Walking on the way back, Xie Jingci tossed the spirit stone in her hand into the air, letting it spin wildly a few times before it landed back in her palm.
Beside her, Long Xiao bounded along, taking three skips for every step. Occasionally, he would throw lightning-fast punches into the empty air, creating whooshing sounds. It was a rather silly gesture, but he thoroughly enjoyed it, a goofy smile constantly plastered on his face.
Xie Jingci's head ached just watching him. "Is there really a need to be this happy? Didn't Xiaoting hold off on accepting your confession?"
He had confessed his feelings at the Meng estate, but unfortunately, before he could receive an answer, the moment was completely ruined by the girls peeking from the outside, forcing him to stop midway.
Thus, the romantic atmosphere shattered instantly. In the end, Meng Xiaoting only gave a numb, awkward nod.
After all, she had lived a carefree and somewhat oblivious life for so many years. She had never imagined that someone would admire her, and lacking any experience, she had no idea how to respond.
"As long as she didn't reject me, it means I still have a chance!"
Long Xiao was in high spirits, suddenly letting out a chuckle. "Maybe to the current Xiaoting, I barely count as a 'not-so-annoying friend.' But as long as we slowly deepen our connection, who knows, one day she might think I'm actually pretty good—the kind of good that makes for a suitable Dao companion."
It hadn't even been that long, yet "Miss Meng" had already turned into an affectionate "Xiaoting."
Truthfully, Xie Jingci could understand his reaction to some extent.
Back when she and Pei Du were merely acquaintances, she had gone to the Ghost Mound to find him. She had expected him to treat her coldly, but to her surprise, she received his unexpected care.
The feeling at that time was sheer joy. It was as if a hidden piece of sweet candy slowly blossomed in the depths of her heart, making her feel that her years of admiration had finally received a response and hadn't been entirely in vain.
This kind of secret crush was truly torturous. Unable to guess the other person's thoughts, one could only suppress a heart full of affection, turning it into imperceptible threads to be conveyed bit by bit. If there was a response, no matter how small, it could make one ecstatic.
"I hesitated for so long before, and it was only after I told her everything in my heart that I felt it for the first time," Long Xiao kicked a pebble on the roadside, a laugh escaping his throat. "It should have been like this from the start. What's the point of hiding it? It's much better to treat her well openly and honestly."
He spoke without thinking; the speaker had no underlying intent, but the listener took it to heart.
Xie Jingci thought of Pei Du and silently looked away. "...Yeah."
"With a personality like yours, Miss Xie, you definitely wouldn't be indecisive."
Long Xiao looked up at the horizon, oblivious to Xie Jingci's silent expression. "From the very beginning, there shouldn't be any hesitation."
"Who knows," he added with a wide grin, "the person you admire might just happen to like you a lot, too."
In Meng Xiaoting's own words, after waking up from an incredibly long sleep, she was nearly scared out of her wits by herself.
As a slacker who drifted through life and viewed living in the moment as her ultimate goal, Meng Xiaoting had continuously absorbed the nourishment of heavenly treasures during her deep slumber. She had been at the early Golden Core stage when she lay down, but in the blink of an eye, she had bypassed the entire Golden Core stage.
"I don't even know how to use the Nascent Soul in my sea of consciousness! This thing looks way too weird! It's absolute nightmare fuel! Ahhh, it actually moves!"
By the time she said this, she, Xie Jingci, and Pei Du were already sitting on a flying boat heading towards Lingshui Village.
The appearance of the Memory Spirit in the Eastern Sea was highly likely related to Xie Jingci's lost divine sense, but their journey to the Eastern Sea this time wasn't solely for that.
Many days had passed since Pei Du was framed at the Ghost Mound. As long as Bai Wan and Pei Yu kept their mouths shut, it would be impossible for anyone to find related clues. Thus, clearing his name would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
The Memory Spirit was their only chance.
Initially, to encircle and eliminate Pei Du, the major families had sent out numerous promising young talents. However, they were miserably counterattacked and lost all face, becoming a well-known laughingstock in the cultivation world and suffering incalculable losses.
