168.1 - Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

Chapter 168: Overwhelmed with Joy Su Chan glanced at Gu Peijiu. Gu Peijiu was now deeply poisoned, immobilized, and her senses dulled. She probably couldn't hear clearly what Su Chan was saying. She lowered her head again, examining her own hands. But it didn't matter. It’s just the truth. Su Chan clenched her fists and looked at Ye Ze, answering his questions one by one. "Yes." "It is." In the next moment, the cold blade of the Wenqing Sword was already pressed against Su Chan's neck! Yet, the moment it made contact, Su Chan didn't even flinch, and with a slight movement of Bloodstained Spring and Autumn, Ye Ze was suddenly flung away with great force!! Ye Ze crashed hard onto the ground, faced by countless menacing ghosts, and the disciples nearby rushed to help, only to find themselves in disarray and panic. Lying on the cold ground, Ye Ze was pale and despairing. —Why did he have to ask? Wouldn't it be better to feign ignorance? —To pretend as if nothing had happened, wouldn't it be better?! What did this amount to now… What did it mean?! "This is too much, Xia Wuyin!!" Lu Qie exclaimed in fury. "I don't care about your grudges with Ye Ze, but Senior Sister has treated you so well! How could you—" Su Chan had no time for trivial annoyances, and with a wave of her hand, a few puppets suddenly burst forth from the spatial storage, lunging at Lu Qie and the remaining Danfeng disciples! Though Lu Qie was angry, he valued his life above all. Seeing the situation turning south, he turned and fled while cursing, “Xia Wuyin, you heartless fiend!” He made sure to rally the other disciples, “What are you standing there for? Run!” Watching the group retreat in disarray, Su Chan's eyes held disdain, though her voice carried a hint of regret, "Without Gu Peijiu, they're nothing but a bunch of trash. They won't last long." Nothing could be heard. Soon… she would be blind as well. This poison was indeed potent. She wondered what the enchantress meant by "soul split." If only she could find the origin, there was no poison in this world that couldn't be cured. Even in dire straits, Gu Peijiu remained calm. In a hazy state, Gu Peijiu heard Su Chan whisper in her ear, in a leisurely voice. It sounded both contemplative and amused. "Let me guess, what are you thinking?" Her tone was elegant, unhurried, "Are you thinking… about how to survive?" Gu Peijiu remained unresponsive. Su Chan didn't expect any response, merely pondering aloud, "Trust me—if you survive, it will surely be painful." What… was she saying? Gu Peijiu, who could barely hear anything, vaguely caught words like 'pain.' Pain? Her, Gu Peijiu? How laughable. She, Gu Peijiu, never feared the anguish of life and death. There was only one regret. "No… won't." Gu Peijiu replied, “Won’t.” She didn’t fear death. But she feared that person's death. She could not bear to see that person suffer even a bit. "I just can't bear to see her… " Gu Peijiu’s voice was somewhat hoarse, staring blankly at Su Chan, she articulated, "But if she wants my life, it's alright." —I can't bear to see her hurt. But as long as she's okay, what does it matter if I give her my life?! "Even if…" A faint smile tugged at Gu Peijiu’s lips, as she endured the soul-piercing agony, her voice tinged with a hint of pity, "Even if you become her to kill me…" "…are you fulfilling my wish?" —The one I love could never raise a blade against me. Yet in facing my love, she would wield a gaze uncertain and sharp as any blade. She understood her confusion. Thus she took a step back. But still, she longed for it. Even if the sharpest blade pierced her heart, it would be better than this slow torture. She wanted her answer, yet feared receiving it. The fearless Gu Peijiu was now terrified of every possibility involving that person. Afraid of her refusal, afraid of a future without her, but even more afraid of her pain. Su Chan's gaze grew cold, "Unfortunately, the one seeking your life is not Xia Wuyin, but me, Su Chan!" But then she laughed, a voice filled with pity, “Can't hear me anymore? How pitiful.” “No worries, if you can't hear, I'll just whisper directly to your soul.” Gu Peijiu remained silent, soul poison deep in her bones, the torment threatening her sanity. Her body was immobilized. If it were bone-deep pain, at least she could grasp onto something, struggle a bit, seek relief, but— If a normal person's soul fills their body, Gu Peijiu's soul now felt as shrunken as one could imagine under the effect of the soul poison. Her soul had almost lost all control over her body, unable to break free from the shackles of the flesh, ultimately facing annihilation with the body's death. So, no matter how much it hurt, there was no solace, only solitary suffering. "I mean, if