Jiang Zhaoxue jokingly spoke the truth.
A’Nan, standing on her shoulder, took a sharp breath and couldn’t help but mentally complain, “Master, your heart is way too dark.”
“The world is tough. If I’m not a little ruthless, how will I survive?”
Jiang Zhaoxue responded to A’Nan in her mind while twirling the key in her hand.
“So, have you thought about it? Want to come with me or not?”
Pei Zichen listened but didn’t respond.
His gaze fell on the key in her hand, his brow furrowing slightly.
“Miss, this key…”
“I stole it.”
Jiang Zhaoxue was direct.
She also knew what he was worried about and glanced outside.
“Relax. The person’s just unconscious.”
Hearing this, Pei Zichen’s expression finally eased.
Jiang Zhaoxue cursed inwardly what a hassle as she observed him and continued persuading him.
“Don’t think I’m trying to harm you.
Think carefully.
“Forget about Gao Wen’s identity for a moment just look at last night.
“There were only five people on Luoxia Peak, and the people from Lanyue Peak attacked you, didn’t they?
“They stopped you and let Gao Wen pick the Lingxiao Flower.
“Then everything went terribly wrong.
“Do you think they’ll admit to it?
“Look at you.
“You haven’t even been interrogated yet, and you’re already in this state.
“If you stay here, you won’t survive.”
“So, you think I should escape.”
Pei Zichen stated matter-of-factly, then smiled.
“But if I intended to run, why would I come back in the first place?”
Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t reply.
She suddenly realized that Pei Zichen understood everything quite well.
Maybe back in Wuyue Forest, he had already figured it all out.
He wasn’t influenced by anyone he simply did what he believed was right.
He believed he should save her, so he did.
He believed he should come back, so he did.
She silently observed the young man as he spoke seriously and calmly.
“A gentleman stands in the world with righteousness.
“He acts with loyalty and integrity.
“He cherishes his reputation.
“If I am falsely accused, then I must clear my name with the truth not flee without a fight.
“And I believe that Lingjian Immortal Pavilion will give me justice.”
“Who will give you justice?”
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but laugh.
She knew exactly what kind of people they were.
Pei Zichen looked at her without hesitation.
“My master.”
He raised his eyes and said seriously, “I know you have past grievances with my master.
“Grudges are shaped by different perspectives, and I won’t judge who is right or wrong.
“But in my heart, my master is as bright as the sun and moon.
“He is not someone who would abuse power or twist the law.
“If he knows that his disciple has been wronged, he would never turn a blind eye.”
Jiang Zhaoxue sneered.
Pei Zichen noticed her displeasure and, after thinking for a moment, asked, “You don’t believe me?”
Jiang Zhaoxue turned her head away without answering.
She just thought he was naïve.
No wonder Shen Yuqing had pushed him off the cliff with a sword.
Pei Zichen remained silent for a while before speaking in a soft voice.
“Miss, when I was little, I was born in an ordinary village.”
“So?”
“One year, a group of immortals suddenly descended from the sky.
“They said that a ‘Heaven-Abandoned One’ had hidden among us.
“And in accordance with fate and righteousness, the villagers had to hand over all children under ten years old…
“Or they would kill everyone.”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue frowned.
Heaven-Abandoned Ones…
They were people marked for extermination by the Book of Fate.
Ever since Daoist Gujun had introduced the Book of Fate and founded the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion, the book had become a religious doctrine across Central Continent and even throughout the True Immortal Realm.
To the people of Central Continent, Heaven-Abandoned Ones were cursed individuals, feared even more than demons.
And Pei Zichen… had connections to such a person?
Jiang Zhaoxue pondered but said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
“At that time, every household had children under ten, so the villagers refused to hand anyone over.
“The parents hid all the children together and swore that no children were in the village.
“My mother hid me in a haystack and told me, ‘Don’t make a sound, no matter what.
“‘No matter what happens, you must survive.’”
Pei Zichen lowered his head, his voice turning hoarse.
“I was not yet ten years old.
“I was afraid I would cry, so I covered my mouth.
“I watched as those immortals said, ‘If there are no children, we will test the adults.’
“So they tested every villager one by one, saying ‘not this one, not this one.’
“When they had tested everyone and still found nothing, I thought they would leave.
“But instead…”
Pei Zichen paused briefly before continuing with a hoarse voice.
“They set fire to the village.”
“Fire?”
Jiang Zhaoxue’s frown deepened.
Pei Zichen chuckled coldly.
“I later learned that it was called the ‘Soul-Scorching Curse.’”
