Xiao Qingxuan naturally hadn’t come looking for her.
From the start of the knock to the end, everything was Ye Luqing’s self-directed performance.
She even used the Bi Ling Sword that Xiao Qingxuan had given her to slightly simulate the aura.
If it had been under the clarity of a pure Dao heart, with Ruyi Pei’s Nascent Soul Realm cultivation, a sweep of spiritual power would have easily revealed the deception.
But now, Ruyi Pei’s five senses were reduced to two, and both True Qi and spiritual power were “willingly” sealed at her command.
Combined with the effects of the Six Desires Marionette Array and Hehuan True Qi, Ruyi Pei muddleheadedly believed her words.
[Name: Ruyi Pei]
[Cultivation: Yuan Ying Stage]
[Blackening Value: None]
[Demonization Value: None]
[Corruption Value: 48% (Second Stage)]
Ye Luqing nodded in satisfaction.
In less than a day, Ruyi Pei’s second-stage corruption value had already reached nearly half.
If she pushed further, the effect would diminish, but originally, she’d intended to push the corruption value directly above 50% by the end of this act—unexpectedly, it hadn’t even hit half yet.
Let’s play a little longer and make it a neat 50%.
At that thought, she focused her mind, and the Bi Ling Sword instantly appeared in her hand.
“Senior Sister Pei, let me borrow some Sword Qi from you.”
She had consumed quite a bit of Sword Qi practicing the Yiqi Sword Formula in the morning.
Based on her recent usage, she’d need to find Xiao Qingxuan again before the tournament.
But since she didn’t really want to see her right now, she might as well just draw some Sword Qi directly from Ruyi Pei.
‘What……’
Blindfolded, Ruyi Pei didn’t understand what Ye Luqing was about to do.
She didn’t mind giving up Sword Qi—it wasn’t something she couldn’t recover from.
The question was, as an array cultivator, how did Ye Luqing take it from her?
The next moment, a crisp sound echoed through the room.
Pa!
Ruyi Pei only felt a cold sensation fall upon her body, and a strand of Sword Qi was drawn away along that icy touch.
The force of the strike wasn’t strong, but with her other senses sealed and touch heightened, it was extremely sensitive.
“Guuh!”
Not only that, the loss of Sword Qi, which should have been unpleasant, somehow mingled with the act of being struck to produce an inexplicable sense of pleasure.
Thus, Ruyi Pei once again sank into that sense of immorality—”clearly this is wrong, but it feels so good”—that backslides into depravity.
Ye Luqing watched the steadily rising corruption value with satisfaction, then suddenly remembered something and looked at Ruyi Pei with a light laugh.
“I forgot to tell Senior Sister Pei.”
“This sword was a gift from Senior Sister Xiao.”
With that, she gently tapped Ruyi Pei’s shapely rear with the flat of the sword.
“Uuugh!”
Seeing several times more Sword Qi than before absorbed into the Bi Ling Sword, Ye Luqing couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
After striking five or six more times, the Sword Qi within the Bi Ling Sword was once again replenished.
She personally removed the blindfold from Ruyi Pei’s eyes, along with the small ball gag from her mouth.
In those ice-blue eyes, all traces of coolness had vanished, replaced by deepening affection and reliance on Ye Luqing.
After being trained by Ye Luqing for a second time, Ruyi Pei already understood her situation.
She could no longer resist Ye Luqing.
“You’ve worked hard, Senior Sister Pei.”
Ye Luqing curled her lips in a smile that bore some resemblance to Xiao Qingxuan, looking at her half-smiling.
“Mm… not, not really…”
Ruyi Pei averted her gaze, cheeks flushed, not daring to meet her eyes.
If she stared at Ye Luqing for too long, she feared she’d fall completely.
Seeing this, Ye Luqing spoke lightly:
“In any case, our agreement is fulfilled.”
“We’re even now, so Senior Sister Pei doesn’t have to come anymore.”
At those words, Ruyi Pei froze.
“Eh?”
Her expression stiffened, pupils shrinking, eyes filling with disbelief.
“No need to come anymore… what do you mean…”
“Didn’t you say before that if I desired your command, I could come at any time?”
