Xie Jingci felt utterly flustered.
If Pei Du had been a pure tyrant from the very beginning, she would have behaved impeccably and never provoked him.
But he had been a meek rabbit for so many years, always gentle, proper, and serious, considering even a hug a breach of propriety, his face flushing crimson at the slightest touch.
For someone like that to suddenly turn the tables, shedding layers of gentleness to become someone who devours people without spitting out the bones—it was truly, truly unsettling.
What was even more terrifying was that when everything settled, as she gasped for breath with a flushed face and watched Pei Du straighten up, she actually discovered his face was equally burning hot. Then, as the intense emotion in his eyes gradually faded, he reverted to his usual innocent, well-behaved appearance.
He even reached out to touch her lips, his dark eyes profound, asking with utmost seriousness, "Did it hurt?"
Xie Jingci's mind was a muddled mess, frantic and embarrassed. Without thinking, she bit his fingertip, causing Pei Du's figure to stiffen abruptly.
Now that the demonic energy had completely receded, every corner of the Guiyuan Immortal Manor was filled with pure spiritual energy. Because Wandering Immortal Yunshui had attained enlightenment and his cultivation had greatly increased, the concentration was even denser than before.
The nearly depleted strength within Xie Jingci's body was replenished, and before long, she recovered to her usual state. After resting briefly, she headed to the main hall with Pei Du.
Due to the surging spiritual energy, all things within the secret realm were reviving.
The towering ancient trees formed a lush canopy, every leaf looking as if washed, brimming with vibrant green. Vines grew wildly outside the main hall, crawling over the entire wall at a visible pace, dotted with a few small white flowers.
Xie Jingci exclaimed in wonder all along the way. Catching sight of the main hall's condition, she couldn't help but utter a sigh of regret.
Compared to the vitality elsewhere, the main hall building was mostly damaged, its original appearance almost unrecognizable. A single glance was enough to imagine the life-and-death peril of that moment.
The tall pavilion on the far right had collapsed into a mountain of dust; the eaves and roof had been torn away, glazed tiles shattered into pieces on the ground; bloodstains of various shades—bright red, bluish-black, deep green—were scattered across the priceless floor tiles, gradually drying and congealing.
"Ci-ci!"
Meng Xiaoting spotted Xie Jingci immediately and ran over quickly, throwing an arm around her neck. "Fantastic! I knew you two could definitely defeat the inner demon!"
"It was mostly Pei Du's credit."
Xie Jingci patted her head. "He's injured. Are there any spare medical cultivators in the main hall?"
During the battle against that inner demon, it was all thanks to Pei Du drawing his sword and holding the front line. She had entered his sea of consciousness and had the protection of Wandering Immortal Yunshui's scattered divine sense, so she didn't sustain serious injuries.
Only after finishing her sentence did Xie Jingci realize she had only mentioned Pei Du, completely neglecting to ask about others. Belatedly, she added, "How is everything on your end?"
"No need to hide it! You just talk about him nonstop!"
Meng Xiaoting chuckled, her almond-shaped eyes lighting up as she moved to the next topic. "It was super, super, super thrilling on our end! Just as the evil demons were about to break through the sword formation and wipe us all out, at the critical moment, the demonic energy suddenly vanished—thank goodness you managed to awaken Wandering Immortal Yunshui, otherwise everyone in the main hall would have been done for."
"Exactly! I was terrified back then. When the demonic energy disappeared instantly, I almost thought I was dreaming."
A young medical cultivator who had come over upon hearing the news let out a long sigh of relief, his expression still tense from the narrow escape. As he spoke, he looked at Pei Du and said gently, "Young Master Pei, your injuries are quite severe. Please come with me."
Pei Du was covered in wounds. Although Xie Jingci was concerned, as a young woman, it was inconvenient for her to stand by and watch. She could only bid him a brief farewell for now.
Earlier at the back mountain, surrounded by vast forests, she couldn't see the sky. Now, arriving before the main hall, she looked up and couldn't help but freeze.
The horizon was a clear azure, the dome pure as a mirror. Auspicious clouds drifted leisurely, tinged with soothing shades of light pink and pale blue. Hundreds of birds gathered, cranes circled overhead—a magnificent, dreamlike sight at first glance.
