Category: After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration]

Chapter 182: The Ones Who Can’t Be Shaken Off (1)

Su Mingxiu found her consciousness slipping into a hazy blur.

She could faintly hear a booming roar, but she couldn’t make out the details. Calmly, she sorted through her memories, confirming that the part about the system hadn’t disappeared this time. Then, she started reviewing everything from her first system mission onwards.

After confirming that her soul power was gradually increasing and preventing the system from manipulating her, Su Mingxiu calmly waited for the system to announce the background of this mission.

But she waited a long time. Other than discerning that the roaring sound was getting closer and clearer, she didn’t hear any sounds in her mind.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes.

In the pitch-black environment, a single beam of light shone from the opposite corner, drawing her attention. Su Mingxiu stood in place, realizing she couldn’t move at all.

The light flickered, radiating outwards from the opposite side…illuminating her flank.

And the booming sound she had heard earlier was coming from behind her. It was a line of dialogue amidst the music: “Even if you are cold and heartless, I don’t care. I thought a sincere heart could warm you, but the one thing I didn’t expect was that you clearly love her, yet you use me as a shield, making me suffer the hardships that belong to her…”

“Are you done? If you are, get lost. You’re an eyesore.” Oh.

So, she was in a movie theater.

Su Mingxiu listened to the melodramatic, stilted dialogue. Her eyes flickered as she looked at the screen to her side. From this angle, she couldn’t see any of the movie, only the changing lights of the theater.

She noticed that she was wearing a light blue jumpsuit. Her left hand held a broom, her right hand held a bucket, and she had a plain employee badge pinned to her chest. The name on it was so random that she was stunned for a moment:

“Theater Cleaner A”

Su Mingxiu: “…”

Damn system, you’re dead.

She glanced at the audience in the darkness below, their heads a dense mass. With her good vision, she could spot a familiar face in the couple’s seats in the middle of the last row.

Su Mingxiu was about to take a step in that direction, trying to get a clearer view, when she realized her body was like it had been hit with a freezing spell. She couldn’t move at all, like a puppet whose program hadn’t started.

At the same time.

The person she was watching was cautiously placing the empty Häagen-Dazs ice cream cup to the side, trying to move away. Unfortunately, a hand around her waist pulled her in the opposite direction. “What’s wrong?”

Rong Rong couldn’t help but let her gaze shift to the person who was holding her. The pure white suit was like a white rose blooming alone in the darkness. The neat, short hair had a slight curve, the only softness in her otherwise austere features.

She looked at the person who exuded an aura of “I can close a two-hundred million dollar deal in minutes,” and gave an awkward yet polite smile.

“N-nothing.”

But her gaze couldn’t help but glance at the person’s head, where a large pink heart was jumping up and down. The number “99” was written in the middle of the heart.

…What is this tacky, vulgar thing?

Rong Rong was still baffled, thinking that she had been single for too long and was starting to fantasize about girlfriends in her dreams when she suddenly heard a “zizizi” static sound in her mind, followed by a calm, mechanical voice:

[Welcome to the “Breakup Strategy” holographic game. Congratulations on becoming the 101st lucky internal beta tester for the game. All experiences in this game will provide you with the most realistic sensations! I am System 001, and I am happy to serve you. A 30-minute newbie protection period has now begun, and a newbie gift pack has been issued. Would you like to open it?]

Huh?

Rong Rong was seriously reflecting on whether she had been under too much work pressure lately. Otherwise, how could her subconscious create such an outrageous dream? A breakup strategy? She was a single dog; did she need to add this useless knowledge?

Before she could think more, the person holding her waist chuckled softly and leaned in towards her.

Rong Rong’s eyes widened, her whole body stiff as a board. Before she could figure out what to do, she suddenly heard a bottle drop on the ground; it was from the next seat over.

She was startled and reflexively looked down, seeing an empty, crumpled cola bottle roll to her feet. Before she could lower her head, she noticed that the person holding her had loosened their grip slightly, saying with a hint of helplessness in her ear, “I knew that not booking the entire theater would bring trouble… But what can I do? I love how kind you are, always not wanting to cause trouble for others.”

“But, for coming to this kind of place for you, you’ll compensate me well tonight, right?”

A whole train of thought was running through Rong Rong’s head, making a “woo woo” sound. She didn’t dare to answer this dangerous question and used the excuse of returning the bottle to the person next to them.

Then, before the person next to her could say more, she picked up the bottle and passed it to the next seat, leaning over, “Did you drop this?”

The moment she asked the question.

She saw clearly the person sitting next to her.

The other person was wearing an exaggerated Baroque-style dress, pink and puffy, paired with a long-brimmed hat and light golden curls, making her look like a porcelain doll come to life. Rong Rong was shocked by her delicate makeup, then she noticed that this person also had that tacky heart on their head, with the number 100 inside, but it had stopped jumping.

Just as she handed over the bottle, the person under the light-colored hat slightly curled their lips, revealing a light, unconcerned smile. Slowly, they raised a hand… passed the bottle and grabbed her wrist.

“I dropped it.”

Rong Rong heard the other person say.

She: “?”

Before she could speak, she suddenly felt herself being violently pulled towards the other person, almost like her arm was being peeled off.

But soon, she couldn’t pay attention to the pain because a sharp blade, which had appeared out of nowhere, was piercing through her chest.

In the midst of the intense pain, she looked down and saw the blood gradually staining her clothes. She heard the “doll” who had pulled her over sniff at her neck and sigh as if in admiration, “Such a strong smell of money.”

“You’re all dirty.”

Rong Rong: “…”

She cursed in her heart. Before her consciousness faded into darkness, she heard a voice in her mind, “Detecting that the player is in the newbie protection period. Death record erased. Loading the storyline again.”

When Rong Rong, who had experienced a First Blood, opened her eyes again, she found herself still sitting in the movie theater. Thinking about the feeling of being stabbed through the heart, she unconsciously broke out in a cold sweat.

Then she started calling out to the system, “Is there no background introduction to your game?”

The system answered sincerely, “Yes, would you like to play the background animation for you now?”

Rong Rong thought about the perverted doll sitting next to her and the cola bottle that she didn’t know when would roll over, and she fearfully replied, “No, no, no, wait. Let me find a safe place before you play it.”

“Why are you covered in sweat? Are you cold?”

At that moment, the “two-hundred million” person next to her asked with some concern, and went to place a hand on her forehead. But Rong Rong suddenly jumped up, and left behind the words, “I want to go to the restroom.”

The woman looked up at her, smoothed her slightly folded collar, and replied unhurriedly, “Okay, come back soon.”

Rong Rong took off running.

As she turned the corner, she accidentally bumped into a figure in the darkness. She gave it a quick glance, not seeing any pink hearts or numbers, left a quick “Sorry,” and ran quickly out of the theater. She didn’t know if the NPC heard her.

Su Mingxiu, bumped by her, finally felt she had regained control of her body. Thinking about the bloody scene she had just witnessed, a thoughtful expression flickered in her black eyes. In the deafeningly loud theater, no one heard her meaningful words, “It’s okay.”

Inside the restroom.

Rong Rong, feeling like she had finally escaped this “Crazy Movie Theater,” leaned against a stall, panting, trying to recover from the fear of being killed once. Then, she heard a sound in her mind.

[Ding, detecting that the player’s mental state is not good. Would you like to adjust the game’s realistic sensations?]

[How do I adjust them?]

As soon as she asked, the girl saw a few bars appear in front of her, like adjusting the volume on a computer, but the names at the top were “Pain”, “Perception Sensitivity.” Below were checkboxes for “Death Record Screen Capture”, “Turn On Shura Field Warning”, and more.

Her fingertips hovered over them, not sure how to choose, feeling a bit dizzy.

[Why don’t you start by playing the opening anim-]

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Before she could finish talking to the system, Rong Rong heard the sound of someone knocking on her stall door. She felt her heart leap, like a hand had suddenly clenched it. “Who is it?”

“Baby, it’s me.” A very familiar voice.

It was that pink doll!

Rong Rong’s whole body collapsed. She didn’t dare not open the door. After a moment, a girl with red eyes, shivering, wearing a light blue round-necked dress came out of the stall, revealing a pitiful expression that, to an outsider, would be extremely sympathetic, but in reality, she was scared to tears:

“Why… why did you come here?”

The person wearing the fancy dress raised a hand and touched the tip of her nose. “You’re asking me? We agreed to watch a movie together. I waited for you for so long, and you ended up sitting in the seat next to me?”

“I mixed up the seat numbers. Who knew the person next to me would be someone who kept bothering me…”

Rong Rong half-truthfully wiped her tears, feeling like she might not be stabbed to death by this porcelain doll this time. She even secretly glanced to see if the other person was pulling out a blade.

“Don’t be afraid. I will protect you.” The other person reached out and pulled her out. Feeling her body still trembling, they couldn’t help but hug her, whispering comforting words.

Rong Rong: You’re the one I’m afraid of.

She sobbed fake tears in the woman’s arms, her chin rubbing against the lace trim on the other person’s shoulder, which was a bit painful. She was about to say something when she was suddenly lifted onto the sink, her back against the cold mirror.

The person holding her slowly looked over her dress, revealing a very disapproving look, “I wanted to ask you earlier, baby, why are you wearing such ugly clothes? This dress covers all the good points on your body. It’s so tacky and ugly. Can I change it for you?”

Rong Rong: “?”

She was still wondering how to change it when she saw the other person pull out a very familiar blade.

W-wait!

Half a minute later, the person sitting on the sink stared blankly at her originally ordinary dress, which had now become a barely-there, stringy style. She had instantly turned from an innocent girl into someone exuding temptation…nightclub style.

Rong Rong was stunned. Before she could react, the person who had satisfiedly put away the blade pressed on the back of her neck, wanting to lean in for a kiss, when suddenly they heard the sound of the stall door opening again.

“Click.”

The two of them turned their heads at the same time, seeing a figure in a wheelchair, weak and frail, as if a strong gust of wind could blow them away.

But the person in the wheelchair had very deep facial features. The sickly look on their face didn’t diminish their beauty; it made them look even more breathtaking.