She remembered Ye Luqing’s words clearly.
“That was for the agreement. Now that the bet is over, it doesn’t apply anymore.”
Ye Luqing smiled cheerfully at Ruyi Pei.
“How… can this be…”
Ruyi Pei stepped back half a step, her fair face turning desolate, then a surge of anger at being toyed with flooded her heart.
She remembered it now—on the stage the other day, Ye Luqing had played similar word games.
As a Sword Cultivator whose heart was as direct as her blade, she valued promises above all else, and despised such actions.
Her mind filled with rage, and not knowing where the strength came from, she lunged forward, grabbing Ye Luqing by the collar and slamming her hard against the wall.
“You… you promised me!”
Sword Qi surged around Ruyi Pei, her ice-blue eyes full of pain and fury as she glared at Ye Luqing.
She had entrusted her feelings to this person—how could Ye Luqing treat her this way?
Yet Ye Luqing only looked calmly at Ruyi Pei, as if she were a child venting her frustration.
If this were before transmigrating, she would have panicked or reflexively resisted.
But after being killed by the demonized Xiao Qingxuan once, Ruyi Pei’s emotional outburst seemed lacking.
Compared to Xiao Qingxuan, this Senior Sister Pei still wasn’t mad enough.
“Senior Sister Pei, it’s not impossible for you to keep coming.”
Ye Luqing spoke evenly.
“But let me make this clear—I hate fickle people, especially those who accept my commands but are still thinking about other women.”
At those words, Ruyi Pei’s grip on Ye Luqing’s collar loosened.
Was it because she’d been thinking of Xiao Qingxuan just now?
Is Ye Shimei… jealous of Xiao Qingxuan?
The absurd thought flashed through her mind, then she quickly suppressed it.
Impossible.
In her relationship with Xiao Qingxuan, she had always been the defeated dog, groveling in the dust.
Even three years ago, kneeling didn’t save her from losing to the fated Ye Luqing.
She knew all too well that Xiao Qingxuan had fallen for Ye Luqing.
In this situation, how could Ye Luqing possibly be jealous of her humble feelings for Xiao Qingxuan?
But if not that, then what?
Ye Luqing reached out and lifted Ruyi Pei’s chin, her amber eyes staring straight into hers, piercing the heart.
“Choose. Do you want me, or do you want Xiao Qingxuan?”
A shadow flickered in Ye Luqing’s eyes, and even she didn’t know why she suddenly cared so much.
Clearly, this didn’t fit her “substitute” persona, yet she stubbornly forced Ruyi Pei to choose, as if locked in a contest with Xiao Qingxuan.
“I…”
Confusion filled Ruyi Pei’s eyes, unable to choose between the two.
Though her feelings now rested with Ye Luqing, for the six years since joining, the person she loved had always been Xiao Qingxuan.
If she gave up Xiao Qingxuan here, she would be denying her six years of emotions.
Her already fragile Sword Heart would surely shatter.
Seeing Ruyi Pei’s troubled face, Ye Luqing sighed.
As expected, this wasn’t her style.
“Senior Sister Pei.”
Her voice softened.
“If you choose me, then I won’t make a move on Xiao Qingxuan for now. How about that?”
At those words, the hesitation in Ruyi Pei’s eyes faded.
She lowered her head slightly.
“Mm… if that’s the case…”
“I promise you—from now on, when I accept your command, I won’t think of Xiao Qingxuan anymore…”
“When I’m here, my heart belongs to [Master].”
Though she agreed to Ye Luqing’s terms, her true intent was to protect Xiao Qingxuan.
In this way, she could satisfy Ye Shimei’s demands without betraying her feelings for Xiao Qingxuan.
Hearing this, Ye Luqing smiled and nodded.
The smile seemed genuine, yet vanished instantly.
She cupped Ruyi Pei’s face, eyes narrowing, amber pupils glowing with golden light.
“Then fall in love with ‘me’ like this.”
She whispered unconsciously.
Even if it had to be this way.
Only love “her”.
Not Xiao Qingxuan.
And not the other “Ye Luqing”.