Midnight has passed.
Xin Qi remained hidden among the trees, his eyes fixed.
His bones and blood, which had been like mud, began to be rebuilt little by little. Without the restraint of the inner core, the pain was more obvious than before, and the sound of bones grinding together could be heard clearly.
Xin Qi's limbs trembled uncontrollably, but his face remained expressionless.
However, her consciousness, which had not had a proper rest for hundreds of years, was somewhat hazy. She kept recalling the bewildered look in her eyes when he sent Jiang Fei to the hands of the exorcist.
She was sent away by him without even knowing what had happened.
She also absorbed his demonic energy to distract the exorcist's resolute expression.
The two scenes kept echoing in my mind.
The surrounding bushes suddenly moved.
Xin Qi was taken aback.
The branches and leaves that Jiang Fei had originally surrounded with magic were now being withdrawn by the magic, and they gradually returned to their original positions, leaving only a lonely crescent moon overhead.
Xin Qi's breath hitched.
Spell recovery is a sign that the spellcaster's spell is about to run out.
Jiang Fei...
Xin Qi's fingers twitched slightly, then dug them firmly into the soil. His pale fingertips were covered in mud, but he remained oblivious, constantly testing the strength of his limbs, trying his best to get up.
The moonlight was gradually replaced by the faint pale light of dawn on the horizon.
Xin Qi stood up, panting heavily, and glanced in the direction where Jiang Fei had disappeared. Unable to muster any magical power in his dantian, he lifted his foot to walk in that direction. The next instant, his leg, which hadn't yet been fully rebuilt, buckled, his knees twisting outwards, and he fell deformed to the ground.
Ahead, the bushes rustled.
Xin Qi suddenly looked up.
Jiang Fei stood there, her once neat black hair now disheveled. In one hand she held a broken longsword, and in the other she tightly gripped a pair of mandarin duck hairpins. The broken sword and hairpins were covered in blood, and a drop of blood dripped from the gleaming tip of the hairpin.
She was still dressed in a light white gauze dress, spotless, and apart from her pale face, there was nothing unusual about her.
She was also looking at him, then quickly stepped forward and supported him, her voice low and hoarse: "Xin Qi!"
Xin Qi kept his eyes fixed on her.
Jiang Fei smiled at him slowly, took his arm and placed it on her shoulder, and struggled to stand up.
In the early morning, just before dawn, she said softly, "I've come to take you back."
Then, supporting him, he walked step by step toward the inn in the distance.
Xin Qi leaned on her shoulder, inhaling the faint scent of soapberries, his face expressionless.
The exorcist was at the Nascent Soul stage, while Jiang Fei was only at the Golden Core stage. How could they possibly be unharmed?
Moreover, that exorcist had several disciples at the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stages under his command...
Such suspicions persisted until they reached the inn.
As soon as the guest room door opened, Jiang Fei gently placed Xin Qi on the bed, smiled again, and softly comforted him, "It's alright now."
After saying that, she collapsed softly to the ground, a comforting smile still lingering on her lips.
Xin Qi lowered his head and looked at Jiang Fei, who was lying on the ground, and then his gaze suddenly narrowed.
Beneath her pristine, ethereal white gauze dress, bright red blood slowly seeped out, quickly staining the dress crimson. She looked as if she had been pulled from a pool of blood.
Xin Qi froze, took two steps toward her, lifted the white veil covering her, and then froze completely.
Large and small sword marks covered her snow-white skin, and blood was still gushing out.
The things he had overlooked just now flooded his mind.
Why is the most important sword for a cultivator broken?
Just how desperate was she that she even used a hairpin as a weapon?
Despite being a Golden Core cultivator, she had just been helping him, like the weakest mortal, to walk step by step from the jungle back to the inn.
Because she had been holding on, all for him.
Now that he's alright, she finally couldn't take it anymore.
Xin Qi paused slightly, and the next moment his fingertips glowed red as he was about to heal her, but a sharp pain in his dantian instantly brought him back to his senses.
