Yin Ye, When the Human Heart is Most Fragile

In truth, Xue Qingqiu was deeply conflicted.

On one hand, she no longer wished to personally step into the arena to play games with Xue Mu, and it wasn't merely because of the "fear" Yue Xiaochan attributed to her.

Xue Mu was indeed becoming more and more to her liking, and she did harbor a tiny, lingering worry that she might truly lose her heart to him. However, this accounted for only a minuscule fraction of her concerns; after all, for someone like her, the absolute self-confidence cultivated over many years was not so easily shaken.

For a person of her stature, to say she could truly fall in love with anyone was, quite frankly, premature.

The real reason was... it was simply too awkward to sternly lecture her disciple about not getting involved with him while she herself was flirting with him behind the scenes. Just thinking about it made her feel completely out of sorts.

Xiaochan's gaze and the occasional remarks she let slip—"some people are too strong, some are too young," "Master, you're quite something," and so on—already made her skin crawl. If it weren't for the fact that Xue Mu was genuinely useful, she might have slapped him to death long ago to end the matter once and for all.

But on the other hand, Xue Mu constantly piqued her interest. Almost subconsciously, she wanted to test him: if she truly employed her charm techniques, how much of her power could this man, who possessed not a shred of cultivation, actually withstand?

She pondered it and decided it was worth a try, provided she kept things strictly professional. She would abandon the base, seductive methods and instead employ a more sophisticated approach.

And so, she began.

Xue Mu found that the way he perceived Xue Qingqiu was starting to change.

She merely looked at him with a soft, lingering gaze, her eyes seemingly brimming with endless affection. This wasn't acting; she might not have felt the emotion herself, but to anyone else, it created that very illusion. As for Xue Mu, in a split second, he felt an overwhelming surge of pity and tenderness for the woman before him. A profound sense of longing washed over his heart, as if they had been lovers for thousands of years, and he would gladly abandon everything for her sake.

Xue Mu felt a strange sense of detachment. It was as if another version of himself was observing the scene—one part of him knew he was being subjected to a charm technique, while the other had failed to resist and was already ensnared in a web of love.

The one who had fallen was the "normal" him, possessing no cultivation; it was truly impossible for him to resist the methods of the world's top-tier figures. But who was the one observing?

It was also him... maintaining a sliver of clarity under the influence of some external force, much like multitasking.

His palms grew hot, and a vast, righteous energy surged within, dispelling evil and shattering illusions. The observing self became increasingly clear-headed, and that trace of affection began to fade away unnoticed.

With a sound like a muffled "boom" in his mind, Xue Mu's eyes regained their absolute clarity.

"Sister, that didn't work."

As his smiling voice rang out, a look of extreme shock flashed across Xue Qingqiu's eyes.

She had used the Star Moon Sect's secret technique, "Yinghuo." While still a form of charm, it was a high-level art that transcended physical attraction, operating instead on the level of soul manipulation. Unlike base lust, this technique induced a sense of love born from the soul. As long as one harbored even the slightest shred of affection—even if it were merely skin-deep—it would be magnified a thousandfold, making the victim believe they were in love to the marrow of their bones.

Countless heroes had gone mad because of it, falling into a feverish, fanatical love, willing to give everything for her, even their lives, without a single regret.

She had never intended to enslave Xue Mu with such methods, for a fanatical love could cloud the mind, and she needed a clear-headed strategist, not a madman driven by obsession. Other soul-controlling techniques had their own drawbacks as well; it was impossible to keep the victim fully rational. Thus, while she had told him she "would not undo it," she had fully intended to help him break the spell quickly to avoid any lasting side effects.

But the problem was, he hadn't fallen for it at all?

How was this possible? He was clearly just an ordinary person! Why could he resist?

Xue Qingqiu assumed she hadn't used enough power, so she tried increasing it... then increased it again... yet Xue Mu's eyes remained clear.

Xue Qingqiu could no longer sit still. As a generation's Demon Sect leader who had dominated her life, how long had it been since she encountered a situation where her techniques were completely neutralized? At this moment, she even forgot she was just testing Xue Mu.

Her competitive spirit flared, and she unconsciously unleashed an even stronger path of enchantment.

