Shi Xia scrubbed herself while observing her surroundings. It was a small pond, no more than five or six meters in diameter, with a tiny waterfall nearby. The water flow was weak, barely splashing as it fell, so the area was eerily quiet.
The water was clear, but perhaps because dusk was approaching, she couldn’t see the bottom. Strangely, the water felt colder the longer she washed, so much so that she started shivering after just a few moments. A layer of mist even rose from the surface. Gritting her teeth, she quickened her pace, ready to climb out—only to slip and step on something. A sharp crack sounded, as if she’d twisted her ankle.
"What the hell?" Seriously? She could twist her ankle in water? Wait… why didn’t it hurt?
"Heh heh heh…" A chilling laugh suddenly echoed from behind her. "Thank you for helping me break the seal."
Shi Xia’s heart sank. She turned and saw a man emerging from the water, looking about eighteen or nineteen years old. He wore a soaked black robe, his waist-length hair dripping wet and tangled behind him. His face was covered in grotesque black markings, obscuring his features.
He curled his lips into a sinister grin, eyes wide with murderous intent. "Since you’ve freed me, why not give me your life force as well?"
"Ah—!" Shi Xia screamed at the top of her lungs. Her first instinct was to bend down, grab a rock, and hurl it at him. "Pervert!"
The man scoffed. "You think a mere rock can hurt—"
Thud!
The rock struck true, hitting him square in the forehead and drawing a streak of blood.
The man, feeling utterly humiliated: "…"
"You disgusting creep!" Shi Xia grabbed several more rocks and hurled them at him. How dare he lurk underwater to peep at a girl bathing? Absolutely vile!
Snapping out of his daze, the man leaped out of the water, dodging the barrage. He wiped the blood from his forehead, his expression darkening. "You dare injure me? I’ll make you pay tenfold!" He’d only been caught off guard because he hadn’t raised a barrier in time.
Narrowing his eyes, he flashed to the shore beside Shi Xia, summoning a dozen wind blades in his palm. Without hesitation, he struck toward her chest.
Shi Xia saw him appear in front of her in an instant, shamelessly reaching for her chest. Furious, she slapped him hard across the face, leaving a bright red handprint.
"Seriously?! You tried to grope me?!"
The man staggered, his gathered spiritual energy dissipating. "How is this possible?!" She had no cultivation at all!
Before he could react, Shi Xia yanked him down and started pummeling him. "You filthy pervert! Peeping at me while I bathe? I’ll teach you why flowers are so red!"
Pain exploded across his face as he instinctively covered his head. "Wait! Who are you?!" Why were his spells useless against her?
"Who am I?" Shi Xia blew on her fist before delivering another punch. "I’m your mom! Today, I’ll teach you how to be a decent person! What kind of lowlife peeps at people bathing? Disgusting! Shameless! Despicable!"
"I wasn’t peeping!" It was too dark to see anything anyway!
"Liar! If you weren’t peeping, were you just raising fish down there?"
"I wasn’t hiding! I was—sealed—ow!"
"Don’t think playing dumb will save you! I’ll beat you until you are dumb!"
"I said sealed, not—ow! Stop hitting me!"
"Peeping Tom! Chest-grabber! Delinquent!"
"I really didn’t—ow! Wait! What are you—put that rock down! HELP!!"
By the time Hou Chi returned with fresh clothes, this was the scene he witnessed: the seemingly delicate younger sister of the Demon Lord was pinning a man to the ground, beating him senseless.
The Demon Lord never mentioned his sister was this violent… But… her ferocity was kind of adorable… O(∩_∩)O~~
"Please, just seal me back! This woman’s insane! My magic doesn’t work on her!" The man clung to Hou Chi’s leg, his face swollen beyond recognition, sobbing pitifully. "She’s terrifying! Hits harder than a demon beast! She even stole my clothes!"
"You expect me to climb out naked?" Shi Xia glared, making him cower behind Hou Chi. Her clothes were soaked, but this creep’s robe had self-drying properties—of course she took it!
Hou Chi frowned and kicked him away. Scram. Don’t interrupt my sister-watching.
Glancing at the barely recognizable man, he asked, "You… are the spirit beast Ni Peng?"
"Yes." The man nodded weakly.
"Why are you here?" What were you planning with my sister?
Ni Peng stiffened. "I was sealed here by you! For five hundred years! Don’t tell me you forgot?"
Hou Chi pondered for a moment. "I forgot."