Forcing the use of the technique will only cause further damage to the inner elixir.
But……
Xin Qi looked at Jiang Fei's bloodless face and the life force that was gradually slipping away.
It's all because of this constitution. If she dies, if she dies... then how can he prove the Way of Heaven?
It's just that her physical condition makes it difficult to find another one.
Xin Qi pursed his lips, his fingertips glowing red as he channeled his magic into Jiang Fei's body, watching as her face finally stopped turning deathly pale. Meanwhile, in his dantian, his inner core surged, his magic nearly depleted. He coughed softly and collapsed beside the bed.
Hearing the muffled thud beside her, Jiang Fei slowly opened her eyes, looked at Xin Qi who had fainted on the ground, and her lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
That's what you call a self-inflicted injury ploy, you bastard.
When Xin Qi woke up again, it was midnight—the time when divine punishment descends every night.
In the past, he could use his martial arts to resist some of the divine punishment, but now he can only use this body, which is comparable to that of an ordinary person, to endure the pain of his bones being broken and then regenerated inch by inch.
Even as the sound of bones breaking echoed continuously, he remained calm and composed.
"You're awake?" A man's surprised voice came from the side.
Xin Qi's eyes darkened slightly, a flash of malice passing through them. He turned to look, only to see a waiter dressed in hemp clothing standing attentively not far away. Noticing his parched lips, the waiter deftly poured him a cup of water: "Sir, please have a drink..."
Before he could finish speaking, his hand trembled as he met Xin Qi's gaze, spilling water all over the back of his hand.
Xin Qi withdrew his gaze and glanced around again.
The waiter was quick-witted; seeing this, he hurriedly said, "A young lady hired me to take care of you here."
girl.
Xin Qi naturally knew who the girl the waiter was talking about was.
"And her?"
"That girl?" the waiter asked honestly. "She said she had some things to do and left first."
Xin Qi tightened his grip on both hands.
They left?
Xin Qi slowly lowered his eyes. Jiang Fei was now very likely to realize that he was a demon, and it was not impossible for him to leave.
Immortals and demons have been irreconcilable since ancient times.
This is what she adheres to.
Xin Qi chuckled, feeling that the bones in his arm had been reattached. He slowly raised his hand, looking at his fingertips, which were devoid of any power.
He was the one who got involved, and ended up saving her.
She had better pray that she would still have a life left for him to choose from before his inner elixir was restored.
He detests betrayal the most.
"Sir, I see your lips are dry and bleeding. Please have some water first, and we'll prepare breakfast for you shortly..." the waiter said carefully.
Xin Qi turned his head and glanced at the waiter, his eyes filled not only with disgust but also with a hidden anger.
The water and food in the human realm are extremely filthy. Even though he is now a cripple in the form of a mortal, he would never eat such filthy things.
Under such gazes, the waiter trembled inwardly, placed the cup on the table, and quickly disappeared.
On the third day after Jiang Fei disappeared, Xin Qi stayed at the inn, meditating and cultivating his mind day and night.
The more powerful the inner elixir becomes, the more difficult it is to repair.
That night, he meditated as usual, and the divine punishment arrived as promised.
He simply sat on the couch as usual, reciting the mantra in his mind.
The door was then opened from the outside.
A murderous intent flashed through Xin Qi's mind.
He knew it was the waiter, and perhaps to repay the money Jiang Fei had left behind, he would send over food from the human realm every night.
Since his magical powers have not yet been fully restored, he will endure it for now.
But today, those footsteps didn't stop at the table; instead, they walked step by step toward the bed.
Xin Qi frowned, suppressing the trembling of his inner core, and made a killing gesture with his fingers.
The footsteps grew closer, accompanied by weak, labored breathing. Then, the bed curtains were gently pulled back. Xin Qi raised his hand to strike the person who entered, but instead met a pale face.
He paused, then a surge of anger welled up inside him that he couldn't even understand.
"Xin Qi," Jiang Fei smiled at him, "I'm back."
Xin Qi gazed at her for a long time, his eyes lowered slightly, and his voice was indifferent: "Miss Jiang."
