Naturally, Jiang Youbai was by no means going to barge so directly into Shen Changchuan’s sea of consciousness to search for the whereabouts of the Wangxu Jade Token. After all, the sea of consciousness is the fatal core of all cultivators, including demons and spirit beasts. Unless one trusts someone so thoroughly as to hand over their life, it is simply impossible to allow anyone else to casually enter one’s sea of consciousness under any circumstances.
Jiang Youbai was not tactless enough to rashly ask Shen Changchuan if he could enter his sea of consciousness, let alone enter the other person’s sea of consciousness uninvited. If his spiritual sense were to be injured within the other’s sea of consciousness, the damage sustained would be far from ordinary. At best, it would result in the complete loss of his cultivation base, and at worst, severe damage to his sanity. Therefore, cultivators do not easily allow others to enter their sea of consciousness, nor do they enter the sea of consciousness of others.
However, although he failed to find the physical entity of Shen Changchuan’s jade token, Jiang Youbai still brought the illusory projection of the jade token along with him. When they rendezvoused in front of the mountain gate, Jiang Youbai spotted Mu Jiyuan.
He was not surprised that Mu Jiyuan appeared here, nor was he surprised that Tang Ci agreed to bring Mu Jiyuan along. After all, the Child of the Heavenly Dao is the center of this world.
Seeing him arrive, Mu Jiyuan waved at him. “Xiaobai, we were just waiting for you. Let’s take the cloud ship to the Youqing Sect.”
The sect master of the Youqing Sect was giving some instructions to Tang Ci nearby. Jiang Youbai’s gaze swept toward the large vessel parked in front of the mountain gate. That vessel was different from the boats rowed on mortal rivers; it looked as if it were crafted using mechanism arts, featuring massive mechanical wings on both sides that allowed it to soar through the skies with the assistance of spiritual power. This was the Immortal Alliance’s most commonly used means of transportation, ideal for group travel without the need to stop at inns for lodging.
Jiang Youbai looked back at Mu Jiyuan. The other person’s approach with an air of intimacy made him find it rather amusing. He leaned in close to the other and whispered, “You still dare to approach me? Aren’t you afraid I will kill you?”
Mu Jiyuan shook his head, his eyes full of sincerity. “Eldest Senior Brother said you are a good person, and that day on the cliff you didn’t really mean to kill me. You are a very kind person, and I believe you won’t kill me. We will definitely be able to get along well.”
Jiang Youbai let out a cold laugh. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Mu Jiyuan by the throat. That slender and fragile neck was right in his palm, the veins throbbing beneath the skin. With just a little exertion of force on his part, he could cause Mu Jiyuan to pass away on the spot.
Thinking of this, Jiang Youbai suddenly grew curious. Since Mu Jiyuan was the Child of the Heavenly Dao, could he actually manage to kill this so-called Child of the Heavenly Dao?
A trace of excitement flashed across the depths of Jiang Youbai’s eyes, and the force in his hand gradually increased, as if he genuinely intended to choke Mu Jiyuan to death.
Mu Jiyuan looked at him, tears welling up in his eyes, his hands grasping Jiang Youbai’s wrist with a pitiful expression.
“Xiaobai!” Finished talking with Sheng Xu, Tang Ci turned around only to see such a scene: Jiang Youbai was gripping Mu Jiyuan’s neck tightly, applying pressure as though he were going to strangle the person to death. He hurriedly stepped forward. “What is going on here? How has Junior Younger Brother offended you in any way?”
Jiang Youbai raised his eyes to look at him, the corners of his lips curling upward. “Why must it be that he offended me? Could it not be that he bullied me instead?”
Tang Ci was taken aback. “I didn’t mean it that way; it’s just that whatever the matter is, let go of your hand first. Tell Senior Brother, and Senior Brother will stand up for you.”
Jiang Youbai’s smile deepened. “Why must someone stand up for me? Can’t I stand up for myself? He offended me; can’t I kill him?”
Tang Ci opened his mouth, momentarily not knowing what else to say. After pondering for a long time, he managed: “No matter what, his crime shouldn’t warrant death, right? Besides, everyone is watching. If you kill Junior Younger Brother, I’m afraid it will invite gossip, and it won’t be easy to explain things to Master over there.”
Quite a few people were standing before the cloud ship. Aside from the members of the Shangqing Sect, there were also disciples of the Youqing Sect. Having noticed the commotion here, they had already turned their gazes over one after another.
