Chapter 27: Differences Exist Even Within Foundation Establishment?

Ji Qingge had no secret tricks remaining—let alone any spells surpassing Foundation Establishment.

She had long since exhausted every means; all that sustained her now was sheer stubbornness.

But why?

Why must a demon's life always be so miserable, forever burdened by the label of "dangerous monster"?

All she'd ever wanted was to mingle peacefully with humans, to be part of a warm, harmonious family.

Ji Qingge had never desired to harm anyone. Her only wish was a quiet, peaceful existence.

In the corner of the room, the woman shut her eyes in despair, quietly awaiting her final judgment.

Strangely, the memory of her earlier parting with a certain someone suddenly flashed through her mind clearly, as if his words were still fresh:

"I sensed a monstrous aura in the back courtyard. You should be careful, Second Miss Ji."

Recalling those words, Ji Qingge smiled bitterly.

That little Daoist truly had some talent. But little did he know—the 'monster' he sensed was actually me, Ji Qingge!

A trace of regret also crossed her heart. If she'd listened to the Daoist's warning and acted with more caution, perhaps she wouldn't have ended up here, waiting helplessly to have her heart gouged out and her core stolen.

Just as these thoughts swirled chaotically through her mind, a clear yet oddly familiar voice suddenly rang from outside the room, as if turning fantasy into reality.

"Good evening, Second Miss Ji."

Ji Qingge's eyes shot open. She turned her head sharply, staring at the doorway in disbelief.

Gradually, the handsome young Daoist from her memory merged perfectly with the figure standing in the doorway.

Ultimately, the vision resolved itself clearly into two silhouettes—one larger and one smaller.

Seeing her miserable appearance, Chen An tutted quietly, shaking his head with a sigh. "See? You ignored sound advice, and now look at your pitiful state."

Su Chichi reacted differently. Unlike her master, who stood there merely making sardonic remarks, the little girl hurried forward a few steps and helped the stunned woman sit up.

Seeing Ji Qingge's body covered in wounds and blood, Su Chichi's eyes instantly turned red, tears swirling in their corners.

"Sister, does it hurt?" the girl asked worriedly, puffing up her cheeks as she gently blew air onto Ji Qingge's wounds, hoping it would soothe her pain. "Chichi will help blow the pain away."

Ji Qingge lifted her hand, inexplicably wiping her face. Though nothing stained her cheeks, a strange soreness filled her eyes. She reached out gently, patting the little girl's head.

"I'm fine—it doesn't hurt."

Su Chichi gazed at her with shining eyes. "No wonder Sister is so beautiful! It turns out you were the demon Master mentioned."

Ji Qingge froze briefly at her words, her expression darkening. She couldn't deceive the child—not in a situation like this. After all, demons and humans were destined to remain apart.

But the next moment, the girl's clear, crisp voice rang out again, instantly dispelling Ji Qingge's sadness:

"But it's okay!" Su Chichi hugged her tightly, a bright, sincere smile gracing her face.

Ji Qingge remained stunned for a long moment. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, a sudden, clear ring of sword-light shattered that fleeting warmth, abruptly jolting her back to reality.

Recovering swiftly, Ji Qingge gathered her last ounce of strength, stepping in front of Su Chichi protectively. She stared directly at Chu Qingli, clearly enunciating each word:

"You're a righteous immortal cultivator—surely even you wouldn't harm an innocent child?"

Chu Qingli merely frowned deeply, ignoring the question. Her thoughts focused instead on the two strangers who had inexplicably entered the formation.

This was impossible.

Once activated, the Demon-Sealing Formation couldn't be breached unless a cultivator surpassed her by an entire realm or unless she herself permitted entry. 

Although the formation lacked offensive power, it compensated with nearly impenetrable defense. If it were an ordinary array, Ji Qingge's violent struggles would have destroyed it long ago, allowing escape.

Yet, observing the young Daoist in robes standing calmly before her, Chu Qingli sensed nothing particularly impressive. Judging by his aura, his cultivation couldn't exceed middle or late Foundation Establishment—let alone surpass hers significantly.

Could she have made a mistake when setting the formation? Nevertheless, these speculations hardly mattered now.

Turning her head slightly, Chu Qingli finally examined the young girl behind Ji Qingge. After confirming her complete ordinariness, Chu Qingli nodded lightly.

"I won't harm the child." However, her voice immediately turned firm. "But you must accompany me back to the sect. I cannot simply let you go."

At this point, no negotiation remained possible.

A demon of this level could never be allowed to re-enter human society. If Ji Qingge did return, those in the Ji estate who'd deceived her would likely not live to see tomorrow's sunrise.

Ji Qingge anticipated this response and no longer wished to resist.

She felt drained and weary.

Seeing Su Chichi one last time, knowing the girl still accepted her wholeheartedly even after learning the truth, Ji Qingge felt satisfied.

She willingly stepped forward.

"Wait." Chen An calmly approached.

Instantly, Chu Qingli's chilling gaze fixed sharply on him, a clear warning against interference.

But Chen An paid her no attention, merely gazing steadily at Ji Qingge instead.

Uncomfortable beneath his scrutiny, Ji Qingge nervously tugged at her skirt hem. In her current miserable state, she felt thoroughly embarrassed. Worse yet, recalling her earlier arrogant boast only deepened her humiliation:

'Even if something filthy has indeed slipped in, I can instantly make it vanish into smoke.'

Her earlier bravado now echoed embarrassingly loud…

Thankfully, Ji Qingge wasn't overly concerned with such matters. Quickly composing herself, she told Chen An calmly:

"Little Daoist, don't do anything foolish." Meeting his gaze directly, gratitude filled her eyes. "I admit I underestimated you earlier. But take Chichi and leave quickly—I won't forget what you've done today."

She gently pushed Su Chichi toward Chen An, longing to swiftly end this torturous situation.

Chen An tilted his head slightly, asking with genuine curiosity, "Is that chunk of ice really so strong?"

Ji Qingge nodded seriously.

"Incredibly strong. Unreasonably so."

"Aren't you both Foundation Establishment cultivators?" he asked doubtfully. "Why did you lose so badly?"

Ji Qingge bit her lip bitterly. "How could I possibly compare to her?"

Annoyance laced her words as she explained: "If you're a cultivator yourself, surely you've heard Chu Qingli's name?"

Indeed, Chu Qingli wasn't some minor nobody—she was renowned as the greatest cultivation prodigy of their generation. From the very moment she entered Foundation Establishment, she'd easily killed demons at the peak of the same realm singlehandedly. 

Since descending from the mountains, she'd left countless awe-inspiring legends in her wake throughout the cultivation world.

Chen An nodded solemnly, as if enlightened. "Ah, yes. I heard it earlier, standing by the villa gate."

Ji Qingge nearly laughed from exasperation. Facing this life-and-death moment, the young Daoist almost managed to drive her to laughter with his casual indifference.

Unwillingness colored her voice as she said, teeth clenched, "If anyone else had come, I might not have lost."

Ji Qingge sighed heavily.

"But, unfortunately, my opponent is Chu Qingli."

Chen An finally understood. Nodding sympathetically, he patted Ji Qingge comfortingly on the shoulder.

"I understand, truly. So, differences exist even within Foundation Establishment, huh?"

Join Discord server for faster and early release access over 70+ chapters currently on CrimsonScrolls.net