After Becoming a High-Risk Master, I Flipped the Script Chapter 172

When Mo Xuanli appeared on Zixiao Sect’s floating island, his spiritual energy had been so heavily depleted that he nearly fell straight from God Nine Transformations.

He hadn’t lied to his master, he truly didn’t have enough power to bring him along. And in his current weakened state, he couldn’t risk it. Even if his master’s spiritual energy was formidable right now, it could vanish at any moment. The safest place for his master was still with the others.

He barely had a second to catch his breath before danger struck. God Nine Transformations was immediately drawn out; with a single sweep of his sword, a low-level demon turned to ash beneath its blade.

When Mo Xuanli looked down from above, he saw that every floating island had a small demonic array on it, and sounds of battle echoed from all directions. So this, this was where the demons had truly infiltrated.

But what were they trying to achieve? Luring away the strong to attack the cultivation realm’s weak? Yet logically, those left behind didn’t have much fighting strength. Even if the demons succeeded, the loss wouldn’t be significant enough to hurt the cultivation world, if anything, it would only provoke their fury.

Mo Xuanli couldn’t understand their motive.

And since the spies had already been caught, how were there still so many demonic formations? Unless, unless one spy had managed to avoid being drawn into the Hidden Gods Clan’s formation. The thought made Mo Xuanli’s face pale. That was entirely possible. After all, he himself hadn’t been drawn in either.

Realizing this, Mo Xuanli immediately flew toward the area where Zixiao Sect’s battle raged most fiercely and soon caught sight of Fu Zhiyi.

“Second Martial Uncle!”

“You came back just in time! No big demons here, but the small ones are a hassle. They’re trying to capture people, go stop them at the teleportation array!” Fu Zhiyi shouted, parrying a demonic strike as he spoke.

Mo Xuanli instantly understood and flew toward the teleportation array. The moment he arrived, he saw two female figures there.

His heart sank. “Senior Sister!” he shouted.

In the blink of an eye, he rushed into the array only to see a demonic girl, whom he’d met once before, gripping Yun Yue by the neck with a cold smile.

“Mo Xuanli, we’ll meet again!”

Before his whip could strike, the array activated. Both the demon and Yun Yue vanished into thin air before his eyes.

Mo Xuanli’s rage exploded. He frantically tried to alter the array to bring Yun Yue back, but with what he knew, he could only destroy the formation, not activate it.

Seeing more besieged disciples being dragged toward another array, Mo Xuanli’s mind flashed with an idea. He rushed forward, grabbed several demons, and pretended to be captured himself. The low-level demons, lacking intelligence, tried to carry him into the teleportation light but when it flashed, only the demons disappeared. Mo Xuanli remained where he was.

He couldn’t understand why, but there was no time to dwell on it. To prevent any more disciples from being taken or any demons from escaping, he wielded God Nine Transformations and obliterated the formation before racing off to rescue others.

After destroying the arrays on four floating islands and saving the survivors, reinforcements from the other sects finally arrived.

The demons’ strategy had been simple but devastating: lure away the powerful, then flood the islands with low-level demons in suicidal waves, targeting young disciples and abducting them. Brutal but effective.

When the remaining demons were finally exterminated, they realized that most of the captives were people of status or influence, though personally weak, figures like Taixu Hall’s Zong Xuezhen and Tianzhao Sect’s He Zixiao. Every sect had lost one or two members, all closely connected to leadership, people who had to be rescued.

That meant this attack hadn’t been about rescuing captured spies or provoking war, they’d come to the cultivation realm to take hostages.

Once Mo Xuanli confirmed that reinforcements had secured the floating islands, he immediately returned to Zixiao Sect only to be grabbed by the collar by Nan Zhi the moment he arrived.

“Where’s Yun Yue?!”

Mo Xuanli’s eyes flickered. His face turned pale. He bit out, “By the time I got back, it was too late. Senior Sister Yun Yue was taken. I’m sorry, I realized it too late.”

Regret and guilt filled him. He hadn’t even seen her final expression, hadn’t even exchanged a single word with her.

Nan Zhi stood there in stunned silence, uncharacteristically shaken. “She’s just a healer… so weak…”

The two siblings stood in bleak silence, not knowing what to do.

