The cold air hit as soon as she approached the Ten Thousand Ice Cave.
Xing Shuishui hugged her arms tightly, pressing her legs together. It really was cold, living up to its name as Lingshan’s Ten Thousand Ice Cave.
She stirred up the fire within her and hurried inside, spotting from afar a young man leaning against the ice wall.
He Liansheng was in a daze, eyes closed, his lips pale.
Looking at him like this.
Xing Shuishui whispered, “He Liansheng…”
His breathing was faint. Her fingers trembled. Was it worth it?
The spiritual power within the young man was chaotic. She didn’t care about anything else and lit her fire to drive away the cold. This should help him feel better.
His face was still colorless. Xing Shuishui then noticed He Liansheng’s forehead was burning.
He had a fever.
Xing Shuishui felt lost.
He Liansheng vaguely heard her voice, thinking it was just a hallucination in the ice cave. He couldn’t make out what was said but wanted to hear more.
He called out softly, “Shuishui.”
She responded. Indeed, it must be a hallucination.
“Wait for me to get out, don’t run away with anyone else.”
She said, “Okay.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
She said, “I won’t.”
He repeated again, “Don’t lie…”
Though he could barely speak anymore.
But Xing Shuishui, this life is yours.
Being able to see your illusion here is truly an honor.
The young man pressed his hand heavily on the back of her neck, pulling her close. He used such force, thinking she would struggle, thinking this way she couldn’t run.
The fire finally erased the soul mark on Xian Yun.
Xing Shuishui’s hand paused for a long time before slipping the bracelet into his clothes.
This departure held uncertain fate. He Liansheng, I’m returning your things to you. From now on — I won’t owe you anything.
She raised her hand, using her weak demon power to heal his wounds. He Liansheng completely lost consciousness.
Xing Shuishui was exhausted too.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead, used her fire to burn down the entire Ten Thousand Ice Cave, melting ice falling like rain. She knelt on the ground, her breath turning to ice in the air, silence lasting for a long time.
One last lie to you.
She left before the disciples arrived. The Ice Cave was mostly destroyed, but Lingshan wouldn’t be able to trace it back to her.
Xing Shuishui returned to her house, glanced at the persimmons hanging under the eaves, peeled the remaining persimmons inside, and hung them under the eaves, string after string. After finishing, she was tired.
She fell asleep unknowingly under the eaves. This time when she woke up there was no blanket, just like how she used to sleep beside Big Sister but one day woke up to find her gone.
It felt a bit lonely.
Three days remained until the Mountain Worship Ceremony.
Master Sui Xu ultimately still cared about face. He had ordered He Liansheng released days ago and personally tended to his wounds. Looking at him turned his face green – He Liansheng wasn’t nearly as injured as imagined, and the Ice Cave had been melted by someone unknown into a “Water Cave.”
Only one person could have done this to the Ice Cave. Master Sui Xu sighed. But considering he and that mortal girl had already separated, he would let it go for now.
When He Liansheng woke up, the room was dark. He turned his head to see someone outside the curtain who looked a bit like her, but wasn’t her. Must be some female cultivator.
Seeing him awake, the female cultivator tried to approach, but the Peach Source sword intent pushed her back. Though her expression soured, she said, “You’ve been unconscious for a long time. Your master asked me to care for you.”
He asked coldly, “Where is Xing Shuishui?”
The female cultivator clenched her hands upon hearing that name, saying haughtily, “He Liansheng, what’s so good about that mortal? You wake up and immediately ask about her? You’re a cultivator, the young master of the He family! Your future dao partner will be someone from Lingshan. I advise you to wake up!”
He Liansheng said impatiently, “What’s it to you? If you have nothing else, get out.”
“Senior Brother He…”
The female cultivator pleaded, “Don’t degrade yourself. Many Lingshan cultivators look up to you as a role model. Someone like her isn’t worth it. She can’t bring you any benefits and is just a burden. You’ve been so badly injured because of her, don’t you understand yet?”
Master Sui Xu walked in from outside, the female cultivator kneeling to greet the Sect Master. Many elders followed him, including the He family head.
Master Sui Xu said expressionlessly, “Xing Shuishui knows her status is lowly, worlds apart from yours. You were never meant to walk the same path. She didn’t want to burden you and has already left Lingshan. What more do you want?”
Three people were in the room, yet it felt empty. He recalled the illusion he saw in the Ice Cave, where she promised not to lie to him.
“But Master.”
The young man looked up at him, enunciating each word: “I want her, not her wanting me.”
Xing Shuishui never liked him at all.
Seeing him so stubborn, Master Sui Xu raged, “What is she worth? Say more nonsense and I’ll have her killed. This is the Sect Master’s hall. Stay here and reflect well. You’re not allowed to go anywhere until the Mountain Worship Ceremony!”
The door slammed shut. Never had the Sect Master been so angry. Lingshan was shrouded in dark clouds for days, but those in the know understood – Xing Shuishui hadn’t gone down the mountain, she simply couldn’t be found. Going down through the mountain gate would leave traces, but she had vanished into thin air. No one could find her or knew what she planned to do.
Days of endless rain followed, only clearing on the day of the Mountain Worship Ceremony. Cultivators from all paths gathered at Lingshan, appearing as a dark mass when viewed from the clouds.