Since then, the Memory Spirit was the first evil entity to cause a sensation. To restore their morale, many aristocratic families and sects were determined to obtain it.
The Pei Manor was naturally one of them.
As far as Xie Jingci knew, the Memory Spirit fed on divine sense and could draw out the memories hidden deep within the sea of consciousness.
If they could borrow its power to recreate the true events that happened in the Ghost Mound back then, they might be able to find their only breakthrough.
Although Meng Xiaoting had slept for a long time, she had been nourished by abundant spiritual energy day and night. Upon waking, she was full of vitality and her cultivation had greatly increased. Hearing of Xie Jingci's plan, she decided to tag along.
"Nascent Soul?"
Xie Jingci smiled. "When I first saw it, I was startled too."
When cultivators broke through the Golden Core stage, a baby-like figure would form in their sea of consciousness. The Nascent Soul was entirely soft yellow, curled up in a corner of the sea of consciousness, and bore an eighty-percent resemblance to the cultivator themselves. If gently poked, it would move in response.
As she spoke, her eyes curved into crescents, her gaze towards Meng Xiaoting holding a hint of teasing. "By the way, what are you going to do about Long Xiao?"
Meng Xiaoting was drinking tea and nearly choked. When she looked up again, her ears were completely flushed red.
"I... I don't know either. You should know that I've never thought about that sort of thing."
She rubbed her ear uncomfortably. "But since he told me his true feelings, after some time passes and I figure out my own heart, I will definitely give him a proper and complete answer."
Growing up, Meng Xiaoting had never been very likable.
Her mother had disappeared, and her father viewed her as a redundant burden. Too many people around her mocked her, both openly and secretly, calling her a shameful illegitimate child.
So, she gradually learned to ignore it, forcing herself to act carefree and indifferent to anything and anyone. Only by doing so could she avoid feeling sad.
Long Xiao was too outstanding; it felt as if they were from two different worlds. Faced with his affection, Meng Xiaoting was at a loss, yet she also cherished and respected it immensely.
The flying boat passed through layers of clouds and mist. Amidst their casual chatter, they finally arrived at the Eastern Sea.
"I heard the Memory Spirit is already at the early Nascent Soul stage. After being besieged, it fled in a panic and entered the Langya Secret Realm."
Meng Xiaoting put down the Morning News Record in her hands and clicked her tongue a few times. "Last time at the Ghost Mound, all the major families suffered heavy losses. This time, they will definitely go all out to win back their pride."
For an evil entity of this caliber, the family heads and elders usually wouldn't intervene personally. Instead, they would leave it to the younger disciples as an opportunity to make a name for themselves. Thus, right after stepping off the flying boat, Xie Jingci spotted a few familiar figures.
First was Long Xiao, surrounded by several young masters from aristocratic families. He looked like an elegant young gentleman with unmatched temperament.
Looking to the other side, she saw Pei Yu and Pei Mingchuan from the Pei family.
The opening and closing times of the Langya Secret Realm were unpredictable. They had arrived a bit late, only to find the entrance had vanished upon reaching the Eastern Sea. Now, they could only bide their time and wait for its next opening.
"Miss Meng, Miss Xie!"
Long Xiao was a simple-minded fellow. The moment he saw Meng Xiaoting, his eyes lit up brilliantly, completely losing any trace of reserve. He greeted everyone one by one before his gaze landed on Pei Du's face. He hesitated for a moment. "And this fellow cultivator is...?"
Xie Jingci's expression remained unchanged. "A guard my dad forced on me. His surname is Li."
Pei Du found it inconvenient to reveal his true face, so he still wore a disguise. This face was completely ordinary and wouldn't leave much of an impression, making it convenient for him to move around freely.
Before she could finish speaking, she heard a cold click of the tongue from nearby. "When is this mystic realm going to open? We were only a single incense stick of time late, yet we've been waiting in this blasted place for an entire night."
It was none other than Pei Yu.
