Within Lilith’s hidden memories, Xueji saw herself and the other members of the Hero’s party.
“Lilith, your birth is related to the Demon King, right?”
“Mhm, but by human standards, he and I are merely of the same race!”
In the room, Lilith was resting her head on Xueji’s lap, explaining very earnestly.
“Same race? The Demon King should be the world’s own immune system, right? What do you mean by same race?”
“I don’t know! All this stuff is such a tangled mess, I don’t know how to explain it.” Lilith rolled over, burying her face in Xueji’s thigh.
Just then, the room’s door opened.
The girl in the ruqun skirt, holding her skirt hems, dropped the mop in her hand and walked into the room.
“Finally finished tidying up, I’m exhausted.”
“Xiao Ji, you must have learned about Lilith’s origins by now, right?” The ruqun-skirted girl pulled over a stool and sat down.
Seeing she looked ready for a long chat, Xueji played along.
“Not completely. There are some things I need Sister Ji to help explain.”
“I was waiting for you to say that!” The ruqun girl slapped her thigh. “Ask away! Let your big sister solve your troubles.”
“So, Lilith possesses part of the Demon King’s memories and shares a heart-mind connection with me. What exactly does that make her?”
“You remember the world’s immune system, that’s good.”
The ruqun girl took out a pot of tea and three cups, arranging them on the table.
“The personification of the world’s immunity is influenced by humans, thus developing self-awareness.”
She poured three cups of tea. Xueji and Lilith moved to sit by the bed, accepting the teacups.
Lilith very skillfully took the sweet milk handed to her by the ruqun girl and poured half of it into her tea, creating her own milk tea.
“You saw what the little one just did, right?”
“She poured milk into the tea. What about it?” Xueji asked, puzzled.
“Let me give you an analogy. The world-consciousness’s immunity is that half-cup of tea, and you are that half-cup of milk.”
Hearing this, Xueji understood completely.
“In other words, Lilith was born after the immunity was influenced by me.”
“Exactly. Her birth is a miracle. She might become your greatest asset in meddling with the affairs of the World Monument.”
“Ack!” Lilith’s exclamation interrupted their conversation.
“So I’m a cup of milk tea? Trash Immortal, you’re asking for trouble again!” Lilith bared her teeth at the ruqun girl in a threatening manner.
“Do you still think that?” Xueji couldn’t help but ask her with a smile.
“Forget it, you’re on your own.” The ruqun girl rubbed her temples, sighed deeply, and left. “You can’t carve rot.”
After she left, only Xueji and Lilith remained in the room together.
After their hearts were completely laid bare to each other, their shared mental space underwent changes. The most obvious one was that Lilith could now freely materialize things from Xueji’s memories.
Lilith happily turned on the computer, excitedly shouting, “Quality of life, UP!”
“Wanna play games?” Xueji thought it wasn’t right to just let Lilith stay in the mental space all the time, so she asked, “Lilith, do you want to go out and play?”
“I do! But if I go out, you can’t come with me. That wouldn’t be fun.” Lilith sat at the computer desk and opened a game.
Xueji saw she was opening “Beat Up Kids” from 4399
“Uh… I suddenly understand a bit of my mom’s worry about me back in the day.”
Xueji thought seriously for a moment, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She clapped her hands. “I’ve thought of a way for you to move around outside with me.”
“Huh? What way?”
“A puppet! I’ll just make a body for you on the outside!”
…
Xueji opened her eyes. Waking up, she saw Ling Xiaoxiao sitting beside her, her gaze wandering.
She tried to move her arm but found an intense feeling of obstruction all over her body.
Looking closely, she discovered she was naked, stuck with needles like a porcupine.
“Lin—” Just as Xueji was about to erupt, Ling Xiaoxiao, quick as lightning, immediately covered her mouth.
“Xiao Ji, I had no choice, it was a necessity. Don’t get worked up yet, I’ll remove the needles right away.” Ling Xiaoxiao’s voice grew less confident as she spoke. Seeing Xueji’s almost murderous glare, her heart filled with panic.
Xueji nodded, her eyes signaling her to hurry up.
Using her qi to manipulate the needles, Ling Xiaoxiao removed all hundred-plus needles in less than half a minute.
After the needles were out, the already precarious stretcher-bed, weakened by shadow corrosion, was completely wrecked. Seeing the familiar corrosive marks around her, what little anger Xueji had dissipated.
“While you were unconscious, Lilith’s power was leaking out.” Ling Xiaoxiao said lightly. “Luckily, I kept a close watch on you. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened if someone hit you with a major purification spell.”
“Alright, I owe you one. But you owe me a lot more. Any objections?” Xueji put on her clothes and changed the subject.
“Uh, of course not. After all, the great Sage saved my life. This humble woman can only offer herself in return.”
Ling Xiaoxiao gave a slight bow, acting the part of a demure woman.
“Eww— Don’t be like that, it feels kinda weird.” Xueji pulled open the curtain and fled in a panic.
Ling Xiaoxiao watched her flustered retreat with a smiling face.
‘It’s okay, Xiao Ji. I can take my time.’
“My patience does have its limits, though.”
A fiery pattern appeared between the brows of the ethereal young woman, and the desire in her eyes was no longer concealed in an instant.
Xueji’s intuition told her there was danger behind her, but it was Ling Xiaoxiao back there, right?
Not wanting to believe it, she looked back, only to see Ling Xiaoxiao walking out calmly, passing by her, and leaving.
…
The group returned to the supernatural forces base in City A. Shaya was on the mountaintop, waving to everyone.
Seeing her, a blue flash of light, and Xueji vanished from her seat.
Ailiya couldn’t help but feel curious about the magic Xueji used. It didn’t seem to follow any known system.
Ailiya admitted that Xueji was indeed someone worthy of Ling Xiaoxiao, at least far stronger than herself.
‘Darn it, I won’t admit defeat so easily!’
Thinking this, she turned to speak to Ling Xiaoxiao, only to find that seat empty as well.
Outside the window, a trail of dazzling golden light streaked towards the mountaintop.
Shaya was happy to see Xueji.
But when Ling Xiaoxiao followed her out, Shaya’s good mood for the day ended right there.
“I was waiting for A-Ji. Why did you come down?” Shaya made no effort to hide her displeasure, putting it plainly on her face and showing Ling Xiaoxiao no courtesy.
Ling Xiaoxiao just smiled, stating the cruelest reality for Shaya.
“Can’t I come check on my little maid?”
Shaya’s mood instantly plummeted. She had completely forgotten about that matter, all the way to the back of beyond. Even the clone of Ling Xiaoxiao responsible for ‘training’ her had been lured by her design into that previous testing zone. It was currently engaged in a battle with the power Ling Xiaoxiao had left behind.
“Ah! Over a hundred missed calls. Mom? Dad? I’m dead!”
Xueji’s exclamation interrupted the standoff between the two.