The water punishment continued repeatedly.

When Ling Luo was pulled out of the mud by the divine lock, breaking through the water’s surface, she couldn’t help but cough up blood.

Already severely injured, she had used the forbidden technique to drive the sacred spirit bird to fly so far to curse Rong Xian, worsening her internal injuries.

Though the stench of foul mud was gone, spots of filth remained on her body, and her hair was tangled in strands from emerging from the mud.

Seeing this, Ling Luo was furious, her clean-loving anger even surpassing the pain in her body.

She looked down at the swaying pond water reflecting her current appearance.

Disheveled hair, soaking wet all over, her face as pale as snow, looking exactly like a freshly drowned water ghost.

Ling Luo raged inwardly, howling and cursing, then sank back into the water to clean herself.

How infuriating!

The bloody water sank only momentarily before being absorbed by the surrounding lotus flowers.

Ling Luo had just cleaned herself and resurfaced when she heard footsteps approaching.

She focused her attention and looked sideways. Before seeing who it was, she thought it would most likely be her good master Yun Shou Xi, but she never expected it would be her good senior brother from the Outer Court.

Yue Liang Ze wasn’t wearing the Outer Court disciple robes, but instead a set of casual dark blue-black attire. He carried a small food box in his hand, his footsteps light, trying his best to suppress any sound, yet was still detected by Ling Luo.

He emerged from the dimly lit corridor and saw the cold pond brightened by starlight falling through the broken cave ceiling. In it was a young woman, soaking wet, locked by white iron chains, raising her head to look at him from among the sleeping lotuses.

As their gazes met, Ling Luo even suspected the person before her was an illusion at that moment.

Before coming, Yue Liang Ze couldn’t imagine how miserable Ling Luo would be. Now seeing her with his own eyes, he was momentarily stunned.

He stopped at the pond’s edge, his dark eyes quietly observing the young woman in the pond.

Ling Luo sank into the water, using the lotus leaves on the surface as cover, quietly swimming to the shore, and emerged from a cluster of sleeping lotuses. Her small face was covered with watermarks, her beautiful peach blossom eyes half-squinted as she sized up the young man on shore, with a hint of wariness.

“What are you doing here?” she asked suspiciously.

How annoying!

Surely this guy hadn’t come to mock her!

“I made chestnut roast chicken tonight, but they said you were confined in Black Water Cave and couldn’t come, so I had to bring it to you.” As Yue Liang Ze spoke, he opened the food box he was carrying, and the sweet aroma of chestnuts wafted out.

Smelling this fragrance, Ling Luo’s stomach growled involuntarily.

Her long hair floated scattered in the water, black, long, glossy, and smooth, making one want to touch it.

Yue Liang Ze glanced at it before lowering his gaze.

“How did you get in?” Ling Luo was still suspicious. “There are Disciplinary Hall people at the entrance, and their cultivation is much higher than yours.”

“There’s a tunnel in the valley that connects to this side of Black Water Cave,” said Yue Liang Ze. “The Disciplinary Hall people don’t know about it.”

Ling Luo: “…”

She widened her eyes: “Then why do you know?!”

“Qing Shun told me,” Yue Liang Ze helped her take out the dishes from the food box and placed them on the shore, his tone unchanging.

He showed no respect whatsoever for this earth-shattering secret, saying it as casually as if discussing the price of cabbage.

“From outside Saha Realm, one can directly access the corner corridor of Black Water Cave,” Yue Liang Ze, guessing what Ling Luo was about to ask next, simply said it in advance. “He was also confined here before. As for how he knew about the tunnel, his master, the Second Sect Master, told him.”

Ling Luo was speechless.

After a while, she finally snorted and asked: “So why did Qing Shun tell you?”

Yue Liang Ze: “I didn’t ask, he wanted to tell me so I listened.”

After hearing this, Ling Luo didn’t even have the energy to be angry with him.

Seeing that Yue Liang Ze had truly come to deliver food, not to mock her, Ling Luo reluctantly rose from the water and came to the shore to pick up chopsticks and grab some meat.