She smiled gently, but her gaze was on Rong Rong, and she spoke slowly, word by word, “Did I disturb you, sister?”

Rong Rong looked at the red heart and the number 99 on her head, just like the “Two-Hundred Million” and “Doll,” and she felt numb. While she was still stunned, she noticed that the person in the wheelchair’s body swayed, looking like they were about to fall. She reflexively jumped off the sink and reached out to catch her.

“Sister still can’t let me go?”

“But…” the person she caught, weakly holding her, still looked like she couldn’t take care of herself, “Didn’t you promise me that you would only illuminate my life?”

Rong Rong heard a “puff” sound.

It was the sound of a knife piercing her body again.

She looked down again and saw blood. As her consciousness gradually faded, she thought, Thank god I lowered my pain sensitivity earlier! Damn it!

[Detecting that the player is in the newbie protection period. Death record erased. Loading the storyline again.]

[How many?]

Sitting back in the movie theater, Rong Rong calmly spoke in her mind.

System: “What?”

“How many boats…” Rong Rong, with her hands folded over her stomach and a particularly peaceful expression, asked it expressionlessly, “Tell me! How many boats am I stepping on in this role!”

Ah!

She let out a giant bear roar in her heart, thinking that she had just been a single person for over twenty years and hadn’t contributed to the country’s three-child policy. If she was at fault, the law could punish her. She really—

Did! Not! Deserve! This!

Chapter 181: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (End)

The Bei family was surprisingly calm about Bei Xing’s new girlfriend being the same “Master Su” who had cleansed their house of the cursed Pixiu.

Bei Xing’s eldest sister, away on a business trip, only said via video call: Just don’t play around with people’s feelings.

Huh?

Bei Xing looked at her parents, who were giving Su Mingxiu red envelopes, thanking her for taking care of their “troublesome” daughter.

…Wait, isn’t she my girlfriend? Why are they treating her like a tutor?

Back in her room, Su Mingxiu handed her the red envelopes.

She leaned closer and pinched Bei Xing’s cheek. “Want to count it?”

Bei Xing, her earlier annoyance fading, a smile playing on her lips, clutched the envelopes. “I’ll count it for you,” she mumbled, peeking inside.

But there was only a bank card and a slip of paper with the PIN.

Bei Xing: “!”

This is what rich people do!

She was stunned, not noticing Su Mingxiu’s amusement.

After a while, she reluctantly handed the envelopes back. “Since they gave it to you…”

Su Mingxiu reached for them, then paused, a playful smile. “How about… you keep it for me?”

“That’s not appropriate,” Bei Xing said, putting the envelopes in her pocket.

Then she heard Su Mingxiu say, her voice casual, “It’s fine, but tonight—”

She quickly tossed the envelopes back at Su Mingxiu. “I don’t do… money management. Keep it yourself.”

Take it away!

She couldn’t bear the sight of this… tempting wealth!

Time flew by, and the Lunar New Year was approaching.

Bei Xing, using her studies as an excuse to avoid Su Mingxiu’s… amorous advances, had passed her exams with decent grades. On the day her last results were released, she went shopping with her family for New Year’s goods.

Thanks to her father’s superstitions, starting from the Little New Year, the family had been busy with various rituals: sending off the Kitchen God, booking temple ceremonies, getting lucky charms, and scheduling more rituals for the coming year.

Bei Xing had initially wanted to use her newfound knowledge, but the sheer number of rituals, many of them in the middle of the night, made her give up. No, thank you, I need my sleep, she had declared.

Su Mingxiu also stayed with the Bei family for the New Year, her role in the family… unclear.

But the Bei family welcomed her warmly, and the festive atmosphere grew.

Having received generous bonuses, many servants had also stayed.

On the fourth day of the New Year, Bei Xing, enjoying a bowl of bird’s nest soup, looked at the fireworks display by the river, a nightly event during the New Year period.

She closed the curtains and turned to Su Mingxiu. “Wake me up tomorrow morning, okay?”

“I know,” Su Mingxiu replied, slightly exasperated. Bei Xing hadn’t shown any interest in the rituals, except for tomorrow’s—Welcoming the God of Wealth.

The previous rituals had been performed at home, but for this one, they had to go to the temple. The master performing the ceremony was too busy to come to their house, and he wasn’t easily swayed by money, so they had to go early.

How early?

The entire Bei family had set their alarms.

Bei Xing was pleased, thinking, This is why they’re so rich.

During winter, Bei Xing, clinging to Su Mingxiu like a heater, demanded a higher body temperature, then, when the house’s heating was turned on, she complained about the heat, wanting the jiao to cool down.

Su Mingxiu, having been used as a thermostat all night, her sleep disrupted, seeing Bei Xing’s fussiness, woke her up ten minutes before the alarm. “Wake up, we’ll be late for the God of Wealth.”

Bei Xing, startled awake: “!”

Then, unable to fall back asleep, annoyed at losing ten minutes of sleep, she declared that she would ignore Su Mingxiu for five hours, as punishment.

“Haa…”

Before dawn…

A faint light illuminated the temple courtyard. Bei Xing, standing among her family, yawned, the chanting monk’s voice a meaningless drone.

“Still sleepy?” Su Mingxiu whispered beside her.

Bei Xing, ignoring her, glanced at the fortune sticks on the table, then at the ancient tree, its branches adorned with red ribbons and wooden wishing plaques, the ground beneath it covered in coins.

Then she looked away, bored.

The monk finished his chanting, and the Bei family, starting with Bei Xing’s father, stepped forward to offer incense, performing the ritualistic bows, receiving blessed tokens from the God of Wealth.

By the time her eldest sister returned, the sky was painted with pink and orange hues, a breathtaking sunrise.

Bei Xing, her earlier drowsiness gone, her expression now serious, knelt before the altar, her mind clear, performing the ritualistic bows—

The first bow.

Golden sunlight flooded the courtyard, illuminating the ancient tree.

The second bow.

A gentle breeze rustled the wishing plaques, their clinking like a soft melody.

The third bow.

Golden light, like fireflies, filtered through the leaves, settling on the wooden plaques, then, as Bei Xing stood up, the light, carried by the wind, swirled around her, as if she was enveloped by the Milky Way.

She heard her mother’s gasp, urging her father to look.

The monk smiled and bowed to the statue of the God of Wealth.

And amidst the golden light, Bei Xing, holding her blessed token, turned to Su Mingxiu, who was leaning against a wall in the shadows, like a peach blossom in bloom, a smile on her lips.

Bei Xing, bathed in the God of Wealth’s blessings, the golden light fading, hurried over to Su Mingxiu. “Was that you?”

“No,” Su Mingxiu tucked her hair behind her ear, not mentioning the five-hour “punishment,” her voice a gentle tease, “some people are just… favored by the gods.”

She suddenly thought of Gui Mian,

Her obedient disciple who had only asked for a hundred years of companionship.

The same soul, she thought, even without her memories, still so radiant.

Bei Xing, holding Su Mingxiu’s hand, led her out of the temple, their steps light as they descended the mountain path, her humming a sign of her cheerful mood.

After a while, she turned and waved to Su Mingxiu, who was walking behind her.

Su Mingxiu leaned down, and Bei Xing, standing on tiptoe, whispered in her ear, as if sharing a secret: “Even with the gods’ blessings—”

“I like you the most.”

The distant mountains, silent witnesses, shared their secret.

And the favored jiao, under the bright sunlight, smiled, a radiant expression.

She turned and, before Bei Xing could react, kissed her lightly. Bei Xing, covering her lips, looked around nervously, then glared at Su Mingxiu, her eyes wide. “How could you… here…”

Su Mingxiu licked her lips, her smile smug. “What can I say, being the master’s favorite has its perks.”

Master?

Bei Xing stared at her, stunned.

Before she could say anything, Su Mingxiu transformed into her jiao form, her massive black body now before her, her noble head lowered. “Want to go for a ride?” she asked.

“Yes!”

Bei Xing quickly climbed onto the jiao’s head, and they soared into the sky,

Towards their home.

Chapter 180: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (23)

Bei Xing and Chu Yinxi met again at a cafe near the north gate of the school.

The aroma of milk and coffee mingled in the air.

Chu Yinxi seemed calm, as if she had anticipated this meeting, her decision already made.

As she sat down, she ordered a lemon water, then, after the waiter left, she unclasped the thin chain holding the transparent bead around her neck. “I assume you’re here for this,” she said, placing the bead on the table.

Bei Xing, startled, put down her coffee cup. Despite knowing that the bead was a dragon’s inner core, she was still surprised by Chu Yinxi’s casual demeanor. “What would I do with this? It’s your protective amulet.”

Chu Yinxi paused,

Then glanced at Bei Xing’s wrist, not seeing the jiao. So Bei Xing was alone. A faint smile touched her lips. “I thought you would come together.”

“I’m the one who asked to meet, not her,” Bei Xing smiled back.

Chu Yinxi sighed, her gaze complex, then asked: “Alright, then what do you want to know?”

Since sitting down, Bei Xing had noticed Chu Yinxi’s unusual demeanor, the usually vibrant and cheerful girl now looking pale and wilted, like a dying flower.

“I just wanted to know… how you’ve been,” she said.

She had planned to ease into the conversation, but seeing Chu Yinxi’s fragile state, she decided to be direct.

Bei Xing knew that her current carefree life was thanks to Su Mingxiu.

But she also knew that this was a dangerous world.

Chu Yinxi was her first real friend, and she wanted to help.

Chu Yinxi, remembering her awkward performance at the cafeteria, trying to meet Su Mingxiu alone,

Hesitated, then said: “Let me… tell you a story.”

“I should have ordered wine,” Bei Xing chuckled, gesturing for her to continue.

“In ancient times, besides those born as dragons, snakes and jiao had to endure great tribulations to ascend to dragonhood. And the final transformation, the thunder tribulation, was so powerful that they had to use rivers and oceans to disperse its energy. So, their transformations often brought disasters to the human world.”

“A hundred years ago, a great demon, who had cultivated from a snake, had a human friend. But before the tribulation, it failed to overcome its inner demons and accidentally killed its friend, then, during the tribulation, it flooded the friend’s village—”

“It became the last dragon in the world, but the world’s spiritual energy dwindled, and its power weakened, its soul fragmenting, its form reverting back to a small black snake.”

