After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Xie Jinchen paused, not continuing, but the unspoken words lingered in the air.

It was his unbearable past, the malevolent aura that could devour reason, and the perilous future.

What he could offer seemed to be accompanied by endless trouble and bloodshed from the very beginning.

He was like a dark cloud carrying thunder and lightning, while she should have been the purest breeze under a clear blue sky.

Jiang Dusheng was stunned upon hearing this.

She hadn't expected Xie Jinchen to say such a thing.

She had seen him in many forms: proud, powerful, strategic, and even sometimes shameless.

He was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, its edge fully revealed, cutting through the thorns in his path, and he never seemed to truly hesitate because of his complicated background and the surging power within him.

But Jiang Dusheng had never seen him look so self-conscious.

It felt like something had gently bumped into her chest; it was a little dull and a little bitter.

She didn't refute him, but just quietly looked at Xie Jinchen, at the shadow in his eyes that had been cast by her.

Then, she grabbed his wrist with her other hand.

"Xie Jinchen, look at me."

Xie Jinchen did as he was told and gazed into her eyes.

Jiang Dusheng met his gaze and spoke clearly and calmly, word by word:

"I can guide the souls of the dead because I have seen many deaths and know that resentment, hatred, separation from loved ones, and unfulfilled desires are the norm in this world. Helping others is also helping myself."

"I can discern people's hearts because I have walked through the world and seen all kinds of demons and monsters, as well as the purest and most virtuous. If I had not learned to distinguish them, I would have been reduced to ashes long ago."

"I uphold righteousness and adhere to the Way, and I have something to hold onto in my heart, not because I was born standing in a place of pure light and bright sunshine. On the contrary, it is because I stand on a bottomless abyss. If I take a step back, my heart will be destroyed, all my previous efforts will be wasted, and I may even be doomed to eternal damnation."

"Upholding righteousness is not only a choice, but also a steadfast commitment after struggle."

"Which of these things you call good wasn't earned through sheer hardship and struggle? Which one was done to be worthy of someone, or to make someone feel worthy?"

"Saving souls is a form of spiritual practice, a duty, and a choice made in the face of suffering." Her voice softened, but became even more resolute. "It is no different in essence from your past service guarding the border and protecting the peace of the people amidst the flames of war."

Seeing the sudden ripples in Xie Jinchen's eyes, Jiang Dusheng softened his tone, but became even more certain:

"You bear a malevolent aura, not of your own volition. You were drawn into the conflict by the hand of fate. Your hands may have been stained with blood, and looking back, you can hardly be considered entirely innocent..."

"But Xie Jinchen, you have never used your own suffering to wantonly harm the innocent. You are still struggling in the mud, trying to protect those you care about, trying to forge your own path."

"Isn't this more deserving of praise than many seemingly clean people? Besides..."

At this point, Jiang Dusheng suddenly raised his eyes and glared at Xie Jinchen. "Who was it that had the audacity to say he wanted to marry into the family and bring his own dowry to repair the temple? What, the once arrogant Young Master Xie, now you think you're not good enough for him?"

Before Xie Jinchen could respond, Jiang Dusheng abruptly released his wrist, took a small step back, crossed his arms, and deliberately adopted a serious, deliberate expression:

"Alright, I'm a kind-hearted person, I never force anyone, and I'm very reasonable..."

Jiang Dusheng raised his hand, lightly tapping his chin with his fingertip. His eyes shifted slightly as he looked out the window, as if he were genuinely considering a new option.

"Hmm... I've heard that although Qingwu City is small, there are quite a few wonderful people in Nanfeng Pavilion. They are all tall and handsome, knowledgeable and witty... I suppose they are a good match for me."

As soon as she finished speaking, she actually turned around and made a move to walk out.

"Jiang Dusheng." Xie Jinchen's deep voice was almost squeezed out from between his teeth, "I told you, don't even think about having male concubines, not a single one."

His earlier self-pity was instantly burned away by a raging fire of possessiveness and jealousy.

All the pretentious notions of "not being good enough" were crushed to dust by her casual words at that moment.

Xie Jinchen moved with astonishing speed, stretching out his long arm, grabbing her wrist, and pulling her back.

Caught off guard, Jiang Dusheng's back slammed into his arms, where he was firmly held in place by his iron-like arms.

"Jiang Dusheng," he lowered his head, his hot breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe, his voice low and dangerous, "Say it again, who's a good match for whom?"

Jiang Dusheng was held tightly in his arms, and he could clearly feel his muscles tense up instantly and the hint of jealousy and possessiveness that was about to overflow.

She deliberately ignored his threatening question, tilted her head, and slowly spoke:

"If one gigolo isn't enough, then... how about two? One can massage my legs, and the other can rub my shoulders..."

Before she could finish speaking, the arm around her waist suddenly tightened, causing her to gasp softly.

Xie Jinchen was almost amused by the person in his arms.

He leaned down, almost embedding her entirely in his arms, his chin pressing heavily against the top of her head, causing her hair to become slightly disheveled.

"Fine." He drawled, his voice carrying a chilling ruthlessness. "You find one, I'll kill one. You find two, I'll kill both. As many as come, I'll bury them all. Perfect, enough fertilizer for our future hermitage on the mountain."

The bloody words, spoken in a tone that was half-true and half-false, yet brimming with jealousy, somehow diluted their horrifying nature, leaving only a naked possessiveness.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng finally couldn't help but chuckle softly.

She turned her head slightly, glancing sideways at his profile so close to hers, her tone resolute:

"You won't."

These three simple words, however, struck Xie Jinchen's feigned fierce armor with precision, like a small hammer.

His body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment.

Yes, he won't.

It's not that I dare not, but that I don't know how.

He can be ruthless, merciless towards enemies, and even transform into a demon to protect her, but he will never indiscriminately kill the innocent.

Xie Jinchen's Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly lowered his head and gave her round earlobe a light bite.

"Ugh!" Jiang Dusheng was caught off guard and let out a soft cry as a slight stinging and tingling sensation came from his earlobe.

Xie Jinchen didn't let go, and even gently ground his teeth together until he felt the person in his arms tremble slightly, before he finally released his grip.

He then pressed his warm lips against the faint teeth marks, whispering indistinctly yet stubbornly, his breath hot against her ear:

"I can."

This time, the voice lacked the deliberately fierce tone from before, and carried a more defiant seriousness.

Jiang Dusheng's ears were a little itchy.

She raised her hand to push away his head, which was burying itself in her neck, but when her fingers touched his dark hair, she unconsciously softened her grip.

"Xie Jinchen, are you a dog?!"