Then, a cold voice snapped from behind them: “What are you despairing for? They dared to take someone from our Zixiao Sect then we’ll go take her back! And this time, we’ll make them pay! Get ready, we’re marching to the Demon Realm!”

The two turned their heads and saw Chu Fei walking out with the disciples who had almost been captured just now, his face dark. Having been toyed with like that, all the strong cultivators were seething with anger.

“Master…” Nan Zhi gritted his teeth. “When do we move?”

Mo Xuanli also looked toward Chu Fei. Senior Sister Yun Yue had been the first from Zixiao Sect to treat him kindly, an important senior sister to him. He had to save her.

“When they finish their discussions,” Chu Fei said, frowning but keeping calm in this critical moment. “It’s a waste of time, but this is no longer a matter of a single sect. I’m just about to bring him over to participate in the joint investigation.” He gave a cold laugh. “But if all they do is waste time, we’ll act on our own. Come. We’re going to Taixu Hall, Second and Fourth Senior Brothers are already there.”

Mo Xuanli’s eyes flickered, but he followed after Chu Fei.

Nan Zhi, however, did not.

She lowered her head and looked at her wrist, where faint golden spiritual lines shimmered. Murmuring to herself, she said, “This time, I absolutely won’t let you face danger alone.” Then she summoned a disciple and whispered a few words. When the young disciple’s face turned pale with fright, Nan Zhi had already mounted her sword and vanished.

Mo Xuanli followed Chu Fei into Taixu Hall’s plaza, where they were met by a mountain of demon corpses. A large formation encircled them, and members of the Hidden Gods Clan were casting spells.

Mo Xuanli’s sharp eyes immediately spotted a tall, graceful figure standing on the steps not far away, Gu Baiqing.

Instinctively, he wanted to go down, but he still gave Chu Fei a warning glance.

Seeing this, Chu Fei led the way toward Gu Baiqing, with Mo Xuanli close behind.

Gu Baiqing noticed them quickly and looked up, his gaze passing directly over Chu Fei to fall upon Mo Xuanli.

His white brocade robes were already stained with dust and blood, torn in places, proof that he’d been through a fierce battle before they returned. But he didn’t seem injured; his posture was still upright and composed, not the least bit disheveled.

Up close, a streak of blood could be seen on his cheek, splattered across the bridge of his nose, just covering the tiny mole at its side. That mole had always added a touch of charm to Mo Xuanli’s face, but now, hidden beneath the blood, there was only a cold, killing aura. Yet that severity had a striking, almost dangerous kind of beauty. His eyes, lowered and shadowed, made his sharp jawline appear even more severe, his whole demeanor tight and distant.

Perhaps because of that earlier misunderstanding and recalling how his little disciple had looked at him these past days, Gu Baiqing felt oddly uneasy. Looking at this Mo Xuanli before him, there was an indescribable sense of unfamiliarity. Compared to that “little demon dog” who had once done all those unspeakable things with him, this one didn’t need to do anything at all; just standing there at a distance, his very presence pressed in on Gu Baiqing, tightening his chest with a strange, nervous tension.

“Senior Brother, what are you doing here?” Chu Fei landed with Mo Xuanli and another disciple.

Mo Xuanli kept his head lowered. He didn’t immediately go to stand beside Gu Baiqing as usual. Chu Fei, not noticing anything amiss, just spoke as usual.

“Many of the sect leaders and elders inside are too agitated,” Gu Baiqing said calmly. “We need to wait until they calm down before we can discuss anything serious.” In such a volatile setting, emotions could easily take over. He’d come out for a moment of quiet to think things through.

“Ugh, what’s the use of arguing?” Chu Fei said impatiently. “We should be hunting them down, not shouting! I’m heading there now to investigate why the demons targeted those people and why only they could pass through the teleportation array.”

The young disciple trembled with fear but obediently followed Chu Fei away.

Mo Xuanli was about to follow too when Gu Baiqing called out, “Wait a moment.”

Gu Baiqing’s chest felt tight, was this boy actually avoiding him?

“Master, I was one of the first to return. I need to report the situation clearly,” Mo Xuanli said, still not raising his head, his voice low and steady.

