After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 25

The Xie Family (Part IV)

“Finished chatting with your Senior Sister?” A-Xu asked, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, a brow arched in inquiry.

Zhu Shengxi snapped back to reality and gave a slight nod.

The person before her kept her eyes cast down, looking somewhat lost and despondent. A-Xu watched her intently; her lips parted as if to speak, but after a long moment, she asked nothing. She lowered her eyelashes, choosing to act as though she hadn’t noticed.

As the two fell into silence, A-Xu thought for a moment before changing the subject. “Does your Senior Sister know about the cold poison in your body now?”

Zhu Shengxi nodded. “Yes. After I left the sect, she sent a transmission asking about the curse. It was difficult to hide, so I told her the truth.”

That’s for the best, A-Xu thought. Since Jiang Lixu knows, she will surely help her break the curse and dispel the cold poison. She won’t be needing me by her side anymore.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, A-Xu didn’t notice her own expression darkening.

Seeing her unhappy face, Zhu Shengxi spoke up proactively: “Didn’t you take a liking to a hairpin and want to go buy it with me? Let’s head out.”

However, A-Xu shook her head. “I’ve changed my mind. You still remember the secret technique to dispel the cold poison, right? It will take two more sessions to completely rid you of it. Follow me into the room first.”

Zhu Shengxi glanced at her, unsure why she had suddenly changed her mind, but she didn’t ask. She followed her into the room.

After Zhu Shengxi shed her outer robe, A-Xu’s burning palm pressed against her spine. Feeling that surge of heat, Zhu Shengxi pursed her lips tightly, forcing herself to calm her mind.

A-Xu caught sight of the other woman’s reddened ear tips and found it inexplicably amusing. She said teasingly on purpose, “What are you shy for? We’ve done things far more intimate than this.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw a flush creep onto the other’s cheeks. Seeing this, A-Xu smiled faintly and stopped teasing her, focusing instead on controlling her spiritual energy.

The scorching spiritual energy circulated through the meridians, breaking through blockages and carrying away the chill. Zhu Shengxi felt herself enveloped in a wave of warmth; her spiritual energy became abundant, showing signs of an impending breakthrough in her cultivation realm.

After an unknown amount of time, A-Xu withdrew her hand. Her face was pale. She silently wiped away the trace of blood from the corner of her mouth and tucked the corners of the quilt around Zhu Shengxi.

“The side effects of using the secret technique a second time will be smaller than the last, but remember: do not use your spiritual energy.”

A-Xu gave her instructions in a faint voice. Just as she was about to leave, her sleeve was gently caught.

“Don’t go.”

It was an incredibly weak voice, yet it caused A-Xu’s heart to tremble slightly. she pulled her hand away, leaving behind only a sentence—”Get some rest”—before leaving without looking back.

Zhu Shengxi felt her hand being moved away without hesitation. She tried to rise from the bed, but a massive wave of dizziness forced her to stop.

Why did she leave again without a word?

An inexplicable sense of panic surged within her, mixing with the doubts of the past few days. Ignoring everything else, Zhu Shengxi forced herself up and stumbled toward the door.

The streets were crowded with pedestrians, but there was no sign of A-Xu. Zhu Shengxi suppressed her dizziness and tried her best to discern her surroundings. Upon reaching a small alley, she leaned against the cold wall, exhausted. Her breathing was heavy, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Where exactly did A-Xu go?

Last night, she had mentioned exchanging transmission talismans several times, but A-Xu had brushed it off with a few words every time. This fact undoubtedly intensified the unease in her heart.

Zhu Shengxi recalled the shops the other often visited and intended to look in the other direction. Just then, faint footsteps echoed in the alley.

She immediately became alert, her hand moving to the hilt of her sword.

The light in the alley was dim. Several figures appeared at the far end, slowly moving toward her.

Zhu Shengxi focused her gaze on them. Suddenly, a chill shot through her heart. Her expression changed slightly as she quickly turned and raised her sword to parry. A heavy object collided with the Chenque Sword, producing a dull, heavy thud.

Zhu Shengxi retreated several steps, her sword-hand trembling from the impact. She looked up to see a woman standing before her.

A golden mask perfectly fit the curve of the woman’s jaw, covering half her face. She wore a brocade robe with gold thread embroidered at the cuffs, carrying an extraordinary aura.

Based on this attire, she looked like the leader of some great clan.

The visible half of the woman’s face was deathly pale, which, combined with her icy expression, looked somewhat terrifying. She spoke first, her tone grim: “Your blood is different from the others.”

Hearing this, Zhu Shengxi’s expression shook. She said impassively, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

The woman stared at her and said meaningfully, “The little ones have been eyeing your blood since we were in the mist.”

Zhu Shengxi followed her gaze. Black shadows gradually took shape—they were several small demonic beasts, exactly like the ones in the mist.

It turned out the woman before her was the one orchestrating everything from the shadows!

There was no time for thought. Zhu Shengxi swung her sword to ward off the pouncing beasts while simultaneously utilizing her footwork to dodge a heavy sword from behind. Attacked from both sides—and having temporarily lost her spiritual energy due to the secret technique—her current situation was far from good.

“Do you think you can leave here alive without using spiritual energy?” The heavy sword swung out; a suffocating barrage of sword moves attacked. Zhu Shengxi dodged clumsily, and before long, several blood-drenched wounds appeared on her shoulder.

The woman before her looked deathly pale, like someone suffering from a long-term illness, yet she wielded such a heavy sword with fluid and agile movements.

The faint scent of blood made the demonic beasts restless. With a flick of her wrist, the woman pointed the heavy sword directly at Zhu Shengxi’s heart.

Zhu Shengxi held her sword horizontally to block. The spiritual energy carried by the heavy sword was like a violent gale, flipping her entire body to the ground.

