Xie Junmo — this name belonged to a man who caused terror throughout their cultivation world. 

Being a powerful person, there was no one who didn’t covet and worship his strength. Many yearned for his love and attention in order to reach the pinnacle of power. Yet, such a person would still be defeated by the protagonist — because he was the villain and the final boss of the story.

Initially, Luo Xue didn’t recognise him, as the colour in the boy’s pupils was closer to common black or brown.

However, once the battle started, she noticed her ribbon’s refusal to help her, as if it was infatuated with someone else. Aside from herself, Xie Junmo was the only other person capable of making her ribbon act this way.

But… considering that this is their first meeting in this life, why was her ribbon already displaying such a strong attachment? Did she overlook something? Luo Xue couldn’t help but feel doubtful about the situation.

Then again, this Xie Junmo seemed to attract misfortune to himself wherever he went. Right after they parted ways, she briefly checked up on him through her ribbon and sensed that he was still in the city. And yet, he still ended up being caught, abused and sold by Chu Yuanchen.

If Xie Junmo of the past knew of his current laughable predicament, would he be so ashamed that he would die of embarrassment?

Luo Xue sighed, slightly shaking her head with a wry smile. Then she uncapped the vial of blood, pouring it over the mark on his collarbone. When the last flower faded, Xie Junmo suddenly lunged forward, hugging her. 

“What happened?” Luo Xue quickly steadied herself, using half of her injured body to support him. “Does it hurt?”

Xie Junmo leaned in, bowing his head as he quietly inhaled her fragrance. Recognising the distinct scent of bamboo hidden within the strong odour of blood, he knew he wasn’t mistaken that she was indeed the same person he had bumped into in the city.

With a look of pure innocence on his face, Xie Junmo said, “Thank you for saving me.”

For a moment, Luo Xue was mesmerised by the sweetness of his charming smile, but she quickly snapped out of it and responded with a smile of her own. Although she should have been well aware of his unmatched beauty, she couldn’t resist being momentarily charmed.

“You’re welcome.”

After saying that, Luo Xue moved away from Xie Junmo, but he held her back by pulling onto her sleeve tightly. Puzzled, she looked at him and was met with a wounded look on his face. Not understanding why he was suddenly crying, she lost her desire to move away and instinctively used her sleeve to dry his tears.

“What’s wrong?” Luo Xue asked again. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… I’m just… thankful.” Xie Junmo smiled.

Observing the boy’s meek and pitiful appearance, Luo Xue found herself unable to ask anymore questions. In fact, the sight of him appearing so frail and helpless left her speechless — unable to fathom how he would one day become the most powerful villain.

Xie Junmo, despite his annoying nature, had helped her out of many perilous situations in her previous life. Being fellow ‘antagonists’, their role was to constantly create obstacles for the protagonist and wreak havoc wherever they went. In spite of that, they unexpectedly formed a close rivalry with one another. They would frequently collaborate and compete against each other, leading to them fighting side by side for hundreds of years. And because of that, they would gradually view each other not as enemies, but rather as rivals and close friends. 

As such, since it was fate that they met again, Luo Xue knew she couldn’t turn a blind eye to his situation. Even if she didn’t owe him anything, for the sake of past friendship, she would save him no matter what.

Moreover, saving him at this point didn’t seem to be detrimental to her.

If this life-saving act could make Xie Junmo feel extremely grateful to her, she could make use of his gratitude to prevent him from getting in her way of obtaining treasures. And in the future, with her serving as both the protagonist’s master and the villain’s saviour, she could easily amass treasures, craft her desired artefact, and go home.

While Luo Xue indulged in her fantasies, Xie Junmo observed every flicker of emotion that crossed her face. His purple eyes grew a shade deeper, engraving her small smiles into his mind.

“Xiao Xue, do you know him?”

Upon hearing Pei Yufeng’s voice, Luo Xue finally came to her senses, feeling a rush of embarrassment after realising she had been caught staring at Xie Junmo for a little too long.

Breaking away from Xie Junmo, Luo Xue immediately thought about finding a suitable explanation for her action when her expression abruptly changed in an instant.

“Xiao Xue? What’s going—”

“Sisi, go!” Luo Xue interrupted her as she fought back the urge to throw up.

At once, her ribbon whizzed through the air, flying straight towards the back of the audience. Seconds later, a deafening crash could be heard, causing Luo Xue to wince and cough up blood.