you live on, it will be very painful." Su Chan's voice echoed directly inside her mind, soothing yet insidious, "If this face killing you doesn't cause you pain… then let the owner of this face suffer instead." She mused to herself, "If staying alive to see the one you love, be condemned by the world because of you, forced to defect from righteousness, join a demon cult, and become my pawn, you would surely…” She laughed lowly, “Find it unbearable, wouldn’t you?” Su Chan's wrist, grasping the dagger, was suddenly seized! The hand that grabbed hers was impossibly cold and firm, as if trying to hold onto her very soul. Su Chan was taken aback! The soul poison on the Dagger of the Afterlife was specially designed for Gu Peijiu, a reincarnated fractured soul like her. The afflicted would lose all senses, their soul shrunken, trapped within the body, unable to reincarnate even in death, coupled with the dagger's natural soul-annihilating power— Yet with the poison so advanced, she could still move!? Gu Peijiu radiated a terrifying aura, her agony nearing insanity, but her pitch-black eyes remained fiercely rational, glaring at Su Chan. Perhaps fueled by anger, her blurred vision sharpened slightly, and Gu Peijiu spat every word sharply, “…you… dare.” Just two words, yet each was steeped in a bloodthirstiness not befitting her righteous nature. As if should Su Chan proceed, the next moment Gu Peijiu would tear her to pieces, reduce her to ash without heed. Su Chan was genuinely shocked, but she quickly regained her composure. —So what? No matter how formidable, under this soul poison, she was but an ant, struggling before death. Su Chan sneered, tilting her chin, meeting Gu Peijiu’s gaze defiantly, "Truly sorry, there’s nothing in this world that I, Su Chan, wouldn’t dare to do!" Her voice was wild and sharp. —Gu Peijiu, you have a weakness, thus you are under my control! She had waited with such anticipation, year after year, a hundred years passing in the blink of an eye, divine time endless. Once more, she awoke from hopeful dreams, once more she sank into despairing slumber, year after year, she waited so long! Every ghoul in Devil's Ridge had been released, and still, she did not return. Xia Wushuang, in the end, wanted nothing. When she said she would leave, she left, and when she said she wouldn't return, she truly, truly didn’t return. Even if she, like a mad child, destroyed everything dear to her, she still, still didn’t return. What else could Su Chan do?! With endless divine time, what could Su Chan still do in this world? Maintain a façade of divinity among mortals again? Live aimlessly, without attachments, without concern, following along with her believers' faith?! She was on the brink of madness. She… was already mad. Su Chan’s weakness no longer existed, never would again. Never again would there be that comforting person, holding her hand, saying— “If no one remembers, I’ll remember for you.” “Be my personal deity.” —Never again. In her divine form, she was the sole remnant of twilight after the dusk of gods. Thus she was manic, lawless, fearless. "Be careful." Su Chan slowly pried off Gu Peijiu’s fingers from her wrist, her smile insincere and deranged, "After all, in a split second, you might find relief." She tilted her head, seemingly contemplating, before letting out a soft chuckle, "However, I am quite merciful too." “I'll send you to hell sooner, so you won’t suffer anymore, aren’t you delighted, Gu, Pei, Jiu—” Her gaze was icy and merciless, the dagger in her hand about to strike with sudden force— Yet the next moment! A sudden wind! Su Chan's pupils narrowed as a formidable force suddenly hurled her aside, silent yet terrifying! A threat! Almost instinctively, she dodged, then a cold wind lashed out. Su Chan's gaze turned icy as she flicked the dagger in defense! "Clang!" A scythe, embellished with swirling cloud patterns, clashed with the small dagger, sparking brightly. A girl with a fox mask descended gracefully from the sky! The black sash wrapped around her waist danced in the wind, her wide sleeves billowing with the cloud patterns etched upon them. The moment the dagger and scythe collided, sparks flew, highlighting the sinister gleam in her eyes. "Stop this—at once!" A powerful aura erupted in an instant! Su Chan met the familiar eyes behind the mask and immediately understood. She chuckled lightly, glancing at the motionless Gu Peijiu behind her, "How enviable..." "But it doesn’t really matter now." Her show hadn’t even started, and the main player had already made a scene. With that, she flung the dagger forward, deflecting the girl's scythe blade, and in the next second, she was gone! Teleportation! Xia Ge took a step and was about to follow with her ghostly stealth technique, but after only a couple of