Su Wanqing’s eyes grew redder and redder.
In the past, both men would have been heartbroken by now.
But this time, neither of them said a word.
Everything in the Illusion Realm had been far too real.
Shen Qingci hesitated as he looked at Su Wanqing.
In the Illusion Realm, he had nearly been killed by her.
The reason was absurd—Su Wanqing had said she needed to prove that the one she truly loved in her heart was Xiao Jingyuan.
He could understand Su Wanqing choosing another man, but why did she have to sacrifice his life just to prove that?
Absurd. Preposterous.
Shen Qingci didn’t understand.
But he felt that if such a situation truly arose, Su Wanqing really could bring herself to do it.
For the first time, he wondered if he had loved the wrong person.
Was the woman before him really the kind, gentle Su Wanqing he had known since childhood?
“I… I…” Su Wanqing opened her mouth, stammering “I” for a long while, then her vision went dark and she suddenly fainted.
Xiao Jingyuan, who had been sulking on the bed, forgot his anger and hurriedly rose to catch her.
Shen Qingci’s hand, which he had just extended, froze mid-air.
Mainly because Shen Qinghe had stopped him.
“Xiaohe, you…”
Shen Qinghe said, “I think she’s faking it.”
Lizhu chimed in, “I think so too.”
Shen Qingci was exasperated. “Xiaohe, what nonsense are you talking about? How could Qing’er be that kind of person?”
Lizhu flicked her fingertip, and a wisp of black energy swept past the Jade Thumb Ring on Shen Qinghe’s hand, striking Su Wanqing’s face.
Xiao Jingyuan happened to catch sight of that Jade Thumb Ring, and his gaze was instantly fixed on it.
Somewhere deep within, a voice told him that this Jade Thumb Ring was extremely important—he absolutely had to obtain it!
Suddenly, the person in his arms stirred, pulling him back from his thoughts.
Su Wanqing felt a sharp slap across her face. She immediately opened her eyes and sat up, covering her half-reddened cheek.
“Who hit me?”
Everyone’s gaze instantly converged on her.
Realizing the situation, Su Wanqing lowered her head, covering her face, and spoke in a wronged tone: “I really did faint just now, but someone slapped my face and woke me up.”
But just now, there had been no one beside Su Wanqing other than Xiao Jingyuan.
Su Wanqing naturally realized this too, but she had no other evidence, so she could only steel herself and explain: “Believe me, that’s really what happened.”
Xiao Jingyuan looked at the faint red mark on the woman’s cheek and said in a deep voice, “Qing’er’s face is red—someone must have attacked her.”
Elder Zhong frowned. “I didn’t sense anything just now.”
The implication was clear—he didn’t believe it.
The others wore the same expression. None of them believed it either.
Su Wanqing could only look to Shen Qingci for help.
Shen Qingci’s thin lips moved, and he was about to speak when Lizhu suddenly interjected: “You still haven’t answered the question from before. If one of those two had to die, who would you kill?”
Su Wanqing’s expression stiffened.
She hadn’t expected the topic to be forcibly dragged back.
The fainting trick could only be used once.
Su Wanqing closed her eyes and said in a resigned tone, “If someone must die, then I hope it’s me. I can die right now to show you.”
As she spoke, she summoned her own sword and pressed it toward her neck.
Both men panicked instantly, rushing to grab her and stop her from taking her own life.
The other elders couldn’t be bothered to watch this drama of two men fighting over one woman. The Grand Elder said, “Sect Master, I’ll go investigate how the Pool Demon managed to break into the Azure Profound Sect.”
“I’ll go too.”
“I still have matters to attend to.”
The elders filed out one by one.
Shen Qinghe found it equally dull. This woman’s schemes were clumsy and transparent, but her brother couldn’t see through them.
She swept her gaze over the scene, her voice light and airy.
“Brother, you two carry on. Qi An-ge and I are going to go Dual Cultivate.”
Shen Qingci’s outstretched hand froze mid-motion.
Su Wanqing, having exerted too much force, suddenly lost the strength to hold back, and a gash was carved across her own neck.
Shen Qingci couldn’t spare her a thought. He could only say, “I need to go stop my sister first. Qing’er, whatever wrong I’ve done you, I’ll make up for it later.”
With those words, he hurried away.
Su Wanqing bit her lip, watching his retreating figure.
Xiao Jingyuan looked at her, his voice tinged with gloom. “Qing’er, you’re in love with Shen Qingci, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not. The one I love is you.” Su Wanqing answered without hesitation.
But Xiao Jingyuan felt a lack of conviction.
In cultivation level, family background, and appearance, he was no match for Shen Qingci.
If he were Su Wanqing, he’d probably choose Shen Qingci too.
Yet from the very beginning, Su Wanqing had been nothing but good to him, persistently encouraging him, as if she believed he was destined for greatness.
But what did he have to deserve that?
Xiao Jingyuan lowered his gaze, suddenly recalling the glimpse of that Jade Thumb Ring.
He spoke in a hoarse voice.
“If you can get me that Jade Thumb Ring, then I’ll believe you.”
…
Shen Qinghe had no idea the male lead had already set his sights on her Jade Thumb Ring. She was currently agonizing over how to explain the term “Dual Cultivation” to Lizhu.