“Xiao Xue!” Pei Yufeng rushed up to support Luo Xue, using her shoulder to prevent her from falling. “What happened?! Are you okay?”

Luo Xue barely stopped herself from coughing up more blood. Although she lacked the mental force to reinforce the domain, it still had contained enough power to confine most people from moving. And yet, there was someone unexpectedly strong enough to break free — almost escaping without her notice.

So why did they only take action now?

Luo Xue couldn’t figure out an answer to that question, nor could she keep holding on anymore. Consumed by exhaustion, Luo Xue fell heavily onto Pei Yufeng, with blood spilling from her lips like a river.

Her domain shattered, spreading across the sky like shards of broken glass. As the control over them unravelled, the audience, who witnessed the entire gruesome spectacle, screamed and ran for their lives.

“Xiao Xue, hold on! Don’t sleep yet!”

Tears welled up in Pei Yufeng’s eyes as she pleaded with Luo Xue to stay awake, fully aware that it wouldn’t be much longer before Luo Xue lost unconsciousness.

Before Luo Xue fainted, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a squadron donned in silver and blue, their armour shining in the chaos.

Now… she can rest easy.

…

When Luo Xue regained consciousness, what greeted her was a thick scent of medicinal herbs in the air and the sensation of a cosy, warm fur against her body. Just as she was about to indulge in this comfortable feeling, a strong hunch told her that something was wrong. Fur?

Luo Xue’s eyes instantly snapped wide open, and she saw Xie Junmo lying next to her, clasping her hand with his eyes closed.

In this seemingly private bedroom, why would she be placed here with Xie Junmo?!

Luo Xue quickly forced herself to sit up from the bed, but her weary body refused to cooperate easily. Sensing movement, Xie Junmo was roused from his sleep. He pressed his cheek against her palm in a cat-like manner, his lips forming a gentle smile.

“You’re finally awake.”

Startled by his closeness, Luo Xue hurriedly pulled her hand away. “W-What are you doing?”

Before Xie Junmo could answer, the doors suddenly swung open.

“Where is he…?” Pei Yufeng mumbled as she stepped into the room. As soon as she spotted Xie Junmo leaning over Luo Xue, she shrieked. “You… You scoundrel! Get away from her!!”

Not giving her a chance to push him aside, Xie Junmo backed away.

“You scoundrel. How many more times do I have to remind you not to trespass into this room?”

Instead of answering her, Xie Junmo looked away in disinterest, ignoring her outburst. In the end, Pei Yufeng gave up on lecturing him because she realised her words would not dissuade him. She sighed.

Witnessing the two people’s dislike for each other, Luo Xue was filled with surprise. Didn’t the story mention the villain would fall madly in love with Pei Yufeng the moment he laid eyes on her? Why did it seem like he had no interest in her? Then again, Xie Junmo in her previous life also failed to conform to the written settings, so she didn’t know what was right about him anymore.

“Xiao Xue,” Pei Yufeng looked at her, passing her a cup of tea, “Here. Drink this.”

Luo Xue nodded, sipping the hot tea slowly. After the cup was empty, she felt very much refreshed, energetic even.

The tea that Pei Yufeng had given to her must have been of an extremely high-quality spiritual tea. 

“Thank you, Xiao Yu.”

“No need for thanks. If it weren’t for you, who knows what would happen to me?”

While the girls continued talking, Xie Junmo stayed silent, and the doors swung open again. Pei Yufeng’s parents, Pei Guang and Li Mei, along with the bearded physician, had arrived. They came over the moment they received news about Luo Xue’s awakening.

“Father, Mother.” Pei Yufeng greeted them. “Doctor Lu, come help me check up on my friend, please.”

“Certainly, Young Lady.” Doctor Lu carefully set Luo Xue’s wrist on a cushion before he proceeded to check her pulse. After a while, he pondered, “Hmm…”

“So, what’s the conclusion?”

“Although this Miss is in better health than before, she still needs more rest. Perhaps taking more tonic would be for the best.” Doctor Lu said, “Here, this is the new prescription. Please follow the instructions.”

Pei Yufeng took the slip of paper from Doctor Lu’s hands and skimmed through it. Once she was done, she handed it to a nearby maidservant and said, “I understand. Thank you for your help, Doctor Lu.”

Doctor Lu bowed, picked up his medicine box and left.

With that settled, Luo Xue also spoke up.

“Master Pei, Madam Pei, I apologise for overstaying my welcome.”

