When the Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Meets the Unbeatable Protagonist | Chapter 64

Lin Ji helped Lu Xiaobai up and took out the teleportation artifact he had prepared in advance. Together, they walked out of the Snowfield Forbidden Land.

Although the Snowfield Forbidden Land was dangerous, it wasn't a problem for Lu Xiaobai. However, he hadn't slept well for several days, and as soon as he returned to the Peifeng Sect, he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. After taking a quick look at Meng Wanqiu, he went back to sleep.

Noticing the deep bruises on Lin Ji's face, he worried that Lin Ji hadn't been sleeping well either, so he urged him to go back and rest. Lin Ji agreed verbally, but after Lu Xiaobai fell asleep, he sat by the bed, keeping watch over him. It wasn't until the medical practitioner arrived that he stood up to give way.

After examining Lu Xiaobai, the medical practitioner said that while he had some external injuries, they weren't serious and would heal fine. Meng Wanqiu let out a sigh of relief, while Lin Ji thought it was surprising that Lu Xiaobai hadn't tried to comfort him. He couldn't help but ask, "But why did he vomit blood? Is he really not seriously injured?"

The medical practitioner replied, "It's nothing serious. It was just that Haomiao Laozu didn't control his power well when he sent him off, and he got shaken up a bit. With proper care, he'll be fine."

Finally reassured, Lin Ji felt the aches in his limbs and a headache creeping in, so he rubbed his temples.

Meng Wanqiu said, "A Ji, are you relieved now? You haven't slept a wink since Xiaobai went missing. You should hurry back and rest."

The medical practitioner shot him a glance, "Do you think you haven't worried at all? I think you all should go back and rest!"

Meng Wanqiu: "..."

Indeed, no matter how old they were, in front of the medical practitioner, they could only obediently accept the scolding.

The first thing the three of them did upon reuniting was to go back and sleep soundly, exhausted and without the mood to do anything else.

Lin Ji had managed to bring Lu Xiaobai back just in time, preventing the disciples and elders from venturing into even more dangerous places. The Peifeng Sect returned to a state of calm, but everyone still felt a lot of emotions, as many things had truly happened recently.

When Lu Xiaobai finally woke up after a good sleep, he learned from the medical practitioner that during the time he was missing, the Peifeng Sect had searched for him to the point that it was known throughout the Nine Provinces. Everyone had been in a frenzy, and he felt a mix of warmth and guilt in his heart.

More than anything, he felt warm. Even though he had a bittersweet experience at the Peifeng Sect in his previous life, the further he went, the more he remembered the people who had stood by him and supported him from the very beginning.

He couldn't recall which friend had once told him that one shouldn't dwell too much on the past, especially when it couldn't be changed.

Lu Xiaobai thought to himself that he didn't often mention old friends, so how did that person find out?

He indeed had a tendency to be nostalgic, and he couldn't change that even if he wanted to. So, in this life, he planned to stay in this world and accompany them.

As Lu Xiaobai was lost in thought, the medical practitioner took his pulse again, frowning as he reminded him, "Although your injuries this time aren't serious, I can see from your pulse that you sometimes overthink things, which can lead to heart issues. You need to relax and pay more attention to your health."

On top of that, Lu Xiaobai often used techniques that exceeded his physical limits, which compounded the problem and would be detrimental to him in the long run.

Lu Xiaobai was taken aback and took a long time to express his gratitude with a bow.

The medical practitioner looked at him, seemingly troubled and puzzled. In his view, how could a young man like Lu Xiaobai, who was so talented, have so much on his mind? Especially since his aptitude had already changed, his path in cultivation would be smooth sailing from now on. He should be feeling accomplished.

The medical practitioner left with his medicine box, deep in thought.

Lu Xiaobai watched his retreating figure, having to admit that the practitioner had hit the nail on the head regarding his worries.

Some people's sense of urgency was evident from their demeanor, like Lin Ji, who pursued perfection in everything and held himself to high standards, going crazy if he didn't meet them. But for others, like Lu Xiaobai, that sense of urgency was buried deep within.