Xing Shuishui had been hiding in the Ritual Hall where the Right Ritualist would go on ceremony day, gripping Qi Tong. Once the celestial bell rang, he would be finished.
Everything would end.
Many young disciples came and went from the Ritual Hall, their footsteps a jumble. No one noticed her behind the Buddha statue. She gripped her knife, hearing heavy footsteps approach – thud, thud, thud. The person entered and closed the door.
The celestial bell on their wrist jingled—
Finally here…
She stepped out from behind the Buddha statue, smiling, “Did you see the gift I prepared? Finding you took quite some effort. Though should I call you Hua Wushan, or — Guan Wushan?”
Guan Wushan wasn’t surprised to see her, smiling, “So you finally figured it out…”
The young man stood in the shadows without sword or magical tools: “Just a servant, death means nothing. The Mountain Worship Ceremony, such a fine day – isn’t it a shame for us to cross blades? Aren’t you curious what gift I’ve prepared for Lingshan?”
He seemed to have everything planned. Xing Shuishui watched the mirrors warily, breaking each one she saw.
“What does it matter to me how you deal with Lingshan?”
Guan Wushan smiled at her: “But isn’t He Liansheng outside? I just greeted him on my way here, though he ignored me. He seemed distracted, quite cold actually, but looking quite handsome today. Xue Jiuling, you’re quite capable, reducing the Sect Master’s disciple to this state – planning to use him against me?”
Still trying to provoke me…
Xing Shuishui countered, “What do you think?”
Guan Wushan sighed: “Unlike you, I won’t involve innocent people for revenge. When I deal with the Shang Guan family, I act directly. By now, their people outside should be feeling the poison’s effects. The Mountain Worship Ceremony will descend into chaos. This is my first gift to Lingshan.”
“Oh right, the poison came from Shang Guan Houyue.”
Though smiling, his gaze was as deadly as a bamboo viper. What a madman – not only did he steal the Right Ritualist’s identity, he dared to poison the Shang Guan family during the Mountain Worship Ceremony… even worse than Guan Yinzi from before.
Xing Shuishui said, “I don’t care what grudge you have with the Shang Guan family. You killed my sister – you must pay with your life.”
Guan Wushan narrowed his eyes: “You killed my uncle – don’t you need to pay with your life too?”
Holding her knife across her chest, Xing Shuishui sneered: “Didn’t Guan Yinzi deserve to die? He killed my parents, imprisoned my people to make medicine. In the dead of winter, one small mistake in my work meant a beating. Didn’t he deserve death?”
Guan Wushan said regretfully: “You sound so pitiful, but he was my uncle. This is a world where the strong prey on the weak. You should be grateful – it’s because of my uncle that you’re alive now, standing before me rather than crushed under my feet. Ungrateful thing.”
Truly unreasonable.
Xing Shuishui swung her knife at his neck. Guan Wushan dodged easily. She suddenly slashed at his hand from an odd angle – caught off guard, he nearly lost his entire arm.
Xing Shuishui gradually sensed something wrong. Unlike previous times, Guan Wushan was unusually passive in their fight. What was he planning? She carefully checked their surroundings – all the mirrors had been broken.
Seeing her notice, Guan Wushan grinned: “Why don’t you look at your feet?”
Xing Shuishui looked down sharply. The floor had become an enormous mirror, showing Master Sui Xu leading Lingshan’s people to the Spirit Hall, He Liansheng among them.
Guan Wushan smiled: “My second gift to Lingshan is you, Xing Shuishui.”
He activated his mirror arts. Irritated, Xing Shuishui slashed at his neck. Though his head was cut off, in an instant this was no longer the Ritual Hall – the setup had changed to the Spirit Hall.
The hall doors opened. Guan Wushan’s head rolled out, tumbling down the steps. Instant commotion erupted, screams rising.
Outside were Lingshan’s people. Seeing the blood-covered Spirit Hall, they first stared blankly, then pointed at Xing Shuishui cursing: “Demon! Do you know where this is!”
The young woman was covered in blood, demon energy surrounding her.
She turned her head indifferently, only wondering if Guan Wushan was truly dead.
It had been too easy.
Someone recognized her.
“It’s Xing Shuishui! She’s a demon!”
“She’s actually a demon! I knew she was a demon! No wonder we haven’t seen her lately – her demon nature emerged and she’s here killing people.”
“Hidden so deep. Senior Brother He must hate her now!”
“But daring to murder here – she won’t leave Lingshan alive today.”
Xing Shuishui didn’t look up, afraid to see He Liansheng.
She stood before the towering Buddha statue, blood dripping down her arm. She was desecrating the hall, without intention of redemption.
The Buddha’s gaze was compassionate, taking in everything. The red ribbon in the young woman’s hair fluttered, the hall stained with indelible sin.
Her gaze was calm.
The young man’s love had been too obsessive – surely now there would only be hatred.
Right?
He Liansheng wore white robes and a jade crown today, his features handsome. If she looked up, she would surely be stunned. But she didn’t. When the young man saw the demon energy around her, his sword-holding hand trembled. Though only ten steps away, it felt so distant.
No wonder his chest had hurt today.
No wonder he’d seen Xian Yun when changing clothes.
Xing Shuishui the liar, who promised not to take it off.
Master Sui Xu narrowed his eyes, ordering the elders beside him: “Take He Liansheng back. Without my command, he’s not allowed out.”
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