The onlookers were struck with sudden alarm and bewilderment upon witnessing Qin Zhizhi abruptly clutch her chest and spit blood. Jun Wuya and Su Qingyi rushed forward simultaneously to support her failing body, the raw anxiety in their eyes completely genuine.
Jun Wuya, in particular, was thrown into utter panic. Seeing her agonizing expression, his words became completely disorganized: “Zhizhi, don’t be afraid, I am right here.”
The burning pain writhing through Qin Zhizhi’s veins made her feel as if she were on the absolute brink of death. Hearing Jun Wuya’s desperate rambling only made her chest feel tighter. Master Jun, please shut up. ‘Zhizhi, Zhizhi’, since when did we become this close? She rolled her eyes furiously in her mind.
Su Qingyi was much quicker to react. She fished out a life-saving golden core, popped it directly into Qin Zhizhi’s mouth, and barked out orders: “Senior Brother, take Miss Qin back to her room immediately! I will go find the Elder!”
Jun Wuya responded instantly, scooping Qin Zhizhi up in a horizontal carry. Su Qingyi grabbed Lu Yuandao, and the two dashed off toward Elder Nanfeng’s residence.
Once she swallowed the golden core, the burning sensation in Qin Zhizhi’s internal organs finally began to subside, though her chest still throbbed with a dull ache. The soothing scent of calming incense radiating from Jun Wuya’s robes helped her regain her focus quickly. Curling her body in pain, her brow furrowed in deep confusion.
How is this possible? Xie Yutai was supposed to be at the Shasheng Sect, a place that should have been perfectly safe. What kind of formidable threat could he have possibly encountered there? What on earth happened to him?
Jun Wuya sprinted all the way back to her room. The girl in his arms felt incredibly light and fragile, like a wisp of smoke that might scatter at the slightest breeze.
He laid her down on the bed with utmost care. Seeing her face covered in a cold sweat from the pain, and recalling her feigned, cheerful smile from yesterday, a complicated wave of emotion washed over him.
Whether driven by overwhelming guilt or some other inexplicable, rising sentiment, he leaned down slightly, gently took Qin Zhizhi’s hand, and said with absolute sincerity: “Zhizhi, don’t be afraid. I will definitely not fail you.”
Jun Wuya, listen to me, and thank you.
Qin Zhizhi nearly snorted aloud. She was currently dying of pain, her mind in absolute chaos worrying about Xie Yutai, and now she had to deal with Jun Wuya constantly over-interpreting the situation. The sheer annoyance of it boiled up into a sudden burst of anger: “Get out!”
Jun Wuya had never expected his heartfelt declaration to be met with such a cold shoulder. He froze instantly. “I,”
Qin Zhizhi said rudely, “Get out!”
Believing she must be lash out only because the pain was too severe, Jun Wuya realized his words had indeed been rather untimely. But seeing her in such agony, and feeling helpless to ease it, he had only spoken in hopes of giving her some peace of mind.
He did not dislike Qin Zhizhi, nor did she annoy him, not in the least, unlike his feelings toward Qin Zhijie. In fact, at this very moment, a strong urge to protect her was taking root in his heart. He didn’t quite understand how these feelings had blossomed so quickly; perhaps it was her stubborn endurance of the pain, or perhaps it was that bright, gentle smile she had given him yesterday.
His mind a tangled mess, Jun Wuya remained silent for a long moment after her outburst. He didn’t persist; he silently turned and retreated, standing guard just outside her door.
Once Jun Wuya disappeared from her sight, Qin Zhizhi let out a long sigh of relief, a deep exhaustion settling into her eyes. She drew out the Shadow Talisman and stared at it intently. After a brief, tense struggle in her mind, she gritted her teeth and crushed it.
Qin Zhizhi was genuinely terrified.
She wasn’t afraid of Xie Yutai actually dying; she was terrified of Xie Yutai dying and her inexplicably dying along with him due to their soul-bound connection.
A person simply shouldn’t die a completely clueless death.
The moment the Shadow Talisman shattered, a violent gale enveloped her body, tossing her up and down. She felt like a small skiff stranded in the depths of a vast ocean, bobbing helplessly amidst wild, crashing waves.
In the next breath, her feet touched solid ground.
Once the dizzying sensation of weightlessness faded, Qin Zhizhi slowly opened her eyes.
