Chapter 168 - Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

Su Chan glanced at Gu Pei Jiu. Gu Pei Jiu was now so deeply poisoned that her very bones seemed tainted, unable to move a muscle. Her senses had dulled significantly, and it was unlikely she could clearly hear what Su Chan was saying. She then lowered her gaze, examining her own hands. But it didn’t matter. Just the truth. Su Chan clenched her hand into a fist, turned to face Ye Ze, and answered his questions one by one. “Yes.” “It is.” In the next moment—the cold blade of the Sentiment Sword was already pressed against Su Chan’s neck! Yet, as soon as it touched her skin, Su Chan didn’t even flinch. With a slight shimmer from Xue Ran Chun Qiu, Ye Ze was violently flung away by an immense force!! Ye Ze crashed hard onto the ground, and countless malevolent apparitions lunged at him, their ghastly faces twisted. Nearby disciples hurried to assist, yet were rendered completely helpless, causing chaotic disarray. Ye Ze lay on the cold ground, his face pallid, a cloud of despair looming over him. —Why did he have to ask? —Would it have been better to pretend not to know? —Pretending as if nothing had ever happened, wouldn’t that have been better?! What did it mean now... What did it mean?! “Too cruel, Xia Wu Yin!” Lu Qie fumed, “I don’t care about the grudge between you and Ye Ze, but our senior sister has been so kind to you! How could you—” “No time!” Su Chan had no inclination to argue with ants. With a casual wave, several puppets burst forth from her mustard seed space and sprang towards Lu Qie and the remaining Danfeng disciples! Lu Qie, though enraged, valued his life immensely. Sensing the dire situation, he turned to flee, cursing as he ran, “Xia Wu Yin, you ungrateful wretch,” and called out to the others, “Why are you standing around?! Run!” Watching the frantic escape of this group, Su Chan’s eyes were filled with disdain, though she voiced a slight regret, “Without Gu Pei Jiu, these are merely rubbish—they won’t hold out for long.” She couldn’t hear anything. And soon... she wouldn’t be able to see either. The poison was indeed potent, yet Su Chan was unsure what crack-soul meant when the demoness referred to it. Should she find its source, there was no poison in this world she couldn’t undo. Even gravely ill, Gu Pei Jiu remained composed. Vaguely, Gu Pei Jiu heard Su Chan lean close to her ear, her leisurely voice dripping with some unknown sentiment. It seemed to be a mix of lament and amusement. “Let me guess, what are you thinking?” Her tone was graceful, unhurried, “Are you... thinking about how to survive?” Gu Pei Jiu remained unmoved. Su Chan didn’t expect any response from her, simply continuing her monologue, “Believe me—should you survive, it will certainly be agonizing.” What was she saying? Gu Pei Jiu could barely hear, only catching words like ‘agonizing.’ Pain? Her, Gu Pei Jiu? Ha, the idea was laughable. She, Gu Pei Jiu, had never feared the agony of life and death. There was only one thing she regretted. “No... I won’t.” Gu Pei Jiu stated, “I won’t.” She didn’t fear death. But she feared the death of that person. She couldn’t bear to see that person suffer even a hint of pain. “I just can’t bear to see her...” Gu Pei Jiu’s voice was strained, her vacant eyes fixed in Su Chan’s direction, speaking each word clearly, “But if it's her who wants my life, so be it.” —I can’t bear to see her hurt. Yet as long as she is well, what harm is it to give her my life?! “Even if...” Gu Pei Jiu’s lips curled into a slight smile, enduring the soul-tearing agony, her voice carried a sliver of pity, “Even if you turn into her form to kill me...” “...are you doing me a favor?” —The person she loved could never turn the blade on her. But would use eyes sharp as any blade in hesitation when facing her love. She understood her bewilderment. And so she stepped back a pace. But she yearned nonetheless. Even if that blade pierced straight into the heart, it would be better than this slow torment. She hoped for her answer, yet feared receiving it. Once fearless, Gu Pei Jiu now dreaded every possibility concerning that person. She feared her rejection, feared a future without her, but feared her being hurt even more. Su Chan's eyes turned cold upon hearing