Crimson_Lore
patreon
Chapter 55: A Heart Worth Condemning
🕑 Added 2025-03-31 14:48:51 +0000 UTCBy the time Gu Baiyi returned to her quarters, night had already fallen.
At dusk, snow began to fall on Bixue Peak.
Outside, the snowflakes swirled. She poured herself a cup of wine, but despite the burn of the strong liquor, she could not discern its taste.
Gu Baiyi lowered her gaze, watching the flickering candlelight, and clenched the amethyst pendant in her hand.
Memories of that dark, oppressive demonic hall and the vivid red phoenix flowers resurfaced. She took a sip of wine and released the pendant from her grasp.
In her past life, when the Saintess of the Divine Sect, Mei Lixue, came to Wanjian Sect, it had been early spring, March, when the ice melted and the plum blossoms had already fallen.
Though a lifetime had passed, Gu Baiyi still remembered that day.
Mei Lixue had stood atop Tianji Peak, pointing her sword at her. The fellow disciples who surrounded them all shared the same expression—shock.
Clad in ceremonial robes, Mei Lixue stood tall, her voice icy cold: “She is a demon seed. You should fear her, but more than that, you should kill her.”
Since the sect’s grand competition, her fellow disciples’ attitudes toward her had softened. Some of the younger ones had even begun seeking her guidance in swordplay.
Yet, on that day, their faces were filled with astonishment. And in the next moment, their expressions twisted into hatred and fear.
From the crowd, someone took the lead in shouting: “Gu Baiyi, so you really are a demon! No wonder your cultivation has advanced so quickly. No wonder you sought to poison your own sect members!”
The accuser’s voice trembled with righteous fury, their anger emboldened by the safety of the crowd. “Gu Baiyi, you deserve to die!”
She stood there, gripping her sword, momentarily at a loss.
After the Trial’s judgment, her martial arts had been completely crippled. If not for the so-called ‘demon’ who had reconstructed her meridians, she wouldn’t even have had the chance to stand there and be condemned.
Frozen in place, she instinctively gathered a wisp of clear spiritual energy in her palm and desperately tried to explain, “No... I am not a demon. Look, my spiritual energy is the same as yours—”
Back then, she still held onto a shred of hope.
But then came the sword that pierced her chest, severing all her illusions.
Words caught in her throat. The sentence she had wanted to say, I am just like you, remained forever unfinished.
Lowering her head, she saw the golden gleam of the blade embedded in her chest. At that moment, she felt no pain from the fatal wound.
But when she lifted her gaze and saw the revulsion on their faces, when she met Mei Lixue’s eyes, filled with nothing but hatred, she truly understood the agony of being despised by everyone.
The pain surged through her, and she collapsed to her knees. Her lips moved, but no words came.
Her mouth was full of blood. All she could do was stare in a daze as an enraged phoenix emerged, its eyes blazing as it coiled around her neck.
Though the wound exuded black energy, the blood mist and dark tendrils wound tightly around her shattered heart, demonic energy surging forth, mending the fatal injury.
Blood dripped from the corner of her lips. She murmured, “Senior Bai... just what have you made me practice...”
Mei Lixue withdrew the sword from her body and spoke indifferently: “Did you think you were the same as them? They, at least, would not survive a sword through the heart.”
...
Now, Gu Baiyi stood by the window, holding her wine cup, silently watching the snowfall outside.
In her past life, she had indeed been too foolish. Though, to be fair, she wasn’t much better in this life either.
Sometimes, she wished the heart demon would remain, so it could help her kill everyone she despised.
But to end killing with more killing was never what she truly wanted.
Gu Baiyi extended a hand, closing the window and shutting out the chill. Yet a withered plum blossom was swept in by the northern wind.
The flower had already wilted, and it landed lightly upon her shoulder.
She picked up the withered blossom and stared at it in silence for a long time.
Then, she chuckled softly and gathered spiritual energy in her palm.
The lifeless flower slowly unfurled, its petals regaining their former brilliance. The golden stamen gleamed, and the translucent petals glowed with a pristine beauty, cold yet resplendent, just as they once were.
The revival of withered wood, only cultivators at the Riding the Wind realm could achieve such a feat.
...
At Feilai Peak, within Wantangju.
The red plum blossoms in the courtyard were scattered by the fierce northern wind, carpeting the ground like drifting snow.
Ji Rong, holding a broom, gazed at the fallen petals with a sense of melancholy.
If she didn’t cheat, how long would it take for her to reach the Riding the Wind realm?
