The deepest fear within

Inuyasha was the first to object.

Xu Zhiqiu raised an eyebrow and stared at him. "Then can you get along with Kikyo?"

"Isn't that obvious? Of course I'm going to protect Kikyo." Inuyasha thought Xu Zhiqiu was being ridiculous.

Xu Zhiqiu nodded, stood up, and picked up the sword beside her. "All right, I'll leave Kikyo in your care. I'm heading out."

"Hey, Qiu, where are you going?"

"To find the Shikon Jewel shards," Xu Zhiqiu replied without turning her head.

Kikyo, who had been lying on the stone bed, opened her eyes and softly called Inuyasha's name.

"Kikyo." Hearing her voice, Inuyasha immediately went over.

Standing off to the side, Kagome felt a little uncomfortable at the sight of their intimacy, but she kept a smile on her face.

Xu Zhiqiu had not originally wanted to leave Kikyo behind, but she had noticed signs that Kikyo was waking up. Yet Kikyo had continued pretending to sleep. Perhaps she wanted to stay by Inuyasha's side.

They had once been lovers. Though there was some hatred between them, deep down, there was still so much love.

The three of them would have to untangle their feelings themselves!

After leaving Inuyasha and the others, Xu Zhiqiu headed toward Naraku's castle.

When she returned to the castle, she saw a pitch-black sky filled with evil energy.

"My lady."

"Mm."

Xu Zhiqiu went to Naraku's quarters and slid open the screen, revealing the man sitting on the floor.

Noticing her arrival, Naraku looked up at her. "Qiu, I thought you would stay with Inuyasha and Kikyo and become their companion."

There was a hint of mockery in his tone.

Xu Zhiqiu sat beside him and studied his face. "Your complexion has recovered nicely."

Naraku relaxed his hands as he spoke, leaning toward Xu Zhiqiu and drawing her into his arms. "It was thanks to you breaking the seal that I gained a new body."

Xu Zhiqiu braced her elbow against his chest. "If you want to thank me, just thank me. Why are you hugging me too?"

"Then how would you like me to thank you, Qiu?" Naraku gazed into her eyes as he spoke.

"Ahem. Clothes."

"Just clothes?" A trace of regret flickered through Naraku's eyes, though he truly could not go any further with Xu Zhiqiu right now.

Onigumo's heart was still inside him. Whenever he drew close to Qiu, it clamored within him, leaving him deeply displeased, as though someone else were coveting what belonged to him.

Although he had his own plans deep down, he still wanted to tease this woman into blushing.

"Yes. Why aren't you wearing the clothes I bought you?" Xu Zhiqiu raised her head and looked straight at him.

Naraku gave her a meaningful smile. "Could you help me put them on, Qiu? If you help me change, I wouldn't mind wearing them now."

"Then you'd better not change." Xu Zhiqiu wore a deadpan-expression.jpg.

After running around all day, Xu Zhiqiu soaked comfortably in a bath barrel filled with hot water. She lowered her head and submerged herself completely, then lifted her head again, her wet hair falling with the streaming water.

After her pleasant bath, Xu Zhiqiu picked up a dry towel beside her and wrapped her hair in it. Then she wrapped a bath towel around herself and stepped out of the barrel.

Once she had changed into dry clothes, she rubbed her hair dry. When it was nearly dry, she flopped onto the bed, pulled up the quilt she had been lying on, yawned, and fell straight asleep.

An unknown amount of time passed before she sensed someone beside her. She opened her eyes to see Naraku's face. His formerly loose hair was now tied up, and he wore purple-black clothes with the Baboon Skin draped halfway over him.

Seeing that it was him, Xu Zhiqiu sat up and asked through a yawn, "What's wrong?"

"Qiu, would you like to watch a good show?" Naraku asked, his gaze fixed on her exposed collarbone.

Xu Zhiqiu pulled her clothes closed and stood up. "Sure. Go outside first. I'll change."

"All right." Naraku discreetly withdrew his gaze, then went outside.

Xu Zhiqiu changed her clothes, tied her hair into a high ponytail, and went out without makeup.

Naraku had already been waiting outside for some time. Once she emerged, they set off for their destination.

Neither spoke along the way.

The cloud of miasma descended, and they came to rest on a thick tree branch.

Vines crisscrossed the ground, and evil energy spread through the surroundings. Everything looked terribly wrong. She turned toward the man beside her. "What do you want to show me?"

"Touch the vines, and you'll enter the illusion I created. Would you like to try, Qiu?" Naraku very much wanted to know what Xu Zhiqiu feared most deep down.

His words made the woman cover her face.

"No."

"Oh." Naraku was a little disappointed, but said nothing more.

Xu Zhiqiu waited a while, and illusions appeared before them.

The little fox's deepest fear was that all his companions would leave him; Miroku feared being swallowed by the Wind Tunnel in his own hand; Sango feared her companions being killed by her younger brother; Inuyasha's was the scene of him attacking the village fifty years ago and confronting Kikyo.

Xu Zhiqiu glanced at Naraku, who was watching with relish, and heard him say with undisguised mockery, "The human heart truly is a fragile thing."

The corner of Xu Zhiqiu's mouth twitched. Watching what lay within Inuyasha and the others' hearts, she pressed a hand over her own, a dazed look in her eyes. What was her deepest fear?

My deepest fear...

She snapped out of it, turned toward Naraku, and gritted her teeth. "Naraku!"

Oh? She noticed?

Naraku felt a little regretful. He had almost managed to peer into Qiu's heart.

"I'm going to find them. Enjoy your show!" A little angry, Xu Zhiqiu leaped down from the tree and headed off in one direction.

Watching Xu Zhiqiu disappear into the illusory forest, Naraku coldly observed that Inuyasha and the others had already escaped their illusions. Suddenly, it all felt dull and tedious.

After leaving Naraku, Xu Zhiqiu no longer looked angry. Instead, she wore a thoughtful expression. What did she fear most?

An orange-yellow figure suddenly appeared ahead, and Xu Zhiqiu walked toward it.

Kikyo walked forward with downcast eyes, looking utterly lost. Xu Zhiqiu approached her. "Kikyo, what's wrong?"

Seeing Xu Zhiqiu, Kikyo tugged at the corners of her mouth, forcing a faint smile. "I'm fine." She offered Xu Zhiqiu the Shikon Jewel shards she had taken from Kagome.

"These...?" Xu Zhiqiu froze, not having expected Kikyo to do this.

"Qiu, I want to spend the next few days alone in peace. You can have the Shikon Jewel shards." Kikyo pressed them into Xu Zhiqiu's hand, then left.

"Kikyo." Holding the Shikon Jewel shards, Xu Zhiqiu wanted to follow, but thick mist appeared before her, blocking her view. By the time she passed through it, Kikyo was gone.