this, “Unfortunately, it’s not Xia Wu Yin who wants your life, but me, Su Chan!” But then she laughed, almost pityingly, “You can’t even hear what I’m saying anymore? How pitiful.” “No worries, if you can’t hear, then I’ll convey it directly to you.” Gu Pei Jiu remained silent, soul poison etched into her bones, the torment almost driving her to madness. Her body wouldn’t respond at all. If it were the pain of broken bones, she might manage to grasp onto something, to struggle, to alleviate it—yet— If a normal soul fills the body completely, then Gu Pei Jiu’s current soul was as if shrunken to the point of insignificance under the effects of soul poison. Her soul had nearly lost all control over her body, unable to break free, and finally fading away with her physical demise. Thus, no matter how agonizing, there was no solace, only solitary suffering. “I said, should you survive, it will be excruciating.” Su Chan’s voice transmitted, gentle and deliberate, “If the face that kills you doesn't bring agony... Then let the owner of this face suffer instead.” She carried on with her monologue, “If alive, witnessing your beloved scorned by the world due to you, forced to renounce righteousness, joining the demon sect, living as my minion, spreading chaos—you surely...” She laughed softly, “Will be in unbearable pain, right?” Su Chan’s hand holding the dagger was suddenly seized! Her hand was deathly cold and hard as iron, gripping Su Chan’s wrist as though intending to seize her very soul. Su Chan was taken aback! The soul poison on the Afterlife Dagger was her own special concoction, expertly crafted for individuals like Gu Pei Jiu—those who were half-souled reincarnations. Such poison was designed to drain one of all senses, shrink their soul into a permanent prison of flesh, unable to die or transcend. Coupled with the dagger’s inherent soul-crushing lethality— Given how deeply the poison had permeated, how was it possible that she could still move!? From Gu Pei Jiu emanated a terrifying aura. Despite the soul-wrenching agony threatening her sanity, those dark eyes retained an icy rationality that was nearly terrifying. She fixed Su Chan with a relentless stare, and perhaps out of sheer fury, her blurred vision cleared slightly as she articulated each word, “...You, dare.” Only two words, yet each was laden with ferocity and a bloodthirsty aura unbecoming of the righteous. It felt as though if Su Chan dared proceed, Gu Pei Jiu would, with whatever remnants of her being, tear her to shreds, grind her bones to dust. Su Chan was genuinely astonished, but she quickly composed herself. —So what? No matter how powerful, under this soul poison, she was just an ant writhing in the final throes before death. Su Chan sneered, lifting her chin defiantly to meet Gu Pei Jiu’s gaze, “My apologies, but there’s nothing in this world that I, Su Chan, wouldn’t dare to do!” Her voice was wild and piercing. —Gu Pei Jiu, you have your weak spots, and so, you are under my control! She had waited with such anticipation for a year, then another, and in a blink, a hundred years had passed, with no end to the time of gods. She would awaken time and again hopeful, only to be crushed by despairing disappointment, year after year, for what felt like an eternity! She had released all the demons from Eerie Spirit Mountain, yet still, she hadn’t returned. Xia Wushuang had given up on everything. She left without a word, and when she said she wouldn’t return, she truly, truly never came back. Even as Su Chan destroyed everything she cared about in a mad frenzy, still, she wouldn’t return. What could Su Chan do? In the timeless world of the divine, what was left for Su Chan to do? Go back to being a deity among mortals, as she once was? Aimlessly existing, attached to nothing, feeling nothing, a meaningless drift aligned solely with the faith of her followers? She was close to madness. She... had gone mad. Su Chan’s weak point no longer existed and would never exist again. Never again would there be such a warm-hearted person to take her hand and say— “If no one remembers, I’ll remember for you.” “Be my personal deity of fortune.” —That would never happen again. Her body was enshrined with divine bones, the last twilight of gods left in the mortal world after