After Becoming a High-Risk Master, I Flipped the Script Chapter 184

Although Gu Baiqing was shocked inwardly, on the surface he still put on a calm demeanor. After all, in his memories, no matter how bizarre Song Xingkui’s actions were, the original owner had always turned a blind eye.

“Senior Sister.” Gu Baiqing slightly bowed in greeting. Before he could straighten up, a light breeze swept past his eyes.

Gu Baiqing instantly became alert. In the next second, Song Xingkui was already standing before him, holding an emerald green fishing rod, carrying fierce water element power, pointed straight at his face.

“After Senior Sister came out of seclusion, didn’t you hear about my situation? If you want to spar, I’m afraid this junior brother cannot accompany you.” Gu Baiqing looked at Song Xingkui with an unchanged expression as he spoke, while inwardly marveling at her movement technique. She was also at the Tribulation stage. Although that realm no longer distinguished early, middle, or late stages, according to the setting, she should have remained stuck at the entry level without further progress. Yet at such close range, Gu Baiqing felt her strength was somewhat unfathomable.

Especially this emerald green fishing rod, it was no ordinary magic artifact.

Gu Baiqing looked at the fishing rod pointing at his nose. A spirit line hung down from it, seemingly not very threatening, yet it radiated powerful water attribute spiritual energy.

“My junior brother, Gu Baiqing?” Song Xingkui spoke, and the previously absurd impression instantly vanished. Standing before Gu Baiqing now was the genius female cultivator who once astonished the cultivation world.

“Senior Sister?” Gu Baiqing felt a bit suspicious, wondering if he had revealed some flaw. Why was Song Xingkui using such a tone?

Song Xingkui’s gaze flickered, and she said coldly, “My good junior brother, shouldn’t you explain something to me?”

Gu Baiqing looked at Song Xingkui with an unreadable expression and heard her enunciate each word clearly. “Why did you take in a hybrid as a disciple?”

Hybrid? Song Xingkui knows…

Gu Baiqing’s expression changed slightly as he said, “Did Senior Sister not hear the full story when you came out of seclusion? My disciple is not some hybrid, he is…” Impossible. According to the setting, in the original text, ordinary cultivators could only notice Mo Xuanli’s anomaly if they were at a level close to ascension like the original owner. After all, there was a half-immortal seal on him. If Song Xingkui could see through it, she would never have allowed him to take Mo Xuanli as a disciple in the first place.

“Still trying to hide it from me? Have you forgotten that we have a demon race imprisoned in the forbidden ground? Your little disciple once broke in there. Ordinary people cannot undo that restriction. As long as I interrogate that demon race, what wouldn’t I know?” Song Xingkui did not finish her words, but left Gu Baiqing with endless room for imagination. Gu Baiqing had almost forgotten that the Zixiao Sect’s forbidden ground still imprisoned a demon race, and that only the sect master could enter and leave it.

The precursor to Mo Xuanli embarking on the path of demonic cultivation had begun back then, when he nearly damaged the forbidden ground and was injured by the demon race. Because of that injury, the seal within Mo Xuanli’s body had begun to loosen.

Gu Baiqing’s face darkened, yet he still felt something was off. After all, in the original text, Song Xingkui did not know about this at this point. But after comparing information with Half-Step Mad, the part involving Song Xingkui in the fan works was already different, and the plot changes had become numerous. Gu Baiqing had long lost any basis for judgment. He knew that arguing now was useless. From Song Xingkui’s eyes, he could tell she was already convinced.

“Junior brother, I will give you a chance. Go and kill him now. Just say your disciple was harmed by the demon race and died heroically. That will at least preserve your and the Zixiao Sect’s reputation,” Song Xingkui said coldly.

Gu Baiqing felt his scalp tingle, and his gaze toward Song Xingkui gradually turned cold.

Song Xingkui sneered. “What? Have you forgotten what hybrids represent? They are born filthy and dangerous, unworthy of living in this world. If someone were to discover that the disciple raised by our Immortal Venerable Luofeng is actually a hybrid, that would be troublesome. If you cannot bring yourself to do it, then help me sense his location. I will personally go and kill him.”

As Song Xingkui spoke, she was about to reel in the rod. In the next moment, an icy blue sword body flashing with lightning appeared before her.

