The inn was safe, and the noisy chatter in her mind had ceased.
The bed was soft, and Pei Chaochao slept soundly.
However, at dawn, Pei Chaochao was startled awake by a commotion outside.
Her room was on the second floor of the inn, facing the street market. Opening the window allowed her to overlook the pedestrians below.
The commotion came from the street downstairs.
It was a series of hurried footsteps, sounding rather aggressive.
Accompanying the footsteps were indistinct voices, unclear as to what they were saying.
Pei Chaochao glanced toward the window and noticed it wasn’t fully closed.
She rubbed her temples, got out of bed, and felt her way to the window, intending to close it tightly.
But just as her hand rested on the windowsill, she glanced down and saw—
The person striding briskly below was none other than Jiang Du!
The sky was still dark, and everything inside and outside was shrouded in shadows, with only vague outlines visible.
But Jiang Du’s tall, upright figure and his flamboyant, unruly demeanor were unmistakable. Even just seeing his silhouette as he stood there holding his sword was enough to recognize him.
Behind him, a Guiyuan Sect disciple was chasing after him.
Now that they were closer, she could faintly make out the disciple urging Jiang Du: “Junior Brother, just tell me, what does the person you’re looking for look like? I’ll help you find them!”
Pei Chaochao: “…”
At that moment,
the Heavenly Realm observers also caught sight of Jiang Du in the Kunlun Mirror’s display, immediately perking up:
【I see Jiang Du! He really isn’t dead! Is he looking for Pei Chaochao?】
【Pei Chaochao is truly done for this time.】
Pei Chaochao had temporarily severed her connection to the Spiritual Breath earlier, so she couldn’t hear the Deities’ discussions.
But she remembered she had to pretend to be blind, so she merely cursed inwardly while maintaining a calm expression.
She acted as if she hadn’t seen Jiang Du, casually closing the window.
Immediately after, she felt her way out of the room, moving slowly.
【Where is she going? To escape?】
【Probably not. Isn’t she blind? She clearly didn’t see Jiang Du just now.】
【She must be escaping! She might have heard Jiang Du’s voice.】
The Heavenly Realm observers were puzzled by Pei Chaochao’s actions, their eyes fixed intently on her.
However, they saw—
Pei Chaochao crossed the corridor, reached Qiong Guang Jun’s room, felt for the door, pushed it open, and tiptoed inside.
Heavenly Realm observers: ?
Wait, what are you doing in Qiong Guang Jun’s room now?!
The Kunlun Mirror could broadcast images and sounds, but the perspective was like an outsider observing Pei Chaochao from a distance.
If Pei Chaochao whispered to someone, the Deities couldn’t hear it. This included the few whispered words she exchanged with Jiang Du before stabbing him.
Coupled with her later act of madness in front of Qiong Guang Jun, the Deities now believed she had been driven insane by fear.
They even thought Pei Chaochao’s stabbing of Jiang Du was an act of madness, a deranged move born of terror.
So, what was she doing entering Qiong Guang Jun’s room now…
Watching this scene, the Deities felt a knot of anxiety tightening in their chests, fearing she might go and stab Qiong Guang Jun through as well.
If Pei Chaochao knew what the Deities were thinking, she would cheerfully say: Yes, I’m going to stab someone.
Even though her memories had returned, her Magical Power was still sealed. She was now just a frail mortal, no match for Jiang Du.
The best course of action was to leave the Guiyuan Sect’s group before Jiang Du found her.
But giving up the chance to cut out Qiong Guang Jun’s heart just like that—Pei Chaochao couldn’t accept it.
She hid the dagger in her sleeve and took two more steps into the room.
Qiong Guang Jun was still resting. Pei Chaochao lifted the bed curtain just a little.
It had to be said, Qiong Guang Jun slept very peacefully.
Pei Chaochao’s gaze swept over his face.
The dim light in the room softened the lines of his face, making him less sharp and cold than when he was awake, yet he still retained an air of aloof elegance, as if carved from the finest jade.
Pei Chaochao had one hand concealing the dagger, while the wound on her other hand had only just barely healed.
She raised her hand, hovering it over Qiong Guang Jun’s chest.
Qiong Guang Jun showed no signs of waking.
