Shi Sheng relocated to a more peaceful location. Bu Jingyun was surprisingly docile, to the point that Shi Sheng was beginning to suspect he’d been replaced by someone else. ‘If this isn’t a double, why else would he not have caused a ruckus by now?’
“The antidote.” Shi Sheng placed a pill in front of him. “This is only good for a month, so don’t even think about escaping.”
Bu Jingyun harrumphed before swallowing the pill.
‘I’ll be damned, this fellow’s such a tsun…’
“How long are you planning to… keep me?”
Once he’d taken the antidote, Bu Jingyun suddenly questioned her.
Shi Sheng didn’t even lift her head as she replied in a light voice, “A lifetime.”
‘“A lifetime.”’
Those words seemed to hit Bu Jingyun right in the heart, causing something seemed to sprout.
He pursed his lips, his ears turning a faint pink. Only after a while did he spit out, “Shameless.”
“Hey, how am I shameless?” Shi Sheng suddenly lifted her head. Supporting her weight against the table with both hands, she leaned towards him. “I haven’t even done anything to you! Be reasonable!”
Bu Jingyun seemed to have been startled, for he lost his balance and fell off the stool he was sitting on. In that moment, his eyes turned dark.
He swiftly lowered his head and suppressed the pain that was surging throughout his body. His voice was barely audible through gritted teeth, “Get out.”
Shi Sheng had just been about to help him up, but upon hearing his words, her hand froze in mid-air before she retracted it.
She then quickly left the room without turning back, shutting the door behind her.
Only when Bu Jingyun heard the sound of the door closing did he slowly raise his head to reveal a pair of terrifying red eyes that would cause cold sweat to form and the scalp to tingle.
She’d left.
But for reasons unknown, he felt some disappointment.
Bu Jingyun bore with the waves of pain wracking his body. Right when he felt like he couldn’t hold on any longer, someone supported him from behind.
A lukewarm liquid was then poured into his mouth, which continued travelling down his throat. The liquid had a taste that made his stomach recoil, nearly causing him to vomit.
But in the next moment, he felt a cool liquid flow down his throat, bringing forth a vaguely sweet and refreshing taste.
After Shi Sheng had helped Bu Jingyun drink some water, she carried him to the bed. While she was placing him down on the bed, two Nine Silences Hall disciples were standing behind her. One of them was holding a bowl of red liquid.
Bang!
The Sentinel charged in from outside, nearly breaking down the door by slamming it open. “Hallmaster!”
“Don’t come over!” Shi Sheng frowned as she scolded him, causing him to grind to a screeching halt.
He ground his teeth and glared at Shi Sheng. “Just what do you want?!”
‘This woman is really too hateful! Why does Hallmaster still…’
Shi Sheng simply covered Bu Jingyun with a blanket. Instead of answering, she countered with a question of her own, “What’s up with him?”
Sentinel glared at Shi Sheng, “I don’t see how it’s any of your business, Miss Shen!”
Shi Sheng lifted her head to glance at him before her sword appeared out of thin air in her hands, which she pointed at Bu Jingyun. “His life and death depends on your answer.”
Sentinel, “…”
‘What’s with that tendency of resorting to violence at the slightest disagreement?!’
The Sentinel honestly didn’t believe that Shi Sheng would actually hurt Bu Jingyun. After all, she’d taken such good care of him these past few days. Even so, he couldn’t gamble on the off chance he was wrong.
After all, he still hadn’t gotten a good grasp of her character. Who knew whether she’d make a move on their Hallmaster in the next moment?
The Sentinel caved in to Shi Sheng’s threat.
“Hallmaster has a curse on him. He’ll suffer relapses at random intervals. When this happens, he needs to drink a woman’s fresh blood to mitigate the symptoms.”
‘Drinking blood? Oh fuck, what kind of shit setting is this? I give a hundred bad reviews!’
