Chapter 277: Qiao Wan's Classroom
When Qiao Wan woke up again, Pei Chunzheng had already left.
Just now...what happened? Qiao Wan furrowed her brows as she pondered.
Her awareness gradually returned, and Qiao Wan remembered that just now, that brother named Pei Chunzheng seemed to have done something to her mind--
But unfortunately, he didn't succeed.
He was extremely possessive and tried to brainwash her. He was her Dao companion, her lover, and they were about to merge.
In that moment just now, she did waver and then lost consciousness.
But when she woke up, Qiao Wan immediately realized that she wasn't the same "Qiao Wan" - she was just a unlucky person who had traveled through time.
What kind of intense and complicated love-hate story is this? Qiao Wan silently rubbed her forehead, feeling a terrible headache. Did she really travel into some cultivation novel? And this person whose body she had taken over, is she the protagonist of this cultivation novel?
Although Qiao Wan had a throbbing headache, she decided to be cautious when she saw the obvious signs of the other person's psychotic and twisted behavior.
She should continue pretending to be brainwashed for now. Maybe Pei Chunzheng would let his guard down and she would have a chance to find a way to escape.
Feeling thirsty, Qiao Wan got up, put on her shoes, and slowly walked out.
There was no decoration in the palace, not even a glass of water for her. Since she didn't know the way, she had no choice but to follow the long corridor and continue in the same direction she had come from.
After a while, Qiao Wan finally came out and got a real glimpse of the demon realm for the first time.
The sky was a bit cloudy and gloomy, but overall, it looked normal. There was no magma or anything like that. It was just a little dark, not much different from the cultivation realm.
She hadn't seen a single person on the way. Qiao Wan paused for a moment, then turned her steps and continued forward.
After who knows how long, she finally saw a figure sitting at a stone table in a side hall, reading a book.
It was the same guy with the punk style from before.
Encountering a "familiar face," Qiao Wan hesitated immediately.
Just as she was hesitating whether to approach or not, the punk guy noticed her and casually greeted her, "Sneaky, did you think I didn't see you? Take a seat."
With the person initiating the greeting, Qiao Wan no longer hesitated and walked up to sit down.
"Nice to see you, Taoist Friend Xie."
The young girl sat up straight and had a serious look in her eyes. Mei Kangping seemed a bit frustrated and said, "Relax."
"..."
Then he pushed the tea in front of Qiao Wan.
Unable to resist, Qiao Wan licked her dry and peeling lips. She quickly lifted the teacup without hesitation and drank it all, relieving her thirst a bit.
"Would you like another cup?"
Qiao Wan replied softly, "Thank you." Then she handed the empty teacup back.
Looking calmly at the girl in front of him, whom he called his "niece," Mei Kangping's emotions were slightly complicated and strange.
To be honest, Qiao Wan had been "stolen" away by someone he had sent, but she disappeared halfway and was missing for several years. He couldn't even figure out where Qiao Wan had gone.
And now, upon meeting again, the princess of the demon realm was about to become the "Queen of the Demons."
Mei Kangping always looked down on Pei Chunzheng. This man might be able to be a demon general, but he could never become a demon king. To be a ruler, it is essential to hide one's true intentions and be rational and cold-hearted.
Pei Chunzheng was inconsistent, indecisive, and too stubborn, and he was also too young. However, he had his uncle, Su Rui, supporting him. Su Rui was the older brother of Pei Chunzheng's mother, who was exiled to the demon realm.
In a situation where there were no capable individuals in the demon realm, Mei Kangping personally invited him back from the Carefree City.
It is said that in Tianzhu, there is a "Carefree King" named King Ashoka, who built a real 18-layer hell to interrogate and torture prisoners. The "Carefree City" is named after the "Carefree King" and is the living 18-layer hell of the demon realm.
Su Rui had been exiled in the Carefree City for over a hundred years. When Mei Kangping saw him.remained calm and reserved as always, in response to Mei Kangping's request.
He simply glanced to the side and proposed a deal to him. He wanted Snow Lion's son, his nephew.
Mei Kangping agreed.
So, with the guidance of Mei Kangping and Xiao Huan , Su Rui led his demon soldiers northward, finally reaching the snowy mountains in the northern territory. They were blocked by Budu River, a natural barrier that stood between them for several years.
The cultivation realm could no longer afford to lose. Despite putting up a strong resistance against the demon realm, the battle reached a stalemate. Su Rui hesitated to make a move due to the presence of Venerable One Miaofa, who was in secluded cultivation in the northern territory.
By now, most of the cultivation realm was within their grasp. They could afford to delay, but the cultivation realm couldn't.
Mei Kangping had a lingering feeling that Pei Chunzheng wasn't truly sincere about returning to the demon realm. By "wasn't truly sincere," it means that he still had attachment to the cultivation realm.
The "Demon Lord" that he was currently assisting had his own ulterior motives regarding both the demon realm and the cultivation realm.
In the end, they were only working together. Mei Kangping seemed so distant and cold, he even thought of killing Pei Chunzheng if he posed a threat to the demon realm.