Jiang Zhaoxue’s pupils shrank.
The Soul-Scorching Curse was one of the most vile curses in Central Continent.
It burned not just flesh and bones but the soul itself.
Even cultivators found it excruciating.
For mortals, it was a nightmare beyond imagination.
“Those who die under the Soul-Scorching Curse are reduced to nothing not even bones or souls remain.”
Pei Zichen’s voice was eerily calm.
“That fire burned for a long time.
“I watched as it devoured my parents, my brother…
“Then, they found me.”
“And then?”
Jiang Zhaoxue was drawn in.
She had never heard Pei Zichen’s past before.
In the books, when he first appeared, he was already the prodigy of Lingjian Immortal Pavilion.
All they mentioned was that he was from a common background and that his parents had died.
There had never been any details about his past.
Pei Zichen listened to Jiang Zhaoxue’s question and suddenly smiled.
“Then I ran.
“My family had died so that I could live.
“I couldn’t die.
“I ran for my life, but they were immortals.
“Just when I thought I was about to die…
“My master appeared.”
A soft light entered Pei Zichen’s eyes.
“His sword descended from the heavens, unleashing countless sword rays that wounded those immortals.
“They fled in panic.
“Before they left, they threatened him, saying they were disciples of the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion and were following the mandate of the heavens to hunt down a Heaven-Abandoned One.
“My master said
“‘Heaven’s way distinguishes right from wrong and judges good from evil.
“‘The path of cultivation is about defying fate.
“‘If mindless slaughter is Heaven’s decree, then even if I defy the heavens, I will not obey.’”
Jiang Zhaoxue raised her eyebrows in surprise.
Shen Yuqing the loyal guardian of the Book of Fate had said this?
Defying fate?
That sounded like something a Fate Master would say.
How could Shen Yuqing possibly say it?
Pei Zichen shook his head with a smile.
“No.”
As he spoke, he lifted his head and looked through the small ventilation window in his cell, gazing at the bright moon outside.
“My master may be indifferent, but he is fair and just, always protecting the weak.
“My fellow disciples have occasional conflicts, but we are mostly united, like branches from the same tree, caring for each other.”
“What about your master’s wife?”
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but ask.
Then, worried Pei Zichen might notice something, she quickly added, “I heard she is the most beautiful woman.
“She must be as kind as she is beautiful, right?”
Pei Zichen paused for a moment before replying vaguely.
“My master’s wife only has eyes for my master.
“She rarely interacts with disciples.
“And as an elder, she is not someone to be casually discussed.”
“Not to be casually discussed.”
Oh?
That usually meant there was a lot to discuss.
So this little brat didn’t like her.
Jiang Zhaoxue smirked but didn’t argue with him.
After thinking for a moment, she continued, “Did you ever find your enemies?”
“I did.”
Pei Zichen’s tone was calm.
“They were all disciples of Lingjian Immortal Pavilion.”
“And then?”
Jiang Zhaoxue was curious.
“Did you let them go?”
Judging by Pei Zichen’s gentle and compassionate personality, she expected something dramatic
Perhaps he forgave them, chose to move on, and then embarked on a new journey, possibly even forming a heartfelt reconciliation.
However, Pei Zichen shook his head and said calmly,
“I investigated each one thoroughly.
“I gathered evidence of their past crimes and submitted it to the Punishment Hall.
“I personally oversaw their trials.
“There was resistance at first, but when I reported everything to my master, he reviewed the case…
“And granted me permission to execute them myself.”
Jiang Zhaoxue listened, suddenly realizing
She didn’t understand Pei Zichen as well as she thought.
“Karma is orderly.
“Debts must be repaid.”
Pei Zichen’s voice was warm but carried a trace of regret.
“Still… I no longer have a home.”
From the moment he had packed his belongings and left Jiangzhou, he had already lost his home.
Jiang Zhaoxue sensed what he was about to say and turned to look at him.
She saw his serious expression tinged with a hint of apology.
“With nowhere else to go, Lingjian Immortal Pavilion is my home.
“My master saved my life.
“My existence belongs to the sect.
“I cannot leave just because of a mere misunderstanding.
“I hope you understand.”
His voice was steady and sincere.
Jiang Zhaoxue remained silent.
Karma is orderly.
Debts must be repaid.
That had always been her belief as a Fate Master.
But karma was sometimes difficult to grasp.
Like him
His future was destined to be blood-soaked, yet right now, he was pure and untainted.
So what was his true karma?
Jiang Zhaoxue stared at him in silence.
