Liu Meng looked astonished, seemingly wanting to say something. But when her eyes met Bai Yunfei's half-smiling, enigmatic gaze, she suddenly fell silent. She slowly walked back to the table and sat down, her expression complex as she looked at him and asked softly, "When... when did you find out?"
"Does that matter?" Bai Yunfei's lips twitched into a faint, wry curve. He shook his head gently, his words flowing slowly, as if talking to himself, yet also offering an explanation to Liu Meng.
"Actually, right from the start, it was all an unnatural progression, wasn't it? A wealthy young lady, a Soul Master herself... how could she develop such an attitude towards an ordinary fellow just because of a single act of help..."
"And yet... I believed it. Was it because of that hidden sliver of gratitude or admiration in my heart back then? I don't know. Maybe your 'reason' dispelled my initial doubts..."
"That 'illness' wasn't fake. The only difference was that it wasn't accidental. You have some method to 'induce' it. So, that first meeting was flawless. And the story you told me the next day on Qingquan Mountain... half true, half false, right? That kind of lie is the most believable..."
"I had no doubts about what happened those first two days. You sent the Loong brothers to cause trouble a second time... the goal was an initial probe, wasn't it? And also to lay the groundwork for what came later. Just two days of companionship, and that tiny seed in my heart sprouted and grew, slowly filling my thoughts with your image... Heh. Was my affection really that cheap?"
"Originally, according to your plan, it was supposed to develop slowly, wasn't it? At least ten days or half a month, letting our 'feelings' accumulate gradually, making it seem as 'natural' as possible. Only then could you smoothly extract the information you wanted."
"But on the second day, something unexpected happened: I accidentally ran into Qiu Lüliu of the Green Willow Sect again! That morning... you were already there, weren't you? You saw me talking to her, so you didn't show yourself. Only after she left did you appear..."
"The morning of the third day, you came to find me suddenly... you actually wanted to check on my situation, didn't you? But... you unexpectedly discovered my bracelet. Just because you said you 'liked it'... even though it held my secret, I still gave it to you... Later, when you heard Qiu Lüliu was coming soon, your attitude suddenly changed, and you left immediately. At the time, I thought you were 'jealous'... but actually, you were afraid. Afraid that if you ran into her, she might recognize you. After all, given your 'identity', it's very likely you'd met before..."
"I went to the Green Willow Sect. You realized the original plan of 'taking it slow' might no longer be possible. So... you hastily arranged that 'capture' incident. Bringing the Loong family back into play, to probe me further while also 'deepening' our bond. Heh. Hero saves the beauty... what a perfect plot device to elevate a relationship!"
"However... it was precisely because this act was arranged in such a rush that I noticed something was wrong and began to suspect!" Bai Yunfei looked up at Liu Meng, gave a light laugh, and continued. "Remember the first thing Loong Taojia said when he saw me? He said, 'You're that Bai Yunfei this woman mentioned, right?' He knew my name. You said you told him..."
"But... when did I ever tell you my surname was Bai?" Bai Yunfei's quiet question made the confusion on Liu Meng's face shift to shock, then dawning comprehension.
Bai Yunfei ignored her changing expression and continued his monologue. "It comes down to this: right from our first meeting, to quickly bridge the distance, you immediately asked me to call you 'Meng'er'—such an intimate term. So when you asked my name, I said, 'Just call me Yunfei.' After that... I don't think I ever mentioned that 'Yunfei' was just my given name, and that my surname is actually 'Bai,' did I?"
"Of course, you might say you only told them my name was 'Yunfei,' and you don't know why they knew my full name—that it must be something wrong with the Loong family. When I first thought of that point, I comforted myself with that explanation too. But... it still didn't add up. Remember how our initial conflict with Loong Tao started? It was because he coveted your beauty. Yet that day, I arrived a full two hours after you were captured... and you were completely unharmed... At the time, I only felt relief. But thinking back later, it was so illogical. And then, when Loong Taojia and the other two fought me... not one of them used a weapon! Were they afraid that using weapons might accidentally kill me or seriously injure me during the three-on-one fight, making their later 'letting us go' seem unnatural?"
"Afterwards, your attitude towards me also changed significantly. I should have been happy about that. But with so many inconsistencies piling up, I couldn't calm myself down. So, using exhaustion as an excuse, I went back to my room and agonized over it all night. I didn't want to believe my own suspicions. I didn't want to believe it was all a lie..."
"But... a discovery during that incident at noon today... shattered my last shred of hope!"
"Actually, I have to thank that lawless guy from the Beast Taming Sect. I thought at first it was another setup by you... but it wasn't. It was precisely because of his arrogant attack that I saw through your flaw!"