“What’s going on here? Isn’t that the newly accepted disciple of the Sect Leader? Why does he look like he’s about to kill someone?”
“Didn’t they say he’s a spirit beast? Spirit beasts and we humans have a natural feud, so isn’t it normal for him to kill people?”
“Then why did the Sect Leader still take him in as a disciple? It looks like that’s their Shangqing Sect’s Junior Younger Brother. Are they actually hurting each other among fellow disciples?”
“The nature of a spirit beast is fierce; it doesn’t matter who you are. Be careful. The Sect Leader still protects him, of all things.”
Mu Jiyuan hurriedly spoke up to explain to Tang Ci, “Senior Brother, I’m fine. Please don’t blame Senior Brother Jiang. He won’t kill me. I trust Senior Brother Jiang.”
Jiang Youbai smiled. He leaned in close to Mu Jiyuan’s ear and whispered softly, “I just hate this hypocritical look of yours.”
Once he finished speaking, he smoothly pushed the person into Tang Ci’s arms. “Stop coming to provoke me.”
Ignoring the surrounding gazes, Jiang Youbai walked straight toward the rooms on the cloud ship, leaving everyone else stranded outside.
“What kind of person is this? Such a foul temper!”
“Keep your voice down. That is him. He severely injured Sect Master Wang during the apprenticeship ceremony! It was terrifying; nobody even saw how he moved, and suddenly he appeared right in front of Sect Master Wang, almost twisting Sect Master Wang’s head right off.”
“That scary?!”
“Of course! True to being a human-shaped spirit beast, completely erratic. Never mind Sect Master Wang, he would kill his own junior brother just for being an eyesore. He is simply a lunatic who doesn’t listen to reason at all.”
“Yeah, Eldest Senior Brother was trying to persuade him nicely just now, but this beast didn’t listen at all. As expected of a beast, even after taking human form, it is still devoid of human nature.”
“Let’s not provoke him; just keep our guard up. With the Sect Leader’s eldest disciple around, he shouldn’t go so far as to kill all of us.”
“Let’s hope so.”
Jiang Youbai lay on the bed, the external remarks still drifting clearly into his ears. He did not sleep; he simply stared unblinkingly at a certain spot.
When the Child of the Heavenly Dao encounters critical moments of danger, someone always jumps out to resolve his crisis, doesn’t it?
Just as he was pondering other matters, someone outside started talking again.
“Who says our Xiaobai is a fierce spirit beast? Xiaobai would never kill the innocent indiscriminately, and anyone he dislikes must have their reasons! This is called a spirit beast’s intuition!”
“That’s right! The goodness of our Xiaobai is not something outsiders can understand! He is so beautiful and pure; some people simply don’t deserve to see his original appearance. What fierce beast? Clearly, he’s an auspicious omen!”
Jiang Youbai: “…”
Without even looking, Jiang Youbai knew who was outside bragging about him. For some reason, Lin Shuang’s group trusted him so deeply, treating him like a true junior brother despite having witnessed his appearance at the cloud cliff.
This kind of trust, completely unhindered by racial divides, actually warmed Jiang Youbai’s heart.
It brought a sense of relief, as though he was no longer trapped by his past life.
Still, it wasn’t bad.
With the cloud ship, the group quickly arrived at the Youqing Sect.
Outside that mountain gate stood a huge water-curtain backdrop, which was the Youqing Sect’s unique mountain gate barrier. Only by passing through the water-curtain backdrop could one truly enter the interior of the Youqing Sect.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Sheng Xu said to Tang Ci, “This water-curtain backdrop does not harm people; the barrier simply guards against spirit beasts and demons. I wonder how the Youqing Sect’s newly accepted Junior Younger Brother Jiang will pass through our Youqing Sect’s array barrier?”
Tang Ci frowned slightly. “Can the barrier not be withdrawn for a moment?”
Sheng Xu shook his head. “Our Youqing Sect suffered a heavy blow to its vitality a few days ago. If the barrier is withdrawn right now, who knows if there are spirit beasts eyeing us covetously from the surroundings? Furthermore, we don’t know if that captured spirit beast might escape. It cannot be withdrawn!”
Tang Ci’s frown deepened. “If a spirit beast passes through this water-curtain barrier, what will happen?”
Sheng Xu gazed at the barrier and said, “The spirit beast’s spiritual power will be completely sealed. Upon passing through the barrier, it will revert to its original form, lose all its strength, and feel as though its entire body is being pricked by needles, making it unable even to stand up, leaving it with no ability to resist whatsoever.”
