Wu Ping’an had worn tube tops and spaghetti-strap dresses in summers past, so disrobing to this extent didn’t bring her any particular shame. She simply thought he was too young, making the act of undressing before him feel rather odd.
Fortunately, Ji Yuwei was someone who appreciated beauty. His gaze rested on her briefly with restraint before shifting away.
This was his first time seeing a woman’s body—and it wasn’t even a delicate one. Lacking the symmetrical bone structure he had imagined, it resembled pale meat laid out on a table, stirring not the slightest appetite. He could almost hear his stomach churning.
If not for the need to extract the living essence, he would have already leaned against a tree to retch.
Ji Yuwei averted his eyes, took out a talisman, and pressed it against her skin without letting his fingers touch her.
Wu Ping’an expected this to be like yesterday—difficulty breathing—and braced herself, only to find the process surprisingly smooth this time.
Perhaps because he was extracting the living essence from the easiest location, she felt no discomfort at all.
As the wind blew petals onto her body, she caught the faint, lingering fragrance around Ji Yuwei’s person. At that moment, a strange numbness spread across her skin.
Soon, Ji Yuwei removed the talisman. Then, for the first time, Wu Ping’an witnessed just how dazzling a genius hailed as “one touched by the divine” could be in this chaotic era where low-level demons ran rampant.
It defied everything she knew from her faith in science. A ring of light blossomed like a lotus at her feet, then vanished in an instant as the wind swept up the pink petals from the ground.
She and Ji Yuwei were enveloped in flowers, as if only the two of them existed between heaven and earth. His clear, lake-like eyes reflected her astonished face with perfect clarity. As he raised his hand to remove the talisman, petals suddenly scattered everywhere.
Wu Ping’an heard him chuckle softly. “Found it. The living essence of Yulian is indeed within you, Lady Wu. The monster beast is located to the southwest.”
Wu Ping’an suppressed her surprise. “Then I don’t need to go, right?”
Ji Yuwei bent down, gazing at her with utmost sincerity, and shook his head helplessly. “Talismans cannot store large amounts of living essence. Thus, I still require your company, my lady.”
This was the first time Wu Ping’an had faced him so closely and directly. His irises were pure black—so profoundly dark they gave the impression of someone who had just emerged from a deep, ink-green pool, carrying an eerie, ghostly aura.
Wu Ping’an had never seen eyes so black. She studied them intently for a moment before he straightened up after only a brief proximity, his tone as gentle as before. “Please follow me, my lady.”
Wu Ping’an did not agree. She stood firmly in place.
Ji Yuwei didn’t give her much choice either. Knowing full well her reluctance, he furrowed his long brows, a look of confusion appearing on his jade-porcelain, peach-blossom face, as if she had already agreed. He asked considerately, “Lady Wu, do you still have any concerns?”
Wu Ping’an said, “I don’t know spellcraft. Going with you, Fifth Young Master, might only hold you back. If you run out of living essence, you can always return to extract more. I’ll wait here for you.”
“So that’s the reason.” A faint smile touched his rose-red lips as he reassured her. “I won’t ask you to do anything dangerous. You only need to follow behind. I will ensure your safety, my lady.”
His tone was light, yet carried immense conviction. As a young master of the Ji Clan, famed for his spellcraft, he could certainly guarantee that Wu Ping’an would remain unharmed—that no low-level monster beast, not yet awakened to intelligence, could harm her under his watch. Yet, Wu Ping’an was not of this world. Even after witnessing his spellcraft, she still could not bring herself to trust him.
Perhaps in her world, there were countless people more skilled in spellcraft than him, so it was understandable that she couldn’t feel at ease.
This was indeed difficult. Ji Yuwei lowered his head in contemplation—should he employ both kindness and authority next, or lure and guide her?
Wu Ping’an had no idea he was thinking this way. In truth, the reason she remained steady amidst the dazzling flowers stirred up by the spellcraft earlier was simply because she had watched many fantasy dramas filled with special effects and had grown accustomed to such sights.
It wasn’t that she distrusted Ji Yuwei’s exceptional spellcraft; she even knew well that he was a once-in-a-century genius in this art. What she doubted was his willingness to protect her. Only by not going could she ensure her own safety.
After careful consideration, Wu Ping’an opened her mouth to refuse him: “Fifth Young Master.”
“I wonder what the lady fears. Wei has never intended to harm you. It’s just that Yulian’s living essence truly resides within you. Even if I were to let you leave now, once my parents return home, they would still find you.”
Ji Yuwei looked at her, his face still wearing the same gentle smile as before. Though his eyes weren’t exactly impatient, there was a faint chill in them. After all, he was a noble young master—no matter how mild his temperament, being repeatedly rejected was hard to endure.
His appearance was gentle, making it difficult to tell if he was angry, and his voice remained extremely soft.
“Moreover, Wei knows the lady cannot use spellcraft. I never intended to take you to dangerous places. We are merely retracing the path Yulian once walked, following the breath. If there is any danger, Wei would risk his life for you.”
