After nine lifetimes of reincarnation, the yandere villainous heroine descends.

The chilly autumn wind tore through the night, swept across the desolate courtyard, and made the half-closed doors and windows creak.

The moonlight from the sky seized the opportunity to slip through the swaying windowpane and shine obliquely into the room, landing precisely on the bloodless, pale face on the bed.

Shen Shuchou lay quietly, his body motionless, with only a faint, forbidden power strangely swirling around him.

Tantai Chigu sat by the bed, his purple pupils filled with unbearable pain.

Several days have passed since she awoke from Su Chacha's body, left Ziyanyun Pavilion with Shen Shuchou, and finally settled in this small courtyard where she first met him.

In the past few days, she has tried her best to wake him up, but all she got was a body with a heartbeat but no soul.

She knew that Shen Shuchou's soul had not dissipated, but had been forcibly separated and imprisoned in another place.

And without a doubt, that place was under Su Jue Luo's control.

"I'm sorry...it's all my fault...if it weren't for me...Brother Shen wouldn't have..."

A faint sound suddenly pierced the deathly silence.

The source of this sound is the body that Tantai Chigu is currently inhabiting, which belongs to Su Chacha.

Tantai Chigu's blood revived her in this body, but it also awakened the dormant consciousness of Su Chacha.

Now that the two share one body, although Tantai Chigu firmly holds the dominant position, she only needs to think to completely erase Su Chacha's consciousness, but she did not.

Even if she showed mercy, Su Chacha's consciousness was already as fragile as a candle in the wind. With the forbidden power eroding her day and night, it was only a matter of time before she dissipated.

Tantai Chigu remained silent throughout.

Those purplish eyes remained fixed on Shen Shuchou's bloodless face the entire time.

After a long silence, Tantai Chi Gucai slowly opened his lips: "I will bring him back."

"Then... could you let her off this time?"

Su Chacha's consciousness fluctuated weakly within her body, trembling with an almost pleading tone.

Tantai Chigu's gaze remained fixed on Shen Shuchou's body, but his tone grew colder and colder, hard as ice: "Everyone who has hurt the Dao Lord deserves to die, without exception."

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Chacha's consciousness wanted to say something more, but the forbidden power dormant within her suddenly surged, like an invisible shackle that choked her breath, preventing her from uttering even a single syllable.

Tantai Chigu took one last deep look at Shen Shuchou, then slowly stood up, turned and walked out.

She will return to Ziyanyun Pavilion, and this time, she will retrieve Shen Shuchou's soul.

However, she did not intend to take Shen Shuchou's body with her when she went.

Forbidden power gathered at his fingertips, and an invisible barrier quietly enveloped the entire courtyard, settling him comfortably in this place where they first met.

In the small house on the other side, Gu Qingran suddenly opened her eyes, a look of surprise flashing in them, and sprang up from the bed like a startled swan.

Sensing the presence outside the door, she stood up without hesitation and pushed open the door.

In the courtyard, the old rocking chair was creaking softly, and a figure was holding the handle, making it sway gently in the wind.

The moment Gu Qingran caught sight of that figure, her steps froze. In a daze, it was as if Shen Shuchou's silhouette reappeared before her eyes, so familiar.

But this momentary lapse was fleeting; in the next instant, the tenderness in her eyes transformed into a chilling blade, and her killing intent spread like frost and snow.

She stepped forward, her footsteps echoing softly across the cobblestone path, before finally standing directly in front of the rocking chair. Her voice was cold as she said, "Get off."

The person on the chair was Gu Jian, but he seemed not to have heard these words, his eyelids slightly closed.

Upon seeing this, Gu Qingran's murderous intent intensified.

If this rocking chair hadn't been imbued with Shen Shuchou's aura, a place where he used to sit every day, the sword in her hand would probably have already struck without hesitation.

Suddenly, Gu Jian slowly opened his eyes, his deep gaze reflecting her fierce expression, but his tone was as indifferent as the wind: "You're awake."