When cultivators break through to a major new stage, the sky often manifests many auspicious signs, with auspicious clouds being the most common. But the clusters above the Guiyuan Immortal Manor...
Xie Jingci pointed dazedly at the horizon. "There must be dozens, even hundreds, right?"
"Because after that life-and-death battle just now, many people achieved breakthroughs in their mental state! Plus, with the secret realm's spiritual energy greatly increased, everyone's cultivation is soaring. Advancing and breaking through is only a matter of time."
Meng Xiaoting lifted her chin happily. "Like me, I advanced three minor stages in a row. I'm already at the mid Golden Core level."
Only then did Xie Jingci react, focusing to check her own sea of consciousness.
She was originally at the high Golden Core stage. Now her cultivation had also surged greatly, reaching the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage. All she needed was an opportunity to step into Nascent Soul.
Thinking of this, Xie Jingci felt a headache coming on.
Perhaps due to that missing wisp of divine sense, her body was filled with spiritual energy, almost overflowing from her sea of consciousness, yet she just couldn't break through to the next stage. As for that so-called "opportunity," it sounded nice, but who knew when it would come.
Her thoughts were still racing when she suddenly heard the rumble of thunder not far away.
"Many people are about to face their heavenly tribulation, all gathered over there."
Meng Xiaoting smiled with keen interest. "Shall we go take a look?"
As everyone knows, when a cultivator advances to a new stage, besides the auspicious signs filling the sky, what follows closely is the heavenly tribulation—something countless people have a love-hate relationship with.
If one can survive this trial, a smooth and broad path awaits. But if one fails, the clouds floating in the sky become the white flowers of mourning.
The vast majority of those who entered the Guiyuan Immortal Manor were Golden Core stage cultivators. Having difficulty finding a method to advance, they came to the immortal's abode to seek an opportunity.
The rampant demonic energy and the onslaught of demons and monsters this time were an unexpected calamity for everyone. Fortunately, they ultimately managed to turn danger into safety, and the crisis became a turning point. Through a series of twists of fate, a significant number of cultivators were able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.
When Xie Jingci followed Meng Xiaoting to the back garden, over a dozen people had already gathered there. Noticing her, they nodded in greeting.
"Miss Xie."
The young female cultivator nearest to her laughed brightly. "We owe our survival this time to you two risking your lives—thank you."
"There's no need for thanks."
She returned a polite smile. "The reason we could shatter that deadly situation is also greatly due to everyone's efforts. It is I who should thank you, fellow cultivators, for holding back the demonic tide with all your might, buying time for Pei Du and me."
As Xie Jingci spoke, she looked up, her gaze sweeping over the back garden and catching sight of a blinding flash of light.
This tribulation lightning was about to strike a young man with delicate features.
Before she could even react, she heard a soft ding-dong in her ear.
The system had been locked away and hadn't appeared for a long time. Hearing its voice so suddenly, Xie Jingci actually felt a twinge of nostalgia.
And in the very next instant, she realized something was terribly wrong.
Before being locked away, the persona it had assigned her, it seemed, perhaps, maybe, was that of a... harem king.
So now—
Her consciousness slowly shifted upward, landing on the panel provided by the system. Xie Jingci saw the black characters on the white page at a glance, feeling as if her head had been struck hard.
[The young man not far away looks nervous, clearly a novice who hasn't reached the Golden Core stage yet and doesn't know how to face the heavenly tribulation. As a seasoned charmer, seeing his flustered state, how can your heart not stir with pity?]
[Follow your character setting, step forward to help him, and strive to become closer!]
What kind of devilish task is this?
In the past, Xie Jingci would have undoubtedly stepped forward to talk without hesitation, but the current situation was completely different.
—She was someone with a fiancé now! If she went around flirting with others despite having Pei Du, that wouldn't be charming—it would be downright scummy!
[Come on, the task I gave is already quite mild.]
The system thumped her head: [You just need to tell him the method to survive the tribulation. Think of it as helping someone in need, doing a good deed.]
It then gave a light cough, its voice gradually lowering: [And, well, you know, Pei Du wasn't around just now.]
