The Madness of Love and a Desperate Escape

What awaited him was Zhang Jingya’s inevitable suppression.

As a Golden Core realm powerhouse, Zhang Jingya’s spiritual power surged around her, immense and overwhelming.

He, however, was merely a Foundation Establishment stage Shadow cultivator, his spiritual power meager.

In a direct confrontation, he stood no chance against Zhang Jingya.

An ant could hardly shake an elephant.

“Ya’er, how could the Dao Gate Sect be a place anyone can simply enter?”

“My aptitude is mediocre, my talent ordinary. How could someone like me possibly join the Dao Gate Sect?”

Lin Xingjian deliberately debased himself, hoping to make Zhang Jingya see reason.

“Don’t worry, with me here, I will implore my master to secure your qualification to join the Dao Gate Sect.”

“With such talent as yours, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to join.”

Zhang Jingya’s words carried a blind certainty; she lightly raised her chin, her eyes gleaming with absolute resolve.

Recalling the numerous poems he had once composed for Zhang Jingya, those beautiful verses had undoubtedly led her to a complete misunderstanding.

This matter, he truly found himself unable to explain.

What could he say?

Should he claim to be from another world, and that those poems were merely borrowed from there?

That would be courting death.

“Ya’er, as much as I wish to, I truly cannot stay by your side.”

“Why not?”

Zhang Jingya questioned.

“Because… I am the hope of the Shadow Sect. I cannot leave. My master still expects me to bring glory to the Shadow Sect and restore its former prestige.”

Lin Xingjian spoke with a hoarse voice, utterly sincere.

A sudden thought, however, struck him…

‘He’d said this exact thing before, hadn’t he?’

‘No matter.’

“Hmph!”

“I don’t believe it. Is the Shadow Sect, which has stood unwavering for countless years, truly so fragile that it would collapse the moment you leave?”

Zhang Jingya retorted coldly, a slight frown creasing her brow.

Lin Xingjian wore a helpless expression.

He couldn’t win this argument, nor was he in the right.

“It’s true, Ya’er. Why would I lie to you?”

“In recent years, the Shadow Sect suffered considerable setbacks. It’s now in decline, and my arrival has given my master considerable hope. If I were to leave so easily, my old master would surely be heartbroken…”

Lin Xingjian’s words grew more impassioned, his voice rising slightly as his face displayed both sincerity and innocence.

“Enough!”

“You faithless man, since you claim you cannot leave the Shadow Sect so easily on your own, then no matter. Come with me, and I will have my master assist you.”

“Your master assist?” Lin Xingjian asked, “Is that truly feasible?”

From Zhang Jingya’s words, he knew that her master doted on her immensely, indulging her every whim.

But what did that matter?

He was perfectly aware of what kind of place the Dao Gate Sect was.

Even at the Golden Core stage, he wouldn’t qualify, let alone join.

Even countless sect elders and leaders, wishing to send their own descendants there, had to abide by the explicit rules.

These were the unyielding, age-old rules of the Dao Gate Sect.

“It is feasible.”

“My master is an elder of the Dao Gate Sect, possessing considerable influence. Matters concerning your Shadow Sect can be easily decided by her.”

Zhang Jingya seemed utterly determined to keep Lin Xingjian by her side, her tone imbued with an unyielding force that brooked no refusal.

Lin Xingjian remained motionless, standing frozen in the grand hall, akin to an ancient sculpture.

Zhang Jingya’s gaze turned icy; she had already suspected Lin Xingjian was full of lies.

Now, with this probing, his deception was indeed laid bare.

“Come along, Jian Lang.”

“Trust me. I possess the Righteous Body, and my master intends to cultivate me greatly. I also have a small reputation within the Dao Gate Sect, so the sect will surely grant my humble request.”

“We, as lovers, are destined to be together.”

“Or… were all your words just now nothing but lies?”

Zhang Jingya’s voice turned frigid, waves of chilling intent emanating from her.

“Ya’er, this is no laughing matter. I don’t know who your master is, but joining the Dao Gate Sect involves complex procedures and stringent examinations. What if I can’t join?”

“Cannot join?”

Zhang Jingya paused.

Her previously clear and bright eyes instantly turned cold and sinister, a dark intensity tearing through her gentle demeanor, revealing the madness hidden deep within.

“Then it’s simple. If the Xuantian Dao Sect doesn’t acknowledge us, then we’ll just… rebel against the Xuantian Dao Sect together. We’ll find a secluded place, live a life of mortal bliss, and grow old together.”

Lin Xingjian remained silent.

He had considered many possibilities, yet he had never anticipated…

Zhang Jingya had become so utterly infatuated and deranged by love.

She was twisted, prejudiced, and beyond all reason.

Rebel against the Xuantian Dao Sect?

She was mad.

Absolutely mad.

The Dao Gate Sect was where the Xuantian Dao Sect heavily cultivated its disciples, each one a dragon among men.

While wielding great power, they were also bound by numerous rules and restrictions.