Anxious, Tang Ci looked toward Jiang Youbai’s room and walked over to knock on the door. “Xiaobai, are you awake?”
Instantly, everyone’s gazes turned toward Jiang Youbai’s door. The disciples on the ship had all heard what Sheng Xu said. Having grown close to Mu Jiyuan over the past few days, they found Mu Jiyuan both beautiful and kind, while holding zero good feelings for Jiang Youbai, the cruel and erratic spirit beast. They all wanted to see just how disheveled Jiang Youbai would look when passing through this water-curtain barrier.
Tang Ci knocked on the door several times without receiving a response. Seeing that they were getting closer and closer to the barrier, just as he was about to break the door down, it suddenly swung open.
Jiang Youbai stood inside the doorway, his ink-black hair scattered behind him, though a single strand poked out crookedly. The sleepy and still somewhat dazed look on his face had shed the so-called ferocity and lost a bit of allure, adding instead a touch of playfulness.
The people outside collectively froze. This Jiang Youbai seemed actually quite good-looking, didn’t he?
Raising his eyes to look at the approaching water-curtain barrier, Jiang Youbai leaned lazily against the doorframe and asked, “Does Senior Brother need something?”
Tang Ci told Jiang Youbai about the water-curtain barrier: “I have a breath-masking talisman here. Hold it in your hand and see if it works. If anything feels amiss later, I’ll use my spiritual power to help you find a way through the barrier.”
Looking at the talisman Tang Ci took out from his robe pocket, Jiang Youbai did not reach out to take it. Instead, he touched the Wangxu Jade Token hanging at his waist.
His own spiritual power was already sealed, and Shen Changchuan had also cast a breath-masking spell on him. He had no idea whether this water-curtain barrier could break Shen Changchuan’s spell.
Gazing at the water-curtain barrier, a trace of provocation flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Seeing that he wouldn’t take it, Tang Ci intended to stuff the talisman directly into Jiang Youbai’s robe. However, before he could make a move, the water-curtain barrier was already close by. The vessel passed through the barrier without being impacted by the waterfall-like torrents. Once the cloud ship completely crossed the backdrop, everyone’s expressions shifted from spectating to astonishment.
Jiang Youbai stood safely in place, his expression devoid of even the slightest change.
Was this barrier broken?
Sheng Xu also looked at Jiang Youbai in puzzlement, attempting to catch a trace of pain on Jiang Youbai’s face, or see him revert to his original form, but nothing happened.
Yet Tang Ci’s talisman was still clutched in his hand, unsent. It was simply impossible for it to have blocked the barrier for Jiang Youbai.
The next second, he saw the answer.
The jade token at Jiang Youbai’s waist was emitting a faint golden light, clearly showing that Shen Changchuan’s Wangxu Jade Token had helped Jiang Youbai conceal his identity as a spirit beast, allowing him to evade the water-curtain barrier.
At the thought of that jade token, Sheng Xu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: the Sect Leader is truly good to this spirit beast disciple, even better than he is to Tang Ci.
The crowd seemed to realize it as well. Failing to see Jiang Youbai in a disheveled state, they felt a hint of disappointment. Only Mu Jiyuan stared at Jiang Youbai’s jade token from a corner, his gaze sinking. He turned around, tucked a talisman he had been clutching back into his robe, and withdrew his gaze.
As everyone disembarked from the cloud ship, Sheng Xu looked at the chaotic scene all around and explained to Tang Ci, “There was a spirit beast riot a few days ago, and we haven’t had time to repair it yet. Please pardon the eyesore.”
Tang Ci shook his head. “Understood. Sect Master, please lead us directly to see that spirit beast.”
Sheng Xu nodded and was just about to guide them when a figure suddenly rushed out from a room. “Dad! You’re back! That spirit beast woke up! It’s just…”
Taking in the group at the doorway, he fell silent for a moment. His gaze landed on Jiang Youbai. The dim sunlight, like flowing gauze, draped over Jiang Youbai, as if casting a soft glow upon him. His complexion was fair and delicate, and an aura of nobility surrounded him, making him look like a proud and beautiful peacock that made people want to submit beneath its plumage.
Sheng Xu waved his hand in front of him. “You brat, Sheng Yuanzhou! It’s just what? Spit it out!”
