Cultivation Nerd-Chapter 223: Playing With The Bookworm

As the sun dipped below the horizon, a biting chill settled over the camp, creeping in with the shadows. Fu Ko worked quickly, his hands shook as he raised his tent, and the cold nipped at his fingers with each movement. But it wasn’t the chill that made his hands shake.

When night fully claimed the sky, darkness wrapped around them like a thick, impenetrable shroud, broken only by faint patches of silvery moonlight struggling to pierce the cloudy canopy above. The forest lay in a deep, muffled stillness, disturbed only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant crack of a branch.

Although the biggest tent on this corner of the camp was officially his, it felt far from that.

As he stepped inside, the only girl in their team was already there, sitting on a simple wooden chair. Her looks were plain, with brown hair and a modest figure, but no one in the camp underestimated her anymore after the incident with Liu Feng.

How had he gotten himself into this situation? Perhaps refusing or faking an injury would have been better in this situation.

Fu Ko walked closer and knelt, lowering his gaze. “Lady Fu Yating…”

Even without looking, he knew she wore a contemplative expression, humming softly as she scratched at the jawline of her mask.

“This feels like wet leather strapped to my face,” she complained.

A flicker of irritation stirred in Fu Ko. Because of Lady Fu Yating, he had made a dangerous enemy. He recognized the look in Liu Feng’s eyes; a gaze that saw him as nothing more than a stone by the side of the road, like a dead man walking.

He waited, still on one knee, for his lady to speak. Despite his dissatisfaction with the situation, he had to play along.

“Fu Ko, it feels like you have something you want to ask?” Fu Yating’s tone was casual as she rubbed her cheeks.

Fu Ko swallowed nervously. “Is it wise to antagonize the Liu Clan so soon, my lady?”

Fu Yating paused, her silence stirring his curiosity, making him want to look up and see what expression she wore. But he kept his gaze on the ground.

“Do you know what I learned when I visited my dear husband at the Blazing Sun Sect?” She asked a question that felt nothing like an invitation for a response.

Finally, he decided he had looked down long enough and rose to his feet.

Fu Yating, meanwhile, gazed absently at the tent’s roof, her voice thoughtful. “I learned that my dear husband is very clever. He saw through me the first time he looked me in the eye.”

That must have wounded her pride, Fu Ko thought. She wouldn’t have been sold off like a broodmare if her talent matched her ego.

“It was the first time in my life I felt absolutely seen through,” Fu Yating admitted, leaning back in the wooden chair. “We’re the same age, yet he was so far ahead of me... It was frightening.”

Though Fu Yating had modified her clothing to downplay her figure, her careless lean revealed a hint of her concealed curves.

But Fu Ko didn’t dare look. He’d known Fu Yating since childhood, and she terrified him; she was the last woman he’d ever consider romantically. She was ruthless, embodying only her mother’s beauty without a trace of her gentle nature. It was good luck for everybody that she wasn’t born as someone talented like those people from the big Sects.

“I think that was the first time I developed a hateful crush on someone,” she murmured, her tone both bitter and amused. “The way he dismantled my act so effortlessly… a part of me hated him. But another part was happy that I wouldn’t have to suffer spending the rest of my life with a fool.”

Fu Ko really didn’t care about any of this. However, he had to listen because she might reveal something that might end up with him in a ditch, just to settle down the tension between the Fu and Liu Clans.

“He was so interesting, the way he used techniques, cultivated, and handled the people around him. Being around him was like all my worries melted away, and the only thing in my mind was…” she sighed, her expression growing melancholic. “Anyway, I’ll have to polish my performance every time he’s around, and we have to always be on guard.”

Fu Ko tried not to dwell on the situation. This clever, dangerous man she spoke of was now his enemy, all because of her. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t calm down his feelings.

Fuck! How had he wronged the heavens to end up in such a bad situation? Why did life have to be so complicated? No matter how this played out, he didn't see himself ending up unharmed.

“You know,” she said casually, “my father’s plan was to use me to stir up internal conflict, to make Liu Feng a tool in weakening the Liu Clan.”

Fu Ko winced, then quickly schooled his expression before she noticed. To say something so recklessly with cultivators around was risky.

Wasn’t she the one who just said that they should always be on guard?

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“Now, of course, that plan’s ruined,” Fu Yating continued, her tone flat. “The only thing getting used here will be me and my body. I have a pretty nice body, so I don't think he will get tired of me for at least half a decade. Though then will come the kids...”

Well, at least she was still loyal to the clan.

Though Fu Ko wasn’t fond of Fu Yating, he respected her dedication to her clan and marriage. Many stories circulated about reckless young women losing themselves in romance or indulging in foolish pursuits before marriage. Whether it was self-control or disinterest on her part, he was relieved that she hadn’t caused a scandal that would end in rivers of blood.

“Fu Ko,” her voice cut through his thoughts. “Do you think Liu Feng would be a harsh or tender lover?”

He froze, the silence around the camp suddenly deafening as his mind scrambled. How was he supposed to answer that?

Sweat pricked his brow. How could he possibly know something like that?

And did she even like her fiancé, or didn’t she? That part was still a bit unclear.

“Whatever you think, my lady, you’d be right,” he finally muttered, bowing his head.

