8. The first illusion ends.

◎Miss Xue and Young Master Jiang◎

Jiang Qiye himself couldn't explain why, but he raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears on Pei Xueyan's cheeks.

Under such moonlight, the woman's tearful and aggrieved appearance would inevitably evoke strong emotions even in someone who is usually calm and composed.

Moreover, he has never been a heartless person.

When he was a child in the Qing Sect, his master often said that he was too kind and soft-hearted and probably wouldn't achieve anything great.

At that time, Jiang Qiye did not understand why they, as a prestigious and upright family, could not be kind and generous to others.

It wasn't until he went down the mountain at the age of fourteen to gain experience that he witnessed the coldness and wickedness of the world over more than ten years. Only then did he slowly understand that being kind-hearted in this complicated world often doesn't bring a good ending.

Just like when his master ordered him to kill Pei Xueyan, when they met, he could tell that she was still young and her heart was as pure as a clear spring.

Even so, Jiang Qiye knew that since Ye Xiuluo had personally taught her martial arts, if she didn't take away the Melting Pill, she would inevitably be misled by the technique and go astray, turning into a ruthless demon.

Therefore, even though he was momentarily moved, he was still able to remain calm and rational.

His fingertips traced her smooth, delicate cheek, the touch soft and warm. As Jiang Qiye withdrew his hand, his tone softened unconsciously: "Lian'er, I know you're worried about the safety of the whole family. If you've really made up your mind, I will do everything in my power to protect the Xue family. You don't need to worry too much about these things."

Pei Xueyan knew he was giving her courage, and her heart churned again. She looked into Jiang Qiye's eyes and said earnestly, word by word, "Young Master Jiang, no matter what the future holds, my heart will always belong to you, and it will never waver in the slightest."

"And what about you?" Jiang Qiye asked in return.

"Me?" Pei Xueyan murmured softly. She lowered her eyes, then looked up again with sincerity in her eyes: "I miss you... These days, I think about you every moment, and even at night I dream of seeing you again."

Her cheeks were flushed with a faint blush in the moonlight, making her look delicate and charming.

After saying that, she tilted her head to his shoulder.

Jiang Qiye gently embraced her, deliberately softening his tone, and said with a hint of satisfaction, "I already understand what Miss Xue is thinking. I am already content to meet you today and to hear what you have to say."

These feelings touched their hearts, and she stretched out her arms to hug him even tighter.

Jiang Qiye responded in kind, and the two embraced tightly, chest to chest, as if trying to melt each other's warmth into their bones and blood, fitting together perfectly without any gaps.

As the moonlight deepened, they still parted ways.

Pei Xueyan put her veil back on, clutching the corner of the veil with her fingertips, and walked towards the carriage, turning back every few steps, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Even as the carriage slowly started moving, she still lifted the corner of the curtain, watching Jiang Qiye's figure gradually shrink in the night before finally letting go.

Just as she turned around, Jiang Qiye once again used his spiritual power to probe her heart core, but it was still missing the last bit and had not yet completely solidified.

Such strong willpower! This female demon's mind is so stubborn; even when they were embracing just now, she didn't completely fall for him.

He calmly withdrew his spiritual power.

As she turned back three times to leave, she deliberately revealed a look of deep affection mixed with a touch of melancholy, slowly lowering her head to perfectly express her reluctance to part and her pure love.

Inside the carriage, Pei Xueyan saw Jiang Qiye's distraught state through the window, tears streaming down her face as she covered her mouth and sobbed uncontrollably.

She didn't make him any promises, not because she didn't believe he could protect her.

Instead, the Chen family, knowing that she had someone she loved, threatened and coerced her with Jiang Qiye's life.

Although this method was old-fashioned, it precisely hit Pei Xueyan's weak spot and was very effective against the young and inexperienced girl.

Jiang Qiye's safety was more important than his own.

Having gone mad after meeting him, Pei Xueyan stared blankly at the mirror and finally made up her mind.

She couldn't be so selfish, putting her family in crisis and Jiang Qiye in danger for the sake of her own feelings.

She had to get married, to marry Young Master Chen, to protect the family's interests and save Jiang Qiye's life.

Thinking this way, I felt that my sacrifice was worthwhile, and a sense of tragic heroism welled up in my heart.

Even though she would still hide under the covers and cry secretly at night, the next morning she would wipe away her tears and obediently follow her mother to try on wedding dresses and choose jewelry.

The jewelry was extremely luxurious and dazzling, something that a woman from her family background could not easily afford.

The woman in the mirror was dressed in elaborate and gorgeous wedding attire, with a heavy phoenix crown. She had lost her former beauty and innocence, and now radiated a dazzling brilliance that was hard to look away from.

