When Lin Ji opened his eyes again, he was greeted by a profound silence. He silently thought to himself, if he were to be reborn and die at the hands of a bird demon, wouldn’t that be the funniest joke in the world? He could almost choke on his own laughter. But, it seemed he wasn’t dead?

Lin Ji sat up and noticed that the sky outside the window was pitch black. The furnishings around him indicated that he was in an inn room. Just as he was trying to search for someone’s figure, Lu Xiaobai pushed the door open with his shoulder, carrying two large bowls, and placed them on a nearby table, casually saying, “You’re awake?”

“There are healing pills in the storage bag by your side. Find something suitable to eat for your injuries.”

Lin Ji had overexerted his spiritual energy, and he couldn’t afford to be reckless with his body. He first took the healing pills and sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to recuperate. He actually wanted to ask how they had escaped, but thinking about the fact that this was a storybook world, his heart sank again. 

How could the protagonist die? He was merely riding on the coattails of others. 

After these days, Lin Ji had to admit that aside from being the Dragon Ao Tian protagonist, Lu Xiaobai had many admirable qualities. He was clever and quick-witted, always prepared and thinking ahead. 

In fact, he had appreciated this person in his previous life; he wasn’t someone who was small-minded and couldn’t tolerate others being better than him. It was just that Lu Xiaobai had taken too much from him in his past life, and Lin Ji couldn’t view him from an objective perspective. 

Now that he had escaped due to Lu Xiaobai’s halo, those unpleasant memories resurfaced, filling Lin Ji’s heart with resentment and anger that spanned both his past and present lives.

“Ah Ji, your breath is uneven. Why don’t you take a break?” 

Suddenly, a voice came to his ears. When Lin Ji opened his eyes, he saw Lu Xiaobai leaning over with a concerned look, his hand resting on Lin Ji’s shoulder. 

Lin Ji almost reflexively brushed Lu Xiaobai’s hand away without reason, turning his face to hide his expression. “Why are you always so close to me?” 

“I’m very alert, especially when I’m recuperating. If you hadn’t called me first before touching me, I would have thrown you to the ground, or worse… injured you.” 

After a pause, Lin Ji turned back to him and smiled, his eyes filled with sincere advice, yet there seemed to be an elusive emotion hidden beneath. 

Lu Xiaobai didn’t step back; instead, he leaned in closer, his smile growing brighter. “Well, I can’t help it. I just like being close to you. First, you’re my junior brother, and we’ll need to rely on and trust each other in the future; second, I’ve heard that being around good-looking people will make you more handsome over time.” 

Lin Ji was momentarily stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief as he looked at him. “What are you talking about?” 

Lu Xiaobai blinked, his smile deepening. “I’m speaking the truth.” 

Lin Ji: “…” 

Lu Xiaobai straightened up, feeling as if he had been massaged ten times over. 

It wasn’t the first time he knew Lin Ji rejected him, but he enjoyed the feeling of being disliked yet still lingering around him. Moreover, he had always been sincere towards Ah Ji, genuinely complimenting him, leaving him speechless. 

Lu Xiaobai thought Lin Ji’s appearance was a mix of six parts beauty and four parts handsomeness; any more would be too delicate, and any less would seem rugged. At this moment, they complemented each other perfectly, just right. 

In fact, his face had a certain heroic charm, with a broad and full mid-face, and a smooth, slender shape. His nose was high, and his lips were thin. His eyes were long, neither too big nor too small, with slightly upturned corners, and the shape was particularly beautiful, with eyelashes longer than most men. Unfortunately, when looking at others with such eyes, there was always a hint of gloom and detachment. 

His hair was long, tied up high, cascading down like a waterfall. Perhaps due to his noble background, he usually wore luxurious robes, and his attire was elaborate and eye-catching, making his original six parts beauty appear as seven, leaning more towards beauty than handsomeness. 

Lu Xiaobai greatly admired his looks and physique, often stealing glances at him. This time, teasing him made him feel even more at ease. 

“Let’s eat first; the noodles are getting soggy.” 

After saying that, Lu Xiaobai returned to the table and picked up his chopsticks to slurp the noodles. 

Lin Ji sat there in a daze for a while, and what was even more terrifying was that after he caught the meaning behind Lu Xiaobai’s words, he realized his cheeks were uncontrollably flushing. He waited for the heat to dissipate before he let out a deep breath and sat down across from Lu Xiaobai. 

What was on the table was a very ordinary bowl of noodle soup, with vegetables, eggs, and plenty of meat. The bowl was large and hearty, looking quite appetizing. 

