Une demi-vie de musique et de maquillage

Chapitre 27

"I didn't say anything..."

Luo Yi laughed out loud without restraint, "Master, has no one ever told you? You can be quite scary when you're frightening people."

Tan Huan kept her head down, inwardly agreeing with Luo Yi's words. What did "quite terrifying" mean? It meant extremely terrifying, incredibly terrifying, absolutely terrifying. Baili Liushang was never one to scare anyone; he wouldn't even give a warning before attacking, he'd just break bones and beat people until they vomited blood. Especially since she'd suffered several losses herself, she'd learned her lesson. Even if she couldn't beat him, she couldn't be so foolish as to walk right into his trap.

Baili Liushang smiled, "Why aren't you afraid?"

Luo Yi said, "Of course I was scared, otherwise I would have taken the bamboo-patterned sword directly from your study, instead of getting beaten up like this!"

Baili Liushang glanced at him with a smile, then turned to Tan Huan, "Don't forget to prepare breakfast and water for me to wash my face tomorrow morning."

Tan Huan nodded hurriedly, "I remember it well."

Waking Baili Liushang was an extremely difficult task, something Tan Huan hadn't known beforehand. She had painstakingly gotten up early to bring him breakfast and water to wash his face, but the great demon was still comfortably asleep in bed. Tan Huan cautiously called out "Master," only to see Baili Liushang frown slightly, "Don't disturb me."

Then, Tan Huan really didn't dare to make a sound and could only stand obediently to the side, waiting for him to get up.

Baili Liushang opened his eyes an hour later. He lay on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a while, and said in a flat voice, "Get dressed."

Greedy understood immediately and presented the clothes with both hands.

Baili Liushang glanced at her sideways. "You want me to dress myself?"

Tan Huan's lips twitched, once again understanding his unspoken meaning. She fawned over him, clutching the clothes, but after standing beside him for a while, her master showed no sign of getting up. How was she supposed to get dressed like this? Tan Huan was conflicted, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly, "Master..."

Baili Liushang glanced at her again, "Help me up."

Tan Huan obediently and sensibly helped him up, but as soon as her hands touched his shoulders, Baili Liushang's brows furrowed tightly, and he said, word by word, "You didn't wash your hands?"

Tan Huan's heart skipped a beat, and she was speechless. Suddenly, she remembered the perverted request that a certain weirdo had made the day before yesterday. She frantically searched her memory for other useful information, and after a moment, she muttered, "You said that the first mistake could be forgiven, and only the second mistake would be punished."

Baili Liushang raised an eyebrow and smiled slowly, "Is that all you wanted to say?"

After considering for a long time, Tan Huan cautiously asked, "Shall I go wash my hands now?"

"Forget it." Baili Liushang waved his hand dismissively. "When you have some free time later, write down what I said that day a hundred times for me. Making a mistake on the first day means you didn't listen to me at all. Time is precious for learning martial arts, so let's not waste it."

Tan Huan was so moved she almost cried. She'd actually passed the test so easily? "Master, what are you going to teach me today?"

The sun outside was shining brightly, almost scorchingly so. Baili Liushang squinted and glanced outside. If one were to practice martial arts under the sun… well, he chuckled, “endurance.”

Confused, Tan Huan blinked and asked, "Aren't you going to teach me the mental techniques and moves?"

“Any technique becomes pretty much the same in the end. No matter how powerful your martial arts are, they are useless against millions of enemies. Let alone being surrounded, you’d be exhausted if they took turns fighting you one by one,” Baili Liushang said. “Therefore, you must know your limits.”

Tan Huan began to understand, "Master, who do you want me to fight now?"

Baili Liushang pulled a tattered notebook from the drawer beside him and threw it to Tan Huan. "Take a look first. I'll demonstrate it for you after I finish breakfast. Then, you'll practice alone in the yard until you pass out. I want to know how long you can last."

The sun blazed overhead, its intense red light almost blinding; just looking at the overwhelming sunlight was enough to drain one's energy. The leaves in the yard were curled up, listless, their green faded and withered. The ground was completely dry, practically steaming.

Tan Huan glanced at it and nodded without hesitation, "Okay."

Baili Liushang laughed and said, "Huan'er, I have high hopes for your talent. Don't let me down."

Tan Huan sat quietly to one side, studying the martial arts manual. She was very comfortable with this method of learning martial arts. It was the same way she had been back in the Wu family; she had studied alone, without anyone demonstrating. Tan Huan had an exceptionally strong ability to understand martial arts texts. Even though they were just words, she grasped martial arts texts instantly and couldn't forget them after reading them. She was intently studying the booklet in her hands when, halfway through, she suddenly felt an itch on her forehead. Tan Huan looked up and saw Baili Liushang's hair almost touching her forehead. Startled, Tan Huan leaned back, her voice trembling, "Master!"

Baili Liushang said, "You read it quite quickly, and your concentration is pretty good."

Tan Huan was startled to realize that quite a bit of time had passed. Fearing that Baili Liushang would be angry, she quickly said, "Master, just calling me once would have been enough. Waiting by for so long makes me feel guilty."