Chu Yinxi paused.

“And miraculously, one of its soul fragments, the heavenly soul, was reborn into the Chu family.” She looked at Bei Xing. “And that friend… also had the surname Chu.”

But Bei Xing understood the implications.

She finally understood why Su Mingxiu was a supporting character. Because of this connection, this shared history, even their souls… intertwined.

A classic yuri trope.

“You… are the reincarnation of her heavenly soul,” she said.

Chu Yinxi lowered her eyes, neither confirming nor denying, then continued: “The Chu family has powerful diviners, and they saw the newborn’s karmic debt, her connection to the black dragon, and to prevent its return, they placed a curse on her soul.”

“The infant’s soul was too weak, almost dying from the curse, but the scattered dragon pearl, sensing the heavenly soul’s weakening, came to her, using its remaining power to protect her.”

“The curse: if the black dragon’s three souls reunite, it will be dragged into the Asura Realm, to suffer eternal torment.”

Bei Xing’s coffee suddenly lost its appeal.

She hadn’t expected such a story.

Even though she had been prepared… she was still moved by the hidden pain and resentment.

For a moment, she even wondered, if she hadn’t appeared, would Su Mingxiu, after merging with Su Jin and learning the truth, have chosen to stay with Chu Yinxi, to atone, to protect her, to lift the curse?

Based on the usual tropes, Chu Yinxi’s fate was intertwined with the black dragon’s, such a deep connection, her destined partner could only be Su Mingxiu, right?

Her rationality told her not to focus on the romance, but her emotions were in turmoil. “Why… why are you telling me this?” she asked, as if reminding Chu Yinxi, and herself.

If Chu Yinxi hadn’t said anything, Su Mingxiu, in her pursuit of power, would have unknowingly merged with her, and the Chu family’s plan would have succeeded.

“I don’t know,” Chu Yinxi said, looking at her, “perhaps… seeing her trapped in the barrier last night, not attacking anyone, made me think… she’s not the monster from the stories.”

Or perhaps…

Because she had never seen Su Mingxiu harm anyone, even as a ghost, as a demon.

So she, having grown up in a peaceful world, her heart softening, had betrayed her family, revealing the truth.

Others were drawn to Chu Yinxi’s innocent beauty, but she knew she wasn’t so pure, she carried the black dragon’s karmic debt, she was tainted, the best solution being to merge with the dragon, to atone… but she was reluctant.

She couldn’t explain her reluctance.

“Chu Chu,” Bei Xing suddenly said, and as Chu Yinxi looked up, she continued, her voice serious: “Do you know that dragons don’t need spiritual energy?”

Mortals, far removed from the world of cultivation, could only speculate based on ancient texts.

The age of dragons and phoenixes was long gone. They didn’t know that a dragon’s power was immense, capable of creating its own world, its own laws.

The dwindling spiritual energy wasn’t the black dragon’s fault.

Bei Xing shouldn’t have known this, but she had an all-knowing master. All her questions about the cultivation world were answered by Su Mingxiu.

“But…” Chu Yinxi, surprised, thinking Bei Xing was challenging her family’s beliefs, “the black dragon did perish.”

If not because of the lack of spiritual energy, then what?

No cultivator in this age had the power to kill a dragon.

“Perhaps,” Bei Xing licked the foam from her lips, “it simply… didn’t want to be a dragon anymore.”

What kind of answer is that?

Chu Yinxi was confused. Bei Xing, seeing her conflicted expression, asked: “If you don’t believe me, I can ask Su Mingxiu to come here, you can ask her yourself, okay?”

“Why are you willing to let me see her alone now?” Chu Yinxi asked, remembering Bei Xing’s earlier protectiveness.

“Because I know now… you’re still my friend,” Bei Xing said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

A small stone, kicked by Bei Xing’s shoe, landed in the grass. Standing under a tree outside the cafe, she was reviewing her notes when she heard the chime of the door, and Chu Yinxi emerged, her long, blue dress swaying in the breeze,

Her beauty captivating.

“Susu,” Bei Xing waved, and as Su Mingxiu approached, before she could speak, Su Mingxiu pinched her ear. “What’s with that gesture? Calling a dog?”

Her voice, laced with amusement, held a hint of danger.

Bei Xing stuck out her tongue, pretending innocence, and looked around. “Why so fast?”

“Fast? Someone was so impatient that they almost summoned their contract,” Su Mingxiu teased.

“Nonsense,” Bei Xing, taking her hand, led her towards home, having arranged for a car to pick them up. As they reached a quiet side street, she intertwined their fingers. “What did you talk about?”

“Can’t wait any longer?”

“Tell me!” Bei Xing pushed her against a wall, playfully mimicking a bully. “Or I’ll have to… extract the information.”

Su Mingxiu, after a moment of thought, looked at her expectantly. “Then, proceed with your interrogation.”

Bei Xing started tickling her.

But Su Mingxiu wasn’t ticklish, and Bei Xing, now trapped in Su Mingxiu’s arms, was being tickled mercilessly, gasping for air, tears welling up, her face flushed.

“Give up?” Su Mingxiu asked, her arm around Bei Xing’s waist.

“Yes, yes, I was wrong,” Bei Xing, having learned her lesson from their earlier encounters, quickly surrendered.

When the car arrived, taking them back to the villa complex, Bei Xing, seeing the newly planted flowers, wanted to get out and admire them. Su Mingxiu could only indulge her.

Su Mingxiu, remembering Bei Xing’s earlier question, said: “We didn’t talk about anything much, I just told her that I’m not interested in becoming a dragon and facing another tribulation, so she can stop worrying about that soul fragment.”

“The heavenly soul represents wisdom, it must be progressing quickly in its cultivation, right?” Bei Xing asked, still admiring the flowers.

Su Mingxiu, fixing Bei Xing’s hair, “Your knowledge is improving.”

So there were no coincidences.

Bei Xing thought, Perhaps the black dragon had planned for its heavenly soul to be reborn into the Chu family. A dragon repaying its debt.

Amused by her own thoughts, she finished admiring the flowers, then, seeing that the sun was setting, and that they were alone, she jumped onto Su Mingxiu’s back. “I want a piggyback ride, like last time.”

Su Mingxiu, holding her steady, “Later.”

But Bei Xing knew that “later” could mean… something else. She clung to Su Mingxiu’s back, her eyes twinkling. “I’m so lucky to have such a beautiful and kind girlfriend, did I save the galaxy in my past life?”

“Not quite,” Su Mingxiu replied casually, “just accumulated merit for a few lifetimes.”

Bei Xing: “…”

Since when did you become so narcissistic?!

Changing the subject, “Girlfriend, do you want… a title?” she asked, then realized that she actually liked the idea.

“After waiting for so long, finally having a change of heart?” Su Mingxiu, turning her head slightly, asked, her voice a playful taunt.

“I had a dream last night, you were Chu Chu’s girlfriend,” Bei Xing said, half-truth, half-lie, her hand on Su Mingxiu’s shoulder, trying to see her expression.

“Yes, a nightmare,” Su Mingxiu replied seriously.

Bei Xing: “…” She had wanted to gauge Su Mingxiu’s reaction to the original plot, but she had been outmaneuvered.

After a moment, Su Mingxiu, enjoying her silence, suddenly lifted Bei Xing higher, catching her as she yelped, then, as Bei Xing clung to her neck, startled, she whispered, her gaze meeting Bei Xing’s: “Don’t worry.”

“I’ll only be your girlfriend.”

“Now and forever.”

There was only room for one person on her horns.

Chapter 179: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (22)

Bei Xing had been diligently preparing for the metaphysics conference, only to learn from Su Mingxiu that the prize, a dragon tendon, had been stolen, and the conference might be postponed indefinitely.

Like studying hard for a final exam that gets cancelled. She was annoyed,

But soon, she had other things to worry about. Su Mingxiu, having somehow acquired Su Jin’s phone, showed her a message: Chu Yinxi had invited Su Jin to meet, the location a remote house near Bei Mang Mountain.

“What… does this mean?”

The invitation seemed like a blatant trap.

Even she could see it, Su Mingxiu, a cunning jiao, wouldn’t fall for it.

—”I’ll go,” Su Mingxiu said.

Bei Xing: “?”

Su Mingxiu, stroking her hair, added: “But… in a different form.”

Now, even more confused, Bei Xing, thinking about Chu Yinxi’s strange behavior, swallowed her questions and nodded. “Take me with you,” she said.

After all…

Chu Yinxi had genuinely tried to help her before.

And if Chu Yinxi was in trouble, she would help, within her limited abilities.

Su Mingxiu agreed, but later that night, after Bei Xing had fallen asleep, she went to the location, an ordinary house, no signs of a trap or a protective array.

And no sign of Chu Yinxi.

As she was searching, she sensed the array around Bei Xing’s room being broken. She was startled, turning to go back—

But a transparent barrier, rising from the ground, enveloped Bei Mang Mountain.

Not something a modern cultivator could create.

At the same time…

Bei Xing, asleep, felt a chilling aura. Since Su Mingxiu’s merging with Su Jin, the jiao’s coldness had replaced the ghost’s, less intense, but still noticeable.

She struggled, her eyelids heavy, unable to open her eyes.

Then, she was suddenly awake.

Even with her eyes closed, she knew something was wrong. After chanting a calming mantra, she was able to move, her hand finding a talisman in her pocket.

It was a simple purification talisman, not as powerful as the Five Thunders Talisman,

But it was enough.

The talisman ignited, a golden light dispelling the surrounding darkness, and she heard panicked shouts, then a falling sensation, landing hard on the ground.

She was awake now.

Opening her eyes, she found herself lying on a street, in her pajamas. She was stunned, then remembered she could draw a tracking talisman. Thankfully, she didn’t need tools anymore, Su Mingxiu’s power allowing her to draw them with a single thought.

A faint blue light—

Five grey lines extending from the ground, their destination unknown.

The Five Ghosts Transportation Technique?

She sat there, scratching her head, wasn’t this spell for stealing money? How could it be used to transport people?

Wary, she wondered how to get home, this deserted place unfamiliar, her phone left behind, these ghostly paths probably not leading anywhere she wanted to go.

