Chapter 168: The Malicious Love Obsession in Xianxia (30)

Chapter 168: The Obsessive Love in Xianxia (30)

What irked Si Yin even more was that every Ruyi Lantern was inscribed with the words, "May everything go as you wish, may all endeavors succeed."

If he remembered correctly, the Ruyi Lantern That Oddball had pulled out on the bridge that day bore those exact same words...

A sudden flare of annoyance overtook him. Now in the form of a rat, Si Yin scrambled onto one of the Ruyi Lanterns, intending to tweak the wick and set all these damned lanterns ablaze!

Before he could act, a large hand suddenly seized his tail.

"It's you again." A sigh came from above. Si Yin tilted his head up and, sure enough, saw the familiar face of his archenemy.

Trapped in Bai Mufeng's grip, the rat-form Si Yin thrashed, even attempting to bite him, but Bai Mufeng effortlessly thwarted every move.

Damn it, why did I think turning into a rat was a good idea...

Still debating whether to revert to his true form and fight Bai Mufeng outright, Si Yin was stunned speechless by Bai Mufeng's next words.

"I haven’t seen you in a while. You seem... changed."

What kind of nonsense was this?

Did Bai Mufeng recognize this rat as him?

A sudden realization struck Si Yin—he remembered Tang Qing’s daily habit of using a rat to spy on Bai Mufeng...

At the time, he’d found it odd. How could Bai Mufeng, that cold-hearted stickler, not notice a rat appearing every day during his cultivation?

Turns out, he had tacitly permitted it...

"Squeak-squeak-squeak!" Trapped in Bai Mufeng’s hand, Si Yin let out a shrill cry, but his tiny size rendered him utterly harmless.

Bai Mufeng wasn’t sure how he felt about this rat.

Cultivation was, by nature, a lonely path.

The first time he’d spotted the rat, Bai Mufeng had considered cutting it down with a single strike... But perhaps because his mood had been unusually light that day, he’d let it live.

Unexpectedly, the rat returned the next day.

It seemed to be observing him—silent, yet showed up like clockwork every time he cultivated.

All beings have a spirit. Perhaps this rat, too, was cultivating its own path.

With that thought, Bai Mufeng tacitly permitted the rat’s daily observations, and by extension, its companionship...

"I think I made a misstep," Bai Mufeng spoke slowly, as if to himself, under Si Yin’s stunned gaze. "I don’t know if I should regret it."

Bai Mufeng had no friends. This rat, accompanying him during cultivation, was perhaps his sole companion.

After the illusion’s events with Tang Qing, Bai Mufeng knew his choice had been the right one.

Yet, in his heart of hearts—especially in many fragments of time—he couldn’t help but recall Tang Qing’s face, and the way she had looked at him...

That fervent gaze, that adoration—things he had never needed, yet they burned into his memory with unsettling clarity...

From Bai Mufeng’s fragmented words, Si Yin seemed to piece something together.

With a furious wriggle, he wrenched himself free from Bai Mufeng’s grasp. Landing atop a Ruyi Lantern, Si Yin deliberately hopped several times, taunting Bai Mufeng.

"Are you asking about these lanterns?"

Bai Mufeng had long cultivated the Heartless Way, always aloof and indifferent, yet he showed unusual patience toward the mouse before him. "I made them."

"I promised her in the illusion that I would give her a lantern..."

"I made many, but none felt quite right."

An illusion!

No wonder I couldn’t figure out what had happened between the two of them—they must have entered the same illusion together.

No doubt that Little Pervert’s change in attitude was due to something that occurred in that illusion... Still wanting to dig deeper, Si Yin squeaked at Bai Mufeng again.

But those squeaks gave him away!

The normally stoic Taoist Soldier, who had been calm just moments ago, suddenly turned grim.

"Wait, who are you really?"

The mouse he was familiar with was more of an observer, never interacting with him...

But the one that had barged in today...

Was way too smart.

That felt way too much like a conversation...

The sword moved with his will—the moment Bai Mufeng’s sharp rebuke rang out, the Army Breaker Sword slashed forward!

A deadly sword aura screamed through the air!

Si Yin had no time to dodge. His mouse form blurred with afterimages as a peculiar ripple spread through the air, and a sudden burst of smoke erupted...

In the next instant, Si Yin stood before Bai Mufeng in his true form, grinning. "Been a while."

Bai Mufeng’s expression was icy. "You."

"You actually tailed me all the way to Great Yan."

Si Yin smirked. "If I didn't, how else would I know our Taoist Soldier of the Heartless Way had such a soft side?"

"Tch tch, Bai Mufeng, why don’t you tell me—what exactly did you screw up?"

"Color me curious..."

His needling hit right at Bai Mufeng’s most hidden, deeply buried emotions.

The Taoist Soldier’s face grew even colder. "You asked for this!"

"Frozen Blade, Second Stance—Midnight’s Return!"

The sword energy arced like a rainbow, fast as lightning, instantly closing in on Si Yin!

He'd gotten stronger!

The gap wasn't clear before, but with Army Breaker's killing move unleashed, Si Yin instantly knew the difference.

What kind of power-up had Bai Mufeng scored recently?

He had actually officially broken through to the Nascent Soul stage!

Damn it...

Realizing this, Si Yin didn’t dare linger and hastily retreated—yet still a step too slow.

A vicious sword qi from the Army Breaker Sword slashed across Si Yin’s arm!

Though the gap between Golden Core and Nascent Soul is just a single step, most cultivators spend their entire lives unable to cross it.

There’s no such thing as a True Sun Fruit—achieving Nascent Soul relies mainly on cultivating one’s own Dao Heart. Who knows what method Bai Mufeng used? It’s only been a few days since we last met...

Biting back his emotions, Si Yin knew all too well that he was no match for Bai Mufeng now.

Before the Army Breaker Sword’s second strike could land, Si Yin burned through all his spiritual energy in a frantic surge, launching himself backward from Bai Mufeng’s attack range at top speed.

Damn it, I got wrecked!

We used to be evenly matched, but now Bai Mufeng has suddenly left me in the dust!

Fleeing for his life while lost in thought, Si Yin only snapped back to reality when he found himself back in Tang Qing’s room.

Crashing straight through the window, the loud crash startled Tang Qing upright from her bed.

Under the moonlight, she met Si Yin’s pathetic puppy-dog eyes, his smile grinning like a suck-up.

“Uh… I was planning to leave, but… seems like I can’t now.” Clutching his bleeding arm, he added, “If you wouldn’t mind… could you patch me up again?”

“After all, we go way back, right…?”

Tang Qing scoffed, “Called it.”

“Demonic Sect trash—rot in hell.”

“That karma hit fast…”

Si Yin: …

Rude much?