For so many years, Lin Wushuang had never seen Qi Xiao’s true face.
Now, it was revealed before her eyes.
She asked so bluntly, “What value is there in being saved?”
Yet she could not answer.
Because Qi Xiao was right.
She had seen through her, while she could not discern Qi Xiao’s heart from behind that smile.
Did Li Wangyan like Qi Xiao—was it genuine affection? A true, heartfelt, beautiful emotion born from the depths of his heart?
Or was it that he felt he had found a kindred spirit?
At this moment, her memories began to swirl back.
When Li Wangyan first entered the sect, Qi Xiao had been in seclusion, breaking through to the Golden Core stage.
She remembered that day when their master summoned them to his cave dwelling.
“This is your future junior brother, and also my last disciple, Li Wangyan. He possesses great talent. Given time, he might very well form another ninth-grade Golden Core. Your Junior Brother Qi is currently in seclusion for his Golden Core breakthrough, which is excellent.”
At that time, both she and Chu Jiao looked at this new junior brother named Li Wangyan.
A gentle smile graced his face.
Yes, a smile just like the one on Qi Xiao’s face now.
He was humble and polite.
“Li Wangyan pays his respects to Senior Martial Brother, Second Senior Martial Brother! In the future, I beg for your guidance and care!”
For some reason, she didn’t much like that smile.
But she cultivated the Ruthless Sword Dao and wasn’t overly concerned, so she merely gave a slight nod and said, “I am your Senior Martial Brother Lin Wushuang. If you encounter any insoluble problems, you can come to me.”
She had said the same to Chu Jiao and Qi Xiao back then.
It seemed Chu Jiao said something to Li Wangyan too… but she hadn’t paid attention.
She hadn’t liked Li Wangyan’s eyes either—thinking back on it now…
Perhaps she disliked that smile because, like Qi Xiao’s smile now, it was full of falseness.
Perhaps she disliked his eyes because, like Qi Xiao’s eyes now, they scrutinized, observed her, and then saw through her heart.
They were the same kind of people.
Their hearts held nothing but themselves, wrapped in a thick cloak of hypocritical pretense.
If nothing unexpected happened, they could even pretend to be saints… because they knew what a saint looked like in people’s hearts.
If Junior Brother hadn’t suffered that frame-up back then, he would likely still be a “kind” person today, even though there was absolutely no kindness in his heart.
So, was that why Qi Xiao helped Junior Brother back then?
Because she had already realized Junior Brother was her kindred spirit?
To use an analogy… Qi Xiao and Junior Brother were like the predators among these cultivators.
While people like her were like the herbivores, destined one day to be devoured by the carnivores.
When they were strong, it was fine.
But the moment weakness was revealed, predators would tear away their false masks—baring their fangs, sinking them into exposed throats, tearing flesh apart, and drinking the warmth of fresh blood.
She knew this.
Because she knew, with terrifying clarity, that in Qi Xiao’s eyes at this very moment, she had already become prey.
Qi Xiao was waiting for her to name her price.
Waiting with the gaze of a hunter appraising its quarry—measuring what kind of nourishment the prey could offer.
Measuring her.
She had exposed her weakness too completely.
She had allowed Qi Xiao to see how fragile she was now, stripping herself of any ability to suppress that instinctive urge to hunt.
What value was there in saving her?
None.
She had nothing left with which to ransom her own life.
Slowly, she closed her eyes—
and waited for the end.
However.
“Senior Sister, look at you!”
Qi Xiao’s gentle voice pulled her back to reality.
She came to Lin Wushuang’s side and helped her up.
“That matter just now isn’t the issue we were supposed to discuss today, is it?”
She brushed past the matter so lightly, like a passing breeze.
“Weren’t we supposed to talk about how to deal with Master going forward, and what to do when Second Senior Martial Brother returns? We got slightly off-topic just now.”
She didn’t say what she would do, nor what she required of Lin Wushuang.
She was tormenting Lin Wushuang.
Qi Xiao or Li Wangyan—she had to choose one.
No, perhaps there was no need to choose.
In their eyes, she was probably just a plaything…
She said nothing, only tears rolling down her cheeks.
“First, about Master. I think Master’s actions were quite selfish. But having reached this point, there’s not much we can介入, right? It’s essentially a matter between Junior Brother and Master. If Junior Brother is willing to let Master return, he’ll likely use the Mystic Maiden’s Mirror to do something. If he isn’t willing, there’s nothing we can do. Didn’t Master say the path can no longer be stopped? I think we actually don’t need to interfere. What do you think, Senior Martial Sister?”
Lin Wushuang felt only absurdity.
She felt that everything unfolding before her—the scene she was witnessing, the words she was hearing—could only be described as absurd.
It was like a scene that should never exist in reality.
She would rather believe she had fallen into a demonic cultivator’s illusion, or that her inner demons had overwhelmed her and seized control of her mind.
Anything was better than admitting that this was truly happening.
Why could Qi Xiao still speak so calmly here?
Why could she simply turn the page on something like this, as if it were no more than a trivial matter?
The ease with which Qi Xiao dismissed it all was more terrifying than the words themselves.
And then discuss Master’s matter with her, saying “actually, we don’t need to worry about Master”?
Master had been very good to her…
Somehow, she suddenly felt—her understanding of ‘demons’ was wrong.
In the past, when she eradicated demons to defend the Dao, those demonic sect cultivators, even if disgusting and cruel, still possessed “human hearts.”
