These fairies want me to deal with them every day.

As dusk falls, the setting sun returns home.

The brief glimmer of light at the horizon seemed to gradually change from white to orange-red before fading into darkness.

The shadows gradually enveloped the two figures.

Xu Qingtan could clearly see how his eyes darkened as the light dimmed.

A ferocious beast, like the night itself, appeared before him.

She knew that it wasn't that the man had turned into a beast, but that deep down, he was a devil, a monster.

His face was so gloomy.

The gaze directed at him was as if he were staring intently at his prey.

"You're dreaming."

In the darkness, Xu Qing reaffirmed her resolve.

She didn't understand the man's obsession with her, nor did she understand why he did this. But without a doubt, the two were not lovers who were just bickering; they were truly enemies with a blood feud, irreconcilable grudges.

Since she decided to come to Xianzhou, she was prepared to burn her bridges and even perish together with others.

Ji Xiangwan then laughed.

"You'll soon find out whether I'm dreaming or not. Don't be fooled by your position in the Yuanjian Sect. If I ask them for you, they won't dare refuse. After all, I'm a rare partner for them. But you... are just a newly initiated disciple with limited value. Xu Qingtan, think it over carefully. Do you really want to hold a grudge and become my enemy?"

"if not?"

Xu Qing tried her best to tilt her head back.

His face was getting closer.

She hated his smell.

It was as if she hated his proximity at that moment.

But Ji Xiangwan seemed hopeless, desperately trying to get close to him.

"I think you could try to submit to me. Maybe you can get more, and then use that as leverage to deal with me. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Just as Xu Qing was preparing to muster all her strength, ready for today to be the last day of her life.

"Young Master Ji?"

A voice came from behind me.

At that moment, Xu Qingtan never imagined that this voice would make him feel so fortunate.

She knew that she had no strength to fight against Ji Xiangwan right now, and it would be difficult for her to catch up with him in the future, but she still decided to do it.

If I were to die at this very moment, I imagine it would be filled with regret, wouldn't it?

After all... we haven't even had a chance to see any hope yet.

But then, that unexpected voice appeared behind them.

Ji Xiangwan's approach to his face came to an abrupt halt.

He slowly released his hand and smiled.

Then he turned around and looked at the figure in the white robe that appeared behind him.

"Oh, it's Young Master Wei."

Wei Tu stood calmly behind Ji Xiangwan, his gaze passing through Ji Xiangwan's face to see Xu Qingtan, who was leaning against a tree and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Hehe, just happened to be out for a walk. Oh, isn't this Xu Qingtan? Are you two old acquaintances?"

Ji Xiangwan knew perfectly well that Wei Tu was pretending to be ignorant.

Since he has shown up, he must be interfering in this matter, but it seems there is no need to completely break ties now.

So he smiled and nodded.

"That's it."

"Have you finished talking? I'm sorry, it's not that I wanted to spoil your mood, Young Master Ji, but our Yuanjian Sect has rules that disciples are not allowed to wander around outside so late. So..."

Ji Xiangwan nodded in understanding.

"I understand. We've finished our talk. I should be going now. Farewell, Young Master Wei."

Ji Xiangwan walked past Wei Tu, pausing briefly but saying nothing, then smiled and waved her folding fan as she walked away.

Wei Tu looked at Xu Qingtan leaning against the tree. The young girl, who was still too young, seemed to have lost all her strength, and her legs seemed a little weak.

Clearly, she had used all her strength to resist Ji Xiangwan's aura, and her body was more tense than ever before.

She thought Wei Tu would say or do something to her.

But the boy in white simply came up to him, looked at him, and then spoke.

"Go back if there's nothing else."

Xu Qing was somewhat disappointed. She wasn't disappointed that the other party hadn't shown her much concern—that was something she didn't deserve—but rather that it seemed that this was all there was to it in Xianzhou.

He was also wary of Ji Xiangwan's influence and his status as the Third Young Master of Yihua Palace.

So he won't help me much, but that's okay. I don't need to be disappointed anymore. I've known for a long time that my own affairs are my own affairs. There's no reason to rely on others. I can only rely on myself for everything.

I can only rely on myself.

Xu Qing and Wei Tu returned to the mountain gate together.

Wei Tu didn't say anything, and Xu Qingtan kept his head down and didn't say anything either.

The boy didn't even show the slightest curiosity about their relationship.

Xu Qingtan believed he knew very well that such a smart and cautious young man would naturally not want to cause any trouble because of him.

It's understandable that this vast world, this ethereal fairyland, is actually quite lonely.

Because of hatred, she had to embark on this path.

Even in parting, there were no words exchanged. Xu Qingtan silently returned to Crimson Eyebrow Peak and began his cultivation as always.

The sect competition will be held ten days later.

All the newly initiated disciples entered the hall.

This is a competition to determine the outer and inner disciples. Young people who are initially identified as outer disciples have the opportunity to replace them by defeating the new disciples.

So it's basically a battle between insiders and outsiders.

Many of the matches were contested by vastly different skill levels.

After all, outer disciples rely solely on their own comprehension, while inner disciples receive meticulous guidance from their masters.

Even Qin Xiaoman and Jiang Yuqi easily defeated their opponents.

It was Xu Qing's turn to speak.

She glanced instinctively at the sidelines and saw her master, Chen Ran, standing there, along with several elders and countless disciples.

She remained unmoved until she saw the boy chatting and laughing with a girl beside him.

The two looked so well-matched in the sunlight; he was in white, and she was in white.

Her smiling face was like a flower blooming on a hillside.

She didn't find it jarring; she just felt that she might never experience such a scene in her lifetime. It wasn't a longing for parental love, but simply because she had lost that right at a very young age.

For a person living in hatred, talking about anything else is a waste and a disservice.

It is a kind of self-destruction.

She turned her head and calmly picked up her sword, facing her opponent.

A boy with a tense expression, his forehead even covered in sweat.

"Let the competition begin!"

Yuan Wei announced the start of the sparring session.

These past few days, Ji Xiangwan's appearance caused Xu Qingtan, whose mind was somewhat fluctuating, to be the first to draw his sword.

The sword strikes were swift, and the opponent seemed to have no choice but to parry.

Obviously, the result is self-evident.

"clang!"

When Xu Qingtan parried the opponent's longsword with his sword, and the opponent staggered back two steps in a panic, the outcome was already decided.

He should admit defeat.

But what was unexpected was...

Sudden.

"Ahhhhh!!"

The boy opposite suddenly roared, seemingly bursting out with unusual emotions under tension and on the verge of collapse. His skin was red and his eyes were bloodshot.

Suddenly, he rushed towards Xu Qingtan, who was preparing to sheathe his sword.

Although Xu Qingtan found it somewhat strange, he quickly relied on his instincts honed from the training he had received over the past few days to wield his longsword and deflect the opponent's seemingly chaotic attacks.

but……

"boom!!"

She couldn't even withstand that sword strike!

The opponent's aura seemed to increase exponentially!

The moment she was pulled away.

"Roar!!"

The snarling boy, brandishing his longsword, was about to slash at him from above!

Xu Qing seemed to have no reaction at all during that instant.

She stared blankly at everything in front of her.