Chapter 4

Chapter 4: You’re Really Asking for It!

“Oh no,” the Sect Master barked. “Hurry—follow him! Don’t let Junior Brother Gu act on impulse!”

Elders rushed out in a wave, chasing after Gu Qing Yuan. The room emptied fast, leaving only Bai Yang and the other two behind, staring at Ye Chu Xue’s withered face in a daze.

“Eldest Senior Brother…” Lu Nan Feng’s hands trembled as he hovered beside the bed. “What do we do? Is Junior Sister Ye going to be okay?”

He wanted to lift her, to help, but he was terrified of hurting her more.

Bai Yang stepped forward, eyes turning red at the corners. Killing intent flooded his chest until it was hard to breathe.

“Song Wan Ning did it on purpose.”

His voice was hoarse, each word like it had been scraped out of his throat.

“I’ll go find her and make her save Junior Sister Ye. You stay here with Third Junior Brother. Watch over her until I come back.”

He looked down at Ye Chu Xue, pain tightening his gaze, then turned and rushed out, sword light flashing as he sped away.

He had to find Song Wan Ning.

Junior Sister Ye could not die.

Absolutely not.

—

“Song Wan Ning, stop right there!”

A sword light split the clouds, slashing straight toward Song Wan Ning.

She lifted her gaze, cold light flickering in her eyes. With a single wave of her hand, a giant palm of spiritual energy surged forward and collided with the sword shadow.

“Boom!”

The explosion shook the sky. Clouds scattered. Formation arrays in the distance flashed violently, as if the heavens themselves were about to tear open.

A figure tore through space and stepped out, dropping from the air with murderous fury.

As the blast’s flames dispersed, Song Wan Ning and Gu Qing Yuan stood facing each other. Wind whipped their robes. Cold light burned in their eyes.

They had loved, understood, and accompanied each other for more than a hundred years.

Now it had come to this.

“Song Wan Ning,” Gu Qing Yuan said, voice like a blade, “hand over the antidote.”

He held out his hand, gaze cutting into her again and again.

Song Wan Ning brushed back a strand of hair and smiled, wicked and bright. “What antidote?”

“Don’t play dumb.” Gu Qing Yuan’s voice dropped. Spiritual energy trembled around him, pressure coiling and ready to strike.

He had never wanted to kill someone this badly.

“Heh.” Song Wan Ning’s laughter carried no warmth. “Gu Qing Yuan, you’re hilarious. You come charging over and demand an antidote, but you can’t even say what you’re talking about.”

Her arms folded, eyes gleaming with mockery. “What—is your precious disciple’s dantian damaged, and now she’s poisoned too?”

The schadenfreude on her face was sharp enough to draw blood.

“You did it on purpose!” Gu Qing Yuan’s hands shook, rage barely contained.

“If you weren’t my Junior Sister,” he hissed, “I’d kill you right now!”

[Chu Xue should never have been dragged into this. She was innocent.]

Song Wan Ning burst into laughter, bending slightly at the waist as if the absurdity was too much to hold.

“Gu Qing Yuan,” she said, eyes narrowing, “are you sure you can still beat me now?”

Since taking in Ye Chu Xue, he had poured his heart into her. He had risked his life for her more than once, damaging his cultivation. His strength—was it really above hers anymore?

“Junior Sister Song!”

The Sect Master and the elders arrived in a rush, faces tightening as they took in the flying sand, the broken air, the lingering shockwave.

They hurried to step between them, trying to calm the situation.

The explosion had drawn countless disciples. They gathered at a distance, whispering excitedly.

“Hiss, Grandmaster Song is jealous again.”

“This time it looks serious.”

“A few days ago Junior Sister Ye was badly hurt, and the sect was in chaos. Grandmaster Gu stayed by her side all day—how could Grandmaster Song stand it?”

“Grandmaster Song’s mind is way too small. Junior Sister Ye is Grandmaster Gu’s disciple, and she’s still jealous.”

“With this commotion… don’t tell me Grandmaster Song is going to turn on him?”

“Hah. No way. Doesn’t Grandmaster Song always just make a scene, then calm down as soon as Grandmaster Gu coaxes her?”

“She’s so obedient.”

“How about we bet? How many lines will Grandmaster Gu need to say to soothe Grandmaster Song this time?”

“I bet two!”

“I bet three!”

The whispers spread, smug and certain.

From the Sect Master and the elders to the outer disciples watching from afar—everyone knew how devoted Song Wan Ning had been to Gu Qing Yuan. In the past, Gu Qing Yuan always had the final word, and Song Wan Ning always yielded.

This time would be the same.

They waited to see when she would cave.

“Junior Sister Song,” the Sect Master said sternly, voice edged with command, “you’re being foolish. Hand over the antidote first and save Chu Xue!”

His eyes hardened. “If Ye Chu Xue dies this time, you’ll be branded as someone who harmed a fellow disciple. That won’t look good to outsiders.”

“Yes, Senior Sister Song,” an elder chimed in quickly. “Senior Brother Gu only has a master-disciple bond with Chu Xue. Don’t overthink it.”

“If you take out the antidote now, no one will blame you, but if you harm Ye Chu Xue…”

Accusations piled up—every word painting Song Wan Ning as childish, petty, treating a life like a plaything.

“Even jealousy has limits,” the Sect Master said, displeasure plain.

Song Wan Ning stayed silent until they were done.

Her heart cooled, inch by inch, until it was ice.

This was her sect.

These were her Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers.

For the sake of one woman, they had all come to condemn her.

How ridiculous.

When the last voice fell quiet, Song Wan Ning tilted her head and smiled—sweet, innocent, and utterly poisonous.

“Are you done talking?” she asked.

Her voice lifted at the end, almost playful. “All of you rushed over to blame me, but I don’t even know what happened. How unfair…”

She drew out the last word, eyes glittering. “I already took the Heaven-Origin Heart-Nourishing Pill. Why are you still pestering me?”

Provocation gleamed openly in her gaze.

No one had proof of anything. Song Wan Ning hadn’t been the one who forced Ye Chu Xue to swallow that pill. If something went wrong, what did it have to do with her?

“Even if Ye Chu Xue dies right now,” she said softly, smile widening, “it has nothing to do with me.”

“Master!”

A sword light streaked in—Bai Yang, arriving in a rush, eyes blazing with hatred.

“You’re not human! Did you switch the pill on purpose?” he shouted. “You knew Junior Sister Ye needed that pill to live. How could you do this?”

His righteous fury slammed straight at Song Wan Ning like a spear.

Song Wan Ning’s lips curved.

This was only the beginning.

And he couldn’t even endure this much?

“Bai Yang.” Her voice turned sharp, her smile vanishing. “Do you remember your place? You’ve shown no respect for your elders and spoken up to your superior. Tell me—between us, which one isn’t ‘human’ here?”

She stepped forward, gaze cold as winter.

“Besides, I told you long ago that I already used the pill. You refused to believe me. Now something happens, and you want to pin it on me.”

Her eyes narrowed, steel in her tone. “Do you think Song Wan Ning is easy to bully?”

The pressure of the Nascent Soul Stage poured out of her without restraint and crashed down on Bai Yang like a mountain.

The Bai Yang who had been shouting a moment ago slammed to his knees with a heavy thud. Bones crackled under the force. His face blanched, and he couldn’t even lift his head.

“A worthless piece of trash like you dares to shout in front of me?” Song Wan Ning said, voice calm and cruel. “I’ve really been too nice to you!”