After Becoming a High-Risk Master, I Flipped the Script Chapter 169

Gu Baiqing could barely keep the corners of his mouth raised. With everyone offering congratulations, he couldn’t exactly contradict the Yinyuan Stone’s “verdict” on the spot but in his mind, he was full of question marks.

Zong Xuezhen and Mo Xuanli had never even interacted in the original text. The only connection that could be stretched between them was Si Chun. Judging by Mo Xuanli’s attitude toward the two women, even Si Chun made more sense than Zong Xuezhen.

Could it be like the original stallion novel setting where Mo Xuanli could have two wives?

“What’s going on? Doesn’t Little Xuanli already have a Dao companion? Aren’t they betrothed? Wait, don’t tell me he’s actually going to marry into Taixu Hall? I really don’t like Taixu Hall,” Fu Zhiyi muttered with a forced smile while edging close to Gu Baiqing.

Gu Baiqing lifted his gaze toward the pair beside the Yinyuan Stone. The Dao companion might be a fiction, but the Yinyuan Stone wasn’t. Ji Chuling and Li Xiuran had proven that earlier. Now he really didn’t know how to deal with this. Half-Step Mad had conveniently left, and Gu Baiqing didn’t even know whether the Yinyuan Stone’s result was an unavoidable decree of fate or just heaven’s suggestion.

The few people who knew the inside story had also gone pale, their eyes darting between Mo Xuanli and Gu Baiqing.

Everyone felt like they were walking on stilts, awkward and uneasy. If Gu Baiqing and Mo Xuanli were truly together, and now the Yinyuan Stone declared that Mo Xuanli had a destined bond with another woman… then wasn’t the one being wronged pitifully obvious?

Just as everyone was wondering how this scene would end, Zong Lei burst into loud laughter from above. “Didn’t expect my daughter and Disciple Mo to be so fated! It seems this is—”

“It’s not!” Mo Xuanli suddenly raised his voice.

Everyone froze in shock and then the whispers exploded again. This was going to be good gossip.

Zong Xuezhen’s face, still flushed pink a moment ago, stiffened. She quickly lowered her head and said pitifully, “Young Master, this is the Yinyuan Stone’s decree. If you’re unwilling, you needn’t deny it so publicly… that would really leave me with no face to show anyone. And this is heaven’s will, even if there’s no feeling now, there surely will be in the future…”

“Then you say it,” Mo Xuanli pressed, voice trembling with anxiety. “You know I have no interest in you, say it’s a mistake, say it’s false, say it was an accident! I’m giving you face, just deny it! I don’t want them to misunderstand!”

Zong Xuezhen had never seen him so flustered, so desperate, like a man afraid his beloved, watching below, might stop believing in him.

Her expression went rigid. She had no intention of denying it now; she’d come this far, and retreating meant nothing but humiliation. She could only look up at Mo Xuanli with tearful eyes, silently pleading for him to relent.

Normally, any gentleman concerned for propriety would never publicly embarrass a young lady like this. And by all appearances, Mo Xuanli had always seemed such a refined, courteous man, surely he wouldn’t damage her reputation. If she played the part of a wronged maiden, she could surely hold him in check.

But she had overlooked one thing, what kind of “gentleman” Mo Xuanli could be only under one condition.

When she still refused to speak, Mo Xuanli’s patience snapped. Every second he delayed felt like a blow to his bond with his master, one that might never recover. He didn’t dare let it last another heartbeat. He turned sharply and struck the Yinyuan Stone with his palm.

The talisman marks and spiritual power dispersed instantly, and the image vanished.

Everyone watching now fully understood what this meant.

Zong Xuezhen’s face went livid. To be humiliated so completely before everyone, no amount of affection could survive that. She nearly lost her composure right there.

Luckily, Zong Lei was quick to smooth things over. “Haha! Young people, easily embarrassed! Even if feelings haven’t bloomed yet, the Yinyuan Stone reads heaven’s will, these two are clearly fated! Don’t pressure them, everyone, they’re just shy!”

But Mo Xuanli gave him no chance to continue. He turned toward the crowd, his voice ringing out with spiritual power: “I, Mo Xuanli, already have a Dao companion and a pledged marriage vow. I swear upon my life never to betray them! I care not what the Yinyuan Stone says between myself and Miss Zong, there is no bond, neither now nor ever to come. My heart belongs to my beloved alone, steadfast and unchanging!”