Gu Baiqing looked at him quietly, about to speak when he noticed something.

His ring was gone.

He wasn’t wearing it anymore.

Of course, Gu Baiqing realized. So that was why he’d wanted to exchange gifts, it had been a token of affection.

Remembering the image of Mo Xuanli lowering his head to kiss that ring, Gu Baiqing felt a pang of sorrow and guilt. He couldn’t help wondering if the “return gift” Mo Xuanli had mentioned was already prepared before they returned.

“I just said they’re still arguing. It’ll take time before they start the investigation. Xuanli….” Gu Baiqing began, unable to stand the strained atmosphere any longer.

But before he could finish, Mo Xuanli suddenly lifted his head.

Those once soft, affectionate eyes were now stripped of warmth, only restraint and tension remained.

They locked gazes for a heartbeat, both stunned.

Then, in the next instant, Mo Xuanli abruptly dropped to his knees and bowed deeply.

“Forgive me, Master! I was wrong. I shouldn’t have lost control, shouldn’t have doubted you, shouldn’t have shouted at you, much less done something so offensive. Whatever punishment you give, I’ll accept it. It was all my fault, my arrogance, my delusion. Master, please forgive me!”

He knocked his head against the ground again, hard, the dull thud struck Gu Baiqing’s chest like a hammer, filling him with pain.

But Mo Xuanli knew he had to do this to wake himself up. He had thought he could calmly restore their teacher–disciple relationship, but the moment their eyes met, all rationality burned away. His emotions erupted like a volcano: resentment, longing, pain, desire, all tangled together, battering at his reason.

Having tasted sweetness once, even if it was false, how could he ever go back?

Just one look and he was already losing his mind.

But he forced himself to calm down, to remember: the person before him was not his partner, Gu Baiqing, but his master, Immortal Luofeng.

He had to stay composed. He couldn’t let his emotions spiral, couldn’t let himself fall into demonic corruption, especially not in front of his master.

Gu Baiqing was only his master now.

And his master didn’t love him.

So how could he, a half-demon, possibly believe that Immortal Lord Gu Baiqing wouldn’t mind what he truly was?

“Don’t be like that. I don’t blame you. Since it was all a misunderstanding, what’s there to be angry about?” Gu Baiqing said hoarsely, it was supposed to be him who was apologizing. “It’s also my fault for not being considerate enough. There were many things I didn’t explain to you clearly in time. You… don’t take it to heart.”

Mo Xuanli was kneeling on the ground, head bowed low.

“Master is not at fault. It’s me who was too greedy. I’ll never overstep again. I’ll behave and be a proper disciple. I only ask that you… continue to acknowledge me as your disciple. Just don’t drive me away.”

Gu Baiqing let out a long sigh. As expected, “not wanting to be alone” had been the thread running through Mo Xuanli’s entire life. He would do anything just to have someone stay by his side. Clearly, this was a situation where he had every right to be angry but he wasn’t. Instead, he knelt and begged forgiveness, afraid that his own anger might cause Gu Baiqing to drive him away.

“Mo Xuanli, no matter what kind of misunderstanding there was before, my promise hasn’t changed, you are my disciple. As long as you don’t wish to leave, I will never drive you away. Luofeng Pavilion will always be your home. I only hope that one day, you’ll find your own happiness, true happiness. And when that day comes, wherever you go, that place will be your home. Now, get up.”

Mo Xuanli’s downcast lashes trembled, hiding the complex emotions in his eyes.

He didn’t really know what he should do. All he knew was that the only choice he had left was to return to being master and disciple.

Steadying his emotions, Mo Xuanli stood up. This time, though he faced Gu Baiqing directly, he still avoided meeting his gaze.

Gu Baiqing, too, felt guilty and dared not look him in the eye. Seeing the blood streaks on his face, he instinctively reached out to wipe them away for his disciple.

But Mo Xuanli suddenly flinched away.

Gu Baiqing froze, recalling the earlier outburst—“Don’t touch me!”

He slowly lowered his hand and silently reminded himself: after such a huge misunderstanding, it was best to make sure boundaries were clear.

How ironic, before, he was the one always avoiding him; now it was Mo Xuanli’s turn.