—That sentence made it sound even more guilty!
However, there was one point the system wasn't wrong about.
Compared to flirting and fooling around, this task was actually quite normal. Merely offering a couple of pointers on surviving the tribulation could easily be explained as kindness from a stranger.
Without overthinking it, she spoke softly, "When the heavenly tribulation arrives, remember to sink your dantian and concentrate your spiritual power in every meridian. Once you make contact with the lightning, mobilize your qi and wrap it with spiritual power."
The young man, holding a saber, nodded with a serious expression, "Thank you."
He had been at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, coming here to break through to the Golden Core stage. The heavenly tribulation wasn't too difficult for him.
A flash of light cascaded from the sky like water, illuminating the young man's pale face. He took a deep breath, clearly following Xie Jingci's instructions, gradually wearing down the lightning with his spiritual power.
This didn't last too long. When the white radiance dissipated and the young saber cultivator reopened his eyes, his pupils visibly held a brighter gleam, and the aura around him felt purer.
"Congratulations."
The female cultivator who had spoken with Xie Jingci earlier smiled, "You've reached the Golden Core stage."
"Thank you! Thank you, Miss Xie!"
The young man grinned, his eyes sparkling, "I'm a rogue cultivator. I muddled my way to my current cultivation level and didn't know how to survive the heavenly tribulation. If not for Miss Xie's help, I don't know how much hardship I would have suffered."
Xie Jingci shook her head, "No need."
"I've long heard of Miss Xie's name, renowned for your peerless saber skills."
He seemed a bit embarrassed, "I'm also learning the saber. Although my cultivation isn't high now, I will strive to improve. I hope one day I can have a proper spar with you."
This was the sincere heart of a young man, seeing her as a goal he wanted to surpass.
Xie Jingci could deeply understand this mindset. She curved her lips into a smile, "Alright, keep working hard. I'll look forward to the day we spar."
"Really?"
Most geniuses in the cultivation world were arrogant and looked down on others. The young man didn't expect her to agree. His eyes curved into crescents, "Miss Xie, I heard you cultivate the 'Counterflow Water Art.' Three years ago, while exploring in Cangzhou, I happened to find a manual of Nascent Soul stage cultivation insights. Unfortunately, I don't have it with me. Could you perhaps give me your communication talisman address? After leaving the Guiyuan Immortal Manor—"
He paused here, his gaze suddenly shifting as if he saw someone, his smile deepening.
Xie Jingci heard him say, "Young Master Pei, you're here too!"
Xie Jingci's back stiffened instantly.
She believed she had done nothing wrong, but the moment she turned around, she still inexplicably felt a twinge of guilt. When her eyes met Pei Du's dark ones, her heart tightened even more, and her fingers subconsciously curled.
This is bad.
Is Pei Du... is he a little unhappy? What stage had they just reached... ex-exchanging communication addresses?
She hadn't agreed to it!
"I was delivering medicine for Senior Brother Song and happened to pass by."
Pei Du's expression was gentle, showing no emotional fluctuation. Meeting her gaze, he even curved his lips slightly, "Miss Xie, Miss Meng. I still need to return to my room to take medicine, so I'll take my leave now."
It was all so ordinary—there was no sign of anything suspicious.
Xie Jingci felt even more guilty.
One voice screamed in her ear, "It's fine, it's fine! You only talked to him for a few sentences, didn't even touch him. How could he possibly overthink it?"
Another voice declared righteously, "How could he not overthink it! Anyone with a decent personality would feel jealous! What if Pei Du is jealous!"
Jealousy.
These two words seemed hard to associate with Pei Du. He had always been gentle, uncontentious, quiet, staying in the corner without much emotion.
The child who knows how to act spoiled gets the candy. So, from childhood till now, apart from a body full of wounds, he had received nothing.
Forget whether he's unhappy or not.
Xie Jingci abruptly patted Meng Xiaoting's shoulder, "I'm going to find him first. I'll contact you via communication talisman later."
Xie Jingci didn't know which room Pei Du was in. Relying on intuition to search, the first place she went was the small chamber they had been in before.
