Chapter 653: Chapter 528: I Will Not Live On Alone, Do You Understand Now?

Xiao Mo spoke in a calm tone, his gaze steady and gentle.

"Actually, going to the battlefield was my own idea."

"Jing Ci, you are about to become the Tushan Saintess and the future matriarch of the Tushan clan. If I were to remain by your side, what would people say? And how many would stand up to oppose us?"

"Besides, at my current Realm, I have indeed hit a bottleneck. On the battlefield, life-and-death struggles and Magical Combat might be just the opportunity I need to break through. Otherwise, if something were to happen to Tushan in the future, how would I have the power to protect you?"

"But, Xiao Mo..."

Tushan Jing Ci’s eyes reddened slightly, her voice filled with urgency and heartache.

"I can protect myself, and I’ll protect you, too! I don’t care what other people say. That’s their business. Loving you is my business!"

Tushan Jing Ci looked at Xiao Mo earnestly, every word seemingly squeezed from the depths of her heart.

"I know what you’ve been worried about. You’re afraid that being with me will cause me to be ostracized by all of Tushan, maybe even hunted down. But I don’t care!"

"If worse comes to worst, we can just flee the Demon Race’s World and go to the World of Ten Thousand Laws!"

Xiao Mo shook his head and sighed softly. "But Jing Ci, could you bear to leave your mother?"

"I..."

Tushan Jing Ci couldn’t help but press her lips together.

’She wanted to say that if they really went to the World of Ten Thousand Laws and she could never see her mother again, then so be it.’

’But on second thought, she felt it wouldn’t be right to say such a thing.’

"Besides, your bloodline is exceptionally precious. Even if we went to the World of Ten Thousand Laws, do you really think those Cultivators of the Upper Three Realms wouldn’t covet it? Could we truly find peace?"

Xiao Mo continued, gently gripping Tushan Jing Ci’s shoulders, his gaze earnest and firm.

"Jing Ci, I don’t want to drag you into a life of wandering and hiding. As long as I earn enough military merit and my Realm is high enough, then no one will dare to speak ill of us."

"I know you’re worried about my safety. I promise you, I will come back alive. Okay?"

Listening to Xiao Mo’s words, Tushan Jing Ci clutched the hem of her dress tightly, her fingertips turning white from the force. Her expression was full of conflict and hesitation.

After a long while, the young woman finally lifted her head. Blinking, she gazed into Xiao Mo’s eyes, her voice as soft as if she were afraid of startling something. "Xiao Mo... you only ever call me by my name at times like this..."

"Jing Ci, I’m sorry..." Looking at the shimmering eyes of the woman he loved, Xiao Mo felt a pang of guilt.

"You don’t have to apologize to me..."

Tushan Jing Ci shook her head gently, a bitter smile gracing her lips.

"And everything you said... I understand it all. You know that I’ve never been able to refuse you when you’re set on something..."

"Xiao Mo... I know I can’t change your mind..."

Tushan Jing Ci looked earnestly into Xiao Mo’s eyes. In those clear, fox-like eyes, there was worry and reluctance.

"But Xiao Mo, you have to remember one thing."

Her voice was not loud, but every word was like iron.

"If anything happens to you... I won’t go on living alone... Do you understand...?"

...

"Gotta bring this."

"And this."

"Might as well bring this too—who knows when I’ll be back, anyway."

「Hundred Flowers Lane.」

In a small courtyard, Xiang Niang was bustling about, packing her bags.

She stuffed in everything she could possibly bring, carefully taking inventory to make sure nothing was left behind.

"That should be about everything!"

After getting everything packed, Xiang Niang let out a deep breath, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and then placed all the packed bundles into her Storage Bracelet.

"Xiang Niang."

"Xiang Niang, are you there?"

"Xiang Niang..."

Suddenly, a woman’s voice called out from outside the courtyard, one shout after another, sounding quite urgent.

"Coming, coming..."

Xiang Niang turned and walked out of her room, quickening her pace to open the courtyard gate. A woman who looked to be in her forties, but was actually three or four hundred years old, stood before her.

"Aunt Wang, why do you look so worried? Did something happen?" Xiang Niang asked curiously.

This Aunt Wang was Xiang Niang’s neighbor.

Because Xiang Niang’s parents had passed away early, Aunt Wang had always looked after her.

"Oh, for goodness’ sake, what could be so urgent? It’s all because of you!"

Aunt Wang shot Xiang Niang a look and said breathlessly, her tone full of complaint.

"What is wrong with you, girl? How did I see your name on the expedition roster? What’s the matter, are you tired of living?"

"Huh?" Xiang Niang’s eyes darted around for a moment before she curved them into a smile. "Look, Auntie, it’s not like I had a choice..."

"What do you mean, you had no choice? Do you think you can just waltz around because you’re at the Perfection stage of the Dragon Gate Realm? Or do you think there aren’t many people on that battlefield with a higher Realm than you?"

As she spoke, Aunt Wang grabbed Xiang Niang’s wrist and started pulling her outside.

"Come on, come on! Your Auntie here knows a few people in high places. We’ll go get your name struck from the list right now! You should just stay in Tushan and cultivate obediently."

"Oh, Auntie, there’s really no need for that."

Xiang Niang gently pulled her hand free from Aunt Wang’s grasp.

"Look, Auntie, I wasn’t supposed to go originally. But that task the Grand Elder gave me—I didn’t complete it, did I? That Xiao Mo is like a rock. No amount of seduction works on him. He’s completely unyielding."

"So now, I can only rely on myself. Once I’m on the battlefield and have accumulated some military merit, I might be able to enter Wang Yue Mountain. Reaching the Golden Core Realm would be just around the corner."

"But you can’t risk your life for it!" Aunt Wang’s tone was full of anxiety and heartache.

But just as the words left her mouth, Aunt Wang seemed to realize something. She couldn’t help but look the girl up and down, her gaze turning scrutinizing.

"No, that’s not right! You’re a cunning girl. Never mind how provocatively you dress every day—since you were little, I’ve never seen a single male get the better of you. And you never get involved in anything risky!"

"Tell me the truth! Why are you really joining the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance?"

"I... what else would it be for? For myself, of course," Xiang Niang said, unconsciously avoiding Aunt Wang’s gaze, her eyes shifting about.

"I’ll believe you when pigs fly!" Aunt Wang snorted, frowning as she thought hard.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up as if she had seized upon a key point.

"Wait! I heard that the Saintess’s Attendant, that guy named Xiao Mo, also signed up for the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance. You’re not doing this for him, are you?"

"Oh, for heaven’s sake, girl..."

Aunt Wang stomped her foot in frustration, her face a mask of bitter disappointment.

"You’ve already flaunted yourself in front of him so much. If he ignores you, he ignores you! There are plenty of other fish in the sea. You’re so beautiful, you’re really going to hang yourself on one crooked tree?"

"Besides, you’re not one of the high-and-mighty Nine-tailed Celestial Foxes who can only be with one man their entire life, or else they lose their chance to attain the Dao."

"You’re just a common fox. You can have as many men as you want."

"Listen to your Auntie’s advice. Stop indulging in these unrealistic fantasies. I know you’ve never been with a man. I reckon it’s because summer’s here and you’re getting an itch, feeling all frisky. You just hold on for a bit. Auntie will introduce you to some decent men later!"

"Oh... Auntie..."

Xiang Niang sighed helplessly, her tone a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

"I understand everything you’re saying..."

"But I just think... that crooked tree is more handsome than all the straight ones..."

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