WWWASTJWTCAT?

66-70

Chapter 66

Xu Nian released Ji Yuebai’s sleeve and stepped in front of her, opening her fingers to reveal the jade earrings, her charming eyes fixed unwaveringly on Ji Yuebai. “Yuebai, you haven’t helped me put these on today.”

Ji Yuebai’s gaze settled on the jade earrings resting in Xu Nian’s delicate palm. After a moment of silence, she finally picked them up and gently placed them on Xu Nian’s tender and small earlobes. Under the effect of illusion and spiritual power, the jade earrings, set against her cascading black hair, appeared even more vibrant and lively.

Withdrawing her hand back into her sleeve, Ji Yuebai remarked, “It’s done.”

Xu Nian touched the earrings on her earlobes, her lips curving into a smile. Yuebai still cared for her.

She wanted to wrap her arm around Ji Yuebai as usual, but she was rejected.

“There are Elders and disciples from all Eight Great Sects gathered here. Too many people, too many opinions.”

Xu Nian reflected on Ji Yuebai’s words and realized the logic in them. She had been living undetected in the Fanyin Pavilion for so long that she had grown a bit reckless. Indeed, it wasn’t proper to display such intimacy with Yuebai in public.

Thus, Xu Nian took a step back and, mimicking the etiquette of other disciples from Tian Yuan Sect, bowed respectfully.

“Farewell, Ji Shishu.”

As she bid her goodbye, Ji Yuebai, with her dignified and elegant demeanor, drifted away.

Xu Nian couldn’t help but feel that Ji Yuebai seemed different today, much colder towards her than usual.

She had wanted to clarify things with Ji Yuebai, but considering the imminent start of the performance competition and the increasing number of disciples passing by, it didn’t seem appropriate to engage in a lengthy conversation with Ji Yuebai under such public scrutiny. So, she remained silent.

Feeling inexplicably upset, Xu Nian walked towards her seat in the stands, her head bowed, eyes fixed on her swaying dress. Ji Yuebai hadn’t touched her head today, nor had she complimented her appearance.

As she made her way through the corridor, several disciples from other sects stood up and blocked Xu Nian’s path.

Xu Nian’s heart skipped a beat, immediately recalling Ji Yuebai’s earlier warning. Could it be that her identity as a demon beast had been discovered? She glanced at the jade ring on her finger, which was supposed to conceal her aura from anyone below the Nascent Soul stage, and inwardly cursed, wondering if it had suddenly malfunctioned.

The disciples blocking her way all possessed Golden Core cultivation, the weakest among them at the mid-Golden Core stage. This set off alarm bells in Xu Nian’s mind. She instinctively began searching for weaknesses and escape routes among them, quickly calculating whether she could break through in case of an attack.

In her moment of panic, Xu Nian forced a nervous smile and asked, “Fellow disciples, may I help you with something?”

The leading disciple, momentarily mesmerized by her smile, seemed to float on air. Following her lead, he said, “I am a disciple of Master Changfeng of the Wuji Sect, and I would like to inquire about your esteemed name and lineage.”

Realizing it was merely a flirtatious approach, Xu Nian felt a wave of relief wash over her, and her body relaxed.

With a charming smile, she replied, “My surname is Xu, just an insignificant cultivator within Tian Yuan Sect. As for my lineage, I prefer to keep it private, but destiny will reveal it if we’re meant to know.”