Lin Ji glared at Lu Xiaobai, who was wolfing down the food. “I’m not hungry.” 

“Well, I am.” Lu Xiaobai said, directly pulling the bowl towards himself. 

Lin Ji: “…” 

He watched as Lu Xiaobai finished two large bowls of noodles, leaving not a drop of soup behind. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was too hungry or if the noodles were just that delicious. He remembered that Lu Xiaobai’s appetite hadn’t been this big before; he used to be stuffed after one bowl. 

Lin Ji was simply curious; he didn’t need to eat while cultivating, but the fragrant and warm noodle soup would surely warm his stomach after finishing. 

Lu Xiaobai wiped his mouth with a cloth, and at that moment, Lin Ji casually asked how they had escaped the six-winged bird demon. 

Lu Xiaobai, without a script, said, “How could I possibly defeat a bird demon? I was just putting up a desperate fight after exhausting my spiritual energy. I originally wanted to keep the Hidden Light Stone for you to defend yourself. Even if I couldn’t win, I would have stood in front of you and died first, after all, you were dragged down by me.” 

“Just then, a celestial being with an ethereal demeanor happened to pass by Fengming Mountain to gather herbs and conveniently saved us.” 

At this moment, the Elder Shuhua, who had been hiding, quietly snorted: Quite the storyteller. 

Lu Xiaobai spoke passionately, getting himself all worked up. He thought Lin Ji would at least show some surprise, but to his disappointment, Lin Ji remained indifferent. 

For the first time, Lu Xiaobai felt a bit uncertain about himself. “You don’t believe me?” 

Lin Ji followed up with a question, “Did he leave a name?” 

Lu Xiaobai, regaining his enthusiasm, shook his head and said, “The celestial being said not to ask too much; if we are fated, we will meet again.” 

Lin Ji scoffed lightly, “Oh. You really are lucky.” 

The Dragon Ao Tian’s luck must have made him dizzy; why couldn’t he encounter such good fortune? 

Lin Ji’s resentment was almost tangible: he wanted nothing more than to stab this world with a sword. 

Lu Xiaobai: “…” 

This was the third time; every time he tried to say something uplifting or encouraging, just as his emotions were rising, Lin Ji would extinguish them with a single blow. 

He only noticed the slight gloom in Lin Ji’s expression and wanted to divert his attention with something interesting, but the more he spoke, the more displeased Lin Ji became. 

After a long while, Lu Xiaobai sighed, his good mood replaced by gloom. No wonder he had been at a loss with the person in front of him for two lifetimes. 

It must be a natural clash of energies, right? 

Lu Xiaobai took his bowl outside for a walk to digest, while Lin Ji continued to recuperate. 

About half an hour later, the door was pushed open again. 

Lin Ji impatiently opened his eyes. “Is there something else? Don’t you have your own room?” 

Lu Xiaobai came in carrying a washbasin. “No, we’ll have to squeeze together tonight.” 

“…” 

Lin Ji suddenly stood up, suspiciously asking, “You’re out of money… Don’t tell me the inn only has one room left?” 

Lin Ji felt a chill run down his spine. He remembered that there were always such plot points in storybooks: when going to a certain place to rest, the innkeeper would always say the rooms were full, leaving only one, suggesting they squeeze together. 

But that kind of plot was only for the romantic leads; what did it have to do with them? 

Lin Ji couldn’t understand at all; if there weren’t enough rooms, couldn’t they go to another inn? He didn’t believe that all the rooms in the city were full! That kind of situation where a woman disguised as a man or a man disguised as a woman could be somewhat justified, but for a man and a woman to pretend to be a couple was simply lacking in decorum; it was all just for the sake of developing feelings. 

Lu Xiaobai set down the basin and began to wring out the water. “How could that be? When I brought you here, it was just evening, and there should have been plenty of rooms left. I didn’t have time to tell the innkeeper to prepare another room because I was taking care of you.” 

“There might still be empty rooms now, but it’s late, and it’s past midnight. The innkeeper is probably too tired to stay awake and is likely asleep. They spend all day cleaning tables and serving bowls; there’s no need to wake them up and disturb them.” 

The actual situation was slightly different; he had exhausted himself after settling Lin Ji in the inn, and the innkeeper couldn’t just take the initiative to open another room. It was better to avoid trouble. 

After Lu Xiaobai finished washing his face and turned around, he saw Lin Ji’s expression relax yet still seem resistant, which made him feel even more frustrated. He provocatively smiled, “We’re both men; what are you afraid of?” 