Having grown up in the city, with no survival skills, she stood up, patted her pajamas, and checked her pockets for talismans, finding them empty.

Oh no.

After a moment of thought, she chanted a spell, a red chain extending from her wrist, trying to contact Su Mingxiu, but the chain stretched towards the mountains—

Her expression changed.

Su Mingxiu saw unfamiliar faces at the edge of the transparent barrier, Chu Yinxi among them, her expression worried, talking to the others, but getting no response.

Then, Su Mingxiu looked at the barrier, initially thinking it was an ancient formation, but she quickly realized it was a crude imitation, its weakness easily found.

“Second Uncle, Eldest Uncle,” Chu Yinxi said, although she had heard the stories of the evil dragon, she still tried to defend it. “The dragon has already paid the price, I’ve spent time with her, even as a ghost, she didn’t harm anyone, and this jiao hasn’t committed any crimes, why can’t we let her go…”

“Xiao Xi, you don’t understand, a black jiao’s transformation into a dragon will always bring disaster, it’s inevitable, and besides, you…”

“Just go somewhere safe, don’t get hurt.”

Su Mingxiu, now in her jiao form, a massive black serpent coiling within the barrier, suddenly lunged towards the northeast, and as the barrier shattered, the cultivators gasping in pain, a red chain appeared around her neck, pulling her towards her destination.

“How?”

“Its power is so strong?”

“According to the records, even back then, this dragon didn’t understand formations…”

…

Bei Xing, following the chain, saw the massive black serpent descending from the sky, and she squinted, then jumped and reached out.

The jiao hovered before her, its massive head close enough to touch, and Bei Xing, stepping forward, touched one of its horns, a wide smile on her face.

“Want to go for a ride?” Su Mingxiu asked.

“Yes!”

As the jiao’s tail helped her onto its head, her hands gripping the horns, it soared into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

The wind roared, but a barrier protected her, the cool air a gentle caress. She saw the moon hidden behind the clouds, a breathtaking view, her smile widening.

“Can you pick a star for me?” she asked the jiao, leaning forward.

“Already did.”

“Where is it?” Bei Xing, expecting a surprise.

“On my head,” Su Mingxiu’s voice came from below.

Bei Xing paused, almost falling, then, relaxing in the cool breeze, the city lights twinkling below like a river of stars, she felt a wave of drowsiness. “Are you in danger?”

“No.”

Bei Xing, after a moment of thought, “Then I’ll talk to Chu Chu tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“Aren’t you going to ask what I’ll talk about?”

“Oh, what will you talk about?”

…

The black jiao circled slowly in the sky, no one seeing the girl in blue pajamas on its head.

Bei Xing had fallen asleep, so the jiao stopped, hovering in mid-air, its tail swishing gently.

Moonlight filled Bei Xing’s dreams,

The earlier panic and fear replaced by a peaceful calm.

As she drifted deeper into sleep, her hand gripping the jiao’s horn, she murmured: “I really like you.”

Su Mingxiu, looking down at the city lights, thought,

Me too.

Chapter 178: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (21)

Su Mingxiu finally absorbed Su Jin’s consciousness completely.

And she also found the missing piece—

The system.

The moment it reintegrated, the gaps in her memory, the missing logic, were restored.

But she also felt a stronger pull towards the third soul fragment, the merging now imminent.

[Long time no see,] she said to the system in her mind, now coiled around Bei Xing’s wrist as a black jiao, [you little trash.]

System: [? ]

It had been thinking, since Su Jin had failed, it might as well pretend nothing had happened, treat Bei Xing as the new host, assigning her the original script and mission…

But hearing Su Mingxiu’s voice, it decided there was no need for pretense. Su Mingxiu’s soul was too powerful now, it couldn’t manipulate her memories or actions, it was better to observe and learn, preparing for the next world.

Su Mingxiu, noticing the system’s silence, transformed into her human form and leaned against the bed, casually checking Bei Xing’s homework.

[I thought you would try to deceive me with some poorly written script, finally realized it’s useless?] she asked mentally.

[…]

She continued, “Still no main storyline, no ultimate mission, have you lost your memory, or have you given up?”

The system finally responded in its monotonous mechanical voice: [Does it matter? You wouldn’t follow it anyway.]

[Bingo.]

Su Mingxiu smiled, having found a loophole—the system had always forced a storyline on her, making her fall in love with the protagonist, then abandon them. But now, it had given up, why?

If the storyline was so important, the punishment for failure would be severe, like complete annihilation.

Rewards and punishments, the carrot and the stick, were the best way to control someone.

But the system’s reward was vague, no mention of how many worlds were left, and the punishment, initially memory loss and lightning strikes, now only memory loss, seemed… lenient.

Strange, she thought, can this system really restore my soul? If it’s so powerful, why these… half-hearted attempts?

And now, no storyline, no mission, had it truly given up? Su Mingxiu didn’t think so.

The system had changed its methods in each world, but its ultimate goal had always been to create trouble between her and the protagonist—its true purpose wasn’t the storyline, but…

…to make her fall in love with the protagonist, then abandon them.

This was the system’s obsession.

Why?

She felt like she was close to the truth.

“Susu.”

Bei Xing, after her shower, her mood cheerful, went to find Su Mingxiu. Now that the ghost had a physical body, there were no more restrictions on sharing food.

Her hair still wet, she wanted Su Mingxiu to try the sweet soup the kitchen had prepared. Su Mingxiu, her fingers running through Bei Xing’s hair, drying it instantly,

Bei Xing touched her hair, which had grown longer, but she hadn’t bothered with any hairstyles, the original owner’s hair already beautiful.

She sat on the sofa, her head resting on Su Mingxiu’s lap, playing with her hair. “I want to dye my hair,” she said.

Su Mingxiu, sipping the sweet soup, “Hmm,” a noncommittal response.

Bei Xing started browsing online for hair color ideas, enjoying the feeling of Su Mingxiu’s fingers playing with her hair.

After a while…

“Want to form a contract with me?” Su Mingxiu asked suddenly.

Bei Xing, about to agree, then paused. “Huh?”

“Humans use marriage, but demons use contracts—so, do you want to form a contract with me?”

She rephrased the question,

Certain that Bei Xing wanted to, the only question being when.

Bei Xing, forgetting about her hair, put down her phone, her eyes wide with surprise. Su Mingxiu made it sound so casual, like asking if she wanted a drink.

She wanted to say, Shouldn’t we choose an auspicious date and time for such an important occasion? Isn’t this like getting married?!

Calm down, Bei Xing, she told herself, you’ve seen bigger things, don’t act so excited, you’ll lose your bargaining power!

Be cool, be aloof, act like you don’t really care!

After a long silence, she finally spoke: “How… how do we do it?”

She heard a little bear in her heart roar with excitement.

Su Mingxiu chuckled softly, her fingertip now tracing Bei Xing’s eyelashes, the long, thick lashes like a soft brush against her skin.

Bei Xing blushed, her eyes fluttering.

“You don’t have to do anything.”

There were several types of demonic contracts. One was for partners, to enhance each other’s power, but it was only suitable for those of equal strength, a weaker partner would be consumed.

The other was a master-servant contract, where humans enslaved demons, a one-sided contract that emphasized loyalty, a humiliating restriction for powerful demons.

Su Mingxiu had initially considered the first option, guiding Bei Xing onto the path of cultivation, so they could be together forever.

But remembering the system’s manipulations and the missing heavenly soul fragment, the future uncertain, she was afraid she couldn’t protect Bei Xing completely.

And even more afraid—

That she herself would be the source of harm.

Having made up her mind, she took Bei Xing’s hand, her voice gentle. “This might hurt a little,” then, before Bei Xing could react, she bit her finger, the sharp pain like a needle prick.

Bei Xing, distracted, watched as her blood, welling up from the wound, was pressed against Su Mingxiu’s forehead, forming a strange symbol.

Then, the blood vanished, and on Su Mingxiu’s pale neck, a red mark appeared, intricate patterns slowly forming.

Bei Xing, mesmerized by the sight, watched, not wanting to miss a single detail.

The red lines, like chains, wrapped around Su Mingxiu’s neck, and as Su Mingxiu touched Bei Xing’s fingertip to her neck, Bei Xing was shocked to see a real, red chain extending from the mark, connected to her finger.

As if… the black jiao was willingly submitting to her.

Bei Xing, of course, didn’t know that this was a master-servant contract, all the restrictions on Su Mingxiu, only benefits for her.

With the contract formed, Su Mingxiu, regardless of her form or power, could never harm Bei Xing, and would even share her power and life force, her long lifespan, with Bei Xing.

Only Bei Xing could break the contract, otherwise, it would last until the jiao’s death.

Su Mingxiu, seeing Bei Xing tracing the chain with her fingertip, as if fascinated by it, pulled her closer, their foreheads touching, and asked with a smile: “Happy, little puppy?”

Bei Xing, hearing the nickname again, paused, then tugged on the chain, making Su Mingxiu lower her head, and, laughing softly, kissed the corner of her lips. “You’re the puppy now.”

She felt a surge of energy, a connection to Su Mingxiu’s life force, even her heartbeat, a constant flow of… affection.

The sensation was overwhelming, a sense of shared existence, their breaths synchronized, and she didn’t even realize when Su Mingxiu had kissed her again.

Until the red chain vanished, the contract completed, the marks on Su Mingxiu’s neck fading, her skin pale again.

Bei Xing, only vaguely aware of the contract’s power, not knowing how to summon it,

Touched Su Mingxiu’s neck. “It’s gone?”

“Want to see it again?” Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, then, as Bei Xing nodded, she smiled.

Half an hour later—

Bei Xing, lying on the sofa, crying, Su Mingxiu’s teeth on her nape, like a predator holding its prey, realized she had been tricked again. Was this jiao playing her? she thought, her tears falling.

Chapter 177: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (20)

The jiao’s mating season ended on the third day.

Thanks to the protective array around the room, Bei Xing’s family assumed she was out having fun, and Su Mingxiu had excused her absences from school.

But Bei Xing, having skipped classes for the first time since arriving in this world, wasn’t happy. She felt like she was dying, trapped in bed with Su Mingxiu.