steps, she abruptly halted, throwing her scythe to the ground in frustration, "Damn imposter!" Then she quickly turned to check on Gu Peijiu. Upon seeing the crimson on her body, Xia Ge’s pupils contracted to the size of pinpricks, and she cried out, "Senior Sister!" = = After Xia Ge repaired the red talisman, she was guided to this place by the lost deer. By the time she arrived, the scene was already a chaotic battlefield—dreadful ghosts and demons everywhere. The lost deer left after delivering her, and Xia Ge began searching frantically. Amidst the chaos, humanoid and ghost figures were indistinguishable, the ground littered with severed limbs and bathed in blood; some fought covered head to toe in such blood, their faces unrecognizable. The battlefield was vast, human and ghost indistinguishable. Even using her ghostly stealth technique, Xia Ge struggled to find anyone in this chaos. Ferocious ghosts frequently blocked her path, too many to count or kill, which only heightened her worry that her Senior Sister wouldn't manage. The more worried she became, the less efficient she was, making it even harder to find anyone. In her haste, Xia Ge even missed spotting Lu Qie not far away. The system reminded her, "Don't you have Acacia?" The frantic Xia Ge then remembered the invincible locator she possessed. Yet when she reached up to grab it… A black ribbon with cloud patterns lay quietly in her hand. Xia Ge: "???" Xia Ge’s eyes instantly turned beastlike, "Where's Acacia?!" [Zhenhun Band: Part of Ancient Yimei Zhenhun.] System: "..." In a panic, ignoring the triumphant aura of Zhenhun, Xia Ge tossed the ribbon aside, "Where’s my Acacia?! Where is my Acacia?!" The black ribbon landed lightly on the head of a malevolent ghost ready to attack Xia Ge. Instantly, it screamed as if burned, its skin in contact with the ribbon sizzling as if doused in acid, smoking horrifically. Raging, the ghost struggled to remove the band, but it expanded, wrapping around and binding it tighter and tighter— "Ahhhhhh—" The ghost's shriek echoed for thousands of miles, rolling and howling until it fell silent. The system pondered, "As they say, two tigers cannot share one mountain unless they are a mated pair..." "With the Zhenhun Band in your possession, it won’t tolerate another." Unable to find Gu Peijiu, Xia Ge was beside herself, hesitating not a moment, "Then I don’t want Zhenhun! I want Acacia!" System: "Could you not... say it aloud?" All she knew was that Acacia was gone, the gift from her Senior Sister was gone! Without Acacia, how could she ever find her Senior Sister in this chaos? So many evil ghosts, and Gu Peijiu still had to look after countless disciples—how could she possibly manage?! "I need to go back for Acacia—" Yet after just a few steps, menacing ghosts blocked her way. Xia Ge wanted to wield her scythe as before, only to find— Zhenhun was disagreeable. It seemed that hearing her earlier declaration, "I don’t want Zhenhun, I want Acacia," had thrown it into a tantrum. When the scythe landed hard on the ghost's shoulder, the impact made Xia Ge's arm throb. System: "..." For some reason, Xia Ge felt incredibly anxious, unexplainably so—not just because of losing Acacia or facing this invincible ghost—but a fear of imminently losing someone precious— This fear even overshadowed Zhenhun’s disgruntlement. The ghost roared, its figure blurred as its massive fist slammed Xia Ge to the ground! "Boom!" Xia Ge hit the ground hard, feeling as though her insides were about to spill out. Struggling to rise, she muttered, "No way..." Why was her anxiety so intense?! Could it be because of her Senior Sister…? The ghost that had floored Xia Ge was robust, leering at her with twisted fangs, its massive fist dissolving into mist and quickly forming sharp claws, swiping directly for Xia Ge's head! "Bang!" A gunshot rang out. The ghost's claw swiped at thin air. Wind whistled above! It looked up! So fast! Descending from above was a scythe, imbued with fierce wind, the girl grasping it with one hand and holding a gun with the other, her gaze murderous— [Potential Gun]! [One Shot, One Kill]! "Clang!" The scythe sliced cleanly through half the ghost's skull! "Aghhhh—" The ghost clutched its head, thrashing wildly, temporarily ignoring Xia Ge. With the path cleared, Xia Ge immediately discarded the Potential Gun, employing her [ghost and shadow] technique, she took up her scythe and ran. She didn’t need Zhenhun; she could manage alone. The pain didn’t matter if she could find Acacia, if she could see her Senior Sister sooner!! She had to hurry, faster, or it would be too late, and she'd never see her again!! Hurry!! The system didn’t sense Xia Ge's desperation or didn't care, it spoke leisurely, "If I were you, I wouldn’t go looking for Acacia." "But it's gone—" The