Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 167 - 166: "Please Be a Little Gentle With Master

"You could also wait outside the door for the Pei Sword Immortal and me to finish, Sister Yu."

Upon hearing this, Yu Gu Nan remained silent, not responding. She stood frozen in place like a soulless puppet.

Ji Xichan found this rather dull. Just as she was about to walk past her, Yu Gu Nan suddenly sent a telepathic message:

"Be...gentle with Master."

Heh.

At her words, Ji Xichan tossed her smooth, waist-length black hair. Her gaze fell upon the ethereally handsome man leaning back in the spring water, his face veiled in white gauze. He seemed so holy, like a banished immortal, a being not of this world. Her tongue subconsciously darted out to lick the corner of her lips.

She didn't answer Yu Gu Nan, merely striding forward, her long legs steadily closing the distance to the man before her.

'Finally... I can have you.'

'Everything has succeeded, just as my calculations of fate predicted.'

Ji Xichan leaned over, gazing at Pei Yuhang's flawless face. Even though a white veil covered the upper half of his face, hiding his brows and eyes which were like the stars and moon, his high-bridged nose and thin, well-defined lips remained perfect.

She had never had the chance to admire Pei Yuhang's good looks up this close.

After all, this scoundrel rarely spoke to her nicely. He'd usually want to spank her the moment he got near.

Now, as she admired him up close, Ji Xichan's gaze was completely captivated. She was entranced, unable to look away.

'What a body, truly favored by the Celestial Dao. No wonder I always hear those Fairies in the Sect—the ones who act all cold and aloof but are secretly smoldering—gossiping about you...'

'And now, you're within my grasp.'

Ji Xichan's long, delicate eyelashes trembled.

Then, she reached out and cupped Pei Yuhang's face.

Her cool hands made Pei Yuhang shudder, but he didn't resist. He simply thought the one cupping his face was Yu Gu Nan.

Yu Gu Nan watched as Ji Xichan took her place, caressing their Master's face.

The bitterness in her heart was overwhelming, as if a piece of bitter melon was lodged in her throat. Every breath she took tasted of bitterness.

This bitterness stemmed not only from her own pain, but even more from the guilt she felt toward her Master.

In a way, Ji Xichan had only succeeded in getting close to their Master by exploiting her weakness.

'I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Master... It's all my fault. It was my weakness that let this wicked woman succeed...'

Watching Pei Yuhang, who was wincing in discomfort from her touch, and the girl who was crying from heartache, Ji Xichan felt a smile tug at her lips. She found the scene exceptionally amusing.

"Gu Nan."

Pei Yuhang suddenly spoke, as if reminding her to stop playing around.

Hearing his voice, Ji Xichan finally felt a pang of nervousness and couldn't help a shiver of fear.

She was, indeed, a heaven's chosen prodigy with ambitions that soared to the sky. There were few difficulties or dangers in this world that she needed to fear.

But now that she had truly come to this point with the Pei Sword Immortal, she swallowed hard, realizing she was losing her nerve. She was actually chickening out.

She wanted to retreat.

But a pair of large hands seized her like an eagle's talons. The once lawless and unstoppable girl, now captured, could only be as docile as a little white rabbit, trembling from head to toe.

"Wait—"

Wait for what? The Pei Sword Immortal had to hurry back to his Dao Companion's side; he didn't have time to wait for her!

Stop wasting the Pei Sword Immortal's time!

As it is written in the Peach Blossom Spring: "The Sword Immortal sailed his boat upon the river. Where the water ended, he saw a mountain of White Jade. The mountain had an opening, from which light shone. It was exceedingly narrow at first, but within lay the Peach Blossom Spring."

After all, this was a pain that far transcended the physical body, reaching the very essence of her soul.

So much so that even Ji Xichan, whose willpower was far beyond ordinary and who was considered "unrivaled among her peers," now had tears welling in her eyes. She wouldn't have looked so wretched even when being battered by a Celestial Tribulation, but it was clear she had been defeated by the Sword Immortal's "greatsword."

The young woman was like a lone sailboat on stormy seas, tossed to and fro, on the verge of capsizing.

Pei Yuhang suddenly frowned.

It seemed he had taken a wrong turn on the familiar mountain path to the Peach Blossom Spring. This path was far too rugged and narrow, completely impassable.

"My apologies, Gu Nan. That was my mistake... I'll use my Pure Yang True Qi to heal you now, and then we'll take a different path."

Pei Yuhang's voice was full of loving affection.

In an instant, Ji Xichan felt as if she were immersed in a warm spring.

The warmth was capable of healing the very soul, making her feel like she was sipping a cool, sweet milk tea after eating an extra-spicy meal. She couldn't help but hum softly, expressing her pleasure.

However, she had naturally heard what Pei Yuhang just said.

'The Pei Sword Immortal wants to change paths... But he's on the right path already!'

'It only seems rugged and narrow because it's never been traveled before.'

'If he changes paths...'

'...the journey will only become more difficult, and he'll never reach the Peach Blossom Spring.'

'Then he'll surely discover the flaw in this substitution scheme!'

Yu Gu Nan received a desperate telepathic message from Ji Xichan.

She let out a bitter laugh. To think she would have to help clean up a mess for the very woman who was threatening her.

But as they were now two grasshoppers tied to the same string, Yu Gu Nan had no choice. Perhaps... she could only blame her own weakness.

Tears streamed from the corners of the young woman's eyes, but her voice was sweet as she said, "Master... I want to continue."

Hearing this, Pei Yuhang looked surprised. He and his Dao Companion had never even considered taking this path before. Even though he had heard that some Cultivators quite liked it, he'd never had any desire to try it himself.

But now, his young disciple actually wanted to...

"Really?"

Pei Yuhang asked again, as if hoping his disciple wouldn't push herself too hard.

Clear tears streamed down Yu Gu Nan's face as she nodded in affirmation. Watching Ji Xichan stretch languidly in their Master's arms like a coquettish kitten, she could no longer remain standing and collapsed to her knees in the cold spring water.

'The person in Master's arms... that should be me. Why? Why did things turn out this way?!'

For the first time, she felt how truly, unbearably cold the water in this spring was.