A world without glitz

The plum blossoms circled endlessly, finally coming to a stop under the gentle breeze. Chen Ye stood against the wall, her face completely distorted. The people around her consciously stepped back, isolating her.

Her face was covered in ripped flesh, exposed to the elements, and pale bones were clearly visible deep inside. It wasn't a swollen pig's head, but rather something with a beastly face and a human body, making it almost impossible to tell what kind of creature it was.

This was the agony of bone-removing and slow slicing. Chen Ye suddenly felt fortunate to have saved Shen Qingzhu. Seeing herself surrounded by layers of plum blossoms, she immediately donned her mask. Her mask worked quite well. Her disguise, combined with her acting skills, drew sympathy instead of disgust from the onlookers. Sympathy for the weak was a system task for every NPC.

Since the disobedience had already been said, why not just say it out loud? "And you, Qi Yiwen, ha! You clearly don't love me at all, yet you keep saying you've loved me for a long time. You clearly don't love me, but who are you pretending to be ambiguous in your eyes? Do these people know your true face? Do they know you're pretending to be pitiful and lovable in my hands? Pah! As expected, the people of the Immortal Sect are all hypocritical, wavering between two women, what a scumbag."

Chen Ye reluctantly made her way through the path that people had cleared for her. After a barrage of verbal attacks, there wasn't a hint of retaliation. She hated their indifference the most, as if everyone had forgiven her madness. "You were the one who wanted to set me on fire. I just switched the subject. Why are you switching the subject?"

He is the one who has gained all the benefits, yet he is still sneering at others.

Meimei hadn't expected Qi Yiwen to defend herself. Neither of them had ever spoken formally. Perhaps the only thing they'd ever heard from each other was their reputations. As for Chen Ye's ambiguity, and that familiar sequined dress, could that person at the end of the street be him? And the love Chen Ye had mentioned, at least she hadn't noticed it in Qi Yiwen's eyes. How could something unexpressed in her eyes sow the seeds of causation in her heart? But the love in her eyes had been planted since they'd first met.

He was no different from the one she had met as a child. His eyes held a cold indifference, but his actions were enough to change a person's life. Three hundred years ago, she had come to the Taixu Sect to study, but due to her unique physique, she chose to join the Demon Sect and embark on the path of demon cultivation.

It wasn't that they didn't care, nor that they didn't want to argue; it was just that they had so many things to say that they couldn't utter a single word. Meimei honestly didn't understand a single word she said. With all those unfamiliar words and that crazy tone, who could possibly understand her?

In fact, when Qi Yiwen set up the plum blossom formation, Meimei pleaded for mercy beside him. She was right. Even if she was a sinner, it wasn't her turn to judge. But she just wanted to clear her name, couldn't she? But the most indifferent person had to be the spiritual practitioner. Just a few seconds ago, they were holding hands, and now he just said, "This won't kill her." The indifferent look in his eyes was exactly the same as before.

He was right. As long as she survived, everything else would be easy. It would be best if she could stay in the Taixu Sect and be detained by the Sect Master.

The compass in her hand suddenly vibrated slightly, and Meimei's heart tightened. She immediately realized that this was a sign of Taixu's appearance. Judging from the amplitude of the compass's vibration, Taixu was very close to her. Master's wish! Meimei's fighting spirit was instantly aroused. The only thing she needed to do in this world was to fulfill Master's wish.

Meimei turned to Qi Yiwen without hesitation and said, "I'll leave this place to you. I have some personal matters to take care of." After saying that, she prepared to turn around and leave.

However, Qi Yiwen seemed to turn a deaf ear to Meimei's words. He reached out and pressed Meimei's shoulder as she was about to leave, stopping her from doing so.

"Epiphyllum, you've seen enough of the show. The Immortal Cultivation Conference is over, isn't it time to go back?" Qi Yiwen's voice was calm but with a hint of unquestionable majesty.

The corners of Epiphyllum's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a half-smile. She saw everything that had just happened clearly through the water mirror, and naturally understood what Qi Yiwen meant.

"I know, senior brother. But the love-hate relationship of this scumbag is really exciting. I wonder if there will be more interesting developments later? Senior brother, I don't mind having some friendly exchanges with the Demon Sect, but... this will be charged." Epiphyllum blinked and said mischievously.

"Quietly close the street to the west, contemplating the immortals of the sea." Chen Ye didn't have time to count the magical instruments her father, the Demon Lord, had placed in the sandalwood box, but if she used them all, she should be able to fight the two men opposite her. She accurately pulled the sandalwood box from her arms and threw it between the two of them. Instantly, each magical instrument transformed into layers of cages, trapping them in place. "Why are you leaving? I haven't completed my mission yet. So, please cooperate. You said that if you two still love each other after you die, then go to the underworld." Chen Ye muttered to herself. This was the immortal-killing spell she had just looked up in the PDF. As long as one person died, the love ratio would definitely not rise. Even at the point of a life-and-death battle, she still tried to go against the plot.

"The rise and fall of human affairs is inevitable; when wisdom is exhausted, plans are humiliated and the heart is broken. The rise and fall of human affairs is inevitable; when wisdom is exhausted, plans are humiliated and the heart is broken."

Every word became a restraint, accelerating the formation's activation. Meimei watched Chen Ye angrily smash thousands of magical instruments just to kill them, and felt a sudden sense of irony. Originally, this sandalwood box had been a gift from her master, but Chen Ye had snatched it away, brazenly declaring, "Not everyone of high status can wield magical instruments." However, if it weren't for her status, the sandalwood box wouldn't have contained so many magical instruments. Just cracking the innermost diamond barrier would nearly exhaust 20% of her spiritual energy. She only needed to pay, but she? It would cost her life. Chen Ye's century of life was merely the result of his status. Even if she had to expend all her spiritual energy today, she would destroy this sandalwood box.