system said, "If I were you, I'd buy a locator from the store and find the person first." Xia Ge: "..." Though speechless, Xia Ge had to admit, it was the first time she was grateful for the system's advice. The system continued calmly, "And if I were smart enough, I'd apologize to Zhenhun." Xia Ge: "..." Xia Ge said nothing, silently purchasing a locator from the store. The system prattled on, "Like people, Yimei, once accepted by you, desires your complete approval." "Fair is fair." The system sounded particularly rational, uncharacteristic of its usual sketchy self, "It was wrong to discard Acacia, but given it has saved you multiple times, treating it poorly is on you." "Don't be like a heartless scoundrel abandoning promises." Xia Ge: "..." Something felt off, but the logic seemed sound upon reflection. Ultimately, Xia Ge remarked, "But Little Puppet, you're not me, and I'm no wise person; I'm just a fool who fell for someone." "I’ve never liked anyone before, and I barely managed to like just one." "I want to cherish everything she gave me." Recalling Acacia, Xia Ge tightened her grip on the scythe, spelling it out, "I won’t care for something that doesn’t care for my feelings." Xia Ge paused, "So, I made a mistake, but an apology won't come." The system was left speechless. Later, Xia Ge didn't bother going back for Acacia, driven by urgency, she chose to find her Senior Sister using the locator. But eventually, quietly, Zhenhun lent her its strength again. It was because of this that she arrived late but not too late. From afar, Xia Ge could see someone identical to herself holding a blade to her Senior Sister's neck, confirming her earlier fretful intuition—her Senior Sister was indeed in danger! Even more infuriating, the one holding the blade was an imposter, resembling her exactly! Initially, with her Senior Sister under threat, Xia Ge dared not act recklessly. Hidden among the ghosts, she observed while dealing with them, overhearing the imposter's conversation with Ye Ze— When she heard Ye Ze ask, "Does the massacre of my Ye family involve you?" she was dumbfounded. Wipe out his family? Her? What a joke! She didn't even know which way to his family's door! Wipe out his family?! Why not ask for the moon while at it?! Yet the imposter had the gall to act in her stead and admit to it! An utterly unjustified accusation!! Xia Ge finally couldn't hold back any longer, but as she glanced at the dagger pressed against her Senior Sister's neck, she steeled herself, deciding to wait a little longer. She couldn't act impulsively. It didn't matter what happened to her, but her Senior Sister's life was irreplaceable. The imposter seemed to have plenty to say, so Xia Ge calculated that she could bide her time a bit more. Without absolute certainty, she couldn't just rush in—after all, the dagger was right at her Senior Sister's throat. She had to wait until the imposter was distracted, just for a moment... Yet she had no idea what absurdities the imposter was spewing at her Senior Sister. It seemed to enrage Gu Peijiu enough to grab the imposter's wrist, holding the dagger. But for some reason, Xia Ge felt Gu Peijiu's movements were stiff, and [Heavenly Punishment] lay nearby, unable to act. She was being constrained. Xia Ge fixated on the dagger, gripping her scythe tightly. Yes, she too couldn’t act rashly. Who was this impostor? Searing anger burned within Xia Ge, her eyes suddenly morphing into beast-like pupils— [Analysis Technique] However, she couldn't determine the opponent's identity, only seeing a name associated with the black-clad figure— [Bloodstained Spring and Autumn: An Ancient Yimei.] Xia Ge’s pupils contracted sharply! Bloodstained Spring and Autumn, Bloodstained Spring and Autumn?! It turned out to be the leader of the Demon Sect! Su Chan, it was Su Chan! The culprit directly responsible for all of this—Su Chan! And just at that moment, Su Chan had already pried open Gu Peijiu's hand, ready to strike—she couldn’t wait any longer; now was the time! Xia Ge shot out like a bolt of lightning! "Stop!" This was the moment she had been waiting for. Amidst the endless torment, Gu Peijiu heard a long-missed voice. It felt like a ray of light, penetrating the silent darkness, and the soul tortured by the poison found a source of dependency. It was as if a person long lost in the dark finally saw a soft light. ...It was her. Unlike the earlier discordant feeling, Gu Peijiu could feel it now. It was the sort of feeling where every inch of her soul screamed out for her existence. The one she loved. Even just a word from her could revive her in endless pain and misery. Love was a numbing poison, allowing her to willingly forget all the pain, remembering only that she had arrived. Though rationality told her she shouldn't come