But Pei Chaochao didn’t lower her hand; she kept it suspended, shifting it slightly upward until it hovered above his neck.
Qiong Guang Jun’s breathing remained steady.
Yet, beneath the quilt, his fingers twitched slightly.
He was a light sleeper and had woken the moment she entered.
Pretending to sleep here was just to see what she intended to do.
But her hand first hovered over his chest, then moved to above his neck—still suspended, never touching him.
And then she stopped moving.
Qiong Guang Jun’s senses were sharp. Even with some distance between them, he could still catch her scent—
She had bathed and changed into clean clothes after returning, her scent now clean and gentle.
Time seemed to thicken in that moment, making it hard to tell how long her hand had lingered there.
It felt like an eternity, yet also like no time at all.
What was she trying to do?
Qiong Guang Jun couldn’t help but wonder.
Was she still insane, or had she regained her senses?
Or perhaps, because she couldn’t see, she was merely feeling her way around, which was why her hand never descended?
Just then,
her hand abruptly came down.
The onlookers in the Heavenly Realm held their breath:
【What is she trying to do?!】
【Is she going to strangle Qiong Guang Jun?】
But Pei Chaochao didn’t strangle Qiong Guang Jun’s neck.
Instead, her fingertips landed on his neck, pausing for only a moment before sliding upward, brushing past his Adam’s apple and chin.
【?】
【The Book of Fate says she’ll fall in love with Qiong Guang Jun at first sight. Now that she’s interacted with him earlier, does that mean she’s fallen in love earlier?】
The Book of Fate only records major turning points and key events in Fate. Minor details like daily meals or conversations with others aren’t documented in full detail.
Even though Pei Chaochao stabbed Jiang Du, she still followed the Guiyuan Sect’s group, which could be considered an alternative path to the same destination.
Thus, while the deities were worried, they didn’t believe Pei Chaochao could deviate too far from Fate.
【Right, right, she must have fallen in love with Qiong Guang Jun earlier.】
【So is she trying to seduce Qiong Guang Jun now? How can she remember such things even after losing her mind? Shameless!】
【She was notorious in the Heavenly Realm as an emotional swindler. Could Qiong Guang Jun actually be seduced by her—】
【Impossible. She’s just a mortal now.】
Meanwhile, Pei Chaochao was unaware that the Immortal Realm was in an uproar.
She tapped her hand upward slightly.
The movement was light, stirring a lingering itch.
Qiong Guang Jun’s eyelashes trembled faintly.
Pei Chaochao noticed and thought to herself, so he really was pretending to sleep.
She curved her lips slightly, then calmly moved her hand upward again, pinching her fingertip in the process and reopening the barely healed wound.
Immediately after, her fingertip landed at the corner of his lips.
A trace of blood followed the motion, landing on his lower lip, lending a dangerous beauty.
The blood was merely warm, but where her finger touched his lips, it felt like flowing fire, somewhat scorching.
Qiong Guang Jun opened his eyes.
Yet she seemed completely unaware he had awakened, probing her fingertip further between his lips.
Qiong Guang Jun could bear it no longer, turning his head aside: “What are you doing?”
Perhaps because he had just woken, his voice was still a bit hoarse.
Pei Chaochao thought to herself, why didn’t you keep pretending to be asleep?
Just a little longer, and I could have fed the blood into your mouth.
Qiong Guang Jun’s Magical Power was also sealed; even as an immortal cultivator, he was still in a mortal body and couldn’t withstand her blood.
Once the blood was fed in, he would be immobilized for a while, and she could take advantage of that time to cut out his heart.
Pei Chaochao felt a bit regretful.
She paused, then curved her lips into a surprised expression: “It’s you.”
After all, she was “blind.” A blind person couldn’t see and could only recognize others by their voice.
With just this simple expression and sentence, it gave the impression that a blind girl had mistakenly entered someone else’s room and was reaching out to explore.
Qiong Guang Jun lifted his eyelids slightly, his gaze sweeping over the white silk covering her eyes.
He thought,
She might not even know there was someone lying on the bed.
After a pause, he asked: “Awake now?”
Pei Chaochao nodded.