Her mind hazy, her words fragmented, she still managed to whisper:

“I… want… to go to school…”

She would even eat her textbooks if it meant escaping this endless cycle of… intimacy. She had never been so eager to study.

Su Mingxiu, seeing Bei Xing’s obedience, her only form of protest being soft whimpers and tears, as if afraid of angering the jiao, finally relented, letting her get dressed. Bei Xing’s legs wobbled, and she collapsed onto the carpet.

“Maybe… tomorrow?” Su Mingxiu suggested, wanting Bei Xing to rest and recover.

But Bei Xing, her eyes red and swollen, shook her head resolutely, her voice hoarse. “Even if I have to crawl, I’m going to school today.”

Su Mingxiu, also exhausted from their activities, her black robe stained with… evidence of their passion, yet her expression serene, like an immortal,

Chuckled softly, amused by Bei Xing’s determination. “Fine,” she said, “I’ll get you a wheelchair.”

Bei Xing: “?”

There was no wheelchair, of course, and even if there was, Bei Xing couldn’t fake an injury convincingly.

So, after being cleaned and dressed by Su Mingxiu, she was searching online for quick remedies, not for a full recovery, but at least enough to be able to walk without collapsing.

But Su Mingxiu took her phone, her dark eyes looking down at her, making Bei Xing swallow nervously. “Didn’t you say I could go to school?”

“Don’t worry,” Su Mingxiu said, her gaze gentle, her eyes sparkling like melted cheese, a deceptive warmth,

Making Bei Xing tense up, remembering the jiao’s deceptive gentleness.

“I just want to… apply some medicine,” Su Mingxiu continued.

“When did you buy that?” This was their first time, and the protective array was still active, there couldn’t have been any… preparations.

“Do you know that a jiao transforms into a dragon after the tribulation?” Su Mingxiu asked, changing the subject, her hand gently caressing Bei Xing’s cheek.

As Bei Xing nodded hesitantly, Su Mingxiu’s smile widened, like a blooming flower.

Then, she leaned closer, her lips brushing against Bei Xing’s ear, her voice a low murmur, explaining the healing properties of dragon saliva—

A jiao’s saliva wasn’t as potent, but it was still effective for mortals.

Bei Xing’s expression gradually froze as she understood Su Mingxiu’s intentions.

The next moment—

She pushed Su Mingxiu away.

Su Mingxiu sat down beside her, her gaze fixed on Bei Xing’s blush. “It’s just a suggestion, why are you blushing? Or do you prefer… making a grand entrance in a wheelchair, letting everyone fuss over you?”

Bei Xing: “…”

She suppressed her blush, her voice strained. “Are there… other options?”

“No,” Su Mingxiu pinched her cheek playfully. “What, not happy to be helped by your longtime crush?”

Bei Xing, ignoring her teasing, “What if I’m not happy?”

Su Mingxiu, a playful smile, “Then we can… review our earlier activities, see what exactly made you unhappy.”

Bei Xing: “…” She pulled the blanket over her head, defeated.

“Didn’t you want to go to school?” Su Mingxiu poked her through the blanket, her voice teasing. “Besides, you were the one who enjoyed it, why are you hiding?”

Two hours later…

Bei Xing, her ears burning, sat in the classroom, wondering if being in a wheelchair would have been less embarrassing than Su Mingxiu’s “treatment.”

If the past three days had been about her scent clinging to the jiao, now, she was undeniably marked by the jiao’s scent.

Inside and out.

The bedsheets were… a disaster.

She covered her face with her hands, only her red ears visible. Su Mingxiu, now disguised as Su Jin, watched her with amusement, then, leaning closer, despite the other students nearby, she whispered: “Enjoying the memories?”

“Want another round tonight?”

Bei Xing glared at her and covered Su Mingxiu’s lips, but the cool, damp touch made her quickly withdraw her hand, covering her ears instead, refusing to listen.

Su Mingxiu pinched her ear.

Bei Xing didn’t react.

Su Mingxiu poked her again.

Still no reaction.

Until the professor, taking attendance, raised his voice: “Bei Xing? Bei Xing? Absent?”

Su Mingxiu sighed inwardly. “Present.”

Just then, the class monitor, “She’s on leave.”

Their voices overlapped—

Everyone looked at them.

The professor, looking up, saw Su Mingxiu’s alluring face, clearly not a student, and asked: “Are you from another department? Answering for her?”

Thankfully, Bei Xing had recovered from her embarrassment. Although she still blushed as she explained, having experienced much worse, she didn’t mind this minor social death.

The class passed without further incident.

After class, although it wasn’t lunchtime yet, Bei Xing was hungry. She walked towards the cafeteria and bumped into Chu Yinxi near the literature department’s garden.

Chu Yinxi hurried over, a smile on her face. “Xingxing, Su…”

Damn.

Bei Xing touched her nose, remembering that Su Mingxiu and Su Jin were one, and that Su Jin was probably… gone. Chu Yinxi didn’t know.

Did Chu Yinxi even know that Su Jin was pursuing her? And what were her feelings about it? Would she be affected by Su Jin’s true nature?

She had a headache, she should have taken a different route. But Su Mingxiu, with her sharp eyesight, had already noticed Chu Yinxi. Instead of avoiding her, she greeted her politely: “Chu Yinxi, long time no see.”

“Su… Mingxiu.”

Despite the identical faces, Chu Yinxi, like Bei Xing, could tell the difference.

It had indeed been a long time.

Chu Yinxi thought about their time as classmates, then Su Mingxiu’s funeral, the black and white portrait, and now, just a few days later, this ghost, with a demonic aura, a physical body, standing before her.

So much had changed.

And even more so, the things her family had told her. Sensing the mixed aura of ghost and demon around Su Mingxiu, she felt a surge of confusion.

She remembered Su Mingxiu as a classmate, then the snake demon clinging to her, now, those images overlapped.

Seeing her prolonged silence, her unusual pallor, Bei Xing, thinking she was upset about Su Jin,

Decided to give her some space.

“I’m hungry, going to the cafeteria, see you later,” she said, tugging at Su Mingxiu’s sleeve.

Su Mingxiu, who had been staring at Chu Yinxi, or rather, the dragon pearl around her neck, larger than before,

Followed Bei Xing, then heard Chu Yinxi’s voice: “I’ll… join you, I’m also hungry.”

It wasn’t lunchtime yet, and the cafeteria was mostly empty. Bei Xing chose a newly renovated section in the basement.

Sitting on a cold bench, she ordered a jianbing (savory crepe), without cilantro, chili, or scallions, and savored the taste, her first proper meal in three days.

Then, she saw Chu Yinxi push a plate of pastries towards Su Mingxiu.

Hmm?

Bei Xing tilted her head, looking at them. “Long time no see, I remember you used to like these,” Chu Yinxi said.

Beep—beep!

An alarm in Bei Xing’s mind.

She paused, following the pastries with her gaze.

Su Mingxiu, looking at the pastries, then at Chu Yinxi, said: “I remember you disapproving of my relationship with Bei Xing, saying that humans and ghosts shouldn’t be together, how about… humans and demons?”

Chu Yinxi blushed, embarrassed.

That had indeed been her family’s teachings.

But…

Remembering the rumors about the black jiao’s transformation into a dragon, she tried to explain.

“I… I’ve reconsidered, Su Mingxiu was always a good person, and you haven’t harmed Bei Xing, so I’m willing to trust you.”

Su Mingxiu, seeing the pastries, had heard Su Jin’s triumphant voice in her mind.

Su Jin had even thought she could regain control, using love and the system’s help!

But then, a jolt of lightning, and Chu Yinxi’s words of praise—

She deflated.

Even disbelief.

“Why so quiet now?” Su Mingxiu asked her mentally. “Never heard Chu Yinxi praise you before?”

Su Jin: …

“Seems like I was right, tsk, some snakes, despite sharing my face, can’t seem to get the school beauty’s attention.”

Su Mingxiu, as if it wasn’t enough, added: “A simp’s efforts are always in vain.”

Su Jin’s consciousness trembled with rage!

She had been waiting for an opportunity to regain control, but this was too much!

Her sudden outburst played right into Su Mingxiu’s hands. She had been waiting for this, tired of the snake hiding in her mind.

She didn’t even bother replying to Chu Yinxi, her fingers tapping the table seemingly casually, but her consciousness was merging with Su Jin’s, a slow, steady absorption.

“Su Jin has already enrolled, and since you’re back, with your excellent grades, it would be a shame not to continue your studies, I have the latest lecture notes, do you need them?” Chu Yinxi asked, the pastries still between them.

Su Mingxiu didn’t answer.

Bei Xing, sensing the tension, glanced at Su Mingxiu, then, crumpling the empty jianbing wrapper, replied for her: “Thank you, you can give them to me, she’s staying with me.”

Chu Yinxi, usually so tactful, now only smiled at Bei Xing, her aura of a delicate, innocent flower intensifying. “I left the notes at home, I don’t know which subjects you need, it’s better if you come with me.”

Bei Xing, pretending not to understand the hint, “The more, the better, I’ll send someone over tonight, just pack everything.”

Chu Yinxi sighed inwardly.

She knew she was being strange.

But having made up her mind, she continued. “But… I was asking Su Mingxiu.”

Such a strong scent of tea, Bei Xing thought, a sudden realization, so in the original story, Bei Xing and Su Mingxiu were rivals, but Su Mingxiu and the protagonist were actually a couple?

What’s going on? Could it be that Chu Yinxi only rejected Su Mingxiu because she was a ghost, but now that she has a physical body… she’s interested?

But based on her memories and their recent interactions, Chu Yinxi didn’t seem like that kind of person—a homewrecker.

Do delicate, innocent flowers have a preference for forbidden love?

Lost in her strange thoughts, she looked at Chu Yinxi with a puzzled expression, until Su Mingxiu, stopping her tapping, massaged her temples and looked at Chu Yinxi. “Her answer is my answer.”

Chu Yinxi: “…”

She frantically searched for persuasive lines on her phone, then said: “But… even if you two are… close, we can still be friends, right? Can’t friends visit each other?”

Then, suppressing a twitch in her eye, she looked at Bei Xing. “Xingxing, you’re not that petty, are you?”