their dusk. Thus, she raged, lawless and fearless. “Be careful now.” Su Chan slowly pried open Gu Pei Jiu’s grip on her wrist, her smile both counterfeit and deranged, “After all, a slight slip, and you’ll find release.” She tilted her head slightly, as though pondering, and after a moment, chuckled lightly, “However, I am merciful.” “Sending you to hell a bit earlier would free you from pain forever. Doesn’t that make you happy, Gu, Pei, Jiu—” Her gaze was icy and devoid of compassion, the dagger in her hand poised to strike— Yet in the very next moment! A sudden gale! Su Chan’s pupils contracted slightly as a formidable force blasted her away, silent yet terrifying! A threat! Instinctively, she evaded the attack, then a chilling gust surged forth. Su Chan's eyes glinted with iciness as she swung her dagger! “Clang!” The cloud-patterned scythe clashed with the small dagger, sparking in a blaze of light. A girl, clad in flowing garments and wearing a fox mask, gracefully descended! A black ribbon adorned with cloud designs fluttered at her waist, and her hands gripped the scythe. Her wide sleeves, also stitched with clouds, billowed in the air as the scythe and dagger met, further illuminating her fierce gaze. “You will—stop.” A powerful aura erupted instantly! Su Chan locked eyes with the familiar ones behind the mask, immediately realizing who it was. She let out a soft laugh, glancing once at Gu Pei Jiu’s still form behind her, “Truly… enviable.” “But, it doesn’t matter anymore.” Her performance hadn't even begun, and the main character came to disrupt it. Tossing the dagger aside, Su Chan swept away from the girl’s scythe and vanished entirely in the next heartbeat! Teleportation! Xia Ge attempted to pursue using her Phantom Step, but after only a couple of steps, she halted abruptly, angrily swinging the scythe to the ground, “Damn, it’s a fake!!” She looked back at Gu Pei Jiu, and upon seeing the crimson hue that stained her, her pupils shrank to pinpoints, “Senior Sister!” == After repairing her red talisman, Xia Ge had been guided this way by the Lost Deer. By the time she arrived, the place had turned into a hellscape—a demonic battlefield filled with grotesque apparitions. The Lost Deer had left her at the edge before returning to its own path. Xia Ge searched desperately; both people and spirits were locked in a bloodbath, making it nearly impossible to distinguish friend from foe as she moved past severed limbs and blood-soaked battlers—many were so drenched in blood that their faces were unrecognizable. The battlefield was expansive, and though Xia Ge used her Phantom Step, her search was laborious and interrupted by vicious demons blocking her path. The tougher the challenge, the more she worried about her Senior Sister managing alone. Fretting and impatience only hampered her, making the search as arduous as ever. In her rush, Xia Ge might have missed seeing Lu Qie not far away. The System reminded her: “Don’t you have Xiansi?” In her urgency, Xia Ge suddenly remembered that she still had Xiansi—the unbeatable tracker—so she reached up to grab it… In her hands lay a black ribbon with cloud patterns, floating quietly. Xia Ge: "???" Her eyes shifted into animal-like pupils: "Where's Xiansi?!" [Tranquil Soul Ribbon: An ancient artifact among the Yimei’s Tranquil Soul items.] System: "..." Xia Ge was stunned, disregarding the Tranquil Soul Ribbon's sense of pride, and threw it aside in a panic: "Where's Xiansi?! My Xiansi?!" The black ribbon with cloud patterns drifted down onto a snarling evil spirit about to attack Xia Ge. The spirit shrieked as if scalded, its skin beginning to smolder as if exposed to acid. It frantically tried to remove the ribbon from its head, but the ribbon grew rapidly, binding it like a tightly wrapped package— The spirit’s dreadful howls echoed for miles around as it thrashed and screamed, only to fall silent eventually. The system contemplated: "As they say, two tigers cannot share one mountain… unless one is male and the other female..." "You had Tranquil Soul... it couldn’t tolerate Xiansi." Xia Ge couldn’t find Gu Pei Jiu anywhere, and, frantic with worry, decided without hesitation: "Then I don't want Tranquil Soul, I want Xiansi!" System: "You might want to rethink… before saying