Walking out in the middle of the night to discover someone else in Cloud Palace, Qiangu first thought it might’ve been Zihua but quickly saw it was actually Mo Bing Xian.
“Why are you here?”
“It’s you?!”
Looking at a somewhat embarrassed Qiangu, Mo Bing Xian mused with a small smile “So you are the demon goddess Zhu Ran wants me to “serve?”
If Qiangu was drinking tea at that very moment, all the tea would’ve shot out of her mouth. Mo Bing Xian’s tone was very peaceful but she is certain that he must be feeling anger and hatred towards her.
“I am sorry. Zhu Ran is just bored and is trying to tease me, having fun at my expense. He is not purposefully trying to humiliate you.”
Teasing her? His brows frowning unconsciously, Mo Bing Xian can’t figure out how Qiangu could possibly think that when it is obvious to everyone that Zhu Ran is simply using her so why would she pretend otherwise? Moreover, she IS the demon goddess, why is she always apologizing? How can a demon goddess wear such an innocent, maybe even foolish expression on her face? He really can’t understand this woman. Is this all an act or is she really that foolish and naive? How did she end up becoming the demon goddess? Just by using that innocent expression to seduce men?
“Go back to Shu Shan. I will tell Zhu Ran to not threaten you anymore.”
“Do you dislike me?”
Having a bit of difficulty breathing as Mo Bing Xian steps close, Qiangu mutters “No.”
“Then why are you chasing me off?”
Surprised by the teasing tone in Mo Bing Xian’s words, Qiangu wonders if he really doesn’t hate her.
“I don’t want to force you to do something you don’t want to do.” Why is her heart trembling? What is she so afraid of? Is she afraid that she will weaken and give in to her need to rely on someone? Her heart doesn’t tremble for other people, and her heart has already died when it comes to Bai Zihua but what is she suppose to do when it is someone that is like Bai Zihua?
“You haven’t asked me to do anything so how are you forcing me? I have already said that anywhere is the same to me. So, do you know how to play chess?”
Not sure how to respond to the abrupt change of topic, Qiangu replies “…yes.”
Quite used to Qiangu’s usual sluggish delay when responding to everything around her, Mo Bing Xian was mildly surprised that she was actually fairly decent when it comes to chess.
“Did Bai Zihua teach you?”
“Huh?”
“Wasn’t Bai Zihua your master before?”
“Dad was the one that taught me in the beginning but I wasn’t very good so he pointed me towards some good books.”
Rising an eyebrow, Mo Bing Xian feels a bit weird with the realization that the demon goddess also had a dad. The evil demon goddess he has heard so much about is becoming more human and normal in his eyes…that’s a realization that makes him slightly uncomfortable.
Looking out the window to see the sun starting to peak out, Mo Bing Xian offers “Even though I know you don’t feel hunger, but would you like to eat something anyway? I am pretty good at cooking.”
“What would you like to eat? I can make them appear.”
“That kind of food is not tasty. Happiness and joy can only be savored when they are the fruits of one’s own labor. Where is the kitchen?”
Dazed, Qiangu could almost see Bai Zihua standing in front of her again, patiently teaching her…with one difference, the person in front of her right now is warm and gentle, someone she can touch just by reaching out a hand.
Reappearing after a short time with a few dishes, Mo Bing Xian’s cooking is simple but good. Qiangu could feel her long forgotten taste buds have been awakened. It has been a long time since Qiangu has enjoyed a good meal. She ate with Zihua before but she always ended up thinking about Tang Bao so the more she ate the sadder she got.
“Do you always cook for yourself?”
“Even though I don’t need to eat either but I still cook three meals a day. That’s the only way I feel like I am really living. But since I am always by myself so I just cook one or two dishes.”
“By yourself?”
Nodding, Mo Bing Xian’s eyes seem to be hiding a thousand years worth of snow. From a long long time ago, he has always been alone.
Speaking in her now usual dazed manner, Qiangu muses “I am pretty good at cooking as well. It was always me that cooked for everyone in the past. This is the first time someone cooked for me. Let me cook tonight then.”
With his eyes on Qiangu, Mo Bing Xian nods.

