After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 38

The person before her wore an expression of sincere earnestness, her clear eyes concealing flickers of tender affection. As Zhu Shengxi listened to these heartfelt words, her heart remained abnormally calm.

In the past, when Ning Xu had deceived her, she had donned this exact same expression. Zhu Shengxi could no longer distinguish which words were sincere; hearing them now, her heart naturally felt no ripple of emotion.

Between them, trust had long since vanished.

Noticing Zhu Shengxi’s indifferent expression, panic flared in Ning Xu’s heart. She did not dare to draw any closer, yet she could not understand exactly where things had gone wrong.

After a moment of silence, Ning Xu asked in a trembling voice, “Why… do you have no reaction at all?”

Zhu Shengxi knit her brows, her voice filled with confusion. “What reaction should I have? Should I be like before, foolishly taking your every word to heart?”

Her features betrayed a hidden impatience and detachment. Ning Xu stared blankly, feeling a sharp pang slice through her heart.

The words had been said; there was no need for further talk. Ignoring Ning Xu’s desolate gaze, Zhu Shengxi rolled back over, turning her back to the person behind her.

A moment later, she sensed Ning Xu leaving the bed. Faint footsteps sounded, soon vanishing; it seemed she had returned to her bedding on the floor.

Zhu Shengxi closed her eyes, but that touch of warm softness lingered in her mind, refusing to dissipate. Amidst her restless thoughts, she began to silently recite the Heart-Cleansing Incantation, continuing until dawn.

The moment strands of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the window, Zhu Shengxi had already tidied her clothing. She lowered her gaze slightly and found that Ning Xu still hadn’t woken.

It was a tranquil sleeping face; every raven-feather lash was clearly visible against her fair skin. Her ink-black hair, smooth as silk, spread out across the bedding. Lacking her usual unruly nature, she looked somewhat gentle.

“Wake up.”

Ning Xu frowned slightly, opening her eyes with great reluctance. Finding Zhu Shengxi standing beside her, looking down with cold eyes, she asked, “What is it?” Her voice carried the faint rasp of someone just awakened.

Zhu Shengxi shifted her gaze away. “Tidy your clothes and hair. Follow me downstairs.”

Seeing her serious expression, Ning Xu guessed there might be official business and delayed no longer, rising quickly.

She had slept in her clothes the night before, so her attire was intact; she had only loosened her hair. Ning Xu glanced at Zhu Shengxi and gave a light cough.

Zhu Shengxi looked toward her at the sound, only to see Ning Xu holding out her hands toward her. “Untie me. I need to bind my hair.”

Zhu Shengxi looked at her for a few moments, not agreeing immediately.

As expected, she didn’t agree, Ning Xu thought with a spark of joy. Seizing the opportunity, she said, “Then, I can only trouble Daoist Zhu to help me bind my hair.”

The words had just left her mouth when the Binding Demon Rope at her wrists slackened. Zhu Shengxi pressed her fingertips together, and the rope returned to her hand. She said calmly, “Bind your hair.”

Ning Xu’s expression froze. She followed with a brief “Alright,” but after taking only a few steps, she heard the woman behind her ask coldly:

“Where are you going?”

“I’m looking for a bronze mirror,” Ning Xu replied, looking around as if searching.

What tricks is she playing now?

Zhu Shengxi’s brows knit tighter. Just then, a transmission sounded, urging them to go downstairs, yet this person was still dawdling.

“There is no mirror here. Come here.”

Upon hearing this, Ning Xu’s eyes lit up, and she stood before her quite obediently.

Cool hands threaded through her hair. Feeling her gentle movements, the corners of Ning Xu’s lips couldn’t help but curve upward.

At least Zhu Shengxi was still willing to acknowledge her. She could take it slow until Zhu Shengxi fell for her once again.

“It’s done.” As the words fell, the Binding Demon Rope once again tightly bound her wrists. Ning Xu struggled slightly, but the more she resisted, the tighter the rope coiled.