Each word was firm and clear, every sentence landing like a hammer blow, as if he wanted to drive his declaration into everyone’s mind. Before the entire cultivation world, Mo Xuanli openly rejected the Yinyuan Stone’s decree, making his stance known, without hesitation, without the slightest wavering.

“Well said!” Jingzhan cheered loudly, enjoying the chaos, until Jingcheng tugged at his sleeve to stop him.

Such a declaration shocked many, moved some, and earned a few people’s admiration but most dismissed it as childish romantic foolishness. After all, the Yinyuan Stone revealed heaven’s destined match. Whatever fleeting affection he had before meant nothing in the face of fate.

“Mo Xuanli, you—!” Zong Lei hadn’t expected to be humiliated like this and turned angrily toward Fu Zhiyi.

Fu Zhiyi, deeply embarrassed, could only look helplessly at Gu Baiqing.

Gu Baiqing, however, stood there slightly stunned, eyes fixed on Mo Xuanli’s straight back.

That public “announcement,” to be honest, had even moved him. If such a person truly existed, someone who could make Mo Xuanli defy heaven itself just to stay with them, that would be deeply touching.

But Gu Baiqing knew that person didn’t exist. So why did Mo Xuanli loathe Zong Xuezhen so much? Not only did he refuse to give her even a sliver of chance, but he went as far as publicly cutting off every possible path between them. This was even more dramatic than making an announcement before Zixiao Sect, it was like fabricating a lover in front of the entire world. What on earth was Mo Xuanli thinking?

And his acting, it was too convincing. The emotion hidden beneath his eyes was so vivid, so real, it didn’t look like a lie at all.

It felt as though he truly had a Dao companion he cherished in his heart.

Naturally, someone among the crowd began to stir things up.

“Who is Young Master Mo’s Dao companion, then?”

“Most people from the cultivation world are here, it must be someone present!”

“Exactly! Why not have her come forward and test with him together? Then we’ll know the truth.”

“Yes, have her come up, let them test together!”

The atmosphere on the field grew increasingly heated; everyone wanted to see a good show of “two women fighting for one man.”

And really, what could be more exciting than having the person in question come out to prove it herself?

But this sudden turn of events put Mo Xuanli in a tight spot. He had denied the match precisely because he was worried about Gu Baiqing’s feelings but now… would his master really come forward for him?

Mo Xuanli’s gaze drifted toward Gu Baiqing, eyes carrying a faint plea for help. He wanted Gu Baiqing to step up, not to let him stand alone, fighting to defend their bond all by himself. His heart was uneasy.

Gu Baiqing, of course, understood that look. Was Mo Xuanli asking him to help keep up the lie? He thought for a moment, just about to speak when Zong Lei suddenly interrupted: “The Yinyuan Stone is no trifling matter. Disciple Mo should go and think this through carefully. Besides, my daughter isn’t throwing herself at anyone, she merely answered the Stone’s summons.”

He was clearly trying to smooth things over and to end the matter before anyone could call Mo Xuanli’s “Dao companion” forward.

The situation was awkward and unpleasant. Those with sense quickly helped change the topic to save face.

Zong Xuezhen, red-faced, fled in humiliation.

Mo Xuanli didn’t spare her a single glance. He leapt down, landed beside Gu Baiqing, and looked up at him. Gu Baiqing merely reached out and patted his arm in quiet reassurance.

But Mo Xuanli only felt a hollow ache in his chest. That indifferent gesture, his master’s calm, detached face, stabbed through his already raw heart. It made him feel unseen, uncared for. That constant push and pull, near yet far, only made his anxiety spiral.

He couldn’t tell what his master was thinking. The Yinyuan Stone’s influence in the cultivation world was immense, he could understand anger, sadness, or disappointment but this, this mild indifference as though nothing had happened… had his master given up?

Panic flared in his chest. Mo Xuanli suddenly grabbed Gu Baiqing’s arm. “Master, I need to speak with you.”

The others assumed he wanted to discuss the Yinyuan Stone’s result.

But Fu Zhiyi, watching from the side, noticed something different, the unease in Mo Xuanli’s eyes, the way he treated Gu Baiqing, and when he pieced everything together from start to finish, he sucked in a sharp breath. The cup in his hand nearly slipped, and he quickly fanned himself, sweating coldly as he muttered inwardly, no way… it can’t be…

“Ah—Xuanli, whatever it is, talk later, alright? We still have things to discuss. It’s not appropriate to leave right now…” Fu Zhiyi couldn’t possibly let Mo Xuanli take Gu Baiqing away at this moment. The whole crowd was still wondering who Mo Xuanli’s mysterious Dao companion was and if he suddenly left with only Gu Baiqing, anyone with half a brain would figure it out. Aside from the clueless Chu Fei, the other elders’ expressions were already turning peculiar.