Sheng Yuanzhou snapped back to his senses with a start and hurriedly said, “That spirit beast kept trying to bite me! Several times I almost got bitten by it! And its eyes turned red; it feels like it’s about to go crazy too!”
Sheng Xu was startled. “Quick, take us over there!”
Several people hurried over to the Youqing Sect’s prison holding the spirit beast, only to see a greyish-white lop-eared rabbit baring its teeth and sinking its teeth directly into the spell-enforced iron gate.
Jiang Youbai shifted slightly to the side, watching the lop-eared rabbit. The rabbit’s size was noticeably much larger than an ordinary lop-eared rabbit. It should be a fully grown spirit beast, yet those red pupils looked somewhat familiar.
His gaze shifted toward Mu Jiyuan, who was also standing to the side. To his surprise, Mu Jiyuan was also looking at him. As their eyes met, Mu Jiyuan gave him a small smile.
Jiang Youbai raised his eyebrows slightly. What was that supposed to mean? Provoking him?
If this matter was orchestrated by Mu Jiyuan, could the Child of the Heavenly Dao really stretch his hands this far? But what would the purpose be?
The lop-eared rabbit in the cell was acting like it went crazy, desperate to get out. Tang Ci raised his hand and slapped a stream of spiritual power onto the lop-eared rabbit, yet the rabbit showed no signs of stopping. Instead, it glared at Tang Ci, bared its teeth, and the spiritual power within its body burst forth instantly, slamming directly against the prison’s barrier.
The barrier cracked open, and the lop-eared rabbit lunged out. However, instead of heading toward Tang Ci, it charged straight at Sheng Yuanzhou. The speed was so fast that everyone failed to intercept it, while Tang Ci, initially assuming the rabbit would target him, had kept his guard up and failed to react in time.
“Ahhhhhhh!” Even though Sheng Yuanzhou had already channeled his spiritual power to defend himself, the crazed lop-eared rabbit bit fiercely onto his hand, instantly tearing off half of his palm.
Tang Ci flashed forward hurriedly, but the lop-eared rabbit spirit beast was extremely agile. It immediately released Sheng Yuanzhou, evaded Tang Ci’s attack, and smoothly lunged toward Sheng Xu.
Sheng Xu was about to check on his son when he caught sight of the rabbit charging at him. He hastily channeled his spiritual power to fight back against the rabbit.
Taking it all in at his leisure, Jiang Youbai watched as the lop-eared rabbit seemingly dodged hither and thither, while actually playing these people in the palm of its hand.
The rabbit’s spiritual power was quite strong, and Tang Ci might not necessarily have the upper hand in a fight against it, but with so many people here and the reinforcement of arrays, this rabbit probably wouldn’t be able to stir up trouble for long.
Tang Ci and Sheng Xu clearly realized this as well, and began sparring in a roundabout way with the lop-eared rabbit.
The rabbit was agile, but prone to stamina depletion; they only needed to hold out for a little while.
Yet clearly, this lop-eared rabbit possessed awakened intelligence, and its mind was no less sharp than these humans’. It launched a fierce attack on Sheng Yuanzhou, making it difficult for him to fend it off. The heavily pressurized barrier was damaged and could no longer stop this rabid rabbit.
At the critical juncture, Sheng Xu’s gaze swept over Jiang Youbai, who was watching the fire from across the shore, and he hurriedly said, “Young Friend Jiang, aren’t you also a spirit beast? Can’t you talk to this rabbit? You guys can communicate, right? Tell it that we harbor no malicious intent, that we just want to know the truth. Didn’t you also come here because you wanted to know the truth?”
Watching Sheng Xu flee in disarray under the rabbit’s harassment, Jiang Youbai curved his lips into a smile. “Sheng Sect Master refused to withdraw the mountain gate barrier just to watch a good show at my expense; now it’s my turn to watch Sect Master Sheng’s good show.”
A cold sweat immediately broke out on Sheng Yuanzhou’s temple. “Why are you such a junior so vindictive!”
Jiang Youbai let out a cold laugh, with no intention of moving at all. “The nature of a spirit beast is precisely this: if you treat me well, I will treat you well; if you treat me poorly, then don’t blame me for retaliating against you.”
Sheng Yuanzhou was left speechless. “Then what on earth will it take for you to help?”
Looking at the lop-eared rabbit, Jiang Youbai put on a troubled expression. “Why are you so certain this little rabbit will listen to me? Who knows, maybe because you people have captured too many spirit beasts, it’s just seeking revenge?”
