What's wrong with a snake that just wants to cultivate and transform?

Seeing Ji Yuebai seemingly waiting for her, Xu Nian quickly approached her and sweetly asked, “Yuebai, were you worried about my safety?”

“Um.”

Xu Nian then handed over the lotus-shaped trinket to Ji Yuebai, looking at her with anticipation, “This was just given to me by Xue Ling. She only said it was a repayment for saving her life and then ran off without explaining anything else. Can you help me see what this is for?”

She was apprehensive that it might be some kind of attack artifact, and if she infused spiritual energy into it without knowing its function, she might accidentally harm herself, so she was hesitant to try it on her own.

Ji Yuebai took the object, examined it briefly, then placed it back in Xu Nian’s palm, saying indifferently, “It’s a decent mid-grade flying artifact. If you power it with more spiritual energy, its speed can rival that of a flying sword. She probably gave it to you because you haven’t learned to fly yet.”

Hearing this, Xu Nian felt a surge of excitement. She hadn’t expected Xue Ling to be so generous. It was a flying artifact! This meant that in future aerial battles, she wouldn’t have to awkwardly use swift wind and feather fall talismans on herself. Instead, she could simply summon this flying talisman to catch herself, and perhaps even use it to pursue her enemies.

She happily imprinted her spiritual consciousness onto the lotus cloud flying artifact, planning to refine it in her black box later. When she looked up, she saw Ji Yuebai deep in thought.

Xu Nian reached out and affectionately latched onto Ji Yuebai’s arm, “Let’s go, Yuebai. Let’s go back and cultivate together.”

She considered herself the most competent and emotionally fulfilling pet. After her conversation with Xue Ling, she had reflected on herself and resolved to become even more than just a fluffy snake. She intended to outdo foxes, cats, dogs, and from now on, only she, the snake, would be the best.

Ji Yuebai’s eyes briefly swept over Xu Nian’s charming, ingratiating face, and she smiled faintly, “Alright.”

Somehow, Ji Yuebai, who should have been as pure as a serene breeze or a clear moon, untainted by the mundane world, suddenly seemed to Xu Nian to have an inexplicable allure. It was difficult for her to look away. If she had to sum it up, it felt like Ji Yuebai was becoming increasingly enchanting.

Yikes, if she continued like this, she would mesmerize countless male and female cultivators.

But this seemed irrelevant to her role as a pet. Her task was simply to accompany Ji Yuebai as a calm green snake.

Previously in the sect, when Ji Yuebai had asked her to “Stay with me,” Xu Nian had understood her deeply. After all, who would want their long-accompanying Hachimi to suddenly pack up and leave one day?

To be fair, Xu Nian also admitted she might look a bit scary, but she had been working hard to become more comforting. Whether it was her clinginess, cuddles, or her strong self-discipline in cultivation, her pet etiquette was simply at its max. Who could resist such an adorable snake?

With each thought, her confidence grew. By the end, she felt increasingly like the best pet under heaven and earth, proudly rejecting any outside temptations and even raising her little chin high in pride.

The cabin’s night pearl wasn’t activated, leaving the room somewhat dim, with Ji Yuebai’s snow-white clothing blending into the surrounding shadows.

Xu Nian felt as if she had been transported back to the moment she first met Ji Yuebai. Those deep, dark eyes, so profound, mirrored her own image.

The difference lay in the fact that on that day, Ji Yuebai’s sword was icy, her intent to kill palpable, giving Xu Nian the feeling that a single misstep could result in a tragic death under that sword. But now, the touch of her fingers was tinged with a restrained gentleness.

Yet, an expression of incomprehension tinged Ji Yuebai’s typically cold eyes.

“Are you so happy to receive her gift?” Her voice, sounding like broken jade, had a subtle tone of complaint.

Stunned, Xu Nian quickly replayed her recent actions in her mind, realizing her pet-like behavior was still lacking. How could she openly display joy upon receiving a gift from another in front of Ji Yuebai? It was like a betrayal. She aspired to cling to Ji Yuebai for a long, long time; such a lack of awareness was unacceptable.

