Stop pretending.

Page 1/3

Xuan Yi’s gaze was calm as he dodged the man’s first attack. A trace of blood leaked from his lips, and the blood mist beneath his feet swiftly spread up to his waist, freezing him in place.

He looked at the man’s ferocious expression. Over the years, many from the evil sect had tried to assassinate him; some were dealt with by Zi Yi and Jin Zhuo before even getting close. He had no recollection of this man’s face.

The Frost Moon Sword was knocked away, and Xuan Yi’s wrist was entangled by the blood mist. Even at this life-threatening moment, no fear showed on his face. His eyes were like a tranquil lake, serene as if detached from this world.

Such a gaze drove the middle-aged man into a frenzy. With a furious roar, he plunged his dagger toward him.

“Pfft.” The dagger pierced flesh, and that still pool of water finally rippled.

A soft arm wrapped around Xuan Yi’s neck, crimson blood staining his pristine robes.

Bright red droplets fell like exquisite red jade beads, splattering from the dagger that pierced his left shoulder and then was suddenly yanked out.

The person in his arms could no longer support themselves and leaned against his shoulder. Xuan Yi slowly lifted his eyes toward the middle-aged man. As the man stabbed again, the hand bound by the blood mist suddenly rose and grasped the blade of the dagger.

The violent backlash forced Xuan Yi to spit out a mouthful of blood. The dagger’s blade was crushed in his grip, fragments falling to the ground.

At that moment, a golden mark appeared on Xuan Yi’s forehead. A blinding golden light erupted from nowhere, and the Fallen Immortal Formation on the ground was instantly extinguished and dissipated.

The Frost Moon Sword lying nearby seemed to sense the summons. Like a streak of light, it pinned the middle-aged man against the outer wall of the house, cracking the solid structure deeply.

Countless footsteps followed as officials in government attire flooded into the backyard. Leading them was Zhao Shi, the City Lord of Lanya City. His gaze landed on the two figures in the courtyard, as vivid as red plum blossoms blooming on snow, the cold glacier stained with other hues—the golden light on the forehead forming a sacred statue, intense and dangerous.

Zhao Shi was inwardly alarmed and hastily averted his gaze, but when he saw the Frost Moon Sword embedded in the wall, his eyes suddenly froze.

The young master of the legendary Immortal Sect was rarely seen by the public, but his Frost Moon Sword had long been depicted in the Ten Great Sword Manuals, widely circulated.

“It is Young Master Xuan Yi. I am Zhao Shi, City Lord of Lanya City. Greetings, Young Master,” Zhao Shi said.

The disturbance in the sword bone seal stirred an inner force like scalding lava rushing through. The golden mark on Xuan Yi’s forehead flickered. He finally fixed his eyes on Zhao Shi and said, “There are unauthorized imprisonments of demon clans here, attempting to forge them into demon attendants. City Lord Zhao, please take those involved back for a thorough interrogation.”

Zhao Shi nodded eagerly. “Certainly.” He then glanced at Xuan Yi with a hint of flattery.

“Since Young Master Xuan Yi has come to Lanya City, why not come with me to the City Lord’s mansion to rest? I see your complexion is not well, and the young lady here is injured. I will immediately find the best healer for you…”

By going to the City Lord’s mansion, Xuan Yi could contact Zi Yi and Jin Zhuo through Zhao Shi.

But...

Xuan Yi lowered his gaze to the pale-faced Jiu Wu. Enough—if she wakes up and learns the truth, who knows what madness she might cause.

“Thank you for your kindness, City Lord Zhao. But I will not trouble you. Please inform the sect that I am well now; there is no need to worry.”

Lanya City was full of anomalies; he should stay longer to investigate.

As for her...

Her demonic aura was too strong. Even Zi Yi and Jin Zhuo might not be her match. To prevent her from harming innocent sect members, he must first stabilize her, then return her to the sect for punishment once he regains his cultivation.

Zhao Shi looked at Xuan Yi cautiously. “Young Master Xuan Yi, where do you plan to go next?”

Before Xuan Yi could speak, Zhao Shi explained anxiously, “Both you and your… companion are injured. If anything were to happen to you in Lanya City, I—City Lord Zhao—would bear the responsibility.”

Xuan Yi’s expression remained unchanged. “We have our own destination. No need for City Lord Zhao to worry.”

Nearby, the corpses had been tidied. Zhao Shi still asked anxiously, “Young Master, are you sure you don’t need a healer?”