Sheng Yuanzhou retorted, “You’re a human-shaped spirit beast, the one with the strongest spiritual power among the spirit beast clan. It will definitely listen to you.”
Jiang Youbai still didn’t move. “Mm, I heard it. It said it’s specifically here to exact revenge on you!”
Watching Sheng Xu get injured by the lop-eared rabbit, Jiang Youbai smiled like a child who had been bullied and finally got his grand revenge.
Seeing that the lop-eared rabbit was about to kill Sheng Xu, Tang Ci urged, “Xiaobai, let’s first get to the bottom of the truth behind the spirit beasts going mad.”
Jiang Youbai glanced at Tang Ci, then cast his gaze back toward the lop-eared rabbit, the smile on his face gradually fading.
His communication with other spirit beasts still remained frozen at the moment of his death in his past life, a scene that remained vivid in his mind.
The angry roars of those spirit beasts filled the entire Shangqing Sect.
“You’re a spirit beast, why are you helping humans?!”
“You traitor! Human lapdog!”
“What benefits did humans give you? Having stayed with them for so long, have you forgotten you’re a spirit beast?!”
“Why are you helping them torture us? You possess such powerful spiritual power, yet you use it against your own kin?!”
“Traitor! You deserve to die!”
Jiang Youbai stared at the lop-eared rabbit without speaking for a long time. What right did he have to question it? What reason did he have to question it?
If they wanted to kill humans, let them kill. What did it have to do with him? These Taoist cultivators, relying on a bit of spiritual power and cultivation, captured spirit beasts to keep as pets, harvest blood, and even extract bones. So many spirit beasts were tortured to death by them, only to be exploited even after death. What reason did he have to make this little rabbit let go of its enemies?
He wasn’t worthy.
Jiang Youbai simply watched, uttering not a single word.
Tang Ci urged, “Xiaobai!”
Jiang Youbai replied indifferently, “Why should I help you? I am a spirit beast; I ought to be helping spirit beasts.”
Tang Ci sighed softly and persuaded, “But we still need to find the cause of their madness. Don’t you want to help them recover their sanity?”
Admittedly, Tang Ci was right. If his kin wanted revenge, he wouldn’t interfere, but if his kin were being controlled, driven against their will, and losing their minds, he had to intervene.
In his past life, he couldn’t save his kin. In this life, he could no longer let his kin suffer such agony. At the very least, he needed to know the cause and unmask the mastermind.
Jiang Youbai looked back at the lop-eared rabbit, though he momentarily didn’t know how to converse with it. Even though they were of the same clan, they weren’t close, and besides, the little rabbit was currently going mad. Would it even listen?
Perhaps his gaze had lingered on the lop-eared rabbit for too long, or perhaps the rabbit sensed Jiang Youbai’s gaze. It turned its head to meet his eyes and asked in the language of spirit beasts, “You’re a human-shaped spirit beast!”
A trace of surprise flashed across the depths of Jiang Youbai’s eyes. “You’re conscious?”
However, the lop-eared rabbit shook its head, then shook it confusedly again, the crimson in its pupils flickering erratically. “Why are you standing on the human side?”
These words struck like an ancient temple bell, violently resounding in Jiang Youbai’s heart, echoing like the angry accusations of his past life, one after another.
“Traitor! Why are you standing on the human side?”
“Traitor.”
Jiang Youbai frowned slightly, carrying a hint of chill. “I am not. You can kill whoever you want, but I want to know, what happened to you all?”
The lop-eared rabbit gradually eased the force in its grip, shaking its head as it said, “I don’t know. I don’t know. Dead, they are all dead. Red, everything was red.”
Seeing that the lop-eared rabbit was no longer attacking, Sheng Xu prepared to step forward and restrain it with a spirit-binding rope, but the rabbit suddenly went wild again.
A flash crossed Jiang Youbai’s gaze, and deep crimson crept over his pure amber pupils. The lop-eared rabbit’s movements paused, and it walked toward Jiang Youbai.
To everyone’s astonishment, the lop-eared rabbit, which had just been violently unhinged and desperate to kill the Sheng family father and son, walked right up to Jiang Youbai, looked at him with innocent incomprehension, and tilted its head as if it had no idea what had just happened.
Squatting down, Jiang Youbai extended his hand toward the lop-eared rabbit. The little rabbit stretched out a single paw, resting it on Jiang Youbai’s hand, before shrinking its entire body down a bit. Although it was still somewhat larger than an ordinary lop-eared rabbit, it looked far less terrifying, even appearing fluffy and plump.