to such a dangerous place, that she should be under the protective wing of Gu Peijiu, shielded from whatever might happen, unable to bear Xia Wuyin suffering any harm—even a sliver—because of her— In denial, yet fully aware. Inside, swelled a sense of joy. Couldn't deny, her entire being quivered with rapture and ecstasy upon her arrival, trembling, crying out, joyous, mad! She was here, standing before her. Look at how adorable and frail she seemed, and yet before her, she looked so formidable. So relieved, so happy she came. At her most painful moments, so overjoyed she came, standing in front of her. —Like a hero. The cool-headed Gu Peijiu, the soul-poisoned Gu Peijiu, the Gu Peijiu who loved her. Every single one of her was almost going insane. All of them were overjoyed by her presence, her aura, her everything. What was the pain? It didn't matter. —She was here, did it mean... Did she accept?! Gu Peijiu heard her somewhat anxious voice, calling out to her, realizing her wound but perhaps not yet understanding she was poisoned. Her body was numb and cold. But her soul was electrified, boiling, even the pain of the poison couldn't diminished the warmth and joy brought by her beloved. Like a painful person biting a piece of soft wood, or a dying person clinging to a driftwood. Giving her life. "Senior Sister, you're hurt! Why aren't you speaking—?" Xia Ge felt herself unraveling, covering the wound below Gu Peijiu’s chest, trying to stem the flow of blood caused by the Dagger of the Afterlife. To no avail, suffused only with the cloying scent of blood and her Senior Sister’s ever-paling face. Xia Ge couldn’t think of anything, struggling with a mind as blank as a sheet. This person loved her so much, but she was bleeding. All she knew was that her Senior Sister was strong, surely handling Devil's Ridge without issue, certain no one could hurt her, that she would be unharmed— That the Senior Sister so strong, she’d never seen her injured before. But she was wrong. That impostor, wearing Xia Ge's face, stabbed her Senior Sister. Remembering what her Senior Sister said to her before departing only made the heartache unbearable. —What did her Senior Sister think when facing that impostor? Why was her Senior Sister so foolish!! The system prompted her, "Elixir, the elixir!" Xia Ge snapped back to reality, fumbling through her own concoctions to find a hemostatic pill for Gu Peijiu, but Gu Peijiu lay motionless, face ghostly. Xia Ge, near tears, wailed, "Senior Sister, open your mouth!" Gu Peijiu watched her with hollow eyes, seemingly twinkling gently. —Ah, she saw it, her hair a little messy, carelessly untied, the fox mask fitting perfectly as she'd imagined it. So beautiful. Yet, her lips remained unmoving. Desperate, Xia Ge removed her mask, placing the elixir inside her mouth, chewing it, closing her eyes as she pressed her lips to Gu Peijiu's. Her tongue coaxed open Gu Peijiu's soft pale lips, feeding her the crushed elixir. It couldn’t be called tender, rather rough, anxious. The kiss bore no trace of desire—it couldn’t even be called a kiss. And yet, it was a kiss. In that instant, Gu Peijiu felt herself revived. Instinctively, she gently extended her tongue, grazing the softness of the other's lips. Xia Ge paused as she transferred the medicine, momentarily stunned. An indescribable sensation—feeling loved, cherished in such a fleeting moment. Tender and entwined. —No one else could possibly love her this much. Holding Gu Peijiu’s slender body tightly, Xia Ge finished transferring the elixir, yet didn’t pull away. Kissing her lips, kissing and abruptly bursting into tears. —She had never loved anyone like this before. She didn't know what it meant to like someone. But seeing her Senior Sister like this— She felt so sorrowful. It was enough to bring her to tears. She had once sworn never to cry again. When Ye Ze left her, not a single tear fell, but seeing her Senior Sister in such a state, it was unbearable. Hot tears rolled down Gu Peijiu's cheeks, and she looked up stiffly at Xia Ge, eyes slowly glistening. —Please, don’t cry. —If you cry. I too will be so heartbroken. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Xia Ge sobbed uncontrollably, "Senior Sister, I thought no one could hurt you—you're so strong, how could you be hurt? It must be fake, all fake, right?!" "Speak to me! Why aren’t you speaking, uuuh…" Gu Peijiu thought. Loving someone is truly miraculous. She could don impenetrable armor for her, and yet for her, also shed all defenses. For this person, even if injured, she'd willingly endure. —No one can hurt Senior Sister. You’re mistaken. —No one, except you. The thought of you being even slightly harmed drove her mad. Being hurt was inconsequential. Knowing, at least, that it wasn't you. Content, and at peace.