A “bang” sounded—neither too loud nor too soft. Qin Wanwan and Yan Wushuang both looked over simultaneously. Qin Wanwan shouted loudly: “Who’s there?!”

This shout startled Jian Xingzhi so much that he dove into the nearby flower bushes, pouring every ounce of his cultivation into concealing himself.

He truly didn’t know what level of cultivation this Jishan Nujun possessed or whether she would discover him. He could only defend himself with all his might, thinking that if worst came to worst, he would fight to the death…

Fight to the death… but the net wouldn’t even break!

Thinking of how he had personally handed over that heart-linking talisman, Jian Xingzhi was filled with regret. He crouched on the ground, using a small tree branch to shield his head.

Qin Wanwan rushed to the window and pushed it open, rapidly sweeping the surrounding area with her spiritual consciousness. She found nothing at all.

Xie Gutang and Nanfeng also heard the commotion and rushed into the room, arriving at Qin Wanwan’s side. “What happened?”

“It seemed like someone was there just now.” Qin Wanwan frowned.

Xie Gutang swept the area again with his spiritual consciousness and shook his head. “I didn’t detect anything.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a black cat leaped gracefully from the wall and disappeared. Nanfeng asked doubtfully: “Was it a cat?”

“Probably.” Qin Wanwan nodded.

The three of them relaxed. Just as Qin Wanwan was about to close the window, she suddenly realized something was wrong. She turned back to look at the cluster of tree branches Jian Xingzhi was holding up.

That cluster of branches seemed to be moving, yet also seemed still. Qin Wanwan stared at the branches and asked suspiciously: “Why is that tree branch moving?”

Xie Gutang and Nanfeng looked over together, but before they could examine it closely, they heard a “bang” behind them. Xie Gutang reacted first, shouting at Yan Wushuang who was rushing out: “Stop right there!”

Yan Wushuang had long since secretly loosened his bindings. Now that he had finally found an opportunity, how could he possibly stop? He ran madly toward the outside, shouting as he went: “Help! Murder! Violation of an innocent young man! Someone help! Save me!!”

His cultivation wasn’t particularly impressive, but he ran extremely fast, slippery as an old mudfish, leading Xie Gutang and Qin Wanwan and the others in circles around the courtyard.

Qin Wanwan and Xie Gutang watched helplessly as he ran out of the side hall. The other areas of the Matchmaker Temple were bustling with people coming and going, packed like sardines. Afraid of alerting the officials managing Wasteland City, Qin Wanwan quickly stopped and held back Xie Gutang. “Forget it.”

Xie Gutang and Nanfeng looked over. Qin Wanwan gritted her teeth. “Whatever he was going to say, he’s probably said most of it already. The rest won’t yield much anyway. Let’s go back first.”

Xie Gutang had only come to help in the first place. Since Qin Wanwan wasn’t pursuing, he no longer had a reason to chase either. He nodded without saying much.

Qin Wanwan looked in the direction Yan Wushuang had fled, sighed, then turned to look at Xie Gutang. “Daojun Xie, thank you very much.”

“It’s nothing.”

Xie Gutang shook his head. “I didn’t really help much anyway.”

“It’s getting late.” Qin Wanwan glanced at the sky. “We should head back. If we return too late, Master will probably be unhappy again.”

Speaking of Jian Xingzhi, Xie Gutang smiled. “The senior’s sword intent is pure, but his temperament is like a child’s.”

“Right.” Qin Wanwan sighed. “Like he didn’t even finish elementary school.”

As she spoke, the image of Jian Xingzhi’s dejected figure holding his toys and snacks as he left flashed through her mind. She couldn’t help but quicken her pace, wanting to hurry back and see what this person was up to.

They left the Matchmaker Temple. Sensing their auras gradually fading into the distance, Jian Xingzhi finally relaxed. He dropped the tree branch and sat on the ground, gasping for breath.

After he caught his breath, he began processing this shocking information.

Qin Wanwan was Jishan Nujun—that legendary figure ranked 21st on the combat power rankings, the Jishan Nujun who had sent him to this small world with a single move!

