[Yuexi's POV - Two Weeks Later]
"You're going WHERE?" I stared at Elder Bai like he'd lost his mind.
"The Heavenly Sword Sect's annual banquet." He continued packing herbs into a travel bag, completely calm. "I've been invited every year for the past fifty years. Usually I ignore them, but this year I'm curious. Plus, you need to see how the cultivation world actually works outside this mountain."
My stomach dropped. "The sect where Tianzhao lives. Where he's getting married in six weeks."
"The very same." Elder Bai's eyes gleamed with something that looked suspiciously like amusement. "Problem?"
"YES!" I nearly shouted. "I can't go there! His uncle wants to control me, Father will be there with Qingwan, and Tianzhao—" I cut myself off.
"Tianzhao what? Still haunts your dreams? Makes your heart flutter with his stupid magical bird messages?" Elder Bai snorted. "Good. You need to face him while you're still my student and under my protection. Learn to be around him without turning into a lovesick fool. Because after you leave my mountain, you'll be on your own."
"I'm not lovesick," I protested weakly.
"You meditate in front of his last message every night. Don't think I haven't noticed." He threw the bag at me. "Pack. We leave at dawn. And Yuexi? At the banquet, you'll be introduced as my official disciple. That title will protect you from most threats. But it will also make you a target for those brave or stupid enough to challenge me."
"Wonderful," I muttered.
I didn't sleep at all that night.
The Heavenly Sword Sect was magnificent and terrifying.
White buildings with blue tile roofs stretched across an entire mountain. Cultivators in matching robes moved through gardens where spiritual energy was so thick I could taste it. At the center stood the Grand Hall—massive, imposing, and currently filled with every important person in the province.
"Stay close," Elder Bai murmured as we approached the entrance. "And remember—you're not here as Lin Yuexi, the scared girl. You're here as my disciple. Act like it."
I straightened my spine and lifted my chin. The new robes Elder Bai had given me were simple but elegant—silver and gold, marking me as a medical cultivator. My hair was pulled back, and my face was calm.
But inside, my heart hammered like a war drum.
He's in there. I'm going to see him again.
The guards at the entrance bowed deeply when they saw Elder Bai. "Elder Physician. We're honored. Sect Master Shen has been hoping you'd attend."
"I'm sure he has," Elder Bai said dryly. "This is my disciple, Lady Yue."
I'd chosen a new name. Yue meant "moon"—a fresh start, a new identity. Nobody here would connect Lady Yue to worthless Lin Yuexi.
Except maybe one person.
We entered the Grand Hall, and immediately every conversation stopped. Hundreds of eyes turned toward us—some curious, some fearful, all respectful of the legendary hermit who'd finally emerged.
Then I saw him.
Shen Tianzhao stood on the raised platform at the front of the hall, talking to a group of sect elders. He wore formal robes in black and silver, his hair tied back, looking every inch the powerful heir.
And beside him, holding his arm and smiling like she owned him, was Qingwan.
She'd gotten more beautiful somehow. Her dress was expensive, her makeup perfect, her laugh musical as she charmed the people around her.
They looked perfect together. Powerful. Matched.
Something in my chest cracked.
Stop it, I commanded myself. You knew this would happen. You prepared for this.
But knowing and seeing were two very different things.
Tianzhao's head turned, and his eyes swept across the room. They landed on Elder Bai first, widening with surprise. Then they moved to me.
Our gazes locked.
I watched recognition dawn in his dark eyes. Watched shock, then something that looked like hope, flash across his face.
He took a step forward, breaking away from Qingwan—
"Elder Physician Bai!" Sect Master Shen's voice boomed across the hall. He approached with arms spread wide in false welcome. "What a pleasant surprise! We've missed your presence these past decades."
"Have you?" Elder Bai's tone was neutral. "Or have you missed my medical skills that could cure your disciples' injuries?"
Sect Master Shen's smile tightened. "You wound me. Of course we value your wisdom beyond your practical skills." His eyes shifted to me, and I saw the same calculating look from three months ago. "And who is this lovely young lady?"
"My disciple. Lady Yue." Elder Bai's hand landed on my shoulder—a gesture of protection and warning to everyone watching. "I've taken her as my sole heir. She will inherit all my knowledge and techniques."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Being Elder Bai's heir was like being handed the keys to a treasure vault of medical cultivation secrets.