She appeared to be inside a massive, sealed hall used for storing sacred spiritual artifacts. The place was airtight, with only sparse rays of light filtering through the narrow slits of the window lattices. Thin specks of dust danced lazily in the air, emphasizing the dark, enclosed atmosphere. Artifacts of various shapes and sizes were piled on both sides of the hall, while a beautifully carved bronze mirror stood directly in the center.
Xie Yutai was kneeling right in front of that bronze mirror.
His head was slightly bowed, his pitch-black hair cascading over his shoulder—a stark, beautiful contrast against his snow-white robes.
The Hantian Sword was planted firmly into the floor, serving as his sole support. He knelt on one knee, his right hand gripping the hilt, looking like an eternal, unchanging statue.
The moment she laid eyes on him, that sharp, heart-gouging pain flared up in her chest once more. Qin Zhizhi forcefully swallowed the metallic taste of blood rising in her throat and called out softly: “Xie Yutai.”
She found it incredibly strange. Ever since she ran into Xie Yutai after her rebirth, she had felt a persistent sense of oddity.
Qin Zhizhi had seen Xie Yutai in all his states: she had seen his absolute focus when tempering his sword intent, his high-spirited vigor when sparring, and his unwavering decisiveness when slaying demons. It was no exaggeration to say that as long as Xie Yutai was present, he was everyone’s pillar of strength. It seemed there was nothing in this world he couldn’t accomplish, and his achievements never required praise—they were simply taken for granted.
Yet, after meeting him again in this life, that absolute sense of security had vanished.
Initially, she thought it was because she had changed identities and was viewing him from a different perspective. But looking at him now, it didn’t seem to be her own issue at all. She felt Xie Yutai had changed.
He had changed, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on how.
She had called his name, yet she received no response. Her heart sank. She rushed to his side, her voice laced with rising anxiety: “Xie, Immortal Lord Xie! What on earth is wrong with you?”
Xie Yutai remained in the exact same posture, entirely motionless.
Qin Zhizhi knelt in front of him, tilting her head up to inspect his face. Only then did she realize his complexion was deathly pale, and thin trickles of blood were slowly seeping from the corners of his mouth.
Panic seizing her, she grabbed his shoulders and gave him a shake, desperate for some kind of response. But her current physical strength was laughably weak; Xie Yutai didn’t budge an inch.
Remembering the life-saving golden cores in the storage bag Su Qingyi had given her, she hastily fished one out and tried to force it into his mouth. But his lips were tightly pressed together and his jaw was firmly locked. No matter what she tried, she couldn’t get the pill past his teeth. Qin Zhizhi gnashed her teeth in frustration. The white silk ribbon bound across his eyes seemed to mock her, making her feel increasingly frantic and irritable.
Is he unconscious? Is he dying? Or is he just playing dead? Because she couldn’t see his eyes, she had no way of knowing.
So what if you’re blind? Why do you have to act all mysterious and cover your eyes like this? How is anyone supposed to assess your condition or communicate with you? Doesn’t he know how incredibly eyesore that white ribbon is?!
The more Qin Zhizhi thought about it, the angrier she became. A chaotic cocktail of emotions—sourness, bitterness, and worry, welled up in her chest. Driven by a sudden burst of reckless anger, she reached out, intending to tear the white silk ribbon off his face.
Just as her fingers were about to touch the fabric, a powerful restriction suddenly flared to life. A cold, fierce wave of sword energy surged against her palm, sending her flying backward!
Qin Zhizhi: “…”
Is Xie Yutai insane?! It’s just a damn piece of cloth covering his eyes, is a deadly defense mechanism really necessary?!
The pain was so intense that tears nearly flew from her eyes. Nursing her throbbing, injured palm, a wave of grievance hit her. She lunged forward, grabbed Xie Yutai by his collar, and fueled by a volatile mix of anger, frustration, and sheer panic—she raised her hand and delivered a resounding slap right across his face.
Smack!
The slap was incredibly loud and sharp, leaving Qin Zhizhi’s own palm stinging and numb.
“Xie Yutai, do you want to die?!” Qin Zhizhi snarled, though her voice trembled imperceptibly. “I don’t give a damn if you want to die, but I still want to live! Wake the hell up!”
With that, she shoved the golden core back toward his lips. Perhaps shocked by the slap, Xie Yutai didn’t resist this time, allowing the pill to slide down his throat.
As expected, if a man doesn’t listen, you just have to hit him until he does.
Qin Zhizhi sneered inwardly, but as she sat slumped on the cold floor, she realized she was drenched in a cold sweat. Her entire body was shaking uncontrollably.