After all, only at that level could one turn decay into miracles. That way, she wouldn’t have to spend her days sighing over withered petals as she swept them away.
Looking at the fallen blossoms, Ji Rong suddenly had a realization, wait, she was in a cultivation world!
Since this was a world of cultivation, all she needed to do was cast a simple spell, and these petals would vanish on their own. Why was she even bothering to sweep?
“I’m such an idiot. Really.”
Just as she was about to head inside and check her books, a familiar electronic voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
[Ding! Gu Baiyi’s favorability +20]
Ji Rong froze in place, her expression shifting to one of complete disbelief.
Since she had ruthlessly rejected Gu Baiyi, she had given up all hope of raising the protagonist’s favorability.
And yet, it had increased.
Tears welled in her eyes. All I did was sweep the courtyard, why would that make the protagonist like me more?
I don’t understand.
Because of this inexplicable rise in favorability, Ji Rong lay in bed, drowning in guilt and confusion, and ended up losing sleep for the entire night.
So, the next morning, when she awoke to see Liu Ningxue standing at the doorway, she couldn’t help but feel that life was worth living again.
No matter how cruel the world was, nothing compared to the warmth of a soft and fragrant beauty.
From Ji Rong’s perspective, Liu Ningxue stood in the doorway, dressed in light blue robes, her bright eyes gazing at her expectantly. “Senior Sister! You’re finally back!”
In an instant, all the turmoil in Ji Rong’s heart settled.
She almost wanted to scoop the delicate beauty into a fierce hug.
Unfortunately, the weight of her persona bore down on her. Ji Rong could only nod at Liu Ningxue with a calm expression and say, “Mm. I’m back.”
Ah... so this is what home feels like? It’s too comforting.
Liu Ningxue naturally walked up to Ji Rong's side, matching her pace as they strolled together.
Along the way, the two engaged in idle chatter, their conversation ebbing and flowing. Liu Ningxue, her expression warm and pleasant, curiously inquired about the trip to the secret realm.
Ji Rong maintained a calm demeanor, offering only a few casual remarks, yet she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. This, this was the cultivation life she had always dreamed of!
A carefree existence, going with the flow, was the true way of life, not struggling to survive in a world filled with deranged lunatics at every turn.
However, on the way to the martial arena, Ji Rong keenly noticed something unusual. Wei Zongqiu, who usually took the same route as Liu Ningxue, was nowhere to be seen.
She found it odd. By all accounts, Xu Shi was merely a concubine. Even if she had died, there was no reason for Wei Zongqiu to return home for mourning.
Feigning casual curiosity, she asked about it. After a brief moment of thought, Liu Ningxue simply replied, “I heard that Senior Brother Wei encountered some family matters, but I’m not sure about the details.”
As they chatted, they unknowingly arrived at the entrance of the martial arena.
Ji Rong halted in place, gazing forward.
Before her stretched a vast gathering of young talents, each donning the distinct attire of their respective sects. Swords, whips, and an array of weapons glinted under the sunlight, the sheer number of cultivators forming a striking sight.
Yet, when Ji Rong’s eyes landed on the center of the arena, her expression froze, and she even stopped in her tracks.
Noticing Ji Rong’s sudden stillness, Liu Ningxue turned back, puzzled.
Seeing the shock on Ji Rong’s face, she asked, “Senior Sister, is something wrong ahead?”
But Ji Rong was already stunned beyond words.
If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, the woman standing in the center should be the Divine Sect’s Saintess—Mei Lixue.
But wasn’t Mei Lixue supposed to appear months later? Why was she standing here now?
Ji Rong was utterly shaken, yet her first instinct wasn’t to curse the game developers.
In that instant, all she could think was: Damn, the major antagonist has appeared ahead of schedule, doesn’t this mean the heroine is doomed?
….
Inside the martial arena.
The audience sat in boredom, having already waited for half an hour. Yet, Mei He was still nowhere to be seen. Without her presence, the competition couldn’t begin.
The tension in the air grew palpable. Some disciples from external sects muttered in dissatisfaction:
“The Grand Tournament has always been held at Wanjian Sect, but it’s never been this delayed before. Someone should say something! Are we still competing or not?”
“Exactly! And who is that woman standing in the center? She’s neither Elder Gong nor one of the elders from Wanjian Sect. She’s just standing there like a statue, it’s unsettling.”
Ji Rong thought to herself, ‘Go ahead and keep talking, NPCs, but that one isn’t someone you want to provoke. She’s probably already heard every word you’ve said.’
