Chapter 276: Turned to the Dark Side
Just then, the jade pendant around the girl's waist suddenly made a sound, and Chu Jiaojiao stood up as if she remembered something.
"Brother... Brother Pei... is here."
Brother Pei?
Qiao Wan struggled to process this information and asked in confusion, "Um... the ruler of the demon realm?"
After hesitating for a moment, Chu Jiaojiao took a step forward and suddenly hugged her, whispering softly, "Brother, Jiaojiao can't be with you anymore."
"Don't be afraid, Brother Pei won't hurt you."
Then, to Qiao Wan's horror, with a swift movement, her whole body flattened like a smashed pancake and transformed into a shadow puppet wearing a red coat with a smiling face, slowly slipping into...
A nearby young boy's sleeve.
Qiao Wan:... There really aren't any normal little girls in the world of cultivation...
Qiao Wan organized her emotions and looked up. It was the young man who had kidnapped her before, who seemed to have a mental illness.
The young man stood silently in the depths of the curtain, his clothes looking like they had never been worn properly. The faint light shone on his white collarbone, reflecting a delicate porcelain-like glow. The darkness seemed to have engulfed him, with him half covered in dim light and half in darkness. He was so beautiful that he didn't even look like a spiritual master.
Like ceramics, yet like a ghost.
The young man's lips moved slightly, and the gaze that fell on her felt as hot as fire.
"Qiao... Qiao Wan ."
He took a subconscious step forward, as if the dim light from the wall lamp in front of him had burned him, but immediately retracted his foot and lowered his eyes.
"I found you."
No... wait, Qiao Wan couldn't help but cover her head silently.
It's impossible! These past few days, she heard a lot about this person named "Qiao Wan" from Ji Ling. She's liked by Pei Chunzheng, the demon king of the demon realm. She has become friends with the Demon Emperor and even made friends with that little white dragon from the Ao family. She's the ultimate Mary Sue, it couldn't possibly be her, a useless college student.
Qiao Wan was dumbfounded.
Her first instinct was that she couldn't admit it, she couldn't blindly admit it.
But if her body really belonged to "Qiao Wan"... wouldn't that be as terrible as "possession"?
In that moment, Qiao Wan's heart was in turmoil.
Based on her experience from reading internet novels, "possession" was always a bad thing, no matter where it happened. Should she admit it?
Conscience and selfishness were battling fiercely in Qiao Wan's mind.
In the end, Qiao Wan dryly chose to admit it.
"Excuse me... Excuse me, taoist friend, what I'm about to say may shock you or make you angry." Qiao Wan paused for a moment, silently rehearsing her words. "But I hope you can stay calm and listen to me, hear me out."
"Sorry, but I... I really am not that Qiao Wan."
"The Qiao Wan you mentioned might already... have passed away."
The young man's eyes immediately widened in shock.
He lowered his gaze, as if contemplating something.
"I... I know..."
He had just confirmed with Mei Kangping that this was indeed Qiao Wan. She was a pure demon, unaffected by the demonic energy of the demon realm. Jiaojiao also recognized her. Pei Chunzheng stubbornly believed that no one could fake this.
Long ago, Pei Chunzheng never would have imagined he would end up in this situation.
It was just a moment of impulse, seeking a replacement after Xiaoxiao had left him. And, to be honest, Qiao Wan didn't really fit his aesthetic at all.
He could see that she had feelings for him, even though she remained cool on the surface. But as he stared at the girl's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Mu Xiaoxiao, Pei Chunzheng unintentionally lost himself in thought. There was something about this girl that he yearned for, a warmth that he desired.
Throughout this brief romance with Qiao Wan, he managed to stay fully aware of his feelings.
But he couldn't pinpoint exactly when or how things started to change, not even Pei Chunzheng could explain it.
He finally realized that Qiao Wan and Mu Xiaoxiao were not the same person. The emotions he found difficult to express had already taken root, like vines, gradually growing. The more Qiao Wan ignored him, the more he found himself unable to ignore her.
She moved on from him, surrounded by an increasing number of people: Meng Canglang, Xie Xingzhi, Fang Lingqing, Qi Feidao, Bai Shanhu... More and more people gathered around her.
He suddenly woke up to the fact that he craved the warmth that Xiaoxiao brought him, while Qiao Wan gave him strength and courage.
The more he cared, the deeper he fell.
A heart was pounding in his chest as he murmured to himself. Suddenly, he took a step out of the darkness, his soft black hair flowing down his face like water.
"Qiao Wan ."
He had traveled to many places, but had never found her. In the end, he became the demon lord of the demon realm and searched with all his might, but still found nothing.
In the countless days and nights since he truly lost her, he often whispered these two words to himself. He felt more and more that his past self was so arrogant and despicable. Sitting alone in the empty demon palace, the annoying sound of the leaking roof filled the air. Pei Chunzheng felt very cold. This bone-chilling cold had surrounded him since a few years ago, until now when the cold finally faded away completely, and his chest was filled with new life.