He had participated in the siege against Pei Du and had been beaten half to death by the overwhelming demonic energy. Word had it that he had rested at home for quite a while before finally being able to get out of bed. Coming to the Eastern Sea this time, he surely wanted to wipe away his past humiliation and win back some favor in Pei Fengnan's eyes.
Xie Jingci found him incredibly an eyesore. Hearing this, she chuckled softly, "Doesn't the cultivation world emphasize serendipity and timing? You missed the time yourself, yet you blame the mystic realm. That's hardly appropriate."
Seeing his brother frown and fearing trouble, Pei Mingchuan hastily interjected, "Miss, my brother didn't mean it that way. Everyone present is here for the Memory Spirit. Many have already followed it into the mystic realm, yet we are stuck here wasting time. By the time they come out, the Memory Spirit will have long been subdued. What would be left for us?"
Even if the Memory Spirit died, you'd still have plenty of issues to deal with.
Xie Jingci didn't say this out loud. Just as her mind wandered, an exclamation rang in her ears: "It's open! The Langya Mystic Realm... has finally opened!"
"Be careful with everything."
As the Langya Realm opened, monstrous waves surged into the sky.
Xie Jingci's expression turned slightly serious, and she used a secret voice transmission: "The Memory Spirit probably won't be that easy to deal with."
Entering the Langya Mystic Realm once again, Xie Jingci felt as though a lifetime had passed.
During her time recuperating, Pei Du had told her about the recent planar turbulence. The reason she was able to wake up was likely thanks to her other self, which allowed her divine sense to be completed.
But there was one question Xie Jingci couldn't figure out.
For a cultivator, divine sense was an indispensable and crucial thing. Once damaged, one's cultivation would be greatly discounted.
The 'her' from the other plane should have been similarly injured, so why would the other party risk damaging her own sea of consciousness to travel thousands of miles across worlds just to give her divine sense?
What exactly did that Xie Jingci... not want her to forget?
If she found the Memory Spirit, perhaps she would know the answer.
The entrance to the mystic realm teleported people randomly. When she opened her eyes and looked around, she only saw towering trees, dripping with verdant green.
She walked aimlessly for an unknown amount of time before suddenly sensing a wind nearby.
More accurately, it was someone running in a hurry, their body brushing past the forest vegetation, making rustling sounds.
"Miss... Miss Xie?"
The girl who came rushing over looked unfamiliar. Looking up and seeing Xie Jingci, she quickly glanced behind her: "When did you arrive in Langya? Did the mystic realm entrance open? Don't go over there... We must seek backup immediately, the Memory Spirit is on a killing spree!"
Perhaps noticing the other party's confused expression, the girl frowned and said anxiously, "My name is Sun Luo, I've seen you at the academy. The Memory Spirit is absolutely not at the early Nascent Soul stage. It has clearly reached the peak of its cultivation. The reason it lured us in is to devour more divine senses to help it undergo its tribulation and advance!"
The Memory Spirit had hidden in the Langya Mystic Realm for many years, yet it suddenly appeared now. Thinking about it carefully, there was indeed something fishy going on.
However, with so many monsters and demons suddenly appearing all the time, no one would have had their guard up to ponder it so carefully.
Sun Luo was almost out of strength, her entire body covered in blood, shaking like a leaf.
Xie Jingci supported her steadily, gently rubbing her back with her right hand to soothe her breathing, and asked warmly, "Don't be afraid. What is the situation over there now?"
"We..."
Sun Luo gritted her teeth and inhaled, the end of her voice trembling, "When the Memory Spirit appeared in the Eastern Sea, my two brothers and I happened to be nearby, so we rushed over quickly. At first, its strength wasn't that great, only at the early Nascent Soul stage. Quite a few people had arrived, and under the siege, the Memory Spirit fled continuously, breaking into the mystic realm."
Xie Jingci could clearly feel the young girl beside her tremble all over.
"After coming here, once the mystic realm closed, there was no way to get out anymore—"
Her voice carried a crying tone: "We are simply no match for it. Memories... without memories, we don't even know who we are, so how could we have the spare energy to fight it? Anyone who tried to resist had their divine sense devoured without exception, falling into a complete coma. Relying on just us, there's absolutely no way to defeat it!"