In this era where human life was regarded as worthless, where some even raised two-legged sheep, and where the heartless among thieves deserved execution, for a noble young master to speak such words could no longer merely be called having a conscience. Every word was spoken with her well-being in mind, carefully measured to remain within a comfortable range.
His attitude and tone were so impeccable that Wu Ping’an found it impossible to refuse. But the main reason lay in the meaning of the first half of his words.
Sooner or later, she would have to face this—if not him, then the head of the Ji Clan, because the deceased was a daughter of the Ji Clan.
In the end, the two of them left the estate together.
Walking the path that Ji Yulian had taken in life, Wu Ping’an felt extremely conflicted.
To be honest, since Ji Yulian had killed Ade, she had no desire to trouble herself over Ji Yulian’s affairs. Just the thought that this was the path Ji Yulian had walked made her want to lean against the wall and retch.
Ji Yuwei seemed highly sensitive to others’ emotional reactions. Seeing her pale complexion, he instructed his attendant to help her sit down to the side.
“Your face is pale, your pupils are unfocused, and you feel cold all over—could it be the influence of the breath?” Ji Yuwei stood before her, looking down from above. His brow was inexplicably furrowed, and no matter how he tried to conceal it, a hint of scrutiny toward her appearance still leaked through.
He said nothing more, and Wu Ping’an pretended not to notice, intending to seize the opportunity to refuse. But just as she uttered half the sound of “Fifth,” a tremendous beast’s roar suddenly echoed from afar, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
The attendant beside her quickly steadied her.
“What happened?” Wu Ping’an clutched her skirt, her heart thrown into turmoil by that roar, difficult to suppress.
Ji Yuwei glanced sideways at her face, his voice tinged with apology: “I had hoped to spare you from this, but it seems this journey will require you to accompany me after all. I never expected something like this to happen on our outing.”
Wu Ping’an didn’t know from which direction the beast’s roar had come. She saw that the once-bustling street was now empty, all doors and windows tightly shut. Soon, only the two of them remained on the desolate, long street, surrounded by a terrifying silence.
“Do not be afraid, my lady. It is merely ordinary monster beasts causing harm. With Yuwei by your side, I can protect you from harm at any moment.” Unfazed by the desolate and eerie streets, he instead smiled gently to comfort her.
Ji Yuwei explained that monster beasts were stirring in the outskirts and that he needed to go there now to eliminate them. Leaving her alone here without protection would be dangerous, as people affected by the monster beasts’ influence could appear at any moment. Therefore, she must stay by his side so he could protect her.
Wu Ping’an was unfamiliar with the monster beasts of this era, and staying close to him was indeed far safer than remaining alone in the residence. She had already encountered a young attendant who, influenced by the cries of a monster beast, seemed to have his consciousness seized, suddenly brandishing a knife and charging toward her.
If Ji Yuwei had not swiftly severed the attendant’s head, she would have been dead by now.
“Were you frightened, my lady?” The youth’s pleasant voice carried a faint trace of concern, gently interrupting her thoughts.
Listening to his voice, as light as spring rain, Wu Ping’an trembled as she recalled the head that had landed at her feet moments earlier.
She was an utterly ordinary person from the modern era, and even after transmigrating, she had only seen the ferocious faces of monster beasts. Since then, she had lived an ordinary life in the city with Ade, never having witnessed such a bloody and terrifying scene.
The head had been cleanly severed by a talisman, like a kicked ball, rolling several times before her eyes before coming to a stop. She saw that the attendant’s eyes had not even closed, staring directly at her. Even now, she had not fully processed it—how could Ji Yuwei’s attendant be so easily influenced by a monster beast? Yet, as an ordinary person, she had never witnessed such a swift and seamless execution.
In this turbulent and chaotic era, human life was inherently cheap, a truth she felt deeply once again.
As she stared blankly at the head by her feet, the youth had already sheathed his sword and knelt before her, his gentle eyes filled with concern. “Are you alright, my lady?”
Wu Ping’an snapped back to reality, her gaze trembling slightly as she met his eyes. Pale-faced, she spoke honestly, “I’m a little afraid that if I follow you, you might not be able to protect me.”
Ji Yuwei had not expected her to be so blunt, bypassing any polite pretense. After a moment of thought, he retrieved a folded fu talisman from his sleeve, bit his finger to draw blood, and pressed it onto her forehead.
“If you are afraid, my lady, I shall give you this talisman.”
When comforting her, his autumn-clear eyes held a gentle, remorseful tenderness. As he smiled softly, the red cinnabar mark on his forehead made his handsome face resemble a Guanyin Bodhisattva enshrined on a temple wall—so strikingly beautiful it radiated an aura of boundless compassion.
Wu Ping’an’s vision was partially obscured by the talisman. She thought to remove it but heard Ji Yuwei speak again with a light laugh.
“This is a conceal aura talisman. As long as you wear it, the monster beasts will not be able to detect you. Removing it will render it useless, and I only have this one with me.”
There was a hint of playful dissatisfaction in his tone, as if annoyed by her constant refusals, but his voice remained clear and pleasant, masking any sharpness.
