Chapter 27: Are These Even Words a Human Would Say?!

Lu Qingfei shifted her gaze from Xu Li to the world outside the window. The next moment, her eyes trembled ever so slightly. A familiar figure flashed by. Lu Qingfei rubbed her eyes, craned her neck to look, but found nothing. Perhaps it was just her imagination. She paid it no mind and resumed picking out food.

Lu Qingfei bought an extra meal, wrote a note, stuck it on top, and before leaving the convenience store, quietly placed it beside Xu Li without betraying any emotion. Xu Li, engrossed in her work, didn't notice Lu Qingfei's actions. Only when she finished her listening exercise, took off her headphones, and prepared to switch shifts did she spot the sandwich and the still-warm milk beside her.

On the note, there were only four simple words—

Xu Li, not poisoned.

Xu Li glanced around but saw no one. She walked to the cashier to inquire.

"How would I know who put it there? I interact with so many people every day," the cashier replied impatiently. "It's time, hurry up and switch shifts."

Xu Li felt a little lost, but took over the shift and began her part-time work. Each shift lasted four hours. After work, she returned home, famished, and opened the fridge, only to find it completely empty. She could barely afford rent, let alone stock up on prepared food.

Suddenly, Xu Li remembered the sandwich and milk in her backpack. She took them out and, by the faint light, read the note again. Since it had her name on it, it must have been meant for her.

Not poisoned—could she believe that?

After a long struggle, Xu Li finally unwrapped the food and ate it. No matter who left it, filling her stomach came first.

**

Half a month later, the little ghost child searching for his grave returned to seek out Lu Qingfei once more.

"Sis..." Sister.

Without warning, a branch whipped through the air, missing Tao Jin's eye by a mere three centimeters.

"Speak," Lu Qingfei's gaze was calm and steady. "What is your purpose?"

Tao Jin's eyes widened, looking utterly innocent. "Sister, what are you talking about?"

Lu Qingfei gripped the branch in her right hand, while her left idly flipped a bronze coin.

"I'll give you just one chance."

Her voice was even, unreadable.

Time ticked by in silence.

Tao Jin dropped his naive facade, and in the blink of an eye, transformed into a clean-cut, handsome high school boy.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you."

Lu Qingfei's eyes lifted at the corners. "You think a simple 'sorry' can wipe it all away?"

"No..."

Tao Jin, knowing himself to be in the wrong, lowered his head and muttered, "It wasn't exactly a lie. I only revert to my original form occasionally."

He took a deep breath and looked up at Lu Qingfei. "You found out who I am, didn't you?"

Lu Qingfei lazily raised her eyelids but said nothing.

"I was pushed down the stairs by Ling Jin," Tao Jin confessed. "Ling Jin, emboldened by his father Ling Bai's status, often bullied classmates. I just wanted to reason with him, to get him to stop tormenting others."

Lu Qingfei replied, "No skills, yet you meddle in other people's business—asking for trouble."

Tao Jin said, "Someone has to step in."

Lu Qingfei tossed the branch aside and sat on a rock, her posture relaxed.

"So, even in death you won't let Ling Jin go, haunting him, only for Liu Guanyun to use a spell that altered your form?"

"Yes. My body's shrunk, my memories erased," Tao Jin replied dryly, forcing a smile. "Princess Wang said you could help me."

Lu Qingfei understood and asked, "Do you want me to seek justice for you, or restore you to your original self?"

But Tao Jin shook his head. "Neither. The truth and my appearance aren't that important to me. I came to ask you to save someone."

Lu Qingfei answered without hesitation, "No."

"Why not?"

"For reasons both obvious and scientific."

"..."

Was this even human speech? Discussing science with a ghost!

Tao Jin stared at her. "What would make you agree to help me?"

Lu Qingfei raised her brows, a faint light flickering in her eyes, and smiled in return. "Why should I help you?"