Xie Jingci's temples throbbed violently.
This was a trap set by the Memory Spirit, just to lure more cultivators into the Langya Mystic Realm. Once the realm closed, the people trapped here would have nowhere to run, reduced to birds in a cage, slowly being devoured clean by it.
Logically speaking, the peak of Nascent Soul wasn't an insurmountably high level. But the terrifying thing about the Memory Spirit was that it could directly destroy the sea of consciousness, instantly reducing people to helpless trash with no power to fight back.
This was an absolutely overwhelming power, vastly different from ordinary attack methods.
Xie Jingci furrowed her brows slightly: "What are the casualties right now?"
"Most people have had their divine sense taken away. They won't last much longer."
Sun Luo shed tears as she spoke: "None of us knew the Memory Spirit's true cultivation. We rushed over as soon as we sensed the spiritual energy fluctuations, which ended up playing right into its hands. I was only able to escape here because my brothers sacrificed their lives to block it."
Everyone just thought the Memory Spirit was at the early Nascent Soul stage and wanted to earn some merit from it. Furthermore, they were scattered everywhere and arrived one after another, leaving no time for communication, making cooperation impossible.
In this way, it was no different from sending themselves to their deaths one by one.
"Before I escaped, Pei Yu had just confronted the Memory Spirit. I don't know how it is now—"
Before Sun Luo could finish her sentence, a loud wind suddenly roared through the forest.
Before the gale settled, sword qi flared up. When Xie Jingci turned her head, she actually saw Pei Yu fleeing in a panic with his sword in hand, accompanied by several young sword cultivators. Then, a black shadow suddenly struck past, leaving no time to breathe, smacking him against the trunk of a giant tree nearby.
Her sea of consciousness trembled forcefully.
At this moment, Xie Jingci finally saw the Memory Spirit again.
It was almost exactly the same as in her memory. This was a completely grayish-black monster, floating in mid-air like a ball of ink, its body covered in uneven marks. Looking closely, those were actually human faces with different expressions—laughing, crying, angry, or cursing—making it thoroughly terrifying.
Pei Yu seemed to have already had his memories devoured. His eyes were unfocused, and he only remembered to run desperately. Now, having been smacked against the tree by the Memory Spirit, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood but didn't even bother to wipe it, immediately scrambling up in an attempt to flee further away.
The result, naturally, was being captured on the spot, his sea of consciousness shattered, and completely losing his sanity.
The other youths slumped in the corner, covered in blood and grime. It looked like they were heavily injured, to the point where even standing was a problem.
"Leave through the exit as soon as possible and seek help from the elders."
Xie Jingci composed her expression and looked at the sky-piercing spiritual energy so close at hand. A faint red light flashed in her hand, revealing a straight long saber. "The Memory Spirit... I will hold it off."
In a life-and-death crisis, there was no time to delay. Sun Luo was not an indecisive person; she said "Take care" before turning and running away. Xie Jingci flourished the Ghost Cry saber in her hand, not daring to let her focus slip for even a moment.
The Memory Spirit was striking to kill today. Pei Yu was by no means an average person, and his rapid defeat at its hands was largely due to underestimating his enemy.
But even if she were fully prepared and waiting in strict formation, with only her own strength, she was afraid that she too...
In just an instant, monstrous howls echoed through the forest once more.
The Memory Spirit attacked with ferocious speed, the oppressive aura of a peak Nascent Soul stage cultivator surging forth like a tide. Xie Jingci didn't have time to overthink; she dodged sideways to avoid a blade-like black shadow and slashed back with a backhand strike.
"Miss... Miss Xie!"
A young man endured the pain and transmitted his voice, "You must not touch its shadows! That thing can drill into the skin and invade the sea of consciousness through the meridians!"
As soon as he finished speaking, an overwhelming black mist spread out from the Memory Spirit in all directions, rustling the branches loudly, like the whispering of ghouls, drawing out a chilling wind.
In the next moment, shadows grew like a forest, rushing toward her all at once like a flooding celestial river!
