Chapter 344

She claimed she and Pei Ji were descending the mountain to train, but it was more akin to a public-funded vacation—traveling from place to place, enjoying the sights, aiding those in distress, and slaying monsters when necessary.

Their journey was nothing short of leisurely.

This time, their visit to Nancheng turned out to be unexpectedly fruitful: they encountered four acquaintances in one go.

Meng Tingzhou and Song Xianning from Luan City, Lu Wanxing from Pingchuan, and Jinghe of the Wanjian Sect—

Or rather, Zhou Yimei, who had forsaken her original name and was now a senior figure in the Demon Refining Tower’s Futu Realm.

Most of the time, this elder spent her days roaming outside the sect, making it rare even for disciples of the Wanjian Sect to catch a glimpse of her within a year.

Ning Ning had met her during a visit to the sect with her own elders. On that occasion, Sword Master Zhen Xiao, hearing that Jinghe had returned, swaggered to her door and hollered for half an hour, challenging her to a duel.

Jinghe, evidently fed up, opened her door at last, and Ning Ning ended up having a meal with her by chance.

“It’s been a while,” the left-handed sword cultivator said with a warm smile.

“Meeting by chance is fate. Since you all know Ning Ning, why not head down the mountain together for a gathering?”

Jinghe’s gentleness was astonishing!

And she invited her to stay with them!

Lu Wanxing was so thrilled she almost squawked, “Yay!”

—

Pei Ji walked alone along the dark and desolate path.

Jinghe’s invitation was more like a gathering among close friends, and his presence would only make things awkward, so he opted not to attend.

It was already nighttime, and he had just returned from the Nancheng marketplace, holding a piece of paper in his hand—a property deed.

He and Ning Ning had a habit: whenever they encountered a scenic spot during their travels, they would purchase a house there to have a cozy place to stay whenever they visited again.

Unlike his fellow sect members, who often squandered resources, Pei Ji had accumulated an impressive stash of spirit stones over the years and was far from lacking funds.

The house they bought in Nancheng was located in the outskirts, beside a clear, emerald pond.

Ning Ning said that staying there would guarantee views of flocks of plump, round yellow ducks.

She always remembered the things he said.

… He wondered if her gathering with the others had concluded by now.

The night was unusually quiet, with drifting clouds veiling most of the fractured moon.

Pei Ji lifted his head slightly, the pitch-black surroundings reflecting in his eyes like unmixed ink.

His gaze carried a faint chill as memories buried deep within him began to surface.

This path was one Pei Ji had walked before.

Years ago, as an orphan with nothing to his name but the stigma of being a demon, he was met with ridicule and abuse wherever he went.

He was old enough then to fight back, and as a result, rarely passed a day without bruises and wounds from constant clashes.

When he left Nancheng, it was along this very path—scarred and battered, filled with a dread of the endless darkness surrounding him. Every step was fraught with anxiety.

Reflecting on it now, Pei Ji let out a self-deprecating laugh.

It was long ago—there was no reason to still dwell on it.

He continued walking, leaving behind the marketplace’s dwindling lights as the darkness ahead thickened, enfolding him entirely.

Instinctively, he felt a flicker of unease.

Pei Ji detested the dark.

But he had to traverse it—for someone—to reach the other side.

So, his steps never faltered.

Suddenly, without warning, his tall, black-clad figure paused.

The road ahead, which should have been devoid of light, was suddenly illuminated by a faint white glow.

Like a spill of stars, soft and bright, it pierced the silence and drifted to his side.

It was a strand of sword energy.

Pei Ji recognized its owner instantly.

Ning Ning’s sword energy was deliberately subdued, almost weightless, like a gentle breeze passing by him.

The white glow wasn’t harsh; it resembled a cluster of fireflies lighting up the night.

When it brushed against his skin, it lingered, playfully nudging him, soft and delicate like cotton.

… Sword energy, inherently sharp and lethal, wasn’t meant to feel like this.

While his thoughts dismissed the absurdity of her technique, his body instinctively responded.

He released a wave of his own sword energy—stronger, denser, and intentionally pressing down on hers, teasingly intertwining with it.

What should have been a clash of deadly energies turned into an intimate, almost flirtatious exchange, quiet yet deeply stirring.

If their master knew about this, he would likely puff up with fury like an indignant pufferfish.

Amused at the thought, a faint, helpless smile surfaced on Pei Ji’s face.

Sensing her presence, he followed the white glow upward with his gaze.

Perched high in the treetops was the girl who occupied his every thought.