Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 297 295: A Meek Puppy Before Pei Yuhang

Ji Xichan lay on her bed, but sleep was nowhere to be found.

She wrapped her arms around herself, her knuckles digging deep into her delicate, supple skin.

Every time she closed her eyes, Pei Yuhang's frigid voice would echo mercilessly in her mind.

The moonlight that night spilled through the window lattice, painting her silhouette in a cold, liquid light.

The corner of her eye twitched, her tears shimmering under the moonlight.

She clenched her teeth so tightly it seemed she would shatter the searing frustration within her.

"Bastard... From the very first moment we met, you've done nothing but look down on me! On what grounds?!"

"How am I any worse than your disciple!"

"Do you despise me that much?!"

Her voice was hoarse as if something was caught in her throat. Her chest heaved violently, as though she might suffocate at any moment.

In the moonlight, her shadow danced on the wall, a blur resembling a wounded animal writhing helplessly on the ground.

Ji Xichan couldn't accept it. Why was Pei Yuhang always so unattainable?

She had already thrown caution to the wind, wanting only to get closer to him.

She, a peerless prodigy, was acting so humbly.

Yet he still wouldn't spare her a single glance.

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ—

Just then, her Transmission Token buzzed.

The grieving girl's eyes shot wide open, a flicker of hope flashing in their depths.

She leaped excitedly from her bed and rushed to answer the Transmission Token, not even bothering to adjust her disheveled dress.

Lingering tear tracks still marked the young woman's cheeks, and her eyes were slightly red, making her look exceptionally fragile. Her fingers trembled, and her heart pounded in her chest as if it would burst.

All of this stemmed from a single, somewhat unrealistic thought.

'Has Pei Yuhang had a change of heart?'

Heart pounding with excitement, Ji Xichan quickly accepted the call on the Transmission Token.

A clear male voice came from the other side, but it wasn't the man she was hoping for.

"Ji Xichan, it's time to settle the score for how you humiliated me during the Sect's grand competition! I've also broken through to Divinity Transformation. Let's have a decisive battle today..."

Ji Xichan's pupils constricted, the hope on her face instantly shattering. She bit down hard on her lower lip, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Finally, all her resentment and humiliated fury erupted.

"Fuck off!! You fucking idiot! Who the hell has time to deal with you?!"

"You clown! You piece of trash! You think you're worthy of seeing me?!"

Ji Xichan roared without a shred of composure, completely unconcerned with how shattered Xiao Chenyu, the Great Elder's grandson, would be after hearing her words, or what state his Dao Heart would be in.

Her words were laced with unconcealable anger and pain, as if she were trying to pour out all her bitterness.

After venting her anger, she swiped a finger, viciously cutting the connection, then hurled the Transmission Token away.

The Transmission Token traced an arc through the air before slamming into the wall with a dull THUD.

After all that, the girl irritably ran a hand through her hair, then buried her face in her bedsheets.

Time itself seemed to stop. The only sound in the room was Ji Xichan's ragged breathing.

Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating her slightly trembling shoulders and making her seem exceptionally lonely and helpless.

A moment later, the discarded Transmission Token began to buzz again.

"You brain-dead simp, are you that eager to die? Fine, you want a decisive battle? This time, I'll cripple you for good!"

A vicious glint flashed in Ji Xichan's eyes, like an enraged viper.

She reached out, pulling the Transmission Token into her palm with her power, then answered and barked, "You stupid—"

"It's me."

Two simple words, yet they flowed into the girl's ears like cool, clear spring water, instantly extinguishing the fire in her heart. Her frantic gaze calmed, and the curse word died in her throat, refusing to come out.

"I'd like to talk to you tomorrow about the demon hunt."

"Is that alright?"

Ji Xichan's throat bobbed.

Her proud nature reactivated within her.

She was still resentful about how Pei Yuhang had rejected her earlier that day. For him to now come to her proactively... it was as if he had no regard for her at all.

'Who do you think I am, Ji Xichan? After rejecting me like that, you're just going to waltz back over and tell me you're "willing" now?'

'Do you think I, Ji Xichan, have no temper at all?!'

She had a stomach full of sarcastic remarks she wanted to spit out to humiliate Pei Yuhang.

'Pei Sword Immortal, you weren't so resolute during the day. What made you change your mind now? It's too late!'

'I'm going to hunt the Mirage Dragon with my master now. My master is a Void Refining Great Cultivator and the Dao Sect's Saint Son! He's ten thousand times stronger than you, so don't you shamelessly come crawling back!'

'...'

A thousand words tangled in her mind, but in the end, only one sentence left Ji Xichan's lips.

Ji Xichan lowered her eyes and even softened her voice, making it as sweet and charming as possible.

"Okay."

"Good. I'll come see you tomorrow morning."

With that, Pei Yuhang ended the call.

"..."

Speechless, Ji Xichan collapsed onto the bed, covering her face with her hands to block the bright white moonlight from her pretty face.

She felt the cold sweat on her forehead and couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"Why am I so pathetic?"

"Acting like a little puppy wagging its tail for Pei Yuhang... Stupid Pei Yuhang, what's so great about you anyway..."

...

...

At the first light of dawn, Ji Xichan was already out of bed.

She began picking out a dress and touching up her makeup.

Looking at her increasingly captivating reflection in the mirror, Ji Xichan snorted and said to herself:

'I'm dressing up for myself, not for you!'

