Chapter 1: The Strange New Life

  "From now on, with my blood, I make a blood pact with you. Your pain, I will bear; your wishes, I will follow; your hatred, I will avenge. For all eternity, we will not abandon or leave each other."

  A autumn rain, a chilly scene. The September weather brings a drizzle of small rain, making people feel somewhat cool. In the campus, classmates who were originally strolling slowly also quickened their pace due to this sudden rain.

  "This terrible weather is actually the first day of school, I really don't know what kind of mood those freshmen are in." Su Qi heard her dormitory classmates' complaints without making a statement. Now she has stepped into her senior year, from the age of fresh fruit to the age of old white radish in the eyes of her junior brothers and sisters, she no longer has any thoughts to worry about those freshmen.

  "Qi Ruo, you're a senior now, what are your plans after graduation, are you going to find a job or pursue further studies?"

  "Not yet." Su Qi was now facing this problem the most, and it seemed that among the topics of discussion for seniors entering their fourth year, only this one remained.

  "Our professional postgraduate entrance rate is so high, why not go for a postgraduate degree? Anyway, it's not easy to find a suitable job now, and the treatment of university students is not particularly good."

  Su Qi nodded, "Anyway, everyone is taking the postgraduate exam, so we'll just follow suit. If we pass, then we'll attend, if not, it's not too late to find a job. Besides, isn't there also the civil service exam? We can try that too."

  "That's right, last year our major got three people in. Mentioning this, fellow students seem to be particularly excited, for any school, it is a miracle that one major can get three civil servants at the same time in the national exam, and this also makes students of this major have more expectations for the national exam."

  "Qí Ruò!" Su Qí Ruò slowly turned her head, and from a distance, she saw a familiar classmate from the student council. It was only then that she remembered she still had some business to attend to in the student council.

  "What's wrong, Lili?"

  "Actually, I didn't plan on asking for your help today, but it's raining and we're a bit short-handed. Can you...?" Li Li said with an apologetic smile.

  "No problem, picking up the new student will be a bit busy, anyway I don't have class today, where is the reception place? Let's go together?" Su Qi said kindly, although she was already in her fourth year, but the work of the student union had not been resigned, originally it was part of her job and even if it was busier, she should make time to go.

  "Never mind, just send this student to the boys' dormitory." Li Lian pointed far away at a boy standing by the road, holding an umbrella in one hand and luggage in the other.

  "Okay, no problem, don't worry."

  "Sorry, I have something else to attend to," said Li Li, and then she slowly walked away.

  "Qi Ruo, do you need help?" asked a roommate kindly.

  "No need, I don't think he needs help with his luggage either. Just show him the way, you guys go back first, I'll be right back." Su Qi waved goodbye to her classmates and then walked towards the boy.

  "Classmate, which dormitory are you going to?" Su Qi asked as friendly as possible.

  The boy tilted his umbrella at a certain angle and looked at Su Qi Ruo before speaking in a flat tone, "Wu She."

  Su Qi furrowed her brow slightly, the boy's strange gaze making her feel very uncomfortable. However, as the welcoming senior sister, she couldn't say anything and simply said coldly, "Follow me."

  The road from Wusha to here is at least fifteen minutes away. Su Qi originally planned to say something to ease the atmosphere on this road, but due to the strange gaze of the boy, he suddenly lost his mind. The strange gaze couldn't be described as hostile or friendly, it was just very uncomfortable. However, what made Su Qi most uncomfortable was that she always felt like someone was staring at her back with evil intentions. Every time she turned around to check, she could only see the boy following behind her, covering his entire face with an umbrella.

  "Classmate, we've arrived at the fifth dormitory." This strange feeling had been tormenting Su Qi Ruo all along the way, until they finally reached the entrance of the fifth dormitory. Only then did Su Qi Ruo feel slightly at ease. Without any polite words, Su Qi Ruo now only wanted to escape the boys' line of sight and hide far away.

  "Sister, where are we going to eat later? And where are we going to get the military uniform? Can you take me with you?" The boy moved his umbrella away, and a cute expression appeared on his face.

  His slightly curly hair, fair skin, and slightly chubby cheeks, as well as his bright eyes, all indicated that the person in front of him was a lovely young boy. However, Su Qi couldn't forget the strange gaze that had flashed in the boy's eyes. "Sorry, I have something else to do, you can ask other freshmen later." Su Qi coldly rejected the boy's request.