Xuan Yi shook his head. Receiving a definite answer, Zhao Shi exchanged a few more polite words before hastily leading his entourage away.

After Zhao Shi’s departure, blood continued to seep from Xuan Yi’s lips. He raised a trembling hand to wipe it away.

“Stop pretending.”

At this, the person in his arms lifted her head, her apricot-colored eyes staring straight at him, as if questioning how he knew.

“Slaughtering nearly a hundred demon clans without effort, now you’re unconscious from a wound inflicted by a fallen disciple who’s lost his cultivation—do you think I’d believe that?”

Jiu Wu blinked, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes, whispering in grievance, “I just wanted Senior Brother not to be angry…”

Xuan Yi’s gaze faltered slightly. He was about to pull her up but stopped, letting her lie in his arms.

After a long moment, he snorted coldly. “Foolish.”

Hurting oneself to win a man’s favor—he had no idea where she learned such a foolish method.

He didn’t know why a dark gloom welled up in his chest, stubbornly refusing to dissipate.

Page 2/3

“Senior Brother, are you angry again?” Jiu Wu tentatively asked.

Xuan Yi’s face was stern. “The threat is gone. Why should I be angry?”

“Then why don’t you care about me?” Jiu Wu nudged his garment.

“Your suffering is self-inflicted.”

Jiu Wu’s eyes dimmed. Of course—her little tricks had been seen through. He must think she was a schemer who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.

She had indeed played a small game. After all, Senior Brother already disliked her enough; one more thing wouldn’t matter.

Thinking so, Jiu Wu’s gaze shifted to the Frost Moon Sword lodged in the wall, leaving a crack.

“Senior Brother, wasn’t your cultivation sealed?”

Xuan Yi followed her gaze. “It’s the sword bone seal. The disturbance was caused by the Fallen Immortal Formation.”

“Seal?” Jiu Wu was puzzled. Inside and outside the sect, it was said that Senior Brother’s sword bone made his cultivation twice as effective...

“The sword bone’s power is too great. Until I am strong enough, I cannot bear its force.”

In his memories, Xuan Yi’s sword bone had always been sealed. This was the second time the seal stirred, both times when he was in crisis, so it was not surprising. The first time...

He furrowed his brow, unable to recall clearly.

Jiu Wu’s eyes shone brightly. So Senior Brother was powerful not because of the sword bone, but because he was inherently formidable!

“Senior Brother, why did you refuse City Lord Zhao’s offer just now?” Jiu Wu leaned closer, looking at him expectantly.

Xuan Yi felt uncomfortable under her burning gaze. He extended a cold fingertip to her forehead, gently pushing her face away.

“City Lord Zhao is somewhat suspicious.”

Xuan Yi pondered. Zhao Shi’s arrival was too coincidental. Everyone knew cultivators drift where demons gathered, yet Zhao Shi seemed overly eager about his whereabouts.

Of course, this was only part of the reason.

The light in Jiu Wu’s eyes faded. Suddenly, she stood up, lips downturned.

Xuan Yi looked on puzzled, unable to understand why her moods were so changeable without cause.

Jiu Wu crossed her arms, back turned to Xuan Yi. Her thoughts were simple: at first, when she heard Xuan Yi refused to stay at the City Lord’s mansion, she thought it was because he didn’t want to leave her injured self behind, and she was happy.

Later, learning he already knew she was faking unconsciousness and still refused Zhao Shi, she thought maybe his feelings had changed and felt even happier.

But...

It was because that Zhao Shi fellow was abnormal and that was why he refused.

She was deceiving herself, fantasizing about impossible things.

Xuan Yi covered his chest, torn by pain, and stood. His gaze fell on the wound on Jiu Wu’s left shoulder. She hadn’t used her magic to speed healing; the blood continued to spread outward.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Jiu Wu turned to face him.

“Senior Brother, say you love me.”

Xuan Yi: “…”

Here we go again, anytime, anywhere...

Jiu Wu thought even if it was living in an illusion, even if it was a lie, she wanted to hear it.

Unfortunately, even the lie, he was unwilling to say it.

For some reason—perhaps due to neglecting her wound too long, excessive blood loss, or emotional upheaval—Jiu Wu’s body suddenly swayed and she lost consciousness.

Xuan Yi was stunned for a long time, sighed, and despite the sharp pain inside, lifted her up.

“Host, you’re unconscious. What if he escapes?”

“Host, please wake up. I’m afraid the male lead can’t control himself and might destroy the evidence.”