She eventually gave up trying and followed Zhu Shengxi downstairs.

Recalling Zhu Shengxi’s stern expression from earlier, Ning Xu was curious about what was happening. Reaching the first floor, she found that both Li Yishuang and Ji Yanshu were present.

Zhu Shengxi stood beside them. With the three of them facing her, Ning Xu understood instantly and curled her lip inwardly.

From the looks of it, this was an interrogation.

Ji Yanshu was the first to ask, “You said before that you took on the Xie family’s business. How did you escape from the mist?”

Ning Xu answered nonchalantly, “We encountered the mist back then. Xie Funing raised some demonic beasts to attack us.”

“Us?” Ji Yanshu frowned, hearing her continue: “Later, I helped—”

The Binding Demon Rope around her wrists suddenly tightened. Ning Xu forcefully cut off the words at the tip of her tongue and looked at Zhu Shengxi.

Zhu Shengxi’s face was expressionless, but the increasingly tight rope was clearly a silent threat.

Seeing her sudden stop, Ji Yanshu urged, “Helped what? Keep talking.”

“Oh, I remembered incorrectly. Later the mist dissipated on its own, and I escaped from it.”

Ji Yanshu stared at her, not believing this account. Li Yishuang spoke up: “How much do you know about Xie Funing? Tell us the truth.”

Ning Xu: “Xie Funing is the head of the Xie family and has been frail since childhood. That’s all I know.”

Li Yishuang’s gaze was cold. The information provided could be discovered by anyone with a bit of investigation; it was essentially nonsense.

Ning Xu didn’t care about their stares; her gaze drifted back to Zhu Shengxi.

Seeing her smiling at Zhu Shengxi, Ji Yanshu grew suspicious and continued her questioning: “What is your purpose for lurking by our side?”

Hearing this question, Ning Xu became even more uninhibited. She stared at Zhu Shengxi without blinking, smiling but saying nothing.

Her behavior caused the gazes of Li Yishuang and Ji Yanshu to fall upon Zhu Shengxi as well.

Zhu Shengxi’s expression darkened completely. Spiritual energy gathered at her fingertips, and the Binding Demon Rope tightened once more. Ning Xu winced in pain and said only, “No purpose. I just came to Chaosheng City for a stroll.”

Ji Yanshu finally lost her patience and snapped coldly, “We are asking you questions. Why do you keep looking at Daoist Zhu?”

“I am simply curious—why doesn’t she ask me?”

For every question others asked, this half-demon had ten answers ready. Li Yishuang looked at Zhu Shengxi, signaling for her to ask something.

Zhu Shengxi pondered for a moment, then asked: “Why did you enter Mount Guyin?”

Ning Xu’s gaze softened as she answered seriously:

“I was worried about you… all.”

At this, Ji Yanshu felt a sense of helplessness. The half-demon had finally answered seriously once, but the information was entirely useless.

Li Yishuang: “I see we can get nothing out of this half-demon’s mouth. It would be better to just kill her.”

Hearing this, Ning Xu withdrew her gaze. She looked at no one, yet she showed no sign of fear, maintaining her air of indifference.

Murderous intent flickered in Li Yishuang’s eyes, and Ji Yanshu nodded in agreement. “She speaks nonsense; there isn’t a single word of truth in her mouth. Continuing the interrogation is a waste of time.”

The two reached a consensus. The Frost Thousand Sword hissed as it left its scabbard. But the moment before it could strike Ning Xu, a voice suddenly rang out:

“Wait.”

The three pairs of eyes converged on her again. Zhu Shengxi said calmly, “She took something of mine and has yet to return it. She cannot die yet.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yishuang sheathed her sword, not doubting the explanation. “If that is the case, we will spare her life for now.”

The interrogation ended, and Zhu Shengxi led Ning Xu back to the room. The moment the door closed, Ning Xu couldn’t help but press close to her, her eyes filled with tenderness.

