After Yun Shi and Liang Yu were finally done hammering every ounce of frustration onto Wan Ruo's body, the poor soul lay sprawled on the ground.
His entire frame ached as he slowly pushed himself up on trembling elbows, groaning like an old man who had just fought ten beasts with a chopstick. Though he wasn't bleeding, the soreness that radiated from every joint made it clear that he had been thoroughly disciplined.
Wan Ruo winced, stretched his limbs with all the grace of a broken marionette, and then suddenly froze. His bloodshot eyes blinked wide.
"Wait… wait a damn minute—" He darted his gaze around. "Where the hell is Zheng Xie!?"
Yun Shi paused mid-stretch, his spine locking upright. Liang Yu, who had been rubbing his sore knuckles, stiffened.
"What…?"
The three of them immediately began scanning the surroundings, checking the edges of the nearby tree line, the roof tiles, even inside Zheng Xie's cottage.
Nothing.
Yun Shi narrowed his eyes, crossed his arms, and adopted the stance of a philosopher lost in existential crisis. "Hmm… he couldn't have gotten far. We were fighting right outside his cottage. He must still be within the sect."
Liang Yu nodded sagely. "But that sly dog tricked us. Letting us beat each other to a pulp while he made his escape… truly, a masterstroke. This is why we shouldn't fight amongst ourselves."
Yun Shi clicked his tongue and cast a withering glare toward Wan Ruo. "Teach that to him. He's the one who always starts things. If there's ever chaos, he's at the center of it."
The accused stood there with his finger pressed dramatically against his chin, brows furrowed as if deep in even deeper calculation.
"Gentlemen," Wan Ruo said solemnly, "I have a theory. A proposition, even."
Intrigued, Yun Shi and Liang Yu leaned in with matching expressions of curious suspicion.
Wan Ruo held the pose for dramatic flair. "If my gut isn't wrong—which it rarely is—then our good brother Zheng Xie has snuck off to meet Sister Ling Xue."
There was a long pause.
And then—
Both Yun Shi and Liang Yu gasped in unison, their reactions perfectly synchronized.
"No way…!"
"Of course!! It does make sense!"
Yun Shi's face slowly transformed into a devilish grin as he cracked his knuckles with sinister glee. "Then we must reward him, mustn't we? For such a… gallant act."
Liang Yu cackled darkly. "Such an unbrotherly betrayal must not go unpunished."
Wan Ruo shook his head with a sinister smirk. "Let's not be hasty. We can't enter the Elite Court. We'd be chased off before we even step past the wards. But we'll meet again in Birch City for sure. We'll strike there."
The three exchanged a nod, faces shadowed beneath their hoods as they tightened their black robes around themselves like assassins preparing for their grand mission.
"Operation: Sabotage is a go," Wan Ruo whispered.
They disappeared into the night, laughter trailing like smoke behind them.
…
In the Elite Court—
Moonlight spilled like silver silk across the polished wood of the courtyard as Zheng Xie leaned against the outer wall of a refined wooden cottage.
He didn't peek inside. Instead, he gently tapped the wall near the window—once, then twice.
No answer at first.
Then came a soft, clear voice. "Who's there? Show yourself first."
The unmistakable sound of steel singing through air followed, a sword unsheathing—not threatening, but cautious.
Zheng Xie smiled faintly, eyes never leaving the moon above. "It's your pursuer, Xue'er. I've come to invite you on a night out."
Footsteps padded softly toward the window.
A moment later, Ling Xue appeared, resting her cheek against her palm as she leaned casually on the windowsill. Her pale robes shimmered with moonlight, her long hair slightly tousled, her blue eyes peering down at him.
"You're trying to corrupt me, aren't you, Brother Zheng?" she asked gently. "Sneaking around this late, asking a good disciple like me to elope into the night… It's scandalous."
Zheng Xie finally turned his head, his gaze meeting hers. "If the ideal disciple is kidnapped by a mischievous scoundrel, then surely the elders won't blame her, right?"
She tilted her head, amused. "And how do you plan to kidnap me, exactly? You're weaker than me."
He sighed as if burdened by the heavens themselves. "Ah… the struggle of a weak man in love. Truly, the world is cruel. The girl I fall for shows no interest. Even when I try, she rebuffs me. And now, when I just want to share a little ordinary happiness… she refuses."
Ling Xue chuckled softly. "Is that so?"
But before she could say more, his expression changed.
His smile faded.
Zheng Xie looked straight at her, eyes calm and serious. "Xue'er… this is the last time I'll ask. The last time I'll try to court you. If you still don't feel anything—not even a sliver of attraction—then let's end this here. From now on, we'll be strangers."
