Chapter 128 - 3.24

Xu Jiaqi watched the man constantly change expressions before sighing.

"..Does the lord think I have ulterior motives? Do you suspect me? Well, it's not a strange thing to do. In fact, it would be wise for you to think that way." Xu Jiaqi mused as she played around with her hair. "But please.. remember that I never sought you out first. I clearly intended to get away from you, and you have seen where I got stranded to after our encounter. I don't mind if you think I will do something bad to you.. All I wish is for my goal to be fulfilled."

"What is.. your goal?" Somehow, Xie Yongrui felt nervous as he voiced out his question.

"...I will tell you one day. But for now.. I will just say that I want to look at the world from the pinnacle of it. As someone who has control over this cursed, depraved reality." Xu Jiaqi gave Xie Yongrui a detached gaze and huffed right after. "Is it too much after all? You can't fulfill it?"

"It's not that, but.. I have so many questions about you, and so far, I haven't been able to find anything about you. Why is that so?" Xie Yongrui still couldn't shake his mind off of this. Although saying it meant that he was declaring how he looked into her background, he didn't care.

"Oh? The lord is curious about me? I thought that I have already told you about the full story of my life. Did you perhaps not believe that too? I can't control your mind, but if you can't even bring yourself to believe the smallest things I tell you, then how are we supposed to enter a good cooperation?" Xu Jiaqi pouted.

"..It's not distrust. I am just curious about you, nothing else." Xie Yongrui defended himself, a bit troubled at how the girl was acting.

In his entire life, he had never felt like he was so vulnerable towards something. And yet, Xu Jiaqi seemed to make him feel like his defenses were crumbling away, and that he would be unsafe if this is continued.

"..Then, please believe me when I say one day, everything will be revealed. Until that time comes.. Hmm, perhaps you just have to think about yourself. Think about your memories, and your soul. A desirable clue.. One that I am also desperately looking for should be there." Xu Jiaqi placed her hand on Xie Yongrui's chest, gliding over the surface gently.

Xie Yongrui fell silent. Taking advantage of the young man's dazed expression, Xu Jiaqi caressed Xie Yongrui's cheeks and got up.

"That's it for now. My lord, I will be excusing myself. It's time for me to resume my daily activities. I can't afford to slack off, or else I will fall behind even more. It's not a pleasant feeling for me, having to struggle everyday just to defeat my enemies. I want to be strong enough so that.. I could protect those I hold dear."

Xie Yongrui's eyes widened. A part of him wanted to ask if he was included in the list of people Xu Jiaqi 'held dear', and who else was included in that list. But he waan't able to voice it out in the end, and had to watch as Xu Jiaqi left the room, not waiting for his answer.

He smiled helplessly, feeling the traces of that girl still lingering inside the room. "My soul.. and my memories? Why did she point those out..?" He murmured lowly, wondering what kind of connotation it had against his situation.

For now, he would never be able to recall anything no matter how hard he tried. For now.

______

Xu Jiaqi headed straight for the training grounds, wanting to get some light exercise for the day.

Of course, what was considered light exercise to Xu Jiaqi meant that others' wellbeing were at stake today. Bruises, wounds, cuts, they would all appear in bulk whenever Xu Jiaqi wished to 'exercise'.

"Hey, Qiqi! Are you not going to beat us today?" A man who had warmed up to her called out, waving his hands to attract her attention.

Xu Jiaqi's brow twitched.

'What is with that wording??' She walked towards him in a fast paced and grabbed his collar with ease with her newfound strength.

Her body also seemed to have received the System's blessing. It was fortified, and gained or accumulated strength much more easier. At least, by now, Xu Jiaqi was sure that even if she jumped off a cliff, she wouldn't necessarily die, but will still sustain great wounds.

"Don't say it in a way that would make others misunderstand! What do you mean beating you? We are clearly just sparring! Why did it turn into me beating you all up?"

"Don't joke around! You know it best, in Xian Ruo, we use real swords to spar! Whenever you pull out your blades.. It sends me the chills that I wake up from my sleep sometimes to recall those moments. Ah, wait, come to think of it.. where did you get those from again?"

"...It is simply something I know how to make. Magic is wondrous, so people like you, who hasn't even taken his first step into the realms of magic yet shouldn't be asking!"

"Can I try using it? You know, you are actually a monster. No one has ever succeeded to learn magic, but you are able get yourself to the level you are right now. For God's sake.. I don't know if I should feel amazed or disturbed. Maybe a good mixture of both."

"Hmm.. If it was any other normal sword, I would've lent it, but unfortunately, since I created these using my magic, it can't be used by someone else. It's bound to me securely. I paid a heavy price for these two that I still feel the pain of the process. What I had to go through

Xu Jiaqi's current story was that the twin swords were made using her magecraft, but were obviously something that couldn't be reproduced. She made up a story of her having to pay a painful price. When looked in a certain perspective, the story wasn't all that false. She obtained the blade after having spent a long time in her previous world, only to be fooled by the Goddess and having to suffer under the deranged fate.

Thankfully, since no one was knowledgeable in magic, she was able to get away without any repercussion.. Instead, she got waves of sympathy over how good her acting was when she tried to look pitiful.