Chapter 1

I returned to the sect with six junior sisters.

The bell on the eastern mountain rang.

Our eldest brother, Luo Qingzhu, came racing down the mountain on his sword. He looked agitated, but still brought the sword carefully to a halt and helped Qin Rou, our youngest sister, down from his arms.

He handled her as tenderly as if she were a wisp of cloud that would dissolve at the slightest touch.

Only after settling her safely did Luo Qingzhu turn to me with a stern face. “Why are you only getting back now? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

Worried about what?

That I wouldn’t make it back alive to bring Qin Rou the Jade Buddha Fungus?

A single Jade Buddha Fungus had been growing on the cliff above the Waters of Sin.

Qin Rou had rashly tried to pick it, enraging the demonic beast guarding it.

When the beast chased her, she threw the fungus she’d picked to me, turning the danger my way.

She escaped without trouble. Caught completely off guard, I was swatted into the Waters of Sin.

If I hadn’t been a passable swimmer and managed to kill the beast in the water, I would probably have been a corpse by now.

Even so, the water had eaten away at my cultivation.

In the story, I had stormed back to demand why Qin Rou had done it.

Instead, everyone forced me to hand over the Jade Buddha Fungus to heal her. The beast had struck her while she was supposedly luring it away, injuring the meridians around her heart.

“Senior Sister, I only wanted you to take the fungus and run,” she’d said. “I was trying to draw the beast away for you. I never imagined things would turn out like this.”

Tears made her beautiful face so pitiful that everyone sympathized with her. They all but offered my forgiveness on my behalf.

But I had been there. I knew better than anyone whether she’d meant me kindness or harm.

I had risked my life for that fungus. Why should I hand it over to someone who wanted me dead?

Luo Qingzhu had subdued me with a single stroke of his sword and forced me to surrender it. He’d even accused me of malice and disregarding the bonds between fellow disciples. Then he’d sent me to Hanging Mountain Cave to reflect on my wrongdoing as savage winds tore through my body.

After that, my cultivation had plummeted, and Qin Rou had tormented me until there was nothing left…

Now he said he’d been worried.

What had he actually done?

“If you were that worried, Eldest Brother, I’m sure you went into the Waters of Sin to look for me,” I said mildly. “Thank you for caring so much about a fellow disciple.”

Luo Qingzhu went pale.

Because now, just as in the story,

he had spent all his time hovering around Qin Rou. It had never occurred to him to search for me, much less enter water that ate away at a person’s cultivation to see whether I was still alive.

Guilt rose in his eyes.

“Huaiyue, I…”

“Cough… cough… Senior Sister, I’m so happy you’re back. Now that I can see you’re safe, I can finally stop worrying.”

Qin Rou’s delicate little coughs sounded like a cat trying to be alluring.

Luo Qingzhu’s guilt vanished at once.

Rubbing her back, he said urgently, “Huaiyue, where’s the Jade Buddha Fungus? Our youngest sister still hasn’t recovered from the beast’s attack. Only that fungus can save her. Hurry up and take it out.”

I held my anger in. “I’ve used it.”

“Huaiyue, are you just unwilling to part with it?” Suspicion filled his face. He didn’t believe me.

Tears welled in Qin Rou’s eyes. “Senior Sister, do you blame me? I meant to lure that beast away myself. I didn’t know it would chase you. I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. Of course you don’t want to let me use the fungus.”

Luo Qingzhu’s gaze turned icy. “Huaiyue, this is no time for a tantrum. Hand it over.”

He stood straight and tall, his immortal robes fluttering, every word delivered with righteous conviction, as if I truly were a monster.

Anger churned inside me, but I had to suppress it.

This wasn’t the time to turn against Luo Qingzhu.

I couldn’t beat him.

Especially not after emerging from the Waters of Sin.

The six girls behind me stepped forward together, shielding me.

“Eldest Brother, it’s all our fault. Second Sister gave us the Jade Buddha Fungus. Blame us if you must.”

“My worthless life didn’t deserve such precious medicine. If I’d known it was for Eighth Sister, I wouldn’t have dared take it, even if I died by the roadside. Now her treatment’s been delayed because of me. I deserve to die!”

“Eighth Sister, the medicine probably hasn’t left my body yet. Why don’t you drink my blood? If it cures you, I could die without a single regret.”

“Eldest Brother, blame us.”

“Eighth Sister, drink my blood.”

All six looked at the pair with reddened eyes, each one delicate, lovely, and utterly pitiable.

Luo Qingzhu was stunned.

So was Qin Rou. She stumbled over her words.

“Second Sister, wh-what is going on? Why are they calling me Eighth Sister?”

I smiled gently.

“Youngest Sister—oh, no, Eighth Sister. You always said it was lonely with only the two of us girls on the mountain. I thought you were right. So on my way home, I happened to save a few unfortunate girls and accepted them as disciples on Master’s behalf. From now on, you’re their Eighth Sister. Aren’t you happy?”

Qin Rou’s usually soft, sweet face tightened with agitation.

“Senior Sister, how could you take on disciples for Master without asking him? He’ll never agree.”

“Master told me himself that I could accept disciples for him. Besides, didn’t Eldest Brother accept you on his behalf?”