“I thought Senior Sister would be different from ordinary people. I never expected your thinking to be just as stubborn. So what if he is a hybrid? Born only to be condemned by you? Do you think you are the heavens?” Gu Baiqing was clearly furious.

Song Xingkui slightly narrowed her eyes and looked at Gu Baiqing. “So Junior Brother thinks hybrids are no different from us?”

“Of course. They are even better than some narrow-minded cultivators. At least the disciple I raise is a thousand, ten thousand times better than others. I will not allow anyone to touch him, not even you, Senior Sister.”

“Even if he is unstable? Might fall into demonic cultivation? Become a butcher who kills without blinking, a danger to the safety of the world.”

“Xuanli will not. I believe in Xuanli. He is my disciple. I will watch over him well and absolutely will not let him walk such a path,” Gu Baiqing said firmly. “Senior Sister, do not deny a person over mere possibilities. Xuanli is very good, truly very good. And Xuanli has already found a way to change his bloodline. As long as he gathers all the fragments of the God-slaying Sword, he can expel the unstable demon bloodline. Even if you cannot tolerate hybrids, can you not, for this junior brother’s sake, give him a little time? Do not destroy his future.”

Gu Baiqing was furious, yet he did not want to fall out with her. After all, if even the Zixiao Sect did not stand behind Mo Xuanli at this moment, what they would face was something Gu Baiqing did not dare to imagine.

“There is no such thing as absolute certainty in this world. What if it fails? And even if he himself is unwilling, many accidents may still occur. Many people may force him into demonic cultivation. Once he falls into it, everything will be over.”

“Even then, I believe Xuanli will absolutely not become a demon that harms the world,” Gu Baiqing said firmly. “He was taught by me. I know what his nature is like. If something truly happens, if he cultivates as an immortal, I will help him. If he falls into demonic cultivation, I will manage him. I will stay by his side the whole time. Since I took him in, I will be responsible for him to the very end.”

Gu Baiqing spoke with passion, yet did not notice that Song Xingkui’s expression had already changed.

“Then… why didn’t you keep him by your side, and instead act separately from him? Aren’t you afraid others will covet your little disciple and cause him harm?” As the slightly teasing voice sounded, before Gu Baiqing could react, Song Xingkui had already raised her hand and flicked Morning Snow. Morning Snow instantly reverted to a small hairpin and flew back. Immediately after, Song Xingkui burst into laughter right in front of him, her laughter echoing throughout the entire garden.

“S-Senior Sister?” Gu Baiqing was stunned.

Song Xingkui wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and said, “I was teasing you. Your precious disciple, how would I dare to touch him? I just wanted to confirm what kind of attitude you actually have toward this hybrid disciple of yours. Very good, very good. You truly didn’t disappoint me. Worthy indeed of… my good junior brother. But… your relationship really is quite good… so good, so very good.”

Now Song Xingkui no longer had her earlier seriousness. She smiled like a blooming flower. Being a strikingly beautiful woman to begin with, even her exaggerated laughter was breathtaking.

But Gu Baiqing had no mood to appreciate it. He was completely bewildered.

Song Xingkui flashed him a mischievous grin and said, “What’s wrong? We haven’t seen each other in so long, don’t you miss your senior sister? Come here, let your sister give you a hug.”

Gu Baiqing immediately put on a straight face and stepped back. “Senior Sister, you… what exactly do you mean? When did you know Mo Xuanli was a hybrid? Could it be… you were trying to trick me?”

Song Xingkui said, “I wasn’t tricking you. After I came out of seclusion and listened to the disciples’ reports, I heard something had happened in the forbidden ground, so I went to check on that demon race. When he mocked me and forced me to kill him, I found out.”

Gu Baiqing frowned. “Not every demon race can see through Mo Xuanli’s constitution. Is the demon race imprisoned in our forbidden ground really that powerful?”

Song Xingkui’s gaze flickered. Of course she had not learned it from that demon race. That demon race had kept silent except for begging for death. But to fool this newly arrived junior brother, she could only say, “After all, it’s a demon race captured by our predecessors. With so many years having passed, it should be powerful.”

Gu Baiqing did not dwell on it further, only asking, “You… don’t mind at all?”

