After leaving the Golden Sun Sect, Lin Yijun had gone to where killings had started in his last life, in a mortal seaside town. As he crouched on the rooftop overlooking a dark street, he ruminated about what had happened in the past life.

In his past life, he had been here on another matter when a burst of resentful ghost qi had shot up into the air. The kind that happened when multiple people were murdered ruthlessly at the same time.

Lin Yijun had immediately headed to the source, suspecting the work of a demonic cultivator or ferocious ghost. Instead, he found Zhou Sheng enshrouded in a haze of blood lust and using the mortals’ blood in a demonic ritual. Lin Yijun had been only able to disrupt part of it, while the rest of the blood blades shot out, twisting and turning through the streets before striking down dozens of people. The deaths filled the mortal town with negative qi and destructive ghosts.

“Zhou Sheng, why—”

“They all deserve to die! You’ve killed people too!”

“I kill those who deserve to die. I don’t commit serial murders of mortals! Zhou Sheng, why did you use a demonic technique? You—”

Zhou Sheng had laughed hollowly. “You don’t believe me at all. Well, Lin Yijun, I’m a Blood Sect cultivator now. Isn’t it obvious?”

And while Lin Yijun had a moment of shock, Zhou Sheng had escaped.

Why hadn’t Zhou Sheng gone to another sect? Or become, at worse, a rogue cultivator? But instead, he had murdered mortals and used their blood for a ritual. Instead, he had turned to demonic cultivation and that was inexcusable. There was no way to save him, ultimately culminating in them becoming enemies.

But in this second chance at life, Lin Yijun wanted to try. He wanted Zhou Sheng back. Out of all the people in the Sect, Zhou Sheng had been the one Lin Yijun liked most, the one who didn’t annoy him, at least in the beginning. He didn’t want to face him on the battlefield a second time.

Lin Yijun’s focus returned to the present. He tensed slightly when a group of roughly dressed men hurried through the dark street, but none of them were the to-be-murdered men, and none of them were Zhou Sheng.

Frowning, Lin Yijun spread his awareness. They should be approaching—

Lin Yijun's eyes narrowed. He sensed Wen Zhihao’s aura nearby.

Wen Zhihao, who had lied to him. Lin Yijun still didn’t know how, given the magical treasure preventing lies. But there was something undeniably off about Wen Zhihao.

It made a certain amount of sense that Wen Zhihao would affect this major incident, just as he affected Disciple Sun Fuyu’s fated qi deviation.

What if Wen Zhihao had moved to intercept the victims ahead of time?

Lin Yijun’s eyes narrowed. He leapt off the roof, feet landing smoothly on his sword. A sonic boom frightened mortals as he rushed over the mortal town to a dark cliff.

“—ZHOU SHENG! STOP! DON’T MURDER THEM!”

The cave, Wen Zhihao, Sun Fuyu, Zhou Sheng, mortals tied up in blood-red threads—

Disciple Sun Fuyu gave him a look of pity, though his face became polite again as he spoke, “Good evening to Senior Lin. We—”

“Why are you here?” Zhou Sheng interrupted, his lips curled up into a sneer.

Lin Yijun ignored Disciple Sun and stepped closer to Zhou Sheng. “What happened to you, Zhou Sheng? Why? I took you back to the Golden Sun Sect and you repay me like this?”

Zhou Sheng’s sneer became more pronounced. “I’m a Blood Cultivator. An evil demonic cultivator. What are you going to do about it? Look at me. I’ve now become a Nascent Soul cultivator, just like you. I told you that the Golden Sun’s style was not suitable for me.”

Lin Yijun grew cold. “Come back to the Sect with me. We’ll find a way to cleanse you. I will allow you to become a Golden Sun Sect disciple again.”

“No.”

“No? Don’t be disobedient, Zhou Sheng!”

Zhou Sheng raised his polearm. Lin Yijun raised his sword. Their long black hair and robes fluttered as qi rushed around both of them, clashing violently.

Wen Zhihao’s forehead wrinkled as he shuffled back. The energy was very uncomfortable, and it might destroy the sound isolation talisman and wake up the children. He sighed as the two of them immaturely postured at each other. Neither of them made a move in favour of staring at each other with narrowed eyes.

If their stares had been filled with pink bubbles instead of tension, Wen Zhihao’s life would be much easier.

“Zhou Sheng, Senior Lin, do you two know each other?” he asked in a calming tone.

Zhou Sheng gave a short, cold laugh. “Oh, we used to be friends. I trusted him...but he didn’t trust me.”

