After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 39

The sensation of dampness persisted. Looking at her in such a state, Zhu Shengxi felt a rare sense of helplessness.

In her memory, Ning Xu was always beaming with smiles; even when faced with malicious words, she would dismiss them with a light, airy laugh.

She really should have pushed her away now. However, the moment she thought of how Ning Xu had used that smile as a mask just moments ago, Zhu Shengxi felt a faint ache in her heart. Her hands remained still, making no move to resist as she allowed the other woman to hold her.

To be so practiced at using a smile as a disguise—just how much malice from others had she endured?

After a long silence, Zhu Shengxi softened her tone and said warmly, “Stop crying.”

“I’m not crying.”

The strength around her waist remained unchanged. Zhu Shengxi asked with a hint of resignation, “How much longer do you intend to hold on?”

After a long moment of embracing, Ning Xu slowly released her grip and turned her face away unnaturally.

Zhu Shengxi gazed intently at her. Ning Xu’s eyes were bloodshot, and dried blood clung to the corner of her lips, yet her expression carried a trace of stubbornness—the look of someone who had been bullied.

Zhu Shengxi cast her gaze downward. A large patch of her lapel had been soaked through by tears; the chill seeped against her skin. Recalling their previous conversation, she realized she had indeed spoken too harshly.

The person before her kept her face turned away. Zhu Shengxi watched her for a few moments, then leaned down to pick up the pastries scattered across the floor.

“I didn’t eat the pastries Ji Yanshu bought.”

She didn’t eat them? Ning Xu looked at her in astonishment. It turned out that all her previous agony had been nothing more than her own wild imagination.

Thinking of her loss of composure just now, Ning Xu felt she had utterly lost face. Seeing the other woman picking up the pastries she had intentionally dropped, she felt a pang of guilt. She leaned down as well to help clear them away.

Zhu Shengxi glanced at her and asked again, “Do I need to find a physician?”

Ning Xu shook her head. “No need. It was just a rush of blood to the heart caused by anger,” she said, intentionally or unintentionally emphasizing the latter half of the sentence.

Since Ning Xu’s hands were bound, picking things up was inconvenient. Zhu Shengxi stopped her, saying, “You… go sit over there.”

Ning Xu didn’t persist. She gave a soft “Mm” and sat on a nearby wooden chair as told.

Zhu Shengxi placed the scattered snacks back into the oil-paper wrap. The floor wasn’t particularly dirty; the snacks were merely dusty. After a moment of thought, she performed a cleansing spell on them, removing the layer of dust.

Ning Xu watched her movements with confusion. In the next heartbeat, she saw Zhu Shengxi pick up a piece of the pastry and take a bite.

“Too sweet.”

The cloying sweetness was somewhat unpleasant. Zhu Shengxi suddenly thought of that skewer of candied haws—that sweet and sour flavor was what she actually preferred.

She lifted her eyes slightly and found Ning Xu staring at her blankly. Her clear eyes, with the redness at the corners not yet faded, made her look like a bewildered rabbit.

Zhu Shengxi felt a jolt in her heart, unsure why such a comparison had come to mind. She pursed her lips and asked as if nothing were wrong:

“What is it?”

“They fell on the ground,” Ning Xu whispered.

“To not eat a single bite would be a waste,” Zhu Shengxi explained calmly.

Hearing this, Ning Xu let out a self-deprecating smile. That small spark of fantasy in her heart had never truly been extinguished; every action of the person before her made her unable to stop herself from hoping.

What if… it’s because of me?

Zhu Shengxi couldn’t help but steal another glance. Seeing that Ning Xu’s expression had grown even more dejected, she placed the package of pastries into her storage bag and remained silent.

Sometimes, spoken words were like sharp swords, capable of wounding easily and invisibly.

This wasn’t her intention. She couldn’t clearly define what feelings she currently held for Ning Xu. Every time she remembered that woman’s mocking tone from five years ago, hatred and resentment would involuntarily climb into her heart, making her despicably want Ning Xu to feel the same pain she had felt.

Yet when that moment actually arrived and she saw the desolation in Ning Xu’s eyes, not only did she feel no pleasure, but a strong sense of self-loathing rose within her.

How was such behavior any different from those petty, vengeful evil cultivators?

As her thoughts swirled, a sudden knock sounded at the door. Zhu Shengxi went to open it. The moment she saw who it was, she instinctively tried to block the view.

But it was too late. Jiang Lixu spotted Ning Xu inside at a glance. She furrowed her brows and said in a heavy voice, “Come out with me.”

Zhu Shengxi pulled the door shut behind her. “Senior Sister, the sect’s affairs are numerous. How do you have the time to come here?”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” Jiang Lixu’s expression was visibly displeased. “What is the deal with that half-demon?”

Hearing Jiang Lixu’s label for Ning Xu, Zhu Shengxi knew she must have questioned Ji Yanshu and the others. After a long silence, she replied casually, “She also came to Chaosheng City.”

Jiang Lixu: “…”

“What I mean is, why are you involved with her again? Have you forgotten how she treated you before?”

Seeing her silence, Jiang Lixu couldn’t help but feel disappointed. She had thought that after five years of secluded meditation, Zhu Shengxi had finally moved on. She hadn’t expected her to get entangled with that demoness again immediately after leaving the sect.

“Regardless of your reasons, that Ning Xu is both a half-demon and the former Left Protector of the Demon Sect. This person absolutely cannot be allowed to stay.”

Her decisive tone caused Zhu Shengxi’s heart to tighten. She blurted out instinctively, “She cannot die.”

“Why?”