"Remember the giant wolf's first attack? I'd never encountered anything like that before, so I panicked a little. Facing its first pounce, I chose to dodge... forgetting you were still behind me. Luckily, you dodged too—you avoided the wolf's claws at the very last instant. At that moment, I felt nothing but immense relief... But... I also noticed something. That dodge of yours... it was clearly a soul skill! An evasion soul skill you used instinctively in the face of sudden danger! And that soul skill... was exactly the same as the one Zhang Zhenshan used when I fought him!"
"What does that mean? You have ties to the Cold Ice Sect! But that completely contradicts the background story you told me before! You said you were taught by a wandering expert, then focused solely on cultivation afterward, so you hardly knew how to fight and never had time to learn any soul skills... This one point alone proves you were lying from the start!!"
"After that, you suggested I meet your 'father'... Heh. Wasn't that development just too abrupt? And yet... you still said it. Wanting to make one last probe, one last attempt..."
"I knew. But I still came. Even though everything that happened today felt so unnatural, I still clung to the hope that it was all my imagination, that I was wrong... But here... it's still filled with unnaturalness. Abrupt conversation. Abrupt topics..."
"Actually, you suspected I had started doubting, didn't you? But you did this anyway. What were you gambling on? Gambling on how deep my feelings for you were? Gambling on just how foolish I could be? Gambling on how much my affection for you would blind me??"
"In your eyes, from the very beginning, I was just a fool boy you'd mesmerized, blinded by infatuation... wasn't I?"
Bai Yunfei had spoken all this continuously, giving the other side almost no chance to interrupt. Now, it seemed he had said his piece and was tired. He looked up at Liu Meng, who sat opposite him, her face frozen in shock throughout his speech. A self-mocking smile touched his lips, and he shook his head. Then, his gaze shifted to the 'Liu Yan' beside her, who seemed somewhat at a loss. A trace of disdain curled Bai Yunfei's mouth. "And this man... he's just someone you hastily found to help act out this play..."
"As for your identity... your engagement to Zhang Yang is probably true. And that Zhang Yang is the son of a Cold Ice Sect Elder. You mentioned once that the Cold Ice Sect has another Elder named Liu Cheng... So, you must be his daughter, right?"
Having said that, he turned towards the door that had remained tightly shut throughout. Raising his voice slightly, he said, "So... should I thank you for patiently waiting for me to finish saying all this, instead of coming in earlier to interrupt... 'Uncle Liu'?"
Silence followed from outside the door. Then, the door was pushed open. A middle-aged man with a grim expression walked in, flanked by two subordinates. Many more seemed to be waiting outside.
The man who entered was naturally Liu Cheng. He walked into the room and stood by the door, looking at Bai Yunfei with a cold voice. "Hmph! You're somewhat clever. But so what? You foolishly came here alone. Do you really think you can escape now?"
"Hmm, Elder Liu... since your scheme failed, you've finally decided to resort to force? You went to such elaborate lengths... all because of that Ice Thorn Zhang Zhenshan brought back, isn't it? You think that by capturing me, you'll uncover its secret?" Bai Yunfei narrowed his eyes slightly, showing no trace of fear at the situation before him.
His composure made Liu Cheng frown slightly. In the current situation, while the plot had failed, his side clearly held the overwhelming advantage. How could the other party remain so calm?
Liu Cheng glanced at Liu Meng. "Meng'er, you can leave now. What you were supposed to do is finished. What happens next... is not for you to concern yourself with."
"Father, you said..." Liu Meng's expression was complex—disappointment? Guilt? Confusion? Bai Yunfei's lips twitched into a faint, bitter smile as he gave a slight shake of his head.
"I know what I'm doing. Go out now!" Liu Cheng's expression turned icy as he snapped the command.
Liu Meng trembled faintly. She said nothing more, stood up, glanced at Bai Yunfei one last time, let out a sigh so soft it was almost inaudible, and slowly walked out.
Bai Yunfei watched her leave with indifferent eyes, his heart filled with bitterness. As she stepped through that doorway, her figure also gradually stepped out of his heart, taking with it those first, innocent, ignorant stirrings of feeling...
He withdrew his gaze, took a deep, slow breath, and exhaled it steadily. His eyes became resolute and icy cold. He swept his gaze over Liu Cheng and the two men beside him. His right hand extended, and the Fire-Tipped Spear materialized within it. Soul power surged, and a wave of scorching heat instantly filled the room.
"Everything that needed to be said has been said clearly. So now..."
"Let's fight!!"