Within the Dao Gate Sect were many secret cultivation techniques and divine abilities. Once one joined, they could never leave the sect for life, unless under special circumstances such as death.

Any departure was considered an act of rebellion.

The consequences of rebellion were, needless to say, dire!

At this moment, Lin Xingjian fully understood: Zhang Jingya…

was no longer quite sane.

She was mad with love, and heartbroken by it.

Had she not met him, Zhang Jingya would at most have yearned for her dream lover, choosing to remain unmarried for life.

Now, however, things were different.

Having been seen through and recognized by Zhang Jingya, the deepest darkness within the woman’s heart had erupted.

She had become utterly unreasonable, even contemplating rebelling against the greatest sect in the Southern Frontier.

If this wasn’t madness, what was?

Lin Xingjian took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for a decision.

He had to escape!

If he continued to be entangled with Zhang Jingya, he might truly become a renegade cultivator, hunted down by the greatest sect in the Southern Frontier.

He had initially believed Zhang Jingya to be a normal person, someone he could reason with, and he had been willing to offer emotional compensation, but…

He had been deluding himself.

His appearance had been a mistake for Zhang Jingya.

With her talent, the woman could have reached the pinnacle of the Confucian path, forging a splendid legacy.

Compared to Yao Qing’er, Bai Qingxue, or Yu Linglong, Zhang Jingya was undoubtedly the most drastically unhinged, the most untouchable woman of them all.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go with you.”

“But before we go, answer me one question. I wish to confirm your true feelings.”

“Love. Still love, even now.”

Zhang Jingya answered immediately.

Lin Xingjian’s mind raced, utterly bewildered.

“Ya’er, let me ask you: you know that a door made of wood is called a wooden door, and one made of iron is called an iron door. So, what is the door leading to love called?”

Lin Xingjian’s eyes burned with intensity, but inwardly, he sneered coldly.

This trick had never failed him.

His feet already felt light, ready to make a swift escape the moment Zhang Jingya’s thoughts were distracted by contemplation!

His perfected Ghost Shadow Steps would be enough to temporarily extricate him from this predicament.

His toes subtly lifted, his eyes fixed intently on Zhang Jingya’s expression, fearing to miss a single opportune moment.

“It is us, Jian Lang. The door leading to happiness is us.”

Zhang Jingya pressed her lips into a faint smile, having given no thought at all; the answer seemed to have been clear in her heart all along.

As she spoke the word ‘us,’ a trace of happiness bloomed on her face, as if she had already glimpsed a beautiful future, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

Lin Xingjian’s eyes widened, and he nearly stumbled, his body contorting from the impulse to bolt. ‘No…’

‘You’re far too clever, aren’t you?’

‘Were all Confucian cultivators so adept at riddles?’

‘Damn it, this is too troublesome.’

‘He would simply have to resort to his old trick.’

Lin Xingjian mused inwardly.

Zhang Jingya smiled faintly, utterly oblivious to the fact that Lin Xingjian’s previous words had been an attempt to make her drop her guard.

“Jian Lang, come.”

“Happiness is us, whether in the Dao Gate Sect or amidst the mortal world’s affairs, I will be a good wife.”

“You once said… ‘Pure as the snow on the mountain, bright as the moon between the clouds; may I find one true heart, and never part until our hair turns white!'”

Zhang Jingya was gentle and radiant, like the first blossoms unfurling on a spring branch.

Her petals gently spread, vibrant and charming.

She made one feel as if immersed in a romantic sea of flowers, their heart filled with fragrance and tenderness.

Lin Xingjian nodded, smiling, as if he had completely accepted Zhang Jingya.

Just as he took a step, his expression suddenly shifted dramatically, and he couldn’t help but point behind him and shout.

“Liu Jinyao, stop right there!”

“What do you intend to do to Ya’er?!”

Lin Xingjian lunged forward, and Zhang Jingya’s heart sank.

Could it be that Liu Jinyao had witnessed this scene between her and Lin Xingjian, and was deliberately planning to retaliate against her?

A wave of unease surged within her.

Zhang Jingya swiftly gathered the Awe-Inspiring Righteousness of heaven and earth, deploying a defensive measure.

Turning her head to look, she was utterly dumbfounded, standing frozen in place.

Behind her…

There was nothing.

The next instant, Zhang Jingya seemed to understand, and she turned her head once more.

There was no trace of Lin Xingjian, who had supposedly rushed over to protect her.

The man’s shadow, vanished beneath the sunlight, had disappeared without a trace.

Her hands clenched tightly into fists, her nails digging deeply into her palms, as raging fury burned within her heart.

Zhang Jingya lowered her head, letting out a sinister, cold laugh, then, consumed by wrath, she stared at the grand hall in the distance.

“Trying to escape? Dream on!”

“Jian Lang, you are mine. You must stay by my side.”

Zhang Jingya no longer waited; disregarding any potential punishment or the rules of the Dao Gate, she stormed out of the grand hall and left the Dao Gate Sect, vowing to drag Lin Xingjian back.