There was no time for hesitation or thought.
At the same time, a long blade danced like a dragon, forcefully tearing a blinding red through the boundless black.
The crimson light was like blood. At first, it was just a slender straight line, but in an instant, it hummed and exploded in all directions, layer by layer, like the sudden break of dawn and the rising sun.
Thus, the dark tide receded, and the black mist was torn open with a massive gap. Only the continuous crimson remained, overflowing with a faint light like flowing water.
With just herself and her blade, Xie Jingci had actually broken through the Memory Spirit's full-force attack.
That was the power of a peak Nascent Soul stage! Wasn't it said that Xie Jingci's sea of consciousness was damaged, rendering her a useless cripple?
The youths didn't have time to marvel in shock before they heard the Memory Spirit roar again. The black shadows gathered once more, rapidly approaching her.
Only this time, Xie Jingci was not the only one to draw a weapon.
A long sword gleamed with a snow-like brightness, undeniably cutting off the fierce dark tide.
One of the youths looked up and recognized that it was a guard, seemingly surnamed Li, who had been following Xie Jingci.
Pei Du had an outstanding figure. Even with an unremarkable face, just standing there with a sword in hand, he possessed a majestic demeanor that made people turn to look.
Smelling a fresh and clean woody scent, Xie Jingci hid the joy in her eyes and used her divine sense to transmit a message: "Its offensive is too strong, making it hard to get close. If we continue to fight, we will run out of spiritual energy."
No matter how you looked at it, they were bound to lose.
"We split into two paths."
Pei Du replied calmly, "I will hold it back, and you take the opportunity to draw your blade."
"No, no, no, that won't work!"
A young man coughed up a mouthful of blood and moved his right leg in vain. "It's definitely impossible for one person to resist it for too long. Someone tried it before, and the one responsible for holding it back had his memory completely wiped clean. He didn't even know who he was and could only stand there in a daze."
As long as he was in a daze, the other person would lose their cover and could only flee in panic.
"There is no other way right now."
Pei Du slashed away a wind blade, his voice light but extremely steady. "Miss Xie, I can risk it."
"Are you crazy?! It absolutely won't work!"
Another person wiped a bloody nose and said anxiously, "Just a short while ago, there were even six people who went up together, and without exception, they were all seriously injured. What can you do without your memories? Just wait for death! Guard brother, what kind of reward did the Xie residence give you to make you risk your life like this?"
Pei Du didn't answer this time.
He was usually gentle and mild, but once he held a sword, he revealed a different kind of sharp and stern character. Now, with dark eyes, he looked towards her upon hearing those words.
Very inappropriately, Xie Jingci's heart skipped a heavy beat.
Pei Du smiled at her.
As the long sword suddenly rose, it brought up a layer of floating snow-like stamens. The young sword cultivator's sword intent was like the wind in the sails and the galloping of warhorses, surging together towards the monster in the center of the mist. For a moment, light and darkness intertwined, and spiritual energy surged like a tide, rippling out in massive waves.
His actions were so abrupt that Xie Jingci simply had no time to stop him. Now that the die was cast, she could only grit her teeth, grip her blade, and wait for the right moment.
Pei Du had already attracted sixty percent of the black mist.
His movement techniques far exceeded those of ordinary people. The several youths present were all sword cultivators, and they could tell at a glance that this person's strength was extraordinary. One of them marveled, "With a cultivation level like this, why is this person willing to stoop to the position of a guard in the Xie residence?"
Another person frowned. "His sword intent... don't you guys feel it's a bit familiar?"
With such movement techniques and sword skills, looking at the entire cultivation world today, there was only one person among the younger generation who was similar.
He was risking his life to save them.
That name hung in their throats. The youths looked at each other in dismay, not knowing who said, "Did I ever tell you guys that back in the Ghost Tomb, he once saved my younger brother?"
Another person's expression changed drastically. "Fellow Daoist, watch out!"
The moment this voice rang out, the surrounding mist condensed into sheets, growing thicker and heavier, enveloping Pei Du like an inescapable net.
