of being famished has vanished.

【Great, Er Miao, I've discovered a wonderful method for cultivating a Dao Body. It's that when others finish undergoing their tribulation, I can go and sponge off the residual Thunder Origin Power.】

【That is possible. But the host had best not expose the traits of the Dao Body; being targeted by those with ulterior motives would be dangerous.】

【Don't worry, I value my life above all else.】

Da Miao slowly opened a pair of golden-green cat eyes, and upon seeing Su Xi, she was very surprised.

She is still alive!

Then, then doesn't that mean she has already passed the Transformation Stage tribulation!

Suddenly, dazzling spiritual light burst forth within her cat eyes... Originally, she had thought she wouldn't make it through, especially that last bolt of Purple Heart Thunder, which had nearly wiped out her Origin Spirit.

"Meow?"

【Host, Da Miao is very surprised; she has successfully passed her tribulation.】

"Congratulations to Da Miao for clearing a hurdle," Su Xi said with a smile, then collected the Spirit Stone fragments that had been drained of all spiritual energy. Although they no longer had any spiritual essence, the stones were still very beautiful, sparkling and comparable to the finest jade.

Da Miao looked Su Xi over and even circled around her once.

"What is it?" Su Xi asked.

Da Miao flicked her tail, and her entire body emitted a thick mist; when the mist dispersed... a playful, whimsical, and charming young girl appeared.

Except for her golden-green eyes, which appeared exceptionally bewitching, everything else was exactly the same as Su Xi.

The stone in Su Xi's hand went 'clatter~' as it dropped to the ground, accidentally hitting her own foot. While clutching her foot, she asked: "You! Who are you?"

Da Miao changed back into the appearance of a small calico cat, "I am in the Transformation Stage now, I can turn into human form."

"But your human form, why does it look the same as mine? And you can speak human language?"

"Mm, I was just trying to imitate you earlier."

Da Miao transformed again, and a cute girl with a round face appeared. She had large golden-green cat eyes, and her orange, ear-length short hair was fluffy and wavy. The clothes on her body were the same three colors as her fur, only the colors were a bit dull now.

"So, so cute!" Su Xi's eyes sparkled with stars, and she excitedly stepped forward to hug her and spin her around.

"Dizzy!" Da Miao struggled slightly, then let her hold her.

"I've always wanted a younger sister, but unfortunately my mother gave birth to a younger brother for me, and he's so dull, not fun at all."

"……I'm not your younger sister either; in terms of age, you don't even reach a fraction of mine."

Su Xi put Da Miao down and said slyly: "Let's become sworn sisters? Not by age, but by height."

Da Miao refused without even thinking, "You're just taking advantage of me, no way."

"Alright then." Su Xi did not force her either. Seeing that her expression was clearly exhausted, she handed her a Storage Bag containing middle-grade Spirit Stones, "You just passed your tribulation, hurry and stabilize your realm. Although this quality is a bit poor and can't compare to the Spirit Stones in Master's small courtyard, they are still usable."

"Thank you, I will return them to you later." Da Miao took the Storage Bag.

"No need, no need." Su Xi waved her hands.

Da Miao took two middle-grade Spirit Stones out of the Storage Bag and absorbed the spiritual energy within them, "For Spirit Cultivators, the Transformation Stage tribulation is the hardest to pass; eight or nine out of ten die in this tribulation. That I could pass it is also a matter of extreme luck. But my Origin Spirit is quite damaged, and I need to go into seclusion to cultivate for a period of time."

"I understand, then where will you go into seclusion? This place won't do, right?" Su Xi looked at the surroundings; the murky Huang He water, and the grasslands and mountains were also quite desolate.

Da Miao said: "South Dao Sect. I was born in the Ling Shou Yuan; that is my nest. Besides, I haven't taken revenge on the earth jackal yet."

Su Xi recalled that in the Ling Shou Yuan, there was indeed a thin, yellowish jackal that haunted the area around Rong Shou's small building; so it had been looking for Da Miao.

"I will take you back with me." Da Miao changed back into her original form, resembling a giant tiger. Only, having just passed the heavenly tribulation, her originally beautiful and magnificent fur had been struck quite miserably by the lightning.

Da Miao signaled to Su Xi that she could ride on her back.

Su Xi hesitated for a moment and replied: "That, I cannot go back to the South Dao Sect with you."

Da Miao was thoughtful, "Xie Guanyu hasn't restricted your movements along this journey, and you have been following him the whole time, with absolutely no intention of trying to escape... have you taken a fancy to Xie Guanyu?"

"Ah!?" Su Xi looked terrified, "How could you even think in that direction."

"He looks quite good, so it would be normal even if you liked him. After all, humans at your age have reached the time for mating," Da Miao replied with a straight face.

Su Xi was dying of embarrassment from her words, "That's completely baseless! Even if I were to look for a Dao companion, it would be a Spirit Cultivator, how could it be a demon lord."

"Indeed, a Spirit Cultivator is more suitable for you. A demon cultivator would only eat you up and leave nothing behind, not even your bones."

"……So please don't think crookedly, it's absolutely impossible."

"Then what should I say when I see your Master?"

"Just say—I will return to the sect immediately after finishing my business, and cultivate obediently with the old man."

Da Miao stretched, "Alright, then I'm heading back; you should return to your sect soon too."

"Mm!" Su Xi nodded in agreement.

Da Miao flew into the air and looked back at her once more.

Su Xi waved her hand, "Travel safely—"

"You too." Da Miao shook her long, partially bald tail, and the next instant, she vanished.

The sky gradually turned dark.

Su Xi built a campfire by the Huang He, and by the firelight, she flipped through the "South Dao Sect Precepts" that Rong Shou had given her.

【Xie Guanyu has arrived, he is twelve meters behind the host.】

Su Xi put away the book and turned around.

"Why aren't you leaving?" Xie Guanyu took a step and arrived at Su Xi's side, looking down into her eyes, "Aren't you afraid I'll... pinch your bottom?"

Su Xi scoffed, "Someone who really wants to do something bad wouldn't go around talking about their intentions."

"What if I am that kind of person?"

"Then are you?"

"Heh, be my disciple."

"My character is noble and my loyalty is unwavering; other than my Master, I will never be a disciple to anyone else."

"Little liar."

"That is going too far; what have I lied to you about? I haven't eaten a mouthful of your food, haven't drunk a drop of your water, and I was even abducted by you." Su Xi added some firewood to the campfire, and the flames grew stronger.

Xie Guanyu leaned down and pinched Su Xi's delicate, jade-smooth chin with his fingers, "I hadn't finished speaking back then; if you hadn't left, you would have become my person!"

Su Xi pulled a burning piece of firewood from the pile and swung it directly at Xie Guanyu.

Xie Guanyu had no choice but to let go and take a step back.

Su Xi said, "I am fifteen years old this year; how old are you, old man? Is this how your father and mother taught you to behave? I have heard that even demons have a Dao, and it is not the Dao of beasts!"

"Sharp-tongued." Xie Guanyu laughed instead of getting angry.

"Not as shameless as you." Su Xi looked up, her pair of dark, glistening eyes flickering with spiritual light as she stared at Xie Guanyu.

"Leaving in such a hurry, so it turns out you were going to have a secret tryst with a little beauty!" A voice filled with playful laughter suddenly rang out.

?? Sending hearts to you babies, goodnight~