...It was also the small chamber where she had confessed to Pei Du. Thinking back now, even Xie Jingci herself couldn't help but feel surprised. How had she mustered such great courage in that moment of impulse?
She wasn't sure if anyone was in the small chamber, not holding much hope, and gently knocked on the door.
The voice that came from inside was all too familiar, gentle and clear like the wind, "Come in."
Pei Du clearly hadn't expected the person entering to be her.
"Miss Xie."
His wounds were all bandaged. The blood-stained clothes had been changed for a white robe embroidered with moon hibiscus cloud patterns. He was sitting obediently in the corner. Seeing her enter, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
After the demon tide receded, the main hall was left in ruins. Many people had gone elsewhere to find places to rest, comfortably lying on large beds.
Only Pei Du remained in this kind of narrow, cold room.
"Won't it be very cold here?"
Xie Jingci rubbed the tip of her nose, "There's not even a bed."
"...It's alright."
He concealed his bewildered expression, still speaking gently, "How is Miss Xie's recovery?"
"Quite well. I wasn't really injured in the first place."
—Wrong! Why had she and Pei Du started this awkward small talk!
Xie Jingci just wanted to bang her own head.
She rarely even comforted people, let alone found herself in such a situation. She had thought of line after line on the way here, but in the end, still didn't know what to say.
[Didn't I give you some strategies?]
The system poked its head out again: [Seasoned charmers are very skilled at handling these situations!]
Xie Jingci felt a throb in her temples, "Shut up, please."
Heaven and earth bear witness, are those lines used by charmers something normal people can use?
Things like "That was just acting for the occasion. If you want to think that way, there's nothing I can do."
Or "He and I are just friends. I was afraid you'd get angry, so I didn't tell you."
And other messy lines like "Then what do you want me to do? What else can I do?", "Please be a little more broad-minded and tolerate him," "Give me some time, I'll definitely change."
Xie Jingci felt a headache coming on just reading them.
If she could choose one of those lines to say out loud, forget Pei Du, even she herself wouldn't be able to stand it and would probably die on the spot.
"Xiao Ting and I passed by there, saw them undergoing the heavenly tribulation, and went over to join the commotion."
Xie Jingci struggled to piece together her words. "Then, incidentally, I gave some pointers."
She paused briefly, emphasizing her tone: "I didn't give him my messenger talisman address!"
Pei Du was taken aback.
He wasn't foolish; he quickly grasped the meaning behind her words—Miss Xie was afraid he would be upset and was doing her utmost to comfort him.
...Clearly, she hadn't done anything wrong.
Giving pointers about the lightning tribulation to fellow cultivators was an utterly ordinary occurrence in the cultivation world. That youth wanting to repay her and asking for her messenger talisman was equally reasonable.
It was all his own narrow-mindedness. Even just seeing Miss Xie smile at that person made a shameful bitterness well up in his heart.
Such thoughts were not good.
She was so wonderful; she ought to meet many, many outstanding people and make more and more close friends. He couldn't, because of his own selfish desires, keep Miss Xie confined by his side.
Pei Du's gaze darkened slightly.
Back when he used to watch her from afar, seeing Miss Xie chatting and laughing with others, he never dared to entertain any presumptuous thoughts. He could only secretly wonder what it would be like if he were the one standing by her side.
Every time after such thoughts, he would only feel utterly despicable, hiding in the shadows to watch, like a base beast.
Back then, just being able to catch a glimpse of her figure would make his entire day exceptionally joyful. Now that he had gradually grown closer to Miss Xie, these dark, stubborn thoughts in his heart had only multiplied, growing ever more demanding and insatiable.
Pei Du despised such selfish thoughts, yet he couldn't help but wonder: as she met more and more people, if she ever grew weary, would she discard him?
Actually, even if things truly came to that, just having been by Miss Xie's side would already be enough to satisfy him. But once the thought arose, he would still feel a vague sense of fear and sorrow.
He was truly awful, actually needing Miss Xie to comfort him.
...Before this, it seemed no one had ever been willing to comfort him.
"That, well, since I said those things to you, I will definitely take responsibility."
Xie Jingci stepped forward and sat down beside him. "I've always been very responsible."