"Get off that chair!"

Gu Qingran spoke through gritted teeth, her gaze piercing him like a blade: "And you must give me an explanation."

Gu Jian slowly stood up, ignoring her questioning.

She turned to look at the small house behind her, her voice carrying an indescribable meaning: "You stayed in this place with him for four years?"

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Gu Qingran's gaze was like a torch, fixed on him, and the sword intent around her was surging like a raging tide, carrying a restless energy that could destroy everything.

"Your swordplay is too chaotic."

Gu Jian stood amidst the whirlwind of sword intent, his expression remaining calm, as if the chilling aura surrounding him had nothing to do with him.

"The sword follows the heart; when the sword is disordered, the heart will naturally be disordered as well."

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp, invisible sword aura pierced through the air and struck directly at Gu Jian's face!

Gu Jian seemed to have anticipated this, merely raising his right hand and casually tracing a line in front of him with his fingertips.

He looked at Gu Qingran again, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate her heart: "From the light in your eyes, I can see clearly that you have fallen for him."

These words were like a pebble thrown into still water. Gu Qingran's heart skipped a beat, and a trace of panic flashed through her mind, but she suppressed it instantly, and her eyes returned to their coldness.

But her panic lasted only a moment; she quickly suppressed it, her eyes regaining their icy coldness: "Who I fall for is none of your business."

She took a step forward, her sword intent surging once more. "You still haven't told me why you stopped me that day!"

That day, when Gu Jian sensed Tantai Chigu's presence, he intercepted Gu Qingran, who was about to force her way into Ziyan Yunge.

Despite Gu Qingran's best efforts to resist, the difference in their strength was too great, and she was eventually knocked unconscious by his sword.

"Your feelings for anyone else are none of my business, but not for him."

Gu Jian said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingran's lips curled into a mocking smile: "Who do you think you are!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Jian felt as if words were welling up in his throat. His fingertips twitched slightly, but he ultimately swallowed them back, leaving only a barely audible, hesitant sound.

"Where is your brother?" He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze falling on her.

The light in Gu Qingran's eyes dimmed at the mention of Ya Ye.

Four years ago, Ya Ye cut off her path to protect her and let her go first. For the next four years, she searched for him all over the country, but he was like a kite with a broken string, and she never heard from him again.

Too lazy to argue with Gu Jian any longer, she turned and left.

Although Ya Ye did not know where she was, she knew her master's whereabouts perfectly well. Even if she was alone, she had to continue on this journey to save her master.

However, she had only taken half an inch when a sound of wind breaking suddenly came from the sky above her head.

Amidst the churning mist, a figure in black descended slowly from the heavens, seemingly stepping on clouds.

He exuded a chilling aura, which perfectly blocked her path.

The newcomer's face came into direct view of Gu Qingran's pupils, and the murderous intent in her eyes instantly erupted.

With a chilling killing intent, she said, word by word, "Su Jue Luo!"

.......

.......

On the shore of Moon Fairy Lake, the tassels remain as before, and after several months, that beautiful figure has finally returned.

However, upon its return, it was no longer the same as before.

In the past, she would always stand under the tree in plain clothes, a slight sorrow between her brows, twisting her longing into the tassels, letting the wind carry it to the distance.

Now, her long robe was soaked with blood, and her remaining life force flickered like a candle, silently leaning against the fringe tree.

Qin Hongyi stood quietly to her side, the ferocity of madness fading from her eyes, leaving only a clear-headed bewilderment.

She looked down at Wen Yuning, who was barely breathing beneath her, and felt as if something was pressing heavily on her heart.

Even though she knew this was Jiang Qianqiu's world, she also knew that the person Wen Yuning longed for was her master.

Always proud and arrogant, she couldn't tolerate even the slightest injustice. When she first heard the truth, a murderous intent flashed across her eyes like a cold blade.