Yue Liang Ze had even poured soup for her and was now peeling sugar-fried chestnuts for her.

Ling Luo ate very slowly. Having just endured punishment, she had little strength, and her hand holding the chopsticks was still shaking slightly, which annoyed her. After one bite, she put down the chopsticks and splashed back into the water.

Yue Liang Ze: “…”

He stared blankly at the rippling water surface, unsure of what had happened.

What was wrong?

Was it not tasty?

Or had the divine lock pulled her down?

Yue Liang Ze frowned.

Shortly after, Ling Luo’s head emerged from the water again, her small face deathly pale, tiny water droplets hanging on her eyelashes, falling as she blinked.

Yue Liang Ze asked her: “What’s wrong?”

Ling Luo returned to the shore angrily, saying: “Spicy.”

Yue Liang Ze: “…There’s no chili.”

“If I say it’s spicy, it’s spicy!” Ling Luo bit into the meat on her chopsticks, raising her eyes to glare at him.

Little did she know that in her injured and vulnerable state, such an attempt to look intimidating only made her appear fragile and adorable, without any frightening presence.

Yue Liang Ze remained silent after hearing this and continued peeling his sugar chestnuts.

In the silence, he noticed the faint sound of chopsticks hitting the plates, realizing it was Ling Luo’s shaking hand.

At first, Yue Liang Ze decided not to intervene.

He knew Ling Luo’s temperament; if he tried to help, she would be even more annoyed. Normally she was all claws and teeth with him, and what she least wanted and enjoyed was being in a position of disadvantage, let alone actively seeking his help.

But after a few bites, due to her lack of strength and occasional pain from her injuries, she couldn’t hold the chopsticks steadily or pick up meat securely and angrily gurgled as she sank back into the water.

How could she eat properly with all this going back and forth?

When Ling Luo emerged from the water yet again and angrily picked up the chopsticks, Yue Liang Ze couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

He turned to his side, reached out, and effortlessly took the chopsticks from her hand.

Ling Luo watched him vigilantly: “What are you doing?”

Finally, showing your true nature and trying to take advantage while I’m injured?

Yue Liang Ze picked up some food for her, offering it as he said: “You’re injured, move less.”

Ling Luo hid behind a red sleeping lotus, watching him. Seeing her wary appearance, Yue Liang Ze added: “Besides, you helped me last time, and today you took me to Tian Tun Tower to train. It’s only right that I take care of you.”

Well, at least you understand.

Only then did Ling Luo dismiss her suspicions, returning to the shore and opening her mouth to bite the meat on the chopsticks.

Everything Yue Liang Ze had brought was easy to eat, with few bones.

Ling Luo, with puffed cheeks, mumbled: “Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m confined here?”

Yue Liang Ze: “Chang Fei already told me.”

“How does he know?” Ling Luo frowned.

“The Jade Listener Disciples’ Hall is spreading the word that you killed someone from Xiao Yao Sect.” Seeing she had eaten enough, Yue Liang Ze handed her a small cup of soup. “But Song Yuan Yuan says you didn’t kill her.”

Ling Luo glanced at him: “Do you believe it?”

Yue Liang Ze made an affirmative sound.

Ling Luo finished the soup, licked the corner of her mouth, and sneered: “I did kill the person.”

She waited to see Yue Liang Ze’s shocked expression but saw him merely say “Oh” before picking up another piece of meat and bringing it to her lips.

Ling Luo felt strangely defeated and said irritably: “So now you believe that?”

Yue Liang Ze: “If you say so, then it’s so.”

Hearing this, Ling Luo wanted to bite him, but in the end, she only bit the meat offered to her mouth.

Yue Liang Ze didn’t care at all about who killed whom.

Ling Luo criticized him: “Your attitude isn’t right. In the future, you’ll be the face of the immortal path, full of righteousness, unyielding, helping the weak against the strong, and eliminating evil to protect the Way.”

Yue Liang Ze listened with a strange expression, his eyes silently asking: Who are you talking about?