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—

Just then, a knock came at the door. Ji Xichan seized the last moment to place a seductive beauty mark by the corner of her eye.

She spritzed some perfume around herself, cleared her throat, and put on a calm expression.

Ji Xichan feigned a just-woken-up look and nonchalantly went to open the door.

When she saw the familiar figure in white outside, she placed a delicate finger to her lips and let out a soft yawn.

"Oh? Was the great Pei Sword Immortal that impatient to see me? I wasn't even fully awake yet, and here you are. Aren't you a little too eager~"

Ji Xichan's voice was as crisp as a bell, tinged with a playful, teasing tone.

The corners of her lips curved into a faint, ambiguous smile. She then reached out a fingertip to trace his chest, but he took a subtle step back, dodging her touch.

"Ji Xichan, I want to join your plan to hunt the Mirage Dragon."

Hearing this, Ji Xichan blinked her beautiful eyes.

'Why did the Pei Sword Immortal suddenly have a change of heart and agree to go with me to find the Mirage Dragon?'

Her slender eyebrows rose slightly as she retorted:

"The Pei Sword Immortal is actually willing to accompany me to find the Mirage Dragon? Why is that? You weren't like this the day before yesterday."

At her words, Pei Yuhang rubbed his sleeve cuff, a little embarrassed.

"The day before yesterday, I didn't have a reason to hunt a Mirage Dragon... More importantly, have you told Chen Tiansheng about the Mirage Dragon?"

he asked with some hesitation.

Ji Xichan shook her head, her long hair swaying gently. The carefully styled strands she had prepared that morning fell over her shoulders.

"I haven't told anyone else."

Hearing this, a look of relief flashed in Pei Yuhang's eyes, and his breathing steadied.

The Mirage Dragon's Dragon Horn was the most precious ingredient for refining the Golden Sun Divine Seal. If Chen Tiansheng got involved, he most likely wouldn't give the item to him. Such a supreme treasure couldn't be bought with any amount of Spirit Stones or favors.

For Yueqiu's sake, he had to obtain the Mirage Dragon's Dragon Horn and even its Inner Core!

However, Ji Xichan's next words made his heart leap into his throat.

Ji Xichan lightly tapped her slender fingers on the doorframe, each tap like a beat against Pei Yuhang's heart. "However—"

"I was just about to go tell my master now~ You said it yourself, Pei Sword Immortal. I should ask my master for help with things and not trouble you~"

Ji Xichan's cool smile held a hint of amusement, as if she wanted to see how Pei Yuhang would try to curry favor with her in this situation.

Last night she had been like a little puppy, coming when called and going when kicked away. It was too humiliating. No matter what, she had to get something sweet out of Pei Yuhang first.

However, Pei Yuhang wasn't buying her act at all.

"Ji Xichan, if you're not willing to cooperate, I have other ways to find the Mirage Dragon. If you want to work with me, don't even think about threatening me."

Pei Yuhang took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them, his tone neither servile nor overbearing.

As if scalded by the heat radiating from him, Ji Xichan couldn't help but take half a step back. Her eyes flickered, and in the end, her attitude softened.

"Hmph, can't I even joke with you?"

she said dejectedly, seemingly cursing herself internally for being so pathetic in front of him.

'Perhaps... he's become so arrogant because he saw that I don't have the guts to threaten him with Yu Gu Nan's life.'

"So, Pei Sword Immortal, when do you want to set out with me to find the Mirage Dragon?"

Her voice held a barely perceptible eagerness.

"We'll wait a few more days. Besides me, Yueqiu will be going too. We need to wait for her to successfully break through to the Divinity Transformation Realm."

When Ji Xichan heard this, her beautiful eyes widened, and her fingertips nearly crushed the doorframe.

"What?! Qing Yueqiu is going too?!"

Pei Yuhang raised his eyes, his indifferent gaze sweeping across her face.

"What, are you unwilling?"

Ji Xichan's brows furrowed, and she pursed her red lips. She took a step forward, her voice filled with anger and grievance.

"This... Of course I don't agree! On what grounds is she going too?! I clearly only invited you!"

Of course, Pei Yuhang couldn't tell Ji Xichan that he needed to constantly stabilize the Golden Sun Seal on Qing Yueqiu to prevent his disciple from suffering the torment of the heart-devouring Curse Seal again.

He couldn't be bothered to find another excuse to explain it to her either. Pei Yuhang had never had much patience for wicked women who lusted after his body.

If Ji Xichan was truly unwilling,

he could also go to Shang Miaoyan or Senior Sister Lu... In any case, he had plenty of connections to get information on the Mirage Dragon.

Pei Yuhang was full of confidence. His expression remained calm, not even a frown creasing his brow, and his tone was tinged with coldness.

"If you're unwilling, then we won't cooperate."

Hearing this, Ji Xichan was both anxious and angry.

'Why does this stubborn mule insist on bringing that woman, Qing Yueqiu?!'

'Doesn't he know that Qing Yueqiu and I don't get along at all?!'

But... Ji Xichan couldn't just let Pei Yuhang leave.

'Fine! As long as Pei Yuhang and I arrive before the Mirage Dragon at the same time, I can use the Mirage Dragon to achieve my goal.'

'Even if Qing Yueqiu comes... she won't be able to get in my way.'

Ji Xichan's eyes flickered, and she finally gritted her teeth and said:

"Fine, fine, fine! If you want to bring that hot-tempered woman, then bring her!"