Murong Chun pushed his cultivation to its limits, chasing southward with a growing sense of dread. The further he chased, the more anxious he became. It was clear that Ji Yuan’s target had always been Liu Qingyin, not Lin Jiu. Abducting both of them at the same time was a way to satisfy his twisted sense of humor and a tactic to lure the tiger away from its mountain. Ji Yuan knew well that, given Wei Liang’s nature, he would deliberately avoid saving Liu Qingyin to prevent improper rumors.
As Murong Chun’s anxiety grew, he suddenly felt the sword beneath him dip slightly, as if trying to shake him off.
Without further ado, he summoned his own sword with a flick of his wrist and stepped onto it. Wei Liang’s flying sword ignited with a layer of incandescent light, vibrating slightly before disappearing from view at a speed that seemed to pierce through the void.
Murong Chun pursued with all his might. The number of devils chasing after him was growing, but he had no time to worry about his escape route—his sole focus was on rescuing his junior sister.
Soon, a range of towering mountains appeared on the horizon, stretching endlessly to the left and right. Directly ahead, a majestic, ancient fortress in a deep blue hue swiftly captured his gaze—Qianqi Pass!
A continuous stream of devils surged northward from the southern side of the pass, flooding into the heart of the plains. Murong Chun listened to the turbulent roars behind him and glanced at the army of devils rushing toward him like a tide. He couldn’t help but clench his fists, a surge of heroic resolve rising within him.
Today, he might have to lay down his life here.
Suddenly, the Great Sword Immortal’s eyes narrowed, fixing on a burst of sword light to his left. There he saw a figure—clad in white, with a cold sword in one hand and Liu Qingyin in the other. With each swing of the sword, a dazzling burst of light radiated in a fan shape, instantly annihilating any demon it came into contact with.
“Ma-master?” Murong Chun’s heart surged with joy, and he sped up. As he got closer, he realized the man in white wasn’t his master, Wei Liang—it was his eldest senior brother Qin Yunxi.
“Eldest Senior Brother!” Murong Chun didn’t have time to think further. His figure dashed into the fray, quickly shielding Qin Yunxi from an attack coming from behind.
“Take her and go. I’ll cover the rear,” Qin Yunxi’s voice was cold and steady, leaving no room for argument.’
For a moment, Murong Chun fell into a daze, as if the one fighting by his side was his master. The same cold demeanor, the same calmness, the same reassurance… Murong Chun gripped his sword tightly, resolving—‘If I survive today, I will train diligently to become as reliable as my master and senior brother!’
As he took his junior sister’s slender body into his arms, Murong Chun suddenly felt an unexpected tranquility. He realized that he and Junior Sister Liu were not suited for each other—she belonged with someone like their eldest senior brother.
The three disciples fought with all their might while retreating, but the devils continued to gather, growing denser with each passing moment.
…
While Qin Yunxi, Murong Chun, and Liu Qingyin successfully regrouped, Wei Liang had just found Lin Jiu. She sat miserably at the bottom of a small sand dune, her face twisted in distress.
The expression on Wei Liang’s perpetually frosted face shifted rapidly as he took in the sight.
Finally, his gaze regained its usual calmness, and he walked toward Lin Jiu, observing her intently.
“Are you unharmed?” he asked.
Lin Jiu responded with a sweet smile.
Wei Liang bent down, his tall shadow looming over her petite figure, pressing heavily. His gaze was dangerously sharp. “I chose you. Now, how do you plan to die?”
Lin Jiu froze for a moment, suddenly recalling the words she had shouted earlier in an attempt to maintain her dignity: ’If you dare choose me, I’ll die right here on the spot!’
She paused again. Wei Liang hadn’t gone to rescue the female lead and instead came looking for her? How could—
“Hmm?” Wei Liang leaned in closer, his cold breath brushing against her forehead. His voice was low and hoarse. “How will you die?”
At this moment, he was like an ice-capped volcano just on the verge of erupting. Lin Jiu faltered, glancing up at him in guilt before muttering, “I just wanted to keep some dignity for myself and give you a way out, so I said that on purpose.”
Wei Liang let out a harsh laugh. He reached out suddenly, gripping her chin. His perfectly chiseled face moved close to her ear as he whispered two words in a menacing, hoarse voice, right next to her ear.