Jiang Fei's smile froze slightly: "Xin Qi, the waiter told me that you haven't eaten for the past few days, and your dantian is damaged, now..."
“Miss Jiang, I still need to cultivate.” Xin Qi interrupted her.
Jiang Fei was stunned for a long time: "Then, I'll wait for you from the side."
Xin Qi glanced at her: "With others around, I can't concentrate on my cultivation."
After saying that, he closed his eyes.
Jiang Fei paused for a moment, then slowly opened her palm, revealing a pill emitting a blue light. She placed the pill beside him and said, "Then don't forget to eat it."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door, his figure slightly unsteady.
Xin Qi kept his eyes tightly closed, but his brows were unconsciously furrowed.
I can't calm my mind.
In the past, even when divine punishment descended, he could concentrate on cultivating the Dharma, but now... he finds it difficult to remain calm.
Jiang Fei left, and as you can guess, what she brought back was nothing more than some spiritual herbs. Did she think that these would be enough to settle the matter of her "betrayal"?
The sky gradually brightened.
After Xin Qi nearly strayed onto the wrong path of cultivation again, he suddenly opened his eyes, caught a glimpse of the blue light beside him out of the corner of his eye, looked down at it, and then paused slightly.
Cultivation Elixir?
The precious elixirs on Wunian Mountain are said to be made from hundreds of kinds of thousand-year-old spiritual herbs. Only a handful of them exist in the world. Because they are so precious, they are kept in Yun Jue's room.
Multiple injuries can be repaired in just forty-nine days after taking the Yuan-Repairing Pill.
How could Jiang Fei...?
Did she disappear these past few days to secretly cultivate her Yuan Dan on Wunian Mountain?
And last night she came panting, even a little unsteady on her feet...
Xin Qi frowned, got up and walked outside.
The waiter, who was dozing outside, snapped back to reality upon hearing the door open: "Sir?"
"Where is that person from last night?"
"Last night?" The waiter was still a little dazed, and it took him a while to come to his senses. "That girl limped south last night."
He was limping.
Xin Qi clenched her fists slightly, got up and walked south. She walked all the way to the forest where she had shown him the fireflies last time, but she still couldn't see that familiar figure.
Suddenly, the faint sound of rustling leaves came from the jungle ahead.
Xin Qi looked up.
Wearing a light white dress, Jiang Fei straightened up from the grass, her back to him, holding a bamboo tube in her hand, carefully collecting the dew.
Xin Qi stared intently at her retreating figure: "What are you collecting this for?"
Jiang Fei, unsuspecting, said, "If someone doesn't want to eat human food, then I..."
The sound stopped abruptly.
Jiang Fei stood there stunned for a while before turning around and looking at the man behind her: "Xin Qi?"
Xin Qi's gaze swept over the bamboo tube in her hand, then landed on her cheek, and then his gaze sharpened.
There was a bloody gash on her cheek, caused by a sword strike.
Noticing his gaze, Jiang Fei covered her wound sheepishly: "I didn't expect that Immortal Venerable Yun Jue from Wunian Mountain had gone to undergo tribulation. There were even guards outside the hall. I accidentally got injured while escaping..."
The injury was real, but the words were obviously false. These three days were nothing more than a "three-day trip to Wunian Mountain".
Xin Qi's throat tightened slightly, but he couldn't speak for some reason.
Jiang Fei suddenly thought of something, raised her hand and handed him the bamboo tube: "Now that your inner core is injured and you don't want to eat anything from the human world, drink the nectar first."
Xin Qi gazed at her for a long time before taking the bamboo tube, his lips moving slightly: "Why?"
"Huh?" Jiang Fei asked, puzzled, then laughed, "Because you're Xin Qi." You bastard.
Xin Qi tightened his grip on the bamboo tube slightly.
He remembered her aversion to demons, and her resolute statement that "immortals and demons cannot coexist."
But now she repeatedly protects him.
Because he is him...?