Bei Xing: “I am.”

Su Mingxiu: “She’s not.”

They exchanged glances.

Bei Xing raised an eyebrow, a silent threat, and Su Mingxiu, who had been planning to play along, smiled and changed her answer.

Chu Yinxi, realizing that she wouldn’t be able to get Su Mingxiu alone today, seeing their increasingly intimate behavior, could only leave, hoping for another opportunity.

As soon as she left, Bei Xing pulled away from Su Mingxiu, looking around nervously, as if afraid of being seen.

“Finally being discreet?”

Su Mingxiu teased her. “Too late, everyone saw.”

Bei Xing blushed, her gaze darting around, then, remembering something, she leaned closer and whispered: “Don’t you think Chu Chu was acting strange?”

“Yes.”

“If she also liked you, she had opportunities before, even when you were a ghost, but she only started now, why?”

“I don’t know,” Su Mingxiu said, her consciousness circling Su Jin’s, now half-absorbed, in their shared mindscape.

“She seemed to want to be alone with you,” Detective Bei Xing continued her deduction.

Su Mingxiu simply hummed in agreement.

Then Bei Xing whispered: “I heard her family has many powerful cultivators, maybe some of them are against demons and ghosts, what if they trick her into killing you? You can’t go, okay?”

Su Mingxiu, amused by her concern, as if she was talking to a child, looked at Bei Xing, her beautiful face illuminated by the harsh cafeteria lights, her skin pale, her features delicate, her dark eyes sparkling, the tear mole at the corner of her eye adding a touch of allure.

Bei Xing, mesmerized, swallowed nervously. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Of course,” Su Mingxiu paused, then added, “but why should I listen to you?”

Bei Xing kicked her lightly under the table. “Because I’m being good, so you should be good too.”

The jiao’s eyes darkened at the word “good,” a storm brewing. “How are you being good?” she asked, her voice husky.

Remembering Su Mingxiu’s tribulation, worried about her safety, Bei Xing, unable to express her feelings,

Suddenly placed her hand on Su Mingxiu’s head and, leaning closer, gathering her courage, let out a soft: “Woof.”

Then she closed her mouth, looking at Su Mingxiu nervously, slightly embarrassed by her own actions,

Then, seeing Su Mingxiu’s silence, her expression turned to grievance, feeling wronged, as if saying, I’m being so good, like a puppy, why won’t you listen to me?

The embarrassment won.

She covered Su Mingxiu’s eyes. “Okay, okay, I was just kidding, forget about it—”

Su Mingxiu pulled her hand away, her gaze intense. “I can’t forget,” she said softly.

Bei Xing, unnerved by her expression, made an excuse about throwing away the trash and left, Su Mingxiu following her.

As they stepped out of the cafeteria, Su Mingxiu chuckled. “Why are you running?”

“Aren’t you going to wait for your master, little puppy?” she teased.

Chapter 176: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (19)

Bei Xing didn’t understand why Su Mingxiu, after pulling her into bed, had suddenly become so passionate. She hadn’t even touched the jiao’s horns this time.

When the kiss finally ended, she struggled to push away the heavy blanket, her face flushed, like a ripe tomato, the blush spreading down her neck. She gasped for air, then was pulled back into Su Mingxiu’s embrace.

“W-wait…”

A strange sense of danger, and she instinctively tried to push Su Mingxiu away, her legs, entangled by the jiao’s tail, useless, her protest only a delaying tactic.

Then, she felt a cool touch on her nape.

She had been burning up moments ago, thinking Su Mingxiu was also feverish, but now, this cool touch made her shiver, a sudden realization that the heat… had been all her own.

Her mind hazy from the kisses, which were now trailing down her spine, the sensation making her tremble uncontrollably,

Like a jiggling jelly.

She tried to protest, to stop, but Su Mingxiu, enjoying her trembling, only replied, her voice a low murmur: “No waiting.”

Bei Xing: “!”

A muffled whimper escaped her lips, her fingers reaching for the bedroom door. “But the door…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The door was unlocked.

What if, like this morning, the housekeeper came knocking, or a servant bringing something?

The thought made her heart pound.

Su Mingxiu, noticing her rapid heartbeat, her hand gently cupping Bei Xing’s neck, her thumb tracing her pulse, chuckled softly, her lips brushing against Bei Xing’s ear, her warm breath making it tingle. “So scared?”

Bei Xing nodded frantically.

“Then be good.”

Su Mingxiu, remembering Bei Xing’s usual resistance to studying, her current obedience a rare treat, couldn’t resist teasing her, wanting to make her cry.

But she knew that even with the medicinal herbs, Bei Xing’s mortal body might not be able to withstand the full force of her jiao form.

So she took a deep breath, trying to control herself.

A jiao, between a dragon and a snake, still retained some of its serpentine nature, its blood and body cold, preferring the depths of cold pools and abysses.

She had used a spell to create warmth earlier, not wanting to scare Bei Xing with her icy touch, but now, with the blanket discarded, the warmth dissipating, she had to use the spell again.

Bei Xing, trusting her, thought that as long as she cooperated, they could finish this… intimate encounter quietly and discreetly.

An hour later…

Bei Xing, having left a bite mark on Su Mingxiu’s hand, was now forbidden from closing her mouth, her only recourse to bury her face in the pillow, her muffled sobs and tears staining the fabric.

Having been silenced earlier, she had tried to suppress her cries, but now, even her tongue couldn’t stay still, her muffled sounds taking on a desperate edge.

… She felt like she was losing her mind.

Her senses overwhelmed, her body alternating between extreme cold and burning heat, her delicate skin, unable to withstand even the slightest discomfort, now tormented by ice and fire, she didn’t know what to do.

Just then, a knock on the door, like an explosion, made her jump, but she couldn’t relax, the warm body pressed against hers chuckling softly.

“Miss, dinner is ready,” a voice from outside.

Su Mingxiu’s hand, gently massaging Bei Xing’s stomach, as if checking if she was hungry, her voice a playful taunt: “Do you want to eat?”

Bei Xing, her voice choked with a sob, thinking Su Mingxiu was letting her go, nodded quickly, her hair falling around her face, hiding her blush.

“So hungry?”

Su Mingxiu asked, her voice laced with a double meaning, then a louder whimper, Bei Xing’s body, damp with sweat, her voice a hoarse whisper, “No… no…”

Too much, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Her rationality shattered, her plea barely audible. “I’ll… I’ll be good, just… not so much…”

So obedient, too obedient.

Su Mingxiu had to resist the urge to leave her mark with her sharp teeth.

She took a deep breath and asked: “Still want to have dinner?”

Then, her tail transforming into legs, her black robe loosely draped around Bei Xing’s naked body, she carried her towards the door.

Bei Xing, who had been too weak to move moments ago, now clung to Su Mingxiu’s neck, her tear-filled eyes pleading, as if wondering why she was still being tormented, despite her obedience.

As her back touched the cool door, Su Mingxiu made her answer the servant’s question.

Desperate, afraid that her voice would betray her, she grabbed Su Mingxiu’s horns, her grip tight, her body arching, and bit down hard, a defiant refusal: “No…”

“You seem to like my horns,” Su Mingxiu said, her voice a low murmur, carrying Bei Xing to her desk, knowing she was exhausted. She placed Bei Xing on her lap, offering her a pastry, but Bei Xing turned her head away.

“Not hungry anymore?” she asked, a smile in her eyes.

But Bei Xing, fidgeting in her lap, let out a soft, almost desperate whimper, thinking, If I had known, I wouldn’t have come back tonight!

Having been tricked before, she didn’t answer the question.

But her silence only amused Su Mingxiu, who gently bounced Bei Xing on her lap, until tears started falling.

“Eat or not?”

Bei Xing’s voice was hoarse with tears. “Tail… go away…”

“Oh? I thought you liked my tail, you were touching it earlier,” Su Mingxiu said, her voice playful.

Bei Xing refused to speak.

Su Mingxiu held the pastry closer to her lips, her voice a gentle coaxing. “Be good, eat a bite, and I’ll consider it.”

How could she eat in this situation?

Bei Xing felt a surge of despair, but afraid of further torment,

She opened her mouth, her tears falling onto the pastry, and ate half of it. Su Mingxiu hummed in approval.

“Don’t like the tail anymore? Then how about… the horns?”

Bei Xing: “?!”

How could she say such things with such a beautiful face?

She tried to escape, but it was too late, she had been dragged into the abyss, no escape possible.

The night was still young.

Chapter 175: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (18)

“Knock, knock.”

The knocking, inaudible to Bei Xing, reached Su Mingxiu’s ears.

She had been about to… enjoy the “cherry on top,” but now she paused, looking at the flushed, dazed girl in her arms. “Someone’s looking for you,” she said, her voice a low murmur.

Bei Xing, her fingers slipping from the edge of the tub, having been tossed around like a small boat in a storm, now saw a glimmer of hope, reaching for the edge again, but Su Mingxiu’s hand gently pushed her fingers away, back into the water.

“Do you want to leave?” she whispered, nibbling on Bei Xing’s ear.

Bei Xing, thinking about the servants outside, and her current predicament, her body covered in bubbles, a jiao’s embrace, a dangerous intimacy, swallowed nervously. “Yes,” she whispered, her eyes pleading.

Su Mingxiu’s gaze fell on her slightly swollen lips, her eyes darkening, a bottomless abyss that made Bei Xing shiver, whether from the evaporating water or something else.

The knocking intensified.

The housekeeper, worried about Bei Xing’s state last night, knowing she wouldn’t want her family to know, had come to check on her. She had been drenched, he didn’t want her to catch a cold.

“Miss, are you awake?”

The water had stopped, and now Bei Xing also heard the knocking. She panicked, afraid that Su Mingxiu would ignore it and continue.

But the sun was already up, she couldn’t bring herself to be so… shameless.

She cupped Su Mingxiu’s face and kissed her, her voice a hurried whisper. “Tonight… okay?”

So obedient.

Su Mingxiu sighed inwardly, remembering Gui Mian, who had also been so compliant.

