Xiaotian flew to Ye Anping’s side, glancing at the charred corpse on the ground. It could sense from the residual aura that this was the demonic cultivator who had attacked it and Feng Yudie.

Then, it turned its gaze to Pei Lengxue, who was meditating to the side, and Ye Anping, who was casually licking a wound.

Two Qi Refining-stage cultivators… and a charred corpse of a Pseudo-early stage Nascent Soul demonic cultivator…

The two cultivators had no injuries at all, while the pseudo-early stage Nascent Soul cultivator was now reduced to a charred corpse.

Was this even possible?

Could it be that the cultivator who had set up the array had already left, and these two had just happened to pass by?

Xiaotian was inclined to believe this, as it found it hard to imagine that these two could defeat the demonic cultivator. Aside from the 2 major realm difference, their potential was nowhere near Feng Yudie’s. They were from the Hundred Lotus Sect, a third-rate sect, with no impressive techniques or magical tools. How could they have possibly defeated the demonic cultivator?

Wait! It wasn’t the time to doubt these matters. Feng Yudie was still waiting for someone to save her!

Without further hesitation, Xiaotian rushed over to Pei Lengxue’s side and tugged at her hair.

『Miss! Miss!!』

However, Pei Lengxue, who had been meditating, only felt a chilling breeze brushing past her ears. She shivered in response and looked around in confusion.

She only sensed a breeze blowing across her face, but it felt eerie and sent shivers down her spine.

“Senior Brother, something doesn’t feel right.”

Ye Anping glanced at the little thing tugging at his junior sister’s hair, feeling a mix of emotions.

Was this little thing not very intelligent?

“What’s wrong?” Ye Anping feigned ignorance.

“I just have a bad feeling. I can’t shake off the sense of eeriness,” Pei Lengxue furrowed her brows, immediately gripping her sword tightly and vigilantly surveying her surroundings. “Senior Brother, do you think that cultivator might not be dead?”

“He’s absolutely dead.”

“But I just can’t shake off this feeling… It’s like something is beside me.”

Xiaotian nodded rapidly, urgently calling out, 『Yes, yes! I’m beside you! Please notice me!! For heaven’s sake, just see me for a moment! Just a moment!』

“Really, don’t worry.” Hearing the little thing’s plea, Ye Anping remained unfazed, ignoring it. “Let’s go, we should head back to the town. We’ve been out for a while, and my father is probably about to explode by now.”

Hearing this, Pei Lengxue suddenly realized the time, causing her to shrink her head in alarm.

“Right, we snuck out, and the Sect Master must be really worried. We’ll probably get scolded when we go back.”

“Don’t worry.” Ye Anping shrugged and took out the cultivator’s identity jade plaque. “Show this cultivator’s plaque to him when we get back. Instead of scolding you, he might even reward you.”

“It’s not the sect master that I’m scared of, senior brother, it’s your mother, right before we left, your mother scolded me after I beat you in our previous fight.”

“Hmm?”

“This time, your mother will definitely give me a good beating.”

“My mother just spoils me a bit too much. I’ll handle it for you. Alright, let’s head back.”

“Okay.”

Ye Anping nodded, then shrugged his shoulders and used a minor earth-based spell to return Wu You’s body to nature. Then, they started walking towards the town.

Watching this, Pei Lengxue hesitated for a moment, then walked up and held his hand.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“Um…” Pei Lengxue blushed and lowered her head shyly. “Can we walk hand in hand?”

『Wait!! Don’t go!!』

Seeing her like this, Ye Anping couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“You were just complaining about me treating you like a child, and now at fourteen, you want your senior brother to hold your hand?”

Pei Lengxue puffed up her cheeks.

“Just hold it.”

『Don’t go!!』 This time, Xiaotian even tugged at Ye Anping’s hair.

Ye Anping completely ignored it and replied, “Alright then, let’s hold hands. I used to hold your hand and take you around the sect when you were younger.”

“Hmm, hehe…”

The two of them started walking slowly, step by step, towards the town, while Xiaotian continued shouting behind them, trying to make them notice its presence with its loud voice.

『Save Yudie! Why? Why can’t you see me too?』

『Waaaa—Finally, even though I finally able to found someone who can talk to me—Hick—Hick—From now on—』

Listening to the little thing’s hoarse crying near its ear, Ye Anping sighed softly, coming to a halt.

“Hmm?” Pei Lengxue turned her head and asked, “Senior Brother, what’s wrong?”

“Didn’t we just see a golden dragon?”

“Yes, we did. What’s wrong?”

“Let’s go take a look. We might stumble upon some opportunity.”

“…Sure.”

At Ye Anping’s words, the swollen eyes of Xiaotian suddenly brightened. It raised its head, and its gaze met Ye Anping’s, their eyes locking.

When it had seen this person back at the inn, it had felt him looking at it a few times. It had thought it was just a coincidence, but now…

『You! Can you see me?!』

“… Junior Sister, where’s your flying sword?”

“I’m tired, Senior Brother. Carry me on your flying sword.”

『Hey, kid!! Can you see me or not?』

Ye Anping continued to ignore it, sighing softly, “You’re practically grown up, but I just can’t figure you out.”

“I’m tired, carry me.”

Ye Anping shook his head, then put one arm around Pei Lengxue’s waist and lifted her onto his flying sword. With her in position, he controlled the sword to fly towards the bamboo forest where Feng Yudie was.

As they weren’t far away, the flying sword hardly ascended before it descended.

Though Ye Anping had anticipated the condition Feng Yudie would be in, seeing her like this still caused him to furrow his brows.

Her complexion was ashen, not much different from the corpse. Her eye sockets were sunken, and her skin bore black marks. Her mouth and chest were stained with dried black-red blood.

Ye Anping immediately scanned her with his spiritual sense, only to find that Feng Yudie’s heartbeat had ceased.

“What?”

He jumped off the flying sword and ran to her, crouching down. With his fingers, he gently pressed against her pulse.

The conclusion his spiritual sense had drawn was accurate—Feng Yudie’s breath and soul were still present, but her heartbeat had stopped. This explained her sunken eye sockets and pale complexion.

If a few more minutes passed, her soul would dissipate completely.

Ye Anping looked around, but no one had come to save her. His brow creased deeply.

Is the plot changing?

Did it change because he killed Wu You? Or is it because of the interactions he and Pei Lengxue had before, creating a butterfly effect that overturned the storyline he knew?

“Senior Brother, this girl isn’t the one we met at the inn before…”

“Hmm.” Ye Anping nodded, then pointed to his nose. “Hand me a Coagulation Pill.”

Pei Lengxue hurriedly took out a pill from her storage bag. But as she looked at Feng Yudie lying on the ground, she hesitated and asked, “Senior Brother, she can’t swallow it in this condition.”

“I’ll crush it, dissolve it in saliva, and then spit it into her mouth before performing CPR.”

Ye Anping answered and immediately put the Coagulation Pill in his mouth, chewed it, then held Feng Yudie’s lips closed and lowered his head.

Seeing his actions, Pei Lengxue took a deep breath and rushed forward, grabbing his arm.

“Senior Brother!!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I—I’ll do it.”

Ye Anping blinked in surprise, then nodded slightly, making way for her. He reminded her, “Two breaths, then thirty compressions. Just like I taught you before, but don’t use as much force as during practice. When I taught you, we used a spirit pig. If you press with that much force, you might break her ribs. Be gentle.”

Pei Lengxue took a deep breath and took out another Coagulation Pill. She chewed it and then crouched down, prying open Feng Yudie’s mouth.

“Ptui—”

Ye Anping: ?

Tn: Yes, She spit on her