Chapter 104 I beg you, from now on, will I never see Nian Nian again...?

That's right, that's right.

How could she fall in love with him?

She's still so young, with so much of her youth to squander. There are countless handsome young heroes in the world; how could she be so blind as to fall in love with him?

How could she fall in love with a drunkard whose lungs are completely rotten, a notorious playboy, and a... hopeless heartless man old enough to be her father?

Li Xunhuan collapsed to the ground in despair. Those few words felt like a large hand holding shattered porcelain, squeezing his heart tighter and tighter.

Fortunately, he was already just an empty shell.

Blood dripped down the veins of the heart, leaving only an echo in the empty space.

Why was this blood flowing? He didn't understand, and he dared not understand.

He gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with desire, and forced a smile as he said, "That's right, she really can't possibly fall in love with me."

He took a deep breath, swallowed the metallic taste in his mouth, and after a long while, said in a hoarse, unsteady voice, "That's good."

This was wrong to begin with, and now that things have been set right... how wonderful.

He no longer has to suffer the torment of inner condemnation, no longer has to struggle in the hell of moral shame, and no longer has to wake up in the middle of the night in terror.

From now on, she would never have to get entangled with that scoundrel again. She could let go of all moral considerations and societal norms.

How wonderful.

Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, but he was simply bewitched, bewitched by the eighteen years he spent under the plum tree.

She was the pus and blood in his heart, the deepest and filthiest sin, which could be cut away.

Cut it off, and you can go back to the way things were before.

Xi Rao looked down at him as if watching a dog crawling on the ground, running away in a panic, even at the cost of crushing its own heart.

This is waste.

He chewed on his pain with a half-smile, his inner rage and murderous intent finally soothed for a moment, replaced by a vicious desire to manipulate.

Those who dare to covet his things should wait.

Xi Rao tugged at his lips and tightened his grip on Nian Nian's waist.

With a flick of his dark blue robe, his broad shoulders completely concealed Nian Nian in his arms.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Li Xunhuan's breath caught in his throat, and he blurted out in a panic, "Where are you taking her—?"

His heart was pounding violently, as if something important had suddenly been taken away from him.

Will I ever see her again?

The thought suddenly and violently rushed into his mind, and a long-lost fear washed over him. He clenched the soft flesh of his wrist tightly, not daring to let go for even a moment.

Xi Rao turned his head and chuckled, "I'm her senior brother, so naturally I'll take her home."

He sized Li Xunhuan up and down, then said in a slow, mocking voice, "And who are you? Do you expect her to stay here and die with a piece of trash like you?"

These words were so piercing, like a sharp knife stabbing right into his throat, that Li Xunhuan lost his voice in an instant.

He felt a chill run through him, realizing once again that Li Xunhuan meant nothing to Nian Nian. He was not her adoptive father, nor her relative or friend, but merely a stranger who took advantage of her vulnerability, a thief who had tainted her innocence while she suffered from amnesia.

A man old enough to be her father not only defiled her, but also did shameless and filthy things with her day and night.

When she wakes up and remembers the past, she will only feel disgust and hatred towards him.

His lips were bitten until they were deathly white, and blood gushed from the corners of his mouth. Amidst increasingly violent coughs, Li Xunhuan clenched the flesh around his heart and lungs.

Suffocating and aching, tears stained with blood fell drop by drop into puddles, blurring my vision so much that I could see nothing.

How dare he interfere in her affairs again? How dare he pester her again? This shameless beast of his should have hanged himself in front of her to atone for his sins. How dare he utter another word?

As his body throbbed violently, the tangled red threads swayed erratically, like a kite string battered by a gale, unable to bear the weight and almost snapping.

Li Xunhuan breathed tremblingly, his hand gripping the quivering red string uncontrollably, fearing that the kite would disappear into the vast sky and he would never find it again.

Xi Rao's lips gradually straightened, coldly staring at this life line—this was the evidence of his cohabitation.

You're a spineless coward who doesn't even understand the Dharma; you don't deserve to be called one.

An invisible wind blade swirled, carrying a chilling aura, and ruthlessly cleaved the red line in two.

As the pressure on his wrist eased, the red thread dangled down the back of his hand, limply clinging to his sleeve.

The last remaining bond between the two was completely severed. Li Xunhuan's pupils dilated instantly as he stared blankly at the broken red thread. His heart felt empty, as if a large chunk of flesh had been ripped out of his chest, raw and bloody.

The removal of this piece of flesh signifies that the sound of the copper bell will never ring again at the end of that red thread, and no one will ever again laugh and pull him from the other end, sweetly calling him "Uncle."

He vaguely saw those cat eyes gradually fade from his life, and then he could never find them again.

Xi Rao made a hand seal, and the gray mist shrouding the city gradually dissipated, suddenly revealing an ancient, yellowed scroll—the 'Zhong Kui Sending Off the Bride' painting.

With a 'sizzle', sparks flew up, splashing onto the paper like shattered agate dust. In the blink of an eye, a fire like a crimson sunset ignited, and the bright red wedding dress twisted and charred in an instant. The Xuan paper curled up, and ashes and fragments peeled off one by one, falling from the sky like snowflakes.

A huge hole suddenly appeared in the sky, letting in a burst of sunlight. It was noon, and the sun was blazing.

Jing Shu unconsciously took a step back, letting out a suppressed gasp.

Li Xunhuan didn't even raise his head, seemingly unaware, but stared tremblingly at the empty end of the long street.

