Chapter 18: So Even a Gloomy Little Dog Can Blush

Jiang Lingyi had no choice. To survive and return to her own world, she had to play the role of a villain well.

No, that wasn’t quite right. Her real mission wasn’t just to play a villain convincingly—it was simply to stay alive.

Tears streaming down her face, she stammered through her sobs, “I—I never meant to bully you, and I truly, truly…”

She looked at Xie Lin’s face but found herself at a loss for words.

Xie Lin’s appearance perfectly matched her aesthetic ideals. Saying “I like you” to such a stunningly handsome face should have been the easiest thing in the world. Yet halfway through her sentence, Jiang Lingyi inexplicably got stuck.

Before, she could casually say “I like you” without a second thought. But now, having broken his sword and stood over him, she realized that used as a pretense, “liking” him was actually humiliating.

She couldn’t pretend anymore, couldn’t use “like” as a facade so casually.

Damn, having a conscience while playing the villain was a kind of torture.

Her voice softened, delicate like a frostbitten flower bud. “I’m sorry. I’ve never truly liked anyone. I don’t know how to make you feel my affection. If I’ve done something wrong, I apologize.”

Xie Lin had expected her to shamelessly defend herself like before, to spout nonsense to brush him off. He hadn’t expected Jiang Lingyi to cry and admit her mistakes.

Looking at her tear-streaked, sorrowful face, a pang of guilt swelled in his heart for bullying a vulnerable woman.

He silently loosened his grip, the harshness in his eyes fading. Watching her lower her head to touch the red marks on her neck, he sneered inwardly. Just because that woman shed a few tears, he actually abandoned the thought of killing her.

But now, being this close to her, even feeling her panicked, hurried breaths brush against his face, he no longer felt the urge to prostrate himself at her feet.

Was it because she had stepped on him earlier that day, briefly fulfilling that impulse, so it wouldn’t arise again?

“Did you put a curse on me?” he suddenly asked.

Jiang Lingyi startled and quickly covered her neck, eyes wary. “No! I don’t know how to use curses.”

“Impossible.” He sounded certain. Apart from curses, he could think of no other explanation.

“No means no!” Jiang Lingyi spoke with newfound confidence. She wasn’t lying—she just used a trick to alter Xie Lin’s true feelings, not a curse.

She stepped closer, lifting her head with righteous determination, staring him down. “Then tell me, what kind of curse do you think I put on you?”

Xie Lin’s ears flushed red, his face growing awkward. Furrowing his brows, he looked away to avoid her probing gaze.

He couldn’t really admit the thought running through his mind. So, he answered vaguely, “Some kind of curse that controls my thoughts.”

Jiang Lingyi snorted, growing more self-assured. “If I could really curse you, why bother with something useless like that? I’d put a love curse on you, so you’d like me obsessively, unable to live without me.”

Xie Lin was so startled by her blunt honesty he choked on his words. The heat spread from his reddening ears until his whole ear felt like it was on fire.

Ridiculous. And she says she didn’t curse me.

Fearing that thought might resurface, Xie Lin changed the subject, snapping at her, “There’s nothing between us. Keep it clean. Explain that to them. And don’t bother me again—I’m not a monkey on display in the Xu Yang Sect.”

“I know, I know. I won’t disturb you anymore,” Jiang Lingyi promised, holding up three fingers as a solemn oath. Then, she shyly blinked at him, trying to be endearing. “If I accidentally do something that upsets you again, can you come find me like tonight and talk it through?”

She deliberately left out the part where Xie Lin had roughly grabbed her.

Can our noble and righteous hero show a little more tolerance toward her?

Suddenly, he bent down and fixed his gaze on her face, a slight smile curling his lips. Though the smile was superficial and tinged with mischief, his devilishly handsome features were utterly captivating—like spring breezes melting winter snow, threatening to drown her in his beauty.

“Next time, I’ll just strangle you to death and send you reincarnating as a cuckoo.”

Jiang Lingyi: …

How can you say such a scary yet funny joke with such a handsome face?

Xie Lin turned and left briskly, not waiting for her to descend the mountain with him. Jiang Lingyi hurried after him, wanting to earn a few more chances to survive.

“Or you could teach me what to do to make you happy, to make you like me.”

He quickened his pace.

Jiang Lingyi: …

She knew Xie Lin preferred the kind of woman who was gentle and charming, understanding and considerate, always thinking of him and willing to give, someone who could offer emotional comfort—like soft moonlight bathing him in warmth.

But conditions didn’t allow that. How could a woman burdened with a cruel mission ever deserve a noble and righteous man like him?

Fortunately, considering Xie Lin’s reaction tonight, not strangling her meant he wasn’t so heartless after all.

She just hoped the missions ahead would have a little more humanity. Her life couldn’t keep plunging into endless ups and downs forever.

The new mission hadn’t been assigned yet, so tonight she could finally sleep peacefully. But no sooner had she drifted off than hurried footsteps echoed from the front courtyard.

Cultivators’ senses were especially sharp at night, and Jiang Lingyi’s body wasn’t one that could fall asleep like a dead log. She clearly heard the voices outside.

“Master! Something bad happened! Pei Zheng injured Xie Lin!”

Just waking from a dream, Jiang Lingyi was stunned.

What was going on? Had time reversed?

She took a moment to process the confusion.

Wasn’t Pei Zheng injuring Xie Lin supposed to happen on Xie Lin’s first day at Xu Yang Sect?

She strained her ears again, hearing her unfortunate father come out of the room, muttering curses before hurrying to the medicine pavilion with that disciple.

Had they really started fighting? Weren’t those two supposed to be good brothers now?

Ah, she forgot—her drama with Xie Lin was public knowledge, and Pei Zheng must have known too. His previous dark turn was fueled by jealousy toward Xie Lin.

Jiang Lingyi rubbed her throbbing temples and sighed. Yet, ironically, this twist actually set up the original main storyline.

In the original story, Xie Lin was seriously injured during the monthly exam and sent to the medicine pavilion to recuperate, avoiding daily training and classes. That was when he had the chance to secretly investigate his enemy’s identity.

This time, Xie Lin wasn’t seriously hurt in the monthly exam, so he had no reason to rest. Thanks to Pei Zheng, the plot had been pushed back on track.

Alright, time to sleep soundly again.

She smiled softly and lay back down, only to be startled by a sharp alert in her mind.

[ Ding! New mission assigned! ]