“You’ve described Mo Xuanli so well, and you keep vouching for him. What is there for me to mind? He’s not my disciple anyway. I had to confirm your attitude before knowing what to do,” Song Xingkui said with a mysterious smile, beckoning Gu Baiqing over to the pond. “Come, let’s talk slowly.”

Gu Baiqing knew that it had just been a false alarm. Song Xingkui truly had no ill intentions. He stepped forward helplessly and swept his gaze over. Good grief, there was a pile of food and illustrated books. The book on the chair was the one she had been holding earlier. Just as he was about to see what exactly she had been reading to laugh like that, Song Xingkui seemed to notice his gaze. With a wave of her hand, the book vanished instantly.

Gu Baiqing looked at Song Xingkui in confusion. She gave a mysterious smile and said, “Not something for children to read.”

Gu Baiqing’s mouth twitched. Just as he was about to sit down, he heard Song Xingkui add, “When you get married in the future, Senior Sister will give you a whole box.”

Now Gu Baiqing had a guess. Could it be dual cultivation illustrations or something like that? Otherwise, why emphasize giving it as a wedding gift? This senior sister was really unreliable. Could it be that she had been reading that kind of book and laughing out loud just now? And with the distinction between men and women, wouldn’t it be awkward to say such things to him?

Song Xingkui handed the fishing rod to Gu Baiqing, gesturing for him to help, while she herself picked up a fruit platter nearby and started eating.

Only then did Gu Baiqing realize that she was not fishing at all. She was fishing for crayfish, and using a high-grade spiritual tool at that. Looking at the bucket beside her, it was already half full of crayfish.

In the most spiritually abundant place in the entire Zixiao Sect, what exactly had this woman been raising?

The rod moved, and Gu Baiqing mechanically reeled it in. After all, crayfish were quite easy to catch.

Then Song Xingkui suddenly and abruptly said, “How far has your relationship with Mo Xuanli progressed now?”

Gu Baiqing’s hand trembled, the crayfish fell off, and he turned his head in shock to look at Song Xingkui. What on earth was this senior sister talking about? Was it what he thought it was?

Song Xingkui also slightly opened her mouth, staring blankly at his reaction. Then her expression turned somewhat surprised. “Huh? No way? You’re not together?”

Gu Baiqing was already horrified. “Senior Sister, what are you talking about? What progress? What being together?” He must have misunderstood.

Song Xingkui’s originally sparkling amber eyes instantly dimmed, and she said with a disappointed face, “From what you just said, I thought you two already had something going on. That life-and-death, never-abandoning posture, how could it possibly be just a master–disciple relationship? Is it that he hasn’t fallen for you, or you haven’t fallen for him? You didn’t teach him stupid, did you, letting him fail to see such a great beauty like you? You really haven’t done anything at all? Not even a little?!”

Gu Baiqing was immediately at a loss for words, his face turning from dark to red. It could be said that in just this short time, his brain cells had already been dragged to their deaths by Song Xingkui’s jumping train of thought.

“Senior Sister, we are master and disciple! What are you thinking? We’re both men, and with this kind of status, it would be outrageous and immoral. How could it be possible…”

“So what if you’re both men? Are you really that old-fashioned? Believe me, this can totally happen. And our sect doesn’t even have rules saying that master and disciple can’t become dao companions. Think about it. You’re already his master, and he listens to you so obediently. If you also became his dao companion and managed him in every way, you could definitely bind him tightly. What would there be left to worry about regarding demonic cultivation?” Song Xingkui said with a radiant smile, looking as if she were painting a beautiful future for Gu Baiqing.

Gu Baiqing took a deep breath, feeling like he was about to go into cardiac arrest. What kind of brain structure did she have? How could she come up with something like this? This was way too abrupt.

Song Xingkui put on an instructive expression. “Hybrids falling into demonic cultivation is actually mostly influenced by their state of mind. You nurture him with your love, let him think of you every day aside from cultivating, happily circling around you all the time. That’s how he can grow up healthily.”

Heh heh… it made sense, but why did it have to be me? Couldn’t it be a cute girl instead? This… is this really a BG world? Is senior sister really not forcing him down the ‘master-disciple romance’ route?

“Sorry, we’re just in a clean master-disciple relationship. I’ve disappointed you.” Gu Baiqing couldn’t hold it in anymore and said numbly.