She was absolutely terrified that Xie Yutai might actually die.
Then again, she quickly rationalized, my own life is literally bound to his. Of course I’m worried!
After swallowing the golden core, Xie Yutai seemed to regain his breath, letting out a series of harsh coughs. His right hand tightened around the hilt of the Hantian Sword, his voice incredibly raspy: “Zhizhi?”
Zhi your grandmother.
Qin Zhizhi rolled her eyes and snapped back sarcastically, “I’m surprised Immortal Lord Xie actually remembers this lowly one, Qin Zhizhi. Do you know I almost died just now? Next time you decide to throw your life away, could you please think twice? Wudu City’s Qin Zhizhi is still waiting at the Heguang Sect for you to find a way to break this talisman so she can return home in one piece.”
She wanted to make sure he understood: she was this Zhizhi, not the other one. He had better keep his facts straight.
Still, the fact that he had nearly lost his life even while on the territory of his ally, the Shasheng Sect, proved she had vastly underestimated the danger levels surrounding the main lead.
Xie Yutai gripped his sword and slowly stood up. He inclined his head slightly, his voice returning to its usual flat, composed tone: “My apologies.”
Oh, so now your attitude is suddenly great. Qin Zhizhi arched an eyebrow, about to speak, when Xie Yutai suddenly moved. He grabbed her arm, lifting her effortlessly from the floor, and seamlessly pulled her behind a carved screen standing on the left side of the hall.
Confused by the sudden movement, Qin Zhizhi tried to poke her head out to see what was happening. Sensing her movement, Xie Yutai tapped her head with his finger, pushing her back down. Through the gaps, Qin Zhizhi could barely make out a shadowy figure flickering past the main entrance of the hall.
The space behind the screen was incredibly narrow and cramped. Qin Zhizhi was forced into extremely close proximity with Xie Yutai. Fortunately, she was short, her head only reaching his chest. Pressed against him, she held her breath, her wide eyes staring directly at his chest, completely bewildered.
After a long silence, she finally whispered in a tiny voice, “Who was that? Why are you hiding from them?”
Xie Yutai tilted his head slightly toward the outside. Once he was certain there was no further movement, he replied quietly, “Perhaps I was mistaken.”
Qin Zhizhi’s mind was filled with question marks. What do you mean ‘perhaps I was mistaken’?! You hid us back here over a mere ‘perhaps’?!
She fell silent for a moment before asking solemnly, “Immortal Lord Xie, did you do something here at the Shasheng Sect?”
Xie Yutai did not answer. Instead, he asked in a low voice, “Under what circumstances… would even the Huntian Mirror fail to locate a person’s three souls and six spirits?”
The Huntian Mirror? Qin Zhizhi recalled the beautifully carved bronze mirror in the center of the hall. So that was the legendary mirror of the Shasheng Sect. It was said that the mirror could peer through heaven and earth; whether it was a demon, a ghost, a soul, or a spirit, nothing could escape its reflection.
And even that mirror couldn’t find them?
Qin Zhizhi answered without a second thought, “It means their soul has been completely scattered and destroyed.”
The moment the words left her mouth, her heart gave a violent, sudden thud.
Her heart began to beat faster and faster, pounding so loudly against her ribs that she feared it might drown out her voice. She buried half her face into her collar, leaving only her round, bright eyes staring intently at his broad chest.
Qin Zhizhi swallowed hard, her voice trembling slightly as she asked, “…Who… whose soul were you trying to find?”
At that exact moment, an answer flashed in her mind. She didn’t even dare to breathe, utterly terrified, yet secretly anticipating, what his response might be.
Xie Yutai did not answer.
It was as if a silence curse had been cast upon him. He either couldn’t speak, wouldn’t speak, or didn’t dare to speak.
There was a time when Qin Zhizhi had absolutely despised this trait of his. His taciturn silence and his cold indifference had driven her to the absolute brink of madness.
That familiar, suffocating frustration welled up in her chest once more. Qin Zhizhi clenched her fists, forcing herself to look away as if nothing was wrong.
Perhaps sensing the bizarre shift in the atmosphere, Xie Yutai stiffened slightly before speaking in a flat tone, “While my consciousness was hazy just now, it felt as though someone struck me.”
“Are you joking, Immortal Lord Xie?” Qin Zhizhi gasped in mock surprise. “Who would be so bold as to slap your face?”
Xie Yutai: “…”