Chapter 069: So This Is the Kind of Hero You Are

Yan Shu was on the verge of madness—truly losing her mind! After surviving several brushes with death at Xiao Jihan’s hands, she had finally managed to pull him out of the abyss of hate, carved from blood and heartache. Yet only a few days later, she was being pushed into another pit of despair by this demonic woman!

Watching Xiao Jihan approach “Yan Shu” step by step, she shot to her feet, pacing anxiously in circles.

She couldn’t fight, couldn’t intervene; all she could do was fret helplessly at the sidelines. “Beautiful sister, can’t we try something else? Anything at all! As long as it’s not heart’s blood!”

The woman glanced at her, replying coolly, “Why are you so flustered? A little heart’s blood won’t kill anyone. Besides, I don’t really want their heart’s blood. The moment they make the cut, this secret realm will end.”

Was that really what she should be worrying about?!

What she truly feared was Xiao Jihan’s favorability!

And besides, why should Yu Wenche and Xiao Jihan willingly endure the agony of cutting out their heart’s blood to save her?

Yu Wenche’s affection was obvious, but they’d only known each other less than a month—how deep could their feelings possibly be? If it were another poison, perhaps, but the “Yan Shu” in the illusion was afflicted with an aphrodisiac! There was a far simpler, more comfortable, and mutually satisfying solution. Why on earth would Yu Wenche choose to suffer heart-carving pain instead?

If she were Yu Wenche, she wouldn’t hesitate for a second—she’d brandish her spear and charge right in!

As for Xiao Jihan, well—never mind saving her with his heart’s blood. The moment those words were spoken, he’d probably stab her full of holes without a second thought!

Though it was only an illusion, and the “Yan Shu” within wasn’t truly her, Xiao Jihan’s favorability was very real!

And besides, that “Yan Shu” wore her face, her identity, perhaps even her very body. Whether Yu Wenche or Xiao Jihan, whatever they did, it was still directed at her. She retained her sense of shame, after all!

Yan Shu anxiously tugged her hair. “What if they refuse to use heart’s blood to save me? What will happen?”

The woman laughed at her words. “If neither is willing to give you their heart’s blood, now that would be interesting.”

Her gaze shifted to Yan Shu. “Without heart’s blood, only two choices remain: First, to join with you in a moment of passion and solve the problem that way. But a man who would do this with you today would do the same with another woman tomorrow—what use would you have for such a man?”

Yan Shu felt a terrible premonition. “He would die?”

The woman raised an eyebrow. “Indeed. He would die in the throes of ultimate pleasure. To die beneath a peony, even as a ghost, is still romantic. In that sense, I’d be granting him his wish.”

How formidable—worthy of a demon cultivator indeed.

Yan Shu drew a deep breath. “And the second possibility?”

“The second is to kill you,” the woman’s expression turned cold, her voice icy. “Then he will enter the second illusion.”

“What illusion?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Yan Shu looked to the woman, pleading, “Can’t you let them go? Honestly, I think any normal man would choose the passionate solution over giving up his heart’s blood. There’s really nothing between me and them, not the sort of thing you imagine!”

“Oh? Feeling sorry for your little fish?” The woman sniffed lightly. “You’re so lacking in ambition! I’m helping you filter out the weak ones. Don’t fail to appreciate my efforts.”

The last words were tinged with coldness. Yan Shu swallowed her pleas and anxiously fixed her eyes on the scene before her.

At that moment, Xiao Jihan had already begun to stride toward “Yan Shu.” Perhaps because of their master-disciple relationship, the “Yan Shu” within the secret realm, though her clothing was disheveled and her cheeks flushed, did not pounce on him as she had with Yu Wenche. Instead, she sat cross-legged in place.

Xiao Jihan stopped before her, looking down with furrowed brows and called softly, “Master?”

“Yan Shu,” as if suddenly noticing him, opened her eyes in shock, then hurriedly stood and backed away a step. “Don’t come any closer—I’ve been poisoned!”

Though her lips spoke of keeping distance, her gaze brimmed with longing. She bit her lip, clutching her collar—a picture of helpless desire.

Favorability: 1 (Acquaintance)

A faint flush crept over Xiao Jihan’s usually cold face. He turned his head aside and asked, “How did you come to be poisoned, Master?”

“Yan Shu’s” moist eyes revealed confusion. She shook her head. “I—I don’t know. After I entered this cave, a dark shadow flashed by, and then… You should go. If I endure a bit longer, it may pass.”

Favorability: 2 (Acquaintance)

Xiao Jihan was silent for a moment, then glanced at her, only to quickly look away again, his face even redder.

In the brief moment his gaze had shifted, “Yan Shu” had already, unable to bear it, pulled her clothing aside, revealing swathes of flushed, snowy skin.

Her pale inner garments were visible, delicate curves half-concealed.

Favorability: 3 (Acquaintance)

Yan Shu stared at the scene before her, utterly dumbfounded!

She was astonished both by the “Yan Shu” in the illusion’s brazen tactics and by Xiao Jihan’s reaction.

Seeing the rising favorability, she thought, Who would’ve guessed you’re that sort of male lead?!

Ahem!

Fine—no matter how impressive Xiao Jihan was, he was still a twenty-year-old man, brimming with youthful vigor, and this was his first time facing such beauty. Some reaction was only natural.

Suppressing her embarrassment, she continued watching.

Xiao Jihan averted his gaze, cleared his throat, and said, “Turn around. I’ll help you expel the poison.”

“Yan Shu” softly agreed, turned her back, and sat cross-legged.

Only then did Xiao Jihan turn as well, sitting composed behind her to aid in purging her poison.

But just as with Yu Wenche, not only did he fail to dispel the aphrodisiac, he instead caused it to flare to full intensity.

“Yan Shu’s” snowy skin, once as smooth as cream, was flushed; her peach-blossom eyes brimmed with allure, and she collapsed forward, writhing in torment, her bare shoulders exposed.

Perhaps because of the master-disciple bond, or perhaps because Xiao Jihan cultivated the “Path of Heartlessness,” the demonic woman who constructed the illusion did not have “Yan Shu” throw herself at Xiao Jihan as she had with Yu Wenche.

Instead, she gripped his hand, her eyes sultry, her breath soft and quick, “You… you should go. I’m afraid I might hurt you.”

Yet even as her lips urged him to leave, her hand clung tightly to his wrist.

This was no way to let someone go—if anything, it was the classic push and pull of coy seduction.

Favorability: 4 (Acquaintance)

Yan Shu felt she could bear to watch no longer.