Pei Zichen finished speaking and noticed she had not responded.
Curious, he asked, “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking…”
Jiang Zhaoxue lowered her eyes, watching the ripples in the water of the dungeon.
She casually lied, “After all that, you just don’t want to repay me.”
Pei Zichen chuckled.
“Miss Jiang, greed will swallow you whole.
“Last night, we helped each other.
“Even if I did offend you, do you really think taking my life is a fair price?”
“But what if you don’t survive?”
Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly interjected.
Pei Zichen’s expression sharpened, sensing something.
Jiang Zhaoxue looked him in the eye.
“If your innocence and reputation are doomed to be lost, would you still stay?”
“Yes.”
Pei Zichen answered without hesitation.
“I know you are a Fate Master, someone who peers into destiny.
“But I cannot judge a person as evil before anything has even happened.
“I refuse to trust the heavens over trusting people.”
Jiang Zhaoxue’s heart stirred at those words.
She gazed at the clear, gentle eyes of the young man, absently rubbing her fingertips as she asked,
“Which do you think is worse death, or climbing to the top only to fall and become an ordinary person again?”
“An ordinary person?”
Pei Zichen laughed lightly.
“I am an ordinary person.”
He had climbed mountains and crossed rivers
But he had always been just an ordinary human.
“A mayfly is born and dies within a day.
“A cicada spends seven years underground before emerging for a single summer.
“To live even a few decades, to witness the vast sky and earth, is already a gift.
“And if I could climb to the peak, even if I eventually fell
“Such a life would be grand and magnificent.
“In the face of that, why would there even be a choice?”
His voice was gentle and steady.
Pei Zichen lifted his head to gaze at the bright moon.
“As long as I am alive, that is enough for me.”
“You’re really afraid of death, huh?”
Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t help but tease him.
Pei Zichen turned to her with a soft chuckle.
“Aren’t you?”
Jiang Zhaoxue didn’t reply.
After a moment of contemplation, she asked seriously,
“If I could clear your name, would you come with me?”
Pei Zichen smiled but remained silent.
Jiang Zhaoxue understood his answer.
“What if Shen Yuqing himself agreed?
“What if Lingjian Immortal Pavilion ordered you to go?”
Pei Zichen froze slightly and thought for a moment.
After a brief hesitation, he said,
“If the sect commands it, as a disciple, I have no choice but to obey.”
“Understood!”
Jiang Zhaoxue clapped her hands, stood up decisively, and turned toward the door.
“I’m going to find Shen Yuqing and ask for you.”
Pei Zichen was stunned.
Watching her take two steps away, he suddenly seemed to remember something.
“Oh, is there anything I can do for you?”
Hearing this, Pei Zichen hesitated briefly before replying cautiously.
“Thank you, Miss Jiang.
“There is one small request…
“My junior brother, Jing Lan, is still missing, and I am worried about him.”
Pei Zichen furrowed his brows, looking serious.
“You seem to move freely here, so I assume you’re no ordinary person.
“My life is insignificant, but my junior brother”
“Got it, I’ll look for him.”
Jiang Zhaoxue cut him off before he could finish.
“Anything else?”
“There’s… one more thing…”
Pei Zichen hesitated, looking slightly embarrassed.
Then he awkwardly mumbled, “I… I have a dog in the disciples’ quarters.
“Now that both Jing Lan and I are gone, it’s just a normal dog…
“I’m afraid it might starve…”
Jiang Zhaoxue slowly processed his words, eyes widening.
“You’re asking me to feed your dog?!”
Pei Zichen panicked.
“I apologize!
“But the dog has been with me since I climbed the mountain.
“It means a lot to me, so if you could just”
“Fine, fine. What does it look like?”
“It’s black and white.
“It’s the only normal dog in the sect.
“His name is Fatty.
“Call his name, and he’ll respond.
“He eats anything as long as it’s cooked meat.
“But if you could bring him a fresh, whole cabbage, that would be even better.”
“A balanced diet? What a spoiled mutt.
“Dogs and people are equally troublesome.”
Jiang Zhaoxue grumbled.
Pei Zichen was confused.
“Miss Jiang?”
“Nothing. Any other requests?”
“Just… my deepest gratitude.”
“More nonsense. I’m leaving.”
She turned and walked away.
Before she disappeared, Pei Zichen hesitated, then called out,
“Miss Jiang!”
She turned back.
Pei Zichen blushed slightly.
Looking at her seriously, he asked, “May I know your name?”
Jiang Zhaoxue paused, then smirked.
“Maybe someday.”