After her reflection, Xu Nian immediately wrapped her arms around Ji Yuebai’s neck, pleading sweetly, “Yuebai, I know I was wrong. The truth is, my excitement wasn’t due to receiving Xue Ling’s gift. It was the sudden realization that compared to her, you have given me so much more. This made me want to cultivate diligently, to stay by your side for a long time, and eventually repay you someday. Just the thought of bringing a smile to your face because of me sent waves of happiness through me that I couldn’t contain~”

Upon hearing her words, the fingers on Xu Nian’s chin relaxed and fell away.

Her speech was gentle and soothing, tinged with a subtle charm and tenderness, touching to the heart. Yet, meeting Ji Yuebai’s focused gaze made her feel a bit guilty. She instinctively let her fluttery, butterfly-wing-like eyelashes drop to shield her view, her voice becoming softer.

“I know I’m still weak, so I hope you won’t look down on me…” As she spoke, Xu Nian tiptoed, lifting her head to press her lips against the corner of Ji Yuebai’s mouth.

The touch was softer than she had imagined, like delicate clouds grazing her lips, thrilling yet fleeting like a dragonfly skimming water. Ji Yuebai’s hands, hidden in her wide sleeves, instinctively reached out to hold onto something but retracted just before touching her.

Xu Nian’s heart was filled with uncertainty. She dared not look at Ji Yuebai, fearing her impulsive behavior might have upset her. But then she thought, people who had fluffy pets in their past lives generally enjoyed kisses from their pets.

But this probably didn’t include snake owners.

In the silent room, Ji Yuebai acutely felt her own heartbeat.

Xu Nian’s charming eyes, filled with unshed tears, displayed an unconscious array of charm as they hurriedly lowered. The vivid red of her lips, which had just brushed past Ji Yuebai’s, left a striking impression.

Ji Yuebai closed her eyes in a restrained manner, as if she had come to understand the true meaning of “demon.”

In the quiet space, Xu Nian waited patiently with her eyes lowered, anticipating the other’s decision. Yet, as time passed without a sound from the other side, she couldn’t help but stealthily lift her gaze for a peek.

Just then, Ji Yuebai turned around, too swiftly for Xu Nian to catch a glimpse of her expression. All that remained was a fleeting corner of her elegant garment. Her voice, as always, was crisp and cool: “I’m stepping out for a bit. Focus on your cultivation; don’t wait for me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the cabin door closed behind her.

Xu Nian, puzzled but not daring to inquire further, contemplated for a moment before it all suddenly made sense.

Indeed, how could she, a mere novice in the grand scheme of things, understand the complex mind of such a formidable figure? After all, having lived as a snake for over sixty years, she wondered if her mind had subtly regressed without her realizing. It was best not to overthink.

Adjusting her mindset, Xu Nian cheerfully dove into the black box to test her new magical artifact. The artifact given to her by Xue Ling was surprisingly easy to refine, almost effortlessly. Xu Nian thought Xue Ling must have considered her true snake nature, hence the thoughtful gift, and regretted not being more tactful in their conversation. After all, as a snake who had lived twice, she shouldn’t stoop to petty arguments with a young girl.

Unknown to her, Xue Ling, despite being the precious daughter of a peak Nascent Soul expert, she was actually a novice in cultivation, far behind Xu Nian. Despite being fed countless spirit pills and possessing numerous treasures, she had barely reached the Foundation Building stage. For Xue Ling’s father, the sect leader Xue Zhengping, this was perhaps the irony of having a world of disciples but a struggling daughter at home. Concerned about who would protect her if he ascended or failed his tribulation, he had gone out of his way to create various simple-to-use talismans and backup equipment for her.

Xu Nian felt that Xue Ling, despite being a bit haughty, naturally aloof, and overly emotional, was still a good person at heart. She was grateful and generous, Xue Ling would’ve been a strong ally had Xu Nian not already decided to attach herself to Ji Yuebai. Xue Ling’s influential background was unmistakable.

