Killing intent
"Guess."
Qiaoqiao blinked, feeling his eyelashes tickling her palm, like a small brush gently brushing against her skin.
"Bird eggs again?"
"Wrong."
A few days ago, Qiaoqiao found a bird egg in a hidden cave on the mountain peak. After waiting for a day without seeing the female or male bird, Bai Fu told her that it was a dead egg.
But Qiaoqiao insisted that the chick inside the egg was still alive. She took the egg back to Wanghan Immortal Abode, made a bird's nest, and piled up fire Spirit Stone around the nest, determined to hatch the egg.
The Wanghan Immortal Abode is filled with countless rare treasures, Qiaoqiao can take whatever she wants without his interference.
Qiaoqiao once asked him what kind of egg it was.
"It's a phoenix."
"Oh? Really?"
"He's dead."
"How could that be?" Qiaoqiao insisted. "If it's a phoenix, it certainly can't be a dead egg. Phoenixes are immortal."
She believed the fledgling was still alive, but she couldn't believe there was a phoenix egg in Ethereal Peak.
"Bai Fu, you're not lying to me, are you?"
"..."
She released her grip, and as if by magic, she lifted something into her palm.
"Look!"
It was a lustrous jade comb.
Bai Fu's eyebrows twitched. "This belongs to your grandmaster."
"Ah?"
She found it in the cave abode's treasure vault, but she thought it was all Bai Fu's stuff.
She withdrew her hand, about to put the item back, when Bai Fu pressed her hand down and whispered, "This is a token of love from Master's wife to Master."
He looked up at Qiaoqiao, "Could you help me comb my hair?"
The moonlight fell into his eyes, softening his aloof demeanor; even the ice of spring melted into water, rippling with tenderness.
He was watching so intently that Qiaoqiao's heart was in turmoil, so she picked up the jade comb and began to comb his hair.
His hair was like the finest silk, cool to the touch against my fingers, flowing like water, which was just what could soothe the restlessness in my heart.
"I've heard that in the mortal realm, couples with a good relationship will comb each other's hair."
Qiaoqiao paused in her movements.
Her heart was beating faster, the sound of her heartbeat echoing in her ears.
"I..."
He had barely uttered a single word when he suddenly erupted in a heart-wrenching cough, and drops of blood oozed from between his fingers.
"Division--"
Bai Fu held her flustered hand, waiting for the cough to subside, and asked, "Qiaoqiao, do you like life like this?"
"Like."
She answered almost without thinking.
"And you..."
Do you like me?
He didn't ask that question aloud.
Silence spread silently.
They all knew that the peaceful days were numbered.
Bai Fu's Protective Sword Formation, a dazzling expanse of silver light, remained on Ethereal Peak for a full forty-nine days. For forty-nine days, the cultivators on the outer perimeter tried countless methods but could not break his sword formation.
Until the dawn of that day, accompanied by a loud phoenix cry, the Flowing Silver Sword Formation surrounding Ethereal Peak disappeared.
Some people rubbed their eyes in disbelief, thinking they were hallucinating.
Some people hesitated to move forward, even without the sword formation, they were still afraid of the prestige of Immortal Venerable Wanghan.
Peak Master Yue, Commandant Nangong, Commandant Feng, Elder Bing, and their group rushed forward.
The clouds over Wanghan Immortal Abode dispersed, and Bai Fu and Qiaoqiao were already waiting for them.
His black hair turned white inch by inch, and his lips lost their color; he was on his last legs.
Qiaoqiao supported him, her eyes filled with heartache.
"Bai Fu, you've finally met your match."
"No matter how powerful Immortal Venerable Wanghan is, he is still made of flesh and blood. He can't hold on any longer, can he?" Commandant Feng mocked.
"I really don't know what the point of doing this is," Bing Yan scoffed. "You insist on making yourself a traitor to the Cultivation World —oh, no, you've already been abandoned by everyone. So, it seems you can't bear to part with this little disciple?"
"Hmph, perhaps they have some other dirty and shameful intentions!" said Peak Master Yue.
"Alright." Nangong Gua stepped forward. "Now that things have come to this, you should hand over the goddess, shouldn't you?"
Bai Fu looked at the aggressive group of people and suddenly laughed.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Of course I'm laughing at your stupidity!" Qiaoqiao said. "Song Wuya is clearly no good, yet you all obey him without question."
"Goddess--"
"Stop talking nonsense." Nangong tried to snatch her away, but Bai Fu used her last bit of strength to protect her. "Qiaoqiao, are you scared?"
"I'm not afraid." She shook her head.
"Do you have any other wishes?"
"I want..." Qiaoqiao wasn't afraid of death; her courage came from her bloodline, and she was naturally lacking in the fear of death. But she had many regrets. "I want to save my senior brothers and sisters. I want to restore Ethereal Peak to its former state."
She didn't want Bai Fu to die for her. He was the high and Immortal Venerable Wanghan, and he could have ignored her. He could have roamed the world at will if he wanted to.
Yet he was willing to be trapped and die on this small hilltop for his own sake.
She didn't want it to be like this.
Nangong let out a piercing laugh.
Bai Fu closed his eyes slightly, raised his weak arm, and gently touched her brow with his index finger.
A beam of silver light detached from his body and entered Qiaoqiao's body.
She only felt a silver light sweep across her mind, a gentle, protective light. He leaned down and placed a light, feather-soft kiss on her forehead.
"Qiaoqiao, your wish will come true."
Before losing consciousness, these were the last words she heard.
Chapter 65 Killing Intent
When Qiaoqiao opened her eyes again, she was back in that dark space.
It was pitch black and cold all around, and endless resentment lingered in the space. As soon as she appeared, it was as if it had found its prey and wanted to cling to her.