Lu Xiaobai didn't want to feel this way, but he knew that only by completely changing the outcome he wanted to reverse would his worries and sense of urgency gradually fade away.

He suppressed a sigh and took out a book to distract himself, trying to think of more pleasant and relaxing things.

However, he had barely read a few lines when the image of Lin Ji finding him in the cave of the Snowfield Forbidden Land suddenly flashed in his mind.

Lu Xiaobai's heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously rubbed his lips, feeling a bit nostalgic.

In his two lifetimes, it was the first time he had experienced a kiss with someone.

In his previous life, there was no need to mention it; aside from baseless rumors, he had poured all his energy into competing for ascension, never entangled in romantic relationships with anyone. He had claimed to practice the Path of Emotionlessness, focusing solely on his cultivation, remaining calm and unperturbed.

But in this life, Lu Xiaobai discovered that the feeling of being close to someone was completely different from being loved. The places they kissed were different, and the feelings were even more distinct.

That Lin Ji, usually so reserved, had been quite proactive and bold at a critical moment.

Perhaps it was because it was too cold outside, and his mind was a bit muddled; after their lips parted, neither of them felt anything wrong, and their mood was calm, as if everything had come naturally.

But some things just can't withstand reflection afterward!

As Lu Xiaobai was recalling the details, he heard soft footsteps outside, and soon Lin Ji walked in.

Lu Xiaobai quickly returned to normal, but the lingering blush and warmth on his ears and cheeks betrayed him.

Lin Ji didn't pay much attention; seeing that the medical practitioner had come and gone, he concluded that Lu Xiaobai was awake and came over.

He sat down at the edge of the bed, watching Lu Xiaobai read, his gaze lingering on Lu Xiaobai's lips for a moment before he slightly turned his face away, the corners of his mouth curving up.

Lu Xiaobai forced himself to read a few more pages but couldn't keep it up. He put the book down and looked at Lin Ji, "You came back so soon; did you rest well?"

Lin Ji replied with a hum, "I'm feeling much better. How about you?"

His fatigue had eased a bit after a nap, but only when he saw Lu Xiaobai in front of him did his heart feel at ease.

Lu Xiaobai smiled, "As you can see, I look fine, right?"

Lin Ji slightly lowered his head, "That's good."

Then Lin Ji conveyed the concern from his mother, Yu Rong, and their mutual friends, saying that they would come to visit Lu Xiaobai once he felt better.

Lu Xiaobai replied, "I made them worry; thankfully, it was just a false alarm."

The two chatted for a while before returning to serious matters. Lin Ji recounted everything that had happened recently, including the disguise of the demonic energy, the near disaster in the cultivation world caused by luring the ancestor into madness, and the abnormalities in the Yunshang Immortal Sect.

When he mentioned Haomiao Laozu's fall, Lu Xiaobai felt a deep sense of regret.

Lin Ji couldn't help but ask, "Xiaobai, when the demonic energy came to provoke you, they said they sent you to a place where you could enjoy offerings. What does that mean?"

Lu Xiaobai was taken aback and took a long time to respond, "I did encounter demonic energy in the Snowfield Forbidden Land, just like the black mist I saw on Yuqiong Island."

As soon as he landed, the demonic energy rushed at him, desperately trying to invade his body.

Lu Xiaobai lay in the snow, and when he looked up, he found the black mist obscuring everything to the point where he couldn't see his hand in front of his face.

It was well-known that the ruins were filled with malevolent energy, but it usually dissipated after a while. How could there be so much demonic energy and evil aura?

Lin Ji was shocked and quickly grasped Lu Xiaobai's hand, "Are you okay?"

Lu Xiaobai looked down at their clasped hands and smiled softly to reassure him, "A Ji, don't worry, I'm fine."

"You should have seen it from Haomiao Laozu; the demonic energy isn't invincible and has no solution. Even if the ancestor was momentarily deceived, he could use his powerful strength to shake off and crush the demonic energy once he realized."

