Bai Yuhan coldly exposed her. “So you’ve been stalling for time all along.”
“Hahahahaha… you guessed right.”
As soon as the words fell, a pink mist suddenly enveloped the four of them. Peony’s figure gradually faded as an illusion appeared, forcing them to repeatedly witness Fang Linchun’s brief and tragic life again and again.
“You keep talking about slaying demons and upholding justice for mankind, yet you don’t even realize that you’re already trapped in the illusion I set! How useless can you be?” That cold voice echoed again, fading along with the illusion as the pain it brought became more vivid. “Feel it well—feel the suffering Linchun endured!”
The voice disappeared, darkness engulfed their sight, and when they opened their eyes again, they had become Fang Linchun—walking her life’s path over and over, reliving her agony, her helplessness.
Boom!
A flash of golden light exploded, shattering the illusion.
“How is that possible!?”
Bai Yuhan retracted the golden serpent. Its coiled body wrapped around her fingertips, and its crimson slit pupils fixed on the faint shadow hidden in the mist, tongue flicking with a hiss.
“Peony, assist me.”
“Alright!”
Swish, swish, swish—
Countless peach blossom petals turned into razor-sharp blades, slicing through the thinning fog with a shriek.
“Everyone, be careful!”
“Got it!”
“Understood!”
Amid the mist, flashes of blades and swords collided—only silhouettes darting back and forth could be seen.
“Why won’t you let us go!?” Peony shouted sharply. “Aren’t you supposed to destroy evil and protect the innocent? Why not slay those true vermin instead of targeting us?”
“We are not targeting you,” Bai Yuhan’s tone was frigid and emotionless. “We capture demons who endanger the mortal realm. As for wicked humans, judgment belongs to the human court.”
Peony let out a bitter laugh, her eyes filled with mockery. “So this is your so-called path of righteousness?”
“They say divine maidens love all beings, yet you can’t even tell right from wrong! Blind eyes, blinded hearts! Why should we revere and worship such gods?”
Bai Yuhan spun, dodging a blade of petals, forming hand seals as she spoke coolly. “That’s nothing more than your delusion.”
The floral mist dispersed.
“Whether god or human, all beings have their own duties. The ones who killed Fang Linchun could’ve been judged by the court or appealed to the higher authorities—there are always ways. Our duty is to capture demons who violate the laws of the three realms and ensure they are properly punished.”
“Hahahaha, how naïve you are,” Peony sneered. “Do you even know what the world is like now? Officials protect each other—officials protect merchants, merchants protect kin. The rich oppress the poor, merchants deceive the people, and officials exploit merchants! One layer crushing another. We, as insignificant as ants, how can we resist? When they stamp a foot, the heavens collapse on us! Tell me—how do we seek justice!?”
“I can help you.”
Li Tiankuo raised his sword to block the blades of petals flying at them, then smoothly sheathed it in one motion.
The golden serpent around Bai Yuhan’s wrist transformed into a great shield, stopping every petal-blade.
“Hmph! And why should I trust you?” Peony glared at him coldly. “Just another lie to deceive me.”
“This is my token. If you wish, you may borrow it.” Li Tiankuo took out a small gold-inlaid jade token engraved with the word “Virtue” (賢).
“This is the Virtuous Prince’s token. Take it to the magistrate’s office, and they will help you.”
Peony’s raised hand froze; the petals halted midair. A flicker of doubt crossed her face. “Is this real? How do I know you’re not lying?”
“If you don’t believe me, take it and see for yourself.” He tossed the token to her.
“…”
Peony’s expression wavered slightly as she glanced at the token. A figure surfaced in her mind, and the hint of softness in her eyes hardened again.
“Thank you for your kindness. But since things have gone this far, I must make them feel the same pain she did!”
With a flick of her wrist, fallen petals rose again, transforming into blades that screamed through the air toward their faces.
“Mingcan, Xiaoying—go to the He family and the Yuan family!” Bai Yuhan ordered, glancing at Li Tiankuo without caring whether he’d obey. “Li Tiankuo, you go too. If anything happens, send a signal. I’ll handle things here quickly.”
The three responded in unison, “Understood.”
Cen Ying called out, “Be careful!”
“Mm.”
“Trying to leave?” The red mark on Peony’s forehead deepened. Thousands of petals surged toward them like a storm. “Ask them first if they’ll let you!”
Bai Yuhan transformed the golden serpent into a circular barrier, shielding them from all sides to open a safe path.
“Hurry!”
“Why must you oppose me!”
Once only Bai Yuhan remained within the barrier, she gathered thirty percent of her strength and rebounded the petal blades back.
The blades screamed through the air, piercing the mountain walls and snapping tree trunks.
Bang!
Peony was only a mortal with no magic of her own, empowered merely by three fragments of the peach blossom demon’s soul—enough to wield dead things as weapons, but not to protect herself.
So when thousands of blades rushed at her face, she faced death calmly—her only regret being that she couldn’t see her enemies die and taste the satisfaction of revenge.