Song Xingkui finally shut up, but she put on a look of disappointment at wasted potential and said, “No wonder you didn’t come back together. So it’s just a master-disciple relationship. Sigh… not promising at all.”

Who exactly was she scolding?

Gu Baiqing endured it and said, “Senior Sister, you said you were testing my attitude toward hybrids. Now that you’re sure, what do you plan to do next?”

“If you don’t mind hybrids, then Mo Xuanli is a disciple of my Zixiao Sect. If you protect him to the end, then no matter what happens in the future, our Zixiao Sect will not come into conflict with him, and we’ll even help in secret. I only have one requirement, and that is that you fulfill your promise and not let him endanger the world,” Song Xingkui said seriously. “Of course, I hope the best outcome is for the two of you to stay at home properly. Whether you’re master and disciple or dao companions, it’s up to you.”

Gu Baiqing ignored the latter part and only said, “I will definitely keep my promise. Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Song Xingkui froze, then suddenly said, “I should thank you too.”

“What?” Gu Baiqing was confused.

“Thank you… for taking in such a troublesome one and not despising him,” Song Xingkui said. “If he hadn’t ended up in your hands, but with someone else, who knows what Mo Xuanli’s fate would be like. With his talent, he might have already become a great demon lord.”

Gu Baiqing frowned slightly, feeling that there was something more to her words.

“Senior Sister, is this why you called me back?” Gu Baiqing asked.

Song Xingkui leaned her head back and lay down leisurely. “After coming out, I found the world completely turned upside down, with changes too great. Then I heard from Luo Nianyi that you no longer have spiritual power, so I was worried about your situation and wanted to see you. I also wanted to confirm your disciple’s situation. But… all of this turned out far better than I had expected.”

Gu Baiqing was speechless. With an immortal-demon war about to erupt and the Zixiao Sect’s top combat power having unstable spiritual power, this still counted as far better?

Suddenly Song Xingkui couldn’t help saying, “Actually, I hadn’t expected to see you. I really thought you would act together with Mo Xuanli. You let a Nascent Soul stage hybrid go out to search for the God-Slaying Sword fragments. Don’t you think that’s too dangerous? There are quite a few people watching him.”

“I planned to follow later. After all…” Gu Baiqing paused. It didn’t feel good to say that Mo Xuanli wouldn’t let him follow. Senior Sister would definitely overthink things. Better forget it. “Second Senior Brother wouldn’t allow it. I couldn’t just leave directly.”

“What? He wouldn’t allow it? That brat…” As soon as Song Xingkui heard this, she immediately got worked up and sat up, muttering about beating apart mandarin ducks, destroying relationships, and deserving to be single for life.

Gu Baiqing: …I heard nothing.

“You don’t need to worry about Fu Zhiyi’s side. I’m already out. What are you staying for? Hurry up and set off.”

Gu Baiqing was genuinely surprised at Song Xingkui. This personality of hers, changing with the wind, was really something. He hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. He didn’t waste words and directly said, “Thank you, Senior Sister. Oh right, Second Senior Brother had something he wanted me to pass on…”

Song Xingkui quickly waved her hand. “I know exactly what that housekeeper wants to say. Isn’t it just that the immortal-demon war is imminent and he wants me to manage the household properly and stop getting struck by lightning? I get it. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again. You can go without worries. Leave this place to me. Just protect your little disciple properly and don’t let others bully him.”

With such a promise, Gu Baiqing could finally leave without distractions.

Just before he left, Song Xingkui suddenly spoke. “By the way, is it really true that the God-Slaying Sword fragments can resolve his bloodline issue?”

“You haven’t heard of this method either?” Gu Baiqing asked.

“I’ve heard that the God-Slaying Sword is the only divine weapon capable of dealing with ancient gods and demons. Its power is already beyond what the current cultivation world can imagine,” Song Xingkui said seriously. “If it really can change bloodlines… then not being threatened in the future would also be a good thing.”

Gu Baiqing agreed.

“All right, go.” Song Xingkui waved her hand. Watching Gu Baiqing walk away, she still couldn’t help calling out, “Junior Brother, actually, considering my suggestion isn’t bad…”

Seeing Gu Baiqing walk even faster, Song Xingkui shook her head and chuckled softly, sitting cross-legged and murmuring, “Even better than we imagined… looks like taking a risky move was indeed the right call. But… how did these two not end up together? Really, a master-disciple romance would be so good…”

Before Song Xingkui could finish speaking, there was suddenly a crack of thunder, and a small bolt of lightning descended from the sky. It startled Song Xingkui into dodging, patting her chest and saying, “So close, so close. I won’t say it anymore, I won’t say it anymore.”