“You’re the one who left the Sect! You’re the one who succumbed to the dark side! Maybe I was right not to trust you!” Lin Yijun’s face became thunderous. “Demonic cultivators are the bane of the earth and heavens! The law is made to be followed, yet that rabble would rather be selfish and cruel. How could you join them, Zhou Sheng?”

“You’re the one who is selfish and cruel! You killed those people when I told you not to! You think everyone should be like you, that if someone can’t use a sword like you, they’re useless!”

“What are you talking about? You were clearly suited for sword cultivation! You were so close to advancing to Golden Core but then you entangled yourself up with useless thoughts! Why are you still weak-willed?!”

“Useless? Hah! You’re so privileged, so lucky, Senior Lin!”

“I worked and trained and cultivated! I don’t take shortcuts, unlike what you clearly have done!”

Wen Zhihao’s mouth turned into a thin annoyed line, and his sigh became heavier. “You’re both going to qi deviate at this point!”

“Of course not!” Lin Yijun snapped at him. He sensed Wen Zhihao’s aura trying to interfere with his own. He flung one imperious sleeve, pushing the interruptive qi back.

Sun Fuyu stepped in front of his Wen-ge, glaring at Lin Yijun. Now, he didn’t disguise his look of pity and disgust. What senior? He didn’t deserve respect for shouting at Wen-ge like that!

“Senior Lin, you seem to be mistaken. Of course, we’re not going to kill them. They will be doing community service. They kidnapped those children. They’re slave traders. Did you want to save them? Are you a slave trader too, Senior Lin? Are you working with them?” Derision dripped from Sun Fuyu’s voice.

Lin Yijun suddenly felt as if the world had tilted wrong. “Of course not!” he blustered. “You were about to murder them and use their blood, weren’t you, Zhou Sheng?! Even if they’re slave traders, that doesn’t excuse you from using the demonic arts!”

Zhou Sheng’s lips pressed into a thin line. Anger and frustration bubbled in his stomach. Lin Yijun never listened to him. It was always him listening to Lin Yijun. That wasn’t friendship. That was Zhou Sheng being a servant, a slave, a dog. He could say a thousand words of excuses, but Lin Yijun wouldn’t care for a single one, because Lin Yijun was ‘always right’.

It was because Zhou Sheng had been a slave. He had mistaken the scraps of attention from Lin Yijun as the famed ‘friendship’. But in reality, Zhou Sheng still had no one.

“Senior Lin, you seem to be very mistaken. Zhou Sheng is a nice young man.” Wen Zhihao folded his arms in disapproval. “Politely asking for Senior Lin to think. Your sword can murder and take a life without consent just as well as blood cultivation. But Senior Lin, you do not have authority over Zhou Sheng’s body nor his blood. He may use blood cultivation, but does blood not run in your veins? You need that blood to help you move, to have you cultivate your sword. In a way, you also blood cultivate, Senior Lin.”

Zhou Sheng swallowed heavily, eyes turning a little sour towards Wen Zhihao.

Lin Yijun clenched his fist. “It’s not the same!”

Sun Fuyu scoffed. Wen-ge was right, and Senior Lin was wrong!

“Senior Lin, we are dealing satisfactorily with this matter. We do not need your help,” Sun Fuyu said. “I’m sure Senior Lin is busy with Sect matters, especially after our mission. Senior Lin does not need to worry.”

Lin Yijun could see the ‘out’ that Disciple Sun was hinting out, but his face had still been lost in front of three people who were all weaker than him. “Tch. If that is the case, forgive me for caring! Go down the demonic path, if you wish!” He turned to Zhou Sheng. “I’m disappointed in you, Zhou Sheng. But I’ll give you one last chance to come back with me.”

Zhou Sheng’s eyes were deep and dark. “And I’m disappointed in myself for not realising that you never considered me your friend at all. Go away, Lin Yijun.”

An inexplicable pain filled Lin Yijun’s chest. He ignored it in favour of scowling at them. “I’ll see you two back at the Sect later,” he said coldly. With that, Lin Yijun stepped on his sword and flew away.

*wipes off sweat* I thought the last chapter was hard to write, but this was also really hard!

Wen Zhihao: Aiya, why is the relationship between Zhou Sheng and Senior Lin filled with so much dog blood? Poor protagonists, ba. I’m glad I don’t have any misunderstandings with Sun Fuyu, we started dating so smoothly.

Sun Fuyu: *thinking* Wen-ge and I sleep together...we’re basically married now!

Readers: Heheheh. “No” misunderstandings, sure…