He scooped the lop-eared rabbit into his arms, stroking its fur absentmindedly, and the little rabbit fell asleep right there in his arms.
Sheng Xu breathed a sigh of relief at the sight and stepped forward to capture the rabbit with a spirit-binding rope, but Jiang Youbai side-stepped to avoid him. “Trying to capture a spirit beast right in front of me? Does Sect Master Sheng perhaps forget who saved you just now?”
Sheng Xu’s expression froze. “But it could still go wild at any moment.”
Jiang Youbai stated instead, “It won’t. Once it wakes up, I’ll be able to ask what I want to know. But until then, no one is allowed to touch it.”
Helpless, Sheng Xu could only back away, casting one more wary look at the lop-eared rabbit. The little rabbit that had been fiercely savage just moments ago was now lying defenseless in Jiang Youbai’s arms. This Jiang Youbai was truly formidable.
Seeing this, Tang Ci also chimed in, “Then let’s wait until this rabbit wakes up before discussing it further.”
Thus, the group temporarily settled down within the Youqing Sect.
Late at night, Jiang Youbai was startled awake by a burst of radiance. He hadn’t actually been deeply asleep. That brilliance was right before him, and he could sense it even with his eyes closed. Opening his eyes, he saw that the jade token at his waist was emitting a faint golden light, flashing rhythmically as if reminding him of something.
Pulling off the jade token and clutching it in his palm, Jiang Youbai glanced at the sleeping lop-eared rabbit beside him and walked out the door.
In truth, Jiang Youbai didn’t know where he was going, but the jade token in his palm seemed to guide him along. Skirting past a corridor, his gaze flicked over and caught sight of a familiar figure.
White clothes, ink-black hair, stepping upon a floor of moonlight.
Jiang Youbai narrowed his eyes.
Why would Shen Changchuan be here?
Re-attaching the jade token to his waist, he followed that figure closely to a room, and upon seeing the person sit down on the bed and enter a meditative state, he flashed close to the bedside, quietly watching the other party.
Shen Changchuan had said last time that the jade token wasn’t on him, but since he couldn’t enter his sea of consciousness, he wondered if he could slip inside while the man was in this meditative state.
Jiang Youbai slowly closed in on the other person, his smile-laced eyes brimming with danger. Just as he reached out his hand, the man grabbed him by the wrist and pinned him down onto the bedstead.
Raising his eyes to look at him, Jiang Youbai asked, “Shen Changchuan, why are you here?”
Instead of answering, the man counter-questioned, “Want to kill me again?”
Jiang Youbai chuckled softly. “Didn’t you know already?”
“Mn, practice more.”
The hand being held struggled slightly. “Let go of me, Shen Changchuan.”
Rather than granting his wish, the other person instead used only one hand to grip both of Jiang Youbai’s wrists, while using his other hand to reach toward Jiang Youbai’s waist.
Lowering his gaze, Jiang Youbai felt that hand brush across his waist and probe toward the jade token.
The next second, Jiang Youbai broke free from the man’s restraint. The feather in his hand pierced straight through the other’s heart, fresh blood slowly dripping along the shaft to land on Jiang Youbai’s cheek. He shoved the person down to the floor with a hard push, stood up to sit on the edge of the bed, darkness enveloping him and plunging his expression into gloom. Vibrant blood slowly slid down his cheek, making him look like a terrifying ghost straight out of hell.
Walking over to the fallen figure, Jiang Youbai looked down at the person on the ground, who opened his eyes wide with disbelief written all over his face, wheezing out a final question: “How did you know?”
Jiang Youbai gave a derisive chuckle. “Shen Changchuan never speaks idle words. Since he already knew I wanted to kill him, how could he possibly ask such a rhetorical question over and over again?”
With that explanation finished, he didn’t give the other person another chance to speak, directly pulling the feather out from the chest cavity. Fresh blood spattered, and the person’s breath instantly cut off.
Coldly withdrawing his gaze, Jiang Youbai lifted the feather in his hand and brought it toward his lips. Just as he was about to lick the fresh blood clean off the feather, his wrist was seized from behind by an arriving hand, and the feather in his grip was knocked away by the force of the other’s movement.
The scent of pear blossoms instantly enveloped him, and the cool, ethereal voice of the newcomer sounded right behind him: “Don’t lick, it’s dirty.”