But if she could send him to this world, why was she also here, and apparently investigating something?

Moreover, since she was already here, why was she pretending to be so helpless? Why, after knowing full well that he was Jian Xingzhi, did she endure humiliation and remain by his side, playing the role of his obedient disciple?

Jian Xingzhi’s mind raced, considering all possibilities. After pondering left and right for a long time, sudden realization dawned on him.

Could this be her revenge?!

She didn’t want to duel him and let him improve his cultivation through combat training, so she used a special spell to bring him to this small world. Then she disguised herself as pure and harmless, deceived him into trusting her, obtained his cultivation techniques, his body, and… his heart!

Ever since arriving in this world, he had suffered setback after setback—wearing pink clothes, putting on butterfly hairpins, being constantly electrocuted, perpetually humiliated.

He had given her his sect’s core techniques, helped her temper her body, assisted her through tribulation, and even gave her the heart-linking talisman, letting her hold his very life in her hands.

What was even more tragic was that he… he… he had actually fallen for her!

If tonight’s confession had succeeded, it would have played right into her hands. After all, she had said that the greatest revenge wasn’t physical—it was spiritual humiliation.

If he confessed, she would have deceived him out of his body, heart, techniques, and wealth. Then they’d return to the Immortal Realm together. By then, she’d have his core techniques and he wouldn’t be able to defeat her, plus he’d have to endure her emotional humiliation. This shameful episode might even be recorded by her to be replayed everywhere in the Immortal Realm…

Just imagining this scenario, he already wanted to end himself.

“Master,” seeing Jian Xingzhi’s thoughts spiraling further astray, 666 couldn’t stand it anymore and interrupted his wild speculation. “You’ve been interacting with the female lead for quite a while now. Don’t think the worst—think about her good points.”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi slowly regained his composure, thinking that such a terrible scenario might not necessarily be true.

“You’re right.” Jian Xingzhi analyzed calmly. “The urgent matter at hand is to first stabilize Qin Wanwan and maintain the current situation, preventing her from taking any extreme actions.”

“And then?” 666 became curious about what plan Jian Xingzhi could come up with.

“Then, I need to probe her true intentions on one hand, while getting that heart-linking talisman back on the other.”

Jian Xingzhi plotted: “I can’t leave my life in the hands of an enemy. If she has no particular designs on me, that’s best. But if she truly wants to destroy me, I at least need a chance to struggle!”

“Haven’t you considered that she might want to be friends with you?” 666 posed the question. Jian Xingzhi’s face showed dejection.

“How could that be possible?” Jian Xingzhi sighed. “Even if Qin Wanwan isn’t a bad person and she, like me, innocently ended up here, that means she was implicated because of me, right?”

“Seems like it…”

“I already feel angry thinking she harmed me and brought me to this small world to suffer. If I actively attacked her sect, hit her, caused her to come to this small world, continued hitting her in this small world, and said many harsh things to her face—even if she were a saint, she’d harbor resentment.”

“What you’re saying… does make some sense.”

666 was convinced. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Jian Xingzhi grew more distraught the more he thought. “Also, do you remember that competition a few days ago? When that person stepped on her face, she exploded instantly and beat him to a pulp—didn’t you see? Think about it, this proves she really cares about face-stepping. I’ve stepped on her face more than once. Will she let me off?”

“She won’t.”

Before 666 could speak, Jian Xingzhi answered himself: “She’s just waiting for the right moment to retaliate. It’s already good if she doesn’t hate me—how could we possibly be friends?!”

Speaking thus, he thrust his hands into his hair and cried out in anguish: “I’m done for! I’m completely done for!”

“Then…” 666 hesitated. “Your confession plan…”

“Confess what?!”

Hearing this, Jian Xingzhi was grief-stricken and indignant. Thoroughly disgusted with himself for falling into a romantic trap, he concealed his shame and anger, scolding 666: “Right now the most important thing is staying alive! Stop thinking about romance!”

