After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 40

The immortal boat pierced through the layers of clouds. Ning Xu secretly took stock of her surroundings; the disciples standing guard were all in the Golden Core stage, and dealing with them would not be difficult.

Except… her gaze fell upon the figure standing at the front, cradling a sword. Li Yishuang had already reached the Void Refinement stage; escaping from under her watchful eyes would be no easy feat.

As she was lost in thought, the immortal boat suddenly jolted violently, tilting to one side. Caught off guard, Ning Xu’s back slammed heavily against a pillar, and the other disciples of the High Pure Sect could not help but stagger several steps.

Li Yishuang barely managed to steady herself when she heard the terrified voice of the disciple controlling the boat: “Senior Sister Li, someone is blocking the path ahead.”

Hearing this, Li Yishuang frowned and followed them to investigate.

The person’s feet did not rest on any spiritual tool; she seemed to be suspended in the air. One of her eyes was filled with a bloodthirsty red, staring fixedly at the immortal boat.

She lightly raised her hand, and a thick mass of resentment gathered, forcibly halting the boat’s progress.

It was Xie Funing, whom she hadn’t seen for many days. Li Yishuang’s brow furrowed tightly as she made a decisive command: “Take this half-demon back to the High Pure Sect first.”

In this state, Xie Funing had clearly absorbed a massive amount of yin energy; she was no longer someone they could handle. Her sudden appearance now was surely for the golden cores of the cultivators.

Ning Xu also clearly saw the person blocking the boat and was startled. Before she could devise a plan, she felt her back collar being yanked, and she was hoisted to her feet.

Looking to her side, the cultivator’s expression was grim, clearly taking Li Yishuang’s words to heart and intending to take her back to the sect ahead of time.

At the same time, Xie Funing curled her lips into a localized, eerie smile and lunged toward the immortal boat with such speed that there wasn’t even time to set up a protective barrier.

Terrifying yin energy instantly swept through the boat. The immortal boat creaked and split down the middle. Several disciples of the High Pure Sect slipped and fell to the deck. With her hands bound, Ning Xu found it even harder to support herself.

Sword qi overflowed as Li Yishuang blocked most of the yin energy, but the immortal boat was already damaged, crumbling inch by inch. The several apprentices quickly rose, frantically condensing spiritual energy to fly their swords. Amidst the chaos, everyone was preoccupied with their own safety. Ning Xu took advantage of the mess to roll to the side, looking at the broken wooden fragments falling beneath her feet with growing anxiety.

Her hands were bound, and her spiritual energy was restricted, not to mention her intrinsic spiritual weapon was destroyed—she had nothing to drive.

The people around her had all taken to the air on their swords. Ning Xu intended to use her jade flute to try her luck, but unexpectedly, the wooden board beneath her feet suddenly fell away, and she plummeted straight down.

The whistling wind howled in her ears. Falling from such a height, she feared she would be smashed to pieces.

Ning Xu pursed her lips tightly and struggled violently once more, but the Demon-Binding Rope only tightened with her movements, showing no sign of loosening.

It was all because of this wretched rope…

The speed of her descent grew faster and faster, and a sliver of despair flashed through Ning Xu’s heart.

She closed her eyes powerlessly when, suddenly, the cry of a sword rang out from nearby.

A sharp sword steadily caught her. Ning Xu opened her eyes in astonishment; the cold light of the blade and the extremely familiar patterns made her breath hitch.

It was the Chenque Sword.

The Chenque Sword carried her, slowly descending to the ground. Ning Xu looked up slightly, seeing a figure that couldn’t be more familiar.

“Zhu…”

Zhu Shengxi looked at her coldly. With a slight flick of her finger, she cast a Silence Spell.

Ning Xu found she could not make a sound and looked at her in confusion. Then, she heard a voice echoing in her mind: “Don’t speak. Let’s leave here first.”

Ning Xu nodded. Zhu Shengxi surveyed the surroundings, took her by the wrist, and led her away on the sword.

After flying roughly a hundred miles, Zhu Shengxi used her spiritual energy to scout the area. After confirming no one was following, she cast a spell to lift the Silence Spell.

Ning Xu gazed at her, a gentle smile appearing: “I knew you couldn’t bear to let me die.”

Zhu Shengxi remained silent. She condensed her spiritual energy again, and the Demon-Binding Rope on Ning Xu’s wrists loosened and returned to her hand.

“You may go.”

The smile on Ning Xu’s face suddenly froze. She asked, “What do you mean?”

Zhu Shengxi offered no explanation. She coldly stowed the Demon-Binding Rope and said, “Let us not meet again.”

The person before her dropped those words and turned to leave. Panic flared in Ning Xu’s heart. She stepped forward to grab her wrist and asked with a trembling voice:

“Why?”

She had saved her, yet spoke such words—was she trying to sever ties completely?

Her identity as a half-demon would indeed bring trouble to the person before her. Thinking of this, Ning Xu’s grip loosened slightly, but in the next instant, she held on even tighter.

“I don’t want to leave.”