Everything he did was in preparation for the return of the emperor and to bring glory to the demon realm.
Qiao Wan had no idea what Mei Kangping was thinking, his mind was filled with all sorts of thoughts.
Setting aside the fact that they all had hidden intentions, Qiao Wan got along quite harmoniously with this punk-looking brother.
Although Mei Kangping dressed like a punk, he seemed to have a middle-aged artistic side. He enjoyed drinking tea, playing chess, and playing musical instruments.
Perhaps influenced by the knowledge left in the original host's mind, Qiao Wan was surprised to find that she had some understanding of Confucianism and Taoism!
It's worth mentioning that she had just finished studying philosophy before she transmigrated, and there were indeed subtle connections between philosophy and religious studies.
And so, there was an old solitary man from the demon realm, and a young college girl who had traveled through time, and their brains mysteriously formed a strange harmony.
Qiao Wan sat with Mei Kangping for a while and had some tea before she politely excused herself.
She had hoped to gather some useful information through this opportunity, but Mei Kangping saw right through her thoughts and didn't give away any clues.
Mei Kangping seemed surprised by her knowledge of the three realms, so Qiao Wan couldn't help but ask curiously, "What did you think of me before, sir?"
Mei Kangping paused for a moment and replied, "You were like Ma Huaizhen among women."
Qiao Wan: ...
Don't think she hadn't heard of the infamous Ma Huaizhen, the demon god of Kunshan!
After spending some more time with Mei Kangping, as the evening approached, Qiao Wan headed back to the demon palace.
Sure enough, Pei Chunzheng was already waiting for her there.
The young boy had been waiting for a long time, wearing ill-fitting clothes with a loose belt around his slender waist. The faint light cast shadows on his face, making it look somewhat dark and mysterious. He looked up, with a hint of reddishness in his eyes, giving him a captivating yet sickly appearance.
"Qiao Wan," the young boy asked anxiously, "Where did you go?"
Taking into consideration that she was still under a "brainwashing" state, Qiao Wan hesitated. In her mind, this young boy was categorized as a "lover". She hesitated mainly because she had never been in a relationship before and didn't know how to interact with a boyfriend. After thinking it over, she gently approached the young boy and sat down beside him, whispering, "I went to see Mei Kangping, the senior."
The young boy's eyelashes trembled slightly. "Okay."
His cold fingers followed hers, clasping onto them, but he didn't move any further.
Qiao Wan instantly relaxed a bit, her tense body loosening, as she glanced at the young man.
She didn't know what kind of grudges or grievances existed between her original self and this brother. Naturally, she didn't have strong feelings of love or hate towards this young man.
So, Qiao Wan hesitated for a moment, and decided to try and fix the problems in this young man's heart.
Anyway, Qiao Wan thought hesitantly, she wasn't in a hurry to leave.
"We will be merging soon," the young man lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembling even more, as if he was anticipating and fearing at the same time.
"Qiao Wan , what do you really think of me?"
He was worried, Pei Chunzheng 's heart skipped a beat. He realized that all this rare harmony before him was obtained through thievery. He felt guilty and restless, unable to find comfort in sleep or peace in his days.
Though it seemed like a tsundere trait, it was unexpectedly innocent. Qiao Wan was stunned for a moment, then silently looked up at the sky: "I haven't spent time with you, I don't know what kind of person you are, brother."
Finally, they had to resort to a rather lousy excuse and Pei Chunzheng nervously said, "I like you."
Even though he knew it was all fake, when Qiao Wan spoke those four words, Pei Chunzheng's heart suddenly skipped a beat and then started pounding uncontrollably.
He felt a mix of nervousness, joy, suspicion, fear, and self-doubt. These ever-changing emotions swirled inside him like dark clouds.
Pei Chunzheng's voice became hoarse, his eyes downcast, as he tightly held her hand and asked, "What... is liking, what is love?"
Qiao Wan paused, uncertain of how to answer.
And so, in the vast and mystical palace, the boy and girl sat side by side, earnestly discussing the topic of "love."
This topic was truly immense, and throughout history, no one had been able to fully explain what love truly was.
"Liking is something beautiful," Qiao Wan said. "But love goes deeper."
"Love... Love can be selfish, possessive, it can also be respectful, restrained, and selfless."
Qiao Wan had only encountered the concept of a "tsundere" in novels before, but now she was sitting in front of someone who seemed to be a living example. Qiao Wan was cautious in her attitude, carefully choosing her words before speaking slowly.
"For example, I love my mother very much, but she is not happy with my father." Qiao Wan glanced at Pei Chunzheng and continued, "Both of them are unhappy together, living in torment, yet they endure this pain for the sake of their child. It's a sacrifice and devotion driven by 'love' for their child."
"Indeed, I love my parents deeply, and I don't want them to separate. This is the 'selfishness and possessiveness' in love, which is natural for us humans. However, in this situation," Qiao Wan said calmly, "I am willing to let go, respect their choice to separate. That's what restraint is."
"True love can overcome selfishness. It gives strength to people. It is the strongest force in this world."
