After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 44

Inside the main hall.

Jiang Lixu handed tea cups to the two others and immediately unfurled the contents of the transmission talisman.

After scanning the characters floating in the air, Chu Yu said, “Xie Funing was captured by Immortal Master Feng Yu and taken back to the Xuanqing Sect. I wonder if those resentful auras can be purified.”

Jiang Lixu replied, “The Xuanqing Sect has the Purgatory Tower, specifically designed to imprison evil cultivators and demons. After being locked inside for several years, the yin energy and resentment can be purified.”

“That would be for the best,” Chu Yu sighed softly. Noticing that Zhu Shengxi, who was beside them, had remained silent the entire time, she couldn’t help but ask:

“Junior Sister, what are you thinking about?”

Zhu Shengxi snapped back to her senses and shook her head. “It’s nothing.” After speaking, she lowered her eyelids.

The Purgatory Tower could dissolve yin energy and resentment; no wonder that when Li Yishuang mentioned Ling Zhuo earlier, her expression seemed to hold a hint of regret. If Ling Zhuo had been locked in the Purgatory Tower earlier, the subsequent slaughter of innocents might never have happened.

Jiang Lixu looked at her for a few moments and said with an unreadable tone, “That half-demon took advantage of the chaos to escape; she wasn’t taken away by the Xuanqing Sect.”

Before Zhu Shengxi could respond, Chu Yu asked curiously, “A half-demon? How did Junior Sister get involved with a half-demon?”

“It’s that Left Protector of the Demonic Cult, Ning Xu.”

“So Ning Xu is actually a half-demon,” Chu Yu smiled as if realizing something. “I suppose this counts as renewing an old flame.”

Hearing this, Jiang Lixu frowned and scolded, “What’s renewing an old flame’? An ill-fated relationship should be severed completely. Now she’s pestering Little Junior Sister again; who knows what her intentions are.”

Seeing her displeased expression, Chu Yu changed her tune and agreed, “True, it should be cut off cleanly.”

Seeing the topic gradually veering off track, Zhu Shengxi couldn’t help but interrupt: “Sisters, the Demonic Cult will surely try every means possible to obtain the scrolls. Let’s discuss our countermeasures first.”

Upon hearing this, the two stopped their irrelevant conversation. Chu Yu pondered for a moment and said, “One last thing—I’ve actually heard a secret regarding half-demons.”

“Half-demons possess a portion of demon blood, making them more suited for cultivation than ordinary humans. Some great clans specifically teach half-demons orthodox techniques. If they can learn quickly, they are sent to the immortal sects to cultivate. If they cannot, they are executed immediately.”

Being sent to an immortal sect as a disciple of a great clan serves to expand the clan’s power. If they cannot practice orthodox techniques, remaining in the clan would inevitably tarnish its reputation, so most clans choose to kill them on the spot.

Regardless of the path, they are merely pawns to be used.

Zhu Shengxi suddenly remembered Ning Xu’s loathing attitude toward righteous cultivators; perhaps it was related to this.

Ning Xu leaned by the window. As the depths of winter were passing, warm sunlight filtered through the clouds, revealing a scene of vibrant life and the awakening of all things.

She had no heart to appreciate the view, her mind constantly replaying Zhu Shengxi’s reaction from the previous night.

It seemed that no matter what she said, the other woman’s expression remained indifferent. Only when suspicion arose would those eyes surge with a piercing chill.

The wound on her neck had already scabbed over. Ning Xu pressed lightly against her throat; the faint stabs of pain were identical to those brought by the sword blade that day.

Recalling that cold gaze, a wave of bitterness welled up in Ning Xu’s heart. Having severed all affection, Zhu Shengxi was capable of striking her with such calm and apathy.

Compared to a furious interrogation, indifference was often far more terrifying.

Caring for nothing, her emotions flat and waveless—Ning Xu did not want to see her like this, and she was afraid to see it.

At that moment, the sound of light footsteps came from outside. Ning Xu immediately walked over and waited by the wooden door.

“I won’t come in then. A-Sheng, see you tomorrow,” Ji Yanshu’s voice was gentle.