He leaned closer to Lin Ji, looking into his eyes and smiling, "Do you think I'm any less capable than him?"

In the cultivation world, a cultivator falling into madness wasn't completely irreversible.

When demonic energy attacks the heart, if someone regrets and awakens, breaking free from obsessions and evil thoughts, reaching a state of transcendence, their heart can return to clarity, and they can ultimately rid themselves of the demonic energy and return to their original state.

The saying "one thought becomes a demon, one thought becomes a god" is based on this principle.

But the possibility of that happening is too low; it's almost impossible to achieve.

So, to combat demonic energy, it's far better to maintain one's boundaries from the start than to hope someone will suddenly awaken after falling into madness.

When a person has no evil thoughts or weaknesses, the demonic energy cannot take advantage of them.

Similarly, there are very few people in the world who have never had evil thoughts; even the smallest evil thought can give the demonic energy an opportunity, especially since the current chaos is caused by an enhanced version of demonic energy.

But it seemed that Lu Xiaobai had managed to do it. He pointed to his heart and said to Lin Ji, "Trust me." After a pause, he stretched lazily, "But the demonic energy didn't tempt me; it catalyzed the snow wolves, and I spent quite a bit of time clearing them out, which is why I couldn't get out quickly."

Lin Ji thought of something and lowered his gaze, "This demonic energy seems to have developed its own intelligence and independent consciousness, intending to lure people into madness everywhere."

"Xiaobai..." Lin Ji said with difficulty, "In my previous life, I seemed to have been tempted by it too."

Lin Ji then proceeded to tell Lu Xiaobai everything that had happened before he fell into madness, including how his spiritual power was drained and how he was ambushed.

He had been so desperate at that time, with everything piling up, that when he saw Lu Xiaobai take out the mermaid pearl, he completely lost his rationality and was filled with rage.

These were the most painful memories for Lin Ji, but in order to find the root of the problem, he analyzed himself again. Although he already knew that Lu Xiaobai had thought of him in his previous life and had never blamed him, Lin Ji still felt a bit ashamed.

Lu Xiaobai was stunned for a long time. He knew some things, but he had never known that Lin Ji had half of his cultivation taken away by a mysterious person. No wonder...

A wave of pain surged in Lu Xiaobai's heart, along with the anger he felt after learning the truth, even a hint of hatred.

His heart suddenly ached, but he didn't let Lin Ji see it. Lu Xiaobai almost instinctively hugged Lin Ji, "It's okay; all of that is in the past now. You won't repeat the mistakes of your previous life; we're all here for you now."

"In this life, you have people who care about you again, and many people are worried about you. These are not weaknesses; they are our support."

"A Ji, I'm really happy that you can tell me all this. From now on, no matter what happens, let's find a solution together."

Lin Ji remembered the letter he had seen Lu Xiaobai write here and had long understood his senior brother's good intentions. He tightly embraced Lu Xiaobai, his hand stroking Lu Xiaobai's back and hair, feeling his heart filled to the brim.

The two hugged for a long time before separating. What had started as a comforting and warm gesture had become somewhat ambiguous over time.

Especially when they recalled the intimacy from not long ago, they felt the same emotions and shyness reflected in each other's eyes, making things a bit awkward, but a sweet sense of panic and joy bubbled up in their hearts.

Lin Ji still held Lu Xiaobai's hand, and when Lu Xiaobai suddenly came back to his senses and tried to pull his hand away, Lin Ji held on tightly.

Lin Ji, emboldened, moved a little closer, recalling what he had dreamed of doing to Lu Xiaobai not long ago. Now, just like in his dream, he reached out and wrapped his arms around Lu Xiaobai's waist.

Lu Xiaobai looked at Lin Ji's hand in surprise, lightly tapping Lin Ji's hand, not hard, just to signal him to let go, "Don't take advantage of me!"

Being close is fine, but treating him like a girl and pulling him into an embrace is going too far!

