A piece of green jade pendant was tucked inside the female corpse's sleeve.
After retrieving it, Ye Chuyang gathered a sphere of spiritual energy in his palm.
The faint glow flickered in the dim cave, illuminating the jade pendant's full appearance.
Its color was smooth and lustrous, with an intricate carving of a crape myrtle flower in the center, exquisite in craftsmanship.
Ye Chuyang traced the delicate engravings with his fingers and said, "This woman was a disciple of the Silver Feather Pavilion. Judging by the rate of decomposition, she has been dead for about two days."
Ji Rong thought to herself, indeed, as expected of the male lead. His investigative skills are top-notch.
She had been too focused on the corpse to notice that Gu Xueyi was drawing closer to her, her pupils gleaming with a dark light in the shadows.
Just as Gu Xueyi approached with a smirk, her Hanshui Sword in hand, the ground beneath them suddenly trembled violently.
As if pulled by an immense force, the entire cave began to shake.
Xie Bai covered his mouth and nose, exclaiming in surprise, "An earthquake? Here?"
Rumble—
His voice was abruptly cut off.
The rock layers above fractured and collapsed, shaking the earth. Cracks split open beneath their feet, while stalactites rained down from the ceiling, forcing the four of them apart.
In the chaos, Ji Rong had no choice but to unsheath her Qinghe Sword, slicing through the falling debris.
However, in the next instant, she lost her footing and plummeted into one of the cracks.
She caught a glimpse of Xie Bai and Ye Chuyang's shocked expressions before a massive boulder crashed down, blocking her view entirely.
The cave continued to tremble, a scene of utter disorder.
Ji Rong barely managed to land safely, but before she could react, several large rocks tumbled from above. She wasn't fast enough to evade them all and was struck, pain spreading from her knee.
A dull ache radiated through her bones. Ji Rong let out a muffled groan and looked up at the cascading rocks, realizing she had nowhere left to retreat.
A surge of frustration and indignation welled up within her.
Damn this stupid game developer! I just wanted to clear a dungeon, and you turned it into a death match!
As the falling rocks came crashing down, Ji Rong had no choice but to shut her eyes, resigning herself to fate. But before the impact, a strong force suddenly knocked her to the ground.
Warm blood splattered onto her face, but it wasn't hers.
A figure clad in purple loomed over her, shielding her from the collapsing boulders.
Ji Rong's eyes flew open and met a pair of deep, blood-red eyes.
It was Gu Xueyi.
Gu Xueyi coughed up a mouthful of blood. Seeing the wet streaks on Ji Rong's face, her crimson gaze darkened.
She frowned and asked, "Why are you crying?"
Ji Rong parted her lips but said nothing.
Could she even explain that the 'tear' was just water dripping from a stalactite?
Unexpectedly, Gu Xueyi chuckled, a low, deranged laugh flickering with madness.
She cupped Ji Rong's face and whispered, "Senior Sister, there's no need to be so overwhelmed with gratitude. I saved you only because your life belongs to me."
Ji Rong remained expressionless, though internally, she was cursing up a storm.
What kind of ridiculous villain dialogue was that?
Gu Xueyi, of course, had no idea what was running through Ji Rong's mind. She simply let go, coughing up more blood before her body slumped forward, collapsing onto Ji Rong.
A sudden weight pressed down on her.
The scent of fresh blood filled the air, making Ji Rong dizzy. Instinctively, she tried to push Gu Xueyi off.
But just as she was about to move, she noticed something, Ji Rong's head had landed gently on her shoulder.
Now unconscious, Gu Xueyi had lost all the domineering presence she exuded earlier.
Her breathing was weak and shallow, and in slumber, she looked oddly innocent.
Unfortunately, her hand placement was anything but pure.
Ji Rong's expression remained blank as she stared at Gu Xueyi's hand, which was resting squarely on her chest.
Without hesitation, she stretched out her leg and kicked the unconscious woman off her.
If she wasn't mistaken, before passing out, Gu Xueyi had even sneakily given her a squeeze.
Recalling the crimson hue in Gu Xueyi's eyes and that disturbingly twisted smile, Ji Rong was now certain—
That damn Gu Xueyi did it on purpose!
Grinding her teeth, Ji Rong glared at the unconscious troublemaker but then remembered—this crazy woman had just saved her life.
Fine. You win this round.
Scanning her surroundings, Ji Rong hoisted Gu Xueyi's arm over her shoulder and limped toward the sound of running water.
