The tiny Pitcher Plant slipped his wobbly body out of Li Meirong's sleeve. He had been hiding there this whole time.

"Chou, You stayed with me!" Li Meirong exclaimed in surprise.

'Of course Master, where else would I be?'

He spoke with that same tone again, the one that made her feel stupid.

After rolling her eyes, Li Meirong bit her finger and bled into his hungry mouth. Chou excitedly wrapped his vines around her arms like a bracelet.

She didn't rest for long before self-disgust forced her to get out of bed and head for the steaming room, bringing along with her a new set of disciple robes and Chou who insisted on tagging along. A waft of steam drifted outside of the bamboo enclosure the moment she slid open the door and went inside. Chou seated himself comfortably on a pebble by the side of the tub, while she placed the clean robes on a small table nearby.

Li Meirong glanced at Chou, narrowing her eyes in thought. He was definitely a plant but he was something more than a plant too...

She used to walk around her apartment with only her underwear at times, while her cats lazed about. This was probably the same, right?

Reaching this conclusion, Li Meirong disrobed and slipped into the tub. Unbeknownst to her, after catching a glimpse of her naked figure, Chou hurriedly turned himself around and stared intensely at the wall. He considered himself nothing if not a gentlemanly plant!

The warm water soothed Li Meirong's aching muscles. A few rose petals floated on the water's surface. She let out a deep sigh of relief, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

In her relaxed state of mind, she remembered a few questions she'd been pondering. In a soft and slightly hoarse voice, she inquired, "Chou, why did you save me? And why did you want to follow me?"

Chou was quiet for a short while before his answer came.

'Master is special. Master's blood is better than anything else Chou has ever tasted. Chou chose to save Master because even though Master is so powerful, Master still chose to spare Chou. Chou is grateful! That's why Chou didn't hide and chose to follow Master.' The Man-eating Plant explained. His voice was filled with worship.

Li Meirong blinked a few times and studied the little Plant Monster. The thought of killing had indeed crossed her mind, but the reason she didn't do it wasn't because she spared him, but because she was so weak! How could she even dare to try? Chou seems to have gotten the impression that she's a mighty and powerful cultivator.

Silence is golden. Li Meirong thought, deciding to keep the truth to herself.

"What makes you think I'm so strong?" She asked in puzzlement.

'Master sure is funny! Your godly aura shows. Master, Chou is a plant but Chou has feelings too. Please don't mock Chou...' He replied, sounding slightly offended.

Li Meirong grimaced at that but later held a hand to her chin in thought. Maybe she is a rather special phenomenon in this world? She had some kind of special blood and apparently a godly aura, those sounded like excellent starting specs.

"Do you know why my blood is so beneficial for you?"

Chou Hopped up and down excitedly. 'Chou heard about people like Master! They are called furnaces and they are especially good for helping other cultivators, spirits or even demons. They become more powerful almost immediately!

'That's why Master's blood is so tasty and full of essence.' He continued, 'Chou heard furnaces provide the best energies while engaged in copulation, so whoever discovers furnaces usually covets them for that purpose. Chou thinks cultivators call this method dual cultivation but Chou isn't certain, because after all… Chou is only a plant. Ah! Master, why are you so upset??'

Chou had been enthusiastically sharing his knowledge but his Master suddenly got so angry, she stood up in the bath and caused all the water to splash on him. Boohooo!

That's what a furnace means?! She thought, outraged. All this time…

Li Meirong's face turned a dark shade of red. Flashbacks of the Senior's remarks and that Disciple who approached her as well as the Jiangshi Master who was planning on making her a concubine… it all made sense now!

My body is a tool for enhancing other people through sex?!

Oh, All her good specs and attributes… she felt so cheated now!

Not only was she, herself, not strong in the slightest, but it also seemed as though she was only good for making others more powerful and unable to keep none of it for herself! and in such a shameful manner, no less!

Thinking back to the Jiangshi Master who had such awful thoughts about her made her fume with rage.

"Chou!"

'Master?!'

"That Jiangshi Master in your belly, eat him up!"

'No can do, Master…' Chou answered sadly.

"Why not?"

'He was too heavy for Chou to carry and didn't know if you wanted him to be eaten or not so Chou spewed him back out to the forest before leaping into Master's sleeve, right before the human friends took Master away.'

Li Meirong covered her forehead with her hand. Well, that's that…

She got out of the tub and dressed in her new clothes. The garments were not that different from the previous set of robes she was given by the sect. In the pile was a white sash which she tied around her waist. It signified her official acceptance.

Li Meirong went back to the pavilion and found several new items placed upon the low stool by the bed. A wide-toothed comb, a simple hairband, a tube of rouge and an intricately crafted hand mirror. A pair of new black leather boots were waiting by the entrance.

She eagerly grabbed the items and made use of each of them. With her fair, delicate fingers, she applied a little bit of rouge upon her lips. She was feeling a lot better about herself now that she could tend to her appearance.

Li Meirong held the mirror up to her face and was shocked to discover her perfectly jade-like skin was suddenly without a hint of imperfection!

The scars were all gone!

She recalled Mo Cheng speaking about putting the powder in her food and wondered if it was a magical scar healing powder, or perhaps it was the medicinal water he dabbed on her face?

She traced her fingers gently down her cheek, tapped her nose and pinched her chin.

Knowing now what a furnace means made her think it might have been better to remain with the scars, in order to better hide this doll-like face!