"How... fortunate for her," Sect Master Shen said slowly. "Lady Yue. Welcome to Heavenly Sword Sect."
"Thank you, Sect Master." I kept my voice level and polite. "The honor is mine."
His eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to place where he'd seen me before. But Lady Yue with her elegant robes and confident bearing looked nothing like the bleeding, desperate girl from the tournament.
Tianzhao pushed through the crowd, Qingwan trailing behind him looking annoyed.
"Elder Bai," he said, his voice carefully controlled. "I'm glad you came. And Lady Yue..." His eyes searched my face. "Have we met before? You seem familiar."
My heart nearly stopped. He knew. Of course he knew.
"I don't believe so, Young Master Shen," I lied smoothly. "But I've heard much about you. Your reputation is impressive."
"As is yours, apparently." His eyes never left mine. "Elder Bai rarely takes students. You must be exceptional."
"She is," Elder Bai confirmed. "Divine-grade spiritual roots. The first I've seen in sixty years."
More gasps. Qingwan's face went pale, then red with fury.
"Divine-grade?" Sect Master Shen's interest sharpened dangerously. "My, my. What luck for you, Elder Bai. And what luck for whoever earns this young lady's favor in the future."
"She's not interested in marriage alliances," Elder Bai said flatly. "She's dedicated to medical cultivation. Speaking of which, I heard your sect has been having trouble with a demon poison outbreak among your disciples?"
The distraction worked. Sect Master Shen launched into an explanation of the mysterious illness affecting his students, pulling Elder Bai away to examine a patient.
Which left me standing there with Tianzhao and Qingwan.
Qingwan stepped forward, her smile sharp. "Lady Yue. What a beautiful name. And those robes—silver and gold. Very striking. Don't you think so, darling?" She squeezed Tianzhao's arm possessively.
"Very," he said, but his eyes were still on my face, intense and searching.
"You must tell me where you studied before becoming Elder Bai's disciple," Qingwan continued, her voice sweet as poisoned honey. "Your background must be fascinating."
"Not particularly," I said. "I come from a small village. Nothing worth mentioning."
"Oh, but everything is worth mentioning at a banquet!" She laughed. "For instance, Tianzhao and I are getting married in six weeks. Isn't that exciting? The whole province will celebrate. You simply must attend as Elder Bai's representative."
The invitation was a knife wrapped in silk.
"Congratulations," I managed. "I'm sure you'll be very happy together."
"We will be." Qingwan's smile widened. "Tianzhao has been so attentive lately. Always by my side. Always thinking of me. Haven't you, darling?"
"Qingwan," Tianzhao said quietly, something like warning in his tone.
"What? I'm just making conversation!" She turned to me. "You know, Lady Yue, you remind me of someone. An old... acquaintance. Someone who disappeared rather dramatically a few months ago. Caused quite the scandal."
She knew. The witch knew exactly who I was.
"How interesting," I said, keeping my voice bored. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to."
"Of course not. How silly of me." Qingwan's eyes glittered with malice. "Tianzhao, darling, shouldn't you be greeting the other guests? Father will want to speak with you about the wedding preparations."
"In a moment." Tianzhao's eyes hadn't left my face. "Lady Yue, would you join me for a walk in the garden? I'd like to discuss... medical matters. Elder Bai mentioned you're studying healing techniques."
"I don't think—" Qingwan started.
"I wasn't asking you," Tianzhao said, his voice cold in a way I'd never heard him speak to her before.
Qingwan's face flushed with anger and humiliation. "Fine. Enjoy your walk. But remember, Tianzhao—in six weeks, you'll be mine forever. No amount of... medical discussion... will change that."
She stormed off, leaving me alone with him.
"You shouldn't have done that," I said quietly. "She'll make you pay for embarrassing her."
"I don't care." He took a step closer, his voice dropping to barely a whisper. "Yuexi. Please. Can we talk? Alone?"
Hearing him say my real name after months of silence made my heart clench.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, even though we both knew it was pointless. "My name is Lady Yue."
