Is this... a showdown? Or perhaps a hint?
Liu Yue's brows furrowed slightly, and she instantly felt flustered and agitated.
It was supposed to be simple—obtain the true scripture, then call it a day and slip away.
Instead, things had spiraled further and further out of her control.
It seemed everyone had underestimated the man before her.
He appeared to have long known her identity, and even the existence of the power backing her.
Was he trying to win them over right now?
...
After waiting for a long while, silence still hung behind him—no response. Sun Qian's expression remained calm. He never thought a few mere words would make Liu Yue state her position, change her mind, and choose to side with him.
He didn't possess that so-called "aura of dominance."
Her silence and refusal to engage right now stemmed partly from not knowing how much he knew.
And partly, she likely didn't favor his current predicament.
But he was confident he could rope Liu Yue onto his bandwagon.
With a Fifth-Order Heavenly Being by his side, many troubles would naturally be avoided.
「 No need to make up your mind so quickly. Just watch what happens next. 」
Snap!
Sun Qian pulled out the communication token from his waist and sent a message to Sun Zhong outside.
「 Go there in person and bring Su Meng here—discreetly. Arrange a new residence for his sister as well. 」
...
Outside the door.
"How does Young Master Sun know about the death squads the Sun family has stationed in Modu?"
Sun Zhong stared at the message on the token with a bewildered look, but after hesitating for a moment, he chose to obey.
He couldn't shake the feeling that the current Young Master Sun was different from before.
As if he had gained the solemn authority of a superior, much like the clan elder himself.
...
Now that he was ready to take complete control of Su Mei, Su Meng's fate of certain death was inevitable.
Sun Qian felt no mercy whatsoever.
After making all the arrangements, his gaze returned to the Villain Simulator, and he muttered to himself, 「 I knew I wasn't doing anything pointless. This is a complete female lead strategy guide for me, and it even comes with a female lead cultivation guide to boot. 」
「 Makes things much easier for me to put into practice next. 」
A month later, Su Mei's cultivation skyrocketed, reaching the peak of Mortal Transcendence. She also made significant progress in talisman arts, having initially gained the ability to "survive" on her own.
You caught a glimmer of hope, realizing that you might still have a chance to live.
You asked Su Mei to take you with her, trekking over mountains and ridges toward the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, hoping to find someone who could save you...
Su Mei agreed. She carried you on her back at dawn to set off, and held you in her arms to keep warm in mountain caves at night...
You two began to open up to each other, sharing your innermost thoughts. The bond between you seemed to grow stronger with each passing day...
Yet your condition continued to worsen. The cold poison in your body had already spread beyond cure, and the backlash from the Heaven-Stepping Nine Steps was completely uncontrollable now.
...
Two months later, unable to cultivate, you were forced to repay the Heaven-Earth Loan. Your cultivation began to dissipate, reclaimed by heaven and earth. You plummeted from the Fourth Realm of Divine Powers down to the Third Realm of Mystic Connection...
...
Three months later, your cultivation fell to the Second Realm of Spirit Attraction. Your vitality started to wither away, and your face grew haggard and aged...
...
Four months later, your cultivation dropped to the First Realm of Mortal Transcendence. You were like a candle flickering in the wind, no longer able to maintain the handsome, youthful appearance you once had—transformed into a feeble old man...
...
Five months later, heaven and earth completely stripped you of your cultivation, reducing you to an ordinary mortal. The life force within you was on the verge of snuffing out at any moment.
You realized that you were probably going to die.
At this moment, you had just entered the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, with your destination still far beyond reach...
Enter the mountains, pass the trials, pay homage at the temple, cross the river—you were only at the first step...
「 Brother Sun, we've entered the mountains. Hold on a little longer. I'll take you to find them... 」 Su Mei sobbed uncontrollably, her delicate body trembling as she hugged you tightly. 「 It's all Mei'er's fault. I've only just broken through to the Second Realm of Spirit Attraction after so long. My cultivation is advancing too slowly... 」
Now that she was a cultivator, she could clearly sense the fading aura on your body—like a candle flame that could be extinguished with a single breath.
After nearly half a year of traveling through the mountains together, your relationship had deepened by leaps and bounds. Short of taking that final step, Su Mei already regarded you as the only person in her life...
Sigh. You let out a soft sigh in your heart, knowing you couldn't hold on any longer. You smiled weakly, half-jokingly, 「 It's alright. This is just fate. Do you think I look terrible now? All wrinkled up, like an old geezer... 」
「 You don't look terrible at all. No matter what you become, I'll never dislike you. 」 Su Mei held you even tighter, her voice firm and resolute.
Just as you two leaned against each other, a sudden sound of footsteps echoed through the air.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
An uninvited guest had arrived.
Su Mei's expression changed slightly as she sensed a terrifying threat. Her snow-white eyes darted toward the approaching figure, gradually darkening, exuding an aura of curse...
Since she had started cultivating, her mastery over the Cursed Eyes had improved by leaps and bounds, allowing her to unleash their power at will.
Even though she couldn't see, she identified the visitor by their aura.
The person approaching was none other than Liu Yue!
Snap!
At that moment, you suddenly struck with the side of your hand, knocking Su Mei unconscious in an instant...
In her last moment of clarity, she stared at you in disbelief, 「 Brother Sun... 」
Thud!
Su Mei collapsed into your arms.
Knowing full well how powerful Liu Yue was, you were aware that Su Mei stood no chance against her.
This sudden move also made Liu Yue halt her steps, eyeing you in surprise.
From start to finish, your expression remained calm and composed.
「 Did you know I was coming all along? 」 Liu Yue frowned, finding you impossible to read.
「 I didn't know. But I was hoping you'd be the first to find me. Looks like my luck isn't too bad. 」 You spoke calmly.
If it was Liu Yue who had come, it meant there was still room for negotiation.
If it had been someone sent by the mastermind behind the scenes, then death would have been the only option.
「 Let's make a deal. I'll give you what you want. You take her away and let her live. 」 You stated your terms plainly.
You were doomed to die right now—the only thing you could do was ensure Su Mei's safety.
With her special bloodline and physique, she would only attract the attention of the eerie alien races. As time went on, the creatures that came after her would only grow stronger, and sooner or later, she would meet her end...
In comparison, returning to the cities of the Qianyuan Empire would at least guarantee her basic survival.
「 Of course, you can refuse. Then you'll only get my corpse—and whatever you want from it. 」
Liu Yue's brows knit together. Her cold gaze lingered on you for a long while, then shifted to the unconscious Su Mei in your arms. 「 I didn't expect you to be such a hopeless romantic. Very well, I accept. 」
She grabbed you by the ankle and dragged you toward a nearby cave...
...