Xue Mu noticed her eyes becoming misty. Her slender hand reached toward him, her lips parted slightly, and she let out an unconscious murmur as if calling for a lover. A very specific, intense urge surged from the depths of his heart—he just wanted to take her hand, pull her into a fierce embrace, and love her without restraint.

Xue Mu took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and opened them again. Looking at Xue Qingqiu now, she was simply more beautiful and charming—nothing more.

To cast and to break; it was as simple as that.

Xue Qingqiu truly couldn't sit still anymore. Suppressing her shock, she slowly stood up.

All thoughts of avoiding flirtation were cast to the winds. Her perfect, exquisite curves unfolded, and as she swayed with lotus-like steps, a faint fragrance drifted out, intoxicating the senses and making one wish never to wake.

Her jade-like arms draped over his shoulders, and her cherry lips leaned close to his ear, her breath like an orchid, accompanied by a faint, lingering sigh.

Xue Mu felt a thunderous jolt in his heart; he truly felt he could no longer hold back.

Soul, posture, movement, voice, scent—she had deployed her charm in an all-encompassing assault. This was likely the most powerful display of her life. This wasn't something a "golden finger" could simply suppress to maintain a state of asceticism; the golden finger could only negate the technique's influence. What remained was a true clash between man and woman. Whether one could withstand that world-toppling charm and suppress the growing affection in one's heart depended entirely on one's own will and reason.

Xue Mu's breathing grew ragged. A voice of desire kept telling him: Pull her in, hold her, kiss her! Even if you get killed for it, it's worth it! What are you waiting for, you fool? A beautiful woman like this—dying for her is no loss!

Their bodies grew closer, each feeling the other's uneven breathing, even sensing the heat radiating from their cheeks.

Xue Mu used his last ounce of strength, wanting to say: That's enough, it was just a test, let's stop here.

Just as the words were about to leave his lips, a strange, eerie sensation suddenly spread from outside the door. It was as if the sky had suddenly darkened, a lonely moon hanging aslant in the sky. He stood alone under the moonlight, a cool breeze blowing, and a profound sense of solitude washed over him. A traveler far from home felt a sudden, aching sorrow—he thought of his long-departed parents, his first love, and the many traces of his life that he still cherished: the career he fought for, the friendships forged in blood... He had always avoided looking back, knowing that dwelling on it was useless, but that didn't mean he was truly heartless or devoid of attachment.

In that moment, the beauty in his arms provided the ultimate solace, giving his sorrowful heart a place to rest. He finally could hold back no longer and pulled her into a heavy embrace.

The moment he held the soft, fragrant beauty in his arms, Xue Mu suddenly regained his clarity, knowing he was done for. Who the hell is providing this "divine assist" at the door? This is max-level armor-piercing!

He expected to be mocked or slapped by Xue Qingqiu, but when he looked down, the beauty in his arms had misty eyes, gazing at him with infatuation. Her slender hand didn't strike him; instead, it trembled as it reached out to stroke his cheek, her red lips quivering as if she wanted to kiss him.

You've got to be kidding me. I've already woken up, why are you the one getting turned on?

The next second, a knock sounded at the door. Xue Qingqiu snapped awake, realizing she was sitting in Xue Mu's lap, holding him in return. As their eyes met, lingering in a state of mutual infatuation...

Xue Qingqiu jumped three feet into the air, returning to her seat across the table with near-teleportation speed, her heart filled with extreme shame and anger.

She truly wanted to hack the two people outside to death... Xue Mu might not know who was providing the "divine assist," but how could she not?

—Yin Ye, the moment when the human heart is at its most vulnerable.

In short: it specialized in breaking mental defenses. And it was an indiscriminate, wide-area AOE aura that didn't distinguish between friend and foe.

Xiahou Di believed that Yin Ye's power could shatter any defense of the human heart, leading to the rampant chaos of demons and the collapse of the Nine Cauldrons. Wasn't that exactly why?

Xue Qingqiu had already harbored a bit of affection for Xue Mu. Under the deliberately seductive and romantic atmosphere, she had naturally been a bit "in character." As a result, she had been caught off guard and had her defenses broken, actually losing herself and sitting in his lap! If not for the knock at the door, they might have actually kissed!

Xue Qingqiu felt as if ten thousand horses were galloping through her heart, and she roared angrily at the door: "All of you, get in here!"