**Chapter 166: Licking the Cat**
At this moment, at the very end of the Spirit Boat, a tall girl with a giant frame timidly lowered her head, as if she had committed an unfathomable crime. With an air of defeat, she stepped out.
Her black hair was long and plain, especially the bangs that hung over her eyes, giving her a rather gloomy vibe.
However, her striking height of almost 1.8 meters was hard to miss. Despite looking unhealthy and undernourished, with skinny arms and legs, her chest was shockingly prominent—definitely hard to ignore and a total magnet for unwanted attention. This made her deliberately lean back to appear smaller and, of course, to hide some of the boom — which only added to the brooding aura.
And even so, wherever she went, people always gave her side-eye.
Most of those glances were filled with disdain and prejudice.
“Why do I have to sit on the same Spirit Boat as someone like her? I feel like I’ve caught her bad luck.”
One female cultivator made a disgusted face.
The girl’s face sank even lower. Do I smell bad? I’ve been showering all the time, though…
“What a disgusting person. She’s ruined my good mood for the entire journey.”
A boy didn’t hold back at all, throwing insults like they were confetti.
The girl couldn’t help but shrink her neck. I’m so sorry… for ruining your day…
“How come a person who only attracts misfortune doesn’t just disappear?”
Someone went so far as to escalate things.
The girl felt like crying little pearl tears. She was just trying to report to the Xuantian Sect, doing the same things as everyone else—why was she always being ostracized?
But the girl—Su Xiaoxiao—was already used to it.
Everyone on this boat was from Suzhou City, and during her time in Suzhou, she received her fair share of discrimination. She thought that maybe when she got to the Xuantian Sect, things would change, but it seemed that her fate would remain the same.
Su Xiaoxiao walked slowly and quietly, trying not to trouble anyone, always keeping her distance and walking at the back.
However, when she stepped off the Spirit Boat, her foot landed on the plank, but for some inexplicable reason, the plank suddenly broke. She fell flat on her face, like a dog landing in the mud.
“Pfft! Look at her, like a stray dog!”
“Ugh, her bad luck is kicking in again. No wonder she’s known as the Plague God of Suzhou City.”
“This jinx even caused her family to meet their doom, and now she can’t even catch a break herself!”
Onlookers just enjoyed the show; nobody bothered to help.
Help? Why would they? They probably wished for Su Xiaoxiao to disappear and keep away from them while they reported to the sect.
She almost got them in trouble on the way; if it weren’t for her presence on the Spirit Boat, why would strange demon birds have attacked the boat in the first place?
“Get lost, Plague God! You’re not welcome here!”
No one bothered to give her a sympathetic glance after witnessing her embarrassing fall. Some even spat on the ground, then happily trotted off in groups, grumbling about her while laughing on their way to the inn for a satisfying meal.
“Ugh, that hurts…”
Su Xiaoxiao quietly got up, her foot feeling like it twisted.
She felt uncomfortable, not because of the insults—after being called the Plague God for years, she’d gotten used to it.
And it wasn’t even the physical pain—she was only a bit clumsy. She was just lamenting her clothes! This new outfit was something her mother left her, and she had been saving it for a special occasion. Now that she was finally leaving Suzhou City to start a new life, she wanted to reinvent herself, and here she was, covered in mud!
She felt frustrated, as if her life was a number full of fumbles and false starts—always a negative number.
Watching everyone else leave her behind, Su Xiaoxiao felt as if her life was completely gray.
She wished to have friends, those kinds of close friends who would joyfully share meals together.
Yet, she was always alone.
Well, she did have a friend once, but that was a long time ago, and they only met once.
Most likely, her gloomy presence had long been forgotten in a corner.
“Oh well, maybe it’s better not to think too much about it. Being alone isn’t so bad…”
Su Xiaoxiao let her eyelids droop, eventually turning away to venture into the depths of the nearby forest.
She planned to find a quiet spot to isolate herself from the crowd so she wouldn’t ruin anyone else’s mood.
The forest next to the inn was beautiful, lush and green. Pushing through the underbrush, she found a secluded path.
As she ventured deeper, the soft, damp earth beneath her feet reminded her of a hidden treasure trove. Initially, the overgrown weeds made progressing difficult, but as the view opened up, the path widened, revealing a scene so captivating that she couldn’t help but be mesmerized.
The air was filled with an enchanting fragrance, as if spiritual energy floated all around. Ahead, a waterfall cascaded down, its splashes creating a spectacular sight.
Clearly, this inn had been built here for a reason; the stunning scenery attracted many cultivators who wanted to rest, eat, and enjoy the beautiful landscapes.
Mu Jixue stood by the waters of the pool beneath the waterfall, looking gloomy and heartbroken, her mind still replaying the images from the Spirit Boat.
—Qin Hongye had been chomping down on Yun Zhonghe’s face while pulling out his weapon…
I’m so mad! So mad! How could that woman?! There were so many people on the boat, yet she…
Everyone had been acting so strangely back there, like they’d been hit by some spell; clearly, it was Qin Hongye’s doing, but she didn’t want to put Yun Zhonghe in a difficult spot, making things awkward for everyone.
“Stupid Yun Zhonghe! Blockhead Yun Zhonghe! Foolish Yun Zhonghe! Does he really trust Qin Hongye that much? He almost got eaten and didn’t even know it!”
Mu Jixue kicked a stone away in frustration, sending it flying far off.
Since she promised herself not to lose her temper without a good reason, Mu Jixue could only vent her frustrations in this way.
“Xue’er!”
Just then, Lin Zhongyu finally managed to catch up.
She looked at Mu Jixue, whose eyes were slightly red, clearly puzzled about what could have happened. I mean, how could she just end up fighting Qin Hongye on the boat like that?
“Xue’er, what happened? You can tell me.”
Mu Jixue: “…”
Should I tell Lin Zhongyu?
She could sense some of Lin Zhongyu’s feelings for Yun Zhonghe; after all, Mu Jixue’s intuition was quite sharp. So she figured it would only make Lin Zhongyu upset if she shared what happened.
Speaking of which… I guess I’m a bit conflicted too…
Wait a minute, does that make me the one who’s licking him?!
So I’m the dog licker after all?!
Maybe for girls… it could be called licking the cat instead?