that out loud." All Xia Ge knew was that Xiansi was gone—the Xiansi that her senior sister had given her was gone! Without Xiansi, how was she supposed to find her senior sister among so many people? With so many demons, and her senior sister having to look after so many disciples, how could it possibly be managed?! "I have to go back and find Xiansi—" But after a few steps, a group of demons blocked her path. Xia Ge tried to swing her scythe like before, only to realize— Tranquil Soul wasn’t cooperating. After hearing her saying, "I don't want Tranquil Soul, I want Xiansi," it seemed to have thrown a tantrum. Her scythe clattered uselessly against a demon’s shoulder, numbing Xia Ge’s arm. System: "..." For some reason, Xia Ge felt deeply uneasy—a feeling she couldn’t quite describe. It wasn’t just due to losing Xiansi or facing an unassailable demon alone, but as if she was about to lose someone important— It was a sensation that made her careless of Tranquil Soul's feelings. The demon roared, its form flashing, and in the next moment, a massive fist pummeled Xia Ge to the ground with brutal force! “Bang!” Xia Ge hit the ground, feeling as though her insides might spill out. Struggling, she tried to rise, “No…” Why was she so anxious?! Could it be… was it her senior sister?! The demon that had floored Xia Ge was robust, baring twisted fangs at her. Its massive fist morphed into a mist, and then into razor-sharp claws, poised to tear straight for Xia Ge’s head! “Bang!” A gunshot pierced the chaos. The demon’s claws struck only air. Overhead, the sound of wind! He looked up instinctively! So fast! Descending upon him was the scythe, charged with a dominant energy. A girl wielded it, one hand gripping the scythe in a downward swing, one hand holding a gun, her gaze severe— [Potential Gun]! [One-Hit Kill]! "Clang!" The scythe cleaved half of the demon’s skull off in a single stroke! The demon clutched its head, thrashing wildly, paying Xia Ge no more mind. Having dealt with the impediment, Xia Ge immediately discarded the Potential Gun. Using Ghostly Shadow Step, she grabbed her scythe and ran. She didn’t need Tranquil Soul; she could do it herself; a little pain didn’t matter. She didn’t want it; she needed to find Xiansi; she needed to see her senior sister immediately!! Overcome with worry, she had to move faster, or she might be too late, might never see them again!! Faster!! The system, apparently unaffected by Xia Ge’s urgency, or choosing not to care, spoke slowly: “If I were you, I wouldn’t look for Xiansi.” “But it’s missing—” The system suggested, “If I were you, I’d purchase an item from the store to locate someone first.” Xia Ge: “…” Though she was speechless, Xia Ge was nonetheless thankful for the timely marketing of the system, perhaps for the first time. Then the system continued with reason: “And if I were smart enough, I’d apologize to Tranquil Soul too.” Xia Ge: “…” The system further added, “Yimei, like people, if they accept you, they’ll desire full acknowledgment from you.” “One thing at a time.” The system’s tone was especially calm and unlike its usual unreliable self. “It was wrong to stealthily discard Xiansi, but after it saved you several times, treating it like that is also your mistake.” “Don’t act like a heartless player.” Xia Ge: “…” Something didn’t feel right, yet upon reflection, it did make a sort of sense. In the end, Xia Ge stated, “But Xiao Kui, you’re not me. I’m not smart; I’m just a fool who’s fallen for someone.” “I’ve never liked anyone, and finally having someone I like…” “I wish to cherish everything she’s given me.” Thinking of Xiansi, Xia Ge tightened her grip on the scythe, speaking each word with determination, “If it doesn’t care about my feelings, then I won’t care about its feelings either.” Xia Ge paused, considering, "I'm wrong, but I won't apologize." System: "..." In the end, Xia Ge didn't have time to go back for Xiansi. Urgency consumed her, and with the locator in hand, she chose to find her senior sister. But later, in an unexpected silence, Tranquil Soul lent its power back to her. It was because of this that she was delayed, but ultimately, she wasn't too late. From afar, Xia Ge saw someone exactly like her holding a knife to her senior sister's throat. That foreboding