Chapter 279: If You’re So Good, You Do It

Xie Ningyuan watched, dumbfounded, at Lu Sangjiu’s seamless actions. It took him a long while to find his voice.

"You’re... certainly well-equipped."

Lu Sangjiu grinned. "It’s alright. My storage space still isn’t big enough, or I would’ve just brought a house with me. That would be even more comfortable."

Xie Ningyuan was left speechless.

The two sat and chatted for a while before Lu Sangjiu received a message from Yan Zui.

"I saw the City Lord’s Wife. She looks incredibly weak, so it seems she’s genuinely ill—it wasn’t just an excuse from the City Lord."

"I tried to feel her out, but I couldn’t tell if she’s just being tight-lipped or if she truly knows nothing. She seems completely oblivious to what the City Lord has been doing."

"Fortunately, we had a nice chat. She has a gentle personality, and when she heard I had friends with me, she invited me to bring them over for a visit another day. You can come with me then and see for yourself."

Lu Sangjiu relayed the message to Xie Ningyuan, then said, "Looks like we’re not getting anywhere with the City Lord’s Wife for now."

Xie Ningyuan hummed. "Don’t worry about it. Let’s be patient."

Lu Sangjiu fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Do you think this really has something to do with Demon Cultivators?"

Although she didn’t say much, it was clear that Xie Ningyuan understood what she was worried about.

He shook his head. "I don’t know. But you don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself. Whether they’re Immortal Cultivators or Demon Cultivators, there are always good people and bad people. Even if this really is the work of Demon Cultivators, it doesn’t prove anything."

Besides, given the current animosity between Immortals and Demons, the hatred between them was running so high that it wouldn’t be surprising if a Demon Cultivator was deliberately hurting people.

Lu Sangjiu hummed. After a long moment, she added, "But I still hope it isn’t."

She had once utterly detested Cultivators. After her rebirth and arrival at the Seven Emotions Sect, she’d felt no sense of belonging for a long time, prejudiced against everything to do with them.

But then she began to meet more and more people who showed her nothing but kindness and concern. She slowly realized that there were good and bad people among Immortal Cultivators, just like anyone else, and that you couldn’t lump them all together.

From that time on, she had started to think, ’It would be wonderful if Immortals and Demons could one day coexist peacefully.’

This was another thing she wanted to do, besides changing her own destiny.

After meeting Xie Ningyuan, she had become even more firm in this conviction.

Of course, she knew this would be a long and arduous journey. It would be no easy task to change the world’s ingrained prejudices, nor to give the weakened Demon Cultivators the standing to negotiate with other Cultivators.

She had been preparing to go to the Western Demon Realm when she stumbled upon this matter potentially involving Demon Cultivators and dove right in.

At first, she had hoped they would turn out to be Demon Cultivators, which would give her a chance to ask about the current state of the Western Demon Realm.

Now, however, she suddenly found herself thinking... ’It would be better if they weren’t.’

She said no more, but Xie Ningyuan seemed to understand her inner conflict.

Suddenly, a warm hand covered the back of her own. "Some things aren’t our destined mission; they’re just things we’re determined to accomplish. But for many people, just living their own life to the fullest is already a great challenge."

"So, while we can care about the fate of the world, don’t put so much pressure on yourself... You should always be your own first priority."

His palm was dry and warm, carrying a steady strength that inexplicably calmed Lu Sangjiu’s restless heart.

She glanced down at his hand, then said after a long pause, "...I’ve felt your strength now. Aren’t you planning on moving your hand?"

Xie Ningyuan’s expression remained perfectly composed. "Is that so? I thought you might need to feel it a bit longer."

As he spoke, he withdrew his hand with a perfectly straight face, showing no sign of awkwardness or embarrassment.

Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help but remark, "Sometimes I seriously wonder if it was your Buddha Heart that shattered, or just your sense of shame."

Xie Ningyuan raised an eyebrow. "If you’d lived as long as I have, you’d be more open-minded about certain things too."

"Like what?"

"For instance? That a sense of shame is the most useless thing of all."

Lu Sangjiu was at a loss for words.

Though Xie Ningyuan was being shameless, their quick banter had lifted her spirits considerably.

After informing the other two groups that they would keep watch outside the city for the night, the two of them waited by the edge of the pit until nightfall.

"Those guys still haven’t made a move. They’re certainly patient."

Lu Sangjiu yawned out of sheer boredom. "If they don’t make a move soon, I’m going to fall asleep."

The words had barely left her mouth when something happened. It was hard to say whether her grumbling had jinxed it or if the attackers had simply been waiting for nightfall.

In any case, a sharp arrow whistling through the air shattered the calm.

The arrow, formed from condensed Spiritual Power, was aimed at Xie Ningyuan. The archer’s cultivation was likely at the Mid-stage Golden Core.

Before Xie Ningyuan could react, Lu Sangjiu released Duoduo, who conjured an Ice Wall that easily blocked the arrow.

Duoduo had been recuperating in the Spirit Beast Bag ever since its last Heavenly Tribulation. Now, its cultivation had stabilized, and its injuries were completely healed.

The moment it was let out, it was incredibly excited, leaping onto Lu Sangjiu with vigor.

"CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP!"

Master, I missed you so much!

Lu Sangjiu caught the white furball in her arms, a smile gracing her lips.

She patted its head. "Settle down. I’ll play with you after we deal with this trash."

"CHIRP CHIRP!"

No problem!

After planting a quick smooch on Lu Sangjiu’s forehead, the little furball spun around and stood imposingly before her and Xie Ningyuan.

Facing six Golden Core Stage Cultivators, it looked ready to take them all on by itself.

"CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP!"

Watch my Snowball Technique!

Instantly, the sky filled with snowballs flying toward the six Golden Core Stage Cultivators, carrying a chill even more intense than before, as if threatening to freeze heaven and earth.

Xie Ningyuan sat leisurely beside Lu Sangjiu, watching the show and even finding the time to offer a little commentary.

"That advancement was certainly worth it. Its frosty aura is much more powerful than before."

Having advanced to a Fifth-stage Demon Beast, Duoduo was already equivalent to a human at the Mid-stage Golden Core level.

On the opposing side, the six Golden Core Stage Cultivators consisted of one at the Late Stage, two at the Mid-stage, and three at the early stage.

In a prolonged fight, Duoduo would be at a disadvantage. But for now, riding a wave of excitement, it managed to suppress its opponents in a single, explosive burst of energy.

But the advantage was short-lived. The opposing Cultivators quickly recovered and launched a counterattack.

Duoduo scrambled to conjure another Ice Wall to block their attacks, but it was quickly overwhelmed.

Seeing this, Xie Ningyuan tilted his head. "And I just finished praising it. Your Spirit Beast isn’t all that impressive, is it?"

Lu Sangjiu pouted and defended Duoduo. "If you’re so great, then you go."

Xie Ningyuan shot back without a moment’s hesitation, "Of course I am!"

As soon as he spoke, Xie Ningyuan rose to his feet. His hands formed a series of seals, and a brilliant Buddha Light erupted.

’He’s actually kind of handsome...’

’But...’ Lu Sangjiu frowned slightly. ’Why are there faint black threads mixed into his Buddha Light?’

’I’m sure that wasn’t there before. Could his condition be getting worse?’