The next instant, Xin Qi drank the dew in one gulp.
Xin Qi's favorability rating: 35.
...
Jiang Fei and Xin Qi stayed at the Youfang Inn for a long time.
Neither of them mentioned the matter of demonic cultivators again.
Every morning, Jiang Fei would collect morning dew for Xin Qi, and during the day he would gather some spiritual herbs and fruits. Over time, he became familiar with the people in the surrounding area.
Xin Qi then stayed at the inn to cultivate diligently.
That day, after Jiang Fei finished collecting the morning dew, he went out of the inn to gather spiritual herbs and fruits. Xin Qi slowly opened his eyes, looked at the bamboo tube on the table, and slowly glowed with red light at his fingertips. He reached out and grabbed the bamboo tube from a distance.
His magical powers have been somewhat restored.
Morning dew is the essence of heaven and earth, clear and sweet.
He knew that Jiang Fei had collected the dew drop by drop. Because of her trip to Wunian Mountain to steal the elixir, her spiritual power was damaged, and she could not use magic to collect the dew. She could only use the clumsy methods of mortals.
I thought she would give up after a day or two, but I never expected... she actually persisted for more than ten days.
The sun rises and sets.
Xin Qi slowly exhaled and opened his eyes, only then realizing that Jiang Fei was not in the room.
Xin Qi frowned, glancing out the window at the night sky. She usually returned by this time, so why was she here today…?
What does it matter to him whether she replies or not?
Xin forced himself to look away, but the next moment he couldn't help but look towards the door. Since he needed her to willingly accept the Love-Loving Curse, it was only right that he "cared" for her.
Thinking of this, Xin Qi got out of his room. The waiter was idly wiping the tables downstairs when he saw Xin Qi and hurriedly greeted him with a smile, "Sir, you've come out."
Xin Qi glanced at the street outside the door but remained silent.
Seeing this, the waiter added, "Miss Jiang is with Aunt Li."
Aunt Li?
Xin Qi frowned. He had no idea that Jiang Fei, a celestial cultivator, was so close to these mortals, getting himself covered in the filth of the human world. He got up and was about to leave the inn.
Whispers came from behind: "Who is this?"
"Miss Jiang's husband," the waiter whispered even more, "is so good to her..."
Xin Qi paused slightly.
My lord?
But deep down, I didn't seem to feel any aversion.
However, when Xin Qi left the inn and went to the next room, he stopped again and looked at Jiang Fei, who was chatting and laughing with a man dressed as a scholar, not far away.
This time, I felt a strong aversion to it.
He had no idea that she was so popular.
"Miss Jiang, please be careful when you go to gather herbs in the future," the man said politely.
Jiang Fei also smiled: "We are very grateful to Young Master Li today, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"Miss Jiang, you're too kind. How long will you be staying in Youfang Town?" The man realized his abruptness as soon as he finished speaking, his ears turning bright red. "I... I meant, I still have some medicine at home. If Miss Jiang doesn't mind..."
"She's disgusted." A voice suddenly rang out from behind, interrupting the man.
Jiang Fei turned her head and saw Xin Qi. Her eyes lit up, then filled with worry: "Why did you come out?"
Xin Qi glanced at the man casually and smiled gently: "Just killing time."
The man felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at his smile.
Jiang Fei had already picked up the bamboo basket beside him and walked to Xin Qi's side: "I went up the mountain today and accidentally fell, but luckily I ran into Young Master Li."
The truth is, she was dozing on a branch on the mountain when she accidentally rolled over and almost fell, but was helped up by Mr. Li who was passing by.
Xin Qi glanced at the bamboo basket in her hand, then turned and headed towards the inn.
Jiang Fei hurriedly followed behind him: "Xin Qi, what's wrong?"
"..."
"Xin Qi, are you angry?"
"..."
"Xin Qi, why aren't you saying anything?"
Xin Qi listened to her voice without saying a word, but he couldn't help thinking to himself: at some point, she started calling him "Xin Qi" instead of "Young Master Xin".