Lin Ji reluctantly withdrew his hand. This time, he didn't misunderstand that Lu Xiaobai was rejecting him; he guessed the reason for his resistance.

Lin Ji lowered his gaze, knowing that Lu Xiaobai, like him, was unwilling... to be the one subjected to such actions, and he certainly wouldn't show weakness.

But the usually passive Lin Ji suddenly developed a mischievous heart and wanted to do something that crossed the line with Lu Xiaobai.

Perhaps it was because in this life, Lu Xiaobai was his senior brother, or perhaps because of their previous life, Lu Xiaobai always seemed to suppress him in the eyes of others. Lin Ji thought that if he could take some initiative in this relationship, he would feel inexplicably excited.

But now, even getting Lu Xiaobai to let him hug his waist was a challenge. Lin Ji realized that his fantasies seemed to be quite far from reality...

The two exchanged silent glances in the ambiguous atmosphere. Lin Ji softly spoke, "Xiaobai."

Lu Xiaobai's breath hitched, as if he had forgotten to breathe.

Lin Ji slowly leaned in closer, calling out again, "Xiaobai, last time I wanted to tell you that I want to walk with you from now on."

"Senior brother, how about you... don't practice the Path of Emotionlessness anymore?"

In Lu Xiaobai's mind, it felt like a loud explosion, reminiscent of the fireworks Lin Ji had set off for him on his birthday, colorful and dazzling.

Lu Xiaobai thought to himself that now, even if he wanted to practice the Path of Emotionlessness, he probably couldn't anymore.

What Lin Ji said was almost a clear declaration of their relationship.

Lin Ji rarely saw Lu Xiaobai's dazed expression, which made him happy, and his gaze once again fixed on Lu Xiaobai's lips.

Just as Lin Ji was about to lean in to do something, Lu Xiaobai suddenly heard something and looked around, "What sound is that?"

Lin Ji: "..."

But it wasn't an illusion; they heard a series of cat meows.

Lin Ji suddenly remembered, "Oh no, I brought the ancestor's cat back but forgot to let it out of the storage bag!"

Lu Xiaobai: "..."

The yellow cat had been stuck in the dark storage bag for several days and was already impatient. When it was finally let out, it huffed at them.

Lu Xiaobai feigned anger, "Look at what you've done! It must be starving by now; let's find it something to eat first."

Lin Ji: "..."

After feeding the yellow cat in the kitchen, their friends who had promised to visit Lu Xiaobai also arrived.

Everyone came to see him, and Lin Ji was almost squeezed out of his seat.

Later, they were all summoned to discuss the matter of the demonic energy, leaving them with no time to spare.

Such a good opportunity was wasted like this, and Lin Ji felt frustrated for several days.

Now that the ancestor was gone, his only spiritual pet had lost its owner and naturally stayed at Luoxia Peak.

This cat was not small at all; it was much larger than an average cat, with a bright orange-yellow coat resembling citrus. It was heavy to hold and looked like a lump when lying down.

After eating the fish jerky Lin Ji had specially prepared, it forgave him for keeping it in the storage bag for a few days and rubbed against him, purring.

However, this cat wasn't clingy; it would let people pet it whenever they wanted, but when no one was around, it would wander off to bask in the sun.

Every day, it would lie in front of the house, facing the rising and setting sun, gazing at something with a somewhat low mood, probably missing its original owner.

Meng Wanqiu immediately took a liking to the yellow cat, and Lu Xiaobai liked it too. They both enjoyed petting the cat whenever they had the chance. Even Shen Che had come to Luoxia Peak several times under the pretext of visiting Lu Xiaobai.

Lin Ji felt indifferent towards animals and didn't particularly like anything that took away the attention of those he cared about.

However, since Xiaobai needed to replenish his energy and there was now an extra mouth to feed at home, Lin Ji often found himself in the kitchen, both helpless and using his excellent cooking skills to prepare meals.