A strange sense of cherishing, and she released Bei Xing, letting her get out of the tub, her back covered in bubbles, like melting marshmallows, a tempting sight.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Bei Xing instinctively tried to cover herself, then realized it was pointless, she was about to shower anyway.

“Don’t look,” she mumbled, her face flushed.

Su Mingxiu, her elbows resting on the edge of the tub, her tail swishing playfully, looked up at her. “Why not?”

“You’ve seen me,” she said casually, “shouldn’t I return the favor?”

Bei Xing: “?”

She turned on the shower, startled by the sudden spray of water, even though it was a comfortable temperature. She wiped her face, spluttering. “When did I…”

Then she paused,

Remembering carrying the injured jiao back home last night.

…Can that be considered “seeing”?

She was speechless, the water washing away the bubbles, her back now bare and exposed.

After changing and drying her hair, she finally opened the bedroom door and saw the housekeeper standing there with a tray of ginger tea and cold medicine.

“Hmm?”

“Mr. Li said you came home late last night, and you were caught in the rain, so he asked me to bring you this,” the servant explained.

Bei Xing, relieved, took the ginger tea and drank it quickly, then her expression froze as the spicy, burning sensation spread through her throat and into her stomach.

Too… spicy.

She could barely speak, her voice hoarse. “How… much ginger did you put in?”

The servant, after a moment of thought, gestured towards the bowl. Bei Xing looked at the dark liquid, the brown sugar not masking the ginger, then noticed the layer of ginger bits at the bottom.

Bei Xing: “…”

She placed the bowl back on the tray. “I’m fine, I’m not sick,” she said, then turned and left, not wanting to give the housekeeper another chance to fuss over her. She grabbed her bag and said she was going to school, even though she only had a Mao Gai lecture, which she could skip.

Su Mingxiu, now with a physical form, couldn’t hide in her shadow anymore. Knowing she was going to school, she simply waved her goodbye.

Before leaving, Bei Xing, worried that Su Mingxiu would be hungry, had the servants bring snacks to her room.

Before the Mao Gai lecture, Bei Xing looked around, but Chu Yinxi, usually punctual, wasn’t there. She asked a classmate from another department: “Where’s Chu Chu?”

“I don’t know.”

Bei Xing texted Chu Yinxi: “Did you take the day off?”

No reply.

Meanwhile…

Su Mingxiu, emerging from the water, her black robe drying instantly, looked inwards, seeing Su Jin’s consciousness trapped by the refined lightning, and asked calmly: “Where’s the third soul fragment?”

Su Jin and the system were both numb from the electric shocks.

They couldn’t understand how Su Mingxiu had managed to refine the lightning and use it against them. Well, only Su Jin was confused, the system was… familiar with this kind of torment.

“I don’t know.”

“Really? Or do you know, but you’re not telling me?”

Su Jin: … Unable to move or speak, trapped by the lightning, she remained silent.

But Su Mingxiu continued, voicing her suspicion: “Is the third soul fragment… Chu Yinxi?”

Su Jin: “Impossible!”

Her voice was filled with genuine surprise.

Su Mingxiu nodded, realizing she had overestimated Su Jin’s intelligence. If it wasn’t Chu Yinxi, then why the constant attention, could it be… that the snake demon had actually fallen for a mortal?

But that was unlikely, Su Mingxiu hadn’t seen any signs of genuine affection, Su Jin’s “love” seemed superficial.

Then, who was guiding her, encouraging her to pursue Chu Yinxi?

Su Jin remained silent, until another jolt of lightning, and her consciousness, releasing a wisp of black smoke, betrayed the system—

After all, she and Su Mingxiu were one, even if their souls hadn’t merged yet, their fates intertwined, if they couldn’t complete the system’s mission, they would both perish.

And they couldn’t afford to wait another century.

“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu, hearing the distorted voice, initially thought it was a trick, then, remembering the flood of information when she had tried to merge with Su Jin, she understood.

Her instincts told her that the missing piece was hidden within Su Jin’s consciousness.

She continued the electric shocks, then, as Su Jin’s mind weakened, she extended her own consciousness, trying to extract the culprit.

Evening, the sky darkening.

Bei Xing returned home and hurried to her bedroom, calling out before even closing the door: “Susu, did you eat anything today?”

But there was no sign of the ghost,

And the snacks on the desk were untouched.

If not for the slight movement under the covers, she would have started another divination.

She breathed a sigh of relief, tossed her bag aside, and wondered why Su Mingxiu was sleeping so soundly, buried under the blankets, like a hibernating snake.

She walked over and pulled down the blanket, a black shadow lunging towards her—

Her waist was suddenly constricted, and she fell onto the bed, her face buried in the blankets.

She instinctively touched the jiao’s tail, its cool scales familiar, imagining its powerful form, and gently stroked it, her voice muffled. “Can you loosen your grip? My waist hurts.”

But the tail tightened, making it difficult to breathe. She didn’t know whether to pull it away or to uncover her face.

Her legs kicked uselessly against the bed.

“Susu?”

She sensed a strange irritability from the jiao, so she softened her voice, her touch gentle, trying to soothe it.

But after calling out its name, she was pulled into a warm embrace, the darkness under the covers not hindering the jiao’s vision, its lips finding hers, silencing her protests, only a muffled whimper escaping.

No wonder Su Mingxiu had been so eager—

While trying to extract the system from Su Jin’s consciousness, the newly transformed jiao, its injuries healed, had entered its mating season.

And Su Jin’s fierce resistance had amplified the effect, the initial surge of desire, now triggered by Bei Xing’s presence, becoming overwhelming.

Bei Xing, kissed breathless, her face buried in the blankets, her body weak and pliant, her legs no longer struggling, only resting limply on the edge of the bed,

Felt the jiao’s tail, smooth and cool, emerging from under the covers, coiling around her right leg, from thigh to knee, its tip resting lightly on her ankle, then tightening, a possessive grip.

Pale skin, black scales.

A stark contrast, a captivating image, and the prey, trapped, could only struggle futilely as the hunter closed in.

To be devoured, body and soul.

Chapter 174: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (17)

The running water had stopped at some point.

The bathroom was quiet, so quiet that Bei Xing could hear the dripping water as she moved closer to Su Mingxiu.

The sound amplified the intimacy of their position.

The bubbles on the water’s surface parted slightly, revealing the clear water beneath, the jiao’s scales transformed into a long, black robe, its tail swishing gently.

Su Mingxiu was fully dressed, while Bei Xing was… not, the close proximity, their mingled breaths, making her feel like they were doing something… illicit.

Her hand, reaching for Su Mingxiu’s head, froze mid-air.

White bubbles clung to her arm, a droplet of water tracing a path down to her elbow, then falling into the foam below.

Plop.

A soft sound.

Bei Xing swallowed nervously, remembering Su Jin’s reaction to her touching her horns.

She hesitated, then, instead of touching, she leaned closer and gently kissed one of the black horns.

A brief, cool touch.

She licked her lips, then, as if not satisfied, kissed the other horn.

Just then, the arms around her waist tightened, a painful grip.

“Susu?”

Su Mingxiu pulled her closer, her dark eyes like a gathering storm, yet also strangely calm. Bei Xing, sitting on her tail, found the sensation… interesting. She looked up at Su Mingxiu, her expression a mix of curiosity and confusion.

Then, the grip on her waist tightened again.

She couldn’t help but reach for Su Mingxiu’s hand, trying to pry her fingers loose, but before she could, Su Mingxiu’s lips captured hers.

Her back submerged in the water, a sudden panic, her hand flailing, then accidentally grabbing one of Su Mingxiu’s horns.

The moment her fingers touched the horn, a moan escaped her lips.

The kiss deepened, the arms around her waist pulling her closer, the water splashing, bubbles scattering, the jiao’s tail swishing playfully,

And Bei Xing… like a toy in its grasp.

When Su Mingxiu finally released her, Bei Xing whimpered. Although she knew she should escape,

She was too weak to even hold onto the edge of the tub, the water still swirling around them, a disconcerting sensation.

She could only lean back against Su Mingxiu, her face flushed, her arms around Su Mingxiu’s neck, her head buried in the crook of her neck, catching her breath.

When the water calmed down, she finally found her voice, a soft whisper. “Why… why did you kiss me?”

What was the excuse this time?

Her anxiety overriding her embarrassment, she felt a green sprout in her heart, stronger than before, a pink flower blooming on its delicate stem, swaying gently.

She didn’t want to pluck this flower.

But she knew that not plucking it would make it even more painful later.

She asked the question—

A quick, clean break was better than lingering pain.

Before this flower bloomed completely, while she could still pull it out, she had to ask.

“What do you think?” Su Mingxiu countered, her arms still around Bei Xing, although most of the bubbles had been washed away. Her voice, calm and melodious, drew Bei Xing’s attention. “Why would someone kiss another person… repeatedly?”

But you’re not human anymore.

That’s what Bei Xing thought.

But the sprout in her heart betrayed her, another pink flower blooming, a silent confession.

The flowers whispered the answer, but Bei Xing couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe that her lies had worked, that Su Mingxiu had fallen for them.

So she hesitated, then, a sudden inspiration, she asked: “Is it because… your horns are new, they’re sensitive, you couldn’t control yourself?”

It was because of her kisses, right?

Her soft lips on the jiao’s horns, awakening its instincts.

Although the logic was flawed, she found it convincing. She didn’t look at Su Mingxiu, not wanting her to see the hope in her eyes.

Su Mingxiu’s smile deepened. She lifted Bei Xing’s chin. “Is your love for me that… insignificant?”

Couldn’t she even consider other possibilities?

Bei Xing paused.

Remembering her dramatic confession at the funeral, she channeled that emotion, half-truth, half-lie. “Yes, you’re so radiant, like the summer sun, like the winter snow. And I’m just a firefly, basking in your light.” How could she possibly think of anything else?

“Not a firefly,” Su Mingxiu said softly.

“Hmm?”

The jiao’s tail, replacing her arms, wrapped around Bei Xing’s waist, a possessive gesture the mortal didn’t understand, her attention on Su Mingxiu’s words, her hand resisting the urge to touch the smooth, cool scales.

One more touch, and a third flower will bloom.

“A star, a star that fell into my arms,” Su Mingxiu whispered in her ear.

