Xie Jingci looked up at the sky in extreme frustration.
A voice she was all too familiar with rang out in her sea of consciousness, accompanied by a few dry, hollow laughs. The tone was somewhat guilty: "Just treat it as a reunion between old friends! Don't you miss me even a little bit?"
Xie Jingci was righteous and stern, showing no mercy: "But you only left two days ago!"
The system replied with an awkward haha.
Here was how things stood.
It had only been a short two days since she bid farewell to the system. Now that everything had settled down into peace and quiet, Xie Jingci was out traveling with a few good friends. Little did she expect that right as they arrived at their destination, she would hear a ding-dong sound.
It was simply the footsteps of hell.
What immediately followed was the system's embarrassed, awkward laughter: "Oh my! What a coincidence! To think we'd run into each other again so soon!"
Xie Jingci: "Speak plainly."
"You know how there was a planar chaos before? It had almost died down, but unexpectedly, something went wrong halfway."
The system obediently replied: "Taking advantage of the space-time turbulence, several planes had their spatial rifts torn wide open. The people inside scurried around like mice, damaging the law of causality and making the situation even worse."
As it said this, Xie Jingci was walking shoulder to shoulder with Pei Du along the riverbank.
Their group had gone out for a trip, choosing the water town of Nancheng as their destination. Nancheng was humid and rainy all year round, with a sprawling network of rivers. Walking on the bluestone path, she listened to the light tapping of footsteps while simultaneously listening to the system's constant chatter: "You also know that my functions are quite unstable. Once this plane falls into chaos..."
It paused here. Xie Jingci knew perfectly well what it meant and casually finished the sentence: "Once the plane falls into chaos, the character settings will also fall into chaos, right?"
For some reason, the system hesitated and gave a low mhm.
"However," it paused, seemingly weighing its words, "the planar turbulence this time is much fiercer, and the resulting impact is greater. So, in certain aspects... things will be a bit different from before."
System malfunctions, to put it bluntly, just meant one character setting change after another. What could possibly be a bit different?
Now that she and Pei Du were gradually getting closer, even if some weird things popped up, she should be able to complete them without blushing or her heart skipping a beat... right?
While Xie Jingci was still secretly calculating in her head, she was caught off guard when it spoke again: "In this world, both you and Pei Du are tainted with karma related to me, so he will also be affected. Moreover..."
The system had always been straightforward and rarely stuttered like this. It wasn't until it finally couldn't hold back a pfft sound that Xie Jingci belatedly realized this bastard was holding back laughter: "Moreover, because the space-time dislocation is too severe, not only will your behavior and manners change, but your physical characteristics will also change accordingly."
...Physical characteristics?
Xie Jingci felt a massive headache coming on, her heart skipping a beat: "In other words, if my character setting is a cat demon, my body will actually take on the form of the demon race?"
The system: "Hehe."
After saying that, it let out a low cough and said vaguely: "It's not your turn yet. You should take a good look at Young Master Pei."
She didn't think too much of it and hastily turned her head.
Pei Du had been walking beside Xie Jingci the whole time. His slender figure cast a thin shadow, which, much like the man himself, was quiet and gentle, yet carried the sharp aura unique to a sword cultivator.
However, at this very moment, the youth's white jade-like side profile was flushed with a striking red.
Xie Jingci's first reaction: This is bad.
She sensed something was wrong and used a secret voice transmission that only the two of them could hear: "Did it latch onto you again?"
The system was displeased: "What do you mean latch onto? Please watch your phrasing. The character settings appear randomly. It's his bad luck that he got the rabbit spirit again. There's nothing I can do about it."
Those three words suddenly burned in her heart. Almost subconsciously, Xie Jingci thought of the temple of High Immortal Shuifeng located by the East Sea, as well as Pei Du's rapid breathing.
Her ears felt a little hot.
According to the system's messy pile of settings, nine times out of ten, a rabbit spirit would be in heat.
Pei Du must have noticed that her expression was off. His long eyelashes suddenly fluttered, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he slightly lowered his head.
Even the highly possessive eldest young master setting that came later was something he could barely accept. But this particular setting alone, no matter when he recalled it, would cause Pei Du to blush uncontrollably.
Making him shamelessly beg for Miss Xie's touch, that kind of thing...
Previously in Lingshui Village, he had been tormented beyond words by the sensations of being in heat. Now, walking by the riverbank, this feeling was actually even more pronounced. Aside from the heat churning throughout his entire body, it felt as though something was quietly sprouting from the top of his head and the base of his spine.
Xie Jingci saw his Adam's apple bob up and down.
"Pei Du."
She asked carefully, casually poking his arm: "Are you alright?"
Only after the words fell did she realize they were a bit redundant. After all, looking at Pei Du's state, he really couldn't be called alright.
But he still nodded out of habit.
As a sword cultivator, his pride would not allow him to show the slightest bit of weakness, much less let himself go and beg for pity with a wagging tail.