Before, Elder Qiu had seemed indifferent to the dangers faced by many disciples, but he quickly intervened when Xue Ling was in trouble. Xu Nian found this curious: Elder Qiu, despite being offended by a junior at the Foundation Building stage, left in a rage instead of responding. Surprisingly, Xue Ling faced no consequences and emerged without a scratch. This made Xu Nian wonder about several things.

Xu Nian decided she should be more polite the next time she met Xue Ling. After all, there’s wisdom in the idea that “Even a snake leaves a path to avoid future confrontations,” suggesting the value of avoiding unnecessary disputes.

The space within the artifact, though termed a small world, was actually quite vast. Xu Nian had tried to explore its boundaries, which seemed to be a square with a diameter of about a hundred kilometers, as she had estimated once while testing her speed outside the black box. The exact depth of the black box was still unknown to her, but now with a flying artifact in her possession, it was time for some exploration.

Xu Nian experimented with infusing spiritual energy into a lotus cloud shaped flying artifact. In an instant, a shimmering, lotus-shaped throne materialized before her eyes. When it was small in her palm, it looked like a blend of cloud and lotus. In reality, it was a white lotus carried by a rainbow-colored auspicious cloud, with layers of white jade petals unfurling from inside out, it’s clear, elegant, and beautiful appearance filling her with joy.

Unable to contain her excitement, she leaped onto it and pulled out a mirror to admire herself. She felt her flowing white attire, combined with this auspicious cloud and white lotus, perfectly matched her ideal style. Even the red demon mark on her forehead seemed more appealing, like an upgraded version of a cinnabar mole. She even mused that with a jade bottle and a few willow branches, she could almost cosplay as the Bodhisattva Guanyin.

Coughing lightly, she reminded herself it was just a thought and hoped that the Bodhisattva wouldn’t take offense, praying for her continued protection to safely pass her thunder tribulation and ascend successfully.

Xu Nian, sitting atop the white lotus cloud artifact, posed in front of the mirror, trying various celestial styles and thoroughly admiring her reflection, which now exuded an aura of pure white lotus. Only then, with some reluctance, did she put away the mirror to test the flying artifact’s performance, aiming to master its details for future combat efficiency.

First, she injected a small amount of spiritual energy at a steady pace, causing the white lotus beneath her to ascend in sync with her thoughts, then move horizontally. At this time, its speed was about half of the flying boat they currently used. Increasing her energy output, the lotus cloud’s speed noticeably quickened, the wind howling around her, her hair fluttering in the breeze. After this burst of speed, she estimated its velocity could now surpass that of the flying boat. Estimating her spiritual energy reserves, she calculated she could sustain the lotus cloud artifact at this speed for over fifteen hours without rest.

Xu Nian felt extremely satisfied with this performance.

However, she considered that in actual combat, particularly against sword-riding cultivators or flying beasts, this speed might not be enough. If she were unable to shake off her opponent using hit-and-run tactics, the existence of the black box might still become exposed. This seemingly minor weakness could prove fatal if the enemy knew how to open the black box.

She concluded that she couldn’t always hide in the artifact at the sign of danger. Though it seemed like a lifesaver, exposure without a swift resolution could make it a target, turning the artifact into a death sentence.

Remembering Ji Yuebai’s remark that this magical artifact could rival flying swords, Xu Nian decided to push the lotus cloud artifact to its limit by suddenly maximizing the input of spiritual energy into the white lotus. In an instant, the sudden burst of speed sent her entire body to jerk backward due to the intense inertia, shooting forward as if she were on a rocket. The wind slamming against her face was painfully sharp, forcing her to use more spiritual energy to create a wind barrier in front of her.

Xu Nian cautiously observed the boundaries, fearful that her excessive speed might accidentally cause her to collide with the box. The current velocity was almost similar to what she had felt while in snake form inside Ji Yueba’s robe. As she regained her composure, she tried to inject more spiritual power but found that the lotus’ speed wouldn’t increase any further, suggesting it had reached its limit.