"Your eyes haven't changed. Neither has the way you stand when you're trying not to show fear." His voice was rough with emotion. "I've been searching for you. Wondering if you were safe. If you hated me. And now you're here, and you won't even admit who you are."
"Because Lin Yuexi doesn't exist anymore," I said, finally meeting his gaze directly. "She died the day her father tried to seal her power again. I'm someone new now. Someone who doesn't need saving."
"I never thought you needed saving," he said. "I thought—" He stopped, glancing around at the curious eyes watching us. "Please. Just five minutes in the garden. I need to explain—"
"Young Master Shen!" An urgent voice called. A sect guard ran up, his face pale. "Demons! A whole pack attacking the outer disciples' training grounds! We need you immediately!"
Tianzhao cursed under his breath. "How many?"
"At least twenty. And they're not normal demons—they're specifically targeting disciples with high cultivation potential. Like they're hunting."
My blood ran cold. Demons that hunt cultivators specifically? That wasn't normal behavior.
"I have to go," Tianzhao said to me. "But this conversation isn't over. Promise me you'll wait here. Promise me you won't disappear again."
Before I could answer, he was running toward the training grounds, sword already drawn.
I should wait. Stay safe. Let him handle it.
But old habits died hard.
And if demons were specifically targeting talented cultivators, they might be after more than just random attacks.
I made my decision in half a second.
Following Tianzhao toward danger was stupid. Reckless. Everything Elder Bai had warned me not to do.
I did it anyway.
The training grounds were chaos.
Young disciples fought desperately against demons that moved with unnatural coordination. These weren't wild beasts—they were being controlled by someone.
I spotted Tianzhao immediately, his sword cutting through three demons at once. But more kept coming, pouring through a tear in the protective formations around the sect.
Someone had deliberately broken the barriers.
This was a trap.
"Yuexi!" Elder Bai appeared beside me, his face grim. "I knew you'd follow him like a moth to a flame. Fine. Make yourself useful. The demons are poisoning every cultivator they touch. Start healing the wounded. I'll close the formation breach."
He vanished, moving faster than my eyes could track.
I ran toward the nearest wounded disciple—a girl maybe sixteen, her arm blackened from demon poison. I pressed my hands against the wound and channeled golden energy, using the healing techniques Elder Bai had drilled into me.
The poison fought back, but I was stronger now. I pulled it out, dissolved it, healed the torn flesh.
The girl's eyes fluttered open. "Thank you," she gasped.
"Stay down. Don't fight anymore." I moved to the next wounded cultivator.
For the next ten minutes, I worked frantically, healing everyone I could reach. My cultivation base drained rapidly, but I couldn't stop. People were dying.
Then I felt it—a surge of dark energy from the forest beyond the training grounds.
Something big was coming.
"DEMON LORD!" someone screamed.
A creature twice the size of the Demon King from the tournament stepped through the trees. Its power made the air itself feel heavy and wrong.
And it was looking directly at me.
"DIVINE CULTIVATION," it rumbled, its voice shaking the ground. "I SMELL IT. THE GIRL WHO BROKE THE SEAL. GIVE HER TO ME AND THE REST MAY LIVE."
Everyone turned to stare at me.
Sect Master Shen's eyes widened with realization and fury. "You. You're the Lin girl. You brought this attack on us!"
"I didn't—" I started.
"LIES!" He pointed at me with shaking hand. "Demons are drawn to Divine cultivation! You're a beacon of destruction! Tianzhao, seize her immediately! We'll hand her over to save the sect!"
"No." Tianzhao's voice cut through the panic. He moved to stand between me and his uncle, his sword raised. "We don't sacrifice innocents to demons. That's not what we do."
"She's not innocent—she's a threat!" Sect Master Shen's face was purple with rage. "I order you to—"
The Demon Lord attacked.
Its claw came down like a falling mountain, aimed directly at me.
Tianzhao's sword flashed up to block, but the impact drove him to his knees. He couldn't hold it. The demon was too strong.
I could run. Teleport away using Elder Bai's techniques. Save myself and let them all deal with the consequences.
Or I could fight.
What kind of cultivator do you want to be? Elder Bai's words echoed in my mind.
I made my choice.
Golden light exploded from my body as I released every bit of power I'd been carefully hiding. My cultivation surged to Foundation Establishment peak—not my full strength yet, but enough to matter.
