"I'd like to see how long you can keep talking big."
With that, Song Wanníng vanished in an instant. She left so suddenly that Ye Chuxue was caught completely off guard.
Ye Chuxue had already braced herself for death, convinced that Song Wanníng would kill her at any moment. She never imagined Song Wanníng would simply leave.
For a few moments, she stared, stunned. Then hope flickered in her eyes. Gritting her teeth, she used the last of her strength to reach for the nearest bottle of pills.
But it was too far. Her fingertips couldn't reach.
Just as panic set in, a shadow approached. Her first instinct was that Song Wanníng had returned. She looked up, heart in her throat—only to see Lu Nanfeng standing before her.
"Lu Nanfeng?"
A rush of relief swept through her, but it was quickly replaced by unease.
"Did he hear what I said just now?"
She carefully studied Lu Nanfeng's expression, every muscle in her body tense.
But Lu Nanfeng only gave her a gentle smile. His eyes were full of concern as he crouched down and picked up the pill bottle.
"Junior Sister Ye, thank goodness you're safe. I rushed here from the sect just to find you." He bent at the waist as he spoke, his tone soft.
Hearing this, Ye Chuxue visibly relaxed. It seemed Lu Nanfeng had only just arrived and hadn't heard anything.
Her eyes welled up with tears. With a choked, trembling voice, she said, "Senior Brother Lu, it was Martial Uncle Song… She still resents Master for breaking off their engagement. That's why she wants to kill me."
"But you mustn't blame her. Matters of the heart can't be forced. Even if Master and she were together, they'd be nothing more than a resentful pair."
She put on a face of understanding and kindness—because she knew this was exactly what Lu Nanfeng responded to.
But this time, Lu Nanfeng didn't echo her words. Instead, he knelt beside her and stared straight at her.
There was something wrong in his eyes. Ye Chuxue couldn't say what it was, but it made her uneasy. She swallowed nervously and said, "Senior Brother Lu, give me the pills first. Once I recover, I'll talk with you."
Right now, she desperately needed to heal. If she ran into any danger like this, she wouldn't be able to fight back at all.
But Lu Nanfeng kept the bottle tightly in his grip. He was still smiling, but his tone shifted.
"Junior Sister Ye.
I like you.
I really, really like you.
I'd give up everything for you. Will you be with me?"
He grabbed Ye Chuxue's hand and pressed it to his chest.
This was his final plea. The last chance he would give both her and himself.
But Ye Chuxue saw none of it.
All she saw was madness, a crazed light in his eyes. Her own eyes widened in fear.
"Senior Brother Lu… I've always seen you as an older brother."
She had never liked Lu Nanfeng. Not even if Bai Yang and Gu Qingyuan didn't exist—she still wouldn't like him.
Feelings could never be forced.
Those words extinguished the last flicker of hope in Lu Nanfeng's heart.
Black mist surged in his gaze, and the darkness slowly took over both body and soul.
The beast he'd kept locked away inside him broke free. Lu Nanfeng chuckled softly, then flung the pill bottle aside.
Crash.
It shattered on the ground. The pills scattered, tumbling through the dirt.
Ye Chuxue stared in shock at the ruined pills, then turned to Lu Nanfeng.
"What are you doing?" she shouted. "Pick them up right now!"
Lu Nanfeng had always done whatever she asked. This sudden defiance set off alarm bells in her heart.
"Did he hear what I said earlier?"
Her stomach dropped. Her expression shifted to panic.
Lu Nanfeng was still smiling, but instead of helping her, he suddenly yanked open the collar of her robe.
Pale skin. Fresh blood. The contrast stung the eyes.
Ye Chuxue cried out in shock, but before she could react, Lu Nanfeng had already pushed her down.
For a moment, her mind went completely blank. It felt like a nightmare she couldn't wake from.
Lu Nanfeng had always been the gentle protector, the silent admirer.
He wasn't supposed to be capable of this.
Ye Chuxue struggled with all her might, screaming for Lu Nanfeng to let go of her.
But most of her bones were shattered. Her resistance was weaker than a child's scratch.
Lu Nanfeng's eyes were flooded with demonic energy. His mind had snapped. He couldn't hear Ye Chuxue's cries at all. All he knew was that he had to leave his mark on her.
Did she say he wasn't worthy?
Then he would show her what "unworthy" truly meant.
The Lu Nanfeng she knew was gone. All that remained was a creature twisted by desire, tearing her robes apart with frightening speed.
"Stop! Let go of me!
Lu Nanfeng, have you gone insane?
No! Stop!"
Ye Chuxue screamed until her throat was raw, sobbing uncontrollably.
Terror filled her eyes.
She couldn't believe this was real.
She was the chosen one, the daughter of destiny. This wasn't supposed to happen to her.
This wasn't supposed to happen at all.
It was over.
Everything was over.
…
Beside the altar, Song Wanníng stared at the image within the floating bubble, her brows furrowed deeply.
She had intended to provoke Lu Nanfeng into attacking Ye Chuxue, perhaps even killing her.
But she had never expected him to do this.
There was no satisfaction in her heart, no triumphant vengeance. Only disgust.
She had always known Lu Nanfeng's morality was a lie, but she never thought even his so-called love would be this pathetic.
The golden sword spirit in her sea of consciousness cursed furiously.
"That Lu Nanfeng is disgusting! Wasn't he the one who claimed he'd protect Ye Chuxue no matter what? How could he stoop to this?
Did you see that, Big Sister? It wasn't your teachings that were wrong in your past life. It was them. They were never good people to begin with!
Lu Nanfeng didn't 'choose' to protect her silently. He just wasn't strong enough to beat her or the others!"
After being reborn, Song Wanníng had quickly cut off all emotional attachments, but deep down, she still wondered if her way of teaching had been too harsh.
Yet after everything she'd witnessed, the truth was clear.
It wasn't her that was flawed.
It was them.
They had simply been lucky enough to be chosen by the heavens.
Song Wanníng clenched her fists and looked away, unable to stand the sight any longer.
Ye Chuxue had known about Lu Nanfeng's feelings all along. She pretended not to see, even as he risked his life for her again and again.
But in the end, she looked down on him from the bottom of her heart.
This was the karma she planted herself.
She had no one else to blame.
But Song Wanníng loathed the way Lu Nanfeng chose to take revenge.
Whether man or woman, anyone who resorted to such filth…
Deserved death.
All of them deserved to die.