Le Cailing had no patience for her lecturing and simply rose on a cloud. She coldly surveyed the crowd below, her gaze finally settling on Lei Xiuyuan as she said icily, "Enough nonsense! I'll remember all of you today! Lei Xiuyuan—especially you!"
Without waiting for any response, she turned and sped away.
Su Wan immediately flared up in anger. "How terrifying! I'm so scared! Remembering us—is she planning to assassinate us or something?!"
How could someone as kind and gentle as Qing Yue Elder have such a disciple?!
Ying Yuankai and the others could only smile wryly. None of them believed this delicate junior sister could actually do anything. To be honest, being remembered by a beauty wasn’t such a bad feeling—if she couldn’t like them, then hating them was fine too! At least they occupied a place in her heart!
After searching the area once more and confirming nothing else could be found, Ying Yuankai stepped forward and cupped his hands in salute. "Junior Brother Deng, Junior Brother Lei, Junior Sisters Su and Jiang, our demon hunt is complete, so we’ll take our leave first. May you all complete your trial soon—we’ll catch up properly once we’re out."
At this point, Ying Yuankai and his group no longer had any intention of clinging to Li Fei and the others. They had witnessed Lei Xiuyuan’s abilities firsthand—he truly was a genius, capable of summoning even a flying sword with the Supreme Harmony Art. If he hadn’t blinded Zhu Yan’s eyes, they might all be inside the monstrous creature’s stomach by now.
Having fought Zhu Yan together, they had forged a life-and-death bond. Though these male disciples were a bit unreliable and had too many frivolous thoughts, they weren’t bad people. Su Wan immediately smiled and said, "Thank you, senior brothers. Farewell."
Li Fei stood dazed for a long while before suddenly remembering something and looking around. Before she passed out, had Ri Yan appeared? Her mind had been in chaos at the time, everything feeling like a dream. Now, looking back, she couldn’t be sure whether it had been an illusion or if she had truly seen him.
"Are you alright?" Lei Xiuyuan asked, looking down at her.
She quickly shook her head. "I’m fine. Let’s go—we still have demons to hunt."
Not seeing any sign of Ri Yan, it must have been an illusion after all.
Deng Xiguang gave a bitter laugh. "Good junior sister, haven’t you noticed it’s already dark? We’re all injured or unconscious—how can we hunt demons now? Let’s find a place to rest first!"
Neither Lei Xiuyuan nor Su Wan objected. The healing net could mend wounds, but it couldn’t restore lost vitality. In their current state, hunting demons was impossible—they needed rest.
Within a ten-mile radius, there wasn’t a trace of demonic energy, and no other monstrous creatures seemed inclined to approach. After searching for a while, the four finally settled on resting by the water’s edge. Deng Xiguang’s Wood Element Immortal Technique came in handy—he swiftly conjured a modest wooden cabin, empty inside except for two rooms divided by wooden planks, one for the men and one for the women.
Since the other three in their group had suffered severe injuries, Li Fei insisted on keeping watch. The others couldn’t argue with her and reluctantly went inside to rest. Li Fei cast an Invisibility Spell over the entire cabin—unless a demon physically bumped into it, they wouldn’t be discovered even at close range.
As the moon climbed to its zenith and the forest fell into utter silence, Li Fei suddenly let out a long sigh.
For some reason, she was reluctant to dwell on the events of the afternoon. Deep down, she wished they had never happened. This was the first time she had no desire to learn about her origins. If she didn’t think about it, she could still be just an ordinary—if slightly unusual—cultivation disciple.Never before had she yearned so desperately to be just an ordinary disciple, cultivating diligently, eventually ascending to immortality, and repaying all those who had shown her kindness. But she was ultimately an Otherkin, fundamentally different from everyone else. The sealed palace in Chestnut Blaze Valley now gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity and nostalgia.
Foreigners from thousands of continents and islands overseas... She suddenly hugged her knees tightly, as if trying to conceal all her secrets within herself.
She had an intuition—if anyone discovered her true nature, she would lose everything she currently possessed, including those warm human connections. This was her deepest fear.
"Finished with your romantic dalliance?"
A familiar, hoarse voice abruptly sounded by her ear. Li Fei startled, meeting Ri Yan's narrow, eerie green eyes. Those enormous, intelligent eyes now burned with anger, glaring fiercely at her.
"...Ri Yan?"
Hadn't that been a dream? It was real? Why was he so big now?
The fox suddenly began cursing: "You foolish girl only knows how to ruin things! Can't accomplish anything but makes everything worse! Since I attached myself to your stupid self, nothing good has ever happened!"
Li Fei was stunned by the tirade. How long had it been since she last saw this fox? How long since anyone called her a fool? Hearing it now unexpectedly stirred countless emotions within her.
"Ri Yan!" she cried excitedly, throwing herself toward his enormous furry body—only to pass right through him and nearly fall flat on her face.
She looked up blankly: "After sleeping for five years, you still don't have a physical form?"