“Alright…”

666 said helplessly: “Then hurry back. Don’t let her discover you already know about this.”

“Exactly.” Jian Xingzhi agreed with 666. “I need to hurry back, and I need to treat her even better. I need to make her learn tolerance, see my good points. Even if we can’t be friends, at least she should let go of her resentment.”

“Oh.” 666’s face was expressionless. “Do your best. I have faith in you.”

Having made up his mind and found an execution plan, Jian Xingzhi calmed down considerably.

He quickly got up, patted the dirt off his bottom, and rushed back to Ning Manor.

Qin Wanwan had returned to Ning Manor a step ahead of him. When she got back and saw that Jian Xingzhi wasn’t there—only Cuilu was in the courtyard basking in moonlight—she couldn’t help but find it strange. “Where’s my master?”

“He hasn’t come back.”

Hearing this, Qin Wanwan’s heart skipped a beat. She thought Jian Xingzhi must be terribly upset and refusing to come home, wandering the streets.

Based on her understanding of Jian Xingzhi, her driving him away must have been a major setback in his life. For him to obediently leave, his spirit must have suffered no small trauma.

Qin Wanwan thought it over and decided to properly coax him. After bidding farewell to Xie Gutang and the others, she went to the entrance of Ning Manor and waited for Jian Xingzhi.

All along the way, Jian Xingzhi gave himself psychological preparation, telling himself to stay composed, not to panic, and to act the same as before when meeting Jishan Nujun.

Mentally preparing himself all the way back to Ning Manor, he spotted Qin Wanwan from far away, sitting at the entrance waiting for him.

She was just as he remembered her—so pure and kind, so sweet, so gentle.

But somehow, this sweetness, contrasted with that wild laughter under the lightning earlier, seemed extraordinarily eerie and even terrifying!

Jian Xingzhi stopped in his tracks. Qin Wanwan had been waiting for him in utter boredom. The moment she looked up and saw Jian Xingzhi standing in the distance, she immediately jumped up and ran over happily. “Master! You’re back?!”

Jian Xingzhi said nothing. He told himself not to be afraid, but somehow, facing this familiar face, he still felt an indescribable dread.

His body stiff, his face stern, he feigned composure. Qin Wanwan assumed he was angry and quickly tried to placate him. “Master, where did you go to have fun tonight? Did you finish the chestnuts I bought you?”

“No.”

Jian Xingzhi squeezed out a single word. Qin Wanwan felt slightly guilty, thinking Jian Xingzhi must be quite angry. She lowered her head to explain: “What I said tonight was a bit harsh. Don’t take it to heart. Master is the most important person to me. It’s just that this matter isn’t suitable for you to know right now. One day…”

“I don’t know, and I don’t need to know!”

Jian Xingzhi quickly interrupted her. He knew this must be her suspicion, her test. He had to show sufficient obedience to lower this demoness’s guard!

He hurriedly pledged loyalty: “Whatever you want to do, just go do it. Don’t worry about me—I understand everything. I was wrong before. I… I was too selfish, too arrogant. You are magnanimous—you must forgive me.”

Listening to his words, Qin Wanwan stared at him blankly. “Did I… did I deal you such a heavy blow?”

Jian Xingzhi had even learned to speak ironically?

Looking at Qin Wanwan’s expression, Jian Xingzhi really couldn’t fathom what this demoness was thinking. He could only feign nonchalance: “Blow? What blow? I’m speaking the truth. That… Wanwan,” Jian Xingzhi grasped her hand, his expression serious, “you’re a noble, gentle, tolerant female immortal, right?”

“Master?”

“Be tolerant.” He continued persuading her. “Whatever mistakes I’ve made, I truly didn’t mean them. I’m genuinely repentant.”

Hearing these words, a trace of doubt flashed through Qin Wanwan’s mind.

“Master,” she probed, “do you… know something?”

“What?” Jian Xingzhi immediately tensed up. “What would I know?”

“You…” Qin Wanwan asked suspiciously, “why are you suddenly praising me, talking about tolerance and such?”

