Naiqi, Hit Me! Hit Me Hard!

Night.

Mischievous moonlight shone brightly.

The Cold and Aloof Girl sat crouched on the steps.

Beneath the moonlight, her flawless features appeared even more ethereal and otherworldly—fair skin, clear and cool eyes, a graceful figure, and slender jade-like legs drawn tightly against her chest.

Lu Xueqi stared intently at Ye Changfeng.

Her cool gaze seemed to interrogate his very soul.

Hearing this.

Ye Changfeng froze slightly.

Looking at the Human-Machine Girl before him, he saw a trace of grievance in her eyes—and even caught a hint of jealousy.

Was she...

Jealous?!

Ye Changfeng smiled softly.

"Rustle—"

Just then, the evening breeze blew gently.

The hair beside the girl's cheeks fluttered in the wind, and a faint fragrance drifted beneath his nose.

Ye Changfeng raised a hand to smooth her hair, tucking it behind her ear as he explained, "Although we entered the sect in the same year, I still prefer calling you Senior Sister, because..."

"You are Lu Xueqi."

His eyes, so affectionate they could make even a dog seem beloved, blinked lightly.

Lu Xueqi's pretty face reddened.

She understood what Ye Changfeng meant.

He liked calling her Senior Sister not because he liked senior sisters, but because—she was his Senior Sister.

"As for Senior Sister Ling'er..."

Ye Changfeng pondered briefly before saying, "When I had just joined the sect, the talent I displayed was fairly good, so I took away some of Master's and Master's Wife's affection. Senior Sister Ling'er was still young then."

"She thought Master and Master's Wife no longer loved her."

As he spoke.

Ye Changfeng recalled that teary little girl from back then and could not help but smile. "Anyway, I've always regarded her as a younger sister."

Hearing this.

Lu Xueqi nodded thoughtfully.

What she really wanted to say was... You regard her as a younger sister? She might not regard you as an older brother!

However.

In the end, she did not say it aloud.

"Xueqi."

Just then.

A distinctly different call suddenly sounded beside her ear.

Hearing this.

Lu Xueqi's delicate body trembled slightly.

She turned to glance at Ye Changfeng beside her and shot him a somewhat coquettish glare, as if asking why he had suddenly called her that.

Surprisingly...

"Do you know when I first saw you?"

Ye Changfeng said with a smile.

"Saw me?"

Lu Xueqi froze slightly.

She looked at Ye Changfeng in surprise. "You couldn't possibly..."

"That's right."

Ye Changfeng chuckled.

"When I had just broken through to the Upper Purity Realm two years ago, I sneaked out of Great Bamboo Peak in the middle of the night. Then I accidentally got lost and ended up on Little Bamboo Peak, where I saw you cultivating on the Moon Gazing Platform..."

Hearing this.

Lu Xueqi's pretty face flushed slightly.

She lowered her eyes, hugging her legs as she curled up beside him without saying a word.

She understood what Ye Changfeng meant by saying all this.

It was nothing more than...

A confession.

But she didn't know how to respond.

The Human-Machine Girl could only remain silent and sullen.

Still... she only knew that she didn't dislike Ye Changfeng. In fact, hearing him say those things even made her heart feel a little sweet.

For a time, the atmosphere gradually fell silent.

Ye Changfeng had already said everything he needed to say.

He understood Lu Xueqi's temperament as well, so he didn't force her to respond. All he knew was that Naiqi definitely wouldn't be getting away, because...

she had already taken his shape.

"You..."

Lu Xueqi lightly pursed her lips.

She raised her eyes to look at Ye Changfeng beside her. The two were extremely close, practically face-to-face.

"What will you do about the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament tomorrow?"

she asked softly.

Hearing this, Ye Changfeng shrugged and said, "I'll fight normally. Getting into the top four will be enough."

The cultivation he currently displayed was Yuqing Sixth Layer.

Zhang Xiaofan had managed to claim a top-four spot at the Fourth Layer of Yuqing. If he took a top-four spot at Yuqing Sixth Layer, it wouldn't attract too much attention.

"Oh..."

Lu Xueqi nodded.

She felt that this was somewhat unfair to Ye Changfeng. His cultivation was so high—first place should have belonged to him.

Ye Changfeng saw through the girl's thoughts.

He smiled lightly and said, "If you think it's unfair to me, then work hard and take first place. That'll make it fair..."

"Hmm?"

The Human-Machine Girl tilted her head blankly.

She looked at Ye Changfeng before her and asked, "Why would it be fair to you if I took first place?"

Ye Changfeng smiled faintly.

Facing the evening breeze, he spoke softly, his gentle voice echoing by the girl's ears. "Because... your first place is my first place."

At this moment, Lu Xueqi was completely stunned.

Her first place was Ye Changfeng's first place?

This...

Was he saying that there was no distinction between them?

Lu Xueqi's pretty face reddened slightly. Unexpectedly, she didn't refute him, merely letting out an almost inaudible "Mm."

Then, as though afraid Ye Changfeng hadn't heard her, she gathered her courage and raised her head, saying earnestly, "I'll take first place!"

She would take first place.

Because—

she wanted to share the glory of first place with him.

"Good."

The White-Clad Youth nodded with a smile.

He and the girl curled up in the corner, crouching on the steps. Together, they basked in the moonlight and faced the evening breeze as they confided in one another...

"But what if the two of us end up facing each other?"

Lu Xueqi was somewhat conflicted.

Since Ye Changfeng had said he wanted to make the top four, he would definitely make the top four. Yet Lu Xueqi was at the Ninth Layer of Jade Purity, so she would certainly encounter Ye Changfeng later on. How were they supposed to fight then?!

"Hmm..."

Ye Changfeng pondered briefly.

He smiled and said, "If we really do run into each other by accident, then hit me as hard as you can. Let me check whether your cultivation is up to standard."

"Ah?!"

Lu Xueqi was slightly startled.

She clearly hadn't expected Ye Changfeng to say something like that.

But thinking about it, it made sense.

Ye Changfeng's cultivation was already close to breaking through to Late Shangqing.

Even if she went all out, she might not be able to hurt Ye Changfeng. So...

She nodded. "Alright."

A hint of eagerness flickered in the cold and aloof girl's eyes.

Did she actually want to spar with Ye Changfeng?

Seeing this.

Ye Changfeng didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The two sat together on the steps in the corner, curled up beneath the moonlight and enjoying the gentle evening breeze. Gradually...

Ye Changfeng took Lu Xueqi's slender hand again.

The Human-Machine Girl froze slightly.

Blushing, she struggled faintly for a moment, but couldn't pull free... and then she silently let Ye Changfeng keep holding her hand.

The night

gradually deepened.

Ye Changfeng felt quite content.

This was exactly the kind of life he wanted. Unfortunately, the world ahead was far from peaceful. Hmm... in order to live such a quiet, stable life in the future, he planned to sweep away all the injustice in the world.

That way, he could live his days in peace and stability.

Ten years to hone a single sword, its frosted edge never tested; today I show it to you—who has an injustice to settle?

The young man turned his head slightly.

He saw that the girl at his side had somehow already leaned against his shoulder and fallen asleep in a daze.

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