After listening to her story, Bai Yuhan raised her hand and dismissed the illusion.
The little golden serpent lay obediently on her shoulder, its scarlet eyes fixed on the tear-streaked woman before her.
“Just one more step… one final step…” Peony murmured in despair. “If only Yuan Zheng had killed Gu Feng, then once he awoke, he would have gone completely mad and smashed his head to death in the He family’s west courtyard. No one would have suspected murder—they’d only think it was divine retribution for his lifetime of sins…”
She glared at Bai Yuhan with venomous hatred. “If it weren’t for you interfering and ruining everything, they’d already be in hell by now, never to be reborn!”
Bai Yuhan was unmoved by her fury. When she saw that she couldn’t pull Peony up, she formed a hand seal; Peony’s body rose helplessly into the air, and the golden serpent turned into a rope that tightly bound her wrists.
“Your story’s finished. Now we’ll go catch that peach blossom demon together.”
“You—!” Peony threw back her head and laughed maniacally. “Hahahahaha! And you call yourself a cultivator? You have no empathy at all! You’re nothing but a cold-blooded beast! You don’t deserve to become an immortal!”
“…” Bai Yuhan’s gaze flickered faintly, and she smiled lightly. “Say whatever you like. I lost my ability to feel anything over a hundred years ago. Trying to provoke me is useless.”
“…”
Peony looked at her as though she were a monster. Her lips trembled, but no words came. She turned away, silent.
The two journeyed without speaking.
When they arrived at Yuan Zheng’s home, Cen Ying and the others were already locked in battle with the peach blossom demon.
“Yuer! It killed Yuan Zheng!” Cen Ying shouted upon seeing Bai Yuhan.
High above the Yuan residence, the peach blossom demon hovered midair. From its back spread countless branches and vines—one thick vine had impaled a man through the chest. Yuan Zheng’s limp body hung there, lifeless.
Peony raised her head sharply, watching as Bai Yuhan transformed her golden serpent into a bow. Stepping lightly off the ground, she leapt onto the roof. At the same time, three golden arrows materialized, streaking through the night sky straight toward the demon.
“Chuntao! Watch out!”
Bai Yuhan glanced at the screaming Peony and flicked her fingers. The golden rope binding Peony’s wrists slithered up around her neck and covered her mouth.
“Mmmph! Mmmph!”
Peony’s eyes blazed in fury—if looks could kill, Bai Yuhan would have been riddled with holes.
Bai Yuhan ignored her glare. The peach blossom demon sprouted countless vines to block her arrows, snapping them midair.
Bai Yuhan vaulted across another rooftop, loosing more golden arrows. They streaked through the clouds, slicing through the writhing vines.
The vine that held Yuan Zheng broke. As his body fell, Bai Yuhan stretched out her hand. A golden cord shot from her wrist, catching him midair and lowering him safely to the ground.
“Xiaoying! Check on him!” Bai Yuhan called.
“Got it!” Cen Ying dodged the whipping vines and ran to Yuan Zheng’s side, pressing fingers to his pulse and inserting stabilizing needles.
Yuan Zheng’s eyes were wide open, pupils trembling. His cracked lips moved faintly.
Cen Ying leaned close to listen.
“S—sorry…”
She reached for his pulse again, but the last trace of life had already slipped away.
On the other side, Li Tiankuo fought in close combat. His silver sword flashed, severing vines one after another as he advanced toward Chuntao.
Cui Mingcan dodged an incoming branch while sketching a new demon-binding formation on the ground.
“Mingcan, are you done yet?” Cen Ying called, glancing up from Yuan Zheng’s body.
“Stop rushing me, Granny! I’m drawing as fast as I can! Almost done!” Cui Mingcan jumped aside just in time to avoid a sweeping vine, landing precisely at his next mark.
He drew the final stroke.
“Got it!” Cui Mingcan shouted to Bai Yuhan and Li Tiankuo. “Bring that demon over here! I’ll chant the spell!”
“On it!”
Bai Yuhan’s bow transformed into a vast golden net, spreading across the sky, trapping the peach blossom demon and blocking every escape route.
Li Tiankuo cut off its retreat from behind.
Cui Mingcan chanted under his breath. The formation he had drawn began to glow purple, the intricate sigils activating. As soon as the demon stepped inside, the magic’s suction pulled it toward the center, binding it fast.
“Chuntao…”
Peony’s eyes brimmed with tears as she watched her friend fall into the formation, swallowed by the purple light.
“You think you can trap me? Naïve fools!”
The peach blossom demon burst into its true form—a massive, ancient peach tree erupting from the center of the formation, towering into the clouds.
The purple glow shattered instantly.
“Hahahahaha! You little brats think you can imprison me? Go practice for another hundred years!”
Cui Mingcan gave an awkward laugh. “Okay, maybe that spell was straight out of the book. Never tested it before, haha…”
“Hmph. I’ll spare you this time!”
The tree shook violently, scattering countless petals into the air. The air grew thick with floral mist, sweet and dizzying.
“Cover your mouths and close your eyes! The pollen’s poisonous!” Cen Ying shouted, using an amplifying charm.
The group had no choice but to retreat, covering their faces with their sleeves.