He could tolerate being disliked, but he couldn’t stand being looked down upon! He wasn’t a monster; he was usually quite clean! 

Lin Ji’s expression stiffened, and he scoffed, “Where do you see me being afraid?” 

It was just lying down for one night with his old nemesis from his past life; what was there to fear? If he were afraid, it would only be that he might sleepwalk in the middle of the night and mistake which life he was in, pulling out his sword to chop Lu Xiaobai. 

“Well, that’s what you said.” 

Lu Xiaobai called out and finished washing up, even letting his hair down. Recently, his hair had grown a bit longer. 

Lin Ji suddenly asked, recalling his explanation, “When you see someone, do you instinctively observe them?” 

Lu Xiaobai replied, “I wouldn’t call it observation; I have eyes, and I can understand just by looking.” 

“…” Lin Ji thought to himself, “What if you don’t use your eyes?” 

Lu Xiaobai took off his shoes and rolled onto the bed. Hearing this, he looked at Lin Ji, his eyes shining like stars in the dark night. “That’s a strange question; why wouldn’t you use your eyes?” 

“If you don’t use your eyes, you still have your nose and ears. If you want to know something, there’s always a way.” 

Lu Xiaobai lay down, covered himself with a blanket, and sighed comfortably, closing his eyes. “Remember to turn off the light when you sleep; I can’t sleep with the light on.” 

After Lin Ji finished washing up, he hesitated for a while but still sat down at the edge of the bed. 

He had to comply; if he didn’t sleep, wouldn’t it make him seem timid? Although he didn’t understand what was so scary about sleeping together. 

Isn’t it normal for two men to share a bed? Perhaps it was because he had always had his own room since he could remember and never needed anyone to accompany him, so he wasn’t used to sleeping with others. 

Lin Ji planned to meditate first; maybe he would directly enter a meditative state and wake up the next day. But after half an hour of trying to calm his mind, he still couldn’t settle down, so he finally opened his eyes and looked towards the inner side. 

Lu Xiaobai had said he couldn’t sleep with the light on, yet he was already silent as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

He lay flat, rare for him to be quiet, but his face looked unusually pale. 

In a crisis, Lu Xiaobai’s spiritual energy would suddenly explode, which Lin Ji referred to as the Dragon Ao Tian’s moment of luck. 

It seemed that before the celestial being who passed by to save them arrived, he had stood in front of Lin Ji for a while, perhaps even exchanging a few blows with the bird demon, and it was possible he had been injured. 

Lin Ji recalled the moment before he crashed into the tree when Lu Xiaobai had used his spiritual energy to cushion him, and the unfairness in his heart finally settled down for a moment. 

After a long time, he awkwardly lay down and pulled over a bit of the blanket, feeling uncomfortable everywhere. 

The bed in the inn was spacious enough to accommodate two men without issue. 

Lin Ji raised his hand and used his spiritual energy to extinguish the light. As he reflected on his past and present lives, he found himself wide awake, becoming more alert the more he thought. 

He tossed and turned for a long time, not wanting to wake Lu Xiaobai, feeling the discomfort of insomnia. It seemed that Dragon Ao Tian had good sleep quality. 

Suddenly, Lu Xiaobai turned over, and they were facing each other. 

Lin Ji widened his eyes and quickly lay flat, not knowing how long it had been before he turned again, facing Lu Xiaobai’s sleeping face. 

This pretty boy, at least for now, his features hadn’t fully developed, and among the male disciples, he wasn’t that outstanding. Why was he so well-liked in the Peifeng Sect? It seemed that aside from Su Qinghe, that annoying and foolish guy and his lackey, everyone else liked him quite a bit. 

From the elders to the junior sisters, everyone seemed to care about him and treated him kindly. 

It seemed that he was the only one who always went against him, often secretly at odds with him. 

Even Meng Wanqiu had asked several times; Lu Xiaobai must have felt it too. He wondered what he would think about that. 

Lin Ji stared at Lu Xiaobai’s face, thinking that since he instinctively analyzed others when he saw them, did Lu Xiaobai know who he was the first time they met in their past life? 

In his previous life, Lin Ji had gone to Fengming Mountain alone. 

At that time, the Yunshang Immortal Sect had opened a back door for him, and he had already obtained his life sword—the Jueying Sword—at the ruins. 

He went to Fengming Mountain to find the blood of a spirit deer to refine his life sword, making it more spiritual and effective. 

Lin Ji didn’t know why Lu Xiaobai had gone; he hadn’t mentioned anything about helping his master dispel the demon poison in his past life, so he probably went to gather herbs to change his constitution. 