“Oh no, no need to be polite, please.” Li Mei quickly brushed off her apologies, her pleasant, warm smile conveying her attitude. “If you hadn’t acted on behalf of Feng-er, I wouldn’t be able to stand here having a conversation with you. Miss Luo, your courageous actions have earned my heartfelt thanks.”

“Likewise.” Pei Guang added, nodding in agreement.

After discovering their daughter had gone missing, they almost fainted from shock and fear. With little leads about her disappearance, they did what they could, and it was to seal off the city gates. But little did they know the perpetrators had already left the city. With each passing second, their anxiety and dread about their daughter’s safety grew. Only they, as parents, could understand the torment they feel.

In the end, what nobody expected was the coachman’s crucial role in the rescue operation.

When the coachman returned from his break, he realised both his carriage and the young lady were missing. Without hesitation, he hurried back to the Pei family’s estate, unknowingly carrying a shard of a broken teacup in his pocket.

As night fell, the coachman remained under gruelling interrogation until the shard suddenly flew out of his pocket, floating in the air as it captured everyone’s attention.

The guards pursued the strange shard, but it easily avoided them by flying into the nearby garden and circling in the air.

By then, the commotion from the guards and servants had alerted the Pei family members to step out.

With its jagged edge, the shard continued to hover in the air, pointing towards the south.

Pei Guang, Li Mei, and their second son, Pei Yuchang, all caught sight of it. But only Pei Yuchang was attentive enough to notice the details.

The shard appeared to be crafted from fine porcelain and featured an elegant floral pattern, similar to an exquisite set of teacups that Pei Yufeng would often love to use.

Pei Yuchang, relying on his instincts, quickly commanded a squad of elite guards, leading them in pursuit of the shard. And as per his expectations, it quickly guided them to a desolate town on the outskirts of Chu Yuanchen’s territory.

From there, they found a slavery warehouse disguised as an abandoned barn. Following the shard, they also tried to enter the place, but a powerful barrier kept them in place. Left with no choice, they waited for the barrier to come down.

Once the barrier fell, Pei Yuchang and his guards swiftly charged in on their horses, knocking down some of the screaming crowd rushing by. It was then they came across his younger sister, crying and hugging a girl who was on the verge of death.

“Your help will surely be repaid in full,” Li Mei continued, “I insist.”

The sight of their sincere, kind gazes made Luo Xue reveal a wry smile. To be fair, all of these could have been prevented if she had taken action from the very beginning — when she detected the smell of a knockout drug in the tea. But because of her capricious decision, or perhaps her lack of consideration, she caused Pei Yufeng to be subjected to needless hardships.

What was she thinking when she chose to delve into the kidnapping of Pei Yufeng, as described in the story? Was it done so that she could ensure Pei Yufeng remained a good female lead?

Regardless, Luo Xue felt a little guilty. She believed that Pei Yufeng’s parents had misplaced their trust in her.

After Pei Guang and Li Mei were sent away by Pei Yufeng, Pei Yufeng and Xie Junmo were left in the room with Luo Xue.

Cutting to the chase, Luo Xue asked the question that had been at the back of her mind. “How long has it been since I woke up?”

Pei Yufeng answered, “Three days.”

“Three days?” Luo Xue was shocked, and she got out of the bed immediately. “My apologies, Xiao Yu. I must go now.”

“What? Why?” Pei Yufeng blocked the doorway, preventing her from leaving. “You’re still injured! Didn’t you hear the doctor’s advice to rest?”

“I understand… but my uncle will be worried sick. After all, I’m not at a place where I’m supposed to be.”

“What do you mean?”

“…Anyway, I’m grateful for your care over the past few days. But I really must go.”

Luo Xue pushed Pei Yufeng, but she wouldn’t budge.

Having no choice, Luo Xue secretly brought out her mental force, intending to lock Pei Yufeng down without harming her. Before she had the chance to do it, a swift shadow suddenly blocked her sight for a second, breaking her focus. By the time she reacted, Xie Junmo was already standing in front of her, lightly tugging at her sleeve.

Even the ribbon she had assumed was missing was now gently wrapping around her wrist, as if imploring her to stop.

When Luo Xue saw their puppy dog eyes towards her, she let out a resigned sigh.

“…Just one more day, then.”

Once Luo Xue gave in, Pei Yufeng wasted no time in pulling her to the bed and covering her with a warm blanket. She stared at her, worried she would run away.

Luo Xue glanced at the two people seated on her left and right. Accepting that there was nothing more she could do to sway their decision, she sighed once more and drifted off to sleep.