Chapter 66: Flirting and Teasing
“What? Jing Di got beaten by someone?” Meng Xueli exclaimed, standing up in surprise. After these past days of sparring and encountering others, he was familiar with the skill levels of the younger generation in the cultivation world. Jing Di definitely counted among the top. Even Cui Jing, a disciple of Han Shan’s sect master, he had met—Jing Di was on par with him. Who could single-handedly crush Jing Di, and hide in the secret realm with such strength?
Meng Xueli turned to Ji Xiao. “Since we’ve traveled together, it’s not right to watch someone die without helping. Besides, his teammates—they aren’t bad people.”
Ji Xiao smiled gently. “If you want to go, we’ll go.”
Meng Xueli grabbed Que Xianming’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Que Xianming cursed, throwing down a bare tree branch. “After all the trouble I went through to find you, you think I’m here for grilled fish and to casually help save someone? I have something important to discuss with you! Come back with me to the Demon Realm immediately…”
Meng Xueli pressed his hand over the peacock’s beak. “Back to Han Shan, back to Changchun Peak! After the competition ends, then we go home!”
He had roughly guessed something had happened in the Demon Realm, why the peacock had come—but if his disciple asked more questions, like how the demons had infiltrated the Hanhai Secret Realm, or what he planned to do in the Demon Realm, he truly would not know how to answer. Xiao Tingyun seemed to understand the difficulty and deliberately did not ask. Meng Xueli felt both comforted by his disciple’s patience and considerate restraint, and slightly guilty.
In the end, Que Xianming still couldn’t resist Meng Xueli’s will and led the way.
Meng Xueli secretly studied Xiao Tingyun’s expression and transmitted: “Tingyun, I never meant to deceive you. About my past… I’ll explain it to you slowly later. Just give me some time.”
Ji Xiao offered a handful of peeled pine nuts, simple words that brought reassurance: “I’ll wait for you.”
Meng Xueli held the soft, fragrant pine nuts in his hands, feeling warm inside. He didn’t want to eat them, so he stored them all in his bag.
Que Xianming glanced back and saw the two of them exchanging small gestures, flirting with each other. He rolled his eyes. “I say, you two, flirting in front of me… can’t you consider my feelings?”
Meng Xueli jumped again to cover his mouth: “Nonsense!”
Que Xianming, playful as ever, squinted and gestured, transmitting in a teasing voice: “Hahaha, Ji Xiao’s Dao companion has a crush on his own disciple! Seriously, do you want him? If you like him, just say it, brother will help! For old demons like us, abducting a fledgling bird is child’s play. He’s innocent, a blank slate. You’re his master, he trusts you most. Just a little temptation…”
Meng Xueli’s cheeks flamed, unsure if it was from embarrassment or anger. “Shut up! Tingyun and I are perfectly pure. We don’t have any filthy thoughts!”
But could they truly claim purity? Memories of past moments flashed rapidly through Meng Xueli’s mind. He forced himself not to dwell on them, focusing instead on chasing Que Xianming and giving him a thorough beating.
Ji Xiao walked at the rear with a faint smile, watching his Dao companion happily bounce and chase the peacock. He found him amusing and adorable, yet felt a faint melancholy. “Sigh, still such a child…”
…
Jing Di’s mind was muddled, as if trapped in a nightmare amidst intense pain. The dream’s images were fragmented—there were whispers and laughter from a crowd, and a small, weak voice calling him, “Senior Sister Jing, Senior Sister Jing.”
He tried to speak, to say, I’m sorry, it wasn’t me, exerting all his strength to make a sound, and suddenly opened his eyes. Night, stars, and the swaying shadows of trees filled his vision. His sight was blurry, but he faintly saw a figure moving.
From blood loss, his voice was hoarse: “Xueli… you came to save me?” In the secret realm, who else besides Meng Xueli could rescue him from Ning Wei?
“Your Xueli’s granny!”
“Smack.” Jing Di felt a sharp sting on his right cheek, a crisp slap. The force wasn’t heavy, but the tone was fierce: “Awake now?”
Jing Di focused, then laughed lightly. “My dear Granny Song, you’ve finally returned. I knew you wouldn’t leave your brothers behind…”
The ground was strewn with blood and chaos. Ning Wei and the black-clad figures had already vanished. Jing Di’s teammates were resting against tree trunks; he was the last one conscious.
Song Qianyi was irritated just looking at him. This man had been to the brink of death yet remained nonchalant, behaving as if he weren’t gravely injured. She raised her arm.
“Smack.” Jing Di’s left cheek now bore another slap, the faint red mark symmetrical with the first. He complained, “Why are you hitting me too?”
Song Qianyi snapped, “Learn your lesson yet?” She glanced around, fuming. “Knowing you lot has been the worst luck of my life.”
Her anger at her teammates had driven her to leave them and travel alone. She had originally planned to exit the secret realm via the teleportation array. As she calmed down, regret grew. Remembering she had promised to leave together, she bit her lip and hurried toward the central city. She knew her teammates’ pace and expected to meet them halfway.
Who could have imagined that she did meet them—but found the four hanging high from tree branches, swaying in the wind, blood dripping, life uncertain?
Among the four, Jing Di was the most severely injured, coughing up blood upon speaking. Xu Sanshan, Liu Jing, and Zheng Mu, still with energy, joked to endure the pain.
Liu Jing: “Thanks to Junior Sister Song. If you hadn’t come back, we’d all have ended up here. I’ll sing a song for you: ‘Good Healer Cultivator, Greater than Heaven.’”
Xu Sanshan: “I roamed across Beiming Mountain and ended up getting defeated by some yellow-haired kid. Ugh, don’t let me see him again, or no one’s face will be safe. Every time I see him, I’ll get beaten.”
Zheng Mu: “Amitabha, what a misfortune.”
Song Qianyi exploded with rage: “Enough! Haven’t you figured it out yet? Do you know what this secret realm event is about?!”
The four looked up, bewildered, staring at her.
Not far off, a clear voice suddenly rang out: “Then you tell me—what exactly happened?”
The five tensed, but upon seeing the approaching figure, they exhaled in relief. That lean figure seemed to give them immense reassurance.
Meng Xueli and the other two emerged from the forest, arriving by the stream.
Jing Di smiled faintly. “Xueli, don’t look at me… I’m a mess right now.”
Ji Xiao stepped forward two paces, subtly blocking Meng Xueli’s line of sight.
Jing Di: “…”
Author’s Note:
Jing Di: “You didn’t have to go this far, did you?”
Junior Sister Song: “Stinky man, a bunch of idiots.”
Meng Xueli: “Tempting my disciple… sounds so jerky and thrilling.”
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
