The moonlight and the glow of blood were both chilling.
The blade known as Ghost's Wail was pitch black, yet now it was entwined with faint, thread-like glimmers of dark red light. As it touched the thin layer of skin, an almost imperceptible, seemingly excited hum escaped from its tip.
Yin Su couldn't help but tremble uncontrollably.
Xie Jingci's movements were too fast, leaving him no time to catch his breath. As she closed in, the edge of her blade was still quietly dripping with blood.
It was all the blood of those who had traveled with him. Despite their Nascent Soul cultivation, they had had their throats slit by her in the chaos of battle.
...How could this be possible?
The fury in his heart gathered like a storm. Yin Su couldn't stop trembling, his fists clenched tightly.
This woman was merely at the Golden Core stage, and had even suffered severe injuries in an accident a year ago, her cultivation greatly damaged. He had borrowed power from the gods, clearly possessing strength that should have surpassed hers. So why... why was he still being suppressed to the point of immobility by just a single move?
The young man gritted his teeth, his whole body shaking as he gathered strength in his fingers.
He refused to accept this.
He had given his entire youth, practicing and cultivating day and night, rising early and retiring late, never allowing himself a moment of slack.
Why should these scions of noble families reap the benefits without effort? Simply by being born into the right womb, they inherited talents and opportunities countless others could only dream of, shamelessly squandering them.
Yet he, breaking through barrier after barrier, challenging himself over and over, exhausting all his efforts, could never catch up to their footsteps in this lifetime.
How utterly unfair.
The burgeoning rage ultimately overcame the fear in his heart. With a furious roar, Yin Su drew his blade and lunged violently. The sinister aura of the Nascent Soul level rippled out with the blade's wind, carving a smooth, crescent-moon arc in the air.
Xie Jingci had been prepared. She swiftly retreated several steps, blocking the dense, fierce barrage of blade lights that fell like a thunderstorm.
"Do you think the reason I can defeat you is because of innate talent or cultivation level?"
A coldness still spread in her eyes as she glared with extreme displeasure at the smear of red on Yin Su's blade.
That was Pei Du's blood.
The mere thought of it unsettled her mind.
Xie Jingci had no desire to waste words on him. Her thumb moved imperceptibly, tightening its grip on the slightly vibrating hilt.
As the final word fell decisively, the female cultivator's slender figure shot towards him once more like a sharp arrow.
Yin Su still couldn't control the trembling in his spine.
—How could this be?
He already possessed cultivation far exceeding hers. He should have finally been able to trample Xie Jingci underfoot. So why... why did he still feel the same tremor and helplessness of being utterly suppressed by her, no different from years ago?
Xie Jingci's blade light descended like a collapsing galaxy, carrying the force of a thunderous avalanche. Yin Su scrambled to parry, but the spiritual power shock left his bones tingling and numb. For a moment, he couldn't keep up with her movements at all, receiving cut after cut.
Even having reached the threshold of Nascent Soul, he was still being crushed without a shred of doubt.
It was only in this instant that he could finally break free from the shackles of cultivation level and, for the first time, truly examine Xie Jingci.
Yin Su had never seen anyone wield a blade technique with such divine mastery.
It was as if the long blade had become one with her. Every move and stance flowed from her very essence, deeply engraved in her heart. The moment she drew her blade, in the blink of an eye, she had already switched between three completely different techniques based on his movements.
Her swift blades fell like rain, leaving him not the slightest gap to evade.
...He could not win against her.
It had nothing to do with cultivation. Xie Jingci was simply stronger than him.
This realization struck like a heavy hammer, pressing down hard on the young man's chest. As Xie Jingci's blade edge closed in, besides fear, what filled his heart was mostly a bewildering disbelief.
If that was the case... then who should he direct the resentment he had harbored for so many years towards?
"You suffer a setback due to your own lack of skill, then turn red-eyed to blame others, without even looking at your own worth."
Xie Jingci's tone was faint. Nearing the end, she suddenly let out a soft, derisive chuckle, a cold breath of mockery: "See? I am simply better than you."
As her words landed, her blade swept out.
The moment she caught the scent of blood, a light abruptly burst before Xie Jingci's eyes.
The night shrouding their surroundings instantly dissipated. The whole world seemed to shed a layer of dark, gloomy curtain. Along with the rush of sunlight came the long-absent cries of street vendors.
—Seeing they were no match, that group had immediately dispelled the illusion.