"Five years my tail!" The Nine-tailed Fox stood up abruptly, his nine long tails lashing agitatedly. "Today your Source Spiritual Qi erupted and woke me up! I still needed two more months to fully absorb the Demon Qi! Now everything's ruined! The Demon Qi is unstable, uncontrollable, completely unpredictable—who knows how often I'll wake now! I never should have attached myself to a fool like you!"
A dignified thousand-year-old Nine-tailed Fox, first limited to waking only every ten days in a pitifully small form, had finally been on the verge of regaining his former majestic Fox Demon glory—only to have it all disrupted. No amount of curses could fully express his frustration.
Li Fei stood dumbfounded by his torrent of words. After a long pause, she ventured timidly: "So... you'll still need to sleep intermittently?"
"I'd rather sleep forever!" Ri Yan glared at her furiously. "Why did your Source Spiritual Qi suddenly erupt?! Aren't you afraid the Immortals will discover you and chop you into pieces?!"
Li Fei looked confused: "Source Spiritual Qi?"
"Don't play dumb! Your Source Spiritual Qi purified everything within ten li! Stop pretending ignorance!"
That white light had been Source Spiritual Qi? Because of her special constitution? Li Fei wearily closed her eyes, then opened them again, forcing a weak smile: "Ri Yan, let's not talk about this. I don't want to know."
Ri Yan's eyes widened, then he suddenly burst into mad laughter: "Don't want to know? By human standards, you're practically an adult now—just when you should learn the truth, you don't want to know? Hahaha! I'm dying of laughter! This is humanity for you! Fragile! Fickle! This will be your undoing someday!"
Li Fei stared blankly for a while, tears suddenly filling her eyes as she whispered: "I don't want to know. Don't tell me."The fox finally stopped talking, its massive body slowly settling down as its nine long tails swayed gently. After a long silence, it suddenly spoke: "That brat is actually with you?"
Li Fei was puzzled. "That brat? Do you mean Lei Xiuyuan?"
"How should I know his name! That sly little devil! So young yet so cunning! Of all the men you could fancy, why him?"
Ri Yan's tone was filled with indignation, like a disapproving father-in-law looking down on his son-in-law. Li Fei couldn't help but laugh. "What's wrong with him? Isn't he fine? And what do you mean by 'fancy'? Do you even know how to use words properly?"
Ri Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, lost in thought, then suddenly said, "Perhaps this is fate... Never mind that. Why did you suddenly unleash your Source Spiritual Qi? I sense abundant Demon Qi here—is this some Immortal Sect's trial ground?"
The fox had been asleep for five years and knew nothing of recent events. Li Fei eagerly recounted all the interesting things that had happened over those years. His large ears twitched continuously, but by the end, he only sneered. "Human hearts are unpredictable. Those who treat you well today may gnaw at your bones and devour your flesh tomorrow! You're still as naive as ever, you fool!"
These words struck a chord in Li Fei's heart, and she fell silent once more.
Ri Yan suddenly stood up and said indifferently, "Since you've joined the No Moon Court, focus on your cultivation. With your current surge in Spiritual Energy, you're bound to achieve something. I'm leaving now."
So soon? Was he going back to sleep already? After five years, he still wasn't rested enough?
Li Fei hurriedly asked, "How long will you sleep this time?"
The mention of this reignited his anger. "The Demon Qi is restless and turbulent—maybe two or three days, maybe ninety! It's all your fault!"
As if afraid she would pester him further, his massive form abruptly dissipated, vanishing without a trace.
An inexplicable sense of loss washed over Li Fei. She looked up at the night sky—still long and endless. Facing the lonely night alone, she could only try her best not to dwell on those troubling thoughts.
Suddenly, the wooden door creaked open. Li Fei turned in surprise to see Lei Xiuyuan stepping out. His face still bore traces of sleepiness as he sat down beside her, his voice hoarse. "Who were you talking to just now?"
"Nothing, I wasn't saying anything," Li Fei denied, feigning nonchalance.
He let out a vague "Mm," as if unconvinced, then lowered his head slightly, his mist-like eyes fixed intently on her.
Li Fei felt her heartbeat quicken. He was looking at her like this again—would he avert his gaze this time? Summoning her courage, she raised her head and met his eyes.
He didn't look away. In his dark pupils, only her reflection remained.
Her body felt as though invisible hands were wringing something out of her, leaving her weak and trembling. A sudden fear rose in her heart—she wanted to escape his gaze, yet couldn't bear to. She felt as if she were pleading with him for something—begging him to stop looking at her like this, or to give her a clear, decisive answer.
She wished he would guide her, but he never said a word. Waves of disappointment surged within her. No matter how bold she was, she didn't dare ask why he had kissed her. She didn't understand men—did he feel the same way she did? When he impulsively kissed her forehead, was he crossing a line? Yet she hadn't felt the slightest bit angry.Her forehead suddenly grew hot, the place where he had kissed her burning as if set aflame, and her entire face followed suit, surely turning red beyond recognition. Fortunately, the deep night concealed it from his sight.
Suddenly, Lei Xiuyuan's arm encircled her slender shoulders, the warmth from his embrace enveloping her.
Li Fei froze in his arms, only to hear his voice whisper by her ear, "Sleep for a while. I'll keep watch."
OpenNovel