You Were Interested in Me? (54k)

Let's rewind to fifteen minutes ago.

"I want you to kill me."

The half-saint, half-evil Hua Jing, First Seat stood tall and proud, his silver hair flying, his pure white eyes filled with indifference.

You Su's face froze, and she subconsciously took a step back, her lips trembling as she didn't know how to respond.

Is it hard to understand?

Hua Jing, First Seat raised her delicate eyebrows, which resembled lotus blossoms in the distance. Not only her hair, but even her eyebrows and eyelashes were a mysterious and hazy silver.

"You are the divine son of the Evil Warding Department, and exorcising evil is your mission. Now I have fallen deeply into evil, and I need you to give me liberation."

Her glistening red lips parted, and her calm, death-ready words drifted out in a chilling tone, as if she wanted You Su to kill not her, but someone insignificant.

Why, why me?

You Su subconsciously placed her hand on the hilt of the Ink Pine Sword.

"Because you passed my test. The person who should have made the move was actually Yiyi, but her wavering disqualified her."

"As expected, from the moment we entered the valley... no, from the moment you told Sister Yiyi not to take me into the depths of Falling Star Valley, everything was orchestrated by you behind the scenes... No wonder you could control the Evil Follower, because they were originally under your command!"

Hua Jing, First Seat, slightly turned his head, neither denying You Su's speculation.

You Su took a deep breath. "What about Sister Yaoyao? She was able to travel with you in the valley, so she must have passed your test."

"Yaoyao is soft-hearted; she can't bring herself to do it. When it comes to making a decisive decision, you can't hand the sword to an indecisive person."

For some reason, You Su felt a nameless fire rise in her heart.

The woman's indifferent demeanor chilled him to the bone. Was it really necessary to turn his personal maid into an Evil Demon's familiar for this so-called test?

"Then why don't you go to the First Elder? Why don't you go to the Heng Lian First Seat? They are both more qualified than me to kill you!"

"What I possess is too dangerous; they cannot see it. Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance they'll be bewitched, I cannot take that risk for the sake of the Central Yuan Continent."

Hua Jing, First Seat's matter-of-fact tone made You Su very uncomfortable.

"Since you know you can't test people's hearts, why did you still test Sister Yiyi! She just confessed and said she had no choice but to accept her fate and that it had nothing to do with you, but how heartbroken would she be if she knew that you were deliberately manipulating things and putting the cart before the horse?!"

You Su was still indignant on Zi Yiyi's behalf, unable to understand the actions of the Hua Jing, First Seat. Having already been corrupted, why drag her own family down with her?

In his view, this woman treated people's hearts as toys. She wanted to prove that this person could be corrupted, so she used increasingly stronger temptations to seduce him.

When Zi Yiyi knelt before the Buddha and hesitated, her words "Pray" didn't seem like a reminder to Zi Yiyi, but rather like the last straw that broke Zi Yiyi's back.

Hua Jing, First Seat, remained silent, whether because he didn't want to explain to You Su or because he didn't know how to explain.

You Su tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, glaring at her. "I'm going to go and bring Sister Yiyi back! You can talk to her face to face! If anyone should be killing you, it should be her!"

Hua Jing, First Seat, trembled slightly with his eyelashes, his voice calm:

"No need, it can't be retrieved."

"What exactly do you want to do?!" You Su was furious.

Hua Jing, First Seat, raised his head, his empty gaze fixed on the end of the valley, where he seemed to see two graceful figures walking side by side.

She didn't speak, but instead pointed lightly with her jade-like hand. You Su uncontrollably leaned forward and caught the delicate index finger extended by the Hua Jing, First Seat with her forehead.

Suddenly, a light screen appeared in You Su's Sea of Consciousness, and in the light screen was the image reflected in the eyes of the Hua Jing, First Seat - Zi Yiyi and Tao Yaoyao walking away side by side.

These sisters are not separated by life and death, but the feeling of being like strangers is even stronger than that of being separated by life and death.

This scene of sisterly affection moved You Su deeply, until she saw Zi Yiyi reveal her true feelings, at which point You Su was completely lost in thought.

Only then did he realize that Zi Yiyi wasn't unable to resist the temptation of Evil Demon; she was knowingly walking into danger.

Now I understand why Hua Jing, First Seat said "it can't be brought back," because if she stayed by Hua Jing, First Seat's side, she was destined not to be able to fulfill her ambitions, so she had no choice but to leave.

"Feel sorry..."

You Su murmured to himself, as if speaking to Zi Yiyi, who had been provoked by him, or perhaps to Hua Jing, First Seat, whom he had misunderstood.

He was unsure whether to be happy or sad for Zi Yiyi, who had clearly seen her true self. He watched helplessly as a righteous Fairy beside him voluntarily embarked on the path of Evil Cultivator, and his heart was filled with indescribable emotions.