Naturally, their figures also vanished along with the illusion.
Xie Jingci frowned with considerable displeasure. She had originally planned to capture one or two alive to interrogate them about the mastermind behind all these strange events. If they were unwilling to talk, she could simply use some special methods.
"Miss Xie, are you alright!"
Mo Xiaoyang was startled by her sudden violent outburst: "Did that person hurt you?"
Xie Jingci shook her head. After a moment of silence, her question seemed unrelated: "Was it the kind of mask they were wearing?"
She didn't specify who she was asking, but Mo Xiaoyang and Pei Du understood, turning their gazes towards Meng Xiaoting beside them.
Ever since those mysterious figures wearing pure white masks appeared, her face had turned exceptionally pale.
The noisy cries of street vendors echoed continuously around them, yet an eerie silence enveloped their immediate vicinity.
Meng Xiaoting subconsciously clenched her sleeve, her eyes suddenly rimmed with a faint red: "...Yes."
Regarding Meng Xiaoting's mother, neither Xie Jingci nor Meng Xiaoting herself knew much.
When Meng Xiaoting lived with her mother, she was still just a young child. A naive and ignorant toddler was largely unaware of most matters, and besides, after so many years many memories had become blurred. She only remembered that the woman's name was "Jiang Qingyi."
At this, Mo Xiaoyang gave a knowing hum: "If you want to know about her mother, isn't there a perfect candidate right here in Cloud Capital City?"
Xie Jingci: "Although that's true... fine, let's go."
If there was anyone in all of Cloud Capital, besides Meng Xiaoting, who had had direct contact with that woman, it would undoubtedly be her father, Meng Liangze.
To be honest, Xie Jingci wasn't very keen on seeing him.
Meng Liangze could be considered the most famous freeloader in the cultivation world, having handed over all family affairs to his wife, Lin Yunrou, while he himself indulged in all manner of poetic and artistic pursuits in the city—all under the fine-sounding name of "cultivating his sentiments."
At first glance, the two didn't seem like a couple, but more like a giant infant chick thriving under the protection of a mother hen.
The thing that grated on Xie Jingci the most was that Meng Liangze's fear of his wife was known to all. Worried about incurring Lin Yunrou's displeasure, he almost treated Meng Xiaoting as if she were invisible, likely speaking less than ten words to her in a whole year.
"...Ah? Xiaoting's mother?"
In the teahouse, the handsome-looking man surveyed the group and showed a somewhat troubled expression: "Why are you asking about this?"
It had to be said, Meng Liangze had a good-looking face.
Cultivators were skilled at preserving their youth, often making their true age hard to discern. He still maintained the vibrant appearance of a young man, appearing at first glance with handsome brows and starry eyes, elegant and refined—a proper, handsome scion of a wealthy family.
"Actually, I don't know much about Jiang Qingyi either." Meng Liangze, perhaps too accustomed to casualness in daily life, didn't put on much of an elder's airs. He took a slow sip of tea as he spoke: "I've already told Xiaoting most of what I know. What exactly do you wish to ask?"
Xie Jingci got straight to the point: "Uncle Meng, how did you meet her? Do you know where she was born or what her background was?"
"This matter... is a bit strange to tell."
Meng Liangze smiled, seeming to feel a touch of awkwardness recalling events from so many years ago: "Back then, I went to Solitary Cloud Mountain on a medicinal herb trade and happened to see her. How should I put it... she was in a very sorry state at the time, as if she was fleeing from something. When she saw me and the merchant caravan, she begged us to take her away from Solitary Cloud Mountain."
He let out two dry, raspy chuckles from his throat at this point: "My heart softened for a moment, so I let her travel with the caravan."
Xie Jingci felt a stir in her chest: "After that, did the two of you develop feelings for each other?"
Meng Liangze's expression grew even more uncomfortable. He nodded with a dry laugh: "I fell for her at first sight. I originally intended to bring her back to Cloud Capital to marry her. Who would have thought that upon returning home, I would hear about the marriage arrangement with the Lin family... You understand, don't you? Parents' orders and matchmakers' words are not easily defied."
Mo Xiaoyang chimed in: "Since the two of you couldn't be together, where did she go afterwards?"
"That, I don't know."
Meng Liangze paused slightly, then emphasized: "I am not a heartless villain. I had planned to arrange a house for her to live in. But the very next day, as soon as I woke up, I found she had disappeared."
