After that, Bai Tian turned and walked away. Silence filled the room, heavy and almost suffocating. The woman stared at Bai Tian's retreating back, her eyes slowly opening. Within that gaze swirled a thousand emotions—sharp hatred, deep sorrow, burning curiosity, and something darker, something like a predator ready to strike.
She remained silent, restraining herself, but the tension within her was palpable. Every breath echoed in the quiet room, as if signaling that their battle was far from over. Bai Tian might have left, yet the enmity, curiosity, and escalating tension remained, poised to erupt in their next encounter.
All through the night, Bai Tian felt a weight clinging to his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of her gaze appeared. After a while, he finally fell into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, the woman could not forget Bai Tian. In the stillness of her room, her mind was filled with visions of everything that had occurred—his perplexing presence, his deep gaze, and the strange calm that nonetheless stirred unease. There was anger, of course, but also curiosity and attraction that she struggled to contain. Every memory made her heart race, and the sharp, predatory gleam in her eyes flared again, signaling readiness for whatever might come.
Even with her eyes closed, she still felt the same vibration, something she could not ignore. She realized that the next encounter would not be the same. An unseen game was in play—a game involving desire for control, the need to understand, and the instinct to protect oneself. Every step, every decision, would determine the direction of their complex and tension-filled relationship.
In the Main Hall of the Rainbow Cloud Sect, a grand meeting had just concluded. One by one, the elders rose from their seats, slowly leaving the vast room. Only a dozen or so high-ranking officials remained, quietly discussing sect matters.
But the calm was shattered when the sky above the hall trembled. From afar, a green light shot like an arrow, slicing through the air so fast that the clouds parted. The whistling of the wind could be clearly heard even inside.
The Sect Leader, seated in the chair of honor, furrowed his brow. His gaze was sharp, yet as the figure drew nearer, his expression turned slightly surprised.
"Ying'er?" he murmured softly.
Landing on the courtyard was his beloved niece—Xuan Ying'er, a girl known for her cheerfulness and vibrant spirit. Yet now, her face was shrouded in thick hatred, her eyes blazing like coals ready to ignite. The Sect Leader sighed deeply, sensing something amiss.
"Disperse," he said flatly to the remaining officials.
Without question, they left the hall.
Xuan Ying'er stepped forward. Her green robe shimmered under the hall's protective light formation. She bowed in salute.
"Greetings, Uncle."
"No need for pleasantries. Speak directly—what brings you here? And… where did this hatred come from? Who made you like this?" The Sect Leader's voice was deep and commanding, yet tinged with concern.
Xuan Ying'er paused, glancing around as if ensuring no one else could hear. The Sect Leader raised his hand, activating a teleportation formation. In an instant, they were transported to a secret chamber, silent except for the hum of spiritual qi flowing through the air.
The Sect Leader stared sharply.
"In the entire Rainbow Cloud Sect, no disciple can match you. Who dared make you like this?"
Xuan Ying'er clenched her fists.
"Uncle, it's about the Moon Herbal plants I've been cultivating for two years on the Moonlight Hill."
She began recounting. Over the past month, the rare plants had gradually disappeared. At first, she thought it was the work of spiritual animals, but strangely, each missing plant was replaced by grass almost identical in appearance. From afar, the total number seemed unchanged, making it impossible to detect without direct inspection.
She watched the hill every night, only seeing a few young men meditating. None seemed suspicious… until two nights ago, when she finally recognized the same person.
Last night, she decided to ambush the culprit. Before she could strike, the youth escaped using a cunning trick. Xuan Ying'er was caught for a split second, and as the mist cleared, he had vanished without a trace.
She looked at her uncle, her voice cold yet determined, hatred growing with every word.
"Uncle… I will not let that little thief escape again. Please help me."
The Sect Leader fixed his gaze on his niece. He knew her too well to believe that a theft of plants could trigger such intense hatred. With her status, power, and wealth, such anger seemed impossible.
With a heavy sigh, the Sect Leader raised his hand. From a storage ring, he produced a thin, glowing circular artifact, resembling a halo. The artifact hovered above Xuan Ying'er's head, emitting a soft light that soon formed a holographic projection in the air.
The scenes of reality played out before her eyes.
Xuan Ying'er watched, her body stiffening. Upon realizing what was displayed, it was as if her blood stopped flowing.
"U-Uncle! Stop! Please stop!!" she screamed in despair, attempting to destroy the artifact, but her entire body was locked by the Sect Leader's pressure.
Scene after scene unfolded: under the moonlight, a young girl played the Guqin, a young man with pure aura appeared, and then… an event that left the Sect Leader silent for a long moment.
She witnessed her niece—the unmatched prodigy—being toyed with by the youth. The most shocking part: although clearly provoked, Ying'er did not resist… she almost seemed to enjoy it.
The holographic light dimmed gradually. The Sect Leader exhaled deeply. His voice low:
"Ying'er… I thought this was a great disaster. But it turns out…"
He deactivated the artifact. Before storing it, he sent a copy of the illusion to Xuan Ying'er's parents via a communication stone.
Once the transmission was complete, Ying'er stared at her uncle, pale and trembling, before collapsing to the floor, unconscious—overwhelmed by shame, anger, or a mixture of both.
At the Xuan residence, night was calm… until a communication stone on the table glowed brightly. Xuan Hong, head of the family, frowned and picked it up. A holographic recording immediately formed in the air, displaying the events just sent by the Sect Leader.
As the message played, the light formed images in the air. Initially, it showed the hill under moonlight, the soothing Guqin melody. Meili smiled faintly, thinking it was good news.
Her smile froze when a stranger youth appeared. The scenes unfolded rapidly—Xuan Ying'er's gaze, their interaction, and then… events that left both stunned.
His hand clenched, veins bulging at his temples.
"How dare…! Who is this youth?! How dare he touch my daughter!" he shouted, his breath heavy, his aura vibrating the air.
But Meili did not appear angry. She watched with a calculating gaze. Once the recording ended, she closed her book gently.
"Hong, calm your anger for a moment. I think this youth is not entirely at fault… and he is rather… interesting."
Xuan Hong turned, disbelief and confusion in his eyes. "Interesting? Not at fault? He touched Ying'er—"
"Yes, but look at his manner. That was not a planned assault, Hong. It was… survival instinct," Meili said, narrowing her eyes at the details on the hologram.
She pointed to the part where Xuan Ying'er seemed to pin the youth against the stone wall, her aura threatening, lips uttering sharp words.
"You see? Once the pressure was released by Ying'er, he nearly lost control… but at the last moment, he restrained himself and deliberately reversed his spiritual flow, expelling blood. Every sequence of his movements was controlled to a certain limit, but when Ying'er touched his lower line, his anger surged. He wanted to attack… then stopped, and accidentally uncovered Ying'er's hood. From his gaze, I could feel—it was instinct for survival, not lust. He… feared Ying'er's hatred."
Xuan Hong fell silent for a moment, weighing his wife's words.
Meili continued, this time with a faint smile.
"Look at the books he held? Haha… every move was like he had taken it from those texts. How innocent he is, never having dealt with someone like Ying'er before."
Xuan Hong exhaled, his anger slightly easing, but his gaze remained sharp.
"Perhaps you're right… but it doesn't change the fact that he has embarrassed our daughter."
Meili smiled subtly, gazing at the night sky outside the window.
"Sometimes, Hong, what you call 'embarrassment'… is merely life showing that our child is not yet as strong as we thought."
In the room, they fell silent, lost in their thoughts. In the distance, moonlight pierced the window, as if holding a secret about the naive youth who had become the focus of the Xuan family.