The warmth in his eyes didn't disappear—but there was something else there too.
Fatigue.
Exhaustion.
The kind of tiredness that couldn't be healed by sleep. The weariness of a heart that had long carried burdens in silence.
Ling Xue's lips parted slightly, the teasing tone vanishing from her breath. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared into his eyes.
She could see it.
He meant it.
The man who once wore a sly smile and always had a witty line to deflect sincerity—was now vulnerable. Earnest.
And behind the glimmer of moonlight in his eyes… there was loneliness.
"Brother Xie…"
Ling Xue's voice escaped her lips before she could stop it, a soft whisper. She hadn't meant to speak—it was a reflex, a tremor in her chest she didn't know how to control.
But Zheng Xie heard it.
He didn't turn, nor did he press the moment. His eyes still lingered on the moonlight above. But a small, unguarded smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"So," he asked gently, "will you give me the opportunity to court you… one last time?"
Ling Xue didn't speak immediately. She stood in silence, the breeze rustling her long sleeves, her heart caught between two tides.
Then she nodded. Just once.
Without a word, she turned and disappeared back into her cottage. A few minutes later, she returned—this time dressed in a sleek black robe that covered her entirely, from her hair to the lower curve of her chin
She stepped closer, and in a voice softer than silk said, "Let's go."
Zheng Xie offered his arm like a gentleman.
Ling Xue looked at the offered arm, hesitated, then gently rested her hand on it. Their fingers didn't intertwine. But the warmth of contact was enough.
And with that, they descended the mountain path in silence, side by side, away from sect duties and titles, toward the lantern-filled bustle of Birch City.
…
Birch City was never truly quiet. Not even at dawn.
A massive urban sprawl nestled between the foot of the Seven Strike Martial Sect and the edges of the famed Drifting Fountain Plain, it was a crossroads of sects, merchants, and madmen chasing legends.
By default, it held a population nearing three hundred thousand. But during this particular season—when the Festival of Lasting swept through its streets like wildfire—that number easily doubled.
The roads were packed. The air was thick with incense, grilled meats, plum wine, and the music of flutes and drums. Glowing lanterns floated above the rooftops like migrating stars.
Masks were sold at every corner, each stall louder and more vibrant than the next. Children darted through alleyways like fish in a stream, wielding paper swords.
It was, in every sense, chaos born from joy.
Zheng Xie stepped into the city with Ling Xue by his side. Unlike her, he made no effort to conceal his identity. His flowing black robe embroidered with crimson lines marked his status. His face was clear to all—and far too handsome for peace.
As they passed through the crowd, it became painfully obvious how much attention Zheng Xie attracted. Especially from women.
Young women giggled behind fans, older ones cast lingering glances, and at least three confident ladies from various sects tried to "accidentally" bump into him with practiced grace. Each one had their own tactic: a 'tripped ankle,' a fallen hairpin, a subtle tug at his sleeve.
Some people also tried to mug him but even those people were mostly women.
Ling Xue, who remained concealed under her black robe, watched this unfold with eyes that slowly began to narrow behind her veil.
'Brother Xie really is… charismatic. Of course people would notice him. But still…' Her brows furrowed beneath her hood. 'Why are all the muggers girls? Why are their eyes shining like they want to marry him on the spot? And why the hell are they all flocking to him like bees on spirit nectar!?'
She held back a scoff.
To make matters worse, Zheng Xie didn't even seem to be fazed. He wasn't encouraging them—but he wasn't pushing them away either. He simply maintained a subtle distance, gracefully brushing aside stray hands.
No rebuke nor a glare. Just that ever-gentle smile.
Ling Xue felt something strange curl in her chest. A little warmth… and a tinge of irritation.
Then his voice broke her thoughts. "Xue'er?"
She flinched. "Y-Yes?"
Zheng Xie peered down at her, his tone casual. "You seem irritated."
Ling Xue blinked rapidly, then forced a calm smile. "No, not at all. I was just… thinking about something."
Zheng Xie shrugged, unconvinced but unwilling to push. "If you say so. Anyway, you still haven't told me where you want to visit first."
Ling Xue immediately froze.
'Crap…' She had forgotten about that part. Earlier, when he teased her on the road, she had confidently claimed she'd been to Birch City before. That she knew the best spots.
Truth was… she didn't know a damn thing.
She'd never even left the sect walls before joining the Elite Court let alone after. She barely even knew how currency worked outside of contribution points.
Now she was stuck. If she admitted it, he'd never let her live it down. But if she picked somewhere at random, what if she accidentally led him to a bathroom or a place selling donkey meat?
So she decided to deflect.
