Ji Lin was born under an ill-fated star, suffering misfortune from an early age.
The young Ji Lin, unable to awaken her power, could do nothing when the calamitous beasts of the Collapse came.
She could only flee with her sword under her father's orders, alone, to face the annihilation of her clan.
During her flight, she drifted without shelter, isolated and helpless, with no solace to be found.
It wasn't until she met Fuxi and the others that she finally found stability.
With their help, Ji Lin awakened the power of the Stigmata, repelled the beasts of calamity, and later rebuilt her clan, becoming renowned across Shenzhou.
Imagine—when a weak and helpless girl is plunged into darkness, a being descends like a radiant light, bringing her warmth, soothing her soul, and guiding her through thorns to shatter the nightmares that had haunted her for years.
And that person was as flawless as an immortal descended to the mortal world.
What would such a girl's heart be like?
This was how Ji Lin first met and came to know Fu Hua.
Because of Fu Hua's... distinctive, firm features and the circumstances of the time, Ji Lin initially mistook her for a man.
It wasn't until years later that Ji Lin learned the truth—that Fu Hua was a woman.
To be precise, it was the day before their wedding.
When Ji Lin discovered the truth, she felt as though her world had collapsed, though she maintained a calm facade.
Fu Hua, for her part, was utterly bewildered—she had never expected to be mistaken for a man...
Nuwa stood frozen for a long moment, barely managing to suppress her laughter.
Only Fuxi, ever perceptive, took Ji Lin aside under the moonlight to untangle the knots in her heart.
Several more years passed, and Ji Lin could finally face Fuxi with composure—but the profound stirrings of her youth never truly faded.
Even now, reunited once more.
Back then, when Chiyou rose from the sea and brought chaos to Shenzhou, Ji Lin had marched to battle resolved to die.
She never imagined she would see Fuxi again.
Yet though they stood together once more, things were different—Fuxi had lost all memory of their past.
Now, she went by "Fu Hua."
In Ji Lin's heart, there was sorrow—but even more, the joy of reunion.
...
...
The setting sun danced on the distant horizon.
Golden rays streamed through the window, spilling across the floor like liquid honey.
Jingliu was utterly spent.
Balancing on one foot, her other leg raised high in a perfect split.
An entire afternoon—the "Mara-struck" state had truly lasted the entire afternoon.
Jingliu's robes were in disarray, her delicate body glistening with sweat, her skin reflecting the shimmering twilight.
Drenched from head to toe, her pale blue hair clung messily to her cheeks, beads of sweat rolling down her slender legs to pool on the floor.
"The sun's finally setting. Jingliu, let's take a bath together."
"If you dare push your luck, I will cut you down."
Her voice was cold, sharp as an unsheathed blade.
"Fine, fine, no need to be so harsh. You know, that kind of resistance really kills the mood—bad for you, bad for me."
Ye Feng pressed a hand against Jingliu's slender waist, one arm supporting her raised leg, the other holding up the black silk blindfold embroidered with a crescent moon. He brought it to her lips. "You look exhausted. Bite down on this—it'll help."
"No."
Back when Jingliu trained in swordsmanship, she could stand on one foot for three days and nights without faltering.
This level of exhaustion could only be the work of the Mara.
"Fine, no biting. Let me just put this on you."
Ye Feng released her leg, and it dropped limply, as if boneless.
The ethereal, ice-cold swordswoman now looked like a broken doll—yet her expression remained serene, her eyes calm as the moon.
It only made the urge to shatter that composure even stronger.
As Ye Feng tied the blindfold over her eyes, the scene reminded him of a certain Dragon Rider.
A regret from the past, now an accelerator for the present.
He was determined to make up for that regret. "Auntie, why don't you call me Guo'er?"
"?"
What new trick was this?
"Don't look so wary. If I wanted to fuck you, I could've just pinned you against the wall and done it by now. After this afternoon, you should know—I have just as much patience as you do."
Ye Feng gently pulled Jingliu into his arms, trapping her against the wall.
Beside them rested a crystalline greatsword, its edge gleaming like a sliver of moonlight.
Ye Feng smirked. "Auntie, you're peerless in grace and beauty. How many men could resist you in a moment like this?"
"I am Mara-struck, consumed by hatred. Indulging in this body will only bring you calamity."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Merely stating facts."
Jingliu's voice was as calm as moonlit water.
"And don't call me 'Auntie.'" The term grated on her.
"Then what should I call you?"
"I have a name—Jingliu."
"I know."
"..."
Jingliu's mind sharpened. Of course—how could a "heart demon" not know her name?
Ye Feng continued, "Can I call you Master?"
"?"
Why was he so fixated on titles?
"It's roleplay. No—not just play. I suddenly really do want to be your disciple. Can I? Mas~ ter~Jing~liu~!"
"It's not that I refuse to take you in. But do you look like someone who respects their master?"
"Rejecting me?"
Ye Feng tilted Jingliu's chin up with his fingers. The blindfolded swordswoman exuded a unique allure.
Her lips, pale as a crescent moon, glistened temptingly.
"Rejecting me comes with a punishment. Here—let me taste my master's flavor first."
"Mmm—!"
Ye Feng kissed her.
Jingliu stiffened as if struck by lightning, her pupils contracting behind the blindfold like blood moons flickering.
She tried to push him away, but Ye Feng seized her wrists, pinning them to the wall like a vise.
So she tried to kick—but after an entire afternoon in a split, her legs were weak as jelly, flailing uselessly like a mermaid's tail stranded on shore.
Time stretched endlessly, and eventually, Jingliu stopped resisting.
The peerless swordswoman hung limply against the wall, supported only by Ye Feng's grip, like a discarded rag.
The kiss left her dizzy, the sensation of drowning in helplessness. Her body trembled occasionally, reflexive shudders of exhaustion.
"Ye Feng, I'm here!"
Kiana barged in.
She was in high spirits—after all, Ye Feng had solved her biggest problem, earning praise from both Aunt Theresa and Instructor Himeko.
"..."
But the moment she entered, she saw Ye Feng pinning an ethereal, moonlike beauty against the wall.
Her beauty was transcendent, untouchable—yet here Ye Feng was, defiling her.
The contrast left Kiana wide-eyed.
And for some reason, it also left her feeling... strangely unsettled.
And... that spot—the very place where they'd once fought, with Mei watching the whole time.
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