If he was like this, how much more so would Hua Jing, First Seat who had carefully nurtured her?

He looked at the woman's face, a mixture of saintly and wicked emotions. How could this woman, who seemed indifferent to everything, be completely unmoved inside?

"Divine Child, there's no need for apologies. You only need to raise your sword and plunge it into my chest."

You Su pursed her lips and surprisingly released her grip on the sword hilt.

He had only a very brief acquaintance with the Hua Jing, First Seat, but he knew that she was a woman with countless achievements, and that her existence was extremely important to the entire Five Continents. How could she die so easily?

"From my observation, the Divine Child is not an indecisive person."

Hua Jing, First Seat, urged in a low voice.

"It won't take long. I can't bring myself to do it without getting to the bottom of it," You Su said.

After a moment of silence, Hua Jing, First Seat, calmly said, "Ask away."

"What if Zi Yiyi resists the temptation? Do you think she would have the heart to kill you with a sword?"

"I will tell her I am in pain, she will hesitate, but she will eventually do it."

Hua Jing, First Seat was very confident, knowing his 'daughter' whom he had personally raised like the back of his hand.

"And then what? Let her live with guilt for the rest of her life?"

"No, she will carry on my legacy. Although she is of mediocre talent, she possesses an extraordinary will. And some will be inspired by her will, and eventually, the next Hua Jing, First Seat will emerge."

Hua Jing, First Seat did not lie to the insecure girl. After she was able to face the Lord of Dreams directly, Hua Jing, First Seat truly acknowledged that she would be the one to kill the Lord of Dreams with her.

Hua Jing, First Seat saw through Zi Yiyi's inner demons, and she knew that if things continued this way, it would be irreversible for Zi Yiyi to go down a different path in the future.

Therefore, this was not a test of humanity she designed, but rather a choice she gave Zi Yiyi.

Is it better to strive to reach the summit on a smooth path, only to stop at the foot of the mountain and tell yourself you have a clear conscience; or is it better to take a rugged and winding shortcut, risking certain death to try and reach the top?

"It seems you didn't ultimately believe that if she had stayed true to the right path, she could have stood shoulder to shoulder with you."

"That's true."

You Su was somewhat speechless. "Since you're doing all this for her, why don't you tell her?"

You Su felt that this woman was just used to being indifferent. If she hadn't said anything, he probably would have still misunderstood that she was the one tempting people.

"Divine Child is wrong. I did not do this for her. She has now embarked on the path of Evil Cultivator, which is contrary to my teachings. My disappointment is genuine. From now on, she will be an irreconcilable enemy of all cultivators in the Five Continents. If the Divine Child or any other member of the Evil Warding Department encounters her, they should not show any mercy."

"You're just saying that, you don't mean it." You Su shook her head. "I guess you figured Sister Yaoyao would let her go."

Hua Jing, First Seat frowned but remained silent.

"Alright, she was your personal attendant, Hua Jing, First Seat. Now that she has betrayed the righteous path and fled, you are to blame. You should personally apprehend her and bring her to justice. You cannot die so easily."

You Su waved his hand casually and said.

"My body is tainted by evil; I can no longer live on in this world."

Hua Jing, First Seat's tone was firm and left no room for doubt.

Upon hearing this You Su sighed softly, "I really don't understand. Aren't you supposed to be the nemesis of the Dream Master? Why would you be corrupted by this mere Mind-Wishing Buddha?"

The wind howled and howled in Falling Star Valley at night, but Hua Jing, First Seat stood firm in the wind, like a rock in a tsunami.

Her expression remained as unchanging as a snow-capped mountain, but her heart seemed not as resolute as she appeared.

"That's not Mind-Wishing Buddha."

This is her answer.

You Su was slightly taken aback at first, then her pupils contracted to the size of beans, and she exclaimed in astonishment:

"What you saw wasn't the Mind-Wishing Buddha... it was Him?!"

You Su should have thought of this earlier...

When Zi Yiyi uttered her final vow that she would never be corrupted by any Evil Demon, she looked at him with unwavering eyes.

Only now did she realize that she wasn't looking at him, but at Hua Jing, First Seat, who was sharing his perspective with him.

It seems that Zi Yiyi has already vaguely guessed something: the only evil spirit that can corrupt the Hua Jing, First Seat is the source of chaos— Empty Nightmare!

It is Him.

Hua Jing, First Seat's cold, detached voice sent a chill down You Su's spine, making her feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

"How did you come to see Him? Wasn't He supposed to be hiding in Unknown Land?"

Hua Jing, First Seat, took a deep breath, as if enduring immense pain. The rotting flesh on the right side of her face seemed alive, constantly writhing and bulging.

