Chapter 173 - Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

People remained silent, their gazes a whirlwind of emotions—envy, intrigue, curiosity, confusion... and a burning intensity. Chang Nian clenched the bell tightly, his eyes glowing with fervor as he focused on the girl in the fox mask embracing Gu Peijiu. It was her, without a doubt! The Inquiry Bell would ring when its owner's mental state ascended; this person had stepped into the Earth Level, naturally elevating her state of mind. Chang Nian tempered his inner excitement. No... he couldn't act rashly. Right now, he knew nothing, so he had to wait a bit longer. He suppressed his thoughts momentarily, yet another realization crept in. If she was the younger sister, it meant that the demonic cult's high priestess who fled three years ago must be her mother... And that person she held was the chief disciple of Danfeng... Chang Nian felt a slight tingle of anxiety in his heart. "…May I intrude with a question?" Someone meekly peered out and asked Xia Ge, "What you're wearing—is it Zhenhun?" Xia Ge didn’t answer, merely holding Gu Peijiu and continuing on her way. No one dared to stop her. Except for Ye Ze. "You can't take her." Ye Ze blocked her path, stubbornly stating, "Unless you cross over my dead body!" Xia Ge felt a momentary surge of frustration, an unextinguishable fire in her chest. It seemed inevitable that one day you'd find everything was utterly disappointing, that your aims were constantly hindered, and even when falsely accused, you couldn’t defend yourself. Bearing all the pain only to realize it was for naught— All the sorrow and suffering stemmed from the absence of the one who loved you most. And you knew clearly. If she wasn't around, no one else would stand by you. Xia Ge’s lips twitched, the oppressive air dissipating. She forced a smile, her question laced with a sarcastic politeness, "Then shall I walk over your corpse to pass?" Perhaps inherently, she was already wicked. And now, thoroughly so. Sensing the tension, Lu Qie quickly grabbed Ye Ze, signaling him to calm down, "Hey, hey, let's cool down a bit... Since we're headed the same way, why not travel together? It's good for everyone, right?" With the ancient attire charmed and as an Earth Level Dan Master, Lu Qie knew if a conflict arose, Lingxi Peak wouldn’t stand to gain. After all, compared to the flimsy surfaces relations between Lingxi Peak and other sects, winning over an Earth Level Dan Master armed with Zhenhun was much more prestigious. The likely outcome would be some sect mobilizing a group for no apparent reason, attacking Ye Ze en masse, and attempting to leverage a favor for this Dan Master through their connections. Such shameless and audacious schemes weren’t unheard of. Yet Ye Ze ignored Lu Qie’s silent cues, feeding his usual gentle nature to the dogs, as if desperately seeking an outlet for his suppressed frustrations. Seeing no success with Ye Ze, Lu Qie redirected his persuasion towards Xia Ge, speaking softly, "Besides, if... if you truly are close friends with our peak's chief disciple, you’d surely respect her wishes, right?” "Sister...um, surely wouldn’t want you to act too impulsively." Xia Ge stiffened slightly. Her sister's... wishes. After a moment, Xia Ge lowered her lashes and said, "Alright." Relieved, Lu Qie tugged on Ye Ze’s sleeve, urging him to step aside. Ye Ze clenched his fists but said nothing further, stepping aside in silence. Following suit, others also gave way quietly. With Zhenhun, it seemed this ill-fated, mortal venture in Demon Ridge had come to an end. Barring death, there were no victors. Xia Ge had taken but a few steps when a gentle laugh reached her ears—a soft, tender voice. "Do you wish to save her?" Xia Ge halted abruptly, seeking the source of the voice! But with no discernible origin for the voice transmission, all she saw was the vast mountain wilderness. However, Xia Ge knew this voice. Su Chan! "I've got your little attire charm as well." "You know what to do." Su Chan’s voice was light as a whisper, "I'll be waiting for you." Xiang Si! Xia Ge paused, desperately wanting to retort with a "keep dreaming," but in the end, she hesitated, saying nothing instead. She was emotionally exhausted. "Xia Xia, as long as it's you," Su Chan spoke softly, "I'll wait forever." Xia Ge pretended she’d heard nothing. Su Chan's gentle tone only made her furious, bewildered, insulted even. Yet she had no desire to delve into the reasons why. She wanted nothing to hear, nothing to see, nothing at all about Su Chan. Not an inkling. Su Chan had ruined everything. And she remembered it all vividly. Not forgetting a single step. Even having ascended a level, comprehending part of the Heavenly Dao, she felt none of the enlightenment's clarity—only deep fatigue. After the Demon Ridge assault, all sects suffered significant losses. At the same time, rumors spread, claiming that the deputy head of Lingxi Dan Peak was a puppet master, summoning evil spirits and puppets to harm others. The once-glorious, talented youth plummeted into the dust, trampled underfoot. [Order] even issued a continental bounty on Xia Wuyin. In stark contrast was the mysterious Dan Master who broke into Earth Level and crafted the Ten-Thousand Spirit Pill. Without even a glimpse, people praised her vividly, forever cherishing the