The sun was slanting toward the west, its pale golden light spilling gently over the mountain. The man carried an axe in one hand, a bundle of firewood slung over his tall frame, and a sword at his waist. He split the wood evenly with practiced strokes.
By the spring, the young woman sat on one of the wooden stumps he had chopped, wetting a cloth and carefully wiping her face.
Her delicate, pretty face was full of displeasure.
“Brother System, I was so dirty just now, and they didn’t tell me—fine, but how could you not say anything either?”
“That’s not within the scope of my mission.”
“Brother System, I misjudged you. I thought with a name like 666, you’d be cooler than those other emotionless systems. But I never expected—you’re just as heartless.”
“…”
Actually, 666 did have a bit of a temper. With the development of society and the advancement of the times, systems like them had evolved from the early mechanical models to artificial intelligence.
The main system had added emotions to their code. Otherwise, on the first day it bound with Shu Wanzhao, it wouldn’t have taken out its frustration on the newcomer after being humiliated in front of other systems.
It hesitated for a moment.
In the end, it couldn’t resist the code for comparison.
“I am still cooler than other systems. Those little third- and fourth-rate systems aren’t as smart as me. I’ll remind you next time.”
Shu Wanzhao had only been testing it, but she hadn’t expected the system to actually have a bit of emotion.
Having emotions was good—it meant flexibility. Maybe in the future, she could even get the system to help her cut corners.
She was scheming inwardly as she took the Demon-Revealing Mirror her master had given her from her storage pouch, confirmed her face was perfectly clean, and tucked it away.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the man had already cold-faced repaired her door. After receiving permission to enter, he even wiped the dust from the room clean.
Shu Wanzhao was satisfied and graciously let him off the hook, waving her hand at him. “Alright, you can go now.”
Xie Hansheng stood in place, not moving.
She looked up in confusion and instinctively touched her face. “Is there still something on it?”
The sky was gradually darkening, and his figure grew somewhat indistinct, like a massive silhouette standing before her.
His deep, angular face was shrouded in shadow, obscure and unreadable.
Could it be… he was going to settle scores after the fact?
Right—he was the dignified Second Senior Brother of the sect, and she had worked him like a beast of burden. It was only natural he’d harbor some resentment.
Was he angry already?
Compared to the original owner’s domineering ways, Shu Wanzhao wasn’t very good at bullying people. She had always been afraid of not playing the role well, and she held a certain fear of the male leads.
After all, in the original novel, she died a miserable death.
Any one of these men could kill her with ease.
Take right now, for example. He stood beside her, his frame powerful beneath the black robes, the outline of bulging muscles faintly visible.
If he harbored resentment and wanted to do something to her, she wouldn’t even have the strength to fight back.
Shu Wanzhao took a step back, feigning composure. “I just had you do some work. Not happy about it?”
His pupils shifted as she stepped back, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He spoke clumsily, “I won’t harbor any ill intentions toward you.”
With that, he walked past her, carrying his unique chill, and left with steady, measured steps.
The man’s black figure gradually receded into the distance. Shu Wanzhao stood there stunned, realizing belatedly—he had been explaining his earlier words.
He wouldn’t harbor ill intentions toward her.
If anyone else had said that, it would have sounded almost sarcastic, as if to say: Don’t get your hopes up. I have no interest in you.
But coming from Xie Hansheng’s mouth, it became an explanation brewed through a thousand thoughts in his heart.
This man was truly… blessed with an intimidating ice-cold face, but in reality… he seemed quite easy to push around.
Shu Wanzhao tapped her nose with her fingertip.
How could someone like him ever develop an Inner Demon?
That night, Mu Xiaoting snuck into her courtyard, having already tidied up her appearance. She held something in her hand. “Senior Sister Shu, this is a treasure I found down the mountain. They say it can briefly knock out a Golden Core stage cultivator, but the effect is very short. Are you really going to use it against Second Senior Brother?”
Mu Xiaoting couldn’t understand it no matter how she thought about it.
It was one thing for Shu Wanzhao to bully ordinary disciples on a regular basis.
But this was Xie Hansheng.
Although his family background was poor, the sect didn’t ask about origins—only strength.
He had already reached the early Golden Core stage at such a young age. Across the entire cultivation world, even among the great sects, there were few disciples with such talent.
Given time, Senior Brother Xie was sure to become someone great.
Why did Shu Wanzhao insist on picking a fight with him? Wasn’t she afraid Senior Brother Xie would take revenge in the future?
Mu Xiaoting didn’t actually care about Shu Wanzhao’s fate—she was only worried that if things went wrong, Senior Brother Xie might take his anger out on her too.
Just as she was about to back out, Shu Wanzhao returned the favor by giving her a bottle of demon-expelling pills. “These were just refined by Senior Brother. Cultivators must be most wary of Falling into Demonic Possession. If you ever stray down a crooked path and lose yourself to demonic influence, these might help you.”
Mu Xiaoting: “…” She suspected this little waste was taking the opportunity to insult her.
But looking at Shu Wanzhao’s perfectly serious expression, she wasn’t so sure anymore.
If this woman wanted to curse someone, she’d do it openly and directly. No need for beating around the bush.
Shu Wanzhao pulled her along, “Don’t be afraid. If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up. Get ready—tomorrow night, you’ll use this to tie up Xie Hansheng with those young ladies. Put a sack over his head so he can’t see your face. Leave the rest to me.”
Having convinced Mu Xiaoting, Shu Wanzhao began rummaging through boxes and cabinets again.
Following the System’s prompts, she found the legendary Immortal-Binding Rope, though she hesitated somewhat. “Brother System, I have a feeling that even if we put a sack over his head, he won’t get angry.”
【Don’t go by your feelings—I have experience. Tomorrow night, go at it boldly. Tie him up and humiliate him. Remember to disguise yourself well and don’t let him discover your identity. I’ll put some Demonic Qi on you at the time, so he’ll think you’re of the Demon Race and hate you even more.】
Shu Wanzhao tugged at the Immortal-Binding Rope, listening carefully to the System’s analysis. Everything was ready; all that was needed was the opportune moment.
That night, even in her dreams, she was capturing Xie Hansheng and ruthlessly humiliating him.
Then, Xie Hansheng fell into Demonic Possession and began to go mad.
She exposed his identity as one who had fallen into Demonic Possession, he was expelled from the Sect, and they waited for the female lead to come and redeem him.
As for her, she effortlessly won over the other male leads.
Before long, she returned home.
Knock, knock, knock—
Before Shu Wanzhao could even see her parents’ faces, she was awakened by a series of knocks at the door.
Opening her eyes, she saw the antique bed canopy. For a fleeting moment she was dazed, only then realizing it had been a dream—she hadn’t yet completed the storyline, nor had she returned home to reunite with her family.
Still half-asleep, Shu Wanzhao clutched her head and groggily threw on a robe before going to open the door.
Bright light flooded in. She squinted, feeling slightly uncomfortable, and looked up with displeasure at the uninvited guest before her.
“Second Senior Brother?”
The man she had been bullying relentlessly in her dreams now stood properly at the doorway, his dark hair tied up with a few loose strands resting against his brows, beneath which were ink-black eyes.
He glanced at her disheveled appearance, clearly startled, and quickly turned his face away.
“Junior Sister, dressing like this—where are your manners?”