The alarm quieted. Once again, silence cloaked the yin-filled valley. Hui held his breath, looking up at the silhouettes in the clouds above him. Maybe… maybe I was wrong. Maybe Tseng Caihong, er, is trying a voice technique!

Voice stepped out of the shadow, Jizhi Zhimei one step behind her. Jizhi Zhimei looked Hui up and down. She glanced at Voice. Watching her mistress, Voice chuckled. “Hmm. How strange, how strange indeed, to rush here after our encounter mere moments ago…”

Ha… I guess it was too much to hope for. Hui shook his head internally.

“My… my apologies, Senior. When I passed out in the lunch room, Tseng Caihong took something precious to me. I meant to draw her attention, not Senior’s,” Hui confessed, quickly kowtowing to Jizhi Zhimei.

Jizhi Zhimei drew closer. She flew down before him, bringing her face even with his. Cool, beautiful hands touched his face, turning it up to face her. She ran a hand through his hair, gently adjusting it.

Er… hello? I’m a human being, Senior, not a pet…

“You’re resistant to my charm, aren’t you?” Jizhi Zhimei said suddenly.

Hui stiffened. He wobbled in place and averted his eyes, quickly sending his qi into disarray. “S…senior’s voice is so…”

“Such cheap acting. There’s no use pretending. I can see right through you.” She paused. “Not literally, as Tseng Caihong can. But metaphorically.”

Hesitating a moment, Hui quickly straightened up. If she’s seen through me, continuing to pretend will only piss her off. I know I’d usually continue to pretend until I died, but in this situation… well, first off, if I die too often around her, she might start to question my bloodline explanation. Secondly, I need to stay in a positive situation as the hostage, valuable enough that she doesn’t find the need to take another hostage, not so obnoxious that she outright destroys me.

Besides, I’m pretty sure she’s actually seen through me, this second time. She probably suspected something the first time… well, she is a near-Immortal level existence. It’s better to fess up my immunity and let her consider me a trustworthy disciple with a strange resistance, than for her to know that I’m lying to her and start looking for my lying techniques, expecting me to fake and lie my way around.

Hui looked at the floor. He kicked the chain, pretending to be embarrassed. “Ah… it’s true. Well, in the Southern Sect Conference, the Bai Clan are already masters of charm techniques. I grew up around Bai Clan cultivators. Naturally, I have some small resistance.”

Looking up sharply, he gave Jizhi Zhimei his most honest look, earnest as could be, big eyes round and open. “Ah! But Senior, I… my resistance is not that strong. Even now, although I do not feel the need to worship you at the sound of your voice… I still… if I saw more of your beauty, I might…” He swallowed, letting some of his actual nervousness leak through, and stared at his feet again.

Jizhi Zhimei nodded. “The Bai Clan, hmm? I know of those… unique cultivators. Yes, indeed, they do practice… not charm, but seduction. Still, I suppose a Bai Clan child would only know charm, not yet seduction.”

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“Ah, yes, yes. Bai Xingxue is a good friend of mine,” Hui quickly agreed with her.

Dismissing Voice with a wave of her hand, Jizhi Zhimei gave Hui a very close look. She reached out and grabbed his arm, lifting it, then inspecting his hand. She drew his sleeve back and peered at his skin, then looked at his face. “Such delicate hands… such jade-white skin. And that face… yes, it’s not bad. Not to mention, you’re here, practicing yin techniques… could it be? Are you interested in charm techniques?”

Hui stiffened. Eh… Senior misunderstands! I’m practicing yin techniques to free the resentment demons, not—

Wait, hold on. Since she took me as her disciple, she’s mostly ignored me. Is this the way to actually learn her techniques? It’s true that I’m not too interested in charm techniques, but on the other hand, I’d rather learn charm techniques than learn assassination! Is this my golden thread? My way out of this assassination hell?

You know what, I think I am very interested in charm techniques! In fact, I couldn’t possibly be more interested!

Changing his expression, Hui nodded. He clasped Jizhi Zhimei’s hand. “Senior understands! Yes, I’m very interested. I’ve always been jealous of the Bai Clan’s natural charm. Ah, perhaps I could confess? When I found that I was captured by Senior, I was incredibly happy! I considered myself the most lucky, that I could learn charm!”

Jizhi Zhimei retracted her hand. A strange expression contorted the veil that hid her face.

Hui froze. Did I lay it on too thickly? Should I take more care?

To herself, Jizhi Zhimei muttered, “Rough, for sure. This careless tongue of his… And yet, a rough jade can be polished. Not to mention, for a man to have such ease with manipulating yin energy… hmm. His potential is indeed unrivaled!”

She nodded decisively, then extended a hand to Hui. “Come with me. I’ll take you as my true disciple.”

Hui nodded. He took her hand. “Yes, Senior!”

Eh, wait. But this is my clone. My real body… Hui glanced over his shoulder, then shrugged. It’s true that the yin is a poison, but a slow one. I should be fine sitting in the yin for a while. At least until the next practical lesson! Besides, while my body’s sitting here, I can always send my soul back to my body and work on detangling this barrier formation once more! Detangling the barrier, and strengthening the resentment demons both!

Hmm, though I think I should swap my clone and my real body as soon as possible. She’ll notice eventually. It’s better to do it now, rather than later.

Hui abruptly released Jizhi Zhimei’s hand and stumbled backward. Clumsily, he slipped backward a few steps, tripping the whole way as his heel hit each individual arm that made up the resentment demon, then fell off the resentment demon entirely.

Jizhi Zhimei stared. Her brows furrowed. How is even a second-realm cultivator this clumsy?

“A jade in the rough, no doubt,” Voice commented dryly.

At the base of the resentment demon, the clone burrowed into the ground, returning to its original state as a seed. Hui opened his eyes and stood, quickly climbing back up the chains to Jizhi Zhimei’s side.

“My… my apologies, Senior. Shall we go?” he asked, bowing to her.

Jizhi Zhimei nodded. She drew out a bronze mirror and tossed it to the ground. As it dropped, it grew large, until it was large enough for the three of them to stand on. “Let’s go.”

Hui climbed onto the mirror, nodding as he did so. A mirror? What a suitable item for Senior! Not only does it reflect her beauty and allow her to make herself even more beautiful, but also, it weaponizes her beauty! Aside from this small cultivator, everyone in this world loses their minds when they see her. If she sets up a mirror array, she instantly wins, unless her opponent is blind!

Well, if they know to look away, they can dodge the technique, too. It’s not as if it’s impossible to dodge. But still, it’s an excellent weapon for a beauty cultivator!

Leaving the clone behind, Hui flew out of the yin valley with Jizhi Zhimei and Voice. He glanced over his shoulder just once, looking at the resentment demons and the clone hidden amongst them. Just wait. I’ll figure out how to free you yet!

But until then… until then, it’s time to become a charm cultivator!