The woman walked toward her step by step, the heavy sword scraping against the ground and making a piercing, screeching sound. Zhu Shengxi coughed up a mouthful of blood, watching helplessly as the woman drew closer.

“Are you from the Xie family?”

The woman did not answer. In the dim light, the golden mask looked even colder. The heavy sword was raised high, then swung down.

With a crisp ting, Jiang Lixu arrived just in time, easily intercepting the heavy sword.

Seeing this, the masked woman narrowed her eyes, a hint of wariness appearing in them. With a wave of her hand, she and the demonic beasts vanished on the spot.

Jiang Lixu pulled Zhu Shengxi up, her fingers pressing against the other’s wrist. Her tone could not hide her worry. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” Zhu Shengxi tried to stop her from checking her pulse, but she was a step too late.

The pulse was chaotic and the breath was floating; something was clearly wrong. Jiang Lixu’s face darkened as she asked, “Where is your spiritual energy?”

“I’ll explain later. Senior Sister, that person is the one behind the plot. Go after her… I still need to find A-Xu.”

Jiang Lixu, rarely losing her temper, grabbed her and scolded: “Find her for what? You are so weak right now; if there’s something, just send her a transmission.”

Zhu Shengxi was silent for a few seconds. She lowered her eyes and spoke truthfully: “She and I… have not exchanged transmission talismans yet.”

Hearing this, Jiang Lixu asked coldly, “Aren’t you two in love? Weren’t you planning to form a cultivation bond? How have you not even exchanged transmission talismans?”

The final pretense was ruthlessly stripped away. Zhu Shengxi’s lips moved slightly, but she couldn’t say a word.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Lixu’s heart softened. She lowered her voice: “You’re injured. Go back and rest first. That person used a secret technique to flee; I won’t be able to catch her for the moment.”

Zhu Shengxi nodded stiffly and stopped insisting, returning with her.

The room was empty; A-Xu hadn’t returned at all. The light in Zhu Shengxi’s eyes dimmed as she murmured unconsciously, “A-Xu… she seems unwilling to exchange transmission talismans with me. Why is that?”

Because she isn’t sincere toward you, Jiang Lixu thought, looking at her, but she didn’t have the heart to voice her suspicions.

“Rest well. Perhaps she will be back in a while,” Jiang Lixu comforted her verbally, though in truth, she didn’t want A-Xu to return at all.

It would be best if she vanished from her junior sister’s side forever, so as not to hinder her junior sister’s “Dao heart.”

Jiang Lixu stared at her with a serious expression. “I also want to ask you: why does your blood trigger a riot among demonic beasts?”

Seeing Zhu Shengxi remain silent, she asked again, “Is it because of the curse? Tell the truth.”

Her tone was cold, as if she wouldn’t let it go until she understood. Zhu Shengxi replied helplessly and understatedly, “Yes. But it’s not that big of a deal.”

The suspicion in her heart confirmed, the worry in Jiang Lixu’s eyes deepened. But hearing the second half of the sentence, that worry was quickly replaced by a thin veil of anger.

“You told me before that the curse only brought cold poison and was easy to solve, which is why I allowed you to leave the sect to break it. Now that the effect of your blood has been exposed, do you have any idea how many people will covet you once word gets out?”

Zhu Shengxi silently clenched her hands. She hadn’t wanted it to be exposed either, but no matter how careful one is, accidents happen.

Jiang Lixu looked at her with a complicated gaze. After a long while, she flicked her sleeve and sighed, “Forget it, no more words. Follow me back to the sect now. You will at least be safer within the Guiyun Sect.”

To her surprise, Zhu Shengxi still refused. “Senior Sister, I cannot leave yet.”

Jiang Lixu was so angry she laughed. “Oh? Why can’t you leave? You know the method to break the curse, right? After returning to the sect, I will find a way with your Second Senior Sister. That’s better than you searching on your own.”

Zhu Shengxi remained silent.

Observing her expression, Jiang Lixu thought of something. She knit her brows and asked, “Is it because of that woman?”

This junior sister of hers had always been steady and mindful of the big picture. Before their Master passed away, he had praised her for her resilient character, saying she might one day attain the Great Dao. Jiang Lixu truly couldn’t understand how Zhu Shengxi had become like this after only a few months away from the sect.

“The A-Xu you speak of—do you really not understand in your heart why she refuses to exchange transmission talismans with you? Between cultivators, communication depends entirely on transmission talismans. Her unwillingness to exchange them shows she never intended to have a lasting connection with you. Junior Sister, stop deceiving yourself.”

Zhu Shengxi’s lips moved, but she found she had no way to refute it.

The atmosphere was at a stalemate when suddenly, the wooden door creaked. The person who entered was A-Xu.

Zhu Shengxi’s eyes brightened slightly as she looked up. But the moment she saw her face, her expression froze.

Dried blood covered A-Xu’s jaw. The dark green jade flute in her hand was also stained with blood. Her expression was calm and indifferent.

Jiang Lixu immediately spotted the jade flute in her hand. Her face changed color as she drew her sword, the tip pointing straight at A-Xu.

“What is your relationship with the Xu family?”

A-Xu looked innocent. “The Xu family? There are so many families with the surname Xu. Which one is Sect Leader Jiang referring to?”

The sword tip moved forward another inch. Jiang Lixu said coldly, “Don’t play dumb. Years ago, while the dozens of people in the Xu family of Sizhou City appeared to have died in a fire, a portion of them actually died because of flute music.”

A-Xu acted as if she didn’t see the bright, threatening sword. The smile remained on her lips. She didn’t answer; instead, she looked at Zhu Shengxi.

“Sheng-sheng, your Senior Sister wants to kill me.”