"Foolish man! Even if he had such a magical weapon, he wouldn't be able to use it. Who is she, and why is she possessing Ye Ye?" Qi Yiwen stood still and touched the runes on the Vajra Shield. She couldn't make out what was written, but with just a little pressure, the Vajra Mantra instantly disintegrated into a pile of gold dust. Xi Xi and Xiao Xinyin had originally wanted to do him a favor and help him, but after a moment's hesitation and guessing the identity of this madman, they saw the true strength of the Taixu Sect leader, exactly as rumored.

Qi Yiwen never considered weapon spirits to be some profound, unfathomable spiritual art. Putting spiritual energy into an empty vessel, muttering a few words, and then expecting it to work for one's benefit was truly ridiculous. These magical instruments still tried to trap him, but he gently brushed away the obstructing instruments in front of him like he was walking through layers of beaded curtains along a corridor. In a moment, they were reduced to a pile of grass, wood, and waste.

Ye Ye, the afterlife you mentioned isn't this life? Then why would a face that looks exactly like yours appear? Qi Yiwen stared at Chen Ye in a daze. After the wave of attachment receded, it was all replaced by disgust and indifference. Or is it that she has a little ghost possessing you? Qi Yiwen tried to see into the depths of her soul, but in the end, she only felt that her vision became increasingly hazy. She had actually been deceived by a little ghost and actually mistook her for you. Thousands of years of obsession finally turned into a slightly pursed mouth, and clenched teeth were unyielding. "Just a little change will do."

Meimei stood quietly beside Qi Yiwen, her eyes fixed on his every move. Every one of his moves was clearly visible to her. However, rather than being a display of exquisite technique, it was more like he was relying solely on his own powerful spiritual power to shatter those magical instruments.

Although this method may seem stupid, it is very effective.

At this moment, Meimei suddenly shouted, "Oh no! Taixu!"

Qi Yiwen turned his head, looked at Meimei, and said softly: "Where he wants to go is his own business. The same goes for you, why force him?" There was a hint of helplessness and persuasion in his tone.

Qi Yiwen knew in her heart that they had trapped that creature for nearly a thousand years. And ultimately, all of this was the result of the Master's own actions. Now that he had escaped, he could go wherever he wanted. The Taixu Sect didn't need a guardian beast.

Meimei listened to Qi Yiwenwen's words and was silent for a moment before saying, "Since you won't force Taixu to stay, then I don't need to stay in Taixu Sect anymore. I should choose someone else to be the Sect Master's personal disciple. I already have a master."

Her words were firm and decisive, as if she had already made up her mind.

Finally, Meimei said to Qi Yiwen, "Chen Ye, leave it to the Sect Master to deal with."

"Don't worry, she can't return to the Demon Sect." Both of them knew what the other was planning. Meimei admired his abilities, as he was a powerful spiritual cultivator. But after a brief moment of affection, she was clearly struck by his indifference. As expected, people who had lived for thousands of years were naturally colder.

"I'm leaving now. I owe you two lives." The girl left in a red dress, leaving no trace behind, her body and mind clear.

"Time and space are the beginning and end of human affairs. When wisdom and schemes are exhausted, the heart is broken. Time and space are the beginning and end of human affairs. When wisdom and schemes are exhausted, the heart is broken." Chen Ye watched the male protagonist Qi Yiwen approaching her like a hungry tiger, and her heart became more and more anxious. She could only recite the God-Exterminating Mantra as fast as she could, while silently comforting herself in her heart: "It doesn't matter. The magic weapon is just used to buy time. I shouldn't die here. Even if I become a vegetable in real life, it is better than death. As long as I am still alive..."

However, at this moment, a thought suddenly flashed through Chen Ye's mind: "This broken system is too unreliable! I haven't even had time to open the prop library yet, and I just completed a mission! And it's all my fault for not reading the character profiles carefully, and I ended up ruining myself. If I go against the male and female protagonists again, I'll really be crazy!"

When faced with a life-or-death situation, people often speak the truth. If Chen Ye was still struggling desperately just now, trying to escape the threat of death, now she has completely given up resistance and just wants to resign early, go home, lie down comfortably, and not do anything life-threatening anymore!

"Host, you really deserve this!" The system's voice suddenly sounded in Chen Ye's mind, and it seemed to carry a hint of gloating.

"System, I request to save the file! I want time to go back, I want to try again, please!" Chen Ye almost cried out, she was really unwilling to die so easily.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have the options you were expecting. However, to make up for the mistakes you might have made because you didn't have time to carefully read the character profiles and story outlines, I can tell you an important piece of information: as long as the story progress reaches 100%, the mission in this world will automatically end, and you, the host, will naturally enter the next world."

"Ah? There's another world?" Chen Ye was obviously surprised when he heard the news. "Then can we review our previous experiences first? This may help us better understand this world and improve our subsequent work efficiency. What do you think?"

"And will I die now?"

"Don't worry, host, the hero doesn't actually mean to kill you."

"But look at his eyes, they are almost narrowed into a slit. I feel like he can kill me with just a blink!" Chen Ye said with lingering fear.

At this moment, something unexpected happened—as Qi Yiwen moved, the surrounding scenery began to rapidly rotate and transform, as if it were a completely different place. In the blink of an eye, everyone found themselves back in front of the Taixu Gate's main entrance plaque, and everything around them had changed beyond recognition, as if time had instantly flown backwards.