Lin Ji exchanged a thousand-year-old spiritual mushroom, allowing Lu Xiaobai to make a shallow cut on the spirit deer’s leg to collect a small vial of deer blood. 

The goal was easily achieved, and there was no need to linger. Lin Ji naturally flew back on his sword. 

He instinctively released his divine sense to survey the surroundings, always avoiding unexpected situations. 

But accidents still happened, though they had little to do with him. 

Lin Ji heard sounds of fighting in the woods, the leakage of spiritual energy, coming from the cultivators of the immortal sect. 

Conflicts between people could sometimes be more intense than the battles of wild beasts in the woods. 

Fengming Mountain was rich in spiritual resources, but not everyone could gather the desired spiritual plants. If someone couldn’t find what they were looking for, they would rob it from those who had. 

Lin Ji flew closer on his sword and easily saw a group of people surrounding one person, that unfortunate soul looking utterly powerless, beaten to the point of not being able to get up. 

Lin Ji didn’t have the heart to help; he thought that guy was lucky to encounter him, achieving his goal without obstacles while in a good mood. 

At that time, he still didn’t know that meeting this person would mark the beginning of his misfortune. Helping others was only satisfying when it was for the isolated and weak; otherwise, there was no sense of fulfillment in the rescue. 

Lin Ji gripped his sword and flew down, swinging it to knock away all the cultivators who were ganging up on the person, at least injuring them by thirty percent. 

“Annoying, get lost.” 

He had been so arrogant and domineering back then. 

Seeing the disparity in strength, those cultivators scrambled away. 

The bullied weakling managed to get up, staggering away. 

Lin Ji didn’t expect gratitude from saving someone, but was it too much to ask for that person to say a word before leaving? 

A wave of displeasure rose in his heart, and he searched around until he spotted the person by a lake. 

That person was in tattered light blue clothes, looking as if he had rolled in the mud, and was currently washing his hands and face in the water. 

Hearing footsteps, Lin Ji saw the person secretly draw a dagger, moving slowly and cautiously, but in Lin Ji’s eyes, he was completely exposed. 

Lin Ji continued to approach without stopping, and the person suddenly lunged at him with the dagger, which he easily knocked away. 

If he had been angry before not seeing clearly, after seeing the person’s face, Lin Ji was left with only surprise. 

This person’s eyes were blood-red, so red that it was hard to see the pupils. 

In the woods, it was inevitable to be hit by poisonous beasts and toxins, but his eyes were likely damaged by someone. 

Lin Ji sighed; there was actually someone more sinister than his fellow disciples in the Yunshang Immortal Sect. Eyes were incredibly important to anyone, and blinding someone was truly… extremely cruel. 

No wonder, in such a situation, who could believe that a sudden third party was either friend or foe? 

The young man, having failed his attack, was thrown back, covered in injuries, and realized the gap in strength. After thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, “You can kill or torture me as you wish, but please, fellow immortal, grant me a quick death. Don’t take pleasure in humiliating me like that group just now.” 

He certainly didn’t want to die. Lu Xiaobai said this, but his mind was already devising an escape plan. 

He wanted to live; only by living could he turn things around. But this person’s spiritual energy was pure and his cultivation was high, so he definitely wouldn’t like to spare someone who had been defeated. 

He had to stabilize this person first, preserve his life, and then think of a plan. Even if the hope of escape was slim, he had to try. 

But Lu Xiaobai felt the person suddenly grab his hand. He was startled and wanted to retreat, but he found a cool liquid mixed with spiritual energy touching his eyes, alleviating the intense pain. 

Lin Ji said, “You’re not mistaken; the water here indeed has miraculous effects in removing toxins and impurities. But without spiritual energy to assist in healing, even if your eyes aren’t ruined, they might still leave a lasting problem.” 

No wonder he was just a Qi Refining cultivator; it was no surprise he was bullied. 

Lu Xiaobai was filled with uncertainty. After losing his sight, his guard was raised to the maximum, but after a while, the pain and discomfort in his eyes gradually faded, and he finally believed that this person was indeed here to help him. 

He cooperated with Lin Ji to recuperate, and after about half an hour, Lin Ji withdrew his spiritual energy. The toxins in Lu Xiaobai’s eyes were cleared, and the bloodshot had receded by half, finally looking less terrifying. 

Lu Xiaobai cupped his fists towards Lin Ji. “Thank you very much.” 