But the Qi Xiao she saw now—she felt this wasn’t human.
If she were to redefine ‘demon,’ she would define Qi Xiao and Li Wangyan as demons.
“Senior Sister doesn’t object? Then it’s settled. We won’t interfere in Master’s matter. Getting involved would only bring us trouble. What truly matters is Second Senior Martial Brother. I believe he is an unstable variable.”
Chu Jiao—an unstable variable?
What was she talking about?
“Our dear Second Senior Martial Brother hates evil as if it were a personal enemy. He likely cannot coexist peacefully with Junior Brother. Besides,” Qi Xiao added lightly, “Junior Brother will eventually turn him into a woman as well. I’ve heard that he’ll soon arrive with members of other sects to jointly convene the Demon Extermination Assembly. Junior Brother probably won’t act too early.”
She paused, then smiled.
“What I’m thinking is this: we muddle through at first. After the formal crusade against the demonic sect begins—Senior Sister, how about you kill Second Senior Martial Brother?”
“What?”
“I said,” Qi Xiao repeated calmly, “when the time comes, how about you kill Second Senior Martial Brother, Senior Sister?”
“Me? Kill Chu Jiao?”
“Yes. Exactly.” Qi Xiao nodded. “Second Senior Martial Brother’s personality is… explosive. If he learns the full truth behind certain matters, he’ll almost certainly erupt. And if that happens—if news of the Mystic Maiden Mirror leaks—very bad things could follow. It might even lead to the complete annihilation of the Heavenly Dao Sect.”
As she spoke, Qi Xiao’s gaze lingered on Lin Wushuang, evaluating her.
Noticing that scrutiny, Lin Wushuang trembled instinctively.
“W-Would something like that really happen?”
“Of course,” Qi Xiao replied without hesitation. “So we have only two options: either we hide the truth from Second Senior Martial Brother forever, or we eliminate him. Personally, I think killing him is far safer. After all, secrets exposed over time are inevitable. Removing him outright carries much less risk.”
Lin Wushuang understood instinctively—if her response failed to satisfy Qi Xiao, Qi Xiao would kill her.
But this “satisfaction” had nothing to do with reason or fairness.
“I… my cultivation has already fallen,” Lin Wushuang said shakily. “Li Wangyan placed this bell on me. If I were to duel Second Senior Martial Brother, I would certainly die by his sword.”
“Eh~” Qi Xiao sighed theatrically. “But Senior Sister is supposed to be the invincible sword immortal, peerless in killing power. This really puts me in a difficult position… I can’t possibly be the one to kill Second Senior Martial Brother, can I? He’s always been quite kind to me. Doing something like that would weigh on my conscience.”
“But I—”
“Sigh.” Qi Xiao cut her off with a heavy exhale. “Senior Sister, you really are useless. Forget it. Let’s leave it at that.”
“What a boring, empty conversation.”
She stood up directly and left the place.
Only long after she had left did Lin Wushuang stand up like a zombie.
Bewildered, she walked out of her cave dwelling, wandering aimlessly on Dao Sword Peak.
“Senior Brother… Martial Sister Lin!”
She looked towards the direction of the call.
“Lu… Yun?”
If she remembered correctly, this was the Peak Lord of Heaven Array Peak, but—why was she on Dao Sword Peak?
“Senior Martial Sister Lin! What’s wrong with you?”
“No, it’s nothing…”
“Nonsense! How is this ‘nothing’? The way you look now…”
She looked around, then picked Lin Wushuang up.
She realized that on Dao Sword Peak at this very moment, something extremely—extremely—terrifying was probably unfolding.
She had to take Senior Martial Sister Lin away.
After she carried Lin Wushuang away, Qi Xiao and Li Wangyan emerged from behind a large rock.
“Senior Sister’s Dao techniques grow ever more refined. Such a concealment method, and neither of them noticed.”
“They were both preoccupied, that’s all.” Qi Xiao turned to face Li Wangyan. “So, have your objectives been achieved?”
“Senior Sister, you really make me like you more and more. How could there be someone in this world who understands me so well?”
Qi Xiao remained silent.
Li Wangyan continued, “Senior Sister, let’s make a little bet.”
“How so?”
“Let’s bet on whether Senior Martial Sister will stay with Lu Yun, or return to find me. I bet she’ll return to find me.”
“Then I can only bet she’ll stay with Lu Yun.”
“Of course.”
“Cunning fellow… And the wager is?”
Li Wangyan smiled.
“If I win, during the Demon Extermination Campaign, Senior Sister Qi will help me handle the matter of Second Senior Martial… Sister.”
He’s still your Second Senior Martial Brother! Never mind, it makes no difference.
“And if you lose?”
“I can fulfill one request from Senior Sister.”
“What if I ask you to release me from the Mystic Maiden’s Mirror?”
“That would also be acceptable.”
He stared at Qi Xiao.
“If Senior Sister can bear to part with it.”
“You really are a cunning fellow, Li Wangyan.” Qi Xiao let out a deep, unreadable sigh. “What if I asked you to save Master?”
“That would indeed be surprising. But you know this too, Senior Sister, don’t you? You can’t win.”
The moon was bright, the stars sparse.
If You Notice any translation issues or inconsistency in names, genders, or POV etc? Let us know here in the comments or on our Discord server, and we’ll fix it in current and future chapters. Thanks for helping us to improve! 🙂