Who would’ve thought Lizhu didn’t even know what “Dual Cultivation” meant!
“I’ve heard those Cultivators mention it. Is it a Cultivation Method?”
Shen Qinghe stammered, “Something like that.”
“Then when will we Dual Cultivate? Where? Here?”
The White-haired youth’s pitch-black eyes held not a trace of desire—only a thirst for knowledge.
Shen Qinghe glanced at the spacious main road, where disciples occasionally passed by. This place was way too… that.
Seeing her look around without answering, Lizhu turned her head back, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Shen Qinghe, you haven’t answered me. Where and when will we Dual Cultivate?”
A sword came hurtling through the air, embedding itself in the ground less than three inches from them. Shen Qingci’s clear, gentle voice now carried a dark edge.
“Who allowed you two to Dual Cultivate? Don’t even think about it!”
The smile faded from Lizhu’s face as he cast a cold look at him.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Before leaving, Shen Qinghe had deliberately said those words just to draw her brother out.
Good—her brother still held her in some regard, not wasting more time with the original novel’s female lead.
Though it did give her a brief moment of social embarrassment.
Shen Qinghe gave a light snort. “Just mind the person you like. What Qi An-ge and I do is none of your business.”
Shen Qingci’s face darkened. “Dual Cultivation is something only Dao Companions do together. This is no room for your foolishness.”
Shen Qinghe: “That’s fine. Qi An-ge will be my Dao Companion sooner or later.”
Shen Qingci shot a cold glance at Lizhu. “Do you know he doesn’t have a shred of genuine feeling for you? He’s only using you.”
Shen Qinghe’s voice was indifferent: “That’s fine. I like him, and that’s enough. At least Qi An-ge is by my side—far better than you, who keeps chasing after someone and can’t even touch her hand.”
Shen Qingci’s face cycled through shades of pale and red. He felt like he was meeting his sister for the first time.
How could such venomous words come out of that little mouth? And yet, he couldn’t refute them.
Shen Qingci’s head throbbed. Once again, he felt the helplessness of a sister who had grown up and turned rebellious.
He glanced at Lizhu again, standing there frail and thin, letting the girl do all the talking while he stood there like a mute. Just looking at him was infuriating.
He wanted to separate the two, but his sister would draw her sword and threaten suicide at the slightest provocation, insisting on staying with this Qi An.
“As long as you don’t perform the Dual Cultivation rite, I’ll allow him to stay by your side.” Shen Qingci could only lower his demands to the bare minimum.
Shen Qinghe’s expression seemed reluctant: “Fine.”
Shen Qingci’s eye twitched. He wished his obedient, sensible sister would come back.
But it seemed his sister had turned love-struck, and there was no going back.
And she’d learned it from him.
So infuriating.
Yet there was nothing he could do.
But if he tried to give up Su Wanqing to guide his sister back… he couldn’t bear to part with her either…
“By the way, brother,” Shen Qinghe suddenly thought of something and turned serious. “The Pool Demon was the first thing I encountered. Luckily I was fortunate enough to escape back then. There might be other Demonic Creatures in the sect. Brother, you must investigate this quickly.”
Shen Qingci also straightened his expression. “Such a big matter—why didn’t you mention it sooner?”
Shen Qinghe pouted. “Isn’t it because brother only had eyes for Su Wanqing?”
Shen Qingci choked on his words, realizing that because of Su Wanqing, he’d missed many details.
Now that he thought about it, cold sweat broke out on his back.
“The Illusion Realm of the Pool Demon seemed to vanish suddenly. Did you notice anything unusual while inside?”
Shen Qinghe: “Nothing wrong. I don’t know either. Go investigate quickly.”
Shen Qingci nodded. “Alright. Sister, protect yourself. If necessary, take back the Xuantian Heart-Protecting Mirror.”
He swept a glance at the Xuantian Heart-Protecting Mirror hanging at Lizhu’s waist, his expression complicated.
The entire sect knew this was Shen Qinghe’s Heaven-grade Life-Bound Magic Treasure, and she’d just given it to an outsider.
But strangely, the aura of Pure Yin Essence on Xiaohe had disappeared.
Was it because she was so close to the Xuantian Heart-Protecting Mirror?
Didn’t that mean she couldn’t be apart from this white-haired man?
The more Shen Qingci thought about it, the darker his expression grew, while Shen Qinghe waved her hand carelessly. “Brother, take care. Be careful. I wish you progress faster than me, so you won’t have to watch me find happiness with such a sour face.”
Shen Qingci stumbled, nearly falling, and simply took off on his sword to leave—out of sight, out of mind.
He’d thought about using harsher means to drive away the white-haired man and reclaim the mirror.
But the mirror could only be given to another willingly.
Xiaohe must be utterly devoted to this white-haired man.
And he didn’t want to hurt Xiaohe. If the prophecy was true, he only hoped Xiaohe could be happy and healthy before turning nineteen.
Xiaohe was already… eighteen.
Shen Qinghe had no idea her brother was worrying over her. She was about to return to her room when Lizhu suddenly spoke: “When does the Dual Cultivation begin?”