Xie Jingci rolled her eyes inwardly. She heard Mo Xiaoyang continue to ask: "Fleeing from something... did she ever mention what it was?"
"She only said it was a wild beast."
Meng Liangze shook his head: "To be honest about Jiang Qingyi, there were quite a few odd things about her. She claimed to have grown up in a village in Solitary Cloud Mountain and seemed to have never seen the world outside. When she first arrived in Cloud Capital, the sights of the city startled her. But if you say she was a mountain village girl, her hands didn't have a single callus. Her mannerisms were more like those of a pampered young lady from a wealthy family."
Solitary Cloud Mountain.
Xie Jingci mentally underlined this place name. "Were there any other suspicious aspects?"
"And also..."
The young man in the moon-white brocade robe hesitated for a moment, then smiled, his eyes crinkling: "She was very timid, terribly afraid of sleeping alone. Sometimes, if she had a nightmare, she would cry and hug me, saying something like 'Has it come?' — Does that count?"
Meng Liangze clearly didn't take this matter seriously, mentioning it in a half-joking tone. However, upon hearing it, Xie Jingci's heart tightened.
This business of nightmares... could precisely match the strange occurrences in Cloud Capital.
— Could the "it" in Jiang Qingyi's words be that sinister energy capable of attaching itself to others? Had it already been stirring all those years ago?
"Other than that, I truly know nothing else."
He took another sip of tea, grinning with a genial smile: "If Xiaoting wants to look for her, perhaps she could try visiting Solitary Cloud Mountain."
His tone was normal. Even when mentioning Jiang Qingyi, a smile lingered at the corner of his mouth, as if speaking of some unimportant stranger.
In that woman's eyes, Meng Liangze might have changed the entire course of her life. But in his view, Jiang Qingyi was merely a fleeting, dew-like romance from many years past, now serving as nothing more than an amusing anecdote over tea.
If that woman were still alive today, one wonders what she would think.
Meng Liangze was busy drinking tea and listening to music. Unable to extract any other clues, they could only take their leave first.
The atmosphere on the way back was somewhat heavy.
It was abundantly clear that Meng Liangze no longer held any affection for Jiang Qingyi. When speaking of her, not only was there no guilt, but there wasn't even a trace of nostalgia.
Although she had long been aware of his attitude, hearing it firsthand, Meng Xiaoting still sank into a rare, subdued silence for a long while.
Unfortunately, the other three traveling with her — Xie Jingci, Mo Xiaoyang, and Pei Du — were none of them skilled at comforting others.
If they spoke, they feared making some misstep and upsetting her further; if they remained silent, it would seem too heartless. For a moment, they were all at a loss, secretly exchanging glances.
"Really now, why is it so quiet?"
In the end, it was Meng Xiaoting herself who broke the silence, forcing a smile at them: "I'm fine. Meng Liangze has always been like this. I've known it for a long time. You all don't need to be so restrained — Speaking of which, don't you think there was something strange about those masked people who appeared earlier?"
She was actually the one comforting the others now.
Both Mo Xiaoyang and Xie Jingci felt their shoulders slump.
They were so useless.
Pei Du asked seriously, "What does Miss Meng refer to?"
"It's just... they all seemed thin and small. Although their cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul stage, their bodies clearly couldn't keep up."
Meng Xiaoting stroked her chin, tilting her head up slightly: "The vast majority of them had slender builds. And looking at the way Yin Su handled his blade, it seemed like he hadn't seriously practiced his swordsmanship in a long time. His movements were clumsy."
That was indeed true.
When fighting Yin Su, Xie Jingci had distinctly felt the sluggishness and weakness in his movements. A large part of the reason she was able to severely injure so many Nascent Soul stage masked individuals was precisely this —
They all seemed as if they hadn't moved their bodies in ages, completely unable to react to her actions.
"If we want to thoroughly investigate this matter, perhaps we should prepare ourselves and head to Solitary Cloud Mountain as soon as possible. Best if we can turn their lair upside down!"
Mo Xiaoyang was full of drive. Thinking of something, his eyes lit up and he grinned: "In that mountain, we might even get to see Miss Meng's missing mother."
If they could find her, that would be the best outcome.
But after so many years, and with that group being utterly vicious and ruthless...
Xie Jingci felt a persistent heaviness in her heart. As she walked, she subtly reached out and gently grasped the wrist of Meng Xiaoting beside her.