"…" Ni Peng felt an arrow pierce his heart. No respect for birds at all! Master was right—immortal cultivators are all scum.
"You reek of demonic energy. Your master was a demonic cultivator? Where is he?"
"You killed him!"
"Oh." Hou Chi blinked. "Forgot."
"…" Are you here just to twist the knife?
Without another word, Hou Chi began forming seals to re-contain the nuisance.
"Wait!" Ni Peng protested, turning to Shi Xia. "Fine, seal me—but give my feather robe back first!"
Shi Xia paused. "Feather robe? What’s that?"
"The clothes you stole!" Ni Peng pointed accusingly at her black robe. "It’s made from my feathers! Without it, I’ll be bald!"
Oh… That did sound rough. No wonder the robe dried instantly—it was feather magic. But returning it meant going commando, and she wasn’t about to streak. She glanced at Hou Chi. "Um… can I borrow the clothes you’re holding?"
"Mn." Hou Chi nodded, then eyed Ni Peng. "You want the robe back?"
"Uh… is that not allowed?" Shi Xia asked hesitantly. A featherless bird was pitiful.
Hou Chi’s heart softened. Anything for my sister. (～￣▽￣)～
With a wave, the white robes in his hands floated over and draped themselves over Shi Xia, while the black feather robe fell to the ground beside her.
Wow, it's fully automatic!
Shi Xia picked up the garment and handed it to Ni Peng, "Here, take it back!"
"Just put it on the ground. I'll get it myself," Ni Peng replied, shrinking back slightly, still wary.
Tch! What’s his problem? Shi Xia casually tossed it onto the ground.
As she walked away, Ni Peng’s eyes narrowed, a dark glint flashing through them. In an instant, he snatched the feathered robe from the ground and lunged at Shi Xia. "I’ll take your life!"
Before she could react, a massive shadow loomed over her—a gigantic black bird with razor-sharp claws seized her. With a piercing screech, it shot into the sky.
Everything happened too fast. The wind roared in her ears as the ground rapidly shrank beneath her. But the bird didn’t get far. A colossal magic array suddenly appeared in the sky ahead, slamming both bird and girl backward. A white figure stood in their path.
Ni Peng flapped his wings furiously. "Hou Chi, my robe has absorbed enough life energy. You can’t seal me away now!"
Hou Chi’s expression remained cold and unreadable, though internally, a volcano of rage erupted. "Who said anything about sealing you?" I’m going to obliterate you.
"What?" Ni Peng froze.
How dare this filthy bird lay a claw on his sister—the girl he’d spent a century imagining in his mind! He’d only ever grabbed her by the collar! (ノ｀Д)ノ
Blue flames erupted into the sky, engulfing Ni Peng’s entire body. His form rapidly disintegrated into ashes. "Blue Spirit Flame!" Ni Peng panicked, shrieking in agony. "Y-you… I’m an auspicious beast! You can’t kill me… Mercy! I was wrong! I’ll never feed on life energy again—please, spare me!"
His pleas didn’t last long. The next moment, he vanished in the blaze. The eerie blue flames, however, seemed sentient—they deliberately avoided Shi Xia. She was still in shock. What just happened? She’d only returned a piece of clothing…
Hou Chi caught Shi Xia as she fell, his voice icy. "You okay?" What did that damned bird do to you? Did it hurt you? Tell me, and I’ll dig up its corpse for a whipping. ┗|｀0′|┛
"N-no, I’m fine!" Shi Xia exhaled in relief.
Hou Chi frowned, then finally spoke. "Ni Peng’s robe was a tool to siphon life energy. Wearing it, even briefly, would have left traces of your vitality on it. He’d been sealed for years—only with fresh life energy could he regain his shape-shifting power."
Ni Peng was originally an auspicious beast, gentle by nature, born in human form, bringing fortune to the land. Such spiritual creatures were rarely slain by cultivators, as killing them would invite karmic consequences. But this one had clearly fallen into demonic ways.
Shi Xia blinked. "You mean… he gave me that robe on purpose?"
"Mn." Definitely going back to whip the corpse.
Shi Xia shuddered at the close call and gratefully patted his shoulder. "Thanks. You saved my life." This guy looked terrifyingly cold, but he wasn’t so bad after all.
Hou Chi stiffened, speechless. Sister… touched… my shoulder… (⊙?⊙)
He decided then and there—he’d never change this robe again.