"Xin Qi!" Jiang Fei quickly took a few steps and blocked his way. "Are you jealous?"
Xin Qi paused, instinctively wanting to deny it, but then he thought about their relationship. Wasn't his goal to win her affections?
Xin Qi slowly smiled and said, "Yes, so what?"
Jiang Fei froze, seemingly startled, standing motionless.
Xin Qi, however, had already bypassed her and continued on his way.
The next moment, her sleeve was gently tugged.
“Because he resembles you,” Jiang Fei said softly.
Xin Qi frowned: "What..." Before she could finish speaking, she realized what was going on.
The man dressed as a scholar was very similar to the one who had first met her.
So, it was for him?
On his wrist, the Love-Loving Curse surged.
Xin Qi looked at Jiang Fei, and her attraction to him became increasingly obvious.
If you think about it carefully, it will only be a few days after the inner core is repaired, which will be the day he undergoes his tribulation.
Soon...
The moonlight overhead was at its brightest.
Xin Qi suddenly realized something, looked up, and sure enough, felt a sharp pain in his chest the next moment.
His body stiffened slightly, almost imperceptibly.
"Xin Qi, what's wrong?" Jiang Fei looked at him with concern in her eyes.
Xin Qi acted as if nothing had happened: "Nothing happened."
After saying that, he got up and went into the inn.
Jiang Fei looked at Xin Qi's figure and raised his eyebrows slightly. He could remain so calm under the divine punishment. It seems he has really gotten used to it.
After a moment's thought, Jiang Fei quickly walked behind him and reached out to support his arm: "Xin Qi, let me help you..."
The words were cut off abruptly before they could be finished.
Jiang Fei lowered her head, her palms clearly feeling the cracking of Xin Qi's bones, and she could hear faint sounds.
Xin Qi noticed her reaction, lowered his eyes and smiled mockingly, quickly withdrew his arm, and hurried back to the guest room, where he drew the curtains to block out the view from the outside.
He still remembered when he was a child, in that man's mansion in the human realm, when he secretly cultivated demonic arts and suffered divine punishment for the first time, the maid who had taken care of him for more than ten years was so frightened that her face turned pale, her hands and feet trembled, and her eyes were filled with bright fear.
Fear of an unknown monster.
After that, he was locked in a cage by that man, the same golden cage where that woman had once been. The man watched him as his bones shattered and were reassembled, as if he were enjoying a performance, as he turned into a pile of mud and was rebuilt.
Later, all those who witnessed his divine punishment died.
Jiang Fei will be no exception.
"Xin Qi." Jiang Fei's voice came from outside the curtain.
Xin Qi had not uttered a word.
"I know you're still awake," Jiang Fei said softly.
Xin Qi stared blankly at the slightly swaying curtains above her head.
The curtain was gently lifted, and Xin Qi caught a whiff of the sweet scent of soapberry. Her arm was lightly stroked. "So, is that why you can't sleep?"
Xin Qi tightened his grip, a murderous intent rising in his heart.
But the next moment, he felt himself being embraced in a fragrant and warm embrace, accompanied by a woman's tender murmur: "I'm with you."
Xin Qi's body stiffened; he had never been embraced so intimately before.
On his wrist, the Love-Loving Curse suddenly moved violently.
Xin Qi lowered her eyes, staring intently at the faintly visible magic seal on her wrist. It wouldn't be long before the Love-Locking Curse was implanted into her body, and then it would be time to prove herself to the Heavenly Dao.
She will...die.
Xin Qi felt his consciousness gradually drifting away, and the excruciating pain in his body slowly dissipating and fading into the distance.
Until... he was completely immersed in the dream.
Jiang Fei opened her eyes, looked at the unconscious Xin Qi, praised the system in her heart, and then found a comfortable angle to fall asleep.
Asking her to sleep on the floor or a bench? Absolutely not.
When Xin Qi woke up, it was already the morning of the next day.
Birds chirped and twittered outside the window, and the morning sunlight shone through the gaps in the windowpane onto the floor inside the room, casting a serene and peaceful glow.