“By then, whenever someone in a family is killed, they’ll all come to you seeking justice, asking you to help avenge them… a bunch of useless people.” As Ling Luo spoke, she couldn’t help but mock them.

Yue Liang Ze said: “Next time I’ll bring you some medicine to calm your mind. Make sure to rest.”

Ling Luo: “…”

You’re the one who needs to calm your mind!

“How can anyone rest properly when punished with water torture and trapped here!” she said irritably.

Hearing this, Yue Liang Ze understood her earlier nonsensical talk.

Ling Luo took another bite of meat, and seeing Yue Liang Ze quiet, she said: “Why don’t you ask me why I killed her?”

Yue Liang Ze: “Why?”

Ling Luo snorted: “So you do think I killed her!”

Yue Liang Ze: “…”

Didn’t you just say so yourself?

He was very tolerant of Ling Luo’s inconsistency, having grown accustomed to it these days.

Ling Luo didn’t want to be frank in the interrogation chamber, nor did she want to tell Yun Shou Xi, but as Yue Liang Ze kept her company, her desire to confide suddenly went wild.

She took a peeled sugar chestnut and put it in her mouth, her cheek half-puffed, looking at Yue Liang Ze: “Because she caused my sister’s death, so I killed her.”

Yue Liang Ze listened attentively, nodding: “Mm.”

Ling Luo: “I had a reason to kill her.”

Yue Liang Ze poured her another cup of soup: “I understand.”

“If she hadn’t done those things to Yu Zhi, who would foolishly go provoke the Xiao Yao Sect Grand Elder’s most precious granddaughter?” Ling Luo muttered. “Back then, I didn’t even know how to use spiritual power, could barely hold a sword, had to use both hands and couldn’t even swing it properly.”

So she absolutely would not have provoked Jin Yuan on her own.

Usually, when Jin Yuan came over with her sarcastic remarks, she endured it. Occasionally when Jin Yuan brought her and Yu Zhi, dressed in tattered clothes, into the sect gates, letting the girls dressed in fine silk and beautifully adorned cover their mouths and laugh secretly, whispering mockery, Ling Luo also endured it.

Compared to wandering outside and nearly starving to death, at least in Xiao Yao Sect, they had food to eat.

So when she heard Yue Liang Ze say his reason for staying in Tian Ji was to get meals, Ling Luo was touched, instantly understanding him.

“She always came to pick on us, and I kept enduring, thinking that as long as my sister didn’t suffer from cold and hunger outside, being laughed at and cursed didn’t matter.” Ling Luo bit into the sugar chestnut in her mouth; it was sweet and powdery, yet couldn’t dissolve the bitterness of that time. “But she took advantage of my absence and lured Yu Zhi down the mountain under the pretense of finding me.”

“I can’t tell you what she did, but it was like throwing a twelve-year-old girl who couldn’t speak into a pack of starving wolves, then standing aside clapping and laughing as Yu Zhi cried and desperately tried to crawl out of the wolf den.”

“Every time she was about to crawl out, Jin Yuan would step on her hand and kick her back in.”

Ling Luo said: “That’s why I killed her.”

Yue Liang Ze had been listening attentively. He peeled the last sugar chestnut for Ling Luo and said once more: “I understand.”

“So in the future…” Ling Luo’s words stopped halfway as Yue Liang Ze raised his head to offer the sugar chestnut.

She looked into the young man’s clean, bright eyes and saw herself reflected.

She had wanted to say, so in the future, don’t always oppose me.

Don’t think I’m always wrong.

Don’t protect those I want to kill.

But she suddenly remembered that Yun Shou Xi had said she was wrong, Yu Xiu had said it, and the world had said it, but Yue Liang Ze had never said it once.

“Hmm?” Yue Liang Ze, seeing her suddenly pause without continuing, blinked in confusion.

“…In the future, keep peeling chestnuts for me.” Ling Luo ate the last chestnut he offered, speaking without much enthusiasm.