But Mo Xuanli didn’t care. He gripped Gu Baiqing’s arm tighter, his tone hardening. “Master, come with me!”

Gu Baiqing blinked, startled by his attitude. Mo Xuanli’s face was pale, his dark eyes roiling with emotion so intense it seemed about to spill over but Gu Baiqing couldn’t read it.

He tried to calm him. “We still need to discuss strategy against the demon clan. If it’s nothing urgent, we’ll talk after this ends.”

Mo Xuanli’s expression darkened at once, as if struck. Was he the only one who cared? Who was anxious, fearful, and uncertain? Why did his master think this wasn’t urgent?

He didn’t want to sound resentful but Gu Baiqing’s response genuinely hurt him. He felt like a beast trapped and pacing, on the edge of losing control. Without his master’s reassurance, he could barely breathe.

“Xuanli…” Gu Baiqing began, but before he could finish, his waist was suddenly seized, and his vision spun. In the blink of an eye, Mo Xuanli had pulled him into his arms, and the two vanished from sight right in front of everyone.

Fu Zhiyi could only curse inwardly while forcing a laugh. “Ah, seems something urgent came up.”

By the time Gu Baiqing regained his bearings, he was already back in their quarters—

With a thud, he landed on the bed, Mo Xuanli looming over him. He hadn’t slammed him down, but the weight of that posture, the sheer intensity in his gaze, made Gu Baiqing’s heart tremble.

“What kind of posture is this?”

“Xuanli, what are you doing!”

Mo Xuanli’s impulsive, disobedient behavior caught Gu Baiqing off guard. He instinctively raised his hands, preparing to push him away but in an instant, his hands were grabbed and pinned to either side.

Shocked, Gu Baiqing looked at Mo Xuanli, who wore an anxious expression, his eyes wide and pleading like a pitiful little dog.

“Master, listen to me!”

Caught off guard by the tone, Gu Baiqing didn’t understand his urgency. He frowned. “If you want to speak, then speak. But what are you doing like this?”

Mo Xuanli was on the verge of losing his mind at Gu Baiqing’s calm, detached attitude.

“I don’t care what the Yinyuan Stone says! I don’t like Zong Xuezhen at all! I have nothing to do with her! What destiny? I don’t believe in it! And you wouldn’t believe it either, right? You know I could never like her, right?” Mo Xuanli’s face was a portrait of panic, his words rushed, trembling as if there wasn’t time to pronounce them properly.

He practically wanted to rip open his heart and show it to Gu Baiqing, to prove that he could never betray their bond, could never be swayed by fate.

In his whole life, aside from Gu Baiqing, there was no one else he could ever have any connection with.

Gu Baiqing, however, was puzzled. As a master, he had been offering advice openly and easily, with no emotional burden, saying lightly: “Why are you telling me all this? No one can force you to do anything, right? But since it’s supposedly fate… why not give it a try? Maybe we’ve been biased against the Zong family, maybe Zong Xuezhen is actually a good person. You were just too impulsive. Why did you declare in front of everyone that you already have a Dao companion? You didn’t have to be so absolute…”

Gu Baiqing felt he was already speaking earnestly as a Master.

But every word he spoke felt like a knife stabbing Mo Xuanli again and again.

Mo Xuanli froze, his face tingling, and finally even his lips began to tremble. “Why are you saying this? Have you regretted it? Have you backed down? Do you… not want me anymore? Just because of that d*mned Yinyuan Stone?! How can you…”

Gu Baiqing noticed something odd. “Xuanli, what are you saying?”

But before he could question him further, Mo Xuanli could no longer hold back. He suddenly leaned down and kissed Gu Baiqing.

So much was wrong, he didn’t want to think about it, just to accept it, lock it away in a box, burying fear and anxiety under all rational thought. But in this moment, it felt as if the box had been pried open.

Gu Baiqing, caught off guard, didn’t even have time to close his mouth before his usually obedient apprentice claimed him completely.

