Chapter 165: The Malicious Love Obsession in Xianxia (27)

Chapter 165: The Obsessive Love in Xianxia (27)

"No wonder I woke up feeling so strange—it was the incense!" Wang Dao exclaimed in realization after hearing Bai Mufeng's explanation. "The immortal realm actually has such mystical fragrances that can trap people in illusions?"

Upon learning about the Nightmare's effects, Wang Dao grew even more curious. "Heh heh, I wonder what kind of illusion that Nightmare conjured for me..."

"Fairy, you don’t know either?"

The question was suddenly directed at the goddess. Unlike Wang Dao's enthusiasm, Tang Qing's gaze visibly flickered for a moment before quickly returning to normal.

"I don’t know."

"After escaping the Nightmare's illusion, all memories of it are lost," Bai Mufeng spoke again. "It’s normal not to remember."

"I see..."

While Wang Dao muttered under his breath, he completely failed to notice the unnatural expressions on the two immortals' faces.

Especially Tang Qing, whose complexion had paled further.

"Get ready. We depart at dawn."

Before turning away this time, Bai Mufeng deliberately cast an extra glance at Tang Qing.

As if sensing his gaze, Tang Qing lowered her head first to avoid it...

The usually aloof Daoist Warrior pursed his lips, silent. From his angle, all he could see was the crown of Tang Qing’s head.

Bai Mufeng could sense it—Tang Qing had changed.

Before, Tang Qing’s eyes had always followed him, but just now... she hadn’t looked at him once, as if deliberately avoiding him.

The once-fervent adoration had vanished entirely.

Bai Mufeng realized with a jolt—the nine illusions weren’t just remembered by him. Tang Qing remembered them too...

In those illusions, he had killed Tang Qing nine times.

Each time, Tang Qing had gazed at him in despair...

At this thought, Bai Mufeng’s mind flashed back to the words Tang Qing had spoken in the final illusion:

"It’s time to end this."

Though spoken softly in the illusion, those words now landed like a thunderclap, crashing down heavily. Something in his chest had disappeared, leaving behind an unsettling emptiness...

System announcement: "Detected fluctuation in Bai Mufeng’s Affection Points. Current Affection Points: 18."

System announcement: "Detected fluctuation in Bai Mufeng’s Affection Points. Current Affection Points: 29."

System announcement: "Detected fluctuation in Bai Mufeng’s Affection Points. Current Affection Points: 0."

...

Yet again, the Daoist Warrior’s Affection Points had reset to zero. Tang Qing glanced back, only to see that familiar figure in the distance.

Clad in white, always spotless, aloof and distant.

No one could pull Bai Mufeng down from his pedestal. He remained the untouchable immortal he had always been.

"As expected, it reset to zero again." The system let out a sigh, having experienced such fluctuations far too many times recently.

Bai Mufeng’s Dao Heart is unshakable!

Every surge of Love Points gets suppressed by him... This guy’s hopeless when it comes to love!

"Heartless Way cultivators are all doomed to be single," the system muttered to itself. "Looking at it this way, the Demonic Sect’s little devil is way more fun. Si Yin’s been racking up Love Points lately—now at 48 points for you."

"That little devil’s got you on his mind."

"Oh?" Completely unaffected by the latest reset to zero, Tang Qing’s smile was unreadable. "48 points... Si Yin’s gonna come find me."

At dawn, just as Tang Qing was about to leave, she wasn’t expecting Bai Mufeng to be right outside her door!

"Senior Brother?"

Bai Mufeng noticed that the moment Tang Qing saw him, she took a step back.

She was scared of him...

This reaction just proved Bai Mufeng right—Tang Qing’s memories hadn’t vanished.

She remembered everything from the illusion, including how he had killed her nine times...

"It’s time to leave," Bai Mufeng said. "Wang Dao is waiting for you in the hall."

This was the first time Bai Mufeng had personally knocked on Tang Qing’s door. Unfortunately, the gesture didn’t elicit any joy from her.

Seeing him, Tang Qing’s eyes no longer held the adoration they once did. She only replied softly, "Alright."

The fire in her eyes had died out completely. As they passed each other, Tang Qing even edged away from him.

Yet, this subtle movement was caught by Bai Mufeng.

The Taoist Soldier’s vibe turned ice-cold. Finally...

At the corner of the inn, Bai Mufeng spoke first, "You remember what happened in the illusion."

His definitive tone only made Tang Qing panic.

Like a spooked rabbit, she tensed instantly, shaking her head repeatedly. "Senior Brother... I don’t know what... you’re talking about..."

"You do."

"You’re afraid of me."

The cold-hearted Taoist Soldier spoke again, "Is it because I killed you in the illusion?"

Memories came flooding back, abruptly awakened by Bai Mufeng’s words, Tang Qing went pale. Closing her eyes briefly, she still stubbornly insisted, "Senior Brother, I don’t know what you mean."

"I walk the Heartless Way—no attachments, no emotions. Tang Qing, none of that illusion was real."

"From the very beginning, I told you not to pin your hopes on me."

This Taoist Soldier was ice-cold—after cutting her down nine times in that illusion, he still had to rub her nose in her old crush even in reality...

Just then, Bai Mufeng suddenly handed her a lantern.

The Ruyi Lantern.

"May all go as you wish, with smooth sailing ahead."

Tang Qing quickly noticed the inscription on the Ruyi Lantern and immediately realized it was the gift Bai Mufeng had promised her in the illusion.

She never expected him to actually make it in reality.

"A promise kept. Tang Qing, this is the gift you asked for." The cultivator spoke without a trace of emotion.

Tang Qing, who had been avoiding him, seemed goaded by the lantern.

She abruptly raised her head, her eyes welling with fat tears. The feelings she'd been white-knuckling finally collapsed at this moment.

She asked, "So... this lantern is just... because of a promise kept?"

Bai Mufeng answered with Daoist detachment, "Yes."

"Tang Qing, this ends here."

The illusion had ended. The nine cycles of meetings that became understanding were nothing but the mischief of the Nightmare.

By bringing out this lantern, Bai Mufeng was reminding Tang Qing—and himself.

The Heartless Way tolerates no love or hatred.

"Yes... it's time to end it." Tang Qing's response came in shattered fragments of speech.

The next moment, she suddenly snatched the Ruyi Lantern!

With a swift motion, she hurled it away!

The lantern arced through the air before shattering upon impact with the ground!

Bai Mufeng's stunned gaze met Tang Qing's a smile that mocked even as it hurt. "Senior Brother, I've learned my lesson... It was my stupid fantasy. I am but a lowly outer disciple—who was I to hinder your pursuit of the Heartless Way?"

"Love and hate, rage and longing—all just illusions."

"Tang Qing, an outer disciple of the Cloud Ripple Sect, hereby offers congratulations to Senior Brother on his unshakable Dao Heart. May you soon ascend to immortality!"

With that, the once humble, passionate, and reckless Tang Qing, poof! was no more.