“What curse?” ‘I knew it. If there’s one thing villains and leads share in common, it’s tragic pasts.’
The Sentinel’s eyes flashed, his tone turning serious, he spoke, “I’m not too certain either. By the time I started following Hallmaster… he was already like this. It was Hallmaster who informed me that this was a curse. It’s the reason why Nine Silences Hall catch women to bring back every so often. But it’s not like the rumours. We only take a bit of blood, we don’t do anything to harm their lives.”
“Is there no other way to deal with it?”
‘No matter the problem, there’s always a way to solve it. It’s just a matter of how much you’re willing to pay.’
The Sentinel shook his head. “Hallmaster’s been searching for a cure for years, but… there haven’t been any results.”
Shi Sheng sat by the bedside, her thoughts unknown. The Sentinel couldn’t help but get a bit nervous from her prolonged silence, “Miss Shen, Hallmaster’s body can’t take your antics. Please let him off.”
Shi Sheng merely turned to stare at him. Her calm eyes were like twin pools of still water that had ink poured into them; dark and foreboding. The Sentinel felt a shiver run up his spine.
He’d seen savage and cruel people, as well as those who were trapped in despair, but never had he seen someone like Shi Sheng.
“I hold no malice towards him.” Shi Sheng spoke slowly, her tone completely level, “You don’t have to worry that I’ll hurt him. After all… if I wanted to kill him, I’d have done so by now.”
The Sentinel spaced out for a moment. ‘Although this girl’s words are a bit… arrogant, I have to admit… she’s right.
If she really wanted to kill our Hallmaster, she’d have made her move already and not forced us to appear when his illness relapsed.’
The Sentinel opened his mouth to reply, but swallowed his words back at the last second.
In the end, he was chased out by Shi Sheng.
The Sentinel could only keep his dissatisfaction to himself. ‘That’s my Hallmaster, okay? Hallmaster got seized by this woman, and I can’t even snatch him back! Argh!’
Shi Sheng stared at the person laying on the bed. Becoming somewhat bored, she took out a book and began reading.
……
Bu Jingyun only woke up long after night fell. In the dimly lit room, the sound of something rustling could be heard. Only when his eyes had finally adjusted did he manage to perceive that the sound was coming from Shi Sheng, who was sitting on the bed and flipping the pages of a book.
She wasn’t even reading it. She was just flipping through the pages really quickly, causing the rustling sound.
Noticing he’d woken up, she immediately tossed the book aside. “If you’re going to be such a lady, I’m the only one who’s going to want you.”
Bu Jingyun, “…”
‘What’s with being teased the moment I wake up? Also, I’m very handsome! Countless people would court me! Why wouldn’t there be anyone who’d want me? Hmph!’
“Wait a bit. I’ll grab you something to eat.” Shi Sheng leapt off the bed and strolled outside.
Bu Jingyun’s gaze swept over the book Shi Sheng had tossed aside. It wasn’t long before his face started burning.
‘This shameless woman! Simply… incorrigible!’
The moment Shi Sheng left, the Sentinel entered. Seeing his Hallmaster’s face was bright red , his heart sank. ‘Oh no, has Hallmaster fallen?’
He carefully observed his Hallmaster’s expression for a bit before speaking, “Hallmaster… are we really not returning?”
‘That woman clearly doesn’t have any good intentions! Why does Hallmaster still want to remain? What better time could there be to make a run for it?’
Bu Jingyun quickly stuffed the book under the blanket with a straight face before shaking his head. ‘I don’t know why, but I feel like I mustn’t leave…
Even if… I’m always angered by that woman.
That utterly shameless woman.’
“Hallmaster…”
“How many times has it been this month?” Bu Jingyun interrupted the Sentinel.
The Sentinel ground his teeth before answering in a low voice, “The fifth.”
‘The intervals between Hallmaster’s relapses have been shortening…’
Bu Jingyun fell silent. A heavy atmosphere settled over the two.