His eyes widened; his body had no time to react. A dizzying sensation swept through him, Mo Xuanli’s distinct presence seeming to invade his soul, leaving him disoriented.

It wasn’t the first time Mo Xuanli had kissed him, but in a sense, it was the first time. This wasn’t an out-of-control, demonized Mo Xuanli, nor a dream illusion, it was the real Mo Xuanli, his carefully nurtured, proud apprentice… now kissing him.

It struck Gu Baiqing like a thunderclap, he could hardly believe it.

He had navigated all sorts of conventions, knew this was a BG world, knew Mo Xuanli should have a CP, had witnessed the Yinyuan Stone, and could be certain they were supposed to remain master and disciple. Yet Mo Xuanli pressed him to the bed, kissing him recklessly.

What was happening? Had he gone mad or had heaven gone mad? What part of the story had been skipped to make his apprentice suddenly like this? Or had he crossed into another world again?

His mind raced, trying to avoid the aggressive, fear-inducing kiss but Mo Xuanli didn’t care. He was venting his emotions, laced with accusation and punishment.

Gu Baiqing struggled with all his strength, but Mo Xuanli angrily pinned both his hands with one, the other hand pressing down further.

Gu Baiqing’s pupils shrank in shock. Mo Xuanli really intended…? The sheer force, the dominance, his heart trembled under the weight, producing a strange feeling of being bullied. He could hardly comprehend how it had come to this. If it weren’t for the dark, penetrating eyes staring at him, he might have thought the one pressing him was a little demon dog!

And a little demon dog would’ve been fine!

“Xuanli… let go…”

“I won’t…”

“Xuanli… no, this isn’t right…”

“It is right! I want you to prove to me that your promise is real! That we’ll always be together! That you won’t abandon me because of the Yinyuan Stone! You… you want me!” Mo Xuanli bit Gu Baiqing’s lips, his voice quivering with tears.

He was scared, truly scared. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn’t stop. Not now.

Yet the moment he pressed against Gu Baiqing, a sudden lightning strike hit, throwing Mo Xuanli off the bed.

Gu Baiqing, after all, was not entirely under his control.

Mo Xuanli knelt awkwardly on one knee, his heart feeling squeezed, pain making it hard to breathe. He looked up and saw Gu Baiqing sitting up on the bed, his robes disheveled, breathing heavily. Water traces lingered at the corner of his lips, and his eyes were reddened with shame and anger.

“Presumptuous! What exactly do you think you’re doing?!”

“Master…” Mo Xuanli’s eyes reddened, tears pooling with helplessness. “Why are you acting this way toward me? Is it because of the Yinyuan Stone?”

Gu Baiqing rubbed his nose in frustration, his thoughts in utter chaos.

“Wait… what promise did I make to you? Haven’t I always treated you like a master should a disciple? Why do you speak as if I… as if I—”

Their eyes met. In the suffocating silence, both stared at each other with complicated emotions, yet somehow, each seemed to understand what the other was thinking.

Gu Baiqing stared at Mo Xuanli in shock. “You mean… the Dao partner you kept talking about… was me? That night… I’d been drinking. I only remember promising to let you move back into Luofeng Pavilion, and I agreed that if you ever wanted to hold your wedding there, I’d allow it. You…”

At this moment, all color had drained from Mo Xuanli’s face. It felt as though the blood in his veins was freezing, the chill biting into his bones, seeping into his heart, and piercing his very soul.

So… it was because he was drunk. No wonder… no wonder he had woken up halfway through, no wonder he had been so gentle. But Mo Xuanli gritted his teeth and demanded, “After that, when I confessed to Master, did you not hear me? All that happened after… you thought it was just between a master and disciple? Master, you lied to me, didn’t you? You’re angry because of the Yinyuan Stone, right? You’re just teasing me, aren’t you?”

He suddenly leapt up, rushing toward Gu Baiqing and grabbing his shoulders as if to hold him tight. That sense of impending loss chased after him like a specter from h*ll.

He was terrified that if he was even a step too late, this dream would end.

But still, his master pushed him away.

“Mo Xuanli, this kind of matter cannot be left unclear. I am your master, at least, that’s what it is like for me!” Gu Baiqing said helplessly, trying to stop Mo Xuanli’s irrational behavior.

“You’re lying!” Mo Xuanli snapped upright, his face twisted in pain, tears finally falling. “It was you… you were the one who liked me first… who gave me all those hints, all that affection! Now you regret it… you just want to take it all back!”