Lin Jiu inhaled sharply, her breath catching painfully. She turned her head in disbelief, eyes wide with horror as she stared at Wei Liang, whose corner of his thin lips had curled into a dangerously predatory smile, his eyes blazing as he gazed at her like a wolf in a hunt.
Lin Jiu: “…??!!”
‘Did I… Did I really hear him correctly?’
‘Those two words—did they really come out of the male lead’s mouth?!’
‘This Wei Liang must be a fake!’
‘Could it be that Ji Yuan had changed his mind and disguised himself as Wei Liang to tease me?!
‘Even a seasoned, lust-crazed villain like Ji Yuan has never been so blunt with Liu Qingyin!!!’
Wei Liang chuckled again, his large hand grasping Lin Jiu’s shoulder as he lifted her. Then, with a gesture that could almost be called gentle, he tucked the stray strands of hair behind her ear. His fingers brushed lightly against her earlobe, seemingly on purpose.
Lin Jiu: “…”
‘I’m scared!’
‘Help!!’
…
Wei Liang carried Lin Jiu as they sped toward Qianqi Pass. With one arm around her waist, he tapped the ground lightly, drawing a swift arc through the air before landing several miles away. He then tapped the ground again, propelling them another dozen miles forward.
If you were to ask Lin Jiu how she felt at that moment—
It was much like riding a high-altitude drop tower or roller coaster. Her heart seemed to be suspended by a thin thread, rising and falling unpredictably.
She clung tightly to the fabric at Wei Liang’s waist, her eyes darting around. The plains below had been ravaged by the devils, with traces of blood and devastation everywhere. In such a place, was it really possible to find the yang plant of Aura Conduit Stalk?
Her boldness to challenge the Huang Chuan Secret Realm rested on two prerequisites: one, her cultivation had to reach at least the Golden Core stage to handle the various traps and mechanisms within the secret realm; two, she must first master the ultimate move from the karma lotus.
Currently, the devil-occupied territory was in complete ruins, with no signs of greenery anywhere. The houses and buildings that once stood here had long been thoroughly ravaged during the onslaught—there was no chance that any treasure could have survived.
On occasion, devils could be seen roaming around as Lin Jiu and Wei Liang passed overhead. The weaker ones barely had time to react before the pair disappeared from sight. The stronger ones sometimes would attempt to spread their wings and pounce, but were instantly frozen into ice sculptures by Wei Liang and fell to the ground like dead flies.
The two soon arrived at Qianqi Pass. From a distance, the stronghold looked like a grand, ancient fortress dyed in a bluish-grey hue. As they drew closer, its weathered, formidable presence overwhelmed Lin Jiu, stealing her breath for a moment.
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Author’s Note:
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Ok, did the master’s soul end up in the first disciple’s body explaining why he didn’t die as in the og timeline and his extreme hatred of Liu Yin. For the 2nd disciple to mistaken the 1st disciple as the master is highly telling. But if that is true, who is occupying the master’s body??? 😱
At first I thought maybe the demon guy had taken over the master’s body but now I’m dubious…unless the demon guy also has had a shakeup? Either way lmaooooo poor Lin Jiu trying so hard and landing so squarely back in hero’s arms. She’s battling not to get caught up in the Real Housewives of Wanjiangui and it ain’t gonna happen lol
Also forgive me but my eyes want to roll out of my skull 80% of the time when a male character is like ‘she belongs with someone like [x] because of [xyz issue that ISN’T…..what she personally desires…]’ but I also know it’s a chivalric type trope haha. I do appreciate and respect if a guy doesn’t keep pushing where he’s not wanted though, don’t wanna be too mean to Murong Chun.
I think I’m just too contrary of a person. e.g. if I was the original heroine and the man who’d acted like he was madly in love with me but was barred by tradition did a sudden 180 and started fawning over someone who’d blackmailed him, I would have gone ‘TRASH TAKES ITSELF OUT!!’ and gotten drunk somewhere, deeply confused. On the other hand, if the OG Wei Liang is still there but in another body, maybe they can get together and she can learn that he’s not two-faced, circumstances are just….complicated. Go be happy and celestial somewhere else, while we get crass and have fun over here lol