Chapter 109: Overdrawing Life
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“What are you doing, Fourth Brother!”
Su Ming rushed forward, shoving Cui Jue aside and shielding Ye Cong Xin behind him.
Ye Cong Xin felt a stinging sensation on the back of her hand. Her first reaction wasn’t anger but fear. She keenly sensed that something uncontrollable was happening again.
Lan Zi Yu also looked at Cui Jue with evident disapproval. Cui Jue hadn’t returned all night, worrying their little junior sister sick. At daybreak, she had insisted on leaving the sect to search for him. And yet, not only was he ungrateful, but he also had the audacity to strike her.
“Apologize!”
The pitiful and fragile junior sister.
The impulsive and irritable Third Brother.
And the Second Brother, forcing him to apologize.
Cui Jue gazed at the trio, united in their indignation, his expression dazed. Once, he had been one of them. And yet, standing in opposition to them now, he saw the one he thought he had been protecting—Yu Zhao.
It was as if thunder had split the fog clouding his mind.
Suddenly, Cui Jue understood. It had always been his own delusion. Yu Zhao had never received special treatment at Lone Moon Peak. On the contrary, her life had been full of grievances due to their misunderstanding and inaction.
“You know Little Six is soft-hearted and never shares her troubles with others. How long will you keep lying to yourself?”
The words of the Eldest Brother rang like a sharp slap across his face. Cui Jue managed a bitter smile.
Xiao Zhao, I was wrong.
“I’m sorry.”
Cui Jue raised his head, his voice steady and devoid of emotion.
Unable to hold back her tears any longer, Ye Cong Xin ran off, sobbing. Su Ming shot Cui Jue a fierce glare and quickly chased after her.
Lan Zi Yu’s face turned cold, his eyes brimming with frost. “Cui Jue, you’ve gone too far.”
Cui Jue turned to look at him. “Second Brother, I already apologized to Little Junior Sister as you requested. What more do you want? To have me imprisoned in the Black Prison when we return to the sect? Or perhaps wait until Fifth Brother finishes his seclusion and let him beat me to vent her anger?”
Lan Zi Yu’s brows furrowed more deeply.
At first, he didn’t understand Cui Jue’s words. But upon hearing “Black Prison,” he realized Cui Jue was speaking up for Yu Zhao.
He felt perplexed. “Did Eldest Brother talk to you about this again?”
It wasn’t his order to send Yu Zhao to the Black Prison, and besides, how long had it been since that incident? Was there any point in bringing it up again?
“Fourth Brother, Eldest Brother has become obsessed with Yu Zhao’s situation. You shouldn’t add to the chaos.”
Lan Zi Yu had once felt guilty toward Yu Zhao. However, the constant reminders from Fang Cheng Lang and now Cui Jue stirred a rebellious defiance in him.
Had anyone truly wronged Yu Zhao after she came to Lone Moon Peak? Even he had personally crafted a Purple Cloud Bamboo Flute for her. Was Yu Zhao so delicate that she couldn’t endure the slightest grievance?
Compared to her, Little Junior Sister had grown up surrounded by medicine and suffering, yet she remained cheerful and optimistic. What right did Yu Zhao have to complain and act aggrieved?
In his view, Yu Zhao was overly sensitive, fussing over trivial matters and dragging everyone else into her drama.
Seeing the growing impatience on Lan Zi Yu’s face, Cui Jue opened his mouth to speak but ultimately let out a long sigh instead.
There’s no such thing as true empathy.
Words were futile.
One day, Second Brother would understand what he meant.
“Second Brother, go back. I’ll stay here.”
Cui Jue turned toward the direction of the Marsh Forest. It was time for him to atone for his sins.
“You’re all insane!” Lan Zi Yu exclaimed, storming off.
Lan Zi Yu looked at Cui Jue as if staring at an unreasonable madman.
“Fine! If you want to stay here, then stay here! I’m done with you!”
Seething with rage, he stormed back to the inn where they were staying. Grabbing the teapot, he gulped down a mouthful of cold tea, but it did little to quench the fire in his heart.
Bang!
His hand slammed onto the table, causing the cups and saucers to clatter noisily. Su Ming, who had been comforting Ye Cong Xin in the neighboring room, heard the commotion and rushed over.
Seeing Lan Zi Yu sitting alone at the table, fuming, Su Ming asked in surprise, “Fourth Brother didn’t come back with you?”
“Hmph, he’s copying our Eldest Senior Brother, staying behind in the Marsh Forest to atone for Yu Zhao’s sins.”
Su Ming frowned deeply. Wasn’t Cui Jue the one who had confidently declared that Eldest Senior Brother had been bewitched by a heart demon? Then what was he doing now? Was he also ensnared by one?
While Su Ming and Lan Zi Yu puzzled over Cui Jue’s sudden change, despair engulfed Ye Cong Xin in the other room.
“System, say that again. How many favorability points does Cui Jue have left?”
Ding! Cui Jue’s current favorability: 5 points.
“What? Five? Five!”
Ye Cong Xin collapsed onto the bed, laughing hysterically. Her eyes brimmed with hatred, almost tangible.
Cui Jue! I trusted you wholeheartedly, and yet you betrayed me at such a critical moment!
Her laughter soon gave way to a crushing pressure in her chest, as though someone had smothered her mouth and nose. Her breathing grew labored, and her vision blurred.
Her chronic ailment was acting up again!
In a panic, she fumbled for a medicine bottle from her storage space. But her trembling hands caused the bottle to slip, rolling to the doorway.
“Medicine… medicine…”
She struggled to reach for the bottle, but her outstretched arm fell weakly. Her vision twisted and darkened as the shadows consumed her.
Am I going to die?
I’m so unwilling…
Ding! Host is in a near-death state. Overdrawing 5 life points to exchange for 5 stamina points.
Ding! Stamina points successfully exchanged. Host, please proceed with self-rescue promptly.
A surge of warmth coursed through her body, rekindling her vitality.
Ye Cong Xin opened her eyes, crawling desperately toward the door. She grabbed the bottle and shoved a handful of pills into her mouth. As she chewed and swallowed them, her eyes still reflected her lingering fear of death.
Skirting death’s edge once again, Ye Cong Xin’s mindset underwent another shift.
She had once believed that winning a man’s favor was a simple task, a goal best achieved subtly and naturally. But Cui Jue’s abrupt betrayal brought an unprecedented sense of urgency.
She now understood clearly: unless favorability reached 90 points, all her previous efforts could easily crumble to dust.
She could no longer be hesitant. Her pool of target individuals had to expand. While others might yield less luck value, every bit added up.
Moreover, her cultivation had stagnated for far too long. With less than two years remaining before the next grand competition in the cultivation world, she couldn’t afford to wait idly.
“System, what’s my current affinity score?”
Ding! Host’s current affinity score: 60 points.
“What would it take to raise it to 90 points?” she asked calmly, though her clenched fists betrayed her tension.
Ding! The system can loan the Host 30 affinity points in advance, to be repaid later with three times the amount in luck value.
“Agreed.”
Ding! Transaction complete. Host’s current affinity score: 90 points.