I've Wanted to Do This for Ages!

A sword-finger strike came at him. Xiang Yuan charged forward and took Sima Qingyan's attack head-on.

In an instant, true energy surged into his body like a sharp sword piercing his chest. He couldn't help grunting. With the "Formless Body" of Myriad Forms Body Tempering, he shifted his acupoints, taking the injury without lasting damage and avoiding a devastating blow.

Xiang Yuan pressed in. Under Sima Qingyan's disbelieving gaze, his heart remained as still as water. He harnessed the force of a shooting star, his spirit brimming with energy, and once again swung his palm like a blade, unleashing Lone Star Chasing Moon.

But this time, Sima Qingyan's center was wide open. She had no strength left to pull back and block, and could only watch as Xiang Yuan's hand-blade struck her right chest.

The force drove through flesh and blood, reaching her heart and lungs. She barely managed to channel her true energy to lessen the blow, stumbling backward before lowering her head to cough up blood.

Sima Qingyan was a whole realm above him. With true energy protecting her, she still had the strength to fight after taking that blow. In Xiang Yuan's eyes, her health bar was unbelievably long.

"Just what you'd expect from a young lady of a wealthy family. You've eaten well and slept well since childhood—your assets are no ordinary ones!" Xiang Yuan raised his hand-blade and waggled it, then lowered his gaze to stare pointedly at Sima Qingyan's chest.

Sima Qingyan was furious. She had taken him for a real man, so why was he talking so crudely? It was as if he'd suddenly changed personalities.

He must have been doing it on purpose, putting on this act to provoke her.

Seeing that the trick worked, Xiang Yuan lifted his hand to his nose and sniffed, looking intoxicated. "Marvelous. It even smells so sweet."

Pfft!

Sima Qingyan immediately spat out a mouthful of blood. Deliberate or not, he'd truly angered her. She swept one palm in a half-circle, shifted into a sword-finger strike, and thrust straight for Xiang Yuan's brow.

Xiang Yuan lowered his body. Gone was the cold-blooded, decisive ruthlessness that left no room for retreat. He darted past Sima Qingyan's right side like a cat.

His shift in attitude brought a change in his moves and bearing, leaving Sima Qingyan utterly bewildered. She felt as though she were facing a different opponent.

Xiang Yuan slipped past Sima Qingyan, switching places with her, and teased, "Miss Sima's footwork is a mess. I imagine it's because your right arm is weak, thanks to that blade wound in your right chest. Don't panic. I'll add another cut to your left chest, balance things out, and guarantee a swift cure."

Sima Qingyan was so furious she nearly fumed. She was about to charge at him when her expression suddenly changed.

Now that they had switched places, Xiang Yuan hooked his foot and snatched up the sword lying on the ground. He twirled it in his hand, his eyes bright with the joy of getting back something he'd lost.

I've wanted to do this for ages!

The tide had turned. Now Xiang Yuan had the advantage of a weapon, and Sima Qingyan dared not let her guard down. She regretted playing it safe and missing her best chance to defeat him. She also regretted letting his taunts sway her and disrupt her composure, allowing him to snatch up her weapon while she was careless.

Realizing that he had outwitted her as well, she seethed, her chest heaving as a dull ache throbbed on her right side.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. You're skilled with a blade, but you can't wield a sword to perfection. A weapon in your hands is useless if you don't know how to use it. You'll only lose faster." Sima Qingyan suppressed her pain, trying to undermine Xiang Yuan with her words even as she reminded herself: the fight wasn't over yet. She absolutely couldn't lose her composure again, or she really would lose.

"That's not necessarily true. You're injured and weak, your right hand's useless, your true energy is unbalanced, and your reactions are slow. Not one of your movements looks right. You still think you can beat me?"

Xiang Yuan narrowed his eyes and recalled Sima Qingyan's sword-dance technique. His head throbbed unbearably. With a low growl, he swept the long sword through the air like a swimming fish, performing a dreamlike sword technique that captivated the soul.

"How is this possible..."

Recognizing the technique passed down by her sect, Sima Qingyan stood frozen. In that moment, her proud spirit of competition seemed to be ground into the dirt.

He wasn't even a disciple of the sect, yet he'd only needed one look to grasp most of its essence. That was the equivalent of all my years of painstaking practice...

I lost.

When she came back to herself, the familiar sword was already pressed against her neck. A chill crept over her skin, and a thin line of blood appeared, trickling crimson.

"My precious sword has no eyes. Make one move, and I'll chop off your dog's head!" Xiang Yuan threatened coldly.

Sima Qingyan gritted her teeth in indignation. "Shameless! That's my sword. You stole it—"

"Mine!"

Xiang Yuan declared it with absolute conviction, ignoring Sima Qingyan's sour expression as he demanded, "Xiao He, where is Xu Jixian? What did you do to kidnap them? When did you join the Yellow Springs Dao? Is your father, Sima Changhui, a fiend of the Yellow Springs Dao? Tell me everything. If you dare lie even once—"

"The night is dark and the wind is high. Tonight, the two of you are going to get intimate. A beauty like you could keep me busy eight times in one night!" Xiao He cut in.

"That's right. Exactly."

Xiang Yuan nodded in agreement, then suddenly changed expression and looked toward the voice.

There stood Xiao He and Xu Jixian, both unharmed, and Wang Wenxu had joined them as well.

Xiang Yuan's expression turned strange. Being a fool didn't stop Xiao He from functioning normally; he just functioned at a different angle. He stepped behind Sima Qingyan and held the sword to his hostage's neck, keeping the three men from approaching.

"Take one more step, and I'll kill her!"

"Xiao Yuan, don't panic. I can explain."