On Gu Baiqing’s side, he quickly left Zixiao Pavilion and found Luo Nianyi. Luo Nianyi was somewhat surprised that he had returned so quickly. She thought they would talk for a long time. Only when she heard Gu Baiqing ask her for items did she react in surprise. “You’re leaving?”

Gu Baiqing nodded.

“If you’re leaving, why do you need pills to block the master-disciple contract and spirit beast contract? And you also want disguise pills? Are you going to hide from your disciple?” Luo Nianyi was deeply puzzled.

Gu Baiqing could only say that it was a confidential matter of great importance. Luo Nianyi had no choice but to give them to him in the end, carefully explaining how to use them.

After that, Gu Baiqing packed up a large pile of talismans and spirit stones in case of emergencies.

In the blink of an eye, having returned to Zixiao Sect for less than an hour, Gu Baiqing had already completely changed his appearance and appeared at the foot of the mountain. After taking the pills, he used a technique to leave a disguised contract sensing within Zixiao Sect’s territory. That way, whether it was Mo Xuanli or Three Bean, they would only sense that he was at Zixiao Sect, while he himself could track their whereabouts through the contracts hidden within his body.

At first, Gu Baiqing planned that if no tasks appeared, he would take his time traveling, moving along slowly and conserving his spiritual power as much as possible.

But after spending a night resting alone in the town at the foot of the mountain, he suffered from insomnia.

On the second day, a bolt of lightning appeared under a clear blue sky. A few days later, Gu Baiqing showed up in the mixed cultivation-and-mortal region in the west. Like Longan Port, this area had ordinary people, cultivators, and many immortal sects.

After arriving here, Gu Baiqing stopped flying on his sword, afraid of exposing his whereabouts. He planned to follow the contract and search slowly, but Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran were moving very quickly. Every time Gu Baiqing caught up to one place, they had already headed to the next town.

Gu Baiqing could only keep chasing after them. Each time he was just about to catch up, he would miss them again, which was truly frustrating.

It was only when he chased all the way to the famous Xiayang City in the west that a system notification suddenly popped up in his mind.

【Third Quest Set, Task 3: Obtain the blessing of the Divine Tree and successfully advance to late Nascent Soul stage. Reminder: When receiving the Divine Tree’s blessing, the mind must be free of distractions and the heart pure. Otherwise, there is a risk of qi deviation. Please be careful.】

Gu Baiqing felt reassured. The Divine Tree’s blessing had been mentioned in the fake fanfiction he had read before. It should be the Divine Tree of the Immortal Medical Valley. The Immortal Medical Valley bordered Xiayang City, and to get there, one had to pass through Xiayang City. Moreover, the Immortal Medical Valley generally did not receive outside visitors, so Mo Xuanli… must be here right now.

For no apparent reason, Gu Baiqing felt a surge of excitement in his heart. That inexplicable sense of urgency felt like it was about to burst out of his throat. He even felt that if he were to shout Mo Xuanli’s name in the street right now, Mo Xuanli would immediately appear in front of him.

But that kind of behavior would be very stupid… yet for some reason, he really wanted to do it.

He shook his head and forced himself to calm down. Just as he was about to sense the contract and search, he stopped again, feeling a bit timid. While hesitating, he saw a ready-made clothing shop beside him and ended up stepping inside.

Although Luo Nianyi’s disguise pills were extremely effective, and there was nothing on him that Mo Xuanli could sense, he still remembered the painful lesson of his first failed attempt at disguising himself when going down the mountain.

So…

“Shopkeeper, I want a cloak and a mask.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Gu Baiqing was startled, because it was not him who had spoken, but a familiar female voice.

Gu Baiqing turned his head and immediately widened his eyes. He saw a small woman standing beside him, wearing a hood and looking sneaky.

And this person… was Ji Chuling!

The shopkeeper walked over, smiling at the young woman. “A mask? Are you going tonight to…”

“That’s right, I’m going to the demon den! This old lady is going to catch that dog of a man!”

Gu Baiqing: ????