He was afraid to see the hurt in Wan’er’s eyes.
That was harder to bear than any torture.
He even harbored a sliver of hope: perhaps it would be better if Wan’er never emerged from seclusion?
Let her remain in that moment when she believed in him and looked forward to the future, while he took this filth and secrets and rotted away completely.
Qin Shuying comforted him, “She’s on the verge of breaking through—a critical moment. It will still be some time before she emerges. Even if she does, I am your fellow cultivator from Cloud Hidden. If I keep you in the peak to assist, what can she say? Stay at ease. Don’t overthink it.”
Her words were watertight, blocking every possible excuse he might make.
Shen Mo knew this was just a delay tactic.
“No, I have to go back.”
“What’s the rush?” Qin Shuying leaned in.
Shen Mo instinctively stepped back.
But behind him was the wall—nowhere to retreat.
Qin Shuying reached out and gently smoothed his collar.
“Stay a few more days here,” she said, her voice low. “Leave once your injuries have healed.”
Shen Mo’s throat bobbed.
“I’m not injured.”
“You are.”
She looked at him, her gaze deep.
“Internal injuries.”
Shen Mo fell silent.
He knew it was useless to argue.
She wouldn’t let him go.
At least not now.
Qin Shuying saw him accept his fate and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
“There’s a good man,” she said.
…
Jiaoyue Peak, main hall.
Lin Jingzhe stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the vermilion pillar.
She stared at the middle-aged female cultivator standing in the hall, dressed in the steward robes of Heavenly Sword Peak.
The woman’s face was rigid as she droned through a list of “temporarily managed” affairs, and a surge of fury shot up from Lin Jingzhe’s soles, scorching her organs.
“…Those are the three-month accounts, spirit field inspection records, and next month’s advance salary details for outer disciples that Peak Master Qin of Heavenly Sword Peak has ordered us to handle on your peak’s behalf. Please look them over, Fairy Lin. If there are no objections, we will proceed accordingly.”
The Heavenly Sword Peak female steward’s voice was steady and unruffled. She presented a thick stack of jade slips and account books with both hands.
She handed over a brand-new ledger.
Lin Jingzhe did not take it.
Look them over? Proceed?
She nearly laughed in anger.
Her phoenix eyes narrowed, cold light flickering. She stared at that official face, wanting to burn two holes through it.
‘You sly Qin Shuying! What a scheme! Sending someone to take over Jiaoyue Peak’s affairs? And making it sound so noble! Does she think I’m dead? That Jiaoyue Peak has no one?’
‘That idiot Shen Mo is definitely being held at Heavenly Sword Peak!’
‘What “help treat the spirit crane” and “stay a few days”—who does she think she’s fooling?’
No need to guess—she knew what kind of fate awaited Shen Mo in her hands.
Her honored teacher was in secluded cultivation, and her rightful master’s husband had been forcibly taken under her very nose by another peak master, to be toyed with day and night…
A monumental disgrace!
This was the greatest shame Jiaoyue Peak had ever suffered!
A disgrace to her honored teacher Su Wan’er! And a disgrace to her, Lin Jingzhe!
“Fairy Lin?” The female steward urged again when she remained silent. “These matters…”
“Matters?” Lin Jingzhe finally looked up.
She straightened slowly and walked step by step toward the steward. “Your Heavenly Sword Peak certainly has broad jurisdiction. Now you even want to meddle with the spirit fields and monthly salaries of my Jiaoyue Peak?”
Intimidated by her approach, the steward instinctively retreated half a step, forcing calm.
“Fairy Lin misunderstands. Peak Master Qin only wished to show concern for Lord Shen… and for your peak’s lack of a person in charge, so she ordered me…”
“Concern?” Lin Jingzhe cut her off sharply. “That woman Qin Shuying stole my teacher’s husband and locked him in her own peak. I’m too ashamed to even mention it! Now she has the nerve to send someone to ‘show concern’ for my peak’s lack of a person in charge? What a joke!”
“Fairy Lin! Watch your words!” The steward’s face changed dramatically.
She hadn’t expected Lin Jingzhe to so bluntly speak such “treasonous” slander against two peak masters!
“Lord Shen is recuperating at Heavenly Sword Peak. Peak Master Qin said he will be sent back once he recovers.”
Recuperating?
‘Do you think I’m a three-year-old?’
Lin Jingzhe’s grip on the armrest tightened.
She stared at that face that seemed to say, “I’m from Heavenly Sword Peak, what can you do about it?”
She let out a cold laugh.
“What’s your name?”
The steward was startled. “Me? I’m called Zhou Wan…”
“Zhou Wan.” Lin Jingzhe nodded. “Do you know who I am?”
“You are… Senior Sister Lin, Senior Disciple of Peak Master Su…”
“Good that you know.” Lin Jingzhe stood and walked toward her.
She moved slowly, each step carrying oppressive pressure.
Zhou Wan’s expression shifted.
She stepped back.
“Senior Sister Lin, y-you… what are you doing? I’m from Heavenly Sword Peak—sent by Peak Master Qin—”
“Peak Master Qin?”
Lin Jingzhe stopped in front of her, looking down.
“What is Qin Shuying anyway?”
Zhou Wan’s face paled.
“She locked my master’s husband in Heavenly Sword Peak,” Lin Jingzhe said, pain flickering in her eyes before being drowned by rage. “Guess what she’ll do to him?”
Zhou Wan knew nothing of the inside story. She snapped, “Peak Master Qin and Peak Master Shen are…”
“Are what? Mutual willingness? Or forcible seizure?”
Cold light exploded in Lin Jingzhe’s eyes.
Before her words faded, she struck!
She didn’t use a sword. Her body flickered like a ghost, and her right hand became a claw, shooting toward the steward’s throat with fierce wind!
Zhou Wan’s face turned red.
“I… I’m innocent…”
Lin Jingzhe paid no attention.
She dragged Zhou Wan to the corner of the meeting hall.
There was a coil of rope used to bind spirit beasts.
Lin Jingzhe picked it up.
Zhou Wan’s eyes went wide.
“Senior Sister Lin! You can’t do this! I’m from Heavenly Sword Peak! Peak Master Qin sent me—”
Lin Jingzhe acted as if she hadn’t heard.
The golden, glowing rope artifact shot out like a spirit snake.
Starting from the feet, loop by loop, it wound upward.
Zhou Wan struggled and yelled, but her efforts were like an ant trying to shake a tree.
One loop.
Two loops.
Three loops.
Soon, Zhou Wan was bound from head to toe, as tight as a human zongzi.
She could only stare at Lin Jingzhe in terror, unable to move.
Lin Jingzhe hefted the human bundle like a sack of trash, carried it out of the main hall with big strides, and flew toward Heavenly Sword Peak.