They had all fought desperately with the Memory Spirit before and understood that this was its ultimate skill.
No matter who it was, it was impossible to escape under such an attack.
A moment of stagnation.
In an instant, the sky turned dark and the earth shook. Ninety percent of the black mist gathered and condensed, like layers of mountains and overlapping peaks. At the moment it suddenly closed in, the dark tide overwhelmed the sky.
Hatefully, they were seriously injured and even standing up was a luxury. They could only hold their breath and pray silently.
Praying for that person whose name everyone knew but could not mention.
In the darkness that was as dense as a physical entity, a humming sound faintly echoed.
The ringing did not come from anywhere else but rose majestically from Pei Yu's hand. Instantly, a white light emerged, and someone gasped in cold air. "The Zhanyuan Sword!"
With ninety percent of the black mist gathered, even if Pei Du had heaven-defying abilities, he could not withstand it alone.
The young man's dark eyes, as if soaked in mist, slowly lost focus, gradually becoming more and more hazy.
Everything around him was unknown.
Who was he, what was this place, what was he doing—
And, in his line of sight, who was that figure holding the long blade.
The pupils of the youth in chaos suddenly shrank.
Even if memories ceased to exist, there would always be bonds and feelings outside of memories that remained in the heart. For example, at this moment, all the various unknowns in the world were no longer important. What he cared about was that he had finally found a reason to draw his sword.
A reason engraved in his instincts.
The light and shadows flickered, and the humming of the long sword drew closer.
Pei Du coughed up a mouthful of blood, moved his right arm slightly, and took the ancient long sword that was vibrating endlessly.
The monster shrieked and roared—
This was the final strike.
But it was not just its or his final strike.
The trajectory of the Ghost Crying Blade pierced the sky, its extremely evil and fierce killing intent advancing indomitably. This was an unexpected strike. When the tip of the blade pierced into the Memory Spirit's body, Xie Jingci heard an earth-shattering wail.
She ignored it, raised her hand, and struck down again, piercing straight through the monster's chest, her eardrums almost torn by the roaring sound.
Responding to the Memory Spirit's summoning from the previous moment, a ball of white light floated up from the top of the young man's head. Contrary to this, thousands of light clusters broke free from its chest, like the sky full of fireflies, spilling out in all directions.
Among these light clusters, the one slowly floating towards this side was the brightest and gentlest.
The Memory Spirit finally realized it had fallen into a trap. Enraged out of humiliation, it used its last trace of strength to knock her away. Perhaps out of revenge, its massive body struggled for a moment and lunged straight at the light cluster belonging to Pei Du.
And in a corner not far away, Pei Yu's divine sense was about to return to its place. Once missed, the matter of the Ghost Tomb could never be announced to the world again.
Xie Jingci had always hated having to choose between two options. Yet, at this very moment, almost without hesitation, she pulled that gentle orb of light into her embrace. Her saber intent condensed, blocking the exasperated remnant power of the Memory Spirit.
A clear aura rippled outward like water, so soft and gentle that it almost brought her to tears.
It was precisely because of this momentary contact that many unspoken secrets, deeply hidden in the heart, floated lightly into her mind.
Her divine sense descended, briefly connecting with the sea of consciousness. Xie Jingci felt as if she were walking through a shy, bubbling brook, the sky filled with a rosy pink hue. As she looked up, she saw scenes she had never anticipated.
In a desolate and remote mountain village, a frail and solitary boy looked silently toward the far side of the distant mountains. In his hand, he held a delicate small bottle, his fingertips rubbing it with a touch that was almost cautious.
In a rarely visited temple on the outskirts of the city, a few men walked away laughing loudly. A small youth vainly gathered the black ashes on the ground, his back slightly hunched. Even though he clenched his teeth, tears and sobs overflowed into the night.
In the deep and majestic corridors of the academy, a quiet, soundless gaze passed through the bustling crowd and landed on the delicate side profile of a young woman. When she turned her head, seemingly sensing it, the gaze immediately shifted away without a trace.
