Two Horns

The frustrated Xiao emerged from her meditation with mental exhaustion. Judging by the quartz light turned on above her ceiling, it was already evening.

"That's not fucking fair, master! It's going to take me years before I land a single hit on you!" Xiao slumped as she voiced her complaint.

The voice inside of her head chuckled.

<< And what do you suggest? That I hand over the spirit fountains to you merit? Look at it this way, you are receiving training from one of the strongest cultivators to ever grace the heavens. If you land a single blow, then it ultimately means that you have what it takes to follow my footsteps. >>

"But I need the spirit stones now! I have no way of advancing my cultivation!"

<< Tough luck. You are not an infant, Xiao, you are capable of seeking funds all on your own. >>

Xiao clicked her tongue, where in the world is she going to get the thousands of spirit stones necessary to fuel her stars?

Suddenly, it struck her. Her expression glowed as bright as the quartz lighting up the entire room.

<< Your heart rate quickens, already found a solution? >>

"Yes. Assuming the mannequin still hasn't murdered Liu, then I should be able to request a large sum to stop their squabble."

<< And you are sure that she would harm the mannequin because? >>

"Because she hates me, and after what she did to us and Lin, the feeling became mutual."

Zhen let out an amused snort. She's lived long enough to sense that things are going to take an interesting turn for them both.

<< Love and Hate are two horns on the same goat, Xiao. Remember this. >>

An amused chortle escaped from Xiao. Was her master insinuating love might blossom between them? Preposterous. So much so that Xiao didn't even bother to respond. Although she had to admit, Xiao did find Liu pretty, but the redhead was too high up in her horse to even consider Xiao to be of equal standing.

Tomorrow, Xiao would pay a visit to the Shen household, hopefully, her mannequin had already given Liu a few broken limbs. But for now, Xiao eats.

Standing up, Xiao saw the array of food on her coffee table. Courtesy of Fang Xuan. Xiao's lips twisted into a smile, what a caring junior. Skipping lunch and dinner has her famished.

"Is it finally time to eat? I am starving!?" As if she owned the bed, Luqing rose from her nap as it was finally time for food, like the cat that she is. Her cat tail and ears were on full display as she needn't bother to hide the parts that made her a spirit beast around Xiao.

The repast on the table had pork dumplings, meat buns, and fried noodles. There were plenty if it's just for the both of them.

"You could have just eaten when I was still cultivating."

"Oh, so you think just because I'm a demonic cultivator I have no manners? It is your food, I'm not going to just eat some without your permission."

"I'm not assuming anything…whatever, let's just eat." The puzzled Xiao sat at the table.

"Agreed. Although these do look tasty, I still prefer if you could spare one of your disciples so I could eat them." Luqing also took a seat.

How nonchalant Luqing mentioned that she has a taste for the human flesh failed to register in Xiao's mind. It was only after she held her chopsticks in her hand that her eyes widened at the realization.

"I'm sorry, are you meaning to tell me that you eat people!?"

"Don't be surprised, I may have this form but I am not a human like you."

Xiao's forehead creased in confusion and disgust. Murder was the norm for someone who cultivates, their star system incentivises strife. She can somewhat understand the allure in Demonic cultivation, what she can't understand and where she draws the line is a spirit beast still subsisting on flesh even after being given human form.

But before they could delve on the matter further, the door to Xiao's room opened.

"Xiao, my beloved, I have arrived…" The smile on Yanfei's mug turned upside down as she saw who was sitting right next to her lover. "...What the fuck are you doing here!?"

"Good grief, I thought you foxes were supposed to be smart? You can't even guess that I'm dining?" Luqing shook her head in disbelief.

"Xiao, when I told you I am not against you seeing others, It was not a free pass for you to lower your standards and settle for…this!"

How aggressive Yanmei pointed her finger at Luqing was like a judge mandating judgement. The crime? Settling for less. Luqing's movement might be refined as a primal hunter, but her crassness was very unladylike.

"Oh yeah!? Well if I was Xiao I wouldn't lower MY standards and settle for a weakling like you!"

Xiao sighed, she just wanted to eat but now It seems she would need to take sides. The side she would be on was fairly obvious. "Luqing, since you and Yanmei are like oil and water, I'm going to have to ask you to eat at the dining hall."

"It's fucking rude to kick your bodyguard out of your room…" Luqing flashed Yanmei a smug smile. "...But I understand, It seems that your mate is afraid that I'm going to steal you from her."

Yanmei was close to popping a vein. The woman dares to insinuate that she is jealous!?

The nerve of the cat to taunt the fox!

Luqing stood up with her plate, until Yanmei called her out.

"Sit down. You want to dine? We will dine." The irked Yanmei yanked the seat across the cat, sitting down.

"Yanmei!? She was just about to leave! Why did you stop her!?" Even Xiao was starting to develop a temper of her own.

"This is between me and this cat who doesn't know her place."

"What am I, chopped liver!? Fine, you two go right ahead, I am going to eat." Xiao decided it would be best to ignore them both and just fill her stomach.

Surprisingly, the three of them ate in silence. But that silence was a prelude, much like a calm before the storm, evident by how they would occasionally glare at each other.

And that storm manifested when there was only one dumpling left.

Luqing chopsticks reached for the last dumpling, but before she could lift it, Yanmei's chopsticks clasped hers, forcing the dumpling to fall back into the plate.

Treating them as swords, their chopsticks clashed over and over until a dumpling victor would be crowned.

Who cares about eating it? With their armaments locked together, their death glare meant that they would do everything in their power not to let the other party devour the final dumpling.

Ever the sly one, Yanmei tried to grab it with her left hand, only for it to be slapped away by Luqing, infuriating Yanmei even more.

Luqing tried to copy this, but what she found waiting wasn't a slap, it was their chopsticks, Yanmei moved their mingled chopsticks as if to impale Luqing's covetous hand.

Taking advantage of their stalemate, Xiao swept in to quickly swipe the dumpling and ate it. Their murderous glances were suddenly redirected at Xiao.

"What!? You two are going to be fighting for that dumpling the entire night!"