"The incident involving Cheng Ying Venerable originated from your investigation. The reason she went mad was also due to the bewitching of the Lord of Dreams. After you withdrew from the Lingxu Mountain Range, I took over the area. I searched almost the entire place and uncovered more secrets, including the exact location where she met the Lord of Dreams."

I made thorough preparations and flew towards that sea, but there was nothing there. I had no choice but to turn back empty-handed, and only when I passed by Falling Star Valley did I learn that something had happened there. After entering the valley, I met the Mind-Wishing Buddha. It failed to bewitch me, so it begged for mercy. It also saw that my greatest wish was to see the Lord of Dreams with my own eyes.

So it made me a deal: it would grant my wish and let it go this time. I hesitated for a moment, but still agreed. Because if I could kill it once, I could kill it a second time. Of course, it was also because I desperately wanted to see it and then kill it!

But I was wrong. This is one of the only two things I regret in my life. I always thought that after suffering so much, I would truly be His nemesis, but I only needed to look Him in the eye to realize how utterly vulnerable I was. No one can defeat Him, at least not me. The deal is done, and I am now at Mind-Wishing Buddha."

This extremely noble Goddess glossed over the process of her falling into the Evil Pool, and no one knows what she saw.

'No one can defeat Him, at least not me.' When a person says this to the nemesis they've always considered their greatest enemy, the collapse of their belief is enough to shatter the hope that countless others hold for them.

She still carried that unwavering indifference, but the silver strands ruffled by the wind made her appear more vulnerable. She looked like a helpless princess standing on a battlefield where her country was destroyed and her family was ruined; her features remained the same, but her heart was shattered like the ashes scattered around her.

"Now... can we make a move?" the woman asked expressionlessly.

"It's not that she disappointed you... it's that you disappointed her..."

You Su was even more impressed by Zi Yiyi's unwavering belief. This master and servant had always regarded the Lord of Dreams as their mortal enemy, but the master, whom the maid regarded as a role model, had fallen first under the enemy's seduction.

But when the maid learned of this, her faith did not collapse; instead, it became even more unbreakable, leaving one deeply moved.

"I guess so..."

Hua Jing, First Seat's voice was somewhat hoarse.

She opened and closed her red lips again, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she didn't say anything.

A thousand words were locked in her chest; she felt that there was no need for such nonsense from someone who deserved to die.

You Su drew his Ink Pine Sword, its dark blade radiating a chilling killing intent.

"As the head priestess and Goddess, you have been bewitched by Evil Demon, your sins are unforgivable, and you deserve to die!"

Hua Jing, First Seat's eyes finally showed a change, You Su could tell it was a sign of relief.

It is liberation from life, liberation from the destiny imposed upon us, and liberation from the obsessions in our hearts.

The rotting flesh on the right half of his face throbbed wildly, as if trying to pull the body away, but Hua Jing, First Seat remained unmoved, silently watching the sword point towards his heart.

You Su's eyes flashed, his killing intent almost tangible.

But the next moment, his sword did not strike down. Instead, he tossed it in the air, caught the tip, and pointed the hilt at Hua Jing, First Seat.

"If you truly want to die, why don't you kill yourself? Why pretend to come and ask me to execute you in your place?"

Hua Jing, First Seat, stared blankly at You Su, her lips slightly parted, unsure how to respond.

"That's because you can't bring yourself to do it! Since you're Mind-Wishing Buddha, this half of your frantically fleeing, rotting flesh has already exposed your thoughts! You're not willing to die at all!"

Hua Jing, First Seat, seemed deflated, dejectedly admitting:

"Yes... but I am destined to die, death is my fate. Kill me before I am completely corrupted by Him..."

You Su was even more annoyed. As an outsider, he could see things more clearly and finally understood the source of this woman's vulnerability.

She wasn't afraid of the Lord of Dreams of Lord of Dreams at all; she was afraid that she couldn't kill him.

Her fleeting thought of escaping became the anthill that caused the dam to collapse.

He picked up the Ink Pine Sword and plunged it into the gray stone, roaring:

"I told you, if you want to die, then kill yourself!"

The Hua Jing, First Seat tremblingly stretched out his hand, dirty blood seeping from the back of his fair hand.

Enraged by this, You Su slapped away the incomparably noble hand.

"Have you ever considered that this is exactly what the Lord of Dreams wants to see? He wants to watch you die!"

A glint of inspiration flashed in Hua Jing, First Seat's white eyes. As if waking from a long dream, she struggled to withdraw her hand that was about to grip the sword again.

She clutched her head in agony, staggering back a few steps, the mutual devouring of her two faces intensifying. Despite possessing divine strength, it was utterly useless in this moment.

You Su knew that a fierce battle was currently taking place in the spiritual realm of Hua Jing, First Seat.