The system anxiously called out in Jiu Wu’s mind.

After all, what the host had done was a double disgrace to the male lead, who was usually worshipped like a star. Killing him quickly would be understandable.

Xuan Yi did want to abandon her in the wild to fend for herself, but whenever the thought arose, he remembered how she stood in front of him, the dagger piercing her body, her trembling figure in his arms.

Knowing she was faking, it was false...

Page 3/3

The system stopped calling, looking at Xuan Yi strangely.

Though he himself was at the end of his strength, pale and unable to ride his sword, he still climbed step by step to the mountain peak, never letting go of the person in his arms from start to finish.

So this is the male lead’s magnanimity...

Indeed, repaying evil with kindness, clear and bright as the moon, compassionate...

“No wonder you can be the male lead.”

At the cave, Xuan Yi laid Jiu Wu on a wooden bed. Her consciousness was hazy. He fumbled for a long time before finally finding the medicine to heal her wounds. His wrist trembled, spilling the medicine all over her injury. The unconscious Jiu Wu moaned in pain.

Like losing reason, his blood-stained hand gently stroked her hair. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. Ah Jiu, don’t be afraid, don’t cry anymore.”

After saying this, he fainted...

Jiu Wu shivered, hugging herself. In her dreams, she seemed to return to the most helpless moment—

Lingyun Peak of the Wan Shu Sect, a place feared by all disciples, and home to the sect’s most terrifying punishment—the Thunder Punishment.

Tons of thunder transformed into thorny whips that scourged the flesh and pierced the bones, shattering not only the body but seemingly the soul as well.

The thunder on Lingyun Peak was purifying; it ceased only when the punished’s heart was free of all evil and distractions. Otherwise, it could last a day, ten days, a month, or even a year...

At nine years old, Jiu Wu, who had just learned the Fire Manipulation Technique, destroyed the Dao Immortal Maiden’s Heaven-level sword manual. The Dao Immortal Maiden intended to teach her a lesson by sending her to Lingyun Peak.

Everyone thought it was a scare tactic; a child so young surely wouldn’t attract the thunder punishment.

But unexpectedly, the purple thunder turned black and struck down with devastating force.

One strike, two strikes, three strikes... until Jiu Wu could no longer stand, the punishment did not cease.

Even adult cultivators plagued by inner demons could not provoke such turmoil. For a child of nine to be seen as a born evil and calamity star by all present...

Even the sect leader ordered her exile.

At that time, Jiu Wu was utterly helpless, afraid of being cast out, left to wander homeless. She begged for the thunder to stop, but the more she begged, the louder it roared. Everyone watched coldly, trusting the thunder but not her.

Then she thought, if she truly was a born evil, a calamity star, she would take revenge on all who treated her coldly. Perhaps the thunder was frightened by her malice, for her body no longer hurt, and she fainted.

When she woke, it was not that the thunder had stopped, but an elder brother from the Wan Shu Sect stood before her, bearing the punishment for a day and a night, hundreds of thunder strikes.

He had reached out to her when she was homeless, and held her tight when she was driven out. She didn’t know how the thunder finally ceased, but she always remembered the blood staining his once immaculate white robes red—the elder brother who loved cleanliness now battered.

At sixteen or seventeen, the young man shielded her from all cold stares and angry glares. He told them she was brought by him, that she was obedient and gentle, not evil. With him around, she wouldn’t become a villain.

He led her down Lingyun Peak before all eyes and said, “Ah Jiu, be good. It won’t hurt soon. Don’t cry anymore...”

At that time, Jiu Wu was still young. She couldn’t recall others’ expressions, but she remembered she must make everyone like her, be close to her, change their minds, so no one would call the elder brother’s ward a born evil.

She practiced countless times, learning what kind of smile would endear her to others, what tone of voice was warmest, how to avoid looking fierce even when angry.

She smiled at everyone, habitually doing small deeds that increased goodwill, even if it exhausted her, even if she didn’t care for those people...

She had done well; everyone liked her, but her elder brother no longer liked her...

Tears soaked her eyes, dark magic surging around her.

“If he won’t like you, then make him have no choice but to like you...”

Make him have no choice but to like me.

Jiu Wu’s eyes snapped open, demonic patterns crawling across the whites. She stared at the still unconscious Xuan Yi, obsession pouring from her gaze.

Soft kisses and burning breaths fell on his brow and eyes:

“I will not let you go. I will never let you leave me again...”