When he went to the spiritual field to pick fruits and vegetables, he happened to see the Yan Yu Shou flying over to peck at the yellow cat, clearly not accepting the new member of Luoxia Peak.

Before the yellow cat arrived, the Yan Yu Shou had been the only spiritual pet, and everyone doted on it, often calling it over to play, explaining the mysteries of cultivation, and petting its feathers while feeding it morning dew fruits.

Why should this stinky thing enjoy the same treatment as it just because it arrived? Even the number of times it was petted by its owner and its owner's master had decreased because of the yellow cat!

Taking advantage of the absence of people, the Yan Yu Shou planned to teach the new member a lesson, showing it who was the boss and who had come first!

Lin Ji was worried that the Yan Yu Shou might hurt the yellow cat, so he hurried over to break up the fight, only to find that the yellow cat was completely unafraid and even took on a hunting posture.

The Yan Yu Shou's attacks missed completely; its reflexes couldn't match the cat's.

But despite the yellow cat's heavy build, it was very agile, glaring at the Yan Yu Shou. When it extended its claws and leaped, any ordinary bird would have been pinned down, but fortunately, the Yan Yu Shou dodged quickly. Otherwise, those sharp claws might have left deep marks on its beautiful wings, or even plucked out a tuft of feathers.

Lin Ji was dumbfounded: "..."

Oh no, they had forgotten that, to some extent, cats and birds were natural enemies! Keeping them together was just...?!

While Lin Ji was in a daze, the Yan Yu Shou was enraged. It had only wanted to teach the yellow cat a simple lesson, but since it had refrained from using fire out of consideration for humans, this guy had almost hurt it instead!

This time, the Yan Yu Shou really breathed fire, but the yellow cat still didn't dodge, flicking its tail to block the flames.

Lin Ji's whole body trembled.

The yellow cat was using the residual power of its spirit; it was not an ordinary creature.

Of course... how could the pet of Haomiao Laozu be an ordinary animal? This cat was a spiritual being, just limited by its appearance, and they hadn't noticed.

Just as the fight was about to escalate, Lin Ji walked over, "What are you doing?"

The two spiritual pets stopped, and the yellow cat turned to leave gracefully.

But as it walked along the ridge, its body trembled continuously, and it almost slipped and fell. It turned out that it had been forcing itself to act brave.

Its owner was gone, and it could only protect itself. Why was this stupid bird so fierce? The yellow cat felt wronged.

After the yellow cat left, the Yan Yu Shou immediately pounced into Lin Ji's arms, suddenly letting out a cry like a baby, feeling very wronged.

Lin Ji: "..." Wasn't teaching it to talk supposed to make it less scary? This was bone-chilling!

Lin Ji flicked the Yan Yu Shou's feathers and scolded, "Don't think that crying makes you right; you were the one who attacked first! What do you want?"

"Our family just gained a new member; you two need to get along. If I see you bullying Xiao Huang again, I'll teach you a lesson! I'll let you off this time!"

The Yan Yu Shou stopped crying in disbelief! Why? That cat was the newcomer; who was bullying whom?!

But when it saw Lin Ji glaring at it with a knowing expression, the Yan Yu Shou felt guilty.

But, but it... sob...

After scolding, Lin Ji patted the Yan Yu Shou's head, sincerely saying, "I understand how you feel, but Yan Yu, don't worry; no one will overlook you."

After saying this, Lin Ji suddenly felt like he was getting older.

The Yan Yu Shou was finally calmed down: Right! The family is just a new experience! After this phase, everything will be fine; it was still the most favored leader!

Lin Ji soothed the Yan Yu Shou, telling it to bring the vegetables back as punishment, and then he had to go back to comfort the yellow cat.

The yellow cat was easy to please; it loved to eat whatever food was offered to it.

Lin Ji suspected that it had been eating vegetarian food with Haomiao Laozu for years and had never had meat, which was why it was so unpicky, tasting everything like it had discovered a new world.

