Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 146 - 145: Ji Xichan Secretly Records the Naked Pei Sword Immortal

Ji Xichan slowly opened her eyes and looked toward a certain direction within the Dao Sect. Her gaze seemed to cross a great distance, landing on a churning sea of black lightning.

The scale of this Celestial Tribulation was so terrifying that even someone with Ji Xichan's experience and perspective was deeply shocked.

'Someone is breaking through to the Divinity Transformation Stage. For the aura of this Thunder Tribulation to travel so far... I can't even imagine how massive it must be.'

Not far from Ji Xichan, a young man in a Black Gold Daoist Robe also ceased his meditation. He looked at the sword at his waist, a nostalgic expression appearing on his face.

"Ji Xichan, look at your own sword."

"My sword?"

At Chen Tiansheng's prompting, Ji Xichan reached into her own inky-black shadow and drew out a jet-black sword.

The sword was named Pitch Dark Night. Normally, it gave no response unless she was feeding it a Demon Spirit. Now, however, it trembled violently in her hand like a fish out of water, struggling to break free from her grasp and fly off in a certain direction.

This wasn't just happening to Ji Xichan. Many Cultivators throughout the Dao Sect were astonished to find their own swords moving uncontrollably. Some sentient blades even tried to fly away on their own.

Chen Tiansheng gently tapped the table. An invisible ripple spread through the hall, and only then did the Dark Night Sword finally settle down.

"Master, what's going on?"

Ji Xichan returned Pitch Dark Night to her shadow. She had a few suspicions, but she wanted to hear the confirmation from Chen Tiansheng.

"What else could it be? Who other than a powerful Sword Cultivator could cause a resonance among Spirit Swords on such a massive scale?"

"Pei Yuhang?"

"Fellow Daoist Pei and I are of the same generation. You should address him as Junior Martial Uncle Pei."

"..."

Chen Tiansheng closed his eyes again, preparing to resume his meditation. But before his mind settled, he slowly spoke, "You really want to go see it, don't you?"

"If you want to watch, then go. Among those of the same stage, few throughout history can compare to Fellow Daoist Pei's Divinity Transformation tribulation. Perhaps you'll gain some insight and inspiration."

Once she had Chen Tiansheng's permission, Ji Xichan dropped her reserved demeanor. She strode quickly out of the Saint Son Hall, mounted her Spirit Sword, and flew toward the gathering storm clouds.

As Ji Xichan drew closer to the black sea formed by the roiling thunderclouds, the epic image from a year ago replayed in her mind: Pei Yuhang, repelling the Blood Evil Tribulation Thunder with a single slash of his sword.

At that time, the disturbance Ye Liyuan had caused by triggering the Blood Evil Tribulation Thunder had been so immense that Ji Xichan had naturally been alerted.

Back then, from dozens of kilometers away, she had watched the ominous, blood-red light brew in the sky, as if the heavens themselves were bleeding. Her very soul had trembled, and she couldn't imagine how Fairy Ye, who was completely exhausted and on the brink of death, could possibly withstand such a fatal calamity.

And that had indeed been the case. Ye Liyuan could not withstand such a disastrous Thunder Tribulation. After her Lifebound Spirit Sword shattered, the next thing to break was her own delicate, fragile body.

Originally, Ji Xichan had been certain that Ye Liyuan would die.

She had even imagined what would happen next. The Cold Sun Sword Immortal, famed for his graceful beauty and a strong contender for the immensely promising position of Saint Son, would lose his wife. Countless Fairies would then flock to him, all under the guise of comforting him and "taking care of him for Sister Ye." They would all be trying to take advantage of the period when Sword Immortal Pei was without a Dao Companion to secure their place by his side...

Until, against everyone's expectations, the White-clothed Sword Immortal shot into the sky. One man and his sword, standing resolute before the calamitous, blood-red light.

Even now, thinking back on it, Ji Xichan scoffed at Pei Yuhang's recklessness—giving up his future on the Great Dao, even his very life, just to save a woman.

But she couldn't deny it.

That scene—

was really damn cool.

Even someone like her would sometimes fantasize late at night. 'If I were in Ye Liyuan's place, would the White-clothed Sword Immortal throw everything away to shield me?'

This was especially true on the night after the Sect's Grand Competition, when Pei Yuhang had taught her little backside a harsh lesson with his Ruler. For some reason, she'd had a hopelessly romantic dream that very night, one she was still too embarrassed to ever bring up.