Despite the murmurs of dissent, Mei Lixue remained unmoved in the center, her eyes deep and tranquil like an ancient well, an air of rigid order surrounding her.
As the envoy of the Heavenly Dao, she naturally wouldn’t stoop to the level of mere mortals.
Though she was Mei He’s niece, Mei Lixue bore little resemblance to her amiable aunt. Instead, she had inherited her mother’s cold and unyielding nature.
Standing in the center, her frosty gaze swept across the arena, searching for someone, yet she found no sign of the person the Wanjian Sect disciple had spoken of.
At the same time, Ji Rong was also scanning the crowd for a flash of purple, and when she confirmed that she couldn’t find it, she let out a long sigh of relief.
Good. The heroine had already left.
Just as Ji Rong relaxed, she saw two figures emerging from the mist at the edge of the martial arena, both clad in red. Their features were obscured by the lingering clouds.
As they drew closer, Ji Rong was startled.
One of them, walking slightly ahead, had a pale complexion—it was Gong Yu. The other, following leisurely behind while fanning herself, was none other than Xie Bai.
Ji Rong was bewildered. What were these two, who had absolutely nothing to do with each other, doing together?
Mei He’s continued absence only heightened her unease. Seeing these three figures in the same place set off alarm bells in her mind, something was definitely about to happen.
Before Ji Rong could process it further, the disciples below had already erupted into whispers.
Never before had they witnessed such an unusual scene. Their curiosity piqued, they began speculating.
“Why is Elder Gong Yu here? And that woman standing in the center, her attire and bearing resemble someone from the Divine Sect. Could Wanjian Sect be in some kind of trouble?”
One disciple excitedly gossiped with his peers, but an elder sitting ahead could no longer remain still.
Mei Lixue had long secluded herself within the Divine Sect’s high tower, rarely setting foot outside. Naturally, younger generations wouldn’t recognize her.
But the elder, upon seeing her intricate ceremonial robes and the peculiar object hanging around her neck, immediately knew who she was.
Realizing that Mei Lixue had likely already heard everything, the elder hurriedly tried to salvage the situation. Turning sharply, he barked at the disciple, “Silence! The Divine Sect’s Saintess is not someone a mere fledgling like you can speak of so carelessly!”
The reprimanded disciple paled instantly. Upon hearing that the woman was the Divine Sect’s Saintess, he clamped his mouth shut in terror.
Ji Rong, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but pity the NPCs.
Honestly, it wasn’t their fault for being ignorant. Mei Lixue barely appeared in the game to begin with.
If it weren’t for that second-hand pocket watch she treasured like a sacred relic, wearing it for the entire game, Ji Rong wouldn’t have remembered her either.
And when Mei Lixue had blackened, torturing the heroine to death, the sheer brutality had been unforgettable.
The screen had been covered in pixelated censorship, yet Ji Rong still vividly recalled the carnage. The developers were truly efficient rather than toning down the gore, they simply applied a censorship filter to get past the review process. It was almost ingenious.
As the murmurs in the arena continued, Mei Lixue, standing at the center, furrowed her brows ever so slightly.
While she could tolerate the ignorance of mortals, she represented the will of the Heavenly Dao itself. She could endure it, but the Heavenly Dao would never compromise.
So, Mei Lixue moved.
She lifted her sword and stepped onto the dueling platform.
The blade scraped against the engraved stone, emitting a piercing sound. As she reached the center of the circular platform, her voice, devoid of any emotion, feel like a hammer:
“Silence.”
In an instant, the entire martial arena plunged into complete stillness. The prior commotion vanished as if it had never existed.
Words held the power of law, something only an expert at the Infinite Realm could achieve. Yet, Mei Lixue was only at the Stepping on the Moon stage. Her ability to command such absolute silence was likely borrowed from the will of the Heavenly Dao itself.
Ji Rong, gazing at Mei Lixue’s imposing presence, realized something.
For the first time since she had entered this cultivation world, she truly felt the existence of the Heavenly Dao.
Dark clouds gathered over the sky.
Amidst the swirling clouds, radiant golden light burst forth—like a pair of divine eyes gazing down upon them all.
Mei Lixue stood in the center, her expression cold.
Her voice rang out, devoid of emotion.
“Yesterday, a disciple of the Wanjian Sect used a Heaven-Tier Teleportation Talisman to travel thousands of miles to the Divine Sect, seeking to expose a crime.”
“The accused is none other than Wanjian Sect’s Sect Master, Mei He.”
“The crime, harboring a Heaven-Demon seed. A crime punishable by death.”