But that murderous intent was ultimately just a fleeting glimpse. Looking at the same obsession in Wen Yuning's eyes that was exactly the same as her own, she ultimately failed to materialize that ruthlessness.

But the uncontrollable killing intent pierced Wen Yuning's body like a sharp arrow, dragging her to the brink of death.

With her cultivation level, erasing this fatal wound would be a matter of a snap of her fingers.

When she raised her hand to cast the spell, Wen Yuning stopped her in her tracks with a barely perceptible shake of her head.

Finally, as she requested, Qin Hongyi only temporarily sealed off her last remaining breath before bringing her here.

"Red dress".

The soft call, barely a whisper, abruptly severed Qin Hongyi's thoughts.

She looked up and saw Wen Yuning's fingertips twirling a newly sprouted tassel leaf.

Even though the bloodstains all over her body had soaked her plain clothes into a dark crimson, her hand remained spotless, as if it were the only undisturbed pure land in this turbid world.

Or perhaps what she was holding wasn't a single leaf, but a lifelong obsession.

Her breath was incredibly weak; each rise and fall of her chest seemed to exhaust all her strength, yet she still managed a weak smile.

The smile was extremely faint, like mist that would dissipate with a gust of wind, yet it carried a touch of stubborn allure.

"Look...aren't these leaves pretty?"

She spoke each word haltingly, the last syllable tinged with soft, labored breathing, but her gaze as she looked at Qin Hongyi suddenly brightened.

Qin Hongyi felt a pang of sadness, and even though she didn't understand, she softly replied, "It's beautiful."

Upon hearing these two words, Wen Yuning's smile seemed to intensify as if carried by the wind.

But that smile contained too much broken light, and even her eyes, dimmed by blood loss, shimmered with tiny, fleeting stars.

She asked again in a whisper, "Then tell me... if he could see... this leaf, would he like it?"

Before she could finish speaking, her fingertips trembled slightly, and the green leaf almost slipped from her palm. She quickly clenched it tighter.

Wen Qingning, who was isolated at a distance, trembled violently upon hearing these words, her fingertips turning icy cold.

Although Qin Hongyi didn't understand the intricacies of the situation, she was deeply troubled by Wen Yuning's appearance. She said in a deep voice, "Yes!"

As soon as the word was uttered, a little moisture welled up in Wen Yuning's eyes. The teardrop hung on her eyelashes like a broken pearl, yet it refused to fall.

She was too weak to even cry, and could only let the tears reflect the setting sun in her eyes, turning into a fragmented red.

She suddenly turned her head slightly, and with her last bit of strength, lifted her broken eyes to look at Qin Hongyi.

"Red dress... could you... grant me one request?"

Looking at her like this, Qin Hongyi felt as if her heart had been repeatedly crushed by a blunt instrument. Without thinking further, she said in a deep voice, "Fine!"

As soon as the word was uttered, Wen Yuning's lips seemed to loosen slightly, but she tightened her grip on Liu Suye's hand.

"I... hope... that after I die... my soul can be entrusted to this tassel leaf... and you can carry it... to him... tell him... this is a leaf... given by a deceased friend..."

Her words came in broken sentences, and with each sentence, her breath grew weaker, and the rise and fall of her chest became increasingly faint.

Upon hearing this, the air around Qin Hongyi seemed to freeze instantly. She remained silent for a moment, her voice tinged with bitterness: "You can see him without dying."

Wen Yuning slowly shook her head, the movement as light as a falling leaf trembling in the wind.

She murmured, "I... am not... someone who... demands things by force... I've waited... for a very, very long time..."

So long that the years have passed, so long that the obsession has become part of one's very being.

She took a slight breath, but her breath was still as weak as a candle flickering in the wind. "Compared to me... you should be... the indelible part of his story... just like that little girl Jiang Qianqiu..."

As she spoke, a hint of melancholy lingered in her voice, yet a sense of relief also appeared.