Zhu Shengxi’s tone was cold as she simply said, “I am returning to the Cloud-Returning Sect.”

Returning to the sect? Ning Xu was stunned. Then she thought:

If she let her return to the Cloud-Returning Sect, how long would she have to wait before she left the sect again?

After a moment of thought, Ning Xu bit her lip, her tone becoming firm: “Zhu Shengxi, I don’t want to go. I want to be by your side forever.”

Zhu Shengxi turned her head and looked deeply at her. Her former self had desperately hoped to hear such words, but at that time, Ning Xu wasn’t even willing to exchange transmission talismans with her, always leaving without a word, never even having the thought of being with her.

Now, she was hearing the words she had once yearned for. Zhu Shengxi’s heart was a tangle of emotions. After a long silence, she sighed softly, “What is the meaning of saying these things now?”

Seeing the gloom in her eyes, Ning Xu felt a sharp pang in her heart. Her intuition told her that if she left now, the two of them might never meet again.

She stared at Zhu Shengxi without blinking and said slowly: “I once thought that after I got what I wanted, I could leave without any lingering regret. But I always find myself thinking of you for no reason—thinking of that small room in Jiyu City, and that broken jade hairpin.”

Hearing her mention the past, Zhu Shengxi’s expression darkened instantly. She flung her hand away and said coldly:

“Do not mention those things again.”

“Listen to me,” Ning Xu said, lightly pulling on the corner of the other’s clothes, her eyes carrying a hint of entreaty. She continued, “I appeared in Chaosheng City because I hoped you could fall in love with me again. But later, even knowing you wouldn’t feel for anyone again, I still wanted to stay by your side.”

“Zhu Shengxi, it is I who cannot leave you.”

Zhu Shengxi’s eyelashes trembled as she gazed back silently.

Ning Xu whispered, “If you must return to the sect, take me with you, alright?” As she spoke, she proactively held out her hands.

“Bind me with the Demon-Binding Rope again, in the capacity of a half-demon.” The implication was to be taken to the Cloud-Returning Sect as a prisoner.

These words were far too humble. Zhu Shengxi stared at her, her heart aching faintly.

Failing to hear an answer for a long time, Ning Xu couldn’t gauge her intentions. Her thin lips moved: “You…”

Only to see Zhu Shengxi turn her face slightly away. With a spell cast from her hand, the Demon-Binding Rope wrapped around Ning Xu’s wrists once more.

“Fine.”

Clouds and mist swirled, mountains rose and fell, and under the tint of the sunset glow, it looked like a fairyland.

Ning Xu looked at everything around her with curiosity. She hadn’t expected the scenery of the Cloud-Returning Sect to be so good. She looked left and right, causing the sword beneath her feet to sway slightly.

Zhu Shengxi glanced back and said helplessly:

“Don’t move around.”

Ning Xu gave an obedient “Mhm” and stopped looking around.

Zhu Shengxi focused her mind and controlled the sword, quietly bypassing the main area and arriving at the back mountain.

Seeing this, Ning Xu asked in a low voice, “Why didn’t we enter through the main gate of the Cloud-Returning Sect, but took a detour here instead?”

“It has nothing to do with you.”

Hearing this, Ning Xu let out a light huff and stopped asking.

After landing, Zhu Shengxi sheathed her sword and led her through the winding paths of the back mountain, eventually arriving at a residence.

Ning Xu secretly observed the surroundings, feeling suspicious.

This place clearly didn’t look like where the Cloud-Returning Sect imprisoned half-demons. Why bring her here?

Zhu Shengxi didn’t offer much explanation, saying calmly, “You stay here. Do not wander about at will.”

Ning Xu nodded slightly. The interior furnishings were simple: in front of a screen was a desk stacked with scrolls, and behind the screen was the bed. The placement of everything gave a sense of orderly neatness.

A cup of hot tea was pushed in front of her, interrupting her thoughts. Ning Xu reached out to take it, feeling vaguely that something was off.

“I’m staying here from now on?”

“Yes.”

Ning Xu asked tentatively, “Aren’t you taking me to the place where half-demons are kept?”

“The Cloud-Returning Sect has no such place,” Zhu Shengxi paused, then continued, “Any member of the demon or monster race is directly executed.”

Hearing this, Ning Xu fell silent. Suddenly remembering when Xie Funing blocked the immortal boat, she asked:

“The immortal boat broke because of Xie Funing’s appearance. Were you originally planning to help Li Yishuang deal with her?”

And then saved her in passing…

Zhu Shengxi answered calmly, “Immortal Feng Yu of the High Pure Sect went to help her personally. There was no need for others.”

“Oh.” Ning Xu looked down at the teacup in her hand. After a moment, she realized Zhu Shengxi still hadn’t left.

“You… why haven’t you left yet?”

Zhu Shengxi looked up at her and said leisurely, “Where do you want me to go?”

Ning Xu’s gaze was puzzled. In the next moment, however, she heard the person speak softly:

“This is my residence. If I am not here, where should I be?”