"Liao Hanhe".

Yan Yaru took three steps at a time and quickly stepped over the stairs, arriving in front of 'Sha Xiaoyan'.

The woman stretched out her fair and delicate long arm, put her arm around 'Sha Xiaoyan's' waist, and pulled her closer to her: "You've really grown up. Why did you have to harm an innocent girl? Do you know how I treated the murderer who killed you when I rushed back from Nanjing and heard the news of your death? I crushed him to ashes and avenged you."

The mask, startled, hurriedly fled from Sha Xiaoyan's face, hiding behind the curtain. It opened its lips but couldn't utter a single word. Gazing at the woman's beautiful eyes, which shone with rage, red blood trickled from the corner of his eye, dripping onto the floor and disappearing into the dust.

"Ya Ru..."

Liao Hanhe forced out the name he had repeated a thousand times from his throat. His voice was hoarse, like a broken erhu string, just like his state of mind at that moment: grief and despair, resentment and helplessness.

"I'm not reconciled... I'm not reconciled at all. Ya Ru, I know my family background isn't as strong as yours, which comes from a prestigious family. I worked so hard, I tried my best to perform in every play, and became a star at the Li'an Grand Theater, finally achieving great fame in the capital. Soon, soon I would be qualified to ask you for your hand in marriage... But that man ruined everything! I ask myself honestly, I didn't hurt him in the slightest. So what if Teng Suzhen likes me? That's her business. Her constant arguments with her ex-husband are her business and her ex-husband's business. Why should I bear the burden? Why?!"

“Even in my darkest times, I’ve never felt this desperate. But that day… the day the fire scorched me and the dagger pierced my chest, I was terrified and filled with despair. I didn’t even get to see you one last time before I died. He peeled my face off, leaving only a mask… Ya Ru, tell me, what should I do?”

The paint on the mask was stained even darker by the red blood, slowly melting and spreading into flowers.

"reincarnation."

Yan Yaru said calmly, releasing Sha Xiaoyan with one hand, and the girl in the school uniform fell to the ground without any support.

Tie Zhu and Cui Hua reacted quickly, one lifting their head and the other their legs, panting as they ran towards Wu Yue and the others.

"Hanhe..." Yan Yaru's voice suddenly softened, possessing both the straightforwardness of a northern woman and the gentle softness of a southern woman's Wu dialect.

"You must have heard that the Yan family are descendants of the Celestial Masters. Although I am a woman, it is my duty to slay demons and exorcise evil spirits."

"You want to destroy me?" The masked man wanted to laugh but couldn't.

Yan Yaru's smile was captivating, every smile and gesture exuding an irresistible charm.

She opened her lips and softly sang: "The Han army has seized the land, and the songs of Chu echo from all sides. The king's spirit is broken, what reason is there for this lowly concubine to live!"

The woman drew a short peach wood sword from her waist, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Remember? This is the one I've carried with me since I was little. It's just as useful against demons, monsters, evil spirits, and humans."

The expression on the mask showed wide-eyed stares.

Yan Yaru held the peach wood sword in her hand, "Your Majesty, the Han soldiers... they've broken in!"

Liao Hanhe was very familiar with this scene; next, Yu Ji would commit suicide.

He froze, then suddenly came to his senses and rushed toward Yan Yaru.

Your mask brushed past the woman's delicate neck, the peach wood sword pierced through, and the mask suddenly fell to the ground, breaking in two.

Blood and tears stained the scene, and in the wind, it seemed as if that unharmed, naturally beautiful voice could be heard again: "I know...your heart."

Yan Yaru put away the peach wood sword without expression.

The three people not far away couldn't see her expression at that moment, but they could see that her back was straight and the vengeful spirit on her mask had completely disappeared.

Two seconds later, Yan Yaru turned around and smiled, "Oh, it's been many years since I've made a move. How about this? Give me your evaluation."