"I... am merely a... leftover stroke in Young Master Shen's story..."

As she wrote those two words, tears that had been welling up in her eyes for so long finally streamed down her pale cheeks.

Wen Yuning knew that even if she stood alive in front of Shen Shuchou, she could guess the outcome.

She did not want to put anyone in a difficult position because of her sudden appearance, nor did she want to be trapped in the same place for the endless years to come.

She was never one to force things, but she still wanted to find a way to free herself.

Rather than linger on in misery, she would rather transform into a tassel leaf soaked in longing, offering her heartfelt yearning as a final gift to her departed loved one.

Qin Hongyi looked at her, her heart filled with complex emotions.

She herself was a possessive and manic woman, while Wen Yuning was the complete opposite – insightful and accommodating.

But she also understood that everyone's story is different, and the feelings in one's heart are incomparable.

"Alright... Red Robe... Thank you for your help..." Wen Yuning's voice was as light as a wisp of smoke.

Qin Hongyi knew that even if she forced her to stay, she would be nothing more than a soulless shell.

Instead of waiting for her to have her wish granted, the power at her fingertips surged, and the barrier that had sealed Wen Yuning's life force suddenly dissipated, the last trace of her vitality also gradually fading away.

Outside the barrier, Wen Qingning's eyes were bloodshot with rage. Although she had always regarded Wen Yuning as a pawn, she had never intended for her to die.

As she watched that glimmer of life gradually fade away, her heart clenched. With Wen Yu Ning gone, there would be no more of her loved ones in this world.

She tried her best to tear the barrier apart, but could only watch helplessly.

Just then, with her last bit of strength, Wen Yuning managed to turn to the side with difficulty.

Her tearful eyes reflected Wen Qingning's figure, a relieved smile appeared on her lips, and her lips moved silently.

There was no sound, yet Wen Qingning could clearly see the words, each one like a needle piercing her heart.

"Sister, you're right, but you're also wrong."

The leaves of the tassel will eventually fall apart, but my leaf will be carried away by the wind...

"Sister, I don't hate you. I only beg you not to become like Mother, who lost her heart and could never find love again..."

The silent hammer blow struck Wen Qingning's heart, making her feel as if her internal organs were being torn apart, and her eyes were instantly filled with warm tears.

This profound affection vanished right before her eyes. Where would she go to find it in the long years to come?

Finally, Wen Yuning's last glimmer of life vanished.

The spiritual energy swirling around Qin Hongyi's fingertips transformed into a soft cocoon of light, steadily enveloping her body.

The next instant, the body transformed into countless tiny starlight, fluttering like butterfly wings, and slowly drifted toward the tassel leaf suspended in mid-air.

In a short while, the starlight was completely absorbed into the leaf, and the tassel leaf remained as plain as ever, as if nothing had happened.

But Qin Hongyi bent down and gently picked up the leaf with her fingertips, her movements carrying an unprecedented solemnity.

She gazed at the leaves, and for a moment she felt as if the leaves were looking back at her, through their distinct veins.

She seemed to see again the relieved smile on Wen Yuning's lips, light yet etched into her heart.

Qin Hongyi silently tucked the leaf into her sleeve, turned and walked towards Wen Qingning beside the barrier, her voice cold as she said, "You are not worthy to be her sister."

As soon as she finished speaking, she didn't look at Wen Qingning again, and her figure suddenly disappeared.

When it reappeared, it was standing above the vast starry sky.

She lowered her eyes to gaze at the sky and earth below, her voice softly murmuring, "I... am not worthy to be his disciple!"

P.S.: That concludes Qin Hongyi's part!

Sigh! I'm really mentally broken by the dark room. The sixth installment I wrote was messy and careless. I'll just try to finish it as soon as possible!

Happy National Day everyone! I hope all of you who are single can find your other half, and those who are in a relationship will have a long and lasting love!