After pondering for a long moment, Tao Jin blurted out, "If the coin lands face up, then fate says you must help me."

Hearing this, Lu Qingfei laughed softly.

He couldn't tell which side of the ancient coin was heads, so he simply assumed it was. Humans always soften toward the young.

Lu Qingfei would help Tao Jin at six years old, but not at seventeen.

Her gentle laughter chimed through the woods, blending with the birdsong, drifting into the ear like the melody of a fine instrument.

Tao Jin gazed at Lu Qingfei, unblinking.

Her eyes were round, her features delicate, her figure slender yet not frail, like flowing peach blossoms carrying a faint fragrance, brimming with vitality.

A girl like this, in theory, shouldn't inspire fear.

But Tao Jin was a ghost, and particularly sensitive to souls.

Lu Qingfei was dangerous.

And Tao Jin knew well he had no bargaining power with her.

"At your disposal," Tao Jin lowered his head. "So long as you help me, whether you raise ghosts or destroy my soul, I will have no regrets."

Lu Qingfei's eyes curved, her smile deepening.

Under the pressure, Tao Jin pleaded,

"Please save Xu Li!"

Lu Qingfei was surprised. "What happened to her?"

"Led by Ling Jin, the school bullies often torment Xu Li. It's affecting her studies and her life." Tao Jin had intended to haunt Ling Jin, keeping him away from Xu Li until the college entrance exams, but who could have foreseen Ling Bai would hire a spiritual master?

"Those who ask for help must show the proper attitude," said Lu Qingfei.

Tao Jin hesitated, then awkwardly explained, "Xu Li's family situation is bad..."

"Be specific. Spare me grand generalities."

...This person was clever and cold.

"Xu Li's father was abusive. Her mother, defending herself, went too far. In the end, her father died, and her mother went to prison."

Tao Jin clenched his fists and said quietly, "Ling Jin found out and has been threatening Xu Li—first saying he'd expose her unless she did his homework, then forcing her to be his girlfriend."

"Please help her! Don't let rumors and Ling Jin ruin her life!"

Lu Qingfei listened patiently, then asked in a mild voice, "What about you?"

Tao Jin: "What?"

"Your parents," Lu Qingfei said. "Don't you want them to know the truth about your death?"

Tao Jin was caught off guard.

After a moment, he lowered his gaze and said quietly, "I have no parents."

He was an orphan. Dead was dead; no one would care.

The brilliant sunlight stung the eyes. Lu Qingfei narrowed hers slightly, her gaze falling on Tao Jin, observing him at ease.

"Very well," she said, "go and wander in front of Ling Jin. Then I'll decide whether to help you."

It sounded as if she were toying with him, but Tao Jin had no choice.

This was his only chance.

"I'll go tonight."

He added, "Remember to consider it."

Lu Qingfei, as if hearing a joke, burst out laughing.

"Why so cautious? Do I look like someone who breaks her word?"

"...No, but you do trick ghosts."

She was meek and harmless before her senior brothers, polite and gentle before ordinary people, but before ghosts... she played by no one's rules, her smile relaxed and just a little off-kilter.

It wasn't easy being a ghost these days—you even had to guard against being duped.

Ah.

Tao Jin sighed inwardly.

**

Lu Qingfei finished refining her Revitalizing Elixir, preparing to sell it live online that night.

By the roadside, wildflowers had blossomed, vivid and beautiful.

Lu Qingfei strolled back to her sect, ascending the steep steps.

Sensing something, she turned her head.

Beneath the crabapple tree, Xie Yunjie practiced sword forms with a bamboo branch. His hair, uncut, was tied high, his figure tall and upright, his movements so ingrained they came naturally even with his eyes closed.

Lu Qingfei gazed steadily at her senior brother.

Memories of the cultivation world surged up.

Back then, Lu Qingfei was only at the sixth stage of cultivation.

She and her senior sister had gone to Miluo to train.

