Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

The afternoon search was similar to the morning search; no large groups of demonic cult members were encountered, only a few figures fleeing in panic were seen in the distance.

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't give chase, but noted down the general location. In the evening, they stopped at another secluded bay and ate some dry rations.

Jiang Xiaochuan wanted to catch some more seafood, but Lu Xueqi stopped him, saying, "It's getting late, we should go back."

When they returned to their base on the south side of Liubo Mountain, only a faint, dark red sunset remained on the horizon. The two parted ways in front of the cave.

"Tomorrow..." Lu Xueqi looked at him, "Will we still go together?"

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her face, which appeared exceptionally fair and beautiful in the twilight, and nodded, saying, "Mm."

Lu Xueqi smiled slightly, said nothing more, turned and walked towards the cave on Xiaozhu Peak. Her pale figure quickly disappeared into the dim cave entrance.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood there, staring blankly in the direction she disappeared for a while, before turning around and walking towards Dazhu Peak.

Before he even reached the cave entrance, he saw Tian Ling'er standing outside, talking to a female disciple from Xiaozhu Peak. When she saw him return, Tian Ling'er immediately stopped talking and looked over. Her face was expressionless, even somewhat indifferent.

Jiang Xiaochuan paused for a moment, then walked over.

"Senior Sister Ling'er."

Tian Ling'er hummed in response, but instead of greeting him with a smile as usual, she simply looked at him indifferently.

"What's up?"

Jiang Xiaochuan glanced at the female disciple from Xiaozhu Peak who was curiously observing them, and whispered, "Could we... have a few words alone? Let's go to the woods over there."

Tian Ling'er's face paled slightly, and her fingers curled up slightly.

She looked at Jiang Xiaochuan with a complicated expression. She had a rough idea of ​​what was going on with his expression. What had Lu Xueqi said to him that made him so eager to "explain things clearly" to her?

She felt a tightness in her chest, as if a wad of wet cotton was stuck inside, making it hard to breathe.

Her voice grew colder: "No. I'm tired, I need to rest."

After saying that, she stopped looking at Jiang Xiaochuan and turned to go into the cave.

"Ling'er," Jiang Xiaochuan called out to her, his voice pleading, "just a few words."

Tian Ling'er stopped in her tracks, her back to him, her shoulders trembling almost imperceptibly. She still didn't turn around, her voice stiff: "I said, I'm not going. Say what you want to say right here."

Jiang Xiaochuan watched her retreating figure, then glanced at the little bamboo peak female disciple beside him who was pricked up with her ears, and sighed.

"...Never mind. You should rest."

He said no more, walked past Tian Ling'er, and entered the cave on Dazhu Peak.

Tian Ling'er stood there, her back ramrod straight, until she heard his footsteps disappear into the cave, then she slowly loosened her clenched fists.

Several crescent-shaped red marks were left on her palms from being pinched by her fingernails. She blinked, forcing back the tears welling up in her eyes, and lowered her head to walk into the cave.

Inside the cave, Zhang Xiaofan was squatting by the stove, silently watching the rice porridge bubbling in the pot. When he saw Jiang Xiaochuan enter, he looked up and gave a simple, honest smile: "Senior Brother Jiang, you're back. The food will be ready soon."

"Mm." Jiang Xiaochuan walked over, squatted down beside him, and watched the leaping flames in the stove. "Thank you for your hard work, Xiaofan."

"It's not hard work." Zhang Xiaofan shook his head, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Senior Brother Jiang... have you eaten yet?"

"...I've already eaten. I ate with Senior Sister Lu."

Zhang Xiaofan said "Oh," lowered his head, and slowly stirred the porridge in the pot with a wooden spoon. He didn't say anything more. The firelight illuminated his young profile, and his smile faded, something in his eyes dimmed slightly.

Just then, Tian Buyi's voice came from inside: "Xiao Chuan, come here."

Jiang Xiaochuan got up and walked to the inner side where Tian Buyi and Su Ru were. Tian Buyi was leaning against the stone wall, and Su Ru was mending a piece of clothing.

"Master, Mistress," Jiang Xiaochuan called out.

Tian Buyi looked at him, his chubby face expressionless, and simply pointed to a rock next to him.

"sit."