Behind the door, Ning Xu secretly clenched her fists.

A-Sheng? Such intimate naming.

What hurt her even more was that Zhu Shengxi gave a faint “Mm” in response, clearly acquiescing to the nickname.

Once Ji Yanshu had walked away, Zhu Shengxi pushed open the door, happening to lock eyes with Ning Xu, who was waiting behind it.

“What are you doing standing here?”

Ning Xu did not answer, but instead countered:

“What do you think, A-Sheng?”

Zhu Shengxi ignored her nonsensical words and walked inside on her own. Ning Xu followed immediately and spoke again:

“She called you ‘A-Sheng’.”

“Yes, what of it?”

Indeed, what of it? They were about to form a bond. Ning Xu silently stopped her steps, suppressing the bitterness in her heart.

Zhu Shengxi lit the incense by the table. The refreshing scent dissipated some of the day’s fatigue. She casually flipped open an ancient text, her gaze no longer falling elsewhere.

It was as if she were insignificant in the other’s presence.

Ning Xu lowered her eyes and slowly walked to her side.

Because of the angle of the light, a shadow fell across the scroll. Zhu Shengxi closed the book and looked up at her.

Zhu Shengxi originally thought the person before her had something to say and waited silently. Unexpectedly, Ning Xu slowly leaned down. The shadow on the scroll spread to her clothes, and a warm breath gradually drew closer.

Zhu Shengxi was momentarily stunned, then turned her face away. The kiss landed on the side of her cheek.

Seeing the evasive move and the coldness gathering in the other’s brow, Ning Xu’s heart sank. Just as she prepared to pull away, she tripped and fell directly onto the person in front of her.

Zhu Shengxi instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist. At this moment, the distance between them was extremely close; between their gazes, their shallow breaths almost tangled together.

“Are you… throwing yourself at me?”

Hearing this, a trace of shamed annoyance flickered in Ning Xu’s eyes. She turned her head slightly and corrected:

“I tripped.”

Zhu Shengxi: “Mhm. Then what was that move just now for?” She was referring to the kiss she had dodged.

Ning Xu said nothing. Even though she had stabilized herself, she refused to get up.

She stared at the person within reach, then slowly leaned in, her nose lightly grazing against the other’s neck.

Hot breath sprayed against the skin, triggering a strange tremor. Zhu Shengxi’s eyes darkened, and the hand encircling Ning Xu’s waist couldn’t help but tighten.

Ning Xu couldn’t see her expression and didn’t know what her reaction was at this moment; she could only kiss her tentatively and lightly.

As the soft kisses began to move downward, Zhu Shengxi suddenly pushed her away and stood up to walk to the side.

The act, which could be described as pleading for favor, was heartlessly pushed aside. Ning Xu froze in place, the last shred of hope in her heart gradually vanishing.

She suppressed the disappointment in her eyes, intending to retreat to where she belonged. At that moment, a sudden splashing sound of water echoed.

Perplexed, Ning Xu looked over and found that Zhu Shengxi was seriously washing her hands with clear water.

Soon, Zhu Shengxi used a handkerchief to dry the moisture from her hands, turned around, and walked toward her.

Ning Xu watched her without blinking. In the next instant, the Monster-Binding Rope around her wrist suddenly tightened. Zhu Shengxi grabbed her wrist and led her to the bedside.

This series of actions made Ning Xu’s heart race several beats faster. She looked up at the person standing by the bed, a certain indescribable expectation growing in her heart.

Both hands were pinned tightly above her head. Ning Xu subconsciously bit her lip. Soon, the Monster-Binding Rope loosened slightly; her eyes lit up—it seemed Zhu Shengxi intended to untie them.

To her surprise, in the next moment, her hands were bound even tighter. Ning Xu glanced at the spot and discovered that her wrists had actually been tethered to the headboard.

She tried to struggle but couldn’t break free. Panic inevitably rose in her heart. “Zhu Shengxi, you…”

Then, she heard that person’s slightly cold voice whisper in her ear:

“You were the one who crawled all over me first.”