Chapter Forty-Five: Without You, I Can Finally Cultivate in Peace

Hong Jian harbored deep suspicion toward Jian Hui, determined to avoid him within the secret realm. Yet the very thing she dreaded eventually came to pass—and at the worst possible moment, with only enough true essence left within her to unleash the “Moon Surge” one final time.

As she spoke to Jian Hui, stalling for time, Hong Jian clung to a sliver of hope: perhaps he had simply followed her into the secret realm by chance, harboring no ill intent. After all, they had never openly become enemies; Jian Hui had even seemed gentle and considerate. Before she discovered Yao Zhen’s jewelry, she had treated this third senior brother with genuine kindness. Maybe all the icy fear that welled up inside her in his presence was nothing but her own imagination.

But Jian Hui’s next words shattered all such illusions.

“Little junior sister, deep down you both fear and hate me, don’t you? You’re waiting to grow more powerful before turning on me. Unfortunately, you’ll never get that chance.” He drew nearer, his complexion still pale, his expression almost unchanged from usual—seemingly filled with regret and sorrow. Yet the chill in his voice pierced to the bone.

Hong Jian was inwardly alarmed, backing away as she tried to soothe him. “Senior brother Jian, are you under some spell? Why would I ever want to harm you?”

Jian Hui shook his head and sighed. “Stop trying to deceive me, little junior. When you first became master’s disciple, you treated me well, never looked down on me. I gave you chances. I told you many times—if you didn’t understand something, just come ask me. But ever since you found that chain, you’ve avoided me as if I were a poisonous snake. I know why you’re so eager to cultivate: you want revenge for her.”

Hong Jian was speechless. With her intelligence, she had always picked up on Jian Hui’s hints. She had pretended not to understand—not because she secretly harbored hatred and waited to avenge Yao Zhen blindly, as he claimed, but simply for self-preservation, choosing to shrink back rather than stir up trouble. Who could have guessed Jian Hui’s reaction would be so extreme?

Her mouth opened, but she found no explanation. Bitterly, she asked, “Where is senior sister Yao Zhen? What happened to her?”

Jian Hui, poised to strike, paused at her words, his eyes darkening. “Where do you think she is? Each time you looked down from Snowdrift Cliff, did you ever see her face rising and sinking with the waves in the Endless Sea?”

Though Hong Jian had long suspected Yao Zhen was gone—she had even dreamed of such scenes—hearing it confirmed from Jian Hui’s lips still made her blood run cold.

She heard him continue, “I should have destroyed her body. But she was good to me, almost just like you were when you first came to Snowdrift Cliff. Even if she had her motives, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. She loved pearls and jewels, so I buried her in the sea…”

“Madman! Shut up!” Hong Jian remembered the day the Endless Sea was disturbed, how he sat on the cliff drinking, and how she had foolishly tried to comfort him. Now, his mad ramblings were unbearable. Whatever chance there had once been for reconciliation between them was gone; when Jian Hui could say such things so coldly, there was no hope of peace between them anymore.

Jian Hui gave a seemingly sorrowful smile and fell silent, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “What’s this, you don’t want to talk a little longer? You ignored my advice and insisted on choosing the artifact ‘Moon Surge’—do you still have the true essence to use it again?”

A sudden chill swept through Hong Jian’s heart. Jian Hui had been deliberate all along. He knew she was wary of him, that she’d resist any artifact he recommended, so he’d strongly suggested she take the defensive artifact, “Reflecting Shadow.” And she, without a second thought, had dismissed it. All this only cemented Jian Hui’s murderous intent. Had things been different, would she have heeded Second Senior Brother Qin Baoxian’s advice and chosen that life-saving artifact after all?

It was too late for regrets. Jian Hui now stood tall, no longer the image of despondency; his right palm slowly rose before his chest, his voice icy and emotionless: “Let’s not waste any more time. Without you, I can cultivate in peace. Blame your own ill fortune!”

It was no wonder Jian Hui spoke with such certainty. No matter how much his cultivation had stagnated or even declined, he was still a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Killing a sixth-level Qi Refining disciple whose true essence was nearly spent would be as easy as turning his hand.

Only now did Hong Jian realize that, after all these years as fellow disciples, she still didn’t know what martial arts Jian Hui practiced. Once hailed as a once-in-centuries genius of the Dan Cliff Sect, his techniques must have been formidable. If she waited for him to strike, her life would be forfeit. Without waiting for her true essence to recover, she launched “Moon Surge” at Jian Hui.

He looked surprised—clearly he had not expected a mere Qi Refining apprentice to wield such abundant true essence, able to activate an artifact a third time so quickly. Yet he showed no panic, didn’t even try to dodge. As “Moon Surge” appeared, his left palm moved, and a round mirror etched with spell marks suddenly expanded, casting a watery membrane through the air that enveloped him. The runes on the mirror then scattered across the watery barrier, flickering in and out of sight.

The energy unleashed by “Moon Surge” struck the membrane, not Jian Hui. At that spot, the runes flared bright and spun rapidly. Jian Hui withstood the attack with ease, even finding the leisure to speak: “I underestimated you.”

“Reflecting Shadow!” That defensive artifact was in Jian Hui’s hand, blocking Hong Jian’s desperate strike. She could only count herself lucky. Rumor had it that this artifact had a small chance of rebounding attacks; had her luck turned, she might have perished by her own hand. How could she possibly contend with this?

After that blow, Hong Jian’s true essence was almost gone, not even enough to use “Moon Surge” again. Even if she could, she dared not, given Jian Hui’s “Reflecting Shadow.” There seemed to be no option but to flee. She retreated a few steps, abandoning the red snake on the ground and the black fruit on the stone wall, turning to run, hoping the value of these treasures might delay Jian Hui’s pursuit.

But Jian Hui didn’t spare the slightest glance at either. With his Foundation Establishment true essence and “Reflecting Shadow” in his left hand, he strode after her, right fist suddenly punching the air.

An icy dread engulfed Hong Jian. Were it not for her recent life-and-death struggles in her dream, leaving some lingering reflex, she could never have dodged such a terrifying blow. As if guided by fate, she instinctively flung herself aside, rolling desperately. A torrent of snow-white energy crashed down where her head had been, shattering the ground and sending shards of stone flying.