Lin Ji further suspected that this spiritual cat might be the spiritual beast they were looking for, one that had never committed any killings... After all, the secret realm created by the ancestor didn't even have living creatures; it couldn't have killed anything!

He didn't know how old it was, but it definitely had spiritual power.

If its blood was the spiritual blood needed by his master to dispel the demon poison, that would be an unexpected gain.

Lin Ji pondered whether to ask directly, as the yellow cat might understand his words. But just having brought it back not long ago and then asking for its blood felt too purposeful.

Lin Ji was troubled but decided to hold off for a few days before bringing it up.

However, he shared this good news with Lu Xiaobai, who also found it reasonable and was overjoyed after a moment of surprise.

"That's great! I hope we weren't mistaken. If my master’s demon poison can be resolved, that would be the best outcome!"

The more Lu Xiaobai thought about it, the more excited he became, but he also agreed with Lin Ji's concerns. Since it was a spiritual being, they still needed to get the yellow cat's consent to take some spiritual blood without causing it significant harm.

But with two spiritual pets fighting at home, they couldn't just ignore it. Lu Xiaobai thought of a good solution.

The next day, he called both the Yan Yu Shou and the yellow cat and set rules: they were not allowed to invade each other's territory, not allowed to fight privately, and if anyone offended the other, they couldn't resolve it privately but should come to tell their owner, who would teach them a lesson together with Lin Ji.

Lu Xiaobai noticed that the yellow cat's claws were too long and sharp, so he picked it up and said, "I want to trim your claws and fur a bit."

The yellow cat was initially resistant, but it was actually uncomfortable with its long fur. While its long claws were instinctual, it had developed acne around its claws, which sometimes hurt when it touched them.

So, the yellow cat obediently allowed Lu Xiaobai to trim its claws and fur, and after treating its wounds, it looked much cleaner.

Lin Ji watched Lu Xiaobai's actions from the side and suddenly felt that everything was perfect at that moment. He had already imagined that if they could live together in the future, just like this moment, it would be wonderful.

Although they were already living together now, what Lin Ji meant was something entirely different...

Lost in thought, Lin Ji became distracted.

Recently, fewer people had come to Luoxia Peak, and Lu Xiaobai finally had some free time. Could he continue the conversation they had left unfinished last time?

After trimming, Lu Xiaobai stood up, dusted off his clothes, and walked over to Lin Ji, suddenly saying, "Today is a rest day; let's go soak in the hot springs together?"

"Look at me; I'm covered in cat hair and smell a bit."

Lin Ji was taken aback, then remembered something, and his ears turned red.

However, since it was a rest day, everyone was around, and the male cultivators were basically packed in like dumplings, with seven or eight of them soaking in one spring. Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai had no chance to say or do anything privately.

It wasn't until they came out of the hot spring and took a walk in the sunset that Lin Ji was lost in thought.

Wearing wooden clogs and comfortable robes, with their hair down, Lu Xiaobai walked ahead, waiting for a long time before suddenly stopping and turning back to look at Lin Ji, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Lin Ji was deep in thought, and when he was directly called out, his heart raced to his throat.

Just as he was about to speak, Lu Xiaobai laughed again, "Wait a moment; I have something to ask you."

"I'm not one to like ambiguity, whether it's about something or someone. Especially between us, I hope we can be... clear."

"Lin Ji, last time you kissed me, don't you want to give me an explanation?"

"..." Lin Ji felt something was off, "If you put it that way, it was you who kissed me first on the island!"

What do you mean by wanting to clarify? Last time, after Lu Xiaobai kissed his face, he acted as if nothing had happened!

Lu Xiaobai laughed, turning around and continuing to walk with his hands behind his back, "I never said you couldn't ask me for an explanation; it was you who didn't want to."

Lin Ji: "… You can be quite unreasonable sometimes."

Lu Xiaobai: "Is this your first day realizing I'm unreasonable?"

Isn't being unreasonable the nature of the Dragon Ao Tian protagonist in this book?