Not objecting when Mo Bing Xian ended up staying in her palace like it was the most natural thing to do, Qiangu finds herself spending time with Mo Bing Xian like they are old friends.

Mo Bing Xian’s attitude towards Qiangu is pretty intimate while Qiangu herself doesn’t bother to hide her favorism of him and is almost completely obedient to whatever he says. Still, Qiangu’s time in isolation has become longer and longer, with it, her ability to focus is getting more difficult as well.

Summarizing the next bit: Qiangu has already guessed that Mo Bing Xian was sent on a mission to kill her and it didn’t take long for her to figure out why Mo Bing Xian was chosen. Born with the curse/gift of absorbing energy from everyone he comes in contact with, Mo Bing Xian’s mother died upon giving birth to him (b/c of his ability) which meant he lived the rest of his life in isolation since everyone was too scared of being touched by him. Mo Bing Xian knew he couldn’t kill Qiangu but with his special ability, if he saps enough of her energy then they have a chance to seal her up again. Puzzled by Qiangu’s uncaring attitude when it is obvious she knows exactly what his plan is, Mo Bing Xian finds himself becoming more curious about our heroine…even if he is still convinced he will have no problem at all being the one that brings about her downfall.

Here is an interesting exchange between Mo Bing Xian and Qiangu:
“I have always thought it strange that you who has little interest in killing or desire to rule the six realms would allow Zhu Ran to spread destruction everywhere?”
Staring at the face reflecting back at her in the mirror, Qiangu wonders who is the frightening beautiful woman staring back at her? Who is this terrifying foreign woman staring back at her?
“Zhu Ran…he is the only one that had stayed by my side. From the wilderness of desolation to after I became the demon goddess, he was the one that stayed with me at the depth of my despair. The six realms have nothing to do with me but Zhu Ran matters to me.”
The wilderness of isolation? The one that stayed by her side? She is really that grateful to Zhu Ran?! There must be a lot of things he is not aware of. Mo Bing Xian has told himself that there is no need for him to be interested in her. The only thing he needs to do is to make her become captivated by him so he has no reason to know of her past. However, the fact that she can affect him emotionally is starting to worry him.

——————————————————————————–6/13/2018—————————————————————————

It has been more than a month since Hua Qiangu has set foot in Wu Wang Dian (where Zihua is staying). The rumor of the demon goddess’ new favorite companion has spread through the whole world. Every member of Shu Shan (that’s the one Mo Bing Xian belongs to) sect gets special treatment everywhere they go, even from the demons.
Without much to do, the maids at Wu Wang Dian spend their day gossiping, complaining about how it is possible their master (Zihua) could be replaced by some unknown immortal. Getting more worried by the day while Bai Zihua seems completely unfazed by his “loss of favor” the maids start to investigate on their own…and ends up getting even more worried when they finally saw Mo Bing Xian.

Bai Zihua is fully aware of the rumors that are going around. His anger has long faded. After the haze of fury was gone, it didn’t take much for him to figure out Zhu Ran was behind the drug fiasco. If Xia Gu really wanted to humiliate him, there were a million other ways. Even though he had always pretended ignorance of her feelings for him Zhu Ran successfully ripped open the veil that was between them. He knows perfectly what Zhu Ran was trying to say. Zhu Ran wasn’t trying to force him to capitulate but he was using the humiliation to make it impossible for him to hide anymore. Unless he really takes the role of her male concubine then he can no longer lay in the same bed with her…or else he will be conceding to her desire for him.

He had hurt her again by throwing that cup…but he knows what hurt her more was the disgust in his eyes. Every time he thinks of the blood that trickled down into those innocent eyes and the sad smile that followed his heart felt like it has been stabbed to the core. She could frankly apologize for something that wasn’t her fault so why couldn’t he apologize? But his small bit of guilt was promptly overwhelmed by fury when she sent Zi Xun over with the antidote.

