"Remember what you said. If you break your promise, I… I won't ever speak to you again!" Bai Ruxue huffed, folding her arms with a hint of girlish indignation.
"Don't worry, Master. I won't go back on my word. A night as beautiful as this—shouldn't the two of us enjoy it together?" Su Jue replied with a smile, his tone light and teasing.
"Enjoy what?" Bai Ruxue glanced around. Apart from the surrounding forest of crimson maple leaves, there was nothing particularly noteworthy.
"The moon." Su Jue sat down and patted the spot beside him.
"The moon?" Bai Ruxue hesitated for a moment before sitting down beside him.
They were close, almost too close. She tilted her head toward the sky—tonight was a full moon. Silvery light bathed the earth in a tranquil glow, so pristine it seemed as though heaven itself had descended.
"Master, would you say this counts as our first date?" Su Jue leaned back on his hands, gazing up at the moon, a grin playing on his lips.
"Da… date?" Bai Ruxue's cheeks flushed faintly. "I suppose… it does?"
"I'll remember this day for the rest of my life," Su Jue said honestly, without embellishment.
"So will I." Bai Ruxue's voice was soft, touched with a rare tenderness.
No matter what happens from now on, she knew she would never forget this peculiar night—the night she gained a Dao companion. And that companion was none other than her own disciple.
The thought was so absurd that even now she found it difficult to accept. She never would have imagined such a thing, no matter how many scenarios she ran through in her head.
"I know," she said after a pause, "you didn't truly mean to hurt me. You had your reasons, didn't you?"
Su Jue didn't respond immediately. In the moonlight, Bai Ruxue turned her head to study his profile. Perfectly sculpted features, calm and composed—tonight, he looked impossibly handsome. A trace of dazed fascination flickered through her heart.
What was this feeling? Could this be what they meant by 'beauty lies in the eyes of the lover'? She had seen Su Jue's face countless times, yet tonight, he seemed… different. Brighter. More dazzling.
"Yeah," Su Jue finally said, no longer needing to hide the truth. If he couldn't turn back time, then what was there to fear?
"I figured as much." Bai Ruxue gave a knowing smile. "I've known for a while."
"Since when?" Su Jue asked, genuinely curious. He'd thought he played his role convincingly enough.
"Since the day your personality changed so drastically." Her voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it. "You used to be focused, calm, talented beyond compare, yet still full of youthful energy and kindness. A true prodigy."
"But then… something happened. You became arrogant, cold, vindictive. You acted without thinking of the consequences." Her gaze met his. "I just never understood why."
Ten years. They had spent a full decade together as master and disciple. She knew his nature better than anyone. His inner steadiness had always set him apart—not a cold, emotionless steadiness, but one brimming with warmth and confidence.
Combine that with his unparalleled talent, and he was the true pride of the Sword Sect. If he hadn't been, Bai Ruxue never would have chosen him as her successor.
There were times when his ambition shone so brightly it dazzled everyone around him. He had been the idol of male disciples, the dream of countless females.
"Master, there's nothing I want to hide from you. But whether I explain or not, it won't change anything," Su Jue said with quiet resolve. There was no way he could mention the Strongest Villain System. That would remain a secret forever.
"That's alright." Bai Ruxue nodded in understanding as everyone had their own secrets. "Is it because of your junior sister?"
"She played a part," Su Jue admitted.
According to the original storyline, it was her appearance that pushed him to the edge. Jealousy, betrayal, and his eventual downfall—it had all started with her. His path may have changed, but it still followed the same thread.
"I see." Bai Ruxue's voice softened, her eyes turning gentle, as if she'd just seen through the final piece of the puzzle.
"Master, what do you mean you 'see'?" Su Jue asked, puzzled.
"Are you jealous of your junior sister?" she said with a bright, teasing smile.
"Uh…" Su Jue wanted to deny it, but what better excuse could he give? Flushing slightly, he scratched his cheek and gave a small, embarrassed nod.
A grown man, jealous over a woman—it was a little shameful.
"I didn't realize your feelings for me ran so deep." Her smile widened, but her tone was warm. "Don't worry. My relationship with your junior sister is strictly that of a teacher and student. I care for her because she's an orphan—I only wanted to give her the warmth she never had."
"There's no need to worry that I'd share the feelings I have for you with someone else."
Though her expression remained composed, her heart brimmed with happiness. Su Jue's love for her—it was exactly what she had hoped for. Maybe it wasn't ideal for him to be jealous, but it proved the depth of his feelings.
Su Jue scratched his head again, deciding not to correct the misunderstanding. Let it continue. It was a beautiful one, after all. Besides, he hadn't even known she was an orphan.
"I do have one complaint, though," Bai Ruxue said, shooting him a side glance. "If you really wanted to hurt me… could you have chosen a better method?"
Su Jue winced. "There won't be a next time, Master."
She rolled her eyes and waved her hand. In a flash, a dish appeared before them—visually exquisite, aromatic… except for the conspicuous black powder sprinkled on top.
"You think I wouldn't notice if your junior sister hadn't warned me?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him.
"Cough, cough… was it that obvious?" Su Jue rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"If you served this to a dog, it would spit on it and walk away," she said, voice dripping with disdain.
Back then, he hadn't thought much of it. He just wanted to move the plot forward quickly so he could focus on becoming the protagonist. He'd carelessly slipped the drug into her food and even told his junior sister to pass the message along.
"…" Su Jue gave an embarrassed laugh.
"I knew you wouldn't truly hurt me. And I didn't actually intend to kill you just now. I only wanted to lure out the one who put you up to it!" She gave his head a light knock with her knuckles, letting out a huff.
Su Jue placed a hand over his heart, his voice solemn. "I was overcome with guilt. I wanted to die to atone for my sins."
"There are plenty of ways to atone. Why must it involve death?" Bai Ruxue glared at him with feigned irritation. "I spent ten years raising you. Do you think you can just throw that all away?"
"So I chose another path—by becoming your husband and staying by your side forever." Su Jue flashed a grin and gave her a playful wink.
"You shameless brat, always joking around." She pursed her lips, but the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her good mood. "Now hurry up and tell me—who gave you that idea?"
Su Jue's eyes flashed cold for a moment as he remembered the culprit. "Master, it was the Grand Elder."
Now that Bai Ruxue was not just his Master but his woman, the Grand Elder had become their mutual enemy.
"I knew it!" Bai Ruxue's expression turned frosty, her face like a winter's storm.
She'd already suspected as much. The Grand Elder was a remnant of the previous sect master's faction—ambitious and ever-watchful of the throne. If Bai Ruxue hadn't intervened back then, the position of Sect Master would've fallen into the Grand Elder's hands.
Clearly, the woman had never given up.
But she had chosen the wrong opponent.
"Leave this matter to me," Bai Ruxue said coldly.
Su Jue nodded silently.
He had never once looked down on her. Her cultivation was unquestionable, but it was her decisiveness and presence that truly commanded the Sword Sect. To her, removing the Grand Elder would be no more than flicking dust from a blade.