Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 571: The Red Fairy’s Inner Demons

“The Golden Serpent King truly possesses extraordinary skills. I merely breathed a little louder, and you detected me.” A beautiful daoist nun smiled as she stepped out from the bamboo grove. Dressed in a pale yellow daoist robe, she was none other than the Red Fairy, Li Mochou.

Her voice was soft and melodious, her demeanor alluring. Her bright eyes and white teeth, combined with her porcelain-like skin, made her a stunning beauty. Without anyone noticing how she moved her feet, she gracefully floated to a position just one zhang away from Song Qingshu.

“Fairy, you’re too polite. With the bond between us, calling me Golden Serpent King is far too formal,” Song Qingshu remarked. He couldn’t help but marvel inwardly at the sight before him. 

She gently waved the horsetail whisk in her hand, exuding an air of calm elegance. Her beautiful eyes sparkled, and her cheeks were tinged with a light blush. Anyone unaware of her true nature would never suspect she was a ruthless killer.

Li Mochou felt a flicker of irritation but maintained her serene smile. “And are you not being just as distant, addressing me as Fairy?”

Song Qingshu chuckled faintly. “You are charming and captivating, your beauty surpassing that of any flower. To call you Daoist Li would be too dull, and addressing you as Mochou might seem too frivolous. After much thought, I concluded that ‘Fairy’ suits you best.”

Li Mochou’s cheeks reddened slightly at his compliment. Throughout her life, only Lu Zhanyuan had praised her this way during her youth. After becoming the Red Fairy and gaining a fearsome reputation, people feared her too much to dare admire her beauty. Well, except for Yang Guo, who had also complimented her once before…

“Young Master Song flatters me. Even if I once had a trace of beauty, I’m far too old now to deserve the title of Fairy.”

Seeing the faint blush on her face, Song Qingshu exclaimed, “Whoever says you are old must be blind! Your skin is as fair as snow, smooth and tender, resembling a girl in her prime. Hmm, on second thought, it’s inappropriate to call you ‘Fairy.’ I should address you differently.”

Li Mochou knew he was teasing her but couldn’t help being curious. “What would you call me?”
“With someone as youthful as you, I should naturally address you as ‘younger sister.’ What do you think? Does ‘Sister Li’ or ‘Sister Mochou’ sound better?” Song Qingshu asked with a serious expression, as if genuinely seeking her opinion.

Li Mochou felt both embarrassed and infuriated by his shamelessness. She spat, “I’ve long heard of the Golden Serpent King’s charisma and his skill at charming women. Seeing you today, I find your reputation well-earned.”

Song Qingshu made a mock bow toward the air, feigning humility. “You honor me, but my skills are overrated. For instance, I’ve failed to win Sister Mochou’s heart.”

Li Mochou glared at him, annoyed. “Stop calling me that! Address me as Daoist Li.”

“I can’t do that. Such an ordinary title could never do justice to your exceptional beauty.” Song Qingshu refused earnestly.

Taking a deep breath, Li Mochou suppressed her urge to strike him. “Fine, just call me ‘Fairy’ then.”

“Of course, Sister Mochou.” Song Qingshu agreed without hesitation.

Li Mochou nearly coughed up blood in anger. Her Frozen Soul Silver Needles repeatedly slipped into her palm, ready to attack. If not for the fact that his martial arts were far superior to hers—and that she owed him two life-saving favors—she would have lashed out at this infuriating man.

Since fighting was not an option, and unable to deny her debt, Li Mochou chose to ignore his address. She quickly changed the topic. “Young Master Song, I’ve been following you to ask: what is your relationship with the Ancient Tomb Sect? How do you know our sect’s secret techniques?”

Song Qingshu laughed. “Didn’t I say so in the restaurant that day? I am the son-in-law of the Ancient Tomb Sect. Isn’t it natural for me to know its martial arts?”