The wedding date is getting closer.

Every day, after Pei Xueyan had cried herself to sleep, Jiang Qiye would sneak into her room in the middle of the night.

He would sit by the bed, activate the Heart-Testing Pill with his spiritual power, and then sit quietly for a while before leaving.

A woman's heart is truly hard to fathom.

He simply couldn't understand why Pei Xueyan's face was full of deep affection and pain, yet the Heart-Testing Pill still couldn't be completed.

These days, he also acted out his "love" to the fullest, pretending to be willing to give everything for her, showing magnanimity and tolerance, while often revealing his unconcealed sadness.

Even so, why can't I win her heart?

Jiang Qiye rubbed his throbbing temples, deciding that in the next illusion, he would rather use family ties than fall in love.

Thinking about it, he let out a soft sigh.

Perhaps it was because her sigh was too loud, but Pei Xueyan on the bed slowly opened her eyes.

Jiang Qiye panicked and ran away without thinking. He quickly raised his sleeve and cast a spell of spiritual power to knock her unconscious, then teleported away.

After much thought, he wrote another love letter, this time without needing a maid, and placed it by his bedside himself.

"These past few days have felt like an eternity."

I cannot bear even the slightest pain of parting from you, nor can I bear to think of you marrying another.

"No matter what, I will find a way to keep you by my side, so that this torment will no longer trouble us."

This letter was completely different from the previous ones.

In the past, he always had the demeanor of a gentle and refined gentleman, but this time his words were full of domineering and a sense of compulsion to get what he wanted.

As for what effect this change will have, even he himself doesn't know.

Red lanterns have been hung on the gate of the Xue family's house, and the character "囍" (double happiness) has been pasted all over the street along the Xue family's property.

The betrothal gifts sent by the Chen family were even more generous, taking three whole days to be delivered.

The wedding is proceeding smoothly.

Jiang Qiye's letter, however, sank without a trace, and he never received any reply from Pei Xueyan.

At this point, he simply put aside all his concerns and had a new plan in mind.

To be Pei Xueyan's mistress, that is, to interfere in her marriage with Young Master Chen and become her lover.

Anyone who dares to touch her will be killed without hesitation.

Jiang Qiye didn't care about her status; he only wanted to win her heart completely, no matter what method he had to use.

Even if it means doing something outrageous or transgressing within this illusion, I'm willing to do it.

The wedding date was chosen in advance as an auspicious day.

The capital city and the Xue family's residence were some distance apart, so Pei Xueyan had already changed into her elaborate wedding attire the day before and needed to set off early with the wedding procession.

After days of sunshine, the sky suddenly turned overcast and became gray.

As dawn broke, the matchmaker carefully examined the bride's true identity and, after confirming that she was indeed the bride, helped Pei Xueyan into the bridal sedan chair.

The bridal sedan chair moved steadily, the wedding procession stretched for miles, and the deafening sounds of gongs and drums filled the air, creating a grand and luxurious spectacle.

Jiang Qiye sat on the second floor of the corner tavern, holding a teacup between his fingers, taking a sip of tea, and felt a little sad.

“Pei Xueyan, oh Pei Xueyan,” he murmured to himself, a hint of disappointment in his voice, “I thought you were a woman of unwavering integrity, preferring death to dishonor…”

He got up and went downstairs, walking among the crowds of onlookers, his eyes following the long wedding procession.

Then, he found a deserted alley, and with a flash, teleported to the bridal chamber of the Chen family's young master in the capital.

Jiang Qiye looked around; the room was decorated in bright red, creating an extremely festive atmosphere.

My gaze fell on the canopy bed, on which were stacked more than a dozen satin quilts embroidered with mandarin ducks, and the air seemed to be filled with an indescribable ambiguous atmosphere.

There was also restlessness.

For reasons unknown, Jiang Qiye raised his hand and drew a pool of dirty water, which he then splashed directly onto the wedding bed covered with brocade bedding.

With another sweep, he knocked all the peanuts, walnuts, and wedding candies off the table, leaving red candy wrappers and fruits scattered all over the floor.

Still feeling resentful, he cut all the arranged candles into several pieces before leaving, satisfied with his spell.

He felt no guilt whatsoever from this wanton destruction; on the contrary, he felt a sense of exhilarating satisfaction.

According to the plan, the wedding procession would rest at a winery outside the city that night.

Jiang Qiye wanted to mock the bride who loved him to death, saying that she loved him to the bone, but in the end she still abandoned him because of so-called worldly constraints.

Clearly, he was the one who met her first.

As night deepened, the moonlight shone brightly, like silver.