sense of unease she'd had was accurate—her senior sister was in danger! More infuriating was the fact that the impostor wielding the knife looked exactly like her! Initially, because her senior sister was being held hostage, Xia Ge didn't dare act rashly. She hid among the demon hordes, slaying them one by one while discreetly observing, overhearing the impostor speak to Ye Ze— When she heard Ye Ze accuse, "Was it you who slaughtered my entire Ye family?" it baffled her. Eradicate his family? Her? What a joke, she didn’t even know where his family resided! Wipe them out? How preposterous! And yet, the impostor actually admitted to it on her behalf?! An unbelievable, colossal lie! Xia Ge could finally take it no more, but the sight of the dagger against her senior sister’s neck held her back. She decided to endure a little longer. She couldn’t act impulsively. What happened to her didn’t matter... her senior sister's life was irreplaceable. The impostor seemed to have much to say, so Xia Ge calculated she could wait a bit longer. Without absolute certainty, she couldn't rush out. The moment the impostor was distracted... But the impostor whispered something nonsensical to her senior sister, making her furious. Gu Pei Jiu grasped the impostor's wrist with the dagger, but Xia Ge could tell her movements were stiff. Tianzhu Ling was nearby, yet dared not move. She was being restrained. Xia Ge’s eyes fell on the dagger, gripping her scythe, aware that she too couldn't act recklessly. Who was this impostor? Grinding her teeth, Xia Ge's eyes swiftly transformed into beast-like pupils— [Detection Technique] She couldn’t discern the person’s identity, only saw the name of someone in black— [Blood-Stained Spring and Autumn: An Ancient Yimei.] Xia Ge’s pupils contracted sharply! Blood-Stained Spring and Autumn—the Demon Sect’s leader! Su Chan, it was Su Chan! The very culprit responsible for all of this—Su Chan! It was at that time that Su Chan pried open Gu Pei Jiu's hand, ready to act— No more waiting, it had to be now! Xia Ge dashed out! “Stop!” And in that moment— Amidst endless suffering, Gu Pei Jiu heard a long-missed voice. Like the return of warmth to a dying ember, a sound pierced through silent torment. A soul tormented by poison found something to lean on. As if catching a glimpse of light from deep shadow. …It was her. This was different from the earlier sense of wrongness, Gu Pei Jiu could feel it. It was that feeling... of a soul's every inch shouting in response to her presence. The person she loved. Even one word from her could revive her from endless suffering and hardship. Love was a narcotic, making her willingly forget pain, remembering only that she had come. Despite logic telling her that she shouldn’t be in such a dangerous place, that she should be safely under the wings of Gu Pei Jiu herself, she couldn’t allow Xia Wu Yin to suffer even a smidgen because of her— Yet, she couldn’t deny it. The feelings blooming within her were ones of joy. She couldn’t deny that every fiber of her trembling soul was ecstatic at her arrival, shaking, shouting, with joy, with madness! There she stood, there before her. Look, that small and supposedly weak figure, who previously struggled against a mere river horse, now stood before her so bravely. So glad, so glad you came. At a time when she felt such deep pain, so glad you stood before me. —Like a hero. The rational Gu Pei Jiu, the poison-afflicted Gu Pei Jiu, the Gu Pei Jiu who loved you. By whichever name. All of them were madly in love. For her presence, for her essence, for her everything. Overjoyed. What does pain count for? It’s nothing. —She came, does this mean… She accepted?! She heard the anxiousness in her voice, calling her “senior sister;” she noticed the wound but hadn’t yet realized she was poisoned. Her body felt numb and cold. But her soul was thrilled, even burning, without the pain of soul poison diminishing an iota of the warmth and joy brought by her beloved. Like someone in agony biting onto soft wood, or a drowning person clinging to driftwood. Giving her a reason to live. “Senior sister, you’re hurt! Why aren’t you speaking—?” Xia Ge felt herself unraveling as she pressed on the wound beneath Gu Pei Jiu's chest to stanch the blood from the Afterlife