“Oh.” Jian Xingzhi’s brain started working frantically. He swallowed hard and was about to speak when he saw 666 writing script on a prompt board in his mind.

“I’m just expressing some guilt about the boat race disrupting your plans, hoping you can forgive me.”

This reason was very normal. Qin Wanwan was quite gratified that Jian Xingzhi could recognize this.

She breathed a sigh of relief and laughed lightly. “It’s fine. I’m used to it anyway. I’m actually quite happy that you still thought to win me a trophy.”

Speaking of this, Qin Wanwan felt somewhat sad, realizing she had actually started accepting Jian Xingzhi’s personality.

But she was philosophical about it. She sighed and reached out to pull Jian Xingzhi’s sleeve. “Come on, let’s go back.”

Jian Xingzhi said nothing. He stared at Qin Wanwan’s retreating figure and began analyzing every sentence she’d just said, every expression.

Just now she said she was used to it—that was disappointment.

She said thinking to win her a trophy made her quite happy—that was resignation.

She even sighed. It seemed she no longer had any feelings for him…

“Master.”

Sensing Jian Xingzhi’s increasingly despondent mood, 666 immediately interrupted him. “Stop overthinking!”

“No.” Jian Xingzhi decided to turn over a new leaf. “I used to think too little. From now on, I must think more!”

If he had thought more, he would have discovered long ago that Qin Wanwan was Jishan Nujun.

Which immortal realm person whose parents sold candied hawthorns would have such abilities?!

Once again regretting his past recklessness, Jian Xingzhi was led by Qin Wanwan back to their room. Seeing him silent the entire way, Qin Wanwan thought for a moment, then turned to look at him. “Master, shall we talk?”

She had learned much tonight, some of it concerning Jian Xingzhi. She truly wanted to discuss it with him.

“No need!”

Hearing she still wanted to talk, Jian Xingzhi immediately backed away. “You sleep well. I’m going to bed first!”

With that, he whooshed back to his own room like a gust of wind.

Watching such a nervous Jian Xingzhi, Qin Wanwan hesitated for a moment before murmuring: “Alright then.”

Maybe after a good night’s sleep, his mood would improve.

Qin Wanwan returned to her room in bewilderment, sat on her bed, and had just assumed a cross-legged meditation posture when she heard 38’s voice: “Host, 500 points have been deducted tonight.”

“Why?!”

Qin Wanwan exclaimed in shock. 38 yawned. “Did you think you could say anything to people in this small world? The opportunity for you to say those things to Yan Wushuang required point redemption.”

“You didn’t remind me?!”

“If I had reminded you, would you not have said it?!”

Qin Wanwan fell silent. She felt some heartache over the points, but you can’t catch a wolf without sacrificing the child. She could only lament: “Then, Jian Xingzhi has opportunities to earn points through romance storylines. Besides the main quest, do I have any other opportunities to obtain points?”

“Of course.”

38 said calmly: “Cultivation.”

Qin Wanwan: “…”

The Great Heroine System truly doesn’t deceive.

She thought for a moment. “I need good rest to have energy for cultivation. I’m sleeping first.”

With that, she lay down flat and tucked herself into her little blanket.

While Qin Wanwan slept soundly on her side, Jian Xingzhi couldn’t sleep a wink.

For every day the heart-linking talisman remained in Qin Wanwan’s hands, he couldn’t rest easy. He had to retrieve it as soon as possible.

Asking for it directly would alert her. Right now, the only method was…

Stealing?

This shameful thought surfaced in Jian Xingzhi’s mind.

“No, I’m a Sword Immortal—how can I do such a thing?”

Jian Xingzhi spoke with conviction. He pulled up his blanket and closed his eyes.

A moment later, he decisively got up, put on his shoes, and jumped out.

“I’m not a Sword Immortal anymore anyway.”

—

**Author’s Note:** There’s one more chapter—I’ll post it once I finish writing.

**[Mini Theater]**

Jian Xingzhi: Integrity is something that once you keep dropping it, you get used to it.