After a long while, the scent dispersed. When they opened their eyes again, the formation was gone—leaving only a huge crater in the ground. Peony, too, had vanished.
Roosters crowed in the distance. Dawn’s light spread over the land.
Morning had come.
Bai Yuhan soothed the golden serpent and walked to Cen Ying’s side. She looked down at Yuan Zheng’s pale, stiffening face. “Can he still be saved?”
Cen Ying shook her head, sighing. “That demon didn’t use illusions—it struck directly at his heart. Even a celestial immortal couldn’t save him now.”
“Did the demon break my barrier?” Bai Yuhan asked, extending her hand toward where she had placed the protective ward.
“No,” Cen Ying replied. “When we arrived, Yuan Zheng was already raving, shouting, ‘I killed him, I killed him!’ Then the peach blossom demon suddenly appeared and impaled him through the chest. We didn’t even have time to react before he died in front of us…”
Bai Yuhan didn’t know how to comfort her. She simply wrapped an arm around Cen Ying’s shoulders in silent support.
Cui Mingcan let out a long sigh. “We rushed here as fast as we could, but still couldn’t save him…”
“Each has their fate. You’ve all done your best,” Bai Yuhan said quietly. Consoling words didn’t come easily to her. “You’ve been up all night. Go rest.”
“What about him?” Cen Ying asked, glancing at Yuan Zheng’s corpse.
“I’ll handle the aftermath with the Yuan family,” Bai Yuhan said firmly. “Mingcan, take Xiaoying back.”
Cui Mingcan nodded, and the two left.
Bai Yuhan turned to Li Tiankuo and handed him the golden token.
“This is yours.”
“Thank you.”
Bai Yuhan studied him for a moment—she hadn’t expected him to be a prince of the current dynasty.
“You’ll need to speak to the magistrate about this matter,” she said.
Li Tiankuo pressed the token between his fingers, his expression calm. “I understand.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
He glanced at her, puzzled. “No need for thanks. I was just completing a mission.”
He took a few steps toward the sunrise, his back to her.
“You’re a good teammate.”
“Hmm?” Bai Yuhan blinked, confused.
Li Tiankuo turned slightly, meeting her gaze. “I owe you an apology for what I said before. You’re a great teammate.”
“…”
“And an excellent rival.” He looked away first, gripping his sword as he walked off into the morning light.
Dawn broke fully. The darkness faded.
Bai Yuhan absently stroked the golden serpent, squinting against the brightness of the sun.
“Ah! Aaaaah! Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!”
“Master, calm down!”
The servant, Gu San, struggled to restrain the frenzied Gu Feng, nearly being thrown off as the man thrashed violently.
Other servants and maids stood frozen, holding ropes, unsure what to do.
“Tie him! Quickly!” Gu San shouted, wrestling with him.
After a long struggle, they finally managed to bind the raving man.
A maid brought clean water and a cloth, gently parting his tangled hair to wipe his face.
“Ah!”
The cloth fell from her hand. She screamed, horrified by what she saw.
The once famously handsome young master of the Gu family was now a ghastly sight—cheeks sunken, black miasma clouding his brow, lips purple-blue, face marred with scabs and dried blood. His eyes were hollow and wild, baring his teeth at anyone who dared approach.
The maid trembled violently, unable to go near him.
Gu San scolded her away, taking the cloth himself to clean his master’s face.
“Cousin! Cousin!”
A girl’s voice came rushing from the hallway—He Huilan.
She hurried into the room.
“Cousin!” The sight of Gu Feng made her gasp in shock.
“Gu San! What’s wrong with him? Did you call for a doctor?”
“Yes, Miss,” Gu San replied. “Several have come, but none could help. They all said…” He hesitated, then whispered, “They said the young master is cursed—possessed.”
“Nonsense!” Huilan, usually gentle, flared up in anger. “Who said that? Do they wish to lose their tongues!?”
“Please, Miss, don’t be angry. You’re to be married tomorrow. Go home and rest—there are enough of us here to look after the young master.”
“No! My cousin has always loved me most. How can I abandon him now?” Huilan snatched the cloth from Gu San’s hand and began wiping Gu Feng’s face herself.
“Cousin? Cousin, it’s Hui’er…” she whispered softly.
Gu Feng seemed to gain some awareness. His eyes fixed on her.
“Cousin?”
“…Hui’er?”
Tears of relief spilled down her cheeks. “Yes, it’s me—it’s me, cousin!”
He tried to lift his hand to wipe her tears, but couldn’t move—only then realizing he was bound. His voice turned sharp. “Gu San! Who told you to tie me!? Let me go!”
Seeing him lucid again, Gu San was overjoyed. “Yes, young master!” He hurried to undo the ropes.
“Hui’er, why are you here the night before your wedding?” Gu Feng asked.
“I heard you weren’t well. I came to see you.”
Gu Feng smiled faintly. “Hui’er cares for me—I’m happy. Tomorrow, I’ll watch you wed in all your splendor.”
“Mm!” Huilan smiled back.
But just as Gu San loosened the ropes and was about to explain, Gu Feng lunged suddenly, pinning him to the ground, his hands tightening around Gu San’s throat.
“M—Master…!”
“Ah!”
“Miss, run!”