1
"You're a waste! You don't deserve to be in our sect! Get lost!"
"Look at this loser. He even dares to dream of becoming great—what a fool!"
"What a lunatic. Truly insane."
Under the heavy rain stood a young man, drenched from head to toe. His eyes, though cold, burned with determination. No matter how long the abuse and insults rained down on him, he refused to let them shake his resolve.
He slowly rose to his feet and met the eyes of those mocking him. His fists were clenched tightly, but he could only walk away in silence.
"Why? Why is life so difficult for me?" he wondered bitterly. "I've tried everything to cultivate, but nothing ever yields a positive result. I just wanted to prove myself, to at least look competent among others, but nothing works. I'm starting to feel useless… What do I do now?"
His thoughts kept spiraling. It was already dark, and his path was unknown. He wandered through the bush until, by the time he regained his senses, he found himself deep in the wilderness.
"How did I end up here? Even though I'm depressed, I don't want to die yet. I still have to take care of my sister… and avenge my parents."
Clenching his fists again, he muttered, "Which way is the exit?"
Just then, a brilliant light descended from the heavens like a shooting star, landing a few meters ahead of him.
Startled, his first instinct was to flee. But curiosity took hold of him, drawing him towards the place where the light had landed.
As he approached, he froze, forgetting even to breathe.
"Is… is this a fairy?"
Lying peacefully on the ground was a peerless beauty. Her long white hair spread around her like a crown of flowers, and her skin was so pale and smooth she looked like a goddess.
The young man was overwhelmed.
"She's… she's so beautiful," he whispered, eyes wide and unblinking. He knelt beside her and gently tapped her arm.
"Fairy… fairy, can… can you hear me?" he asked softly, but there was no response.
"She must be injured. I should take her somewhere safe," he murmured, lifting her onto his back and heading off.
Not long after, two men in green robes arrived at the spot where the woman had fallen. They looked around, frowns etched on their faces.
"What's going on? Why did her aura vanish?" the first one questioned.
"This wilderness is strange. Let's search for her," the other proposed, and in a blink, they vanished into the distance.
---
The young man, still carrying the beauty on his back, arrived at a quiet river. After ensuring no one was around, he gently set her down.
He sat beside her, not knowing what to do. His eyes kept drifting to her stunning face, and he found himself drawn to her.
He reached out, caressed her cheek—and immediately pulled back.
"No… What am I doing? I can't take advantage of her," he whispered, fighting the urge. But something inside him stirred uncontrollably, and before he realized it, he leaned forward and kissed her lips.
His eyes widened, his heart thudding violently. He could feel himself reacting, his desire flaring. He tried to resist, but his body defied his will.
"She'll definitely kill me if she finds out," he thought anxiously, struggling with himself. But the more he resisted, the more intense the desire became.
"Forget it. What's the point of fighting it? If she's willing to have me as her husband, I'll take full responsibility."
With that, he surrendered. His lips devoured hers hungrily, his hands moving to her dress, tearing it apart until there was nothing left between them.
"I'll take full responsibility," he murmured again before the night was overtaken by pleasure-filled moans. Their entanglement lasted for hours before silence returned.
---
The Next Morning
The sunlight stirred him awake. Raising a hand to block the light, he adjusted to the brightness, and memories of the night rushed back.
He instantly turned to his side—only to find it empty.
"She left?" he muttered, a pang tightening in his chest. "Did I really think… a fairy would care for someone like me?"
Grabbing his hair in regret, he slumped. But before his despair could deepen, he heard footsteps.
He looked up—and there she was, the same breathtaking woman, now walking towards him.
Her long hair flowed freely, her eyes now revealed to be a deep, mesmerizing black. She was stunning—but what shocked him most was that she was naked.
He almost had a nosebleed.
"You… you… why are you not dressed?" he stammered, immediately averting his eyes.
She stepped closer and touched his cheek.
"Oh—right! Your clothes… I ruined them yesterday. I'll give you mine," he blurted and quickly removed his outer robe, wrapping it around her. Once she was covered, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Um… about last night… I—I know I did something wrong, but I'm ready to take responsibility if… if you'll allow me," he murmured, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
She smiled warmly. "Alright. I won't harm you, as long as you promise me one thing—grant me the position of your first wife, and keep a special place for me in your heart."
His eyes widened in shock. "Th-this…"
"I know you already have someone in your heart, but I refuse to let her have that position," she declared, standing up. "Let me explain something to you. First, she gave you the impossible task of obtaining the Three-Horn Serpent Essence, fully knowing it would lead to your death."
"What?!" he gasped.
"Second, she knows you can't retrieve it. But if you somehow returned alive, she wouldn't want to ruin her image in your heart—so she gave you a second impossible task: entering the Sword Sect. She believed you'd be humiliated there and never return to her."
She turned to face him again.
"Third, your family's misfortune is tied to her and the Seven Great Sects."
He stood frozen, his mind in a daze. Shaking his head, he whispered, "That's not true… it's not true…"
"It's hard to accept," she acknowledged softly. "But have you ever questioned why you can't cultivate?"
His eyes widened.
"What… what's the reason?"
"On the day of your coming-of-age ceremony, she gave you milk to drink. After that, your core began to fracture, slowly—until it shattered completely."
She stared deeply into his eyes.
"So now, tell me… what do you think the reason is?"