He felt a slight sense of relief and continued to fan the flames:

"You don't actually want to die! You're just scared and tired! You think that if you can't do it, there are others who can! But you should also know that choosing to die is much easier than choosing to live!"

"If you were truly as despicable as you think in His presence, you would have died long ago!"

"Who do you think Sister Yiyi was talking to with her last words? She was talking to herself, and she was talking to you too!"

"She has always looked up to you as a role model, and now she has chosen the path of fighting evil with evil to tell you! She can defeat the evil spirits that bewitch people, and so can you!"

"You've already disappointed her once, do you want to disappoint her again?!"

Each sentence, resounding and thought-provoking, reached the ears of Hua Jing, First Seat like the resounding clang of a great bell.

She slowly floated up and stood in mid-air.

The rotting flesh belonging to the Mind-Wishing Buddha scurried about as if roasted by fire. As his belt loosened, the magnificent crimson robe was blown off by the wind and covered You Su's face.

You Su subconsciously took a deep breath, only to find that the cool fragrance was like mint, making his nose and nasal cavity feel refreshed. He then realized he had overstepped his bounds and quickly tore it off.

In my field of vision was a stunningly beautiful body, so alluring it seemed to shimmer with the soft glow of moonlight.

Her white eyes suddenly shone brightly, like the sun, dazzlingly radiant.

You Su faced the dazzling light in those eyes, she felt as if her entire being was being illuminated.

He suddenly remembered that he had seen that light in his eyes before—

Gu Yao once used the Evil-Breaking Golden Eyes on him.

This top-tier secret technique of the Xuanxiao Sect possesses the heaven-defying power to expose all one's past shameful acts and sordid thoughts.

As the former Goddess of the Evil Warding Department, Venerable Hua Jing's white eyes actually have a natural golden hue, which is the source of her ability to see through all illusions.

You Su felt his whole body heat up, and intense fire spread from his eyes and surged into his brain.

He saw the naked Venerable Hua Jing radiating golden light, and the enormous, mountain-like phantom in front of her.

Countless strong, grayish-white tentacles shot out from the phantom, bringing lightning, thunder, and the stench of seawater.

Each tentacle swelled up like a mythical sea serpent swallowing a whale, covered with countless writhing mouthparts, enough to evoke a person's instinctive fear of the unknown and dense!

You Su subconsciously felt his own insignificance and powerlessness, yet he also felt something raging deep within him, compelling him to stare directly at the illusory figure without moving an inch; his pupils were already pitch black.

He knew that this would eventually become his nemesis.

"I'll borrow your sword."

Amidst the wind and rain, the Hua Jing, First Seat's voice was like the chanting of Buddhist hymns.

The next instant, she grasped a jet-black sword in her snow-white hand.

She soared into the sky amidst a storm of blood and lightning, shining like the bright sun in this desolate and dark night, every tentacle exposed to her radiant light.

Under the influence of evil, this Goddess, whose destiny was to Lord of Dreams, was no longer afraid and shone with the most dazzling light she had ever seen in her life.

Her divine sense was now incredibly clear, Ink Pine Sword, carrying her unparalleled spiritual power, pierced through the sky, more dazzling than all the lightning in the clouds!

Suddenly, the world turned white, and the illusory figures dissipated like smoke.

As if waking from a deep dream, You Su suddenly sat up, panting heavily.

A warm, smooth finger touched his chin and slowly lifted his head.

He saw a face of unparalleled beauty, with golden eyes so dazzling that they made him feel ashamed of his own appearance.

Hua Jing, First Seat, looked into those extremely dark eyes and furrowed his hazy silver brows.

"Feel sorry..."

You Su was puzzled and could only shake his head repeatedly, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

"I have shattered His illusory form, but the golden light has also innocently pulled you into my Sea of Consciousness. You are looking into His eyes, and now your eyes are pitch black; it must be that He has planted evil within your heart."

You Su looked surprised, only then realizing that Hua Jing, First Seat had misunderstood something.

However, in the Goddess's eyes, his expression looked completely terrified.

"He projects himself through the body of the Mind-Wishing Buddha, and wields the power of the Mind-Wishing Buddha's desires. There is no need to be afraid; simply satisfy your desires, and the defilement will dissipate. What do you want?"

"I... I don't want anything..." You Su's words were evasive.

"Don't you understand? The Mind-Wishing Buddha's method of controlling his followers is not desire, but greed. It is only natural for people to have desires; by following the natural order, one can avoid being corrupted by Corrupting Evil and defilement."

The golden light in Hua Jing, First Seat's eyes shone even brighter, as if he wanted to see right through You Su.

Her Goddess- like face suddenly stiffened, and she stammered:

"You... are you sexually interested in me?"