He hasn’t forgotten why he came here, not when Xiao Gu has finally recovered some of her humanity so there is no way he would give up…but after two days when he was trying to figure out a way to improve their relationship that’s when he got all angry again over the various rumor of how she is busy with the new male concubine and how she is furiously searching through the six realms for little trinkets to give as gifts to Mo Bing Xian.

He knows Xiao Gu extremely well so he is well aware that she would not allow things to go too far…but when he realize that person is Mo Bing Xian…then he wasn’t so confident anymore.

Listen to the annoyingly harmonious music coming afar, Zihua feels like something is stuck in his chest. Suddenly realizing he is sitting around like some forgotten concubine waiting for the emperor to come again, Zihua sneers at his own laughable state and decides to pay a visit to Qiangu’s palace while she is gone.

Walking in to see the sight of Mo Bing Xian lying lazily on a wooden chair, the fury in Zihua threatens to spill over again when he notices the blanket on Mo Bing Xian…the blanket that Qiangu must’ve personally put on him before she left. Despite knowing that there is no chance Xiao Gu would allow something to happen with Mo Bing Xian but the thought that she is actually sharing a bed and cuddling with another man sends an unsurpassable flare of anger through him.

Quite intrigued by the various emotions flashing across Zihua’s face, Mo Bing Xian wonders if the story he had painted in his head was wrong all along. At first Mo Bing Xian had assumed that Qiangu had forcefully kept Bai Zihua by her side because of her obsession with him so that’s why Mo Yan had asked for his help…but now it looks like maybe he thought wrong.

“Long time no see.” Sitting up slowly, Mo Bing Xian pours Zihua a cup of tea.

“He told you to come?”

Seeing Mo Bing Xian’s replying nod, Zihua promptly says “I already said I can take care of this. Please go back now.”

“Take care of it? How? She is now the invincible demon goddess. Nothing can be changed even if you are the one she loves.”

“I won’t give up on her.” He is her master, her only kin in this world. He is the one to blame for everything so if even he was to give up on her, then there is really no way for Xiao Gu to come back.

“I don’t know what happened in the past, but now she is the villain everyone has a duty to vanquish. You have always place duty above all so you are well aware of what must be done. Everyone has prepared for a long time for this and success is at hand. I have the confidence to help them win, but you are a mere human now without any power to do anything so the one that should leave this dangerous place is you.”

Understanding perfectly the “win” Mo Bing Xian is referring to is using Mo Bing Xian’s ability (ie. sleeping with Qiangu…not the innocent kind.) to steal Xiao Gu’s power but that would result in her death for sure. The author didn’t explain why Mo Bing Xian couldn’t just simply keep stealing Qiangu through touch since he obviously been doing that. 

“Don’t touch her!”

His own ire ignited by the threat and anger in Zihua’s voice, Mo Bing Xian frowns and sets down his cup “You think I want to?! It’s not like I am the self sacrificing sort. This was your fault but since you are so pure and unwilling to offer up yourself to fix this, what right do you have to stop me?”

Furious, Zihua retorts “How can the great Mo Bing Xian resort to something so low?!”

Breaking out in a laugh, Mo Bing Xian replies “I finally found a woman that can handle being caressing by me so of course I should enjoy myself.” Narrowing his eyes like he is reminiscing the passionate night he shared with Qiangu, Mo Bing Xian adds “By the way, she really is quite delicious.”‘

Losing the valiant battle to control his anger, Zihua storms off but not before he violently throws down the guqin that was sitting on the table. (Guqin is a traditional musical instrument in the zither family.) Picking up the guqin, Mo Bing Xian looks towards the direction of Bi Zihua with an expression of disbelief. Was that person still the same Bai Zihua he knew before? Because of Hua Qiangu? What really happened between them?

All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com

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