Baili Liushang glanced at her and said, "I will now demonstrate it for you. If there is anything you don't understand, just ask me."

Tan Huan's eyes lit up. "Okay." She loved watching Baili Liushang demonstrate his skills; every movement was so perfect it was breathtaking. Tan Huan watched him demonstrate from beginning to end without blinking, not even asking a single question.

Suddenly, a servant came from afar to remind them, "Your Highness, it's time for the banquet."

Baili Liushang stopped what he was doing. “Huan’er, you can practice here by yourself.” Seeing Tan Huan nod, he added, “What I meant by ‘relentless practice’ was that you can’t even eat or drink.”

Tan Huan nodded, "I know."

Baili Liushang smiled maliciously, "Then I'll take my leave first, and check on you again tonight." He walked away into the distance, looking up at the scorching sky. The weather was so hot that even breathing was difficult. Heh, interesting.

Tan Huan stood still and began practicing each move one by one, completely focused.

Sweating on a hot day can be quite uncomfortable at first, especially the unpleasant feeling of sweat getting into your eyes and the sticky feeling all over your body. In the beginning, Tan Huan would occasionally raise his hand to wipe away the sweat, and his breathing would be slightly more rapid than usual.

Sweat evaporated instantly upon hitting the ground, leaving no trace. A quarter of an hour, two quarters of an hour, half an hour, an hour… Tan Huan felt her hands were too heavy to lift, and her legs couldn't move. Her throat was parched; she desperately wanted water. She paused briefly, glancing around furtively. Good, no one was around. Could she sneak a sip of water now without her master's knowledge? Her heart pounded. Tan Huan moved, but hesitated after lifting her right foot. Could she still maintain her limit after drinking water?

Master's words make a lot of sense. When fighting an enemy, the enemy will not give her time to drink water or rest; they will only target her weaknesses and attack relentlessly.

Tan Huan withdrew his feet, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and continued to recall Baili Liushang's movements one by one. Turning, kicking, jumping, every scene etched in his mind reappeared in his current actions.

The sunlight grew increasingly intense, and all the surroundings fell silent.

As time passed, contrary to before, Tan Huan's gaze became increasingly calm. His bright pupils shone in the sunlight, oblivious to everything else. Only his own movements were reflected in those black pupils.

There was no feeling of fatigue, no dry mouth, and the mind was as clear as a crystal-clear lake. Every movement was almost identical to the previous demonstration by Baili Liushang.

Tan Huan didn't notice when the sun set. Then, suddenly, he fell straight to the ground with a "thud" and closed his eyes without any struggle.

Baili Liushang deliberately waited until after dinner before slowly approaching, carrying a pot of tea, intending to leisurely pour it for Tan Huan and seduce her. When he stepped into the courtyard, he only saw Tan Huan lying on the ground like a corpse. He paused, raising an eyebrow and muttering to himself, "Could it be that she really didn't eat or drink anything and was exposed to the sun all day?" He bent down and saw that Tan Huan's face was peeling from the sun, yet her unconscious appearance was peaceful and content. Baili Liushang felt a sense of defeat. He had been eagerly anticipating seeing her pitiful state; why was she showing this expression?

"Luo Yi, stop hiding to the side and come out!" Baili Liushang said irritably.

"Master," Luo Yi jumped down from the roof, "Isn't my junior sister's martial arts talent a bit too good?"

Baili Liushang said, "You saw it all? Huan'er really practiced martial arts from beginning to end? Without slacking off?"

“Master, you have too little confidence in your authority,” Luo Yi said with a smile. “You’ve already said you’d train her stamina, how could Tan Huan dare to slack off?”

Baili Liushang was silent for a moment, then easily picked up Tan Huan and carried her to his room. "How are you feeling?"

Luo Yi was taken aback. "Huh?" She didn't understand at first.

"How do you feel watching her practice all day?"

Luo Yi chuckled, "I almost wanted to cripple her martial arts after seeing her. Only Master would dare to take in such a genius."

"Hmph, then why don't you cripple her? I've taught you for so many years, and I don't remember you being kind at all."

"Hehe, are you afraid you'll kill me, Master?" Luo Yi shrugged and smiled. "Tan Huan was the first disciple you actively sought to take in. How could I dare to be so reckless as to lay a hand on her?"

Baili Liushang scoffed, "Do you think I would lay a hand on you for her sake?"

"Master, do you even understand yourself?" Luo Yi asked. "You won't even let others touch your own prey, would you really let others touch your disciple?"

Baili Liushang's eyes turned slightly cold as he glanced at him with a smile. "Luo Yi, are you feeling the pressure now? You'd better practice your martial arts more diligently in the future, or it would be embarrassing if your junior sister caught up with you."

Luo Yi smiled, "I'll try my best."

"...What moves did Huan'er practice today? Did she make any mistakes?"

Luo Yi thought for a moment, then gestured with his hand. “This move,” he laughed, “is quick, isn’t it? I consider myself quite talented, and it took me about ten days to learn it, but she learned it after just one look.”

Baili Liushang remained silent and strode forward.