Oh, help, what nonsense was she spouting! These weren't normal lines!
Xie Jingci's mind was a jumbled mess. In that blank state, she suddenly heard the familiar ding-dong sound.
[Ding-dong!]
[Detecting dimensional shift, character persona change detected. Attempting to match, please wait...]
[Congratulations! New persona: The Little Spoiled Darling has been issued. Please take note.]
The Little Spoiled Darling.
Among the many bizarre personas, these three words seemed so amiable and approachable. Xie Jingci still had an impression of this world setting. Compared to the Queen or the Yandere, this was just an ordinary little girl who loved to act spoiled.
Although a bit fussy, a bit clingy, and a bit annoying.
But at least she wouldn't spout eerie ghost-talk like "If you hurt my sister's wings, I will destroy your entire heaven"!
Xie Jingci had never felt the system's voice sound so heavenly before.
As those lines of text appeared, she felt as if bathed in holy light, ready to burst into a chorus of Hallelujah.
Right! If Pei Du was unhappy, she just needed to act a little spoiled, and everything would be solved!
Suppressing her inner excitement, Xie Jingci lowered her gaze to look at the lines provided by the system.
Her expression instantly froze.
She almost forgot... the lines for this "Little Spoiled Darling" persona... were all super cliché, cheesy pickup lines!
"Miss Xie."
Pei Du spoke softly, "I'm not unhappy. You don't need to... expend energy because of me."
A moment of silence.
"What do you mean, 'expend energy'?"
Miss Xie suddenly moved a little closer to him and gave a light laugh. "Pei Du, I suddenly realize you don't seem suited for just dating."
The young man's body tensed abruptly.
His heart felt like it had plummeted from a height, his chest empty and aching. Just as the pain throbbed, he heard Xie Jingci's voice again.
Her smile deepened as she leaned close to his ear. "You're suited for marriage, then to be kept well hidden in a room, belonging only to me, not letting anyone else see."
No.
Too cheesy. Too cheesy.
The little person in Xie Jingci's mind was banging its head against a wall, yet she inexplicably felt a smooth, satisfying flow. Saying these kinds of lines to Pei Du didn't seem as repulsive as she had anticipated.
Why did it even feel a tiny bit enjoyable!
Pei Du's ears flushed crimson.
"If you're unhappy, you don't have to keep it bottled up. Just tell me."
Miss Xie said, "Don't always think on my behalf. How can you keep everything locked inside? Our Pei Du is so likable. Being with you is a pleasure; how can you call it 'expending energy'?"
The system shivered with disgust: [So gross, you added so many lines yourself.]
Xie Jingci humphed, "None of your business."
"Miss Xie."
Pei Du, blushing furiously, whispered almost inaudibly, "...Don't tease me."
"I'm not teasing you! It's all sincere."
Xie Jingci held back a laugh and took a soft breath. "Are you wearing perfume? Why does everything around turn sweet as soon as I see you?"
So cheesy.
But so happy! She felt she had opened the door to a new world and was about to become a natural! The Little Spoiled Darling persona was truly fragrant!
Pei Du was already speechless.
"Pei Du."
The two lines given by the system had come to an end, but Xie Jingci didn't stop. "Do you know which number is the happiest?"
He shook his head silently, hearing her continue, "It's five. Want to know why?"
It was like coaxing a child.
Pei Du forcefully suppressed his racing heartbeat and nodded quietly, her laughter still in his ears. "Stretch out your hand, make a five, and you'll know why."
He obediently complied, extending his slender right hand with its faint calluses, fingers spread, forming a proper, upright five.
Then a hand gently covered his palm.
Before this, Xie Jingci had never understood the point of acting spoiled.
She was used to charging forward with her blade, or expressing goodwill by throwing money around. Only when facing Pei Du did she suddenly feel that maybe acting spoiled could be fun too.
In front of him, she could fully let her guard down. As long as it made Pei Du happy, her own heart would naturally leap with joy.
It seemed she really did like Pei Du a lot.
Xie Jingci's right hand was much more slender, her fingers cool as they slid down between his fingers, instantly intertwining, palm to palm.
She asked, "Isn't it quite happy-making?"