Zhu Shengxi gripped the hem of her clothes tightly. Before she could find an excuse, Jiang Lixu continued: “Her life and death are not up to you. Ning Xu was responsible for the massacre of the Xu family in Shizhou City. The Xuanqing Sect has been hunting her ever since. It just so happens that Li Yishuang is here, saving us the extra trouble. I have already spoken with Li Yishuang; she will take Ning Xu back to the Xuanqing Sect shortly.”

Just as she finished speaking, she saw Li Yishuang approaching with several Xuanqing Sect disciples.

“Daoist Zhu, I have just learned that this half-demon is actually the former Left Protector of the Demon Sect. Previously, we only knew her surname was Ning; I didn’t realize she was the Ning Xu we were hunting years ago.”

Li Yishuang stared intently at the door and said coldly, “She is connected to the massacre of the Xu family. We absolutely cannot let her go. Please step aside, Daoist Zhu.”

Under the gaze of several people, Zhu Shengxi pursed her lips, her hand silently resting on the hilt of her sword.

Jiang Lixu caught the movement, and a flash of shock crossed her eyes. Is Zhu Shengxi really going to fight them for that demoness?

Li Yishuang naturally noticed the gesture as well. A touch of chill surfaced in her eyes. “What is the meaning of this, Daoist Zhu?”

The atmosphere fell into a tense stalemate. After a moment, however, Zhu Shengxi moved her hand away from the sword hilt and took a step back. Her voice was unnervingly calm: “Ning Xu caused the massacre of the Xu family and has committed many evils. It is only right that she be captured.”

Just as they were about to enter, the door opened from the inside. Ning Xu walked out slowly, her face devoid of expression.

They hadn’t set up a soundproofing spell. Standing behind the door, Ning Xu had heard everything.

She didn’t care what others said, but when she heard Zhu Shengxi say “She cannot die,” hope had risen in her heart once more.

Zhu Shengxi didn’t want her to lose her life; she cared about her at least a little. But the subsequent dialogue instantly shattered all her illusions.

Zhu Shengxi’s attitude toward her impending capture was one of indifference.

Ning Xu took a deep breath, looked at Zhu Shengxi, and said softly, “There is no need for Daoist Zhu to worry. I will return that item to you in the future.”

Was she helping her cover up her previous excuse, or was it something else?

Zhu Shengxi couldn’t discern the true meaning behind those words. Ning Xu offered no further explanation and simply said, “Let’s go.”

As the people from the Xuanqing Sect led Ning Xu away, Zhu Shengxi stared fixedly at their retreating figures, her fingernails digging hard into her palms.

Jiang Lixu glanced at her expression and sighed silently. She then said, “Return to the Guiyun Sect with me first. You can’t handle the situation with the Xie family; Immortal Fengyu said she would resolve it personally.”

Zhu Shengxi retracted her gaze, loosened her grip weakly, and replied, “Alright.”

On the Immortal Boat.

Ning Xu leaned in a corner, her hands still tightly bound by the Demon-Binding Rope.

She looked down at the rope around her wrists and struggled forcefully. The rope immediately tightened in response to her strength, yet Ning Xu seemed unable to feel the pain, continuing to struggle violently.

Before long, a ring of bloody marks appeared on her wrists. The Xuanqing Sect disciple beside her watched her nearly self-mutilating actions with alarm and sent a transmission to Li Yishuang.

Ning Xu glanced at the act of sending the transmission and asked casually, “Do you all exchange transmission talismans with each other?”

The disciple looked at her warily and answered, “Yes. Whenever we leave the sect together on a mission, we exchange transmission talismans for ease of communication. Even ordinary friends do it.”

Hearing this, Ning Xu closed her eyes.

So, in these righteous sects, even ordinary friends exchange transmission talismans.

Then, when she had refused to exchange transmission talismans back then, how must Zhu Shengxi have felt?

A dense, needle-like pain pricked at her heart. Ning Xu opened her eyes and saw Li Yishuang standing before her.

“Why are you taking me back?”

Ning Xu knew in her heart it wasn’t just about the Xu family. If it were, they could have just killed her; there would be no need to go through the trouble of bringing her back to the Xuanqing Sect.

Li Yishuang didn’t answer. Instead, she slowly drew her Thousand-Frost Sword. The biting sword intent rippled through the air, and in an instant, a strand of hair by Ning Xu’s temple fluttered to the ground.

“Don’t think about playing any tricks, and don’t try to end your own life,” Li Yishuang said with a hint of a threat.

End my own life?

Ning Xu’s gaze was puzzled. She looked down at the Demon-Binding Rope on her wrists and realized late.

Did the people of the Xuanqing Sect think her actions just now were an attempt at suicide?

Ning Xu rolled her eyes internally. It was just a Demon-Binding Rope; at most, it would make her wrists ache.

These people really had their brains scrambled by cultivation. However, this also proved that the Xuanqing Sect was in no hurry to take her life. Perhaps they wanted to extract some information from her.

Li Yishuang didn’t leave. After watching her for a while, she suddenly asked, “What is your relationship with Zhu Shengxi?”

Upon hearing this, Ning Xu grew alert, weighing her words: “She hates me and wants to kill me.”

“Is that so?” Li Yishuang said with an ambiguous tone. “I, however, feel that her treatment of you is different from how she treats others.”

Ning Xu was stunned. Just as she wanted to hear how it was different, she saw Li Yishuang turn and walk away.

A bitter smile spread across her lips. Ning Xu leaned powerlessly against the corner. The chill of the walls seeped through her clothes, enveloping her entire body.

She knew very well that once the Xuanqing Sect felt she had no value and could provide no information, they would execute her immediately.

The immortal boat sped along. Presumably, they would reach the Xuanqing Sect soon. Ning Xu lowered her eyelashes and couldn’t help but think:

Will I ever see Zhu Shengxi again?