Jiang Qiye leaped onto the roof of the inn, picked up a flute, and slowly began to play a mournful and melodious tune, specifically for her ears.

If Pei Xueyan wasn't stupid, she would have realized that he had been following her all along.

The wedding procession stood in three layers outside the bride's room.

For Jiang Qiye, the guards were practically useless.

He quietly pushed open the door and entered the room where the bride was staying.

I wonder what Pei Xueyan's expression would be if she saw such a "capable" young master Jiang.

However, after entering the room, Jiang Qiye did not see Pei Xueyan.

Instead, it was a woman dressed in red and wearing a phoenix crown, trembling uncontrollably, who was clearly a body double.

Jiang Qiye did not expose him on the spot, but was full of confusion.

"Oh no!"

He suddenly realized what was happening, and in a flash, he disappeared from the inn.

There were woods on the outskirts of the capital, and he searched aimlessly for Pei Xueyan's figure in the woods.

be terribly upset.

Just as I was feeling anxious, I heard a soft, weak voice behind me, with a hint of panting.

"Young Master Jiang..."

Jiang Qiye turned around and looked.

Pei Xueyan had her long hair loose, and without her phoenix crown, only a few hairpins were crookedly stuck in her hair. Tears mixed with strands of hair stuck to her cheeks.

Wearing a bright red wedding dress, her chest heaving violently, she looked so disheveled, as if she had been fleeing for a long time to get this far.

Upon seeing Jiang Qiye, tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn't help but tell him what was on her mind.

“Young Master Jiang, I knew you would come. I knew…” She staggered forward and hugged him tightly, her voice choked with sobs, almost breaking: “Young Master Jiang, I have no choice. I feel like I’m dying. My heart feels like it’s being torn to pieces. I want to be with you. I want to stay with you forever! I can’t care about my father, mother, or my whole family. If I marry someone else now, I will suffer every day and won’t live long.”

Her voice was weak and sorrowful, each word uttered with all her might, clearly showing her resolute determination.

Yes, she was to marry the young master of the Chen family at the crack of dawn.

After thinking about it for so long and agonizing over it for so many days, I've finally decided to run away.

She loved him deeply, beyond redemption.

Even young ladies who lack martial arts skills and physical strength and rarely leave their homes will try to escape.

The personal maid was willing to wear the wedding dress and stay in the inn as a substitute because she saw her crying every day and being heartbroken.

Even knowing that it might cost them their lives.

It's an illusion, yet it feels so real.

Jiang Qiye felt a mix of emotions, but his body reacted before his mind could process it, mechanically raising his hand to pull her into his arms.

Then, unconsciously, he would gently wrap his hand around her head.

Her heart's desire had completely solidified.

Before the two could embrace and linger for long, a commotion arose in the distance, with shouts of "Miss Xue!" and "Don't let her get away!"

Those people must know that a pampered young lady can't run very far or last long.

Finding her was incredibly easy.

Jiang Qiye had no patience to continue this drama of life and death, and was even less willing to get entangled in those ambiguous follow-up matters.

He gently pushed away the person in his arms, raised his hand and summoned a long sword that gleamed with cold light, which appeared out of thin air in his palm.

Pei Xueyan was just an ordinary woman who had never seen such spiritual magic before, and her eyes were full of confusion and shock.

Before she could even ask a question, the sword pierced straight into her chest.

The immense force pushed her frail body backward, causing her to crash heavily to the ground.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, but her eyes remained fixed on Jiang Qiye, without a trace of reproach, only deep affection and reluctance.

Jiang Qiye must not immerse himself in the illusion. He must kill her immediately and take out the Heart Pill in order to leave this illusion and enter the next dream.

Pei Xueyan lay on the ground, her breath growing weaker, yet she still used her last bit of strength to softly comfort him: "Young Master Jiang... you don't need to be afraid... I left a letter before I left... Everything was my own choice to follow you... It has nothing to do with you, it won't implicate... you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Qiye drew his longsword, and blood dripped down the blade.

Before she died, Pei Xueyan's eyes were still fixed on the person she deeply loved, worried that he would be retaliated against by Young Master Chen, and worried about his life.

She died, so quickly she stopped breathing.

What he was thinking before he died, no one knows.

Jiang Qiye slowly squatted down, gently placing his palm on the wound on her chest, his powerful spiritual energy shimmering with a purple light as it flowed in his palm.

A moment later, a pure white heart pill emerged from Pei Xueyan's chest, paused in mid-air, and was then taken into his palm by him.

it's all over.

A blinding white light flashed, and the events of the past few days rushed by within it, accompanied by a sharp, piercing buzzing sound...

They left that illusion and returned to reality.