Chapter 287

The spiritual energy of the Lingshu spiritual herb was beyond what she could bear; the surging energy felt like a raging flame, ready to burst through her fragile container and burn everything to ashes at any moment.

Every Meridian felt like it was about to explode from the pain.

But she absolutely could not collapse at this moment.

Ning Ning trembled as she took a deep breath, feeling the turbulent energy within her gradually fill every meridian.

Her cultivation at the peak of the Golden Core stage surged rapidly, like an unstoppable tidal wave.

She still had her reason.

She could still hold on, holding on to… bring Pei Ji back.

The system was determined to make her abandon Pei Ji, but this was her life; she would be the one to make the decisions.

It could do everything in its power to sow discord and force her to act against her own will, but she could play along with its intentions and then turn it back to her advantage.

To abandon Pei Ji, she must seize the Lingshu spiritual herb at all costs.

But to save Pei Ji, she also needed the Lingshu spiritual herb.

Everything had its destiny; even if the system’s commands contradicted her true intentions, she had a way…

To recreate another logical chain.

This was her principle.

She was not a machine that only knew how to follow orders but a living person.

“She’s about to reach her limit!”

Lin Qian couldn’t bear to watch any longer, her heart pounding like a drum: “The demonic energy beside Pei Ji is so thick; if she wants to break through completely, it would probably be difficult even for a Nascent Soul disciple, and in her current state… can she really succeed?”

“Ning Ning is also concerned about this issue.”

Tian Xianzi’s gaze remained fixed on the mirror, his brow furrowed: “So she must hold on, waiting for the Lingshu spiritual herb to permeate every part of her body.”

He paused, an expression of sympathy crossing his features: “The moment she is in the most pain, on the verge of losing her sanity, is also when her spiritual energy will be at its most abundant.”

Everyone fell silent.

“If Ning Ning can come out of the Demon Refining Tower this time,” Lin Qian said, “all the spirit beasts under my Beast Taming Sect are at her disposal.”

Qu Feiqing stared blankly and replied, “All the male and female cultivators under my Niguang Island are also at her disposal.”

After a brief pause, she added with a serious tone: “Including me.”

Tian Xianzi glanced at her disdainfully before turning back to the mirror.

The young girl gripping the long sword had a pale face, and her eyes showed the first signs of cloudiness and loss of focus.

Suddenly, the sword light flickered, and Ning Ning spat out a pool of blood.

She was like drifting fluff in the air, swaying and about to fall, yet also resembled a blade unsheathed, unwavering, and steadfast.

The brilliant sword light grew ever more intense, with the spiritual energy enveloping the blade transforming into specks of starlight, exuding unparalleled beauty.

The young sword cultivator outside the mirror felt his long eyelashes tremble, and cold sweat filled his clenched fists.

He spoke in a low voice: “Now is the moment.”

At that very moment.

The Xinghen Sword emitted a long, piercing cry, the sword energy gathering and swirling, drawing forth a massive current of air.

Amidst the boundless dark fog, a white light shot up to the sky, piercing the clouds.

Her entire body was in excruciating pain, and her thoughts were like a small boat in a storm, drifting aimlessly without stopping.

Ning Ning gripped the long sword tightly, focusing her mind and breath, concentrating her remaining consciousness and strength on the blade.

The demonic energy surrounding Pei Ji surged toward her again.

She did not flinch; instead, she silently recited the sword incantation, letting her brows and eyes ignite with battle intent.

Though she was the weakest now,

She was also the strongest.

The white light swept through like a gust of wind, and in an instant, it surged toward the billowing dark clouds on the horizon, piercing through the center of the clouds like a crack, breaking through with unstoppable force—

In an instant, the world changed color; the layers of dark clouds parted, and beneath the black curtain, the long-lost warm orange sunlight slowly spilled out.

The sword energy grew denser, gradually adding brilliant colors to the initially pure white. From a distance, it looked like the Milky Way descending from the sky.

Ning Ning held her breath and drew her sword.

The falling starlight landed on the slender figure of the young girl.

—Then the starlight condensed into countless dazzling slender beams, like a rain of swords, all piercing into the thick demonic energy!

“Demonic energy…”

He Xiaocheng’s heart almost leaped to his throat, his voice hoarse as he spoke: “It’s broken!”

As the sword light scattered, accompanied by a booming wail, the black fog had nowhere to hide beneath the starlit river, turning into wisps of thin smoke.

Within the swirling smoke, the young man’s emaciated figure was gradually outlined by points of light.

With her last remaining consciousness, Ning Ning saw his tightly pursed thin lips, the drop of dark red tear mole at the corner of his eye, and his murky blood-colored pupils.

Pei Ji, ensnared by demonic energy, also raised his head, gazing at her through his hazy, soulless eyes.

He had thought he was about to die.

Before him was only endless darkness, the demonic energy rampaging, and his body was in excruciating pain, like in the dark cellar of his childhood, where he was all alone, unable to see a glimmer of hope.

But suddenly, a ray of light pierced through the layered darkness, and the girl slowly approached him, step by step.

She was so bright and beautiful, yet she had come alone into this gloomy, suffocating, dark swamp.

Pei Ji smelled the familiar fragrance of gardenias.

That slender figure swayed slightly, as if lacking the strength to remain upright, and Pei Ji embraced her, as if touching a soft flame.

“Pei Ji, don’t be afraid.”

Ning Ning whispered in his ear, her breath as light as a wisp, her voice growing softer like a flying dandelion: “I’m here… I won’t leave you alone.”

Those words, impossible to refuse, broke down his once indomitable heart defense, turning it into a soft puddle of water, leaving no strength to resist.

Pei Ji recalled the question he had heard not long ago about whether he liked Ning Ning.

He couldn’t come up with an answer.

His feelings were too cheap; simply describing his emotions with that word seemed especially inadequate—

If Ning Ning wanted, Pei Ji could give her everything: his cultivation, wealth, feelings, even this battered body.

But once that thought became clear, more complicated desires swept in.

For example, wanting her to stay by his side forever, wanting to feel her warmth up close, wanting…

Wanting to touch every part of her body, to explore repeatedly with his fingertips or lips.

Even trapped by his inner demons and his muddled consciousness.

But at this moment, the young man’s heart, which had been silent for so long, still beat heavily.

Pei Ji thought he didn’t want Ning Ning to leave.

It was she who had stumbled in first.

So he couldn’t help but… want to hold her tightly.