Coming out from the wood, Bai Yao hurried back to her room. She crushed the flower with her craft and fed the ice worms with the dew.
The ice worm, which was still sleeping, soon woke up to eat the fresh flower.
Bai Yao sighed with relief. Her efforts had worked. The only thing she should do next was to feed the ice worm two more days.
Her nerves relaxed and she planned to walk out to have some quiet time.
Suddenly she saw Zi Qin standing in front of the door. His eyes were deep, until he saw she was untouched by the woods.
He couldn’t help but reproach her. “Bai Yao, do you know how dangerous your actions were today?”
When he had just come back to Mt. Wushan, he had heard the story that Bai Yao had ran into the forbidden wood. He was so shocked that he hurried to find her.
Fortunately, she was fine. Otherwise, he would have burned up the wood.
Right now, Bai Yao had forgotten her feelings toward him and only treated him as her master. So she stared at him and answered him calmly, “I know it’s dangerous, but it is worth it.”
Her gaze was firm and her tone was steady, and n.o.body could find any fear.
Zi Qin was tongue-tied by her words. This kind of Bai Yao was the work of his own teaching. Meanwhile, such a Bai Yao was strong enough and close to her pursue.
After a while, Zi Qin turned softer and talked to her with concern. “Anyway, Bai Yao, I just want you to understand that if you are not sure about the results danger may bring to you, you shouldn’t take a risk. Many things are not worth that risk.”
Zi Qin seldom taught her anything beyond the witchcraft, so Bai Yao bowed to him and said, “Thank you, Master, I will remember.”
This was the first time for months that Zi Qin had talked to her so much. As to the sudden instruction by him, Bai Yao was surprised, but soon her mood turned peaceful again.
Seeing Zi Qin had left, Bai Yao thought about the right timing of burying the ice worm into his body. It was good luck that Zi Qin recently stayed in the mountain quite often. This gave her a lot of chances.
The ice worm was one of the love worms, but it was not the same type as the one planted in her body. If Zi Qin fell for someone, the ice worm only gave him a little, dull pain in his heart.
She just wanted to know if he had a lover. Anyway, she also didn’t want him to be moved by anyone.
This day was Bai Yao’s birthday. Usually she didn’t care about this kind of thing. But this time, she tried to use it to her advantage.
She asked the underlings to prepare some dishes, and she herself made pear flower wine. She also had a medicine to induce somnolence, and had lunch with Zi Qin in the hall.
They hadn’t had dinner together in a long time. This sudden lunch surprised Zi Qin. When he saw a bottle of wine, he became more curious. Bai Yao never drank alcohol. He asked, “Why do you want to have lunch with me today? Why did you prepare the wine?”
Bai Yao replied to him with respect, “Master, today is my birthday. Student hopes to celebrate with you.”
Zi Qin became more suspicious. She had never cared about these kinds of issues.
Bai Yao read his mind and said, “I didn’t have time before. But this time, I just thought of the birthday and I think it is not burdensome to simply have lunch with you.”
Zi Qin nodded and sat down opposite of her.
Usually, the two kept the rule of “Not speaking during dinner and sleep”. But this time, Zi Qin had no intention of drinking the wine, so Bai Yao had to speak first.
“Master, thank you for teaching me. It’s your teaching that lead to my achievements until now. Please drink this cup!” Bai Yao drank up her cup after saying this.
Zi Qin still had doubts in mind. But he drank as she suggested. “It’s your own efforts that made up the current progress. It is not my performance."
Bai Yao added some more wine to his cup, and said, “Anyway, I should thank my master.”
Zi Qin didn’t say any words, meaning that he accepted her thanks.
Then, the master and the student began to drink the wine together. In a while, the aroma of pear flowers filled the hall.
Though the wine’s taste was mild, it had strong after-effects. Besides, Bai Yao had put in half a pack of the somnolence medicine. This amount of the medicine could make a normal person sleep four hours. But as to Zi Qin, it wouldn’t have this strong effect. Anyway, she only wanted him to be unconscious for a while. That was enough.
As expected, Zi Qin fell down on the table. Bai Yao took out the worm box immediately and opened his mouth to feed him the ice worm.
The ice worm followed the pa.s.sages to enter his body. She didn’t feel any difference from him. Bai Yao knew she should leave right now after her success, but she didn’t.
She stared at his mask with curiosity. Touching the mask with her fingers, she guessed at his real ident.i.ty.
Yes, she was hesitating if she should move away his mask right now. What kind of secret would she discover? She might not have any other chance to do this later.
While she was wondering, a big hand grabbed hold of her wrist. Zi Qin had already waked up, and his pupils were like a whirlpool threatening to absorb her.
“What are you doing?” His angry rebuke stunned her.
Bai Yao felt awkward for a while, but soon she smoothed out her demeanor. “Nothing, I just want to wake you up.”
Zi Qin knew that she was lying. But he didn’t say this, and he released her hand. “No more time.”
Great! He thought she was planning to remove the mask, and didn’t find the ice worm in his body. What good luck!
Zi Qin straightened his clothes and left.
Bai Yao didn’t ask for him to stay since her goal had been reached.
Over the following days, Zi Qin didn’t discover he had the ice worm implanted inside him.
It looked like his heart was as strong as a rock.
Now each of them had a love worm in their body, so neither of them would be touched by anyone’s armor.
It was good for them to avoid the experience of the pain of love.