"Don't be afraid."
Her face was thin; she was unwilling to voice her true feelings in front of too many people, so she used a voice transmission: "No matter what happens, I'm here."
This was her best friend.
The entire academy said Xie Jingci had a fierce, terrible temper, and not many were willing to get close to her. Only that day, when she was in a foul mood and had soundly beaten up several classmates who were giving Meng Xiaoting a hard time, the unfamiliar girl standing in the corner, her eyes puffy with tears like poached eggs, had let out a sob and thrown herself into Xie Jingci's arms.
Like a soft, fluffy teddy bear.
Friendship was a strange thing. Clearly, they were two individuals with completely different personalities, both actively avoided by everyone else. Yet once they drew close to each other, they inexplicably fit together perfectly.
That inevitable, deadly ending... they must avoid it at all costs.
The wrist she held trembled slightly, as if wanting to pull away, then hesitated and remained still.
Meng Xiaoting somehow let out a soft chuckle and responded gently, "I know."
She paused, then continued, not using voice transmission this time: "Cici, I've been practicing calligraphy lately and got a lot of calluses on my hand. It hurts so much — How about you touch them? Maybe it won't hurt if you touch them."
Meng Xiaoting loved to act coquettish the most, and Xie Jingci was used to it, following the implication in her words and moving her fingertips downward.
First, she touched the protruding, somewhat cool wrist bone.
Then, sliding downward, she reached the palm.
Mo Xiaoyang, standing behind them, coughed a few times.
"And with the winter cold, I always feel my skin getting worse and worse."
Meng Xiaoting's tone was plaintive as she let out a long sigh: "Don't you think it feels rough?"
Xie Jingci was still lost in thought about the news of her own death. Hearing this, she rotated her thumb and stroked Meng Xiaoting's palm.
The latter seemed to feel a bit ticklish, trembling lightly and shrinking back.
She told the truth: "It's very soft and comfortable, don't worry, it won't affect Miss Meng's beauty."
"Oh—very soft and comfortable."
Meng Xiaoting laughed even more happily: "Then I'll let you hold this hand more often in the future, okay? So, did you feel any calluses?"
That hand shrank back again.
Xie Jingci didn't expect her to be so ticklish and moved her fingertips upward from the palm. Her fingers passed over the warm, soft flesh, carefully moving up.
There really were calluses, and quite thick ones at that.
Could such calluses really form from just a short period of practicing calligraphy?
Puzzled, Xie Jingci grabbed that finger and rubbed it back and forth. Just as she was about to lower her head for a closer look, she suddenly realized something was off.
The knuckles were distinct, with thick calluses, and it seemed... compared to her own fingers, they were longer.
...Was this a girl's hand?
A wave of heat rushed to her head, and Xie Jingci's brain short-circuited.
Given: She and Meng Xiaoting were walking side by side, with Mo Xiaoyang and Pei Du behind them.
Meng Xiaoting loved to sway and swing her hands while walking the most, so when Xie Jingci grabbed her wrist, she had subconsciously reached toward a spot slightly further back.
Xie Jingci: "..."
Clutching her last remaining shred of hope, Xie Jingci looked down in confusion.
The right hand she was tightly holding was slender and large. Due to the repeated rubbing, the fair, jade-like skin had taken on a light pink hue.
Meng Xiaoting finally couldn't hold back her triumphant, wild laughter. Mo Xiaoyang pretended to be composed, covering his laughter with coughs.
Xie Jingci turned her head in a fluster, meeting Pei Du's pitch-black phoenix eyes directly.
He was visibly flustered. His fingers subconsciously curled inward, and upon touching Xie Jingci's fingernails, as if touching a scorching fire, his long eyelashes fluttered rapidly, and he abruptly withdrew his fingertips.
"...Miss Xie."
Pei Du didn't avoid her gaze. Suppressing the shame in his heart, he actually spoke with extreme seriousness, despite his crimson ears, his voice tinged with awkwardness: "You grabbed the wrong person."
What a fool.
Of course she knew she grabbed the wrong person! There was no need for him to repeat and emphasize such a thing! Meng Xiaoting, watching the show from the side, was already laughing so hard her eyes disappeared!
Meng Xiaoting giggled, extending her own right hand: "Cici, why don't you come and try? Whose hand is softer and more comfortable, mine or Young Master Pei's?"
Xie Jingci was so angry she instantly transformed into a stomping shrimp.