As they strolled under the sunset, they chatted, gradually relaxing their bodies and minds.

Lin Ji suddenly asked from behind him, "What if I want to now?"

Lu Xiaobai paused for a moment before continuing to walk, slowly saying, "Then I..."

At that moment, Lin Ji's voice was very soft, carried by the wind to Lu Xiaobai's ear:

"Kissing comes from love; everything I do is willingly, driven by my feelings."

"I won't go back on my word."

Lu Xiaobai stopped, not knowing how long it had been, before turning around.

Lin Ji's eyes were filled with laughter as he slowly approached him.

Song Ruoci was right; when you care for someone, expressing it is the most basic action.

Lin Ji's lips trembled slightly, and he gently spoke those four words.

When Lu Xiaobai looked up, he saw Lin Ji's hair being blown by the wind, slightly disheveled, just like their current thoughts.

After a long time, Lu Xiaobai's lips curled up slightly, "But weren't you the one who hated me before?"

Lin Ji lowered his gaze, then stubbornly raised it to look at him, "I can't deny my past feelings; they truly existed."

"Yes, I hated you, envied you, and resented you. That is true. But now, I like you, and that is also true."

"My past hatred for you came from unwillingness. I couldn't accept why you had everything, why you had to be a little better than me, and why you had better luck than I did."

"You were liked by everyone, while I was suppressed and hated by everyone. You gained too much, while I lost too much."

The malice from the past stemmed from misunderstanding; he thought everything Lu Xiaobai had was easily obtained.

It was jealousy and envy, but it was never a fundamental hatred.

Once upon a time, he both hated and envied him, yet couldn't help but draw closer.

Lin Ji slowly approached, wrapping his arms around Lu Xiaobai, "But now I don't want to dwell on the past anymore."

"Because I've realized that the person everyone likes is someone I also like."

"Those things are still yours, but as long as... you are mine, that's enough."

"And you?"

Lin Ji had thought about these words for many days. When he spoke, it flowed smoothly, but the wait for a response was agonizing and tense.

Fortunately, Lu Xiaobai didn't make him wait too long. He also reached out to embrace him, looking at him, "Then let me tell you a secret."

"Lin Ji, I've never practiced any techniques of emotionlessness or emotionality."

Lin Ji was completely stunned, looking at him in disbelief.

Lu Xiaobai smiled and asked him back, "What do you think a strong person is?"

"Is someone who can't even control their own nature and willpower, relying on techniques to restrain themselves, really a strong person?"

"In my previous life, I did practice the Path of Emotionlessness, but I never practiced any techniques of emotionlessness. I wanted to practice the Path of Emotionlessness simply because I chose this path, simply because I wanted to."

"The fact is, I have always followed through and ascended, but in this life, I want to live differently."

"Now, I don't practice because I don't want to anymore."

It's that simple.

"Perhaps you think I'm being greedy; if I hadn't ascended, I would still be seeking opportunities in this life. Ultimately, it's because I've ascended that I can easily say I want to start over."

"But Lin Ji, let me tell you, so what if I'm greedy? Greed isn't right or wrong; it's just a matter of ability. As long as it doesn't harm others, we can live however we want."

"We make ourselves strong to create more choices, to be able to choose however we want, right?"

"Now, I want you."

What responded to him was Lin Ji's suddenly pressed lips.

Lu Xiaobai knew in his heart that this kiss was completely different from the previous two.

The first was impulsive, the second was heart-wrenching, and the third was filled with desire.

So, Lu Xiaobai also embraced him back passionately.

But halfway through the kiss, he suddenly realized something was off; why was Lin Ji the one taking the initiative again?!

Taking advantage of the moment to catch his breath, Lu Xiaobai pushed Lin Ji back a little, creating some distance between them, "No, you're being too bold!"

"How can you be so forward? You can't just come over twice like that; I refuse."

"Don't forget I'm your senior brother; don't be so disrespectful."

Lin Ji: "?"

Wait, but if that's the case, he wanted to... even more.