Song Wanníng stood there in silence, watching Ye Chuxue's deranged outburst with quiet amusement. It wasn't until the sound of footsteps echoed once more down the corridor that she slowly withdrew her foot and changed her expression.
Lu Nanfeng had arrived. Still wary of a trap, he moved with extreme caution. When he saw the end of the tunnel up ahead, a flicker of hope sparked in his heart.
But then, he caught sight of figures inside the cave. Instinctively, he ducked behind the tunnel wall, concealing himself.
He hadn't seen clearly who it was, and didn't dare reveal himself too soon. As he tried to figure out his next move, a familiar voice suddenly drifted out from within.
"Ye Chuxue, Bai Yang has already made it clear that the two of you are not suited for each other. Why are you still clinging to him? Doing this will only be a burden to him."
"Master? Junior Sister Ye?"
Lu Nanfeng froze, then felt a wave of relief.
They were all his people. No need to be afraid.
But... the things Song Wanníng was saying made him uneasy. He didn't come forward to reveal himself. Instead, he stayed hidden and strained to listen.
The back-and-forth between Junior Sister Ye and Senior Brother had been going on for a long time. What was their relationship now?
Did he still have a chance?
Before he realized it, Lu Nanfeng's palms had begun to sweat.
Back inside the cave, Ye Chuxue's madness came to a halt at the sound of that name—Bai Yang. It was like being doused in cold water. Her mind cleared, just slightly.
But she couldn't understand why Song Wanníng had suddenly brought up Bai Yang.
So Song Wanníng still couldn't get over the fact that Bai Yang liked her?
It made sense. All her disciples were drawn to her. Even her fiancé had been taken away. Song Wanníng might pretend not to care on the surface, but deep down she must be seething with heartbreak.
For the first time, Ye Chuxue found a shred of superiority. Her lips parted.
"Bai Yang... he clearly likes me. He chose me. He was willing to leave you because of me. You're just jealous, aren't you?"
Ye Chuxue stared at Song Wanníng's face, watching it darken shade by shade. The more furious Song Wanníng became, the more pleased she felt.
The floral fragrance in the air made her reckless, pulling all her buried thoughts out into the open. "Are you angry? Hahaha—But the truth is, your fiancé likes me. Your two disciples like me too.
You're nothing but a wretched woman no one could ever love."
A twisted smile pulled at her lips. The angrier Song Wanníng became, the happier she was. Even if she didn't survive this, she would make sure Song Wanníng didn't get to live happily either.
Every word landed clearly in Lu Nanfeng's ears. He stood stunned, unable to believe that these words were truly coming from Ye Chuxue.
In his memory, Ye Chuxue had always been gentle and strong, driven and respectful, graceful toward everyone she met.
But now…
Still, Lu Nanfeng quickly convinced himself otherwise. Ye Chuxue must have been pushed too hard by Shizun. That was why she lost control. These couldn't be her true feelings.
With that thought, Lu Nanfeng prepared to step out and plead on her behalf. He didn't know exactly what she had done to provoke Shizun's anger, but they were all part of the same sect. Things didn't need to go this far.
But before he could move, he heard Song Wanníng speak again.
"Ye Chuxue, since you know even my second disciple likes you, why do you keep stringing them both along?
"Lu Nanfeng has been running himself ragged to find pills for you. You really don't know how much he's sacrificed? You take his pills with one hand and think of another man with the other. What kind of woman does that?"
There was fire in Song Wanníng's voice, and between every line, there was a clear bias toward Lu Nanfeng. "My second disciple might be a little soft, but he's gone against me again and again for your sake. He's begged me for you. You really couldn't see that at all?"
She crouched down, eyes locked on Ye Chuxue with the look of a predator. Her voice trembled with rage.
Ye Chuxue laughed, low and biting. So Song Wanníng actually cared this much about Lu Nanfeng. "He forced those pills on me. I never asked for them."
She sneered.
"To you, Lu Nanfeng is a treasured disciple. But to me, he's just a pathetic little dog, groveling for affection. He thought some pills and favors could make me love him?"
She spat.
"Please."
How much of that was true and how much was just for spite, even Ye Chuxue didn't know. But it didn't matter. All she wanted was to disgust Song Wanníng.
"Ye Chuxue!"
The slap landed hard, snapping Ye Chuxue's head to the side with a crack in her neck.
"Bai Yang has long since stopped loving you. Gu Qingyuan is your master. Neither of them can compare to Lu Nanfeng. I'll give you one last chance. If you're willing to accept Lu Nanfeng, I'll let you live."
The ultimatum came crashing down, her voice sharp, pressing in on Ye Chuxue like a heavy weight. In the corridor, Ye Chuxue's venomous words still echoed in Lu Nanfeng's ears, rattling him to the core.
Then he heard the voice he once thought was gentle and sweet.
"I'd rather die than accept Lu Nanfeng. He's not worthy.
Just like you aren't worthy of being Master's partner. You're all worthless dog who deserve to die!"
Ye Chuxue's hatred surged once more, her voice rising in a mad scream. The harder Song Wanníng pressed her, the more she wanted to fight back.
In that moment, even Lu Nanfeng became the object of her contempt. She no longer cared about anything he had done for her.
The rest of the voices in the cave faded. Lu Nanfeng could no longer hear them.
Only a few words echoed in his mind: not worthy, deserve to die, pathetic dog.
The floral scent curled into his lungs. He inhaled it all without thinking, and a shadow crept into his eyes. His gaze twisted with something dark and feral.
He had gone mad.
He had betrayed Song Wanníng time and time again for Ye Chuxue, knowing full well how much Master hated her, yet still secretly meeting her in private.
He had risked death over and over to find her antidotes, offering them to her like a starving dog.
During their shared trials, he had thrown himself in harm's way to save her again and again, watching her rise step by step… while he remained stuck where he was.
All for Ye Chuxue.
Even if she didn't love him, he told himself it was enough to protect her from the shadows. That would be worth a lifetime.
But now?
What did Ye Chuxue take him for?
He laughed, low and broken.
Something black and vile surged from the deepest part of his soul, swallowing him whole.
His Dao heart collapsed. Completely and utterly shattered.
The scent in the air stoked his desire until it reached a peak. His pupils darkened, filled with a creeping demonic aura.
The signs of being overtaken by a heart demon had begun.
Song Wanníng saw everything and curled her lips in satisfaction.
Lu Nanfeng had always seen himself as righteous, full of virtue and principle. But in the end, he was just another selfish man.
Even saints couldn't bear to have their sacrifices trampled like this.
Why should he be any different?
The time was right.
Song Wanníng slammed a final kick into Ye Chuxue, her voice full of cold malice.
"Since you refuse, then stay here and die."