She really wasn't Gu Yi...

Early the next morning, as the first ray of sunlight spilled through the window into the room, Gu Yi slowly opened his eyes and rubbed them sleepily.

He had stayed up late last night waiting for Xie Wenyun and Jiang Lingzhou, but neither had returned by midnight. Too sleepy to wait any longer, he had gone to bed first.

He stretched and looked around. Xie Wenyun and Jiang Lingzhou had actually stayed out all night?

Gu Yi frowned, a trace of worry rising in his heart. Had something happened to them?

At that thought, he quickly sat up in bed, ready to go look for them, when a soft knock interrupted him.

Gu Yi's heart stirred. Could they be back?

He hurried to his feet, strode to the doorway, and pulled the door open.

But the face that greeted him was familiar and exasperating.

Lin Yuan stood quietly outside.

"Miss Ye. Could you do me a favor?" Lin Yuan asked softly, his voice carrying a persistence that would brook no refusal.

Gu Yi froze for a moment, then sighed helplessly.

Why was this guy here again... This was already the third time! He really wouldn't give up...

"Young Master Lin, I believe I made myself very clear yesterday."

Gu Yi's tone was calm, but his eyes betrayed clear displeasure.

"Miss Ye, I only need one drop of your blood," Lin Yuan said. With a slight turn of his wrist, a potted "Dry Flower" appeared in his previously empty palm.

A drop of blood? A potted flower?

Was this plot going to...

Gu Yi looked at Lin Yuan, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his eyes, but still stepped aside to let him in. "Go on," he said coldly. "What do you need my blood for?"

Lin Yuan placed the "Dry Flower" on the table.

"Miss Ye, just add a drop of blood as I do." Lin Yuan looked at Gu Yi, his voice low and firm. "If you truly aren't him, I won't bother you again."

With that, he raised his hand and lightly sliced his fingertip with his index finger. A drop of blood slipped free, like a sparkling, translucent gem, and drifted down to land precisely on the center of the Chaos Immortal Grass's flower.

In an instant, the drop of blood sank into it as though absorbed, vanishing without a trace.

Gu Yi's gaze fell on the potted "Dry Flower," and a scene from the original novel flashed through his mind.

In the original novel, Lin Yuan had captured the female lead, trussed her up, and subjected her to all kinds of play. Although the male lead had arrived in time to rescue her,

there were always people gossiping about her, believing she had been involved with Lin Yuan and lost her chastity.

At that critical moment, the female lead had produced a mysterious plant-the Chaos Immortal Grass, which could determine whether two people had ever practiced dual cultivation together.

Only when Lin Yuan was nearing his exit from the story had the female lead finally managed to prove her innocence.

Returning to the present, Gu Yi stared at the potted flower before him, so helpless that he nearly cried.

"Yezi, you silly girl! How could you give something so important to Lin Yuan so easily? Now look what you've done. Not only have you landed me in trouble, but how are you going to prove your innocence when the two of you reach that part of the plot?"

"Miss Ye?" Seeing that she still hadn't moved, Lin Yuan's voice grew colder, as though carrying a hint of displeasure and menace.

Gu Yi came back to his senses and trudged over to the Chaos Immortal Grass. He slowly extended his right hand, ready to accept his fate...

What was he going to do if this flower really bloomed?

They were so close together. If Lin Yuan suddenly attacked, could he escape?

All he wanted was to coast through life. Why was it so hard?

If Lin Yuan discovered he was Gu Yi, would he kill him outright, or drag him back and torture him first...?

Maybe he should just confess. He was exposed anyway, so why bother cutting his finger?

If he begged, would Lin Yuan spare him for having been his doll for a year?

Gu Yi gritted his teeth and looked up at Lin Yuan. "Young immortal... I..."

"Junior sister..."

Gu Yi jolted in fright and turned toward the doorway, where Xie Wenyun stood.

Xie Wenyun had hurried back, his clothes marked with dust and grime, his eyes bloodshot, as though he hadn't rested all night.

The moment he returned to the room and saw Lin Yuan there, he grew anxious and shouted, "Why is he here?!"

At those words, Lin Yuan's expression instantly darkened. Why had he run into this nuisance again?

Lin Yuan stared coldly at Xie Wenyun. "Miss Ye and I have something important to attend to. Stay out of it."

Gu Yi saw his chance. Perfect!

A drop of blood floated from his fingertip, and he said to Lin Yuan, "Young Master Lin, please watch closely."

Lin Yuan turned back just in time to see the blood land precisely on the Chaos Immortal Grass. Strangely, though, after the center of the flower trembled slightly, nothing happened. No blossom opened as expected.

"It didn't bloom?" Lin Yuan picked up the Chaos Immortal Grass in confusion and examined it carefully.

Could she really not be Gu Yi...?

Gu Yi turned his back on Lin Yuan and said coldly, "Young Master Lin, since it didn't bloom, please leave. Don't disturb my life again."

"My apologies." Lin Yuan put away the Chaos Immortal Grass. The warmth in his gaze as he looked at Gu Yi was gone.

With that, he walked out.

Xie Wenyun hurried over to check Gu Yi's wound, but Gu Yi stopped him. "It's just a scratch. Senior brother? Why were you out all night? Where's Junior Brother Jiang?"

Xie Wenyun lowered his eyes. "He left ahead of us with his fellow disciples. He said he'd wait for us at the Illusory Demon Sect."

"That works too." Supporting himself on the table, Gu Yi slowly sat down.

Xie Wenyun sat as well. Both seemed preoccupied, and neither spoke.

Gu Yi rubbed his finger. There was no wound on it at all.

Luckily, he had been quick-witted enough to retrieve some other blood from his Qiankun Ring in the instant Xie Wenyun's entrance drew Lin Yuan's attention.

As for whose blood it was, it was Lin Yuan's.

Back when they had emerged from the barrier, Gu Yi had secretly taken a small vial of Lin Yuan's blood to guard against instability in the spiritual power he had gained from practicing dual cultivation with him.

He had never needed it afterward, but couldn't bear to throw it away.

He hadn't expected it to come in handy today. Lin Yuan would never have dreamed that Gu Yi had used his own blood.

It would have been strange if two drops of blood from the same person could make it bloom...

Gu Yi sighed softly. Now Lin Yuan should be thoroughly convinced that Ye Yiyi really wasn't Gu Yi.

He probably wouldn't come looking for him again, would he?

That was just as well...