Bei Xing instinctively clutched her chest, feeling a blossoming within her, a sudden warmth, like spring.

She opened her lips, as if to speak, but no words came out.

After a moment, she cupped Su Mingxiu’s face and kissed her, their breaths mingling, a shared intimacy.

“You’re so obedient…” Su Mingxiu murmured, her voice a soft sigh, between the gentle splashing of the water, “it makes me want to… reward you now.”

“What?”

Bei Xing was still dazed when a sudden splash!

The jiao’s tail tightened around her waist, its tip playfully slapping the water, and Su Mingxiu’s lips captured hers, silencing her.

Chapter 173: The Cannon Fodder Who Can’t Survive Three Chapters (16)

The struggle between the two consciousnesses caused tremors within the mountain cave. Fortunately, this secluded area of Bei Mang Mountain was far from the city, otherwise, earthquake warnings would have been issued.

When Bei Xing arrived by taxi in the middle of the night, the driver, seeing her destination and the enormous bag she was carrying, looked concerned. “Young lady, the mountains are dangerous at night, are you sure about this?”

Bei Xing, distracted, simply hummed in agreement, glanced at the driver’s face, paid him through her phone, gave him a five-star rating, and headed towards the path Chu Yinxi had shown her. Thanks to the protective talismans she had applied, she didn’t encounter any insects or snakes.

After climbing a few steps, she felt the tremors and called out: “Susu?”

Only the wind answered.

Inside the cave…

The grey mist intensified, suppressing the snake demon’s aura, even Su Jin’s consciousness was being pushed back, and two horns were growing on the black snake’s head—

Its scales, tempered by the clashing energies, gleamed, and small bumps appeared on its underbelly, the beginnings of claws.

The pain intensified their struggle. Sensing Bei Xing’s presence, Su Jin, after a brief communication with the system in her mind, feigned weakness, letting her demonic energy surge, pulling Bei Xing into the cave.

As Bei Xing was engulfed by the black aura, the talismans on her body spontaneously ignited, the explosion deflecting the demonic energy, but the golden light protected her.

The Golden Light Mantra, truly a must-have.

Su Jin had intended to take her hostage, but Bei Xing’s talismans had disrupted her plan, her feigned weakness now genuine.

[System, what are you waiting for? Do you want a new host?]

The system: “…”

It had chosen Su Jin because it knew it couldn’t control Su Mingxiu, but it couldn’t let Su Mingxiu continue like this, so it had found a loophole—

If Su Jin merged with Su Mingxiu and fell in love with Chu Yinxi in this world, Su Mingxiu would fail.

It thought Su Jin was foolish, easily manipulated, if not for the information it had provided about the dragon god’s lost power, Su Jin would have been absorbed by Su Mingxiu long ago.

Now, so close to success, it sighed.

Just as Su Mingxiu’s consciousness was about to overwhelm Su Jin, it left Su Jin’s mind and bombarded Su Mingxiu with useless information, creating chaos!

This was why Su Jin had said that Su Mingxiu couldn’t win.

Su Mingxiu’s consciousness was like a hacker, initially targeting a single, vulnerable system,

But now finding it hidden within a vast network, a needle in a haystack,

And the needle, protected by the network, could strike back at any moment.

The light from the snake’s forehead dimmed. It opened its eyes, looking at Bei Xing, enveloped in a faint golden light.

“Don’t tell me, you’re here to save her?” Su Jin’s voice.

Bei Xing, taking off her backpack, looked at her impassively. Although Su Jin’s golden light wasn’t a threat to her, the talismans were.

But she didn’t show it.

“What have you done to her?” she asked, as if not hearing the mockery in Su Jin’s voice.

“Devoured her,” Su Jin, taking advantage of Su Mingxiu’s momentary confusion, now back in control, even starting to refine the stolen dragon tendon, replied casually, “she tasted quite good, very nourishing, too bad you’re too late.”

Bei Xing clenched her fists, not believing her. “Susu!” she called out.

The light in the snake’s forehead flickered.

Su Mingxiu, giving up on finding the needle, her consciousness returning, a grey mist emanating from the snake’s body, her voice appearing, “Why are you here?”

“I was worried about you.”

Su Jin scoffed, as if seeing a small, vulnerable cabbage trying to save the pig that had just eaten it, oblivious to the other predators lurking nearby.

But Su Mingxiu wasn’t annoyed, only relieved that Bei Xing had brought so many talismans.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, go home,” she said.

Bei Xing, holding her talismans, had wanted to help, but seeing that Su Mingxiu and the snake were now sharing a body, she realized the situation was more complicated, attacking Su Jin would also hurt Su Mingxiu.

She took a few steps back, hesitant.

Su Mingxiu was about to say something else when the snake’s body started to tremble, the horns growing larger, as if sensing the approaching thunder tribulation, the sky above Bei Mang Mountain rumbling.

Su Jin, cunningly, retreated into the depths of their shared consciousness, relinquishing control to Su Mingxiu.

Su Mingxiu only had time to push Bei Xing into a corner before the snake vanished.

The cave was empty.

Bei Xing was stunned, she had known she might be a burden,

But the third divination had given her a sliver of hope. Now, seeing the snake disappear, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of despair.

Outside, the thunder roared. Bei Xing, unable to see what was happening, searched for an exit, not wanting to be trapped.

Thankfully, she had drawn a Guiding Talisman.

As the thunder subsided, she reached the cave entrance, looked at the dark sky and the flashing lightning, and, knowing that it was dangerous to be near water or trees during a thunderstorm, walked along the deserted road, then, as lightning struck—

She saw it, a massive black shadow against the night sky.

A dragon soaring through the air, no longer a mere snake.

As the lightning struck again and again, something fell from the dragon’s body, Bei Xing couldn’t see what it was, but she knew it wasn’t good.

Her heart pounded, her eyes fixed on the figure in the sky. She ran towards it, then stopped, the talismans in her pockets, now soaked, falling to the ground,

The red cinnabar and yellow paper now smudged and faded.

She stood there, her hand outstretched, as if afraid the figure would fall, ready to catch it.

The night of the tribulation was long.

Her eyes, tired from watching the lightning, she closed them for a moment.

Just then, a talisman in her bag glowed faintly, floating towards the dragon.

“Boom!”

A deafening thunderclap.

Bei Xing jumped, then opened her eyes and saw the dragon, struck by lightning, falling from the sky. The lightning subsided, the darkness seeming to lift slightly.

She ran towards the spot where the dragon had fallen and found a small… creature, neither snake nor dragon, lying in the grass.

Was the transformation successful?

And was Su Mingxiu still there?

She didn’t know, only wanting to protect it. She carefully held it in her arms, called her housekeeper, and, drenched and exhausted, returned home.

Thankfully, her family was asleep. She didn’t even have the energy to shower, but the housekeeper insisted, so she sent the servants away and climbed into the bathtub, falling asleep.

The sound of splashing water woke her.

She leaned against the edge of the tub, opening her eyes, feeling the warmth of the water, the sunlight streaming through the window, then she saw… and her eyes widened.

The black jiao, having successfully transformed, now in its smaller form, was coiled in the tub, enjoying the hot water, the excess spilling onto the floor, the surface covered in bubbles.

Bei Xing, looking at the jiao’s head, hesitated, then called out tentatively: “Susu?”

“Wrong guess.”

The jiao’s upper body transformed into a human form, its tail still swishing in the water, and Su Jin, leaning closer, grabbed Bei Xing’s face, a malicious smile.

She hadn’t mentioned that during the tribulation, she had planned to let Su Mingxiu endure the initial strikes, then, at the critical moment, seize control with the system’s help—

But strangely, during the final strike, both she and the system had been paralyzed, unable to move, forced to watch as the lightning struck Su Mingxiu’s body and consciousness.

The downside was that Su Mingxiu, upon recovering, would be even more difficult to merge with, even with the system’s help.

The upside was that Su Mingxiu, weakened by the tribulation, her consciousness enveloped in lightning, would need time to recover, giving Su Jin an opportunity to… torment the annoying mortal who had interfered last night.

A splash as Bei Xing, pushing her away, chanted the Golden Light Mantra and tried to escape, but the jiao’s tail wrapped around her waist, pulling her back.

A golden light shimmered around her,

But the jiao’s tail easily crushed it, Bei Xing’s mind momentarily blank.

Holding Bei Xing’s waist, seeing the white bubbles clinging to her skin, those hidden and not-so-hidden places, Su Jin thought, for a moment, that this mortal was more alluring than Chu Yinxi.

But only for a moment.

She tightened her grip, enjoying Bei Xing’s gasp, then released her, catching her as she coughed and sputtered, her face flushed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“So pitiful,” Su Jin said, touching Bei Xing’s feverish skin, watching her cough. “Knowing the consequences, why did you provoke me?”

Bei Xing, coughing and gasping for air, ignoring the pain in her waist, her mind racing,

What to do? How to escape? What about Su Mingxiu?

A plan forming, her fingers, gripping Su Jin’s shoulder, trembling, she looked into Su Jin’s eyes, the red fading, and she whispered, her voice hoarse: “Susu?”

Su Mingxiu, having absorbed the final lightning strike, suppressing Su Jin’s consciousness, smiled, a familiar smile. “It’s me.”

She loosened her grip, gently kissing Bei Xing’s forehead. “Well done.”

Bei Xing blinked, confused,

Then smiled, her arms around Su Mingxiu’s neck. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Now certain that Su Jin wouldn’t resurface, she looked at Su Mingxiu’s transformed body, the sharp black horns, the white bubbles clinging to her pale skin, her beautiful face, and she could barely look away.

She wanted to touch so many things.

Her cheeks, her lips, her eyelashes.

Her collarbone, her shoulders, her tail.

But she only asked about the horns.

Different from before, now fully formed, hard and gleaming, she wondered what they felt like.

Su Mingxiu’s gaze softened. “Must you touch them?”

“Can’t I?”

Su Mingxiu, her physical form restored, Su Jin’s consciousness suppressed, considered this, then smiled. “I suppose you can.”

She lowered her head, offering her horns.

The black jiao, its malevolence hidden, its noble head bowed, its sacred horns presented to the mortal’s gentle touch.