As it turned out, Ming Qi's foresight was spot-on.
“Bang. Smash. Crash.”
Listening to the sounds of destruction coming from the next room, Ming Qi leaned against a pear tree, sipping wine and reinforcing the weakening seals after each impact.
“Ling Ji, wait! Hear me out!”
“No.”
“I’ve got gifts for you. Don’t you want to see them?”
“No.”
“Really not interested?” Jie Zhi’s voice grew urgent. “Ying Yu, Fei Yi, Shan Yang, Qu Ru—I went to great lengths to find these exotic beasts from secret realms for you. You won’t find such a collection anywhere else.”
The response was a half-human-sized flame, pale red with a blue core, radiating immense power even from a distance.
“Aww!” Jie Zhi yelped, frustration evident. “You’re using Netherworld Fire on me? Remember how I used to carry you around, looking for food?”
“Hmph, you dare mention that.” Ling Ji’s anger flared, the Netherworld Fire in her palm growing taller. “You used me as a garbage disposal back then.”
When Jie Zhi served under Gao Yao, they managed a prison filled with unruly demons constantly plotting escapes. Jie Zhi would wait outside with Ling Ji, ready to turn any escapee into her meal. Eventually, the prison emptied out, the would-be escapees all consumed, and Ling Ji nearly overeating.
Fortunately, Si Xi returned early from other tribal duties, preventing Ling Ji from becoming the first dragon in demon history to die from overeating.
“I can tell you Si Xi’s whereabouts!”
Ling Ji’s fist halted just ten centimeters from Jie Zhi’s face. Waiting for the inevitable blow, he cautiously opened one eye, stepping back when no pain came. “Really, I’m not lying this time.”
Ling Ji stared at him, clearly skeptical.
After a moment, she extended her hand. “Give it to me.”
“What?”
“Ying Yu, Fei Yi, Shan Yang, Qu Ru.” Ling Ji repeated impatiently. “Weren’t those the gifts you mentioned?”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“Or were you lying again, with nothing prepared?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously, the fire in her hand crackling.
“No, no lies.” Jie Zhi quickly retrieved a pile of exotic beast carcasses from his space. “Do you want me to prepare them for you?”
“No need.” Ling Ji waved her hand, storing the beasts in her own space. She glanced at the half-collapsed house, paused, then threw a punch, reducing the remaining structure to rubble.
“There, now it’s symmetrical.” She dusted off her hands, satisfied with her handiwork, and turned to leave.
Jie Zhi, baffled by her indifference, hurried after her. “Where are you going?”
“None of your business.”
Jie Zhi choked, “Don’t you want to know Si Xi’s whereabouts?”
“I already know.”
“You... know?” Jie Zhi couldn’t believe his ears. “What do you know?”
“Si Xi’s whereabouts.” Ling Ji rolled her eyes. “Did you already forget what you said? Old age is affecting your memory.”
Jie Zhi: “...”
“How did you find out?” Ignoring her jibe, he was genuinely shocked. “Did you awaken some extraordinary ability?”
Ling Ji gave him a look of pity. “You know my abilities well.”
Jie Zhi: “Yes, but how did you know about Si Xi?”
“I met him.”
“Met... him?” Jie Zhi’s voice rose, drawing curious glances from passing staff. Quickly, he composed himself, hiding his surprise under a calm facade, though his panda-like bruises undermined his serene demeanor. “When did you meet him? How did you recognize him?”
Si Xi’s soul, after numerous reincarnations, had faint traces of its original mark. Jie Zhi had recognized him due to his unusual accumulation of merit, suspecting and confirming his identity after extensive investigation.
“I smelled him.” Ling Ji replied matter-of-factly. “His soul’s scent hasn’t changed, still the same as before. I recognized it immediately.”
Ling Ji’s expression briefly faltered as she recalled how hunger had dulled her senses when she first met him. Only after spending more time together did she recognize the familiar scent.
Jie Zhi, still reeling from her revelation, missed her slight unease. He couldn’t stop thinking, “She smelled him out.”
Smelled.
Out.
Smelled.
Damn, I forgot Ling Ji has a keener nose than a hound’s. What a blunder!
But who’d have thought she’d run into Ye Jianghuai right after her release?
Jie Zhi gave Ling Ji a mournful look. “You’re really lucky.”
His voice dripped with envy.
“But there’s something you don’t know.” Jie Zhi’s tone turned sly, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “The proposal for your divine punishment requiring ten thousand followers’ faith wasn’t my idea. It was Si Xi’s.”
“Huh?” Ling Ji paused, her expression uncharacteristically calm, devoid of the shock, disbelief, anger, or confusion Jie Zhi had anticipated.
Jie Zhi’s heart sank. “You knew?”
“No.” Thank goodness, Ling Ji shook her head. “But…”
“But what?”
“What’s your point?”
Jie Zhi: “Huh?”
Ling Ji blinked, her thick lashes casting shadows over her eyes. “It’s been ages. I’m out now. What difference does it make?”
“But... if it doesn’t matter, why beat me?”
“Oh, I’ve wanted to hit you for ages. It had nothing to do with this.”
Jie Zhi stood speechless, pointing at her in disbelief.
“Fine, since we’re clearing old debts, let’s get everything straight.” Jie Zhi, deciding not to spare her out of past affection, continued, “Si Xi had you commit a significant crime for humanity, but it angered the heavens.”
“Afterwards, the Heavenly Emperor sent gods to capture you. Si Xi took all the blame to protect you, even requesting my help to condemn him. This way, you could be safe. That’s one.”
“Second, he foresaw your future vengeance and chaos, so he had me propose the seal to the gods. Only with a severe seal could you be truly safe.”
“Third, he didn’t go to the underworld but did reincarnate. The method bypassed the underworld, avoiding the Heavenly Emperor’s retribution, but it was risky. His merits gave him a slim chance of success, hoping to leave you with the belief he lived somewhere.”
“That’s why the King of Hell couldn’t tell you his whereabouts. Not out of unwillingness, but ignorance.”
“So, our ‘grievances’ were all Si Xi’s design, not your doing?”
Jie Zhi nodded furiously, “Yes.” All these years of suffering, today’s beating—it was all Si Xi’s fault.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Ling Ji shrugged. “I’ve already hit you. What’s the point now?” Time couldn’t reverse.
Jie Zhi: “...”
True, what’s the use now? The beating was unavoidable.
Jie Zhi felt a pang of melancholy, staring at the sky, clear and blue, the warm wind rustling. Birds flew by, leaving shadows against the sky.
The world was bright, but his mood was bleak. Who would pull him out of this slump?
“Let’s go fix the house,” Ming Qi, the unsympathetic friend, interrupted. “Your personal feud damaged public property. Finance won’t reimburse you.”
Jie Zhi: “...”
Bad luck and poor company—time to buy a koi fish for luck.
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