23 Nie Zili and Li Ren

In a dim cave with lights of fireflies.

"Is it okay to ask why you're here? What's your name again?" 

Li Ren's voice resounded, asking a slightly wet and naked woman in front of her. It was Nie Zili fixing and cleaning her wet clothing. 

Surprised by the question, she looked at Li Ren sitting quietly in the corner, recovering her answers.

"My name is Zhili. I came here to stop a bug beast tide, but a little unfortunate because of someone's treasure." 

Nie Zili replied while brushing her silver hair. She couldn't help but remember something.

'I hope they're okay. I already instructed them to go back to the clan if something unexpected comes up.'

"A bug beast tide? So you're the one who stopped it? This lady needs to thank you personally." Li Ren got up and bowed to Nie Zili.

"Thank you for saving my town lady Zhili. My town is the first one to be affected by the bug beast ride if it ever happened."

Nie Zili became flustered as her beautiful cheeks turned pinking red. She comes near Li Ren to stop her from bowing and, while nervous, she says.

"No...-!

"You don't need to. You helped me a lot earlier, too."

"But I-"

"No!"

"I can't just-"

"No!"

Helpless, Li Ren could only accept it.

"Okay, I won't accept anymore."

Nie Zili revealed a victorious smile. Curious, she asks,

"What about you? Why are you here? To stop the bug beast tide, too?"

Li Ren didn't answer for a moment and instead played with a stone in her hand. Convinced, Nie Zili thought, 'She probably didn't want to talk about it.' but...

"I am here because I want to prove myself to someone..."

Li Ren said while Nie Zili didn't seem to want to interrupt or comment, for she is also interested in knowing who's the person this talented girl is working to is .

"His subordinates were killed, so I want to prove myself by capturing the person who went against him. The subordinates that died were revived by him, but they died again protecting me."

Nie Zili felt like Li Ren's situation was familiar, so she interrupts and asks,

"Who's that person?"

Li Ren didn't find it weird and answers casually,

"It's young master Lin Baal. A mysterious person, full of mysteries, and I feel like he is in a situation that he's forced to."

Nie Zili's face contorts as she hears the name of the person she hated. 

'That guy is a spoiled young master and a devil. After getting the legendary bug beast from the sect, his behavior and everything about him was worthy of being hated! He did every evil thing a person could think of!

'He killed innocents! Genocides! Fed my subordinates to beasts while their loved ones were watching them. He is a demon!? Why serve him? Why is this girl serving him!!!??'

Nie Zili calmed herself down. She's a person who turned back time. She's an expert and things like this are common in this immortal world.

'But now, he's weak and won't be able to tame that dangerous monster from the sect. I saved countless individuals from his tyranny by stealing the treasure he should've used to tame that legendary beast in the sect.'

Nie Zili convinced herself to calm down completely. She still had a disagreeing look on her face, but she quickly replaced it with a fake smile and thought of something.

"Isn't Lin Baal spoiled and only have an average talent for cultivation?" 

Nie Zili said as she observed the expression of Li Ren.

"Average talent? Spoiled?"

Li Ren thought of the time when young master Lin easily grasped her on her neck in her full Symbiosis cultivator form.

"That's what I thought too. But he's different. He's so deep and I will not wish to become his enemy. Never in my life was such a deep individual."

Nie Zili's expression changed when she realized what happened.

'Could it be that he's like his father? Or did I change everything? Butterfly effect? From her reply, he seems strong despite not taming the legendary beast from the sect.

'Could it be that he is hiding too, like his father? I need to know. I will find out from her.'

"Could it be that he's hiding his true strength all this time from the masses?"

Nie Zili said with a shocked expression on her beautiful face. Faking it, to know from Li Ren.

Li Ren didn't answer, but Nie Zili could confirm it. This made her more wary and alert to the Lin Family.

'Truly, Lin Family hides so deep. I need to be careful when facing them in the future. But this girl, why is she working with him?'

Nie Zili couldn't help but think of her plans.

"Why are you working with him? Blackmail? Did he threaten you? You don't like a person who would serve anyone even when threatened."

Nie Zili said her observation of Lin Ren is a smart girl who would survive even the toughest situation. 

'Her aura radiates a combat strength of a lone fighter and I could sense that Li Ren killed many people already. That is obvious in the confidence she displayed earlier. So how did the young master of the Lin Family tame her?'

'The only thing I could think of is blackmail. With his obvious personality, even if he is hiding his strength, his personality cannot. In my last life, he was still proud and arrogant. No matter what he does, it didn't change! Even in his death!'

Li Ren smiled after hearing that as she stared at the darkness of the cave. A moment later, she spoke up.

"Well, I was born into a poor family. In this world, being born into such a family is plagued with danger and other things that can harm your family.

"I've been in countless situations, being lied upon, being schemed on, and other stuff. I am focused on my family, I protected them, feed them despite I never receive love from them.

"I can't feel them. Since I became a symbiotic cultivator, they feared me. They even lied to me, and my little sisters can't look at me in the eye.

"I don't hate them. I still love them even if I die. I will keep on loving them. I understand them and that's normal. We cultivators differ from mortals, especially since I'm the only cultivator in my family.

"This world is full of lies. People I met in the sect are liars, and even you are lying to me. Don't worry, I'm used to it. As long as you mean me no harm, you're not an enemy. I will not hurt you too."

Li Ren gave a hearty smile when she said that, as she continued...

"However, out of all the people I met. All the lies I received and saw. All of them! Young master Lin is different. When he said he was broken-hearted, he meant it. I can sense it.

"What he said is that time is not different from what he is thinking. When he said he wanted me as his own, I can feel that he is not lying about it. He desired me.

"That's why I like him. Love? I'm not sure, but I hold him dearly. I wish to prove myself to him, be with him so he won't hate me, and be proud of me instead."

Li Ren couldn't help but blush and show that happiness on her face. This made Nie Zili on the side disgusted.

'I pity you. These men will only use you. This is just a one-sided love from you, not from the other party. I met many people. There are some good men, but it's rare even if you think they are good. 

'If they have more options, no matter how good you think they are, they will still choose cultivation and power. I've seen people living together for a long time sacrifice their loved ones for power.

'In this cultivation world. In this world full of killing and murder! In this world that everyone seeks power! Especially that young master, Lin. With the Teng Family surrounding this place, I'm sure that your lover won't come and save you.

'He didn't even care about you. What more of looking for you or saving you? I know how brutal and murderous this young master of the Lin Family is. I am sure that he will not hesitate to kill you just to save himself.

'With his arrogance and brutal behavior, you're just one of his guinea pigs. It's a pity, you're a kind girl being grasped by the hand of that devil. You're just dancing in his hands. I feel sorry for you.'

Looking at the love-struck girl, Nie Zili felt like she still has a chance of convincing this girl not to work with the devil.

"Did he know that you're here? Do you think he will come and save you? Or even look for you?"

Li Ren froze when she heard this girl, 'Zhili', said that. Her expression turned sour. She knew the answer, but then she shook her little head.

"This feeling is enough for me. I love him even if he feels nothing special or cares about me. He is the truest form of creation and the one I'm willing to sacrifice my life for."

Nie Zili gave up. No matter what she says to convince this love-struck woman, she is sure that she wouldn't convince her that her choice is a terrible choice.

Li Ren turned her little girly head to this girl 'Zhili' and asks,

"What about you? You don't have anyone you hold dear?"

Nie Zili's face reddened and turned her head away as she replies,

"I don't need one."

"I see, no wonder." Giggled by Li Ren.

The two bickers endlessly. Not caring about the world outside.