Gu Junshi was naturally endowed with a temperament that was cold, reserved, and imperious. If she usually dressed in simple skirts and wooden hairpins to suppress it, she would at most appear as an unapproachable, high-mountain flower. However, if she were to don resplendent robes like an immortal, she would be far too eye-catching.
She needed to wear a disguise of a serene mortal to stir up trouble in secret, and her current plain, unremarkable attire was just right for that purpose.
But Mu Nanxue, having been shaken by Gu Junshi's powerful aura earlier, hadn't had the chance to carefully observe Gu Junshi's appearance.
Now, however, the more she looked, the more Gu Junshi resembled her scoundrel of a father. Both possessed an unfathomable depth of emotion, yet they seemed capable of seeing through people with a single glance, leaving others feeling utterly exposed.
Mu Nanxue had always feared her scoundrel of a father, and now encountering Gu Junshi, who was of the same type, she naturally felt a degree of apprehension.
Sensing her unease, Gu Junshi did not rush to explain. Instead, she averted her gaze, ceasing to apply psychological pressure, and asked in a light tone, "Why do you believe I am the illegitimate daughter of that scoundrel you speak of?"
Since Mu Nanxue hadn't explicitly stated whose "scoundrel" she was referring to, Gu Junshi could only follow her lead.
As soon as Gu Junshi shifted her gaze, Mu Nanxue felt as though a door had opened for a trapped prey to escape. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She knew that the person before her was far more powerful than herself, as evidenced by her brutal treatment of Lu Ziyin earlier.
Feeling a pang of unease and irritation, she retracted her innate magical artifact, the "Silver Lotus Blade," and frowned as she analyzed, "He once said that he was the only demon left in the cultivation world. The demon realm's passages were sealed over a thousand years ago, and even heavenly demons couldn't tear through the void to come here. That's why he found a demoness as a partner to give birth to a mixed-blood like me. So... you must be an illegitimate daughter he accidentally left behind outside."
She didn't know if her mother was human or demon.
Only one demon race in the cultivation world?
Gu Junshi turned her head, and a deeply profound gaze made Mu Nanxue tremble.
A chill ran down her spine.
She didn't understand why the other party's expression had suddenly become so stern and indifferent. Had she said something wrong?
But in the next moment, Gu Junshi lowered her dark eyelashes, returning to her usual aloof demeanor. A faint smile, like frost melting into snow, even appeared on her face, carrying a gentle chill.
Her purple eyes shared the same hue as the eyes she saw when looking at herself in the mirror, which unexpectedly evoked a sense of kinship in Mu Nanxue.
Since arriving in the cultivation world and interacting with humans, she had carried a heavy burden – she couldn't let anyone know she was a demon. She longed to make close friends but dared not get too close to them, living in a state of awkwardness and contradiction, her mood growing increasingly heavy, her emotions gradually becoming agitated and low.
She had once thought that if she were confined to one place every day, things would be different once she reached the outside world. But because of her demon identity, no matter how vast the sky or how expansive the land, it seemed none of it truly belonged to her. She even wished to return…
Since Mu Nanxue had firmly decided on her "illegitimate daughter" identity, it was naturally easier to gain her trust than if she had initially assumed they were of the same race.
Gu Junshi's thoughts swirled, her expression revealing nothing. She neither admitted nor denied Mu Nanxue's analysis, merely stating, "Mu Nanxue, can you take me to see your father?"
Hearing her casually mention "father," Mu Nanxue, perhaps misunderstanding something, pursed her lips. Her eyes swept over Gu Junshi with a complex and awkward expression, her demeanor seeming both happy and unhappy, clearly filled with inner turmoil.
"I... you just helped me discipline that slut, was it because you recognized me?" she asked, slightly flustered and stuttering.
Seeing Mu Nanxue transition from initial wariness and guardedness to hesitant closeness, Gu Junshi suddenly felt that her carefully prepared script was unnecessary. Mu Nanxue could enact the entire play by herself, and Gu Junshi only needed to cooperate slightly when asked for confirmation.
Like now.
"Mm."
This simple affirmation struck Mu Nanxue's heart like a blow.
She hadn't expected her "half-sister," abandoned by their scoundrel father, to harbor no resentment towards her but instead to show her such affection.
This made Mu Nanxue, who had never received any protection or support from anyone, blush deeply.
Although she hadn't inquired about Gu Junshi's age, Mu Nanxue had already unilaterally decided that such a powerful and composed person must be older than her.
Mu Nanxue was an only child. Since demons had difficulty conceiving, especially with different species, her birth was an accident. Thus, she had no siblings and had never even met children of her relatives. Her isolated upbringing made her yearn for the outside world and for play and interaction with her peers.
After arriving in the cultivation world, she had indeed met many people.
However, her temper was poor.
Extremely poor.
She often became inexplicably angry.
When she got angry, she lost control, speaking without restraint.
Therefore, no one was willing to approach her. Even if someone intended to, it would invariably end in an unpleasant parting.
The more she was denied, the more she craved it.
Now that a blood-related sister had suddenly appeared, she felt an inexplicable sense of anticipation. Would she be different from others? After all, blood ties could not be severed.
She nervously licked her lips, but when she met Gu Junshi's eyes, which resembled purple jade with sparse branches, she felt like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Who, who asked you to intervene? I wouldn't have lost anyway. Why are you interfering? Do you look down on me? Who do you think you are!"
The moment she finished speaking, her face turned pale.
Bother.
She had become tsundere again.
She couldn't control her awkward, fiery temper and her tendency to say the opposite of what she meant.
Why was her mouth so detestable! It was better to donate it to someone else if it couldn't speak properly!
Thinking that this "cheap sister" would probably dislike her now, Mu Nanxue's expression froze, and she lacked the courage to meet Gu Junshi's gaze, feeling utterly dejected like a drowned dog.
But then she heard that voice, devoid of any displeasure, say, "Then I won't interfere next time. For now, consider it a meeting gift from me."
Her tone was as forgiving and magnanimous as if addressing an ignorant junior with a dull mind.
Mu Nanxue raised her eyes in surprise. "You, you're not angry?"
Gu Junshi knew she responded better to gentleness than to force. In the original plot, she would rather have been beaten to death than reveal a single word, but after receiving some tender care and healing from Xiao Chenmu, she became willing to say anything, which showed her stubborn and unyielding nature.
"I'm not angry. So, you will take me, right?"
At this moment, Gu Junshi resembled a scumbag seducing an innocent maiden, her words lacking any truth yet presented with an air of sincerity.
Meeting those silently observing purple eyes, Mu Nanxue's emotions surged, her head feeling hot and dizzy. Ultimately, she couldn't withstand the test.
"Okay, okay. Seeing as you're begging me, I'll take you now."
Her voice chirped with excitement, like a bird taking flight.
Saying this, she eagerly reached out to take Gu Junshi's hand, intending to whisk her away without a second thought.
Gu Junshi was pleased with the cannon fodder's self-deception and speed of action, so she didn't mind the overstepping of her taking her hand. However, with the original plot disrupted by her actions, the male supporting character Xiao Chenmu's storyline was likely unfeasible. But this was not the outcome she desired, so…