Ling Xue lifted her chin with elegant dignity. "Brother Zheng, you're the one courting me, remember? Shouldn't you be the one taking me around?"
Zheng Xie's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than usual, he chuckled under his breath and took her hand.
"Fair enough," he said. "Then first—let's run wildly into the crowd. If something looks interesting, we stop. If not, we keep running. Simple plan, yes?"
Ling Xue blinked. "Wait, what—?"
Before she could protest, he yanked her forward.
They plunged into the tide of color and music and noise like two birds caught in a windstorm.
Her hand gripped his instinctively.
Seeing the excitement on his face, Ling Xue… couldn't help but laugh…
Moments later.
"Slow down, Brother Zheng—!" Ling Xue half-shouted, half-laughed, her voice lost between a nearby fireworks burst.
Zheng Xie turned his head mid-run, grinning like a madman. "No time! I see a stall with skewers taller than me!"
Ling Xue couldn't keep the laughter in anymore. She didn't care that her robe nearly flew off from the speed, or that she might've just stepped on a child's toy sword. For the first time in what felt like years, she wasn't a sect genius, a future elder, or a cold-faced prodigy.
She was just… a girl.
Ling Xue shook her head. 'No, this isn't the first time. Whenever I'm with Brother Xie he acts like this. He doesn't see me as a potential resource or a connection but as a partner... As a girl.'
They finally stopped—panting, slightly disheveled—before a towering skewer stall lit by glowing jade lanterns. The skewers were monstrous: roasted red-spice beast meat, dipped in golden honey spirit sauce, sprinkled with salt.
Zheng Xie immediately bought two. Then four. Then three more because Ling Xue's eyes had paused a little too long on one particular spicy one.
"You'll regret eating that," she warned him, watching him chomp into one with a dangerous level of chili coating.
He paused mid-bite, eyes watering.
"…No regrets," he said, voice breaking.
Ling Xue laughed so hard she nearly dropped her own. "You look like you're about to ascend through sheer spice tribulation!"
…
Meanwhile… in a much darker, far more chaotic alley of Birch City…
Operation: Sabotage had commenced.
Wan Ruo crouched behind a stack of cabbages, eyes squinting. "Alright, listen here. We've entered Phase Two of the plan."
Yun Shi, beside him, peeked through a rolled-up parchment that clearly had nothing on it but doodles of pigs and flying chickens. "Phase Two? What was Phase One?"
Liang Yu, hiding behind a wooden cart, whispered harshly. "Phase One was finding them, moron. Keep up."
"Then what's Phase Two?"
"Observation and Chaos."
"…That sounds vague."
Wan Ruo cleared his throat. "I'll summarize. We wait until Zheng Xie makes a move—like trying to hold Sister Ling Xue's hand. Then we swoop in, either interrupt it, or pretend to be robbers. We 'accidentally' make him look bad, she gets mad, and they argue. Boom. Romance is dead."
Yun Shi blinked. "So your great plan is… cockblock him?"
Wan Ruo nodded solemnly. "With honor and brotherhood."
Liang Yu muttered, "This is petty even by our standards."
Yin Shi questioned him. "What did you think we were gonna do? Add spice in his food and make him visit the divine bathroom a thousand times."
Liang Yu nodded. The two groaned at him, and suddenly their attention changed.
They all peeked out from their hiding spots, then froze.
They saw Zheng Xie hand-feeding Ling Xue a piece of crispy skewer while she covered her mouth and blushed under the robe's shadow.
Wan Ruo gasped. "They've already reached that stage!?"
Yun Shi narrowed his eyes. "This is more serious than I thought. Operation: Full Interception must begin."
Liang Yu facepalmed.
…
Back at the skewer stall…
Zheng Xie tilted his head. "Xue'er, why are you blushing? You've eaten skewers before, haven't you?"
Ling Xue turned away. "Of course. I've just… never had one this spicy before."
Zheng Xie looked like he wanted to tease her. But he didn't. Instead, he simply smiled and handed her a napkin.
"You're allowed to enjoy yourself. You're not just the sect's cold beauty tonight. You're just Ling Xue. With me."
She looked at him for a moment—then lowered her gaze and whispered, "Then stop calling me 'Xue'er.' It makes it harder to stay detached."
Zheng Xie blinked, eyes widening slightly.
Then he leaned in, voice low, just for her ears.
"Xue'er. Xue'er. Xue'er. I will keep calling you that… at least today."
And before she could protest, he pointed toward the distance. "Ooh! I see a zither performance with floating lanterns. Let's go!"
They took off again, weaving into the crowd like shadows under moonlight—unaware that three robed disasters were stalking behind them, dead set on ruining their precious moment.