“You couldn’t bear to see me die, could you?”

Zhu Shengxi pushed her away. Thinking of her reckless disregard for her own life just now, she responded coldly, “If you want to die, fine. Just don’t drag me into it.”

Ning Xu was momentarily stunned. After a moment of thought, she understood the underlying meaning.

Because she had been staring at her earlier, she would make Ji Yanshu and the others think she and Zhu Shengxi were closely connected—and Zhu Shengxi wanted absolutely nothing to do with her.

They were members of the righteous sects; logically, they shouldn’t be involved with a half-demon like her. Ning Xu understood this, but various emotions still tore at her heart, causing her to question:

“Does being associated with me make you feel ashamed?”

It was the same before—in front of Ji Yanshu, she had lied and said they didn’t know each other.

Zhu Shengxi met her reddening eyes and said, word by word: “Yes. Not only that, being deceived by you back then is a humiliation to me.”

Humiliation… The word was too sharp. The moment she heard it, Ning Xu felt a wave of dizziness. She stumbled back several steps, her waist hitting the edge of the table, sending a bloom of pain through her.

The pain in her waist couldn’t compare to the pain in her heart. Ning Xu lowered her eyes, her lashes trembling. Those memories, to Zhu Shengxi, had actually become a humiliation she no longer wished to mention.

Hearing the thud of her hitting the table, Zhu Shengxi’s gaze instinctively fell to her waist, her mouth opening as if to speak.

The room fell into silence. Ning Xu’s breathing was erratic, and a faint metallic taste rose in her throat.

She could no longer deceive herself. Zhu Shengxi hated her. Realizing this, Ning Xu was uncharacteristically silent.

Seeing the person standing frozen in place, Zhu Shengxi suddenly felt something was wrong. Just as she was about to ask, she saw Ning Xu act as if nothing had happened, a smile gracing her lips as she stepped toward her.

She pulled an oil-paper package from her storage bag and said softly, “This is also a pastry from that shop. Didn’t you think they were delicious? Try one.”

Everything from a moment ago was masked by her smile, as if it had never occurred.

Zhu Shengxi did not take it, refusing: “I don’t like these.”

Hearing this, Ning Xu stared at her and laughed coldly. “Didn’t you say the ones Ji Yanshu bought were delicious? What, are the ones I bought loathsome to you?”

When she said this, Zhu Shengxi remembered that such an incident had indeed happened.

How could she explain to Ning Xu that she hadn’t actually eaten them back then?

Seeing her remain silent, Ning Xu became even more convinced of her suspicion. Her fingers lost their strength, and the oil-paper package slipped from her hand to the floor, the pastries scattering across the ground.

Zhu Shengxi looked at her, a flash of surprise in her eyes. These pastries were something Ning Xu used to like; there was no reason for her to drop them like that.

Ning Xu didn’t look at her. She turned and walked a few steps, but the blood in her chest was churning, making her feel wretched. She could no longer hold it back and suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining the Binding Demon Rope with mottled red.

Zhu Shengxi’s pupils shrank. She immediately walked over to support her. Ning Xu used the support to look up, staring at the face so close to her own, and asked with a trembling voice, “Do you hate me that much?”

“If you hate me, why not just kill me? I’m just a despised half-demon anyway. Killing me would fit your righteous path of slaying demons.”

“Stop talking. Wait for me here; I’ll go find a doctor.” Zhu Shengxi reached out to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, only to find that the more she wiped, the more there was.

“No need for a doctor.” As soon as the words fell, a soft body pressed into her embrace. Zhu Shengxi froze, not pushing her away immediately.

Ning Xu held her tightly, burying her face in the crook of the other woman’s neck.

Warm liquid continuously slid down the skin of her neck. Watching Ning Xu’s trembling shoulders, Zhu Shengxi’s entire heart seemed to tremble along with her.