  "It's really not considerate enough." Only when Su Qi Ruo's figure disappeared from the boy's sight did he discontentedly complain, his originally cute appearance also disappearing, replaced by a cold and icy demeanor that clashed greatly with his chubby cheeks.

  What's wrong with me today? Ever since I saw that guy, I've been feeling really uncomfortable and my mental state hasn't been great. I was originally planning to go study in the self-study room, but now I don't even have the mood for it. I'll just head back to the dorm and take a nap, maybe I'll feel better after resting. Su Qi Ruo comforted herself, thinking that he's just a weird guy, no big deal. Maybe she just didn't sleep well yesterday, that must be it. As she thought this, Su Qi Ruo covered herself with her blanket, closed her eyes and prepared to take a nice nap.

  The darkness was endless and boundless, with no beginning or end. The surrounding area was shrouded in a thick, eerie fog that seemed to cling to everything, yet it didn't feel damp. It made people feel uneasy for no reason. A faint rustling sound could be heard from afar, getting closer and closer, as if something was constantly rubbing against the ground. Looking far into the distance, the fog seemed to be parted by an invisible force, dispersing in all directions until the rustling sound grew louder. Then, a pillar appeared to be standing still in mid-air, swaying back and forth. "What is it?" A faint light emanated from the center of the pillar, radiating outward. Su Qi strained her eyes to look at the only place where light was shining, when suddenly, the light burst open, and a pair of jet-black eyes appeared out of thin air.

  "Ah!" Su Qi suddenly woke up from her dream, panting heavily. Those terrifying eyes were the same as the boy she met today. She finally understood why his gaze was so strange - it was the gaze of a bird of prey selecting its target before striking, calculating and ruthless. And she had instinctively shown unease towards that kind of gaze.

  "Could that boy be a demon?" A terrifying thought suddenly flashed through Su Qi Ruo's mind, demons, did they really exist in this world? But if someone like herself existed, then nothing was impossible in this world. Moreover, she had never felt such a frightening feeling before, unless he was a demon, she truly didn't know how to explain this phenomenon. It was just that she had actually encountered him in this sacred academy, it was too terrifying.

  "As a demon, they must be looking for prey. Ordinary humans aren't of interest to them; only those with comparable strength will pique their attention. Could it be that he's set his sights on me?" The thought of becoming prey made Su Qiyue feel somewhat uneasy. It seemed like ever since her powers had awakened, strange people and events kept popping up. However, this was the first time she'd become a demon's prey - wasn't she a god? Shouldn't demons be afraid of her? How could she have become prey? What kind of demonic creature was this kid the incarnation of, anyway? How should she deal with him?"

  The problem is that the power of my divine clan has not fully awakened, and even if it did, I wouldn't use it! What to do? What to do?! Su Qi rubbed his head anxiously, desperately recalling some spells and incantations from his memories, hoping they could help him. However, no matter how hard he thought, he only remembered two: the Water Control Technique and the Spirit Binding Curse. Ah, yes! There was one more, but it's probably something I'll never use in my lifetime, so let's just ignore it.

  "That old man said I'm a water god, and that the water god is one of the six great gods of the divine tribe, with a long history and profound Taoist teachings. I've been awakened for four years now, but I still haven't felt anything. And now I've become a target for the demon tribe! That old man really is something else... He said something about 'six gods as one family', but all he taught me was a soul-binding spell. What a petty ghost!"

  "Qi Ruo, what are you muttering about?" Her roommate suddenly came back and saw Su Qi Ruo nestled in the quilt, talking to herself nonstop.

  "Study English." Su Qi said reluctantly.

  "By the way, today the student union people came over and said they want to organize a mobilization meeting to encourage freshmen to join the student union. Want to go together?"

  "Got it, thanks!" Su Qi Ruo was preoccupied with thinking of ways to deal with the demon clan's young master, and she hadn't given much thought to attending this student mobilization meeting.

  The student union president's lengthy speech was not heard by Su Qi, who suddenly began to wish that the boy was not a demon clan member and that she had misjudged him due to her sensitive nerves. However, the reasons that kept popping up in her mind repeatedly denied her hopes. Alas, the probability of that boy being a demon clan member was at least 99.9%, and the probability of him treating her as prey was 100%...

  "Looks like Senpai is troubled?" A pleasant voice sounded from beside her ear, Su Qi Ruo raised an eye to look, heavens! That little devil was sitting right next to her! She hadn't even noticed!