Dagger's gash, to no avail—only sensing thick blood and the paleness overtaking her senior sister’s face. Thoughts eluded her, leaving her mind blank. This person loved her so much, yet she lay bleeding. What should she do? She always believed her senior sister was powerful, that there could be no trouble for her at Mount Eerie Spirits, that no harm could befall her senior sister, and she would emerge unscathed— Her senior sister was so strong; Xia Ge had never seen her senior sister injured. But she was wrong. The impostor, wearing Xia Ge’s face, had stabbed her senior sister. Recalling what her senior sister had said before leaving tore Xia Ge’s heart apart. —What did her senior sister think when seeing the impostor? How foolish could she be! The System nudged her, “Pills, pills!” Xia Ge snapped to, hurriedly fumbling through her homemade concoctions to retrieve a hemostatic pill intended for Gu Pei Jiu. However, Gu Pei Jiu lay motionless, her complexion ghostly white. Xia Ge was on the verge of tears, “Open your mouth, senior sister!” Gu Pei Jiu looked at her with a softness in her vacant eyes, as if lit from within. —I see, I see. Her hair is a bit messy again; she’s not properly tying it back. This fox mask, it’s just like how I thought it would be for so long—it suits her so well. Beautiful. Yet those lips didn’t move. In desperation, Xia Ge removed her mask, placed the pill in her mouth, chewed it, and kissed her deeply. Her tongue pried open Gu Pei Jiu's soft, pale lips, delivering fragments of the pill piece by piece—not tenderly, but with urgency and even roughness. This kiss lacked any sense of desire—it was hardly a kiss by definition. But it was a kiss. In that moment, Gu Pei Jiu felt alive again. Instinctively, she gently extended her tongue, licking Xia Ge’s soft lips. Xia Ge froze, momentarily taken aback. She couldn’t pin down the feeling, but sensed profound love and cherished tenderness. Gentle and enveloping. —No one would ever love her this much. Xia Ge held Gu Pei Jiu’s slender form tightly, even after transferring the pill, reluctant to part. Kissing her lips, Xia Ge suddenly began to cry. —She had never loved anyone like this before. She didn’t know what it meant to love someone like this. But seeing her senior sister in this state— The sorrow overwhelmed her. She felt so incredibly sad that she nearly cried. She had sworn never to cry again. When Ye Ze left her, not a single tear fell. But seeing her senior sister like this, Xia Ge couldn’t handle it. Scalding tears fell onto Gu Pei Jiu’s cheeks. She gazed stiffly at Xia Ge, her eyes gradually welling with moisture. —Don’t cry. —If you cry— I’ll be sad and want to cry with you. “I’m sorry, sorry, so sorry…” Xia Ge sobbed, “Senior sister, I thought no one could hurt you—you’re so strong, how could anyone wound you?! It’s fake, all fake, right?!” “Speak to me! Why aren’t you saying anything…?” Gu Pei Jiu thought. Loving someone was truly miraculous. It could inspire her to don impenetrable armor or strip away all defenses just because of her. If it’s this person, she would even willingly be hurt. —No one can hurt you, senior sister. She was wrong. —‘No one’ doesn’t include you. As long as she discovered the possibility of you getting hurt, even by a fraction, Gu Pei Jiu felt like she’d go mad. What did being hurt matter? At least knowing it wasn’t you. She accepted it willingly and was content. After crying her heart out, Xia Ge felt a bit foolish for such a public display in front of her senior sister. Sniffling, she wiped her tears away, pretending nothing had happened, and attended to bandaging her sister’s wound. Nearby, she heard Ye Ze stirring, hesitated for a moment; now was not the time to explain the tangled mess to him… And especially given Ye Ze’s earlier question... He first accused her of annihilating his entire family. The thought alone made Xia Ge feel cold. Was that why he’d acted so ungrateful three years ago? Why didn’t he directly ask her back then? Now, three years on after she’d let everything go, implying she was indifferent, he questioned an impostor about this? How was that sensible? —Never mind. If that’s how he wanted to think, let him think it. After all, Xia Ge knew she’d never wronged him. She hadn’t done what she was accused