Wu Ping’an quickly lowered her hand, abandoning the thought of removing the talisman. Though it felt strange stuck to her forehead, almost like a zombie’s charm, she dared not take it off after hearing his words.
Finally, she had settled down. Ji Yuwei no longer had to look at her face, and the gloom in his eyes dissipated slightly.
He instructed Wu Ping’an to stay close to him as they walked, his steps light as if treading on clouds, like an immortal. Along the way, he spoke to her about monster beasts.
Through him, Wu Ping’an’s understanding of this era expanded. Once again, in this dynasty where human governance was lax and monster beasts served as bizarre embellishments, his words imbued the world with a dangerous yet liberating, captivating allure.
She had listened all the way, but when she truly stepped out of the city and saw the monstrous beings in the suburbs—several meters tall, neither human nor beast, with green eyes, sharp elongated teeth, and bodies covered in fur—Wu Ping’an was still terrified.
The monster beast, upon seeing the two, seemed to spot a delicious piece of meat. It let out an excited roar and charged forward, but fortunately, Ji Yuwei pushed her aside in time.
“Lady Wu, please wait over there.”
He pushed her with perfect control, avoiding any palm contact. His jade-like hand casually snapped off a beautifully shaped branch, tapped it against her shoulder, and gave a gentle push. The irresistible force sent her stumbling back several steps.
Fortunately, he had chosen an excellent spot. Wu Ping’an’s back hit a tree trunk, sparing her from a painful fall.
Once at a safe distance, she hurriedly hid behind the tree, her body tense as she watched him grapple with the towering monster beast.
Unlike the fantasy dramas she had seen before, there were no sky-obscuring spells clashing. Instead, it was like the flesh-and-bone combat in Uncle Lin’s zombie films, with one key difference: the young man’s movements were unnaturally ghostly. Occasionally, a flicker of dark light would follow the sweep of his sleeves, and from the afterimages, she could see several talismans flying out from his sleeves, striking the monster beast and eliciting agonized cries. This reminded Wu Ping’an that this was a chaotic era where spellcraft could be cultivated.
Ji Yuwei had faced such monster beasts countless times since childhood. In his eyes, this was a lowly, worthless creature unworthy of his effort. The beast’s stench was foul, its appearance crude and ugly, and engaging with it would only dirty his sleeves.
If Wu Ping’an had believed his words back in the courtyard, he wouldn’t have needed to lure the monster beast with a blood-soaked talisman. Instead, they could have naturally grown closer while searching for the beast together, watching her admiration for him deepen day by day—a much cleaner approach.
Ji Yuwei’s gaze inadvertently swept past Wu Ping’an, who was sitting behind the tree. He saw half her face, pressed with a yellow talisman, her eyes fixed intently on the fight. The multi-layered trailing skirt she wore bloomed behind the tree like a startled, oddly colored mushroom.
It wasn’t particularly pleasing, no different from the monster beast before him. Yet, she had those pitch-black pupils, like polished jade stones soaked in water—bright and clear.
The monster beast seized the moment of his distraction and lunged fiercely.
Suppressing his emotions, Ji Yuwei’s long sleeves fluttered as he dodged the hairy, elongated arm. Lowering his lashes, he swiftly formed a seal formation.
Though the monster beast lacked awakened intelligence, it sensed the strength of its opponent. Initially intending to flee, it found itself blocked and toyed with, letting out a furious roar that stirred a violent gust of wind.
The leaves overhead rustled wildly, and the sturdy tree trunks swayed. Wu Ping’an realized the wind was too strong—it would blow away the talisman stuck to her forehead with blood. Instinctively, she tried to press it down with her hand, but it was too late.
The talisman seemed to have a life of its own, slipping through her fingers and flying away.
In that instant, Wu Ping’an couldn’t grasp the talisman. She watched as the monster beast’s vicious, pale-green eyes turned toward her, like a starving wild animal catching the scent of fresh flesh, and it charged madly in her direction.
Its long limbs moved like a monkey’s as it sprinted, drool flying from its mouth, fangs sharp and gleaming.
Wu Ping’an froze, unable to even turn and run in time. Its speed was too fast, surpassing anything humanly possible.
It opened its bloody maw wide before her.
Wu Ping’an’s mind seemed to flash with memories in a final moment of clarity. Just as she thought her body would meet its end, her vision was filled with the young man’s stunningly beautiful, jade-like face.
A few drops of bright red blood splattered at the corner of her eye, blurring her sight.
The massive monster beast loomed behind the youth. With one hand gripping his sword behind him and the other pressed into the damp, muddy ground where she had fallen, his long, jet-black hair billowed in the air before cascading down like a dark net, enveloping her completely, leaving no breath of air to escape.
“Lady Wu, don’t be afraid. Wei promised to protect you.”
He lowered his snow-white lotus-like face, smiling as he gazed at the crimson cinnabar mark between her brows, bright as fresh blood. Compared to the delicate beauty of “sickly as the Western beauty, surpassing her by three parts,” she more resembled the Mountain Ghost, “clad in vines and draped in ivy”—both magnificent and otherworldly.