He knew Mo Xuanli’s feelings toward him must be in turmoil right now. With time, if he kept a proper distance, Mo Xuanli would eventually come to his senses. By then, whether it was the “canonical pairing” of the original text or the match fated by the Yinyuan Stone, perhaps both could lead him to happiness and a home of his own.

“Wipe your face clean, tidy yourself up, and let’s go,” Gu Baiqing said, turning toward the main hall.

Mo Xuanli froze for a moment, then quickly wiped his face and followed in silence.

One ahead, one behind, their relationship no longer carried the lighthearted closeness of before. The disciple no longer unconsciously walked side by side with his master, no longer chattered brightly.

Gu Baiqing’s questions were calm; Mo Xuanli’s answers were equally calm.

“…I didn’t save Senior Sister Yun Yue. It was all my fault. I should’ve gone straight to the teleportation array, why did I go the long way around, why didn’t I think of it?”

Gu Baiqing halted mid-step. Mo Xuanli, head down in guilt, nearly bumped into him but then the faint scent of cold plum blossoms made him stop short.

Gu Baiqing started to turn back but ultimately didn’t. He only said in a low voice, “If you put it that way, everyone is at fault. Don’t take all the blame onto yourself, it was never your fault. When things like this happen, you need to keep calm and think clearly. Only then can you make the best decisions. Since they wanted to capture her, they wouldn’t kill her so easily. I believe we’ll rescue her.”

Mo Xuanli understood the logic. If anyone else had said it, it wouldn’t have comforted him but coming from his master, his taut nerves seemed to finally ease a little.

“By the way,” Gu Baiqing asked, “how is Nan Zhi?”

Mo Xuanli blinked. Right, Senior Sister Nan Zhi.

“I don’t know. She must be feeling terrible. They were close sisters, after all.”

“Keep an eye on her later. Don’t let her do anything reckless,” Gu Baiqing said. In the original story, Nan Zhi had charged out recklessly after the incident and disappeared afterward. But since this happened at Taixu Hall, maybe she’d wait for everyone to act together this time.

Mo Xuanli silently watched Gu Baiqing walking ahead, watched his back, and the way his dark hair swayed lightly as he moved. A loose strand drifted near him, and he couldn’t resist reaching out, letting it slide softly through his fingers.

Soft… just like this person’s heart. In ways others never noticed, in places no one else paid attention to, he always did.

Someone this good… why couldn’t he belong to him? How could what he felt for this person be just a misunderstanding?

As they walked, Mo Xuanli suddenly stopped.

Hearing no footsteps behind him, Gu Baiqing turned around, only to see Mo Xuanli standing still, coldly lifting his gaze toward a high platform ahead.

The spot where they stood happened to be just below the platform where the Yinyuan Stone was placed.

Seeing the stone, Gu Baiqing immediately thought of that image, the one of Mo Xuanli and Zong Xuezhen standing together under its glow. For a moment, he’d thought he was hallucinating. He couldn’t believe he’d seen such a thing; it had completely short-circuited his thoughts.

Mo Xuanli snapped back to awareness, saw Gu Baiqing looking as well, and said sharply, “Don’t look!”

Gu Baiqing blinked. You were the one staring first, he thought, feeling a twinge of awkwardness, Mo Xuanli hardly ever used that tone with him.

Mo Xuanli started walking again. “Just a stupid rock, Master. Let’s go.” 

If not for that stupid rock…

Gu Baiqing’s lips twitched. Probably no one distrusted the Yinyuan Stone more than his disciple. Well, as someone not native to this world, he couldn’t say he trusted it much either especially knowing the author of this whole fiction was some old hack. There were bound to be plenty of bugs.

Just as they were about to leave, a sudden commotion came from above.

“Good heavens, stop it! This has nothing to do with me, why are you attacking me? I didn’t even want to appear with you! I’m not tired of living!”

“Get lost! Courting death!”

Both men froze, it was Jingzhan and Si Chun’s voices.

A flash of spells burst above them. They were fighting.

The two of them immediately flew upward.

There were quite a few people already gathered: Ji Chuling, Li Xiuran, He Zixuan, and the two who were fighting. The atmosphere felt like something straight out of a battlefield of jealousy.