Extract the soul
Yu Zhu wanted to find another place to spend the night, but then she suddenly remembered that the number of people in the capital city had increased dramatically, making it difficult to find a place to rest.
She returned to the original inn, ignoring the dumbfounded look on the night watchman's face when he saw her disheveled appearance, and also ignoring Jing Xu following behind her.
She opened the door, closed the door, and leaned her back against it.
Jing Xu stood outside her door for a long time before saying, "Senior Sister, I left medicine at your door."
Yu Zhu opened the door; Jing Xu had already left. She bent down to pick up the medicine bottle.
After cleaning up, Yuzhu changed her clothes and sat on the bed with her hair down.
She must have time-traveled from the very beginning, regaining her modern memories when she was ten years old.
Eighteen years ago, perhaps due to the aftereffects of her near-demonic possession caused by a burst of magical power, or perhaps due to the stress of taking the lives of her fellow disciples and villagers out of desperation, her memories became confused, and she mistakenly believed that she had traveled back eighteen years.
Master... what were you thinking back then?
Yu Zhu jumped out of bed and ran to Jing Xu's door. "Jing Xu, there are still some things I haven't figured out. Can we talk some more?"
She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Yu Zhu used some force to push the door open.
Jing Xu was still dressed in blood-stained clothes, sitting cross-legged on the couch, surrounded by spiritual energy, with a small brocade box lying beside him.
Yu Zhu glanced at the brocade box, which seemed to contain the Soul-Binding Silk. Upon opening it, she found the box empty, and Yu Zhu's brow twitched.
She raised her hand and channeled spiritual energy into Jingxu's forehead. The incoming spiritual energy flowed through Jingxu's meridians, causing the originally calm spiritual energy to ripple and gradually surge.
The Jade Bamboo Spiritual Power found the Soul-Binding Silk and bound it, intending to draw it out of Jingxu's meridians. Jingxu refused, and the two spiritual powers were locked in a stalemate.
Fine, if you're so capable, let her spiritual power flow directly into your Golden Core and see who can withstand it.
Jing Xu frowned, then relaxed, and the spiritual energy within his meridians also loosened. Yu Zhu successfully drew the Soul-Binding Silk out of Jing Xu's body.
Suddenly opening his eyes, Jing Xu was horrified; his face was flushed red from behind his ears to the base of his neck. His hands, resting on his knees, were clenched tightly, and the veins on the back of his hands were clearly visible.
Yu Zhu, who had been wearing a cold expression, was startled by Jing Xu's reaction.
"I'm injured..."
"Does Senior Sister know about spiritual power carrying the master's consciousness..." Jing Xu's slightly hoarse voice trailed off.
Yu Zhu suddenly realized what was happening, gasped, and said, "I'm sorry."
I've been single all this time and forgot about this little-known fact.
Yu Zhu remained silent for a moment, but fortunately, the blush on Jing Xu's neck faded quickly.
She raised the Soul-Binding Silk in her hand and said in a cold voice, "What are you doing?"
Jing Xu lowered his head and said, "I plan to extract the wisp of divine soul that contains the lingering resentment of Immortal Venerable Qiongfang."
Yu Zhu frowned, "If we take it out, your cultivation will drop. Didn't we go through all that trouble to repair your soul?"
“But what if the Immortal Venerable’s lingering resentment controls me again? Lingering resentment is just that—lingering resentment. It can’t think. Just like Lingguang’s lingering resentment, it’s hostile to anyone related to demons, regardless of whether they are good or bad. The Immortal Venerable’s lingering resentment is the same. As long as it sees Senior Sister absorbing the power of others, it assumes that Senior Sister is going to become a demon without any reason,” Jingxu said.
Yu Zhu pressed on Jing Xu's shoulder, "Actually, it's quite good that you're inside me. First of all, your cultivation is inferior to mine, so even if you were controlled, you wouldn't be able to kill me. Secondly, the cultivation world is not peaceful right now, so you still need to have a complete soul. Finally, the cultivation world is vast and rich in resources, so there will always be a way to remove the remnant spirit."
Yu Zhu put the Soul-Binding Silk back into the brocade box and stored it in her spiritual energy bag.
"Just listen to me, and don't even think about using any other methods. I came here to ask you when you first realized your lingering regret?"