The system shook its head repeatedly, astonished: [Ew, oh my god, you're so corny. Is this the legendary 'the pupil surpassing the master'?]
It couldn't bear to watch any longer and chose to log off and disappear.
Pei Du didn't speak, his lips pressed tightly together.
He was too happy.
A flood of emotions surged wave after wave in his chest, battering his heart until it felt unsteady. He could hardly withstand such intense warmth. On the barren, desolate soil of his heart, little flowers were sprouting up one after another.
A little person was darting around in his mind.
Pei Du wanted to curl up into a ball or cover his face with a blanket. Only then would Miss Xie not see the curve of his smile.
...How could there be such intense emotions?
"Before coming here, I gave it some careful thought."
Xie Jingci caught sight of his dazed, dream-like expression and let out a soft laugh. "Many people call you Pei Du. Since we're in a relationship where we can hold hands, shouldn't our terms of endearment be a bit more unique?"
Pei Du's voice was hoarse as he replied, "Miss Xie... what would you like to call me?"
"I've prepared three options. Listen."
Before Pei Du could even begin to sort out his tumultuous feelings, he heard her call out: "Du-du."
His defenses shattered instantly.
He pressed his lips together, yet his eyes overflowed with a brimming smile.
"And then—"
Xie Jingci noticed his smile, her voice softening further. "Brother Pei Du, you're smiling."
Sure enough, Pei Du's face flushed even redder.
The little figure in her heart was laughing uncontrollably. Some people who feared nothing in mountain caves ultimately still fell before sweet nothings, turning into motionless, weak-kneed messes.
Vengeance was hers. The whole world should celebrate.
He looked so adorable when he blushed.
Caught red-handed, he was about to compose his expression when a finger poked the dimple on his cheek. "The third one: Little Du-du-du-du-du-du—which one do you like best?"
Pei Du would surely be driven mad by her one day.
But here and now, within the frantic pounding of his heart, he willingly followed Miss Xie's lead, responding in an extremely soft voice, "...The second one."
"Oh—Brother Pei Du, so you favor that kind of address."
Xie Jingci laughed triumphantly, enunciating those four words with particular emphasis, her tone laced with a smile that drifted and curled upward.
Pei Du was already flushed to the point of dizziness, as if submerged in scalding syrup. After a brief silence, he heard her continue, "Brother Pei Du, do you prefer cats or dogs?"
She had deliberately used that address, her enunciation crystal clear. Pei Du detected the laughter hidden within and hastily lowered his lashes.
He had never considered this question before.
As a child, he was constantly on the run, with no time to spare. After entering the Pei family as he grew older, his days were filled with sword practice. Apart from the occasional sparrow perched on a tree, he hadn't seen many animals. Whether cats or dogs, there wasn't much difference to Pei Du.
But now, he seemed to have an answer.
That lazy, aloof, elegant, and mysteriously elusive answer, just like Miss Xie.
Pei Du answered, "...Cats."
The young woman right before him gave him a slight smile.
Xie Jingci's willow-leaf eyes were slender and beautiful, curving like crescent moons when she smiled, the outer corners lifting in a captivating arc.
Pei Du instinctively felt flustered; his heart, which had just begun to steady, started pounding violently once more.
He watched as Miss Xie leaned forward bit by bit, her breath brushing past his neck and arriving at his ear.
The warm, continuous whisper felt like a thousand ants nibbling at his heart. He didn't know what to do when suddenly he heard Xie Jingci's soft chuckle.
Pressed against his red, burning earlobe, her lips moved soundlessly, then issued a whisper softer than water in the quiet room: "Don't be upset now, Meow-meow."
A white light, like fireworks, exploded—from his ear to his brain, then seeped into his boiling blood, setting off chain reactions.
Pei Du's heart surrendered completely, utterly defeated, melting into a puddle of mush.
He was utterly helpless. Under this extreme tenderness, the corners of his eyes stung. He could only clumsily reach out and gently pull Miss Xie into his embrace.
His heart, his spine, his fingertips—all were trembling.
The young man had never experienced such favor before, so even his voice shook, like a husky plea: "Miss Xie... have mercy on me."