With this step, he heard her ask.
"Although I'm sorry, but... who are you, taoist friend?"
Qiao Wan numbly thought to herself: It... It couldn't possibly be the so-called demon lord of the demon realm, right?
At this moment, she didn't want to think about how embarrassing it would be to bring her cosplay dancing friend in front of the protagonist anymore.
The young man in front of her, however, froze and became motionless in the instant she spoke.
This sound, like a wake-up call, hit him so hard that his vision became blurry. He couldn't help but breathe rapidly, as if a chill had crawled up his spine and his entire body felt icy cold.
She...doesn't remember him?
As if being doused with a bucket of cold water, Pei Chunzheng stood still in place.
The girl's eyes were as clear and calm as he remembered, but her gaze was unfamiliar.
This situation just became difficult to handle.
...
The current situation is a bit awkward.
Qiao Wan sat expressionless in front of the large bed.
The young man stood silently in front of her, and there was also a brother standing beside him who looked very unconventional and unique.
"It seems like their brain got hit somewhere and got damaged," said a person with a fan, a tattooed face, and a sly smile on their lips, mocking without mercy.
"No," Qiao Wan said, painfully covering her head, "Why can't I explain it clearly to you?"
"I... I'm really not Qiao Wan," she pleaded.
Anyway, this world is full of strange and supernatural things. Taking a deep breath, Qiao Wan sighed and said directly, "I'm really not from this world. I come from another world where I am... um... a student in a school. On that day, it was night and I was walking in the school when suddenly I lost consciousness. When I woke up, my soul had possessed this body."
"I'm sorry for occupying Taoist Friend Qiao's body," Qiao Wan paused and said solemnly, "It seems that Taoist Friend Qiao is important to all of you, to this cultivation world. I had wanted to hide it, but I couldn't do it."
Playing a role as someone else is not as easy as it seems, Qiao Wan thought nervously. She couldn't imagine herself comfortably taking over someone else's body, friends, parents, loved ones, and relationships.
The idea of living as a fake person was terrifying.
The more she thought about it, the more guilty Qiao Wan felt. She closed her mouth, remained silent for a while, and looked away.
"I'm really sorry," she finally spoke up.
The eccentric brothers scoffed at her, saying, "Even though your brain got damaged, you're still as foolish as ever."
She felt ashamed and ridiculed.
Qiao Wan's lips twitched. Trapped in a difficult situation, she wisely chose to keep quiet instead of arguing against their words.
"Anyway, I've said all that I can say," Qiao Wan sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "If you still don't believe me, you can investigate. I will cooperate with your investigation."
Unfortunately, the two individuals completely disregarded her words and continued their conversation.
In the end, the stylishly-dressed brother closed his folding fan and walked away confidently, leaving behind the young boy who turned his gaze back again.
She had explained everything she could, so Qiao Wan felt resigned to let it be.
Pei Chunzheng couldn't help but pause as he stared at Qiao Wan sitting by the bed.
Qiao Wan didn't remember him anymore.
At the same time, a secret and crazy idea quietly emerged.
He thought selfishly, could it be possible... could they start over again?
In that moment, Pei Chunzheng felt a bit dizzy.
This idea was undoubtedly mean and despicable. The words rolled in his throat, but at the moment of speaking, Pei Chunzheng hesitated.
Pei Chunzheng always felt that he was selfish and indifferent, but he couldn't stoop so low. He had no right to take away her past, but if he took this step, she would belong to him, and no one, nothing could take her away from him again.
The young boy's stiff body moved slightly, feeling extremely conflicted. However, he couldn't resist the temptation that this idea brought.
As if being lured by a devil, the boy couldn't help but take a step forward. He swallowed, and his dark, glossy eyes shimmered with indescribable radiance. They held great value and were filled with anticipation as he spoke.
"I...," the boy's dark eyelashes trembled, "I used to be your companion."
"Your...lover."
Pei Chunzheng, with hope and timidity, looked at her with darkness and madness. "Qiao Wan, let's join together."
Just like in that dreamlike encounter.
The boy's slightly cool hand gently touched her forehead. In Qiao Wan's stunned gaze, a cold kiss slowly fell on her eyelids.
His dark and clear eyes deeply gazed at her, resembling a profound and dark vortex.
As they were talking, a faint smile appeared at the corner of the young man's lips. This smile dispelled the almost crazy and strange feeling that had been haunting him, like a young man walking with a sword.
He was full of youth and confidence.
"We will become Dao companions and never be apart again."
In that moment, Qiao Wan couldn't help but feel a bit bewildered, followed by a sudden piercing pain in her brain.
It felt like something had entered her mind, sweeping through something, and gradually her consciousness seemed to be drifting away.