"Actually, I didn't sense the lingering resentment. I just thought that the dagger was given to me by the sect leader, and if he wanted to take it back one day, I made one that looked the same and carried it with me. I only realized the lingering resentment after I was controlled."
Jing Xu continued, "I just investigated. If Senior Sister stays in the sect and doesn't use magic, her cultivation will stagnate, and her remnant will never be activated."
Yu Zhu curled the corners of her mouth, "Then it seems you really did save me. If my lingering resentment were still with me, I might be gone. It's a pity that I have to leave the sect eventually, and I have failed my master's wishes."
She sighed deeply, "Master can't predict everything after all, like the magic crystal, like me."
The two remained silent.
Yu Zhu smiled and said, "Alright, I'll go back once I've figured it out."
She turned around, and Jingxu grabbed her wrist. "I'm sorry, senior sister."
Yu Zhu turned around and said, "You haven't wronged me, and it wasn't your intention to hit me."
Jing Xu pulled her closer, "Senior Sister will still be using magic in the future, right?"
“Yes.” Yu Zhu nodded.
She has demon blood, and her magic can save her life in times of crisis; she cannot give it up.
“Then I still need to extract that wisp of divine soul. In the future, my senior sister will inevitably absorb the power of her enemies for her own safety. When that happens, her lingering resentment will be triggered, and I will also become her enemy,” Jing Xu said solemnly.
"You haven't given up on this idea yet?" Yu Zhu moved her arm slightly, trying to pull it out of Jing Xu's hand, but Jing Xu held on firmly.
"Senior Sister, this is the best way. I don't want to be separated from you because of the Immortal Venerable's lingering resentment." A hint of pity appeared in Jing Xu's clear eyes.
Yu Zhu frowned, perplexed.
Jingxu seized the opportunity to intensify his attack, saying, "Besides, we have the Soul-Binding Silk, which we can replenish at any time."
Yu Zhu retorted, "What were you like when you were a spirit? You kept patching things up and taking them down, taking them down and patching them up again. I don't agree to this!"
She emphasized her words and sighed again, "I really don't know what you're worried about. Remnant spirits can't hurt me. Besides, now that the black robe is gone, I feel that my cultivation has improved a lot. You really don't need to do this."
Jingxu lowered his eyes and remained silent.
Yu Zhu was truly exasperated. She had never realized Jing Xu was such a stubborn person. No, he always had been; he would never listen when she told him not to transfer spiritual energy to her.
"Alright, stop nagging. I'll be keeping an eye on you."
"Senior sister, go back and rest. It's already very late."
"Okay, don't even think about it again," Yu Zhu instructed.
Jingxu smiled but remained silent.
Back in her room, Yuzhu carefully examined the spiritual energy bag, confirming that no one but her could open it.
Suddenly, Yu Zhu remembered Jing Xu's last smile and rushed to Jing Xu's door.
She knocked on the door and said, "Jingxu?"
Without receiving a response, Yu Zhu quickly pushed open the door and saw Jing Xu sitting cross-legged on the couch again, his spiritual energy circulating throughout his body.
He took a few steps to stand in front of him, and Jing Xu opened his eyes at the right moment, still looking puzzled, "Senior Sister?"
"What are you doing?"
"I am healing."
Yu Zhu narrowed her eyes slightly. "Really? Don't you usually care a lot about your clothes? You don't even change them?"
Jing Xu was taken aback, then smiled and said, "I didn't have time for a moment. I'll change later. Senior Sister, you should go back and rest."
Yu Zhu observed Jing Xu's expression, which showed nothing unusual. She then turned her back to Jing Xu and said, "You can change first."
Jing Xu seemed to be silent for a moment, then said, "Senior sister, go back to your room first. I'll change when I get back."
Yu Zhu crossed her arms and said, "Didn't you already confess your feelings to me? It's just changing clothes. Cultivators don't concern themselves with such trivialities."
Jing Xu sighed softly, seemingly helpless, "Senior sister is right."
"Senior sister, I've changed. Is there anything else?"
Jing Xu changed into a clean, moon-white nightgown, which made him look even more handsome.
Yu Zhu observed his expression and said, "It's alright."