magnificent golden glow after she transformed countless demons into medicinal pills, and the supreme glory and power symbolized by her ancient Zhenhun garb. Clearly, it was all the work of one person. A man and a woman. One trampled underfoot, the other exalted to the heavens. Xia Ge learned about these developments three days later. She accompanied the Lingxi Peak group, escorting Gu Peijiu back to Danfeng. Her sister had yet to awaken, though her breathing was steady. It seemed as if she were merely asleep. Bi Xi, upon seeing Gu Peijiu in such a state, openly wept in front of everyone, cursing Xia Wuyin as heartless, only to turn around and insist it couldn’t be true. Xia Ge stood nearby, lost for words. The crowd offered their condolences before dispersing. She didn't know how to console Bi Xi, overwhelmed by her own grief. "You are? I've never known Miss to have a friend like you," Bi Xi sniffled, having gathered herself, and questioned her. Xia Ge hesitated. Unlike others, Bi Xi wouldn't be easily deceived, and with familiarity came recognition. After a pause, she gently replied, "I'm merely a wandering Dan Master, not worth mentioning." Bi Xi was unconvinced, wiping her tears yet maintaining her red-eyed vigilance, "Surely you have a name?" It was as though she had forgotten all guest etiquette. Xia Ge could sympathize with her feelings. Her mistress had left on a journey only to return in such a condition. If possible, Bi Xi would grasp at anyone for details of what had happened, disregarding formalities entirely—as she was doing now. "My name is..." Xia Ge paused again, softly continuing, "Xia Ge." "Xia? You share a surname with that little brat?!" Bi Xi exclaimed before realizing her outburst was improper. She took a deep breath, "Apologies, I... lost my composure." If only you knew it was more than just a shared surname—it was the same person. Would you wield a knife against me? Xia Ge mused with dark humor but revealed nothing, offering, “No harm done.” Bi Xi came in with a basin of warm water and a towel to gently clean her ailing mistress's face. Xia Ge took it from her, "Allow me." Bi Xi, this time remembering her manners, quickly declined, "How could we trouble a guest like this…" "It's alright," Xia Ge insisted, taking the water, "I owe your mistress a great deal. This is the least I can do. There's no need for formalities." Bi Xi was taken aback, and before she could respond, the towel was already in motion, softly cleansing the serene figure on the bed. Having proceeded, any further words seemed redundant. The room fell silent. Outside, the oleanders hadn't bloomed yet. Xia Ge couldn’t help but wonder if the peach blossoms by the river were in bloom. "I refuse to believe what they're saying about that child…" Bi Xi bristled, needing to voice the tumult in her heart, yet unsure what or to whom she should be speaking. Finally sighing, she said, "I have no idea what happened." Xia Ge let her hand linger over her sister’s delicate lashes, brushing off what felt ticklish on her palm. "There must be some misunderstanding," Bi Xi's restless energy began to dissipate as she gazed at her mistress’s closed eyes with a tender ache. "Miss cared for him dearly; running away like that, come what may, should never have been an option." Xia Ge: "..." "Perhaps there is no misunderstanding," Xia Ge spoke softly, "Maybe she really is a villain…" She paused abruptly. Her sister wouldn’t appreciate hearing this. She constantly taught her to grow into a gentle, kind, and trustworthy person. Xia Ge hesitated and then as if speaking to herself said, "She is indeed a puppet master." Bi Xi's expression soured slightly, "What’s wrong with being a puppet master? They’ve never harmed anyone unjustly; our Miss has always…" Her words trailed off, as if catching herself, promptly clamping her mouth shut. Upon hearing this, Xia Ge’s heart skipped a beat before racing frantically. She squeezed the towel tighter, striving to maintain her composure, yet her tongue tasted a bitter tang. —So, Sister, you knew all along, didn’t you? —Perhaps even as far back as three years ago. Xia Ge thought about when her sister discovered her playing the flute behind the mountain—it must have been then. And yet, her sister had said nothing, leaving Xia Ge to believe she'd gotten away with it by chance. She’d always thought she'd managed to sweep it aside. More accurately, she perhaps knew her sister most likely had discovered her identity back then, but she didn’t want to believe it. Remembering now, brazen enough to act out such inept performances in front of her sister was just because she knew her sister wouldn’t drive her away. For she was emboldened by favoritism. Regardless of her identity. Bi Xi felt she'd said too much, realizing that this person's identity classified them as an outsider. If her prior words spread, it would cause immense trouble for Danfeng’s chief disciple, who had knowingly harbored a puppet master. "So, Miss has long been displeased with how puppet masters are banned across Fengyue Continent," Bi Xi awkwardly picked up her explanation. "After all... in many respects, puppet masters can indeed be convenient—every profession has its benefits and detriments." Even Bi Xi found her reasoning weak, the room plagued by an uneasy silence. She diverted the subject, "Aren’t you going to take off your mask?"