They slew a powerful skeleton demon and claimed its demon core.

But at the crucial moment,

Senior Disciple Qiao Jue of the Fifth Elder cast a sword light, intending to snatch the demon core.

The sword wind whipped past, tossing Lu Qingfei's hair into disarray. She raised a hand to smooth the rebellious strands.

"Senior Brother Qiao, isn't it a bit much to be so blatant about stealing?"

"A skeleton demon is a rare encounter, once in a hundred years," Qiao Jue replied, smiling suggestively. "Junior Sister Lu, in cultivation, can it really be called stealing?"

"Such wisdom," Lu Qingfei replied earnestly. "If the rats in the gutter see Senior Brother Qiao, should they call you father?"

"You—!"

Qiao Jue had always disliked Lu Qingfei.

She was, in his eyes, a good-for-nothing, yet monopolized the position of the sect leader's disciple.

She relied on the favor of her senior brothers and sisters, acted recklessly, and often ruined his plans.

Unable to tolerate her, Qiao Jue seized the opportunity to teach her a lesson.

"In cultivation, the strong rule. Junior Sister Lu, don't blame me for being harsh."

A fierce wind howled past Lu Qingfei's ear, splitting a crack in the mountain at her side.

"Senior Brother Qiao."

Her hair fluttered in the chill, but standing on the cliff, Lu Qingfei laughed lightly.

"Shall we see whose is quicker—your sword or my arrow?"

"Talismans and such insignificant tricks are no match for my swordplay."

How arrogant!

Qiao Jue sneered, launching his famed sword technique. Lu Qingfei showed no fear, unleashing her own spell, firing an arrow.

Sword wind howled, arrow intent fierce—their clash sent sparks and a shrill screech into the air.

Her senior sister seized the demon core and glanced around, spotting her junior locked in combat.

"Junior Sister, stop! We have the demon core!"

"Tell it to someone else, Senior Sister," Lu Qingfei replied. "I'm the one being beaten up here."

"Nonsense!" Qiao Jue fumed.

Repeatedly provoked and unable to gain the upper hand, he was furious.

When had Lu Qingfei grown so strong?

Wasn't she supposed to be an idle pet?

Grinding his teeth, Qiao Jue gathered his strength—hundred swords as one, driving straight for Lu Qingfei.

She formed a seal, her flaming arrow blocked the assault.

Suddenly, a sharp, dominating sword energy cut through the sky, separating the two.

The Solitary Vastness sword intent first shattered Qiao Jue's hundred blades, then intercepted Lu Qingfei's flaming arrow.

Intercepted too late, the surging spiritual energy nearly sent Qiao Jue stumbling.

Damn it! Who was that brat?

Steadying himself, he glared furiously at the culprit.

Xie Yunjie stood before Lu Qingfei, Solitary Vastness sword in hand.

Qiao Jue's face changed instantly. He forced a smile. "Junior Sister Lu and I were just having a friendly spar, Senior Brother Xie. Why are you here?"

Lu Qingfei immediately withdrew her spiritual energy and pointed at Qiao Jue. "Senior Brother, Qiao wants to challenge all four of the sect leader’s disciples."

"That's nonsense!" Qiao Jue bellowed.

Xie Yunjie looked at him coldly. "If you wish to spar, Junior Brother Qiao, I am always available."

Qiao Jue threw a dark look at Lu Qingfei.

This woman was cunning—one face for the crowd, another in private.

With the demon core in her hands and Xie Yunjie present, there was no chance of snatching it.

He had to give up, swallowing his anger, and flew off on his sword.

-

Now, gazing at Xie Yunjie,

Lu Qingfei found she preferred her senior brother with a sword to the one with a bamboo branch.

Xie Yunjie caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, put away the bamboo branch, and turned.

Little junior sister stood quietly on the steps, bathed in light, her expression distant.

Xie Yunjie studied her for three seconds, his brows drawing together ever so slightly.