Chapter 503 471: Resolving Lu Ruoxi's Guilty Conscience, Junior Sister Nangong Is About to Arrive at the Dao Sect

'Heh, Lu Ruoxi. Go ahead and be smug for a few more days. After all, you're stuck way out in Dan Yun Pavilion, while I—'

'—get to stay by his side every single day.'

...

...

Pei Yuhang and Lu Ruoxi sat side-by-side on the Immortal Crane's soft back. The biting wind swept past their ears, making their robes flutter.

Pei Yuhang sat ramrod straight, as poised as a pine. He kept his lips pressed together, his gaze fixed on the churning Cloud Sea in the distance, not daring to steal a glance at the beauty beside him.

As the Immortal Crane passed through a thin layer of mist, the distant silhouette of Dan Yun Pavilion gradually sharpened. They could even see the Liuli tiles on its roofs glinting in the morning light and hear the ethereal DING-DONG of the wind chimes hanging from the eaves.

Just then, Lu Ruoxi finally turned her head slightly. Her eyes, as clear as autumn pools, gazed directly at Pei Yuhang as her crimson lips parted.

"Junior Brother Pei... do you really trust that woman more than you trust me?"

"You're right to be wary of me."

Lu Ruoxi lowered her eyelids, her thick lashes casting a faint shadow on her porcelain skin.

'But why are you... so good to that Fan Xuan woman? I'd never seen her before; you two couldn't have known each other for long.'

'Even if she saved you in the past, the way you look at her... is just too tender.'

As she said this, her beautiful eyes couldn't help but dim with a flash of jealousy.

Hearing this, Pei Yuhang gazed at the distant mountains and fell silent for a moment before speaking.

"Xiaoxuan and I have known each other for a very long time. It was before I met Master and was brought to the Xuanyuan Dao Sect..."

"Actually, it's all thanks to Xiaoxuan that I met Master. She was the one who risked her life to save me back then. That's how I regained my freedom and was given a new lease on life, which has brought me to where I am today."

The morning wind suddenly grew colder. Lu Ruoxi subconsciously hugged her arms. She saw a flash of pain in Pei Yuhang's eyes, which filled her with envy for this Fan Xuan.

'How lucky she is to have a place in Junior Brother Pei's heart.'

"Afterward, I thought something had happened to Xiaoxuan, that she had passed away. That's been a regret I've carried for decades."

"Then, during my Trial of Heart Tribulation to reach the Void Refining realm, I received some kind of fated guidance telling me that Xiaoxuan was still alive. I was incredibly lucky to find her after that..."

Lu Ruoxi stared at him blankly, listening as Pei Yuhang recounted finding Fan Xuan, boarding the Spirit Wheel with her, and fighting off their enemies. Seeing the reminiscent smile on his face, she felt a stifling tightness in her chest.

Her red lips trembled slightly, but in the end, she couldn't say a word. Finally, she could only turn her face away, not wanting Pei Yuhang to see the disappointment in her eyes.

'So... there was such a deep bond between them.'

'I'm so envious. Envious that woman got to experience so much with Junior Brother Pei.'

Still, Lu Ruoxi's mind was sharp, and she keenly sensed that something was off.

'Based on Junior Brother Pei's description, Fan Xuan should be a calm, emotionally reserved girl, but with a cute, haughty side to her.'

'Then why did the "Fan Xuan" I met at the Cold Palace Sword Mansion carry the cunning and seductive air of a vixen?'

This made Lu Ruoxi think of a woman she hadn't seen in a long time.

'Shang Miaoyan...'

Lu Ruoxi instinctively furrowed her brow, a dark, unreadable emotion flashing in her eyes. The uneasy premonition in her heart intensified.

But just then, she suddenly felt her hand being enveloped by a larger one. A warm sensation spread from her fingertips to her heart, startling her.

Lu Ruoxi looked up and met Pei Yuhang's calm and resolute eyes.

"Senior Sister, you don't need to overthink things right now... I truly believe you've changed."

"That night... I actually woke up early."

'That night... he woke up early...'

Lu Ruoxi muttered the words, her pupils suddenly contracting, her breath catching in her throat.

She stared blankly at Pei Yuhang, her lips trembling slightly. Her pale cheeks flushed crimson at a visible rate, and even the tips of her ears turned a faint pink.