Qiong Guang Jun gave a slight nod: “Do you remember what happened last night?”
He had brought her back to ask about the Demonic Cultivator’s massacre of the village last night.
Pei Chaochao’s expression darkened: “I… I was too scared, I can only remember a little.”
She said: “Immortal, this place is so unfamiliar, I’m a bit afraid. Could you take me home? Maybe once I’m home, I’ll remember everything.”
Her mind was already scheming, planning to have Qiong Guang Jun escort her back, putting distance between her and Jiang Du first.
Perhaps on the way back, she could also find an opportunity to cut out Qiong Guang Jun’s heart. If that didn’t work, she could think of another way to keep him entangled.
Qiong Guang Jun said calmly: “First, tell me what you can remember.”
Pei Chaochao thought for a moment, extended her hand toward him with a shy smile, avoiding the important and dwelling on the trivial: “I only remember that you bandaged me last night. Thank you, Immortal.”
So, in the chaos of last night, she only remembered him?
Qiong Guang Jun glanced at her.
She had an innocent, harmless face, and speaking in such a tone gave the feeling that she was wholly and completely dependent on him.
It was somewhat inappropriate, but he recalled the first time he saw her last night, her face stained with blood.
Her hand was stretched out before him, blood droplets trembling at the torn wound,
That urge to harm surged again with the fresh blood. For a moment, Qiong Guang Jun wanted to tear open the wound on her hand, wanted to break her slender wrist, wanted to—
He frowned, suppressing these thoughts, and replied to her: “It’s torn open.”
Pei Chaochao: “Hmm?”
He was referring to the wound on her hand.
She tilted her head: “I can’t see. Could you bandage it for me again, Immortal?”
【?】
【Is she dreaming? Does she think Qiong Guang Jun bandaged her last night and will do it again today?】
【Exactly. Last night was an exception, probably because he was too eager to know about the Demonic Cultivator’s massacre. Qiong Guang Jun is inherently cold and dislikes being touched by others. It’d be strange if he didn’t throw her out now—】
The denizens of the Heavenly Realm mocked, but before their words could fade, they saw—
Qiong Guang Jun responded with an “Mm.”
Yet he did not take any cloth to bandage her.
He pressed his fingertip against her wound, wiping away the drop of blood. In the process, he couldn’t help but apply a bit more force, grinding over the entire gash on her palm, tearing open the wound that had just begun to heal and was still red and swollen.
Pei Chaochao let out a soft “mm.”
She didn’t pull her hand back: “Deity, it hurts a little.”
Qiong Guang Jun’s fingertip was also stained with her blood. He said flatly, “Endure it.”
As he spoke, he gathered a trace of Spiritual Power in his hand and channeled it into her wound.
The Spiritual Power accelerated the healing, and in an instant, the wound on her palm vanished completely.
Then Qiong Guang Jun withdrew his hand, rubbing his fingertips slightly to disperse the bloodstain. His voice remained indifferent: “You have a medicinal human constitution.”
He stood up: “After I send you back, you should be more careful.”
The Heavenly Realm crowd: ?
The Deities exchanged glances, unsure whether to be more astonished that Qiong Guang Jun had healed her wound or that he had offered a warning—
Qiong Guang Jun’s words clearly meant that Pei Chaochao should avoid carelessly touching things with her blood after returning, lest someone discover her special constitution and capture her to be a Medicine Person.
The Gods remained silent for a long while, unable to help but wonder when Qiong Guang Jun had become so kind-hearted.
On the other side.
Pei Chaochao also understood Qiong Guang Jun’s meaning.
He was going to send her back.
She curved her lips in satisfaction, about to respond—
“Bang!”
A loud kick against the door was heard.
The next second, the door was flung open.
Jiang Du stood outside, turning to ask a Guiyuan Sect disciple: “You just said the senior brother took in that blind—”
Before he could finish, Jiang Du swept his gaze across the room and immediately caught sight of Pei Chaochao’s face.
The rest of his words stuck in his throat.
At the same time.
Pei Chaochao, pale-faced, shrank behind Qiong Guang Jun, once again putting on the appearance of someone frightened out of their wits: “I’m scared.”
Jiang Du: ?
What are you scared of?
Scared of killing me again?