I stepped forward, placing my hands on Tianzhao's shoulders and channeling energy into him. Our cultivation bases merged, just like they had during the healing. But this time, we were fighting together.
Combined, our power doubled.
Tianzhao's eyes met mine, shocked and grateful and something else I couldn't name.
"Together?" he asked.
"Together," I confirmed.
We moved as one. His sword technique combined with my raw power created a blade of golden light that cut through the Demon Lord's arm.
The creature roared in pain and rage.
"IMPOSSIBLE! TWO HUMANS WITH MERGED CULTIVATION!"
"Get used to disappointment," I said, and blasted it with another wave of energy.
The battle lasted five brutal minutes. Tianzhao and I moved in perfect sync, like we'd been fighting together for years instead of for the first time. Every time he attacked, I reinforced him with power. Every time I was exposed, he defended me.
Finally, working together, we drove our combined energy straight through the Demon Lord's chest.
It exploded into black smoke with a final scream.
Silence fell over the training grounds.
Everyone stared at us—at me and Tianzhao, still touching, our cultivation bases still merged, golden light surrounding us both.
Sect Master Shen's face was a mask of fury and fear.
Qingwan stood at the edge of the crowd, her expression murderous.
And Elder Bai watched from a rooftop, his ancient face showing something that might have been approval.
"Well," he called down, "that was interesting. Tianzhao, when did you learn dual cultivation combat? I don't remember teaching you that."
"I didn't learn it," Tianzhao said, his voice rough. He was still looking at me. "It just... happened. Our energies fit together like—"
"Like you were meant to fight as one," Elder Bai finished. "How fascinating. That only happens when cultivation bases are perfectly compatible. Usually requires marriage bonds or sworn brotherhood. But you two just... did it naturally."
The implications hung in the air.
Perfectly compatible cultivation bases. The kind that made the strongest cultivation partners in history.
The kind that made political marriages to other people incredibly stupid.
"This changes nothing," Sect Master Shen said loudly. "The girl is still dangerous. She admitted demons hunt her Divine cultivation. Tianzhao's engagement to Miss Lin Qingwan stands. This display was impressive but meaningless."
"Meaningless?" Tianzhao's voice was dangerous. "Uncle, I just saved the sect with her help. Our combined power killed a Demon Lord. And you want to call that meaningless?"
"I want to call it temporary necessity." Sect Master Shen's eyes were cold. "Thank Lady Yue for her assistance. Then send her back to her teacher. You have a wedding to prepare for."
Tianzhao's hand tightened on his sword. For a moment, I thought he might actually challenge his uncle in front of everyone.
Then Qingwan appeared, grabbing his arm. "Darling, are you hurt? That was so frightening! Thank goodness Lady Yue was here to help you. We should send her a gift for her bravery." She smiled at me, vicious and fake. "Perhaps some jewelry? Or would you prefer gold? Name your price for saving my future husband."
She was reducing what we'd done to a transaction. Making me a hired helper instead of an equal partner.
"I don't want payment," I said quietly. "I just wanted to help."
"How noble." Qingwan's nails dug into Tianzhao's arm. "Well, you've helped. Thank you. Now if you'll excuse us, Tianzhao and I have wedding preparations to finalize. The seamstress is waiting for final measurements on my dress."
She pulled him away before he could protest.
He looked back once, his dark eyes full of something that looked like regret and longing and frustration.
Then Qingwan said something to him, and he turned away.
I watched them go, feeling like someone had carved out my chest with a dull knife.
"You fought well," Elder Bai said, appearing beside me. "And you made the right choice—standing your ground instead of running. But Yuexi? That boy is going to break your heart if you let him."
"I know," I whispered.
"The question is: will you break his first?"
I didn't have an answer.
But as I watched Tianzhao disappear into the sect buildings with Qingwan on his arm, I made a new vow:
I won't be the girl who waits and hopes. I won't be the secret he's ashamed of. And I definitely won't be there when he regrets choosing duty over his heart.
Let him marry her. Let him live with that choice.
I'll be too busy becoming unstoppable to care.
But deep down, in the part of myself I couldn't lie to, I knew the truth:
I already cared far too much.
And that was the most dangerous thing of all.