'Junior Brother Pei was awake the whole time! Doesn't that mean he knows... that I almost forced myself on him?! He knows everything!'

At this thought, Lu Ruoxi shamefully squeezed her legs together, her face turning deathly pale again. She forced a bitter smile onto her lips and said, "Junior Brother, you knew..."

"Then how can you still forgive me?"

"You already know I almost did something terrible to you again... Aren't you suspicious that while you were asleep, I might have frequently..."

As Lu Ruoxi spoke, a self-deprecating look appeared in her eyes. She bit her lower lip, so hard that the once-rosy flesh turned white.

"You should... hate me even more."

She let out a wretched laugh and turned her head away, not daring to look at Pei Yuhang again, afraid of seeing a trace of disgust or disappointment in his eyes.

"Senior Sister, you've misunderstood again."

Pei Yuhang suddenly raised his hand and gently brushed aside the stray hairs on Lu Ruoxi's forehead. The warmth of his fingertips made her heart tremble slightly.

A soft light rippled in his deep eyes, like snow melting in the spring sun.

"Like I said, I believe you've completely changed. I saw it all that night—your struggle, your effort, the way you fought to restrain your desires."

"I'm so happy to see that you've truly changed, Senior Sister..."

"And now, I deeply regret how I acted this morning. When I saw you, my mind was in turmoil, and I instinctively stepped back. But it was just because of a nightmare I had. To think that I would let a single dream invalidate all your resolve and effort to atone..."

"That was so childish of me."

As he spoke, Pei Yuhang took the initiative and pulled Lu Ruoxi into his arms.

His embrace was warm and strong, yet he carefully controlled his strength, as if he were holding the world's most precious and fragile treasure.

This embrace was devoid of any desire, incredibly pure.

Lu Ruoxi could feel Pei Yuhang's heartbeat through his chest—steady and strong, a stark contrast to her own chaotic rhythm.

A faint blush rose on her cheeks. Her slender fingers hesitated for a moment before finally clutching gently at the white robes on Pei Yuhang's chest, as if grasping a life-saving piece of driftwood.

"Thank you... Junior Brother, for still being willing to accept me."

Lu Ruoxi slowly closed her eyes, a faint smile unconsciously gracing her lips, like seeing the first ray of spring light after a long, cold winter.

She buried her face in his shoulder, deeply inhaling his scent, savoring the moment of peace and this hard-won sliver of happiness.

The Immortal Crane beneath them seemed to sense its masters' good mood and immediately let out an excited cry.

Just then, a sudden buzzing from a Transmission Token shattered the beautiful atmosphere.

Lu Ruoxi frowned slightly, furious at the person who dared to call her Transmission Token at a moment that should be cherished for a lifetime.

After mentally cursing the caller to an eternity of solitude without a Dao Companion, Lu Ruoxi ended the call and gave Pei Yuhang an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Junior Brother, you had to see that. Ever since I was reappointed as an Elder of Dan Yun Pavilion, a whole horde of annoying people have been trying to suck up to me. It's endlessly irritating."

Lu Ruoxi vented to Pei Yuhang about her troubles, but soon, the Transmission Token she had just cut off began to buzz again. BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ.

"How annoying! I hang up once and they call right back? Can't they take a hint?!"

Lu Ruoxi was about to hang up again when Pei Yuhang, out of concern, reminded her, "Senior Sister, you should probably answer it and listen."

"It might be something important."

"But... I'm with you right now, Junior Brother. I don't want trivial matters to disturb us..."

Lu Ruoxi pouted in annoyance, but she still obediently listened to Pei Yuhang and accepted the Transmission Token's call.

The Transmission Token emitted a faint blue light, indicating it was connected, but no sound came from the other side.

'Are they messing with me?'

Lu Ruoxi clenched her fists. 'Don't you dare let me find out who you are! You wretch, may you never find a Dao Companion for the next ten thousand years!'

Just as she was about to angrily hang up, a voice finally came through, broken and intermittent.

Beside her, Pei Yuhang's pupils instantly contracted when he heard that familiar, cold tone.

[Senior Sister, I just passed through some turbulent airflow, so the Transmission Token's signal isn't very good... In any case, I'm almost at the Xuanyuan Dao Sect. Come and get me.]