Li Mochou was startled. “You… you and my junior sister…?” She stopped herself mid-sentence, finding it improper to finish the thought. However, her feelings were complicated. She had personally witnessed the love between Xiao Longnu and Yang Guo. Seeing Yang Guo willing to die with Xiao Longnu rather than live alone had left her deeply envious and bitter.

“Who said I’m Xiao Longnu’s husband?” Song Qingshu replied instinctively. “I’m her senior sister’s husband.”

Li Mochou’s eyes widened as she processed his words. “Her senior sister? That would be… me?” Anger flared within her. “Young Master Song, please show some respect. While I may not be your match in martial arts, I am not someone you can take liberties with.”

Realizing her misunderstanding, Song Qingshu quickly corrected her. “Sister Mochou, I misspoke.”

Li Mochou waved her whisk sharply, her voice growing colder. “I told you not to call me that.”

Shrugging, Song Qingshu replied, “Don’t be hasty. Let me explain the situation, and you’ll see that calling you Sister Mochou isn’t entirely unwarranted.”

“Oh? I’d love to hear this explanation.” Li Mochou sneered.

Stung by her frosty attitude, Song Qingshu sighed. “The misunderstanding lies in your belief that the Ancient Tomb Sect has only two disciples in your generation: you and Xiao Longnu. In truth, there is a senior disciple.”

“A senior disciple?” Li Mochou’s expression became confused, but she quickly retorted, “Nonsense! I am the senior disciple.”

“It was a disciple your master accepted in Liaodong,” Song Qingshu began, proceeding to recount the story of Bing Xue’er in brief. “That’s how things are. I met your senior disciple not long ago, and she’s already reunited with Xiao Longnu. Surely, you wouldn’t doubt your junior sister’s judgment?”

Li Mochou snorted, murmuring, “Although Xiao Longnu is naive, as the current head of the Ancient Tomb Sect, she wouldn’t mistake someone outside our sect for one of us. Could I truly have a senior disciple…?”

“Now do you believe me?” Song Qingshu smiled. “By seniority, you should call me brother-in-law. Isn’t it only fair for me to call you Sister Mochou?”

“Bah! Who’s calling you brother-in-law?” Li Mochou snapped.

“Actually, if you addressed me as brother-in-law a few more times, I might be persuaded to teach you the Jade Heart Sutra,” Song Qingshu remarked, watching her reaction closely.

As expected, Li Mochou’s expression changed at the mention of the Jade Heart Sutra. This was the martial art she had coveted for years. She had repeatedly tried to steal it from Xiao Longnu but had never succeeded.

“You know the Jade Heart Sutra?” she asked, her eyes filled with doubt as she studied Song Qingshu.

“The Jade Maiden Pure Heart Swordplay I demonstrated earlier is recorded within it,” Song Qingshu replied, reciting several key passages. Hearing this, Li Mochou recognized it as the authentic martial art of the Ancient Tomb Sect and believed him.

“How is it that even you know it…?” Li Mochou felt despondent. Song Qingshu had likely learned it from Bing Xue’er. Her master had taken in three disciples, and she alone had been denied this treasured technique.

“Master, how could you be so cruel!” Li Mochou cried, her face turning deathly pale. Her body trembled, and she suddenly coughed up blood.

Get More Chapters onPatreon: From now on, FSM Level 2 will become the CN WN Bundle. The price will remain the same which is $10. Also, the price for the KR WN Bundle will also be decreased to $10 to match this bundle.

With this I have gotten rid of the level system. The reason I am doing this, is because I plan to add more chapters to the $5 Patron tiers. Previously the readers got 2 advance chapters when they became a $5 Patron, but now I’ve increased the chapters they will get to at least 5 chapters and more. So the current updated tier system will work like this:

The Individual Tiers ($5) will give you access to 5 chapters or more. The Bundle Tiers ($10) will give you access to all the chapters of CN or KR ReadNovelFulls. The Supreme Patron ($30) will give you access to all the ReadNovelFull chapters on Goblinslate.