The youth's back was straight, a sword hung at his waist. He appeared as clear as the moon and as gentle as the breeze, imposing and cool, but because of this, the flush of red on his cheek became all the more obvious.
Pei Du tried his best to clear his mind of distracting thoughts and suppress the inexplicable restlessness within his body. Then, Miss Xie's gentle voice reached his ears: "If it's unbearable, I can help you, just like in Lingshui Village."
This single sentence was enough to shatter all his heart-clearing incantations and heart-protecting spells.
He should have refused.
But Miss Xie's movements were extremely fast and incredibly light, leaving not a single chance for resistance as she reached out and grasped the palm of his hand.
This fleeting touch was not enough to satisfy; instead, it stirred up a layer of ambiguous heat. The rest of his body felt empty, restlessly yearning for more.
Pei Du did not speak, his breathing falling into disarray.
"As expected of Nancheng, it truly lives up to its reputation."
Meng Xiaoting walked at the very front of the group, looking left and right, as if she had an endless supply of energy. "Look, those are gulls and herons!"
"The architecture in this place does have a unique flavor."
Mo Xiaoyang grinned: "Suitable for settling down and retiring."
"Nancheng is famous for its beautiful scenery. I heard tomorrow night is a special date, and there will be an annual wine tasting festival."
Long Xiao said, "Everyone here should be able to drink, right?"
"I recall Pei Du is not very good at it."
Mo Xiaoyang looked around at the scenery. When he said this, he tilted his head slightly and used a joking tone: "Don't end up getting drunk on the streets when the time comes."
The thumb resting in his palm gave a gentle rub, igniting clusters of fire.
Pei Du tried his hardest to steady his erratic breathing: "I won't."
Only Xie Jingci heard the tremble at the end of his words. She curled her lips into a secret smile. A gentle stir occurred in her sea of consciousness, transmitting Pei Du's helpless whisper: "Stop messing around."
Whether it was his appearance or his voice, he was truly far too cute.
She lifted her head with great interest, taking in the full view of the youth's side profile next to her.
It was an incredibly fascinating contrast. He possessed the natural, unyielding character of a sword cultivator, his brows and eyes carrying a sharp and solemn sword aura. Yet, Pei Du's face was flushed red, his eyelashes trembling over and over, evidently suppressing some unspeakable urge.
He even told her to stop messing around. Little did he know that the moment those words left his mouth, it only made people want to tease him more.
Xie Jingci feigned disappointment, but her voice carried an unconcealable smile, You don't want me to touch you?
As she spoke, she pulled her right hand back. Before she could even retract it halfway, her hand was entirely grasped.
Pei Du's palm was burning hot.
Reason told him to keep quiet, but the words floating in his sea of consciousness gradually became clear. Amidst the unbearable restlessness coursing through his body, they somehow made their way to the tip of his tongue: ...Uncomfortable.
As soon as the word left his mouth, both of them froze.
His voice sounded as if it had been scorched by fire. Even Xie Jingci felt the tips of her ears turn red the moment she heard it.
This must be a line arranged by the system.
She had prepared herself mentally long ago, thinking she could withstand any form of attack. But hearing him say it so suddenly, his voice low and hoarse, it actually carried a faint hint of acting spoiled. Yet Pei Du was still trying his best to maintain his cold and aloof facade so that others wouldn't notice anything amiss. The contrast was incredibly amusing.
Xie Jingci's Nascent Soul secretly rolled around, just wanting to instantly scoop him up into her arms and run a hundred-meter dash.
If it's unbearable, she pursed her lips to hold back a smile, is there anything I can help you with?
She clearly knew the answer, yet she insisted he say it out loud himself.
Pei Du had always been poor with words, and pleading or acting spoiled was even rarer. All of his experience in this regard was spent entirely on her. Right before speaking, his Adam's apple bobbed.
Whether out of nervousness or because he was dizzy from the heat, he didn't use telepathy this time. Instead, he slightly parted his lips, his voice extremely low: I want Miss Xie to... touch me.
Xie Jingci's eyes curved slightly. She poked his palm with her fingertips: Touch like this?
This body was already exceptionally sensitive. Touched lightly by her, an electric itch rippled through him.
Pei Du's eyes darkened. His voice was barely audible, struggling to respond: ...Caress.
For a young cultivator who had been rule-abiding, docile, and quiet his whole life, this was already his limit.
Xie Jingci couldn't bear to tease him any further. She reversed her grip to hold Pei Du's palm and silently recited an incantation in her heart.
Spiritual energy overflowed, flowing through the meridians across his entire body.
This time, she used a bit more force. The aura changed from its usual gentle stream into a surging river, recklessly washing over every corner. It was as if a hand was truly moving upward, yet it wasn't caressing the skin, but rather many more hidden places, evoking strange sensations that had never appeared before.
Xie Jingci looked up at his expression. She should have used the correct method, but for some reason, Pei Du's breathing was becoming increasingly ragged.