Jing Xu was slightly surprised. "Then Senior Sister, go back and rest."
"Are you really not going to retrieve the soul?"
Jingxu raised his eyelids almost imperceptibly, eagerly asking, "Has Senior Sister changed her mind?"
"No." Yu Zhu said irritably.
Jing Xu seemed a little disappointed and said, "Then Senior Sister should rest."
"You should also give up this idea."
"Understood," Jing Xu replied.
Yu Zhu took a step, then stopped, exhaled, and said, "I'll sleep with you tonight."
Jing Xu's eyes widened, and he hesitated, "Senior Sister..."
Yu Zhu pushed him toward the bedside, "Don't hesitate, we've already slept in the same bed before, you sleep on the inside."
She pushed Jingxu to the inside of the bed, lay down on the outside herself, closed her eyes, and pondered the regretful matter in her mind.
Swish!
Yu Zhu opened her eyes. The room was completely dark, and the bed curtains had been drawn. Yu Zhu stared into the pitch-black void and suddenly felt something was wrong. She seemed to have entered a situation where she could neither advance nor retreat.
Either keep a close eye on Jing Xu to prevent him from taking the soul, or let him go, in which case he will most likely take advantage of the situation.
"Today I've learned what it means to be bullied when you're kind," Yu Zhu said softly.
Jing Xu chuckled softly, turned over and hugged Yu Zhu, "Senior Sister is such a good person."
Yu Zhu snorted coldly, "Good people usually don't get good rewards."
"Your senior sister will be rewarded."
After all that commotion, Yu Zhu was indeed overcome with drowsiness and fell asleep as dawn approached, but she still loosely held Jing Xu's hand.
Jingxu's hand broke free from Yuzhu's grasp, and Yuzhu opened her eyes instantly. It was already bright daylight inside the room.
"What time is it?"
"It's past noon. Senior Sister Jing Shu sent a message this morning saying she's coming to the inn to find us."
"Senior sister is here? Why didn't you call me?" Yu Zhu quickly sat up from the bed.
"Don't worry, senior sister. I've told Senior Sister Jingshu to come later."
The two went downstairs and sat for a while before Jing Shu arrived, followed by an unexpected person—Bai Liqu.
However, the Bailiqu Canal is now like a dog that has been soaked by the rain, listless and lacking its former vigor.
The four sat around the table, and Jing Shu explained, "After I discovered that Baili Changsheng was abnormal in the Baili clan, he went to Bi'an Gorge alone. The consequences were obvious; he was beaten and kicked out."
"Then he ran to the capital and told Baili Fu that the Baili clan should volunteer to besiege Baili Changsheng. The various sects hadn't even figured out the matter yet, and the Baili clan was in an awkward position, so they couldn't say anything. Baili Fu told him to go back to the Baili clan to guard the island, but he begged to stay and was kicked out of the inn by Baili Fu."
Baili Qu looked at her with displeasure, but Jing Shu rolled her eyes at him. "What, did I say something wrong?"
He lowered his head dejectedly again.
Yu Zhu tentatively asked, "Then who is Senior Sister...?"
Jing Shu looked at Jing Xu, "I'm temporarily staying in the palace and can't arrange a place for him. I was wondering if you'd be willing to let him sleep on the floor in your room? If not, that's fine too, let him sleep on the floor."
Jingxu glanced at Yuzhu and asked, "What do you think, Senior Sister?"
Yu Zhu pondered for a moment, "Okay, I'll share a room with Jing Xu, and then one room will be available."
Jing Shu raised an eyebrow, then smiled and said, "Thank you, A-Zhu, for giving me this face."
She took out a spirit energy bag and placed it in front of Yuzhu. "There's nothing else, just spirit stones. Have a good time in the capital."
Baili Qu, who had been silent all along, also took out a spiritual energy bag. "I have spirit stones. Use mine."
Jing Shu glanced at him sideways, "Good that you know what's good for you." She then stuffed the two spirit energy bags into Yu Zhu's arms, "Take them both."
Afterwards, Jing Shu hurriedly returned to the palace, and an awkward atmosphere filled the three of them.
"I'll take Young Master Baili to see the room."
"The seal on Bi'an Gorge is being broken."
Jingxu and Bailiqu spoke at the same time.
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