Chapter 009: The Betrayer's Demise

Just as Song Ye and the burly, bearded man stood locked in confrontation, a voice as cold as frost suddenly rang out from the distance.

“Traitor, surrender at once!”

As soon as the words faded, a woman in a white dress descended from midair, alighting between Song Ye and the bearded man.

Song Ye immediately recognized her as the Immortal Master Su whom he had encountered half a year ago on the west side of the village.

Constable Zhao seemed to recognize her as well. At her arrival, he let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow and murmuring under his breath, “Someone from the Xuanqing Palace has come. We’re saved… we’re saved…”

The bearded man, upon seeing Immortal Master Su, let his knife fall to his side. His expression was dazed as he stammered, “Mas… Master…”

Immortal Master Su’s face was cold and stern. “I cast you out of my sect long ago. You are no longer a disciple of the Xuanqing Palace, nor need you call me Master.”

So it turned out the two of them were once master and disciple. Song Ye watched the scene unfold with the air of a bystander.

“In the half year since I left Xuanqing Palace, I have pondered, again and again, where I went wrong,” the bearded man’s voice trembled. “Master, I merely admired you. I joined Xuanqing Palace for your sake—was it so wrong to reveal my feelings?”

A trace of anger flickered across Immortal Master Su’s face. “Enough! Hold your tongue. Cultivators are meant to sever all ties of love and affection. That is the rule of Xuanqing Palace.”

“Since you have given rise to such feelings toward me, by the rules of our order, I had no choice but to expel you!”

At this, Song Ye, the bystander, could not help but be surprised—this was indeed a dramatic turn!

The bearded man suddenly threw back his head and laughed. “So I refuse to abide by the broken rules of the immortal sect! Now that I have entered the path of demons, I am free to declare my love for you—no one can stop me!”

An icy ruthlessness swept across Immortal Master Su’s face. “Pang Anwang, it seems you remain unrepentant.”

“You have turned to the demonic path and stained your hands with blood. I can no longer show you mercy!”

The bearded man’s body trembled. “Master, are you going to kill me with your own hands?”

Her answer was a jade-green dagger, which pierced his throat before flying back into her hand.

As he fell, the bearded man managed to call out a name—Su Xiqiu.

Evidently, that was Immortal Master Su’s given name, and it was only in the moment before death that he dared call her by it.

Song Ye was startled by how decisively Su Xiqiu dispatched her former disciple. Her face showed almost no change in expression.

These women of the immortal sects truly had hearts of stone, having cut off all ties of emotion.

“Master!”

At that moment, three more figures approached from behind Song Ye—one young man in scholar’s robes, and two girls in pale blue dresses, all between sixteen and eighteen years of age.

One of the girls, Song Ye recognized as Zhang Zixuan, who had left for Xuanqing Palace to study several months prior.

She called Immortal Master Su “Master,” which meant she too had become her disciple.

Immortal Master Su addressed the three who ran toward her. “The traitor has been dealt with. You three will come with me to cultivate at the Chanyi Grotto.”

“Yes, Master!” the three disciples replied in unison.

Suddenly, Immortal Master Su’s gaze drifted to Song Ye. “Hmm? Aren’t you the villager I saved from a giant wolf half a year ago?”

Zhang Zixuan interjected, “Master, I know him too! He’s the owner of the village tea stall—his sesame cakes are delicious!”

Immortal Master Su nodded and turned back to Song Ye. “I recall giving you a formal invitation to Xuanqing Palace half a year ago. Why didn’t you bring it and come to study?”

“It’s still here!” Song Ye replied, miming the act of retrieving something from his sleeve, though in truth he was pulling it from his game inventory.

Seeing the pristine invitation in Song Ye’s hand, Immortal Master Su smiled faintly. “What, do you disdain coming to Xuanqing Palace to study?”

Song Ye shook his head. “I have no such intention. I simply have no interest in the path of cultivation.”

Of course, the real reason was that he couldn’t leave this novice village, let alone visit the so-called Xuanqing Palace.

Hearing this, Su Xiqiu found herself unexpectedly intrigued.

Many commoners would bankrupt themselves for a chance to study at Xuanqing Palace, yet here was an ordinary villager who, faced with such a rare opportunity, declined with indifference.

“If I were to take you as a direct disciple, would you be interested then?” Su Xiqiu asked.

“Still not interested,” Song Ye replied bluntly.

After all, if he could not leave the novice village and had not unlocked the cultivation system, it was impossible to learn the arts.

Moreover, he knew he could not sever all ties of affection. If he were to go to Xuanqing Palace and found himself chatting up the beautiful senior and junior sisters, perhaps this ruthless Immortal Master Su would ensure he cut off all emotions, one way or another.

He had just witnessed how decisively she killed her own disciple.

A woman like this was not someone Song Ye dared provoke lightly.

Not to mention, he couldn’t even step beyond the village gate.

At this, the young male disciple beside Su Xiqiu grew angry, shouting at Song Ye, “You have no idea what’s good for you! My master is an immortal of Xuanqing Palace, of the highest status and profound wisdom. For her to accept you as a disciple is your greatest fortune, yet you refuse?”

Su Xiqiu shot him a glare. “Yu Yi, mind your tongue!”

Chastened by his master’s rebuke, Yu Yi fell silent.

But after being refused repeatedly, Su Xiqiu’s expression grew frosty once more. She addressed her three disciples, “Come, let us go.”

With that, the four of them soared off on the wind.

Now that Song Ye knew Su Xian Shi’s true name—Su Xiqiu—he was curious to find her ranking on the Righteous Characters Leaderboard.

He opened the game menu and scanned down the list, finally spotting “Su Xiqiu” at position forty-eight.

Though not in the top ten or even the top forty, to be ranked forty-eighth among so many cultivators meant she was certainly a figure of no small importance.

“Ye, my boy,” Zhao Zhigao suddenly clapped Song Ye on the shoulder with an air of seasoned wisdom, “do you know you’ve just done the most foolish thing of your life?”

“That Immortal Master Su is a remarkable person. If she were to visit the capital, even the emperor would receive her personally. I don’t know what you’re thinking, refusing to become her disciple and wasting such a golden opportunity!”

Song Ye merely smiled and said nothing. After all, he had no way to explain his reasons.

“Could it be you’re waiting here for your fiancée to return, which is why you won’t go with Immortal Master Su to Xuanqing Palace?” Zhao Zhigao’s eyes widened as if he’d found the answer.

“My boy, you’re hopelessly devoted. That girl with the surname Qin won’t be coming back. You’d best forget her. She’s been gone nearly half a year—if she wanted to return, she’d have come back long ago.”

“Even if she had business and couldn’t return, if she cared for you, she’d have found a way to send a letter. Be honest—has she written you even once in these past months?”

Song Ye answered plainly, “No.”

“There you have it! She’s probably forgotten all about you. Why keep pining after her?” Zhao Zhigao continued. “If you really want to marry, I know some good families in Cheng County—I could act as your matchmaker!”

Song Ye shook his head. “No need. I’ll likely remain a bachelor in this village all my life.”

Zhao Zhigao sighed. “So you’ve decided to wait for her forever? If she doesn’t return, you’ll spend your life alone?”

“Well, I won’t try to persuade you further. Take care of yourself—I must return to the magistrate’s office.”

As Zhao Zhigao walked off into the distance, he suddenly recited loudly, “Since ancient times, deep affection leaves only endless regret; such regret stretches on without end!”

Song Ye was taken aback. He hadn’t expected to hear such a perfect line of poetry in this world.