Yet, when the blades reached her, she instinctively closed her eyes. The pain never came. She opened them to see a golden shield encasing her, deflecting every blade before lightly dropping to the ground.
“…”
Her chest heaved violently. Peony stared at her in disbelief. “What do you mean by this? You’re not killing me?”
“I told you, mortal affairs should be handled by mortals.” Bai Yuhan withdrew the golden serpent, her tone calm.
“…” Peony’s lips twisted faintly. “Even if you don’t kill me now, it’s useless. Chuntao has already gone—she must have succeeded by now.”
“Oh?” Bai Yuhan’s expression remained faint, unmoved by the words.
Peony grew irritated. “Aren’t you even worried? The ones you’re trying to protect will soon die!”
Bai Yuhan played with the serpent, unconcerned. “Though I don’t know who your true target is, my companions have already placed protective barriers around their homes.”
A confident smile curved her lips. “Few in this world can break my enchantments.”
Peony froze for a moment, then scoffed. “So what? Chuntao’s power is vast—how could immature children like you resist her?”
“Is that so?” Bai Yuhan replied indifferently. “The peach blossom demon left thirty percent of her power with you to fight us. With what remains, do you really think she can? If you don’t believe me, let me show you.”
She waved her hand, and an image appeared on the cliffside.
Peony watched closely, afraid to miss even a second.
In the image, a beautiful woman with pink cheeks like blossoms and a peach mark between her brows hovered above the He family’s west courtyard.
She turned into swirling petals and tried to rush into the chamber, but was violently repelled. A faint golden light shimmered—the barrier trapped her within its bounds. No matter how she struggled, she couldn’t break through.
Frustrated, she flew to the Yuan residence—only to find the same kind of barrier there too.
“…” Peony stared at Chuntao’s repeated failures, panic rising in her chest, mixed with anger and bitter sorrow.
“I beg you, please…”
She knelt on the ground, breaking her pride, tears and snot streaming down her face as she pleaded.
“Please spare her. It was all my doing—my hatred, my desire for revenge… It has nothing to do with Chuntao. Please, let her go.”
Bai Yuhan helped her up gently. “I never said I’d take her life. But she has violated the laws binding the three realms. How she’ll be judged is not up to me.”
“…” Peony collapsed to the ground in despair, her gaze hollow. “It’s my fault… I destroyed her…”
Bai Yuhan crouched beside her, supporting her as the golden serpent slithered idly across her arm. “How did you two meet? Why did she help you kill them?”
“The day Linchun was buried, I accidentally collided with her coffin. My mother and the matchmaker locked me away. It was Qingyan who freed me. She told me that because I’d touched the coffin, Linchun’s burial was delayed and her body left abandoned in the outskirts. I hired people to cremate her and found her a proper resting place…” Peony looked at Fang Linchun’s gravestone. “This was where she once buried her finest wine. I thought she’d like this place best—so I buried her here.”
“That peach blossom demon, Chuntao—she had been nurtured by Linchun.”
“She said, ‘Don’t you humans often say a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring? Since my benefactor is gone, I’ll guard her grave so she can rest in peace.’”
“When I heard that, an idea took root. I told her about Linchun’s suffering, and she was furious. She promised to help me. Chuntao’s illusions would make those people suffer the same torment Linchun did before her death—terrorized day and night until they took their own lives. Those wretches deserved to die!” Peony’s voice trembled with fury. “They beat and scolded Linchun again and again, demanding the secret recipe for her wine. When she refused, they tortured her…”
“When I dressed her body for cremation, I saw the horrifying wounds on her skin. I hated them… and I hated myself—for not paying more attention, for not being there, for not realizing something was wrong before it was too late…”
“How did you find out?”
“Heh. Those men who swaggered around bullying others—they were terrified by a mere illusion. They confessed everything before I even began.”
‘Why did you kill her!’ I demanded.
‘Mercy, immortal lady! Mercy!’ they begged, kneeling and knocking their heads on the ground. ‘We didn’t mean to harm her! Blame her for falling in love with someone she shouldn’t have!’
‘What do you mean!?’ I shouted.
Chen Haiquan, trembling, kowtowed again. “Fang… Fang Wuyan fell in love with Tang Peiqian!”
Peony knew him—Furong Town’s most famous scholar. Talented, handsome, and well-respected.
But she also knew that Master He had long intended Tang Peiqian to marry his daughter, even publicly announcing the engagement.
Peony had never imagined this connection.
“The first time we had evil thoughts was that drunken night. We felt unsatisfied, and someone mentioned that the wine from Fang Wuyan in Cat Alley was the best in ten miles, so we went there…”
It was dawn. Every other stall was still closed, but hers was already set up.
“Hey! Bring us a few jars of your best wine!”
Since meeting Peony, Fang Wuyan had always worn the mask Peony made for her, which conveniently covered the scars on her face.
The other half of her face that showed was exquisite—deep eyes, straight nose, and lips like tinted petals.
“Alright.” She wasn’t talkative—her replies were brief and quiet.
“Your wine.”
Fang Linchun brought the wine over, back slightly bent, her head always lowered.
“Stop right there!”