"Master," Luo Yi hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Although it's a bit inappropriate, I still want to say something."

Baili Liushang remained silent, somewhat guessing his intention, "Speak."

"Today, Tan Huan's moves were almost flawless. Every move was executed perfectly, just like Master's. The few differences were just slight modifications made to suit her better. Hehe, Master's eye for choosing disciples is truly excellent..."

"Stop the nonsense and get to the point." Baili Liushang turned around. "That's not what you wanted to say, is it?"

Luo Yi sighed. Saying it directly would seem like sowing discord, so he tried to be more subtle. "Don't raise a tiger to your own detriment." He paused. "With Tan Huan's talent, she'll one day dominate the martial arts world, even surpassing Master. She seems to dislike you, Master, and is still hung up on Pei Jin. Perhaps..."

"I can kill her with my own hands," Baili Liushang said calmly. "There's no need to worry."

I'm so hungry... so thirsty... so tired...

All around was a chaotic, misty fog, so thick that she couldn't see her hand in front of her face. Tan Huan was disoriented and had no idea where she was. Suddenly, a torrential downpour began, submerging her completely in no time. Water filled her nostrils, making it hard to breathe. When she opened her eyes, she found herself sitting in a bathtub, splashing around in the water. Blinking, she saw the water was only up to her chest. Tan Huan calmed down and looked around. The room was simply furnished: a bed, a table, a chair, and a wardrobe—only four items. However, although few in number, everything looked expensive.

This room... is not her room...

"Stop looking, this is my room." Baili Liushang seemed to be able to see through her thoughts. His dark pupils were fixed on her, and he smiled, seemingly in a good mood. "Hurry up and take a shower. You're covered in sweat and smell terrible."

Tan Huan didn't react for a long time, her beautiful face blank with a dazed expression. "Master..." she said unconsciously.

"Don't you understand?" Baili Liushang stood up. "Or should I find someone to come in and help you take a bath?"

"...I've fainted?"

"Um."

"How did I end up in Master's room? Did Master carry me in?"

“I didn’t know which room you lived in, so I came straight here.” Baili Liushang’s eyes remained fixed on her. “Why are you asking so many questions? Go take a shower.”

Why are you staring at her? What are you looking at? Tan Huan was slightly taken aback, and followed his gaze back to her own body. She was completely naked, and then her face slowly turned red. She quickly shrank back into the water. "Master... Master, can you help me take off my clothes?"

“Hmm,” Baili Liushang tilted his head, his glossy black hair sliding down his shoulder, and chuckled, “It wouldn’t be good to just throw you into the water. Would you rather take a bath with your clothes on?”

Tan Huan muttered to himself, "Men and women are different."

"The smell of sweat is one thing, but there's blood on your legs. The mix of blood and sweat is awful. I can't exactly let you sleep in my bed. I'll have you take a shower first." Baili Liushang slowly stood up and walked towards her. As Tan Huan saw him getting closer, she shrank back more and more. "Master, could you... could you please not come any closer?"

Upon hearing this, Baili Liushang actually stopped in his tracks and asked with a smile, "Why?"

"You'll see everything." Tan Huan thought to himself, but dared not say it aloud. "I haven't taken a bath yet, and I smell bad. I'm worried I'll offend Master's nose."

The bathtub smelled of blood, and ripples spread across the clear water as Tan Huan moved, the water tinged with a thin layer of red. Because Baili Liushang was right beside her, Tan Huan quickly finished her bath and bit her lip, saying, "Master, I need to get dressed."

"Um."

After a while, he still hadn't come out. Tan Huan looked up, wondering if she should be more specific, "I need to get dressed, could you please leave for a moment?"

Baili Liushang laughed with breathtaking beauty, a faint mockery on his face that still drew everyone's attention. "Get dressed? Do you even have any clothes to wear? Or are you going to keep wearing that dirty outfit you had before?"

After stammering for a while, Tan Huan said, "...put on your dirty clothes first, then go back to your room and change."

Did I say you could go back to your room?

Tan Huan asked, "Is there anything else you need to tell me, Master?"

"Have you forgotten your job as a servant?" Baili Liushang said leisurely. "Instead of going back to your room to change clothes, shouldn't you stay by my side and serve me properly?"

"……knew."

"Put on my clothes first," Baili Liushang waved generously, got up and took out the smallest one from his wardrobe, tossing it to Tan Huan. "Don't mind me, I've already seen it. If you're still uncomfortable, I can close my eyes."

"Thank you, Master." Tan Huan quickly dried herself off. The man in front of her had zero credibility and might open his eyes at any moment. She quickly slipped into his clothes, the fastest she had ever dressed in her life. "Master, I'm all changed."

Baili Liushang opened his eyes and leaned lazily against the bed. "Clean up the room first, then come over. I have something to ask you."

Tan Huan nodded hurriedly and diligently cleaned the room. He was actually quite weak, feeling completely exhausted. After finishing, Tan Huan returned to Baili Liushang and said, "Master, I've forgotten when I fainted, and I don't remember how long I practiced. What should I do?"

Baili Liushang said, "What does it matter?"