Xiao He took a step forward and hurriedly said, "You can't just ruthlessly ruin a flower! Don't kill Qingyan with one stroke. She and I are in love. She... To be honest, she's already carrying my child."

Sima Qingyan's face turned ashen. She felt terrible all over.

"Even better. Two lives with one corpse."

Xiang Yuan tightened his grip on the sword and glanced over the three "strangers." Xiao He wore a cheeky grin, Xu Jixian's expression hadn't changed, and Wang Wenxu's gaze kept darting away. Xiang Yuan weighed his options, and a plan began to take shape.

"Xiao Yuan, I had my reasons for testing you just now. To be honest, I'm a secret agent for the Six Doors, entrusted with a confidential imperial order to investigate a major case. I had no choice but to resort to this."

Xiao He wore a pained expression. "I told you last night that I know everything from astronomy to geography, and that I'm best at reading fate and tracking auras. The first time I saw you, I got the word 'fate.' You and I really are fated to meet."

So I'm someone destined to meet him too?

Xiang Yuan's spirits lifted. Xiao He was someone destined to meet him, and he was someone destined to meet Xiao He. That lined up perfectly with what Old Daoist Quexin had said.

That's right. He'd been thinking that the destined person his master had mentioned couldn't possibly be some slacker and fool!

This mastermind at least seemed more the part.

Xiang Yuan believed him three-tenths, but still...

He glanced at the three men opposite him. All of them were pretty good actors, weren't they? They'd kept him in the dark while arranging and scheming against him. He couldn't just let that slide.

So what if you're the person I'm destined to meet? I'm not happy. I can't let this go. That's no way to cultivate immortality.

"You're fated to meet me, are you? Then get on your knees and beg!"

Thump! Thump!

At the first thump, Xiao He kicked Xu Jixian down onto his knees. At the second, Xiao He smoothly dropped to his own knees.

"Xiao Yuan, I really know I was wrong," Xiao He wailed pitifully.

"Xiao Yuan, your big brother has it rough too. For your sake, I lost my chastity to a female ghost and even wet my pants," Xu Jixian cried out in protest.

What the hell? This wasn't satisfying at all. Why weren't they resisting?

Come on, resist! Show some shame!

Xiang Yuan was unimpressed. His gaze swept over Wang Wenxu's flushed face, and tears welled in his eyes. In a heartbroken voice, he said, "Sir, Xiao He and Xu Jixian betrayed me, and I can bear that. But why did you betray me too?"

Wang Wenxu was so ashamed he could barely stammer out a response.

Because Wang Wenxu was an honest man, Xiang Yuan wouldn't let him off the hook. His mournful cries could move anyone who heard them to tears. "Sir, do you know that I've been alone and helpless since I was a child? When I met you, you became like a parent to me. I was so happy when I became your disciple. But just now, you walked out through the formation gate and stood with the two of them. I've lost my parents all over again. My heart is dying of grief! It's as if I'm already dead!"

Wang Wenxu trembled all over. He turned away and raised his sleeve to cover his face, too ashamed to meet Xiang Yuan's eyes.

"Xiao Yuan is absolutely right. Xu and I are scoundrels, but our worthy teacher is a hypocrite. He's the most despicable of us all!" Xiao He said through gritted teeth, his expression full of fellow feeling.

Xu Jixian nodded repeatedly. "Sir's actions were truly hurtful. Even I can't stand to see it."

"Both of you, shut up. Open the formation gate and let me out," Xiang Yuan said coldly.

"Xiao Yuan, stay and chat a little longer. I mean it. As long as you'll forgive me, just say the word. I'll do anything."

"Open the gate!"

"It's that simple?"

"From now on, you go your way, and I'll go mine."

"..."

No one spoke. After a moment, Wang Wenxu waved his hand, dispelled the formation, and opened the life gate to let Xiang Yuan leave.

Keeping his hostage in front of him, Xiang Yuan backed away slowly. Before long, he disappeared into the night.

Xiao He didn't chase after him. He got up, brushed the dust off his knees, and sighed. "Here we are again, at the moment when true feelings are put to the test... Well, I suppose I brought this on myself by showing him my true face."

Xu Jixian nodded. Wang Wenxu picked up People Have Intentions from the ground, looking dazed and murmuring to himself. He was clearly overcome with shame.

"Worthy teacher, Xiao Yuan was just saying things. You've been around the block. How did you fall for it?"

"I've spent my life cultivating myself, yet I've failed to live up to my noble spirit and have let down the sages. I'm deeply ashamed."

Good. That was exactly what he wanted: to make Wang Wenxu feel guilty. He'd better be careful from now on and not let Xiang Yuan squeeze him dry.

Xiao He raised an eyebrow, feeling that tonight he'd finally seen Xiang Yuan clearly. Like himself, Xiang Yuan was a promising young man with no shame. He belonged in the Imperial City Directorate, where he could achieve great things.

A figure stumbled toward them. It was Sima Qingyan. She glared at Xiao He. "I did everything you asked me to. Now can you give me the item?"

"That won't do. I need you like a bee needs honey, like a fish needs water. How could I let you go so easily?"

Xiao He's lips curled up. "You didn't complete the task. I told you to beat Xiao Yuan. Not only did you lose, he took you hostage. You'll do one more thing for me—one last thing—and I promise I'll give you the item. I keep my word."

That's what you said last time too!

Sima Qingyan snorted and left, holding her injured arm.

"Qingyan, it's late and the ghosts are out. Why don't we go together?"

Xiao He followed cheerfully. "The Yellow Springs Dao disciples have been making trouble lately. If they run into you, their mysterious senior sister, they might get ideas. Xu and I can escort you..."