But Yue Liang Ze nodded, putting the small dishes back into the food box: “But chestnuts shouldn’t be eaten too much, only in moderation.”

Ling Luo’s expression was gloomy as she raised her hand to show him the divine lock on her wrist: “Which do you think is worse, eating too many or not living to eat more?”

Yue Liang Ze’s expression became somewhat helpless.

Just as he covered the food box, Ling Luo heard someone approaching. Soon Yue Liang Ze also noticed. They exchanged a glance, and Ling Luo, having eaten and regained some strength, immediately grabbed him and pulled him into the water.

With a splash, water scattered and lotus flowers swayed.

Yue Liang Ze submerged, and Ling Luo made a “shh” gesture before resurfacing.

With a splash, Ling Luo opened her eyes to see a figure in white emerge from the shadows. Yun Shou Xi strolled over, stopping at the shore, looking at Ling Luo in the water.

“Master,” Ling Luo lowered her eyebrows and eyes, appearing obedient.

Inwardly, she cursed—how terrible, Yun Shou Xi coming at this moment, neither early nor late.

If he discovered Yue Liang Ze in the water, then Yue Liang Ze would be targeted by this psychopath.

With Ling Luo’s talent and appearance, before she turned to demonic ways, there were many who liked her, some bold enough to express their feelings.

Once, an unfortunate bold junior brother happened to confess to her just when Yun Shou Xi was present. Though Ling Luo refused him, she never saw this junior brother again.

On a chance occasion, she discovered that this junior brother was soon expelled from Tian Ji for violating sect rules. After leaving the mountain, he fell ill and died within days.

At that time, she only suspected, but later when Yun Shou Xi admitted to it, Ling Luo felt even more that he was insane.

Yun Shou Xi stood silently on the shore, wordlessly examining Ling Luo’s pale face and lips, her wet hair clinging to her skin, the contrast of black and white striking.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, his tone gentle.

Ling Luo shook her head, “This disciple deserves punishment.”

“You were struck by the binding spirit whip and are now soaking in this cold pond, which only makes things worse,” said Yun Shou Xi. “Come here, I’ll apply medicine for you.”

Ling Luo hesitated, not moving closer.

She still shook her head, saying: “Master, the mud from the water punishment is unbearably foul. I’ve endured several rounds of water punishment, and my body is already filthy. I absolutely cannot let Master be contaminated.”

Yue Liang Ze underwater vaguely heard her words.

Ling Luo, in order to refuse Yun Shou Xi’s help with the medicine, was willing to disparage herself.

Yun Shou Xi frowned: “I don’t allow you to speak of yourself that way. Come here.”

Ling Luo felt Yue Liang Ze pulling her hand, telling her he couldn’t hold his breath much longer—either Yun Shou Xi leaves, or he surfaces.

Seeing she didn’t move, Yun Shou Xi said again: “Ling Luo, that whip fell because I couldn’t protect you properly.”

“Master…” Ling Luo took a deep breath, biting her lip with a troubled expression. “I—”

She suddenly sank into the water.

Yun Shou Xi was slightly startled.

The moonlight and starlight fell through the cave ceiling onto the water’s surface, the waves swaying, causing the green lotus leaves to sway with them. Between the gaps in the lotus leaves, light penetrated the water.

Yue Liang Ze held her hand, which Ling Luo gripped in return, pulling him toward her. Her other hand gently cupped his face as she kissed him.

Underwater, the light and shadows were dazzling, allowing them to see each other.

Underwater, everything was soft.

Yue Liang Ze widened his eyes slightly, his mind blank, while Ling Luo had already covered his eyes with her hand.

She was giving Yue Liang Ze air.

All while inwardly cursing furiously.

How outrageous!

She had to stop actively kissing him to prevent Yue Liang Ze from being targeted by that psychopath!

It was an absolute humiliation!

In the past, he was always the one who initiated!

On shore, Yun Shou Xi watched the swaying water surface, still frowning in confusion as to why Ling Luo had suddenly sunk into the water.

The divine lock hadn’t even activated yet.