Lin Ji scoffed, “No need for that; take care of yourself. In the cultivation world, weakness is a sin.” 

Lu Xiaobai nodded; no one understood this principle better than him. 

However… he raised his head slightly, “If that’s the case, why did you save me?” 

Lin Ji became interested and answered mysteriously, “When your cultivation reaches my level, you’ll know that making decisions is just a thought away. If I want to kill, I kill; if I want to save, I save.” 

Lu Xiaobai didn’t belittle himself upon hearing this; a genuine smile appeared on his lips. “I’ve learned from you; I believe one day I will understand.” 

“…” 

Boring. 

Lin Ji stood up, and Lu Xiaobai quickly got up as well. “Since you’ve saved me, can you see it through? I’m temporarily blind and can’t get out of Fengming Mountain. I’m afraid those beasts will return.” 

“They’re not like celestial dragons or phoenixes, kind-hearted; they will definitely retaliate against me.” 

Kind-hearted? He was never kind-hearted; he simply thought the other was in his way. 

Anyone could tell that this kid was intentionally flattering him, but his attitude was neither servile nor overbearing, and his tone was sincere. Even if Lin Ji saw through it, it didn’t make him feel annoyed. 

Could this be the legendary clever person? 

Lin Ji didn’t respond and turned to walk a bit, then paused and said, “Aren’t you coming?” 

Lu Xiaobai happily replied, “I’m coming!” 

Lin Ji didn’t know what was wrong with him; he could fly on his sword but chose to lead Lu Xiaobai around, moving at a speed just slightly faster than a snail. 

All the dangers they encountered along the way were easily dealt with by his sword, and he didn’t pay much attention to the person behind him. 

No matter if Lu Xiaobai bumped into trees or stumbled, Lin Ji maintained a steady pace. 

Poor Lu Xiaobai was blindly groping around with his eyes closed, kicking stones and hurting his feet countless times. 

Suddenly, Lin Ji stopped, looking conflicted about something. 

Lu Xiaobai quickly said, “I’ll keep up; please don’t lose patience with me, senior.” 

Lin Ji: “…” 

Actually, he just didn’t want to acknowledge that kind-hearted remark; he felt he wasn’t kind-hearted. 

If he did something kind, it would give him the feeling of having fallen into the other’s trap. 

After a long time, Lu Xiaobai heard Lin Ji’s cold voice beside him: “You’re holding onto my sword; don’t waste time.” 

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaobai reached out towards the sound, first touching Lin Ji’s arm, which was brushed away in annoyance. 

But in that moment, Lu Xiaobai felt the fabric of Lin Ji’s clothing. 

The robe was of excellent quality, with several layers yet as light as gauze, smooth and soft like a cloud, and touching it brought a warmth that didn’t feel cold. Such good material wasn’t something a small sect could afford; for example, their Peifeng Sect’s direct disciples couldn’t wear it. How many spirit stones would it cost? 

After several attempts, Lu Xiaobai finally touched Lin Ji’s sword, following the hilt down to grasp it, secretly memorizing the pattern in his heart. 

Seeing that he had a firm grip, Lin Ji started walking. 

After what felt like a long time, the two finally exited Fengming Mountain. Lin Ji brought Lu Xiaobai to a relatively safe intersection and retracted his sword, saying, “You figure out how to get back.” 

Lu Xiaobai suddenly asked, “What does the senior want me to repay you with?” 

He had thought about whether to give Lin Ji the spiritual plants he had gathered, as the old man had taught him to be grateful. 

But the spiritual plants he had obtained were too precious and beneficial for refining spiritual roots. The senior might not need them, but he couldn’t do without them. 

He had almost been beaten to death earlier, and Lu Xiaobai had clung to them tightly, refusing to let go. 

After much deliberation, he chose to ask directly; if the other wanted him to repay, he would give it, and if not, he wouldn’t. He admitted his thoughts weren’t pure. 

Lin Ji coldly snorted, “What use is your repayment to me?” 

Though it was a rhetorical question, what Lin Ji’s voice conveyed was that he was about to leave. 

Lu Xiaobai hurriedly called out to him, “What sect are you from? How should I address you?” 

“I’m useless now; wait until I’m useful…” 

Lin Ji couldn’t be bothered to listen to nonsense and directly summoned his life sword with spiritual energy, turning to fly away on his sword. 

Lu Xiaobai leaned against a tree, enduring the pain as he opened his eyes. The sunlight mixed with the light was simply too unbearable! 

He raised his hand to shield his forehead from the sunlight, barely catching a glimpse of a sky-blue silhouette.