Will we never see Niannian again?

He's just an ordinary person; he can't go to heaven or earth. Will he never see her again before he dies?

His heart clenched so hard he could hardly breathe, as if someone were devouring his flesh and blood. He stood frozen for a long while before staring blankly at his knees... and they weren't empty.

But why does he feel so empty?

The puddle disappeared, and beneath him lay a cobblestone path worn smooth by generations of footsteps. His knees were filled with a bone-chilling coolness and a rough, uneven feel, yet Li Xunhuan felt himself falling.

He didn't know which level he was going to fall to. Hell only has eighteen levels; which level would he fall to before he could finally stop?

"Cousin... are you alright?" Jing Shu asked hesitantly as he helped Li Xunhuan up.

Li Xunhuan's face was deathly pale, but his cheeks were flushed. Sweat and tears mingled together, making him look even more lifeless than a water ghost.

Sparks rained down on his shoulders, and a chill crept up from his feet. Suddenly, a sharp shout rang in his ears—"Evil deeds in the mortal realm will be punished in the underworld! Do you plead guilty?"

Li Xunhuan's pupils trembled as he suddenly raised his head.

The person before me wore a ceremonial hat and a black judge's robe. His face was full of anger, and his eyes were piercing, as if he could see through all evil.

With a slam of the gavel, he roared, "All the sins you committed in your lifetime have been recorded. Don't harbor any illusions; look at your feet. I ask you again, do you confess?"

Li Xunhuan trembled all over, his lips moving as he slowly lowered his head. The bluestone slab suddenly transformed into a mirror, reflecting his sins.

The left side records how he betrayed his lover, and the right side records how he picked the young fruit from the branches.

The water mirror swayed for a moment, and on the left side, it showed Long Xiaoyun calling Lin Shiyin "Mother," while on the right side, it showed a patch of white flesh.

The moans from the bathtub, the trembling of the copper bell that had rung all night, the tightly bound red rope in the bronze mirror—her face flushed, her legs curled up, panting as she called him "Father," and then he…

The taut string snapped suddenly, and the whole world spun and spun. He recoiled as if branded, his pupils constricting as he covered Jing Shu's eyes, stammering, "Don't look, don't look!"

His voice was hoarse, and tears streamed down his face as he said, "...I beg you."

Li Xunhuan's strength completely spiraled out of control, displaying a degree of brutality, while tears streamed down his face.

Jing Shu's eyes were in excruciating pain from being pressed down. Taking advantage of this moment of clarity, he held his breath and chanted an incantation, breaking free from his illusion. He gripped Li Xunhuan's wrist tightly and said in a deep voice, "It's an illusion. Wake up. I didn't see anything."

"The illusions of demons and ghosts are all reflections of one's inner self; a thousand people, a thousand faces."

Upon hearing this, the hands that had been tightly pressed against his eyes finally loosened.

Li Xunhuan's hands and feet were numb, and his heart was still trembling from the aftershocks. He gasped for breath and suddenly realized that what bothered him more than others knowing about his filthy and ugly state was having his naked body and seductive manners during pleasure seen by outsiders.

It's like someone has carelessly rummaged through your cherished treasure, and you're afraid that she'll be looked down upon because of you.

For a fleeting moment, he even had the thought of 'using more force and ruining those eyes.'

Seeing him shivering and sweating profusely, Jing Shu could only grit his teeth and pull him back. "Now that the demonic form has been revealed, once the flames have burned out, the people of the city will be saved."

We've already lost Niannian. If we don't bring my cousin back soon, how will I explain it to my sister?

Moreover, his eyes were unfocused and his mind was wandering; if he were left alone, trouble might ensue.

......

"elder sister!"

The sudden light from outside the door ripped through the darkness inside, and the howling wind, carrying ashes, rushed into the room. Before it could even touch Lin Shiyin's clothes, it was pressed to the ground by the dense plum branches.

Lin Shiyin turned her eyes, staring blankly at Li Xunhuan, and asked in a trembling voice, "Where is Niannian?"

Jing Shu blinked and laughed, "Why should we worry about her? She had a senior brother whose Taoist magic was incredibly profound. This painting demon..."

Fearing that Lin Shiyin would worry, he omitted the unnecessary details and quickly explained the whole story, only saying that Niannian had gone back to her sect with her senior brother.

Lin Shiyin's tense body finally relaxed slightly for a moment because of this last sentence.

She looked at Jing Shu with all her might and said softly, "You go out first. Your Uncle Li and I have something to talk about."

He paused, opened his mouth, but said nothing.

The carved wooden door was gently closed. Lin Shiyin twisted her cuffs tightly, and when her gaze met Li Xunhuan's, her eyes welled up with tears.

She gritted her teeth, raised her trembling hand, and with all her might, slapped him across the face, saying in a hoarse voice, "I thought you weren't the Plum Blossom Thief, but who would have thought you'd turn out to be such a beast."

The slap sent a shiver down her spine, leaving her wrist numb. Hot tears streamed down her face as she cried out, "How could you do such a disgusting thing?"

She is your child!

He has already caused her a lifetime of suffering, how could he possibly... harm Nian Nian?

He willingly degenerated, wanting to distance himself from her. She accepted it. But how could he rot completely in the mud, falling to such a low point?

Her chest heaved violently. "Speak up! How could you ruin her reputation? She's only a few years old. How dare you deceive her, cheat her, and cause her a lifetime of suffering?"