of, so there was no reason to feel guilty. Rather than wait for a revelation leading to wasted time, it was better to maintain her guise, pretending to be someone else, because… Right now, her senior sister’s injury was the priority. She couldn’t afford to waste time on Ye Ze’s worthless past. He’d never believed her anyway, so why should she explain herself? Being cursed a thousand times by irrelevant people wouldn’t bother her. But her sister lying here lifelessly because Su Chan impersonated her— Xia Ge felt her heart was breaking. Rather than waste time with the insignificant, she needed to assess her sister’s situation. She feared no rumor, nor feared Ye Ze believing any impostor’s lies, or causing trouble, or anything else. She only feared losing the person who cherished her most. It was rare for her to meet someone she liked. Finally meeting one. —“I’ll take you home.” Xia Ge’s heart quivered slightly. She could give her anything. She wouldn’t lie anymore; she would listen obediently, stop avoiding, because liking meant liking, and love meant love. In this world, only her senior sister was always gentle with her. As long as her senior sister could get better, Xia Ge was willing to give up everything. Sniffling, she checked Gu Pei Jiu’s pulse and, in the next moment, her pupils contracted. The pulse... poison?!! “Senior sister, are you poisoned?!” In her earlier panic, she hadn’t noticed anything amiss, but now, upon taking the pulse, Xia Ge recognized the soul poison! No wonder her sister was just staring at her without speaking! The soul poison—she needed a soul elixir to cure it! Quickly, Xia Ge retrieved the Hundred Souls Pill she’d made earlier, hesitating for a second before using her detection technique to inspect it. [Afterlife Poison: A divine dagger crafted by the God of Disaster, meant to poison and trap fragments of souls within their bodies. Once the body perishes, the soul shatters and dissipates.] System: “...The Hundred Souls Pill won’t work.” Xia Ge was stunned, the memory of being stabbed by Su Chan three years ago resurfacing vividly. —The world’s deadliest soul poison on the Afterlife Dagger, only countered by poison itself. Suddenly, Xia Ge felt a chill all over. While Xia Ge was filled with cold dread, Su Chan stood atop the peak, looking down. It wasn’t very high, and beneath her, people could clearly see her. Someone below took notice of the figure on the peak. Someone, having just finished slaying a demon, looked up in surprise, “Who is she? Why is she up there?” “I know her, isn’t she… the command of Danfeng?” “What’s she doing there?” Timidly, someone voiced their speculation, “Danfeng command… plays the flute? Only… puppet masters do that…” “Nonsense! How could it be?!” Su Chan allowed a faint smile to grace her lips, taking out a bone flute, which transformed with a flick into a smooth, jade flute with a vibrant, blood-red stain overlaid. If Xia Ge were present, she’d be both shocked and angry, for the bone flute was a mimic of the Bahuang flute! Su Chan delicately placed the flute to her lips, releasing an eerie, ancient melody—each note chilling and filled with dark allure. The sudden flute playing captured everyone’s attention. Su Chan stood calmly under scrutiny, her flute music uninterrupted, ethereal yet piercing. Beneath, Xia Ge tried to give Gu Pei Jiu the Hundred Souls Pill per the usual method, despite its assumed inefficacy. Gu Pei Jiu showed no signs of improvement. Xia Ge donned her mask, her lips pressed tightly together. The System, attempting to comfort her, said: “It’s not such a big deal, try to see the bigger picture…” See the bigger picture? How? Xia Ge couldn’t see it. They were speaking when suddenly, a flute’s melody drifted down from the mountaintop. The familiar yet sinister sound instinctively prompted her gaze upwards— On the peak, the girl who looked exactly like her played the Bahuang flute, meeting her gaze with a sinister smile curling at her lips. Xia Ge’s pupils contracted slightly. System: “...What’s she planning?” It didn’t take long to understand Su Chan’s intentions. As the flute’s music wafted out, a dense black cloud approached from afar. A torrent, engulfing in all directions! At first, everyone thought it was a cloud. But soon... Someone’s voice