Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I escaped the Cold Jade Chamber on the morning of the third day.

It wasn’t thanks to Shen Zhaowei, nor was it thanks to Wen Zhi.

Master himself unlocked the door.

When he entered, he carried a heavy scent of blood.

I sat by the edge of the bed, watching him unfasten the chains around my wrists.

“Who did you kill this time?”

His movements didn’t falter.

“The Law Enforcement Elder.”

My heart sank.

“Why?”

“He wanted to search your soul.”

He spoke indifferently, as if he had merely plucked a flower.

I stared at him.

“So you killed him?”

“Yes.”

“Will the Sect Leader let you off?”

“No.”

He draped an outer robe over my shoulders.

“That is why you must leave.”

I laughed.

“To where?”

“Down the mountain.”

“And you’ll stay behind to die in my place?”

His hand paused.

I grabbed his wrist.

“See? You’re choosing for me again.”

Master looked down at me.

There was a faint redness in his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept all night.

“Ah Heng, Kunwu is going to restart the formation. The Sect Leader already knows the Pill Core hasn’t formed; he won’t wait any longer.”

I asked, “And you?”

“I will hold them back.”

“For how long?”

He remained silent.

I spoke for him. “Until you die.”

Master finally frowned.

“Do not use that word.”

“You can do it, but I can’t say it?”

He looked at me, his tone softening.

“Jiang Heng, stop being difficult.”

Those words were like a spark falling into oil.

I raised my hand and slapped him.

The sound was sharp and loud.

Outside the door, Wen Zhi was so startled he dropped his medicine tray.

Master’s face turned to the side, but he didn’t move.

My palm stung, but my eyes burned hotter.

“I’m being difficult?” I asked with a laugh.

“You all raised me, lied to me, refined me, and locked me up. And now you say I’m being difficult?”

Master’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” I pressed, step by step.

“Do you think that as long as I’m alive, I should be grateful to you? Do you think that because you kill for me, fall into demonhood for me, and die for me, I should just cry and say how wonderful my Master is?”

His face grew paler by the second.

I lowered my voice.

“Xuanwei, I am not your medicine, nor am I your sin.”

He looked at me for a long time.

Then he said, “Fine.”

The word was very soft.

So soft it felt like he had finally let go of something.

“Then you choose.”

I froze.

He said, “I will listen to you.”

These were not words Immortal Venerable Xuanwei would ever say.

He never asked others what they wanted.

He only judged, decided, and executed.

I looked at him, suddenly unable to tell if I had won or if I was simply more miserable.

I said, “I want to go to the Ash Chamber.”

Master’s expression changed.

“No.”

I sneered. “You just said you’d listen to me.”

He closed his eyes.

In that moment, I saw a flash of violence in his eyes that he could barely suppress.

He wanted to knock me unconscious, he wanted to hide me away, he wanted to make everything that could hurt me disappear.

But in the end, he only clenched his fingers tight.

“I will go with you.”

I said, “You walk in front.”

He did as I asked.

Wen Zhi asked in a small voice from outside the door, “What about me?”

I glanced at him. “You’re coming too.”

Wen Zhi’s face turned green. “Can I not?”

Master said flatly, “No.”

Wen Zhi looked like he was about to cry. “Immortal Venerable, you’re certainly of one mind with Senior Sister Jiang at a time like this.”