Chapter 169 - Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

Su Chan pondered carefully for a moment, her gaze suddenly shifting. Earlier, she had been too hasty and missed something. The clothes Xia Wuyin was wearing... Ancient Garment of Souls, Spirit Guardian. She'd managed to earn the recognition of the Spirit Guardian, which explained a lot. No wonder in that instant, Blood-Dyed Spring and Autumn seemed to sense some threat. However... it didn't matter anymore. Since she had gained the acknowledgment of the Spirit Guardian, it meant that the Spirit Guardian believed the threat from Evil Spirit Mountain had been eliminated. "It seems I need to see for myself." Gazing indifferently at the blood-red, ferocious asura field below, Su Chan nonchalantly put away her flute. With everything done, and no imminent tasks, she figured she might as well take a trip. --- After Xia Ge had finished shouting, the system fell silent, not daring to say anything further. Tianzhu Ling, at her side, gently nuzzled Xia Ge's cheek in a comforting manner. Then it lifted Gu Peijiu's sleeve, attempting to slip back under. A glimpse of green caught her eye. Xia Ge paused for a moment, finding the sight familiar. The sleeve fell, covering Tianzhu Ling's reduced form wrapped around Gu Peijiu's pale wrist. Wiping her tears, Xia Ge cautiously reached out, intending to lift the sleeve for a better look. "Roar—" The howl of an evil ghost was sharp and piercing! Xia Ge's eyes snapped up, and in the next moment, both Gu Peijiu and Xia Ge had vanished. Where they'd just been standing, a massive crater had appeared, punched by a fist! A grotesque-looking evil ghost lowered its fist, pointing its transformed axe-hand at Xia Ge. Holding Gu Peijiu with one arm, the cloud-patterned sash fluttered in a black arc through the air. She was careful not to disturb her injuries, restricting her movements to evade the enemy. The sandalwood scent on her senior sister was faint, overshadowed by the subtle smell of blood. Xia Ge pressed her lips tight. Luckily, with the Spirit Guardian accompanying her, her speed was commendable. She managed to narrowly evade several pursuing evil ghosts, avoiding the most perilous areas. After shaking off the most tenacious axe-wielding ghost, Xia Ge found a hill with a stream to hide. She carefully laid her senior sister down by the water. Due to excessive blood loss, Gu Peijiu's complexion was pale, yet she still gazed at Xia Ge, her dark eyes bright and gentle. The Hundred Soul Pill had been given, but it seemed to have no immediate effect. Feeling her forehead, Xia Ge noticed it was getting warm, a sign of an impending fever. From her flowing silver pouch, Xia Ge pulled out a piece of cloth, soaked it in the stream, and placed it on Gu Peijiu's forehead. "...Senior Sister." Meeting Gu Peijiu's dark, soulful eyes, Xia Ge felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness. What should she do? What could she possibly do?! System: "I do have a revival pill... but you..." You can't afford it. "That pill won't help Senior Sister," Xia Ge replied. "Your revival pill can restore the body but not the soul." The soul poison was affecting her senior sister's very essence. The only remedy would be soul for soul. Using one soul to mend another. The Hundred Soul Pill... Xia Ge suddenly halted, an idea searing into her mind like a bolt of lightning! —The Myriad Soul Pill!! --- In the basin of Evil Spirit Mountain. Su Chan quickly found what could be considered a simple barrier. Though fragile and almost insignificant, under the Spirit Guardian's protection, it still proved somewhat challenging to break. Yet, Su Chan wasn't fazed. With little effort, she managed to enter. However, no sooner had she stepped into the passage, when a sharp flash of red rushed at her, swift as a storm. "Hiss—" Su Chan caught the incoming object with one hand, raised an eyebrow, and chuckled softly upon recognizing it. "Oh, have you been abandoned?" Lovesickness struggled desperately in her grasp, resisting the overwhelming aura of Blood-Dyed Spring and Autumn, exhibiting a defiant and determined spirit. Su Chan didn't mind, merely stroking it gently. In an instant, Lovesickness froze, immobilized at her fingertip. "What a pity." Su Chan's gaze was soft. "Sometimes, things just are this way." The hem of Blood-Dyed Spring and Autumn traced a long trail in the passage as the girl, now returned to her red-clad form, walked quietly, revealing her smooth shoulders and delicate collarbone, her black hair cascading down her back, her bare back's tender skin faintly visible. She seemed to be speaking leisurely, perhaps even to herself. "After being left behind, you always hold a sliver of hope, thinking that one day, upon waking from a dream, you'd see her." "But nothing in this world has ever disappointed me," Su Chan gently scratched Lovesickness, "Except for disappointment." Revived, Lovesickness tried to flee again, only to be caught by the tail by Su Chan, unable to escape, swaying in its anxiety. Su Chan laughed lightly at its antics, finding amusement while maintaining a detached indifference. "Why do you still try to find her?" Su Chan asked, "Can't you see how much you're like me?" "Always thinking, you weren't abandoned," the girl muttered to herself, "Just believing, she wanted to go somewhere very far, and when tired, she'd return." "...Maybe she couldn't find her way back," Su Chan continued, "Thinking, just wait slowly, not for long; someday, she'd return to find me." "Still, worrying, did she find the way to that