Xin Qi was stunned, feeling a sense of clarity and well-being he hadn't experienced in hundreds of years.
He didn't remember when the divine punishment stopped last night, nor did he remember the excruciating pain of his bones being set again yesterday. He only remembered... having a dream in which Jiang Fei embraced him.
Xin Qi lowered his eyes, and was stunned again.
Jiang Fei was leaning against him, her eyelashes drooping slightly, her breathing even, her cheeks flushed, and her breath spraying onto his cool chest, which felt inexplicably warm.
After an unknown amount of time, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Xin Qi's breathing became slightly tense.
Jiang Fei looked up at the man in front of her, still somewhat dazed. When she realized what was happening, her cheeks and earlobes flushed red. She quickly sat up, "I'm sorry, it was you last night, I..."
The sound grew softer and softer.
Xin Qi stared at her earlobe for a long time, feeling as if something in his heart was slowly losing control.
He loathed this feeling, loathed his dependence on others.
Finally, he stood up and said, "I was rash last night."
Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow, watching Xin Qi's favorability rating rise from 35 to 40, and then slowly return to 35.
Stubborn and obstinate.
However, she wasn't in a hurry.
After all, if you always suffer, you will never yearn for a sweet life.
But once you've tasted sweetness, bitterness becomes unbearable.
In the days to come, Jiang Fei will continue to lie silently beside Xin Qi as he suffers divine punishment, just as she did today, and gently embrace him.
Whenever this happened, Xin Qi would always take her hand aside, get up and leave the bed, and sleep alone on the narrow soft couch in the outer room.
But when he was alone outside enduring divine punishment, Xin Qi couldn't help but think of the night he got a peaceful night's sleep, which was a great temptation for him.
He could have avoided all this suffering.
Several days later, Xin Qi did not leave his bed, letting Jiang Fei hold him, and thus got a good night's sleep.
Gradually, Jiang Fei also noticed that every three to five days, Xin Qi would share a bed with her and fall into a deep sleep.
His favorability rating also rose to 40 during this period.
That day.
It was just past nightfall, and Xin Qi was not resting as usual.
Jiang Fei did not return to his room. After a long silence, Xin Qi slowly walked out of the room. Only then did he see an old man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in a white Taoist robe, preaching on the ground floor of the inn. A crowd had gathered around him, including Jiang Fei, who was dressed in white and stood out in the crowd. Jiang Fei's eyes were fixed intently on the old man.
His focus was so intense it made me uncomfortable.
Xin Qi glanced at the old man, a mere cultivator at the Integration stage, scoffed, and was about to turn his gaze away and walk towards Jiang Fei.
The old man said, "All things have a spirit, and the Five Elements have their own laws. If one violates the laws of Heaven, one will naturally suffer heavenly calamity and punishment..."
At this moment, the old man's voice was interrupted by a woman's voice: "May I ask, Venerable One, is there a way to break this heavenly tribulation and punishment?"
Xin Qi paused, looking in the direction of the sound.
The woman who spoke was Jiang Fei.
She was looking intently at the old man.
Is there a solution?
The old man stroked his white beard: "The Way of Heaven is the Way of cultivators, how can it be easily broken? However..." The old man smiled, "I did see a magical artifact called Blood Pact in my grandmaster's ancient books. Although it cannot break through heavenly tribulations and punishments, it can reduce the suffering of people. But it only exists in legends after all..." As he spoke, the old man shook his head and sighed softly.
Upon hearing this, Xin Qi gave a self-deprecating laugh.
What exactly is he expecting?
He turned around and went straight back to his room.
Amidst the crowd, Jiang Fei glanced at Xin Qi's back. Sure enough, the little devil still cared about the divine punishment.
She slowly withdrew from the crowd: "System, where is that thing called Blood Pact?"
[System: Qianjinlou.]
Qianjinlou?
If she remembered correctly, one of her targets, Rong Shu, who was calculating and loved beauty more than treasure, was the owner of Qianjinlou.
What a coincidence.
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