Pei Jiye was stunned into wooden rigidity.
Although he was now a Kill Matt Bird, and indeed looked quite stupid after spacing out,
compared to his ferocity in front of Shen He and his obedience in front of Xie Linlang, the current Kill Matt Bird had a dazed expression as if struck violently by the vicissitudes of life.
Xie Yu actually dared to abandon him? He even chose Shen He over me?
A surge of sorrow overflowed from the depths of Pei Jiye’s heart.
Why? He had even eaten the substitute meal, so how could the substitute and the real deal both end up choosing someone else in the end?
—He never stopped to think that Xie Linlang had known Shen He for how long, and had seen him, this bird, for how long?
Back then, when Pei Jiye first heard that Xie Linlang had formed a Dao Companion bond with someone else, he was indeed filled with indignation and grief, even refusing to hear any information about Linlang Dao Lord’s dao companion.
But as time wore on, after spending so long among the Demonic Cultivators, he heard their shameless, overly self-confident words like “There’s no wall corner in the world that can’t be dug,” “We can’t let that bastard who took your beloved benefit,” and “As long as there’s no explicit rejection, there’s still hope.” Pei Jiye had once harbored a few delusions in his heart.
Perhaps his junior brother had shifted affections to someone else, but… but they had been together as senior and junior brothers for so many years; there must be some lingering feelings. Should he try to reunite with his junior brother and mend the broken mirror? What if it worked?
But before Pei Jiye could take action, he received news that Linlang Dao Lord’s other half was an ordinary person who had died in just a dozen or so short years.
—The power within the Xuanpo Sword couldn’t sustain for too long; this was already Xie Linlang extending the time to the maximum.
Thus, Pei Jiye completely gave up instead.
How could a living person compete with a dead one? Especially with Xie Linlang’s Dao Companion, whose lifespan was as fleeting as morning dew—there was no comparison at all!
…In that case, it was better to maintain his own state of death~
Pei Jiye thought unwillingly. At least he and that dao companion were both dead; he was the first come, so at minimum, in his junior brother’s heart, he shouldn’t be inferior to the later dao companion… right?
Now, this Xie Yu was very likely a descendant of Xie Linlang’s clan from back then, entrusted to Li Pinghu’s care, and probably not Xie Linlang’s reincarnation.
But Pei Jiye only wanted to glance at Xie Yu’s face and recall the happy days with his junior brother from the past.
Yet even Xie Yu despised him.
What did that Shen He have going for him? So why hadn’t Shen He died yet?
Killing intent surged in Pei Jiye’s heart one moment, and the next it twisted into melancholy brooding; the entire bird’s emotions churned in a complex tangle like a palette of colors, exceedingly rich.
He spaced out at the stern of the ship, not even noticing when the Treasure Ship started up and departed from Silent Night Palace.
At that moment, a somewhat gentle and clear voice sounded not far from Pei Jiye’s side.
“Fellow Daoist, why such great fury and sorrow? The seven emotions harm the body; I hope Fellow Daoist takes better care.”
The Kill Matt Little Bird’s large claws gripped the railing at the stern, standing on one leg, and listlessly lifted his gaze to look.
The newcomer wore a sky-blue gossamer long robe, with blue-and-white hair mingled and scattered behind his head. He had a pair of exceptionally beautiful blue eyes, and his whole person was pure and clear like white snow. His gazing eyes were full of concern and worry.
Pei Jiye’s heart went oh yo. It was Gao Chunqiu.
Truth be told, after Gao Chunqiu came knocking, Pei Jiye had sent people to investigate information on active Demon Race cultivators in recent years, but hadn’t found Gao Chunqiu’s name among them.
Silent Night Palace’s history was long enough that even some Demon Race bigshots who secluded themselves for centuries or millennia had ample records in the palace, yet Pei Jiye hadn’t found any Demon Race cultivator named Gao Chunqiu in the palace’s historical records.
Either the name was fake, or Gao Chunqiu’s face was fake.
Pei Jiye could only confirm one thing: Gao Chunqiu was definitely a Demon Race cultivator.
Precisely because Gao Chunqiu’s identity was suspicious, Pei Jiye had agreed to his request to use Silent Night Palace’s quota to enter Jiuxia Mountain and participate in the competition for Linlang Dao Lord’s Mustard Seed Realm.
Anyway, Pei Jiye planned to go there personally himself, so it was better to keep the danger under his eyes.
Pei Jiye perfunctorily chirped twice.
But Gao Chunqiu seemed to understand, saying mildly, “It was I who overstepped, but Fellow Daoist’s emotions were too intense. Even from the upper quiet chamber, I could hear them clearly, so I came to check.”
Pei Jiye was startled with a shiver. His emotions could be heard by others?
Wait, Gao Chunqiu was from the Demon Race…
“You’re also an Avian Demon?”
Pei Jiye chattered in bird language, and Gao Chunqiu smiled and nodded.
“I inherited the ancient Bifang Bloodline, but it’s not very pure. I wonder what Fellow Daoist’s lineage is?”
“…Who knows, maybe a night heron.”
Pei Jiye said offhandedly, and Gao Chunqiu actually carefully examined Pei Jiye’s form, slowly saying, “Indeed, long curved neck, center of gravity shifted back, large sharp claws covered in scales—perhaps Fellow Daoist truly has traits of a waterbird.”
After a pause, Gao Chunqiu seemed very curious as he asked, “Fellow Daoist isn’t a pure Demon Race either? You don’t even know your own traits and bloodline?”
Pei Jiye tilted his neck, his scarlet eyes staring at Gao Chunqiu, and softly said, “You’re the same.”
Only cultivators who had awakened their Demon Race bloodline would appraise their bloodline origins like this.
True pure Demon Race wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with their body form—they’d think everything was perfect!
The smile on Gao Chunqiu’s face stiffened slightly, and he lightly sighed, “Fellow Daoist saw through me; it was my presumption.”