  "What...do you want to do?" Su Qi said, trying to calm herself down.

  "It's nothing much, we're acquaintances after all, so it's only natural to show some concern for you, senior." The boy said matter-of-factly.

  "It's all right, I'm fine." Su Qi said with a look that seemed to push people away.

  "Sister, let's go somewhere else, it's inconvenient to talk here!"

  "If it's inconvenient, then don't say it, I don't have time." Su Qi thought that if she really didn't want to leave this crowded place, this little ghost wouldn't know what to pay attention to and might just swallow herself whole in a deserted place!

  "Sister, you're making it difficult for me, but are you sure?" The boy smiled sweetly with an innocent look, but in Su Qi's eyes, this little devil's words were clearly laced with a hint of threat, as if something regrettable would happen to her if she didn't agree.

  When was I afraid of you? "Definitely." You little devil, I'd rather go to a crowded place and see how you dare to eat me!

  "Does senior sister think I'm out of options now?" The boy's face instantly turned into a cold expression, and his words also carried a hint of chilliness. It was only then that Su Qi realized that with the boy as the center, the surrounding scenery had changed in an instant. Was it... a barrier?

  "I won't give up on my prey once I've got it, but don't worry, I won't eat you. I'll just take the spiritual energy from your body, and you won't feel any pain. Afterwards, you can still live a normal life like an ordinary person." As soon as he finished speaking, the boy suddenly reached out to grab Su Qi Ruo's chest, but she quickly blocked him with her arms and jumped back, keeping a distance of about 10 meters from the boy.

  "Who exactly are you?" Su Qi asked sternly.

  "Devil clan, Lu Ke." Lu Ke's face was as cold as frost, and Su Qi obviously dodged a move, seemingly somewhat annoyed. He struck even faster, leaving Su Qi with no chance to counterattack, constantly retreating. After ten moves, Su Qi was clearly exhausted.

  "Chuan Cheng had just awakened, and being able to dodge ten moves by instinct was already not easy. However, I won't give you another chance to dodge." As soon as Lu Ke's voice fell, his right arm suddenly wore a black armor, bringing a fierce wind that struck with a single blow. Su Qi couldn't dodge even if he wanted to, and his instincts made him cover his head with both arms, hoping it wouldn't be fatal in one hit.

  "Qí ruò, qí ruò!" The shout of a roommate came from outside the boundary. Lù Kě immediately stopped his attack and frowned, saying, "Someone actually triggered the boundary. You won't be so lucky next time."

  Lu Ke exited the boundary, and Su Qi Ruo's vision returned to normal. She still maintained her appearance before entering the boundary. "Qi Ruo, are you okay? I've been calling you for half a day with no response."

  "It's nothing, I just spaced out for a moment, what was I saying?" Su Qi asked with a calm face.

  "What were we talking about again? The boss said let's go have some midnight snacks, are you going or not?"

  "Go, go!" Su Qi nodded in agreement, having just gone through a life-and-death struggle, and it was only natural to eat something to calm his nerves, while also thinking of ways to deal with Lu Ke.

  They say one thing can subdue another, but I don't know what kind of thing Lu Ke is, if only he were a snake, it would be great, I could learn from the White Snake legend and make some雄黄酒 to kill him off. No way, snakes are highly toxic, if he bites me once, I'll be done for. Best if he's just a mouse, I've got a cat with me, haha, that little thing won't dare to mess with me!

  Su Qi furrowed his brow, what was I thinking about? He definitely wouldn't tell me! What was I randomly guessing here, it's better to think of how to guard against falling into his trap again.

  "Qi Ruo, what's wrong with you? You look like you're carrying a deep grudge?"

  "Nothing, nothing, I'm thinking about my thesis!" Su Qi simply responded and continued to think about serious matters, putting aside what happened with Lu Ke for the time being. The most important thing now was how she had entered Lu Ke's boundary earlier?

  It stands to reason that if he's a demon, he should have pulled me into the boundary as soon as he found out who I was. But this morning, we were together for so long and he didn't make a move - could it be that he needs to confirm my identity? No way, confirming identities doesn't take that much time. So, it must be that entering the boundary requires specific conditions; otherwise, why would he say the boundary was broken just because someone shouted at me? But how do you enter the boundary? Is it like hypnosis, requiring intense mental focus or staring into his eyes? It's possible - this morning when I sent him off, I didn't look closely at his eyes. Just now, when we were so close, I could count every single pore on his face, and I must have looked into his eyes without realizing it. Right, demons' eyes are always sinister, and I must have been entranced! Definitely! And so, Su Qi Ruo thought about it for an entire evening and reaffirmed the idea in her mind: as long as she doesn't look into Lu Ke's eyes from now on, everything will be fine.