In the boundless desert, a giant demonic lizard collapsed to the ground. The demonized sword cultivator wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and his palms, plucked a glazed flower from the edge of the cliff, wiped it spotless, and placed it in front of the Xie Manor. Bound by his status, he could not stay for long, but as he left, a long-lost smile bloomed in his eyes.
And, in the bloodstained ghost tomb, he stood in quiet confrontation with the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao.
The naturally imposing deity looked indifferent: You have devoured too much power that should not belong to you. As long as you transfer it to me, you may make any reasonable wish, such as choosing your own reincarnation, obtaining thousands of years of merit, or making the truth of the past known to the public to restore your innocence.
But the youth merely shook his head.
He said, Then... just let her wake up.
She saw the times when Pei Du was happy, when he was disappointed, and when he was invaded by demonic qi, suffering a pain worse than death.
No matter which memory it was, his divine sense remained gentle and beautiful, emitting a faint, somewhat shy light.
So this was how he had survived all these years.
It was not until the memories faded and her divine sense returned to its place that Xie Jingci suddenly realized her face was covered in scalding tears.
At the same time, she finally saw the orb of light that belonged to her own memories.
After learning about the existence of the three thousand planes from Pei Du, she had never been able to figure out the purpose of the other Xie Jingci coming here.
There was also the Morning News Record that inexplicably appeared in her room, along with the marked map.
At this moment, all the bizarre, seemingly unrelated clues suddenly became traceable in an instant.
Xie Jingci finally understood what the girl who had come from another plane far away truly wanted to tell her.
Retrieve all the lost memories and try to stay by his side.
Do not fail his feelings, do not respond to his full-hearted enthusiasm with coldness, and do not let him die all alone.
And do not forget that you once liked him so, so much.
Because in his heart, you have always been the most special one.
The surging tide gradually subsided, its faint remnants washing over the silent morning light.
When Pei Du looked up against the blinding brightness, he could only see the blurry outline of Xie Jingci slowly approaching.
He felt an unspeakable panic.
Before his divine sense returned to its place, it had been touched by Miss Xie herself.
She must have learned of those unmentionable secrets. Yet, to her, a person like Pei Du was merely an academy classmate with whom she had little contact and had kindly taken in.
Furthermore... he was now infamous, with no place to stand in the cultivation world. By normal logic, he did not even have the right to get close to her anymore.
The distance between them was too great.
If she knew of those thoughts, would Miss Xie still keep him by her side?
Pei Du watched her draw closer bit by bit, feeling so embarrassed that he wanted to look away.
As the smoke-like white light dissipated and the Zhanyuan sword gave a soft hum, he saw the moisture in Xie Jingci's eyes.
Miss Xie... was crying.
He forgot his fear and inferiority, instinctively asking, Miss Xie, are you hurt?
This man really was a clumsy, foolish idiot.
The girl, who was now close at hand, did not answer. In the surrounding silence, only their sword qi and saber intent harmonized with each other.
Before today, Xie Jingci would often think about how wonderful it would be if Pei Du could like her just a little bit.
To receive the affection of the one she admired would make her so happy she could float to the heavens.
She had originally only wanted a drop of rain or an inconspicuous stream, but Pei Du had brought an endlessly churning ocean, boundless and without end.
This was the person she had liked for over ten years.
Xie Jingci had never known about all those sacrifices and grievances.
I am sorry.
Amidst the heavy, drum-like pounding of his heartbeat, Pei Du heard her say, ...I really am a jerk.
Miss Xie clearly was not bad at all.
He wanted to retort, but in the next instant, his eyes widened abruptly, and only his Adam's apple bobbed in vain.
The back of his head was suddenly pressed down.
The youth's heartbeat had never been this violent; each thud felt as though it could burst through his chest.
His lips had originally been filled with a lingering scent of blood, but now there was something else.
Fervent, soft, carrying an elusive, breeze-like fragrance, it pressed in softly, like falling into a dream.
Miss Xie... pressed heavily against his lips.
Without any warning, and allowing no refusal.
Yet it was also exquisitely gentle, full of utmost cherishing.