Are you still uncomfortable?
Pei Du quickly shook his head, awkwardly shifting his gaze away. Even his neck was dyed pink.
...He was so doomed.
The bright sun was high in the sky right now, and the others were freely chatting and enjoying the scenery. Miss Xie simply wanted to help him with pure intentions, yet he alone—
Unsuitable scenarios suddenly surfaced in his mind, enough to make one blush and their heart race. Even if it was due to the so-called estrus period, it still made Pei Du silently curse himself for being shameless.
The brighter the scorching sun in the sky became, the more at a loss he felt, with all his dark thoughts having nowhere to hide.
There should be a martial arts arena here. How about we go spar together later?
Long Xiao was an absolute battle maniac. Seeing that they had arrived at the inn, he straightforwardly made the suggestion.
Mo Xiaoyang was equally high-spirited: I think that's a great idea! Pei Du, I've recently practiced a brand new set of sword techniques. We should compete later and see how powerful it is—hey, your face is so red. Are you okay?
Meng Xiaoting raised a hand to her forehead, silently sighing that these guys were truly hopeless.
I'm not—
Pei Du answered carefully, but a surge of heat suddenly rushed up within his body. He quickly gritted his teeth to prevent himself from letting out a strange noise from his throat.
His head and back inexplicably grew itchier. The young man hurriedly lowered his head.
He has a bit of a fever. He might have caught a cold while flying on his sword.
Seeing that something was wrong, Xie Jingci grabbed his arm: I brought some medicine. I'll take him to a room to rest first. You guys just go ahead to the martial arts arena.
Pei Du's appearance was indeed off. Even though Mo Xiaoyang was itching to fight, he understood that he shouldn't disturb them at a time like this, so he could only nod resentfully.
It didn't take long to choose their rooms. For convenience, Xie Jingci chose a few connected guest rooms. When she led Pei Du into one of them and closed the door, it let out a soft creak.
Is it still very uncomfortable? I remember last time in Lingshui Village, it got better pretty quickly.
She carefully locked the latch, then turned around, only to freeze.
The person standing behind her was indeed still Pei Du.
But Pei Du... shouldn't have snow-white, soft ears like those of a rabbit.
Xie Jingci's chest felt faintly hot.
The system had indeed told her that once his character setting shifted, his physical traits would also change accordingly.
The young man before her had reddened pupils, while his skin was as white as jade. On top of his head was a pair of beautiful, snow-white rabbit ears. Through the thin, soft fluff, the red of his blood vessels was clearly visible.
Catching her off guard, Pei Du moved closer to her.
They were already standing very close, and Pei Du's legs were naturally long and straight. Now that he stepped forward, the hair's breadth of distance between them was squeezed to nothing. Xie Jingci wanted to step back, but her back was already pressed against the door.
She was practically pressed against Pei Du's chest.
The space available to move was exceptionally narrow, completely filled with his scent. Heat radiated all around her, and Xie Jingci saw him lower his head.
The rabbit ears twitched slightly.
Pei Du said, ...Miss Xie.
He didn't know how to act spoiled. This Miss Xie was called out in a low, hoarse voice, the ending note unconsciously dropping. It wasn't intentional, yet it possessed a soul-stirring charm of its own.
Xie Jingci was teased to the point of dizziness. In her daze, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Pei Du must have remembered the words she had used to tease him earlier. It was just a spur-of-the-moment joke, but he had firmly kept it in mind.
The young man's pupils were bright red. His low breaths were faintly discernible as he took a light breath: I want... Miss Xie to caress me.
Her health bar hit zero.
No one could withstand such teasing. Xie Jingci uselessly felt her entire body grow hot. In a daze, she raised her right hand and let it land on his soft ear.
Pei Du's eyelashes fluttered abruptly.
Rabbit ears were naturally different from human ones. They were thin and soft, covered in fluff like a dandelion. She didn't dare use force, only carefully tracing the outline of the ear, occasionally giving it a firm squeeze and brushing her thumb over it.
His breathing became more ragged and heavy. He raised a hand and pressed it against the door behind Xie Jingci, confining her in a small space.
It was a movement similar to a wall press, yet it was hard to tell who was truly the one taking the lead. Because Pei Du was tall, not much light could be seen in the narrow, cramped space.
The rabbit ears actually trembled on their own in response to her movements, like fluttering butterfly wings, the fluff brushing entirely across her palm.
Xie Jingci was endlessly curious about this discovery, when suddenly she heard Pei Du in front of her say in a hoarse voice, Miss Xie.
She looked up, seeing the other party silently avert his gaze, as if not daring to look her in the eyes.
Within extreme shame, there was also extreme pleasure.
This was not forced by the system. The young sword cultivator heard his own violent heartbeat as words he had never imagined spilled from his mouth.
He must be going crazy.
The rabbit ears in her hand twitched violently. Amidst the spreading heat, Xie Jingci heard Pei Du's voice: "I want... the tail too."