place?" "Or maybe she's been hurt somewhere I don't know about..." Su Chan gradually came to a halt. In the pitch-black corridor, there wasn't a hint of light. She murmured, "I can't bear to see her get hurt." She could toy with everyone, watch them fall into her traps, crying in despair as their homes and lives crumbled. She could kiss that person's cheek softly, then turn and kill anyone who coveted what she cherished. Yet she has alway never liked Gu Peijiu. From the moment Gu Peijiu appeared in Xia Wushuang's line of sight. Su Chan knew she wouldn't like this wooden puppet of a person. Because the way she looked at Gu Peijiu was different. Xia Wushuang always wore a smile when she looked at people, whether it was soft, optimistic, or playful. But the way she looked at Gu Peijiu was different. It was the inscrutable look of a deity accustomed to life’s comings and goings, yet cannot deciper it. The first time they met, Xia Wushuang said, "Haha, let me introduce you. This is Gu Peijiu, my one and only leader!" Her tone was proud and full of happiness. Su Chan couldn't quite describe the feeling. But she knew, she wouldn't like the quiet, contemplative shadow of Gu Peijiu behind Xia Wushuang. That wooden puppet's gaze upon Xia Wushuang was incredibly gentle, a tenderness Su Chan couldn’t describe, lingering and full of longing. She despised that wretched puppet’s eyes. At times, she even felt an impulse to gouge them out. However, what made Su Chan finally hate Gu Peijiu, was that one night. She remembered that night in a small bamboo cottage. She'd awoken from a nightmare, seeking Xia Wushuang but couldn't find her anywhere. Growing anxious, she ran barefoot searching everywhere, her heart overwhelmed by panic and despair. She didn't understand feelings or love, but she knew if she couldn't find Xia Wushuang, she'd surely cry. And then she found her. The bamboo on this mountain was remarkably beautiful, and from a raised viewing stone at the back, one could see the thousands of lights of the human world and a sky full of stars. Xia Wushuang stood at the edge in wooden clogs, and that wooden puppet Gu Peijiu stood behind her— Su Chan thought, Gu Peijiu would always stand behind her. She... could always stand behind Xia Wushuang. Not yet having formed a thought, she suddenly saw her turn around. Su Chan instinctively shrunk back, feeling a little guilty for reasons unknown, mixed with a tinge of excitement and a hint of nervousness. —Would she see her? Su Chan hoped she would spot her, take her hand, and lead her back. But to her disappointment, Xia Wushuang didn't see her. When she turned her head, her eyes met Gu Peijiu’s instead. In the instant her gaze met Gu Peijiu's, Su Chan seemed momentarily stunned. The moonlight was tender, allowing Su Chan to see clearly. Xia Wushuang... Always laughing, always joyous Xia Wushuang, cried that day. Facing Gu Peijiu, she shed tears. That day, Xia Wushuang wrapped her arms around that broken wooden puppet's neck, gently kissing her eyes. Her gestures were tender, yet her face was streaked with tears. In that moment, Su Chan's nails dug into her palms. Violently, almost drawing blood. She felt as though she was going insane. She didn't cry, she had found Xia Wushuang, but Xia Wushuang was crying. Not because of her. Because of... someone else. She didn’t understand what this turmoil in the depths of her being was. —She had never, never seen Xia Wushuang cry for anyone. Maybe that intense emotion on the verge of driving her insane was what humans called jealousy, or maybe it was hatred, or something else entirely— But regardless, Su Chan understood. No one was allowed to make Xia Wushuang cry. Whoever made her cry, she would make them die!! A god without emotions, She was the most ruthless deity. Su Chan closed her eyes. ...The most ruthless, yet a deity who would go mad for just one person. "...I thought she'd come back." Su Chan repeated. "But she didn't." Su Chan continued, "Not once." A cavernous echo filled the corridor. "She found someone who cherished her more." Su Chan said, "So, there was no longer a need for me." Lovesickness stopped struggling as fiercely, appearing somewhat uneasy. It thought of the Spirit Guardian. And wilted immediately. The Spirit Guardian was powerful and especially cunning, it couldn't defeat it. But it couldn't bear to part with its master. Would the master love it more than herself? Understanding Su Chan's words, it began to worry. If it found its master, and she didn’t want it, what would it do? Soulweaving Garments were made up of lingering souls and obsessions, filled with human emotions and desires, such as jealousy, possessiveness, fear, and insecurity. When bound to someone, they longed for complete devotion from the other. Complete, unwavering devotion. Like a puppet. Su Chan gently told Lovesickness, "When you are too weak, no one stays by your side forever." "Every loss stems from not being strong enough." Lovesickness pondered, swishing its tail. —You're strong, but why isn't the one you want by your side? Su Chan: “…” Su Chan said, "Because I let go." So, she waited in agony, asleep, for five hundred years. Lovesickness: Why let go? If I were strong enough, I'd definitely grab hold of my master's hair, kick the Spirit Guardian away, and never let go even at the cost of my life. Su Chan: "And if it hurts her, then what?" Lovesickness: … Lovesickness thought a moment; if the master would be hurt, then it should let go quickly. "Yes, exactly," Su Chan murmured softly, her voice trailing off into the quiet.