'You blocked the Blood Evil Tribulation Thunder. An ordinary Celestial Tribulation like this won't be able to stop you, right?'

Ji Xichan landed just outside the range of the Thunder Tribulation. She looked at the world-destroying bolts of lightning in the distance and the silhouette of the white-clothed sword immortal bathed within them, silently offering her blessings.

...

...

The dust and smoke settled, and sunlight poured down upon the earth once more.

Pei Yuhang looked down at his white robes, now completely reduced to ash, and slowly let out a long breath.

'This second Thunder Tribulation for ascending to the Divinity Transformation Stage was much more ferocious than my first. It's a good thing I was fully prepared, or I would've been left with some scars... If Liyuan saw this, she'd definitely nag me about it.'

Pei Yuhang raised a hand, gathering water molecules from the air above his head and using the resulting stream to wash the ash from his body.

Suddenly, his brow furrowed. With a flick of his hand, he sent a beam of Sword Qi streaking forward, splitting a large boulder in two.

"Come out!"

Pei Yuhang said coldly, simultaneously casting the Fog Technique to conceal his naked body.

As Pei Yuhang spoke, a young woman in a black dress slowly emerged from behind the shattered boulder. It was none other than the prodigy, Ji Xichan.

At this moment, however, her face was not its usual mask of cold disdain. Instead, it was beet-red with utter embarrassment.

'If I look at the naked Pei Yuhang right now, I'll seem like a total pervert. But if I don't look, it's like admitting I'm guilty and don't dare to meet his gaze...'

'In the end, she figured she was going to get 'educated' by Pei Yuhang today no matter what, so she might as well get an eyeful first... No, that's not right. She should meet this handsome Sword Immortal's gaze openly and with dignity.'

So, Ji Xichan's beautiful eyes widened as she brazenly and righteously scanned Pei Yuhang's body. This shamelessly forward behavior caused a flash of discomfort in Sword Immortal Pei's eyes.

"Close your eyes! Wait until I'm dressed!"

"Oh."

Hearing the anger in Sword Immortal Pei's voice, Ji Xichan didn't dare talk back and obediently closed her eyes.

However, for reasons she couldn't quite explain—perhaps morbid curiosity, perhaps a wicked sense of humor—she had an idea. She'd get evidence to show Qing Yueqiu later, to show the rival who'd defeated her what her master looked like with no clothes on—

She rubbed the silver ring on her finger, silently activating an embedded Memory Stone. It perfectly recorded Sword Immortal Pei's current state of undress.

Pei Yuhang's Divine Sense was not active at the moment, so he had no idea that the naturally mischievous imp, Ji Xichan, was using a special recording Magical Artifact to secretly film him.

He simply continued to dress while interrogating the young woman in the black dress before him.

"Why were you spying on me?"

"Who's spying on you? I just wanted to observe you Crossing the Tribulation to gain some insight... Who knew the famously cold and reserved Sword Immortal Pei was so barbaric as to face a tribulation without any clothes on."

"Don't slander me! My clothes were destroyed by the Thunder Tribulation!"

After determining that Ji Xichan wasn't some obsessive voyeur who had spied on him intentionally, Pei Yuhang decided not to bother with the junior anymore. Once dressed, he prepared to leave.

But just as he was about to leave, Ji Xichan called out to him again.

"Pei Yuhang, when is your disciple breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage? I want another match with her!"

"Yueqiu has already reached the Nascent Soul Stage."

"Then hurry up and let her fight me!"

Clearly, Ji Xichan, a young woman with an incredibly competitive spirit, was not satisfied with having lost to Qing Yueqiu during the Sect's Grand Competition while her Cultivation was still at the Golden Core Stage.

For someone who had once been considered invincible among those of the same stage, it was a tremendous stain on her record.

Pei Yuhang, however, was unconcerned. The Sword Dao he taught his disciple was about letting go and looking to the future, not getting bogged down in the past.

"No way! You have to let that little white cat fight me again!"

Ji Xichan blocked Pei Yuhang's path, her expression clearly saying that he wasn't going anywhere unless he agreed.

A flash of impatience crossed Pei Yuhang's eyes. He was just about to pull out his Ruler to discipline the arrogant girl when a cold, feminine voice laced with killing intent echoed from the sky.

"You bitch, get away from my Master!"