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After she finished speaking, she couldn't help giving herself a thunderous round of applause in her heart. This was the spirit of Lei Feng! This was what it meant to do good deeds without leaving your name!

Even if the male lead would never understand her good intentions, she was a successor to socialism, after all. Seeing him looking so pitiful, she'd just consider him a son she was raising.

The male lead had simply suffered too much in the early part of the story.

Pei Ji froze. "I don't need it."

"If I'm telling you to take it, then take it! I don't even want this stupid pearl—ow!"

Ning Ning hadn't finished speaking when someone rapped her hard on the head.

When she opened her eyes again, the Jade Palace had vanished like smoke. The three of them had somehow returned to Tian Xianzi's shabby little courtyard.

"What do you mean, 'stupid pearl'? It's called the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl. It contains most of the Ghost Mother's lifelong cultivation and counts as a high-grade treasure."

Tian Xianzi smiled helplessly. "You little girl. I was just about to praise your performance today, but how did you end up being so blind to its value? No wonder you're broke."

Ning Ning frowned and puffed out her cheeks.

You're the one least qualified to say that, Master!

"Your Zhaixing Pavilion mission was witnessed by both me and your Uncle-Master Zhen Xiao."

Tian Xianzi said, "Lin Xun's temperament is still a little too gentle. Since his Sword Qi comes naturally, his Sword Intent inevitably lacks a bit of force. Pei Ji is meticulous, with a natural Sword Bone—a born Sword Cultivator, if ever there was one. It's just a shame he has such a strong killing instinct. As for you, Ning Ning—how did you spot the clues inside Zhaixing Pavilion?"

Ning Ning rubbed her nose and made up a story on the spot. "I sensed demonic aura underground, but the senior brothers and sisters who'd been there said Zhaixing Pavilion didn't have a basement. Then I thought of the records about fortuitous encounters in the Futuo Secret Records, and guessed it might be the Yinshan Ghost Mother."

Tian Xianzi burst out laughing. "Excellent! Bold and observant, and you even figured out a variation of the Golden Snake Sword Technique. You were the best today."

As he spoke, his eyes curved into a smile and he reached into his other sleeve. "I prepared a little gift to reward you. Your master doesn't have many good things, so I hope you won't mind, Ning Ning. Take this and go eat anything you like."

Ning Ning's eyes immediately lit up.

Anything she wanted to eat! That had to mean a huge pile of money! No, maybe it wasn't money, but some kind of super high-level token that could summon dark clouds and change the weather as soon as it appeared. The cafeteria aunties would see it and call it a special skill, all falling at her feet!

Thank you, Master! You're the best! Even poor people can share true love!

Then Ning Ning's smile froze on her face.

Tian Xianzi gave a little chuckle, flicked his right hand, and pulled something from his sleeve.

A pair of...

A pair of chopsticks.

Ning Ning: eyes trembling in shock.

Take these chopsticks and go eat whatever you want.

Right. Flawless logic. That was so like you, Master.

After giving her the chopsticks and offering a few words of commentary, Tian Xianzi was dragged away by her uncle-master for a sword sparring match.

With his head hanging, Lin Xun went back to his room to ponder Sword Intent. Before long, only Ning Ning and Pei Ji remained in the courtyard.

Pei Ji planned to return the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl to her.

He had never accepted anything from anyone, and no one had ever been willing to give him anything. Earlier, Ning Ning had thought it was a useless trinket and tossed it to him; that had at least made sense. But now Tian Xianzi had revealed its true value. She must be secretly regretting her impulsive generosity.

The black-robed youth furrowed his brow and spoke in a low, slightly awkward voice. "Senior Sister."

What was he calling her for?

Ning Ning turned around and saw Pei Ji's dark, gloomy phoenix eyes. They were naturally alluring in shape, but he had managed to suffuse them with a cold, sinister air, like a wolf quietly watching her.

The male lead probably didn't like her, his spoiled and arrogant senior sister. Why was he suddenly acting like this? Could it be...

Ning Ning hurriedly tucked the chopsticks in her hands against her chest. "W-why are you looking at me? Are you jealous I got chopsticks? You can't have them!"

As if! A vicious supporting character wouldn't be that generous. The male lead must be unhappy that the master favored her, and now he couldn't stop staring at even a pair of chopsticks.

Hadn't she already given him the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl?

Pei Ji: ...

He was clutching a priceless pearl in his hand. How could she only notice the pair of wooden chopsticks?

But Ning Ning didn't give him a chance to explain. She turned and dashed away, disappearing in a flash.

"Oh my heavens, the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl! A treasure several hundred years old, and she just gave it to you? I figure the girl's either stupid or she likes you."

Chengying sucked in a sharp breath and concluded solemnly, "But how could anyone be that stupid? That'd be barely human. So she definitely likes you." Pei Ji said nothing. He lowered his eyes to the Yin Mountain Ghost Pearl in his hand.

The round bead, no bigger than a fingernail, was a luscious jade green. In the sunlight, it seemed to exude a bewitching allure. Its vivid green gleam was dazzling and charming, as if it could dart straight into someone's heart.

Ever since he could remember, he had lived with his mother's beatings and cold neglect.

The children nearby all knew he was the son of a Devil Race cultivator. Afraid of the Devil Race, no one wanted to be his friend. Instead, they often gathered to corner him against a wall and beat him.

This was the first time someone had ever been willing to give him a present.

And such a precious one, no less.

Like a child who had never tasted candy suddenly getting a bite of something sweet, Pei Ji—who didn't know what sweetness was—felt mostly bewilderment and confusion, no matter how fragrant the candy was.

He didn't understand why Ning Ning was being kind to him.

Especially when he was in such a wretched state.

Chengying's chattering continued in his ear. "That girl's wonderful! She's pretty and kind, and she keeps finding all sorts of ways to help you. If I were you, I'd have already fallen for her, at the hem of her fairy skirt—hey, don't go! Pei Ji, where are you going?"

The red-lipped, white-toothed youth put the pearl away. His eyes were still shrouded in gloom. "To practice my sword."

After resting for a few days in the courtyard, Ning Ning received another mission notification from the system.

[Ding dong!]

[After the battle at Zhaixing Pavilion, you grew bored and, with nothing to do, decided to visit Qingxu Valley for a change of scenery. Unexpectedly, you ran into Elder Xuanxu, Wen Hemian, whose cultivation had been completely lost.]