Chapter 166

Just like when his mother locked him in the cellar and beat him, saying he was born filthy, neither human nor ghost, truly disgusting.

Pei Ji did not hide the self-loathing and self-mockery in his expression as he turned to look at the dusty corner. Amid the rumbling thunder and pounding rain, he heard Ning Ning’s voice.

Her tone was surprisingly “cheerful,” and before she spoke, she even let out a short laugh, like a tinkling bell shaken by the night wind: “Is it really that scary?”

Pei Ji was taken aback.

“Although many demon cultivators have indeed committed countless atrocities, there are also less terrifying aspects of the demon clan.”

Ning Ning’s gaze was serious, and she said earnestly, “For example, Qin Niang, who was willing to sacrifice everything to save Qiao Yan, a little girl with no relation to her; or Qi Han, who could have escaped the Water Mirror Formation but chose to endure it to protect his fellow clan members, ultimately failing and retreating.”

After a brief pause to think, she added, “Even demons have feelings and are not as terrifying as most people imagine. So—”

Pei Ji heard her voice become clearer, possibly because Ning Ning had turned her face in his direction. Her voice pierced through the layers of wind and rain, landing in his ears: “Don’t take other people’s harsh words to heart, Pei Ji. So what if you have demon blood? You’re no different from me.”

—She had said all that to comfort him.

The original story mentioned the precarious and discriminatory situation of demon descendants. Pei Ji had never received any affirmation, only endless malice and scolding.

Yet he was no different from the other young disciples of the immortal sects, full of youthful spirit and naivety, his heart as pure as untainted white paper.

In this secret realm, the Spirit Fox clan held a deep hatred for demon cultivators.

Qiao Yan had gritted her teeth, vowing to fight all demons to the death. “Qin Niang” had also casually mentioned how inherently violent demons were, incapable of following a righteous path. One could only wonder how Pei Ji felt after hearing all this.

Though Ning Ning spoke lightly, Pei Ji felt a heavy stone pressing on his chest. After a long hesitation, he looked at her, his lips tightly pressed together.

The light from the night pearl was soft and delicate, like a gentle stream flowing quietly through the rain, her hair, and the indescribable emotions between them, casting a glowing sheen on her round apricot eyes.

They stood under the same garment to shelter from the rain, their proximity making the space feel small and intimate.

Ning Ning’s scent of gardenias mixed with the coolness of the night rain, blending with the warmth from her body.

Their breaths intertwined, threading together like fine silk.

“No matter what, you’re completely different from those evil people, so don’t equate yourself with them.”

Ning Ning said, waving her fist determinedly and raising her head confidently: “If anyone speaks ill of you again, senior sister will teach them a lesson for you—don’t overthink it, okay?”

As she looked up, she met Pei Ji’s gaze.

It was the first time Ning Ning had seen such a gaze.

His dark pupils were deep like the ocean, filled with turbulent waves, capable of engulfing her with just one look.

Though it should have been an extremely dangerous look, it unexpectedly carried intense obedience and pain, along with many other complex emotions she couldn’t fully understand. She stood there, dumbfounded.

Pei Ji didn’t look away either.

They were indeed too close.

The thunder and rain were deafening in the distance, but in this dilapidated corner, time seemed to stand still.

Ning Ning’s mind went blank, and she could almost hear her own heartbeat getting faster.

Why was Pei Ji looking at her like that?

No, why was she standing still, meeting his gaze?

This thought flashed through her mind, and Ning Ning shivered, immediately lowering her head.

She should say something to ease the awkwardness.

She wanted to cover her cheeks with her hands to cool down but felt that would be too obvious, clearly showing she was blushing. So she kept her head down, her tongue tied as she stammered, “W-what is it?”

Pei Ji closed his eyes slightly, taking a deep breath: “Nothing… Thank you, senior sister.”

===

Fortunately, the thunderstorm subsided after a while, and Ning Ning finally returned to her room, saying goodnight to Pei Ji before lying comfortably on her bed.

But she couldn’t sleep.

Being alone with Pei Ji always felt strange.

She was outgoing and approachable, rarely ever feeling shy. For a simple example, if she were to make eye contact with He Zhizhou, no matter how long they stared at each other, Ning Ning would never blush even a little.

But tonight, being looked at by Pei Ji—

Ning Ning recalled the expression on his face at that moment, unable to describe her feelings. She buried her head in her pillow and rolled over on the bed.

Pei Ji seemed to be different from everyone else to her.

Ning Ning rolled back, her hair a tangled mess.

No way.

If there was a difference, wouldn’t it mean… liking him?

Ning Ning’s eyes widened like a dead fish as she thought of those words, then she rolled around again in a panic.

She fell off the bed with a thud.

With her mind in turmoil, she crawled back into bed and continued to toss and turn. Finally, she curled up like a shrimp, wrapped her body and face in the blanket, and somehow fell asleep. When she woke up the next day, it was already noon.

Ning Ning tried to put the events of the previous night out of her mind. She got up, dressed, and washed as usual, and then opened the door to meet up with the others. A casual glance revealed an unexpected surprise.

Her Xinghen Sword had been found, meticulously cleaned, wrapped in cotton cloth, and stood upright under the eaves outside her door.

Ning Ning squinted against the bright sun, her heart skipping a beat.

Who could have searched through the forests and lakes at dawn to find it, cleaned it, wrapped it, and placed it there? Although no one said anything, she knew the answer.

Last night, she mentioned the Xinghen Sword casually, not expecting Pei Ji to find it so quickly.

Ning Ning bent down to grasp the hilt and caught the familiar woody scent on the cloth. When she picked up the sword, she saw a note attached to the blade.

The handwriting, elegant and free-flowing like a dragon, was beautiful:

〔Here’s your sword; don’t be sad.〕

He was referring to her red, swollen eyes from crying after dreaming about her parents.

—So this was his way of comforting her.

Holding the sword, Ning Ning felt a complex mix of emotions.

Pei Ji always seemed indifferent to everything, but he remembered everything. He clearly showed no interest in the girls around him, but if he kept treating her like this…

Then she would be completely smitten.

With her beloved sword back, Ning Ning’s twisted emotions finally began to ease. Just as she was about to leave with the Xinghen Sword, she heard Xu Ye shouting in the distance: “Something’s wrong, something’s wrong!”

His voice arrived before he did. By the time he ran into the courtyard where Ning Ning was, he was already panting heavily:

“Disciples from the major sects have heard the news and are already clashing at the village entrance. There’s about to be a big battle here!”