  "Alright, senior!" Lu Ke's ghostly voice came from behind Su Qi Ruo, causing her to get excited and almost flip the tray in her hands.

  Calm down! Su Qi Ruo was inwardly shouting to calm down while pretending not to have heard, lightly and nimbly passing by Lu Ke's side. Just as Su Qi Ruo was searching for a place to rest her eyes, she happened to see her dormitory classmates waving at her in front, and she hastily rushed over with three steps and two strides, putting down the tray of food in her hands and sitting down quickly, only to find that Lu Ke had appeared in the seat next to her, and was calmly greeting her, "Hello, Su!"

  The classmate in the dormitory glanced at Lu Ke beside Su Qi Ruo with a weird look, and ambiguously asked Su Qi Ruo, "What's going on? A pursuer?"

  "No." Su Qi didn't dare lift her head, desperately scraping up the rice, sweeping away the remaining food on the plate with a whoosh, and then she jumped up and ran off without a trace.

  Su Qi couldn't help but laugh at this, and Lu Ke also couldn't hold back a smile. Does this guy really need to be so vigilant?

  Su Qi ran back to the dormitory like a wisp of smoke, panting and drinking water, muttering to herself, "Damn Lu Ke! This is the first time I've eaten so fast with my sister-in-law, I'm going to choke to death! At this rate, even if I don't get eaten, I'll still be choked to death! No way, at this rate, I'll definitely be scared to death by him. Calm down, calm down, right? It's just not looking into his eyes, as long as I don't look into his eyes, he can eat me in broad daylight! Calm down, calm down!"

  Su Qi Ruo was still hinting at herself, and her mood slowly calmed down. She calmly hugged the book and went to self-study again. I don't believe it, Lu Ke is always staring at me! I remember that there are many courses in the first year! Just as Su Qi Ruo was secretly happy and flipped through two pages of books, she found someone sitting next to her. Who is this person? Is there nowhere else in the self-study room? Su Qi Ruo glanced at him with disgust, quickly turned his head around, and supported it with one hand, turning his brain to the other side. This dead Lu Ke, how did he come again? Isn't the first-year course very full? How did you appear again?

  Lu Ke seemed to have noticed Su Qier's thoughts, and leaned in close to her, saying in a low voice, "Although the courses for freshmen are many, as long as you don't want to go, there will always be a way."

  Su Qi gritted her teeth and replied, "Be careful about being kicked out of school."

  "Compared to a sumptuous meal, flunking an exam is nothing, and you can always retake it." Lu Ke licked the corner of his mouth greedily, with a thoroughly devilish expression, as if he could swallow Su Qi Ru whole at that very moment.

  Su Qi didn't need to turn her head to guess Lu Ke's expression, she immediately packed up her bag and quickly left the classroom. Lu Ke followed closely behind, occasionally walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Su Qi for a short distance. Seeing that she couldn't shake off Lu Ke on the way, Su Qi started sprinting across the campus, but Lu Ke surprisingly kept pace with her, running patiently behind her. Poor Su Qi wasn't used to exercising and soon became panting and stopped after a while. Lu Ke saw that she had stopped running and stood calmly beside her, smiling at her with a hint of amusement.

  "This is infuriating! I've been running for half a day, exhausted, and still can't shake him off. What's the meaning of him following me and standing next to me like he owns the place? Su Qi Ruo turned her head away, not looking at Lu Ke, hands on hips, panting for a while before catching her breath. She thought to herself, there's no way I can outrun this kid, anyway, the dorm isn't far, I'll just take my time walking back."

  Lu Ke knew that Su Qi would definitely not be able to run anymore, so he walked shoulder to shoulder with her. If you ignore Su Qi's angry expression, the two of them looked like a common couple on campus.

  Su Qi's eyes gazed upwards with a resentful expression as she said "What exactly do you want?"

  "You know what I want."

  "Daydream!" Su Qi said as she threw down a sentence and ran back to her dormitory building.

  Lu Ke stood in front of the dormitory building, looking at Su Qi's fleeing figure, and unexpectedly had a smile in his eyes, "Let's continue tomorrow."