Jiang Xiaochuan sat down.

Tian Buyi remained silent for a moment before speaking, his voice very low: "What happened between you and Ling'er?"

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart tightened; he knew there was no way to avoid it. He took a deep breath and lowered his voice, "Master, I... I don't have those feelings for Senior Sister Ling'er. I want to... make things clear to her, I don't want her to..."

"I know."

Tian Buyi interrupted him, sighed, and said in a weary and helpless voice, "I can see that. But Xiao Chuan, Ling'er is my only daughter."

Jiang Xiaochuan lowered his eyes and remained silent.

"Don't say it now," Tian Buyi rubbed his temples. "At least don't say it directly now. You just came back, and you've been getting close to that person from Xiaozhu Peak... There's already a lot of gossip going around in the righteous sects. If you cause this scene with Ling'er, where will she put her face? How will she face anyone in the Qingyun Sect after this?"

Jiang Xiaochuan opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but in the end he only gave a low "hmm".

Tian Buyi looked at him with a complicated expression. After a long while, he waved his hand and said, "Alright, you can go back now. We'll talk about this later."

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't move. He hesitated for a moment, then raised his head, looked at Tian Buyi, and said in an even lower voice, "Master, the Demonic Sect's visit to Liubo Mountain this time is not for ordinary clashes between the righteous and the demonic."

Tian Buyi frowned: "Then what is it for?"

"It's for something in these mountains, an ancient mythical beast called the Kui Niu."

A glint of light flashed in Tian Buyi's eyes: "A Kui Niu? How did you know?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was silent for a moment before saying, "During the days I was missing, I was kidnapped by the Ghost King Sect. It was the Ghost King's daughter who saved me. I... heard about it from her and from conversations with some people in the Ghost King Sect. Ghost King Wanrenwang came to Liubo Mountain in person this time for this Kui Niu."

Tian Buyi stared at him, his eyes sharp and scrutinizing: "The Ghost King's daughter... saved you? Why did she save you? And how could you hear all this?"

Jiang Xiaochuan's throat was dry and his face was a little hot. He avoided Tian Buyi's gaze, stared at the ground, and said in a barely audible voice, "Because... I think... I... 'slept' with her."

Tian Buyi: "...???"

Su Ru stopped sewing, looked up, and stared at Jiang Xiaochuan in astonishment.

The cave was completely silent, except for the soft crackling of the hearth fire.

Tian Buyi's expression froze, as if he hadn't understood, or as if he understood but couldn't comprehend it.

My first reaction: I must have misheard.

Second reaction: What nonsense is this brat spouting?

Third reaction: The Ghost King's daughter? She's interested in this kid? What does she see in him? His low cultivation level? His laziness? Or... his decent looks?

Fourth reaction: Wait, did this kid just use that awful word "soaked"?!

Fifth thought: So this kid didn't die after falling into the Abyss of the Dead, he was saved by the demoness of the Demonic Cult? And he even... had a relationship with someone?!

Sixth reaction: A disciple of the Qingyun Sect's Dazhu Peak, and the young lady of the Ghost King Sect... This is something out of a storybook!

Seventh reaction: Does Ling'er know? No, Ling'er definitely doesn't know. If she did, she'd cry her eyes out!

Eighth reaction: What will the sect leader think if he finds out? How will that old bastard Cangsong use this as an excuse to make trouble?

Ninth reaction: How could I have accepted such a thing in the first place?!

Tenth reaction: ...But he's sitting here perfectly fine now, without missing any arms or legs, and he even seems to have gained a little weight?

Countless thoughts collided in Tian Buyi's chubby head, eventually turning into a deep sense of powerlessness.

He had lived for over a hundred years, experienced the great war between good and evil, and seen countless storms. He considered himself to be quite knowledgeable, but the situation before him was far beyond his comprehension.

He opened his mouth, wanting to curse, but looking at Jiang Xiaochuan's mournful face that said "I'm helpless too," he couldn't bring himself to say anything. He wanted to say something, but felt that nothing he said would be appropriate.

In the end, all the words he wanted to say succinctly succinctly rang out: "...What exactly is it you want, kid...?"

He actually wanted to ask, "What is it about you that makes you so charming?" but it was too embarrassing to ask.