—
Seventh Layer, Yunxian Cave
The air was thin and eerily silent.
Navigating the unfamiliar terrain, Ji Rong relied on her vague memory of the game map and managed to locate hemostatic vines among the wild grass.
Tearing the vines down, she crushed them against a jagged rock until they oozed a sticky sap.
She removed Gu Xueyi's outer robe and brushed aside her long, damp hair.
After washing the wound with water from the nearby pool, Ji Rong applied the medicinal sap to the deep sword gash on Gu Xueyi's back.
Her skin was smooth like jade, but the wound itself was glaringly severe.
Ji Rong hesitated for a moment, a complex expression flickering across her face.
At the end of the day, this villainess was just a pitiful little maniac. Did she really have to suffer this much?
Once the medicine was applied, Ji Rong tore a strip of fabric from her own clothing and wrapped it around Gu Xueyi's wound.
She then carefully laid the unconscious woman against a rock, observing the faint frown on her face and the blood staining her delicate features.
Ji Rong sighed.
The poor villainess wasn't clean anymore.
So, she tore off another piece of cloth, limped over to the water's edge, and soaked it.
Returning, she gently wiped the blood from Gu Xueyi's face.
As the crimson stains faded, her striking features were revealed in full.
Ji Rong couldn't help but touch that beautiful face.
Ignoring the madness lurking beneath Gu Xueyi's exterior, this face was undeniably gorgeous.
As a self-proclaimed admirer of beauty, Ji Rong gazed at her with a hint of pity in her eyes.
Poor girl. One day, someone will love you.
You can always trust in your future wives—first, second, third… however many you want.
And then, Gu Xueyi's eyes snapped open.
Ji Rong froze, her pitying expression still plastered on her face.
She locked eyes with Gu Xueyi's deep crimson gaze. Taking it back now would be awkward, but keeping it felt even worse.
So, she smoothly transitioned her expression into a neutral one and said, "You're awake."
Facing the notorious killer Gu Xueyi, Ji Rong figured the best way to suppress her fear was by using sheer audacity.
Gu Xueyi stared at Ji Rong for a long time before finally sitting up. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled, a strangely unsettling smile.
She asked, "Senior Sister, were you tending to my wounds?"
This time, she didn't use the usual 'this one.'
Gu Xueyi traced the bandage on her back and then glanced at Ji Rong's torn sleeve, amusement flickering in her eyes.
Ji Rong had a bad feeling about this.
Still, she maintained her composure and, with a calm facade masking her apprehension, replied, "Returning the favor."
Although Ji Rong appeared calm, Gu Xueyi was anything but.
She smiled and said, "Oh? Is that so?"
Then, she licked her lips, grasped Ji Rong's chin, and kissed her.
Her tongue swept past the cool edge of Ji Rong's teeth, moist, lingering, and indulgent.
Gu Xueyi bit down, breaking Ji Rong's lip, the taste of blood spreading on her tongue.
A deep, intoxicating fragrance seeped into her senses, stirring her nerves and driving her to deepen the entanglement even further.
She was getting carried away.
The next moment, a surge of spiritual energy struck her shoulder, snapping her out of her trance.
She winced at the pain, frowning slightly, only to meet Ji Rong's furious gaze.
Ji Rong was angry.
Fine, if this mad dog insisted on biting her, then she'd just have to bite back.
With that thought, she gave up any restraint and retaliated by biting Gu Xueyi's lip.
Unexpectedly, instead of getting angry, Gu Xueyi seemed even more pleased. She seized Ji Rong's wrists, pinned her down with her legs, and her eyes gleamed with excitement.
Senior Sister, so you can lose your composure.
Ji Rong saw the eager anticipation in Gu Xueyi's eyes and felt utterly speechless.
Damn pervert. I've never been this frustrated in my life.
Since resistance was useless against a lunatic like Gu Xueyi, Ji Rong simply gave up and let her continue the kiss.
Hah. It's just a kiss, isn't it? You bite me, I bite you, no one's getting the better of the other.
But as Gu Xueyi kissed her again, she suddenly realized something.
Ji Rong had stopped reacting altogether.
Lowering her gaze, Gu Xueyi saw Ji Rong staring at her coldly, her face filled with mockery.
As expected, Senior Sister is still the same, aloof and proud.
Through Ji Rong's expression, Gu Xueyi seemed to glimpse a scene from a past life.
A grand hall, petals of a thousand plum blossoms drifting through the air.
A woman in gauzy robes lay in a pool of blood, laughing. Her lips curled up even as fresh crimson spilled from them, her eyes filled with sorrow.