trembled slightly, “Hey… what is that?” “...A cloud…?” “It’s demons!!!” “And puppets!! The flute!! The flute is summoning them!!” “Shut up! Maybe… they’re here to help…” The shadows of demons encroached from all directions, engulfing the sky’s every clear spot, and within moments, the world went dark, the land and stones whipped up in turmoil. Unending malice enveloped everything as numerous puppets with stiff steps emerged from the savage Eerie Spirit Mountain! “Xia Wu Yin is a puppet master!!!” “She’s trying to kill us all!!!” “You wretched thing!!” The goal was achieved. The mountain air rustled her black attire as Su Chan smiled slightly, setting her flute aside, perceiving a searing gaze upon her. She looked down, finding the eyes she was searching for among those that wished to rend her apart. Behind the fox mask, those eyes held cold indifference, feigning a trace of hatred. ...Xia Wu Yin. Xia Wu Yin. Interesting. The child of Qin Yue, young priestess of the demon sect, Qin Shuang. Going by the name “Xia Wu Yin” and mingling with the righteous sect, what a curious game to play. Slay Gu Pei Jiu, then force Xia Wu Yin… or rather, Qin Shuang to return home. That was her motive. “Silly Xia,” Su Chan murmured with a low laugh, “Don’t blame me, just a naughty child.” “Reluctant to return, must face some punishment.” If she didn’t act, Qin Yue would grow anxious, and her face as sect leader would be marred. Knowing Gu Pei Jiu was sure to die, Su Chan felt considerably relieved. With the flute's summons, the demons and puppets commenced their slaughter in earnest! Xia Ge watched Su Chan, Su Chan noticed her and cast a flirtatious smile. Beneath the mask, Xia Ge’s gaze was icy cold. Demons filled the sky in an unending shadow, puppets charging toward the fray. Initial hopes faded as the first screamed echoed through the chaos—the puppet Su Chan summoned snapped someone’s neck without hesitation— “Aah—” The scream pierced the air! That wail served as a catalyst. In an instant, the crowd was incensed! Countless curses and condemnations erupted, as if every vile word could be heaped upon Xia Wu Yin. But the barrage of insults didn't last long; caught between the double assault of demons and puppets, they quickly found themselves too preoccupied to curse any further. System: "Hey, hey, this blame is way too much for you..." Xia Ge stayed silent for a long while. She'd considered many possibilities, but she never anticipated Su Chan would resort to this tactic. "...It doesn’t matter." Xia Ge averted her eyes, reaching out to gently touch Gu Pei Jiu's feverish forehead, and spoke softly, "The puppet identity was bound to be exposed eventually." "That's no longer the issue here!! She's using your identity to do whatever she pleases!! Aren’t you planning to act?! Why aren’t you going up there?!” The System was incredulous at Xia Ge's nonchalance, “Are you out of your mind?! Are you going to let her tarnish your name like this?!" "She's dragging your name through the mud! Do something, damn it! What’s got into you?! Are you seriously this okay with it?!" Xia Ge clenched her fists tightly. "You really—" "If I go up there, who’s going to take care of my senior sister?!" Xia Ge shouted, "Am I supposed to just leave her here alone to clear up a reputation I don't care about?! Reputation be damned!! Demon sect, righteous sect—you think I give a damn?!" "I don’t care!!" "It doesn't matter who sullies my name!! If they trample me into the mud, so be it!!" Xia Ge screamed, tears streaming down her face. Her voice grew hoarse, "I can’t… I can’t leave her here alone..." "...She can’t even speak anymore, I can’t hear her voice at all..." "What does it matter to me about the others? I just want the ones I love to be okay. I've saved so many, been a good samaritan countless times, yet I can’t save her… How can I be so useless?!" == As she gazed at the descending specters, Su Chan's narrowed eyes glinted. What was going on... there were many, but fewer than expected. Hadn't the demons of Mount Eerie Spirit been fully released? With so few... it's enough to kill some random weaklings, but it’s too little to cause outright devastation and chaos upon the world. The demons of Mount Eerie Spirit... there should be more of them. Where had it gone wrong?