The rain continued.
Sun Yuying strolled through a small settlement near the Inkflow Spire, holding an umbrella on the wet and slightly muddy road. "Why is it so rainy today?" she muttered to herself.
The image of Yang Wei's smug face invaded her thoughts—like her brain decided to conjure up something even more irritating than her dislike for the rain just to shift her focus. It pushed her to vent her frustration, "That damn Yang Wei! Every day he lives is another day of agony for me."
Pausing for a moment, Sun Yuying sighed, "It's a shame that a male cultivator can show such aptitude these days. What's even worse, it has to be a dirtbag like him."
She couldn't fathom why he received numerous gifts from Peak Chiefs, even Chief Xiu planning to give him some.
"So annoying..." she said through gritted teeth.
Another mental image of Yang Wei, casually picking his nose and addressing her as "Junior Sister," intensified her irritation.
"I swear, I'll kill him the next time we meet!"
Suddenly, a clatter echoed from one of the alleys in the small settlement. With evening setting in, the dark alleys became even more obscure in the rain.
Sun Yuying, on high alert, shouted, "Who's there?"
No response came.
Tension rising, she heard the sound of wooden planks slamming on the ground.
Gripping her umbrella tightly, she repeated her question.
"Who's there?!"
Still, no reply.
Her legs trembled as she maintained a firm grip on her umbrella, sensing a familiar feeling from her past.
This feeling... It's just like before, when I was still a child. I... I... I...
She froze, jaw chattering, her purple eyes scanning the surroundings for the source of the sound amidst the rhythmic raindrops. All she could discern was the puddle sounds and faint footsteps.
In the Serpent's Spire showdown, Yang Wei left no survivors, and Wu Fengtian was tight-lipped about the whole thing. As a result, no one knew where Yuan Po and the other Inkflow Spire senior disciples were, and the cause of the incident that almost completely wiped out the Serpent's Spire remained a mystery.
Sun Yuying didn't look into Yuan Po's disappearance because she didn't care about him nor gossips of the Sect.
Yuan Po slowly approached, extending a hand as if reaching for her. He pleaded, "Please, don't call me that, my love. After Yang Wei turned me into this, I thought my life was done, like I'd die at any moment. But you, you were the only thing keeping me going. Your beautiful face, long white hair, those purple eyes – they're what's keeping me alive, even as I stand."
He took a few more steps forward.
Sun Yuying's grip on the dragon sword loosened, and it vanished as she clasped her hands over her mouth. Holding her breath, she uttered, "Y.... Yang Wei... did this to you?"
Yuan Po weakly nodded, adding, "But you still love me, right?" He placed his rotting hand on her shoulder, exhaling with satisfaction.
Sun Yuying stood there, shivering in the heavy rain, silent and cold.
Yuan Po, desperate for reassurance, said, "Don't you love me?" He placed his other hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer, urging, "Say you love me, please!"
But Sun Yuying just stood, knees knocking together, shivering not only from fear but also the biting cold.
Why can't I attack him...? Why can't I just fight back?! Even after all that happened almost a decade ago, I'm still too scared... too weak! her mind played tricks on her.
Yuan Po began to realize she might be scared of his appearance.
And the first thing to enter his mind was Yang Wei's words:
"You think Sun Yuying was disgusted by you before? Let's see what she'll say about you now."
Frustrated, he shouted, "Why won't you love me?!" In a sudden burst, he pushed her to the wet ground, rain pouring down.
She lay there.
Yuan Po looked at her defenseless, shivering body.
The once confident and proud Sun Yuying was now scared and shivering on the ground, pleading, "P... Please, don't... hurt me."
Seeing her vulnerability, Yuan Po licked his lips and chuckled sickly.