Gu Xueyi's gaze darkened, a surge of killing intent flashing through her eyes.
She brushed her fingers over the strands of Ji Rong's hair, lingering in the scent of cold plum blossoms. Then, she pulled away, a thin thread of saliva stretching between them.
Right now, she really wanted to kill Ji Rong.
Her hand stopped its gentle caress.
Raising her Hanshui Sword, she smiled and said, "Senior Sister, let me end this foolishness for you."
A flash of white. The sword struck.
The blade aimed straight for Ji Rong's chest.
But Ji Rong had long been prepared. In a swift motion, she drew her Qinghe Sword.
Their swords clashed, spiritual energy surging between them as their eyes locked, neither giving an inch.
Ji Rong's expression remained indifferent as she slashed down with a move—Thunderstrike.
The sword intent was flawless, spiritual energy roaring like a storm.
Gu Xueyi raised an eyebrow. Hmm. Senior Sister is stronger than I thought.
Her eyes narrowed, and the spiritual energy around her suddenly dissipated, replaced by a thick, oppressive demonic aura.
A crimson lotus mark on her neck burned ever brighter.
With a smirk, Gu Xueyi met Ji Rong's attack head-on, showing no sign of struggle.
Ji Rong faltered, the demonic aura scorching her senses. Coupled with her injured knee, she staggered back a step.
Gu Xueyi, eyes gleaming, pressed her advantage.
Each of her sword strikes was precise, every move a lethal blow.
Ji Rong, already wounded, could not compare to Gu Xueyi's demonic physique, which healed at an unnatural speed.
With no one else in the cave, Gu Xueyi showed no restraint, unleashing the sword techniques from the Heavenly Demon Scroll without hesitation.
Every strike aimed for Ji Rong's vital points.
Ji Rong dared not relax, using the Qinghe Sword to block each attack, barely protecting her heart from being invaded by demonic energy.
After a dozen intense exchanges—
Gu Xueyi forced Ji Rong into a corner, flicking her silver blade upward and knocking the Qinghe Sword from her grip.
She let out a light laugh. "Senior Sister, you lost again."
Ji Rong narrowed her eyes.
Again?
Since transmigrating into Sword God, she had never once lost in a direct fight against the heroine.
A bold thought crept into her mind.
Could the heroine be a transmigrator too? Or… reborn?
As Ji Rong tried to piece things together, Gu Xueyi gazed down at her, grinning. "But the game ends here."
With that, she raised the Hanshui Sword, aiming straight for Ji Rong's heart.
Blood splattered.
Gu Xueyi's eyes widened.
She stared in shock at the Hanshui Sword, piercing through her own body.
Disbelief and rage filled her gaze.
That fool's will was so strong that she would rather attack her own soul than let me kill Ji Rong?!
On the other side, Ji Rong had already resigned herself to dying at the hands of a lunatic like Gu Xueyi.
But instead, she watched in stunned silence as Gu Xueyi calmly drew her sword, only to stab herself.
Ji Rong was utterly shaken.
Has she completely lost it? Is this what happens when you go so berserk you don't even know who to attack anymore?!
Dark blood oozed from the wound, black mist rising from the injury.
Gu Xueyi shook her head, her lips curling into a mocking smirk.
Two lifetimes, and this idiot is still just as stupid.
Blood dripped onto the ground, the demonic aura dissipating.
For a brief moment, Gu Baiyi's eyes lost focus. Then, clarity returned.
She frowned at the sword lodged in her body, unsure of what had just happened.
Meanwhile, Ji Rong had come to a realization.
She wasn't sure if Gu Baiyi knew the plot, but Gu Xueyi definitely had some kind of cheat. She was most likely reborn—and had come back for revenge.
But…
If Gu Baiyi knows the plot, then I'm screwed, aren't I?
Blood streamed from the wound, yet Gu Baiyi's face remained impassive as she reached for the sword embedded in her body.
A crimson phoenix sigil flared to life, weaving red and black threads over her bleeding wound.
She glanced down at her injury, then lifted her gaze to Ji Rong.
Ji Rong met her eyes calmly.
But… was it just her imagination?
She could swear that, despite her composed demeanor, Gu Baiyi's face looked deathly pale.
The wound was healing. Slowly. Painfully.
Gu Baiyi let her eyes roam over Ji Rong's bloodstained lips and torn silk robes.
After a long pause, she chuckled softly and asked, "Senior Sister, you've figured it out, haven't you?"