“Well, I think he’d be gentle,” she replied, a faint, girlish smile touching her lips. “Behind that cold indifference, I sense a soft gaze. Though I’m not sure that kindness is enough of a weakness for the Fu Clan to exploit. Perhaps I should be looking out for the worst case scenario.”

Fu Ko felt painfully out of place in this conversation.

Were all women like this? A chill crept up his spine, and the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck prickled. If that were the case, then he’d rather remain unmarried, forever.

Fu Ko didn’t think Liu Feng was a bad man despite being forced into enmity. In fact, he seemed like a somewhat decent guy. Even with all the tension between their clans, Liu Feng had tried to open a line of communication. But for reasons Fu Ko couldn’t fathom, Fu Yating had decided to sabotage it with her strange maneuvers.

If ever two people weren’t meant to be, it would be Liu Feng and Fu Yating. They were so incompatible. Even someone like him, who was no romance guru and had seen them interact only once, could tell.

Honestly, Fu Ko wanted no part of this mess. Fu Yating was always a little unpredictable, but Liu Feng seemed to bring out her most irrational side. After all, she wasn’t even supposed to be on this expedition, but insisted on coming when she saw the name of her fiancée on the list.

“How should we handle this situation?” Fu Ko asked, glancing briefly at the tent flap, silently wishing he could slip outside.

Fu Yating’s smile didn’t waver. “Liu Feng has two weaknesses that I analyzed after observing him closely.”

She chuckled, shifting with the excitement of a child plotting mischief. “His first weakness is his apathy. He won't give chase as long as he doesn’t notice you or find you interesting.”

Technically, he’d given chase today, catching them off guard, but Fu Ko kept that comment to himself.

“His second weakness is his logic,” Fu Yating went on. “He tries to understand people through reason, like assuming the culprit of a crime is the one with the most to gain.” She giggled, sounding more her age for once. “The first weakness we can’t exploit since he’s on high alert. But the second? We’ll keep acting just illogical enough to throw him off. By the time he figures it out, he’ll be too late to stop us.”

Her knack for scheming was impressive, he’d give her that. But right now, Fu Ko felt increasingly reluctant to follow her lead. He didn’t want to be trapped in this marital drama or whatever this was.

“If I weren’t here, Liu Feng would’ve destroyed your plans by now!” She declared, as if she’d single-handedly saved them.

“Fortunately, Lord Fu allowed you to come,” Fu Ko said diplomatically. “But please, be mindful of your disguise… and try not to act too hastily. I know you're a better leader than me, but you must be mindful that Liu Feng isn't the only threat around here.”

He didn't believe for a second that Fu Yating was a better leader than him. Sure, she was more intelligent than him since she had had the opportunity to learn in one of the greater sects. Still, just scheming all day didn't make someone a better leader.

"Don't worry. At first, I feared he’d see through the disguise, but changing my voice, body language, and mannerisms worked wonders,” Fu Yating said, nodding with smug satisfaction, as though she’d won a victory in a game the other player didn’t even know they were in. “Though I’ll admit, it’s exhausting to keep up. Still, so far, he hasn’t suspected a thing.”

Her smile turned oddly genuine as she added, “I even felt a thrill when he mistook me for some other woman trying to get his attention. If things were different, and we weren't all hanging by the edge of a sword, he’d have probably hit me.”

To Fu Ko, a veteran of many clan skirmishes, Liu Feng didn’t seem like the type to throw a punch. He was more the sort to rip heads off, ensuring his opponents stayed dead.

“If only he were a bit dumber, and if our clans were friends,” she sighed. “Then I wouldn’t have minded marrying him.”

Fu Ko froze, his gaze narrowing on the clan head’s daughter.

Was she letting her emotions get in the way?

Fu Yating had been trained from a young age, mentored by tutors and her father who was a leader feared for his ruthless strategies. The Clan Leader was known for shortening the lives of promising young talents from the Liu and Jie Clans, striking fear and ensuring dominance. Had there been stronger young leaders in the Fu Clan, his schemes would have placed both families on the defensive.

But if Fu Yating was developing feelings for her target, then all those meticulously prepared plans would unravel. In that case, her marriage could be a disaster, one that would compel her own clan to silence her before she jeopardized their secrets.

“We need to keep him distracted a while longer,” Fu Yating insisted, her smile unyielding as if she relished this cat-and-mouse game a little too much. “He surprised us today, so we’ll have to hope he chalks up our behavior to eccentricity rather than suspicion. We should prepare some ‘unusual’ speeches, just in case he confronts us again.”

Fu Ko opened his mouth, ready to suggest something softer and less provocative than their last encounter. This wasn’t one of those romantic tales where a prince and a cultivator compete for a servant girl’s affection. In reality, the cultivator would kill the prince and take the girl.

And he had no interest in being the prince.

But he stopped himself, knowing it was too late for second thoughts. Their words were out in the open now, impossible to take back. Fu Ko was certain Liu Feng was just waiting for the chance to dispose of him when no one could witness it.

“I wonder if he noticed the fleshy mask?” Fu Yating mused, half to herself. “But no, he wouldn’t have experience with something like that.”

Seeing the contemplative look on her face, Fu Ko felt a sinking realization that it might be too late to back out.

What had he done to deserve a mission like this?