Lin Dan felt like a criminal awaiting punishment, while Bai Yan was the warden responsible for keeping watch. However, her mindset was always positive, so she waved it off, saying, “It’s nothing.” Seeing that she was indeed fine, Bai Yan poured himself a cup of strong liquor and took a small sip.

After finishing their meal, the two of them returned to their respective rooms. To keep a close watch, Bai Yan also requested an upper room, which was right next to Lin Dan’s. If she made even the slightest noise, he would be able to detect it immediately through the thin wall. But Lin Dan didn’t feel constrained at all. After returning to her room, she took a bath and then began to meditate. The constant severe pain in her body made it impossible for her to sleep soundly, so she could only calm herself down and enter a meditative state. Fortunately, having cultivated to her level, sleep was no longer essential. Meditating for just two hours a day was enough to make her feel rested.

Once she entered her meditative state, Bai Yan moved to the window. Although he appeared to be gazing into the distance, he was actually focusing on the sounds coming from next door. Lin Dan’s breathing became shallower and slower until it disappeared entirely— a sign of the highest level of meditation, the turtle breath, achievable only by enlightened monks or those with exceptionally clear minds.

But how could Lin Dan, who endured excruciating pain every moment, possibly forget the agony and enter a state of selflessness? Bai Yan frowned, his expression confused. After a moment, he steeled himself, leaped out of the window, and stepped lightly on the leaves as he approached Lin Dan’s window, only to freeze in place.

He saw that Lin Dan wasn’t pretending to meditate while planning to slip away to commit murder. Instead, she remained seated on her bed, her hands forming a mudra^[1]hand positions used as focal points to help quiet the mind, concentrate on breathing, and enter deeper states of meditation suspended over her knees, eyes tightly closed, and her expression serene. She was completely lost in meditation. The Asura Blade was also placed on her lap, faintly emitting a cold, crimson glint.

There was only one person and one blade in the room, and nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Bai Yan’s stern expression stiffened for a moment, then was replaced by a slight embarrassment. This was the first time he had misjudged a situation, and also the first time he had misunderstood someone. This was…… He shook his head with a self-deprecating smile but didn’t leave. Instead, he sat cross-legged on a tree branch three meters away from Lin Dan and began to meditate as well.

But his mind kept replaying the events of the day, making it impossible for him to enter his usual meditative state. Lin Dan, slicing through He Chongling’s heart with a single stroke; Lin Dan, facing a hundred foes alone, invincible; Lin Dan, steadfastly adhering to her principles, never crossing the line…… Her resolute and courageous face and her unwavering yet clear eyes lingered in Bai Yan’s thoughts, making it hard for him to let go.

He could hardly believe that this was the descendant of the legendary Asura Blade. She hadn’t gone mad or killed indiscriminately and her every action was no different from that of an ordinary person. If it were Bai Yan himself, he wasn’t confident he could achieve what Lin Dan had. The unending agony of being slashed by a thousand cuts was terrifying just to imagine. If it could make him feel even slightly better, Bai Yan wouldn’t just slaughter his enemies, he might even kill everyone in the entire Eastern Tang Continent.

He had already reached the peak of martial prowess, yet he wasn’t sure he could surpass Lin Dan in this regard. Her resolve was likely even stronger than he had imagined, though how long she could endure was another matter.

Thinking of this, Bai Yan opened his eyes and glanced over at Lin Dan. Her face remained peaceful, and a trace of admiration couldn’t help but show in his gaze.

———pr


The next day, Lin Dan casually ate a bit of breakfast before taking up her blade and heading out. Now, she was all alone, with no home to return to, wandering aimlessly. The pain in her body was indeed unbearable, and the thrill of killing was indeed exhilarating, but so what? She couldn’t let herself lose her humanity for a moment of pleasure. Without her humanity, would she still be Lin Dan?

Bai Yan followed behind her at a distance, neither too close nor too far. He saw her wandering around, occasionally picking up something interesting to examine, like a young girl who had rarely left home and knew little of the world. A faint smile appeared in his eyes. Come to think of it, Lin Dan was only seventeen this year, a year younger than his disciple He Yufei, yet she had already seen the harsh realities of life.

Who could become heartless and emotionless without first experiencing the deepest despair and the most painful struggles? But Lin Dan had done it. She had forcibly removed her own heart…… Thinking of this, the smile in Bai Yan’s eyes gradually faded, and his heart, which hadn’t stirred in a long time, ached slightly.

At that moment, a commotion erupted from a nearby pharmacy. A moment later, a young man was thrown out by two burly men. He struggled to climb back up the steps, crying out desperately, “Please, just give me one! I can’t find the right medicinal ingredient anywhere. All the nearby families have moved away. There’s nothing but barren mountains and wilderness around Bulao City, not a single soul……”

Lin Dan put down the cloth tiger she was holding and looked over at the young man, her eyes showing a contemplative expression. She hadn’t thought of it before he mentioned it, but the area around Bulao City was indeed desolate. She hadn’t encountered a single village on her way there. Usually, a large city would be surrounded by numerous small towns because people are social creatures who prefer to live together. Yet, despite Bulao City’s vast expanse and bustling interior, it was like an isolated island with no other settlements within a thousand miles. It was quite strange.

Moreover, what was this medicinal ingredient he mentioned? Just as she was pondering this, Lin Dan suddenly noticed that the young man’s black hair was rapidly turning white. In the blink of an eye, it was completely snow-white, and a moment later, he collapsed to the ground, dead. His exposed skin was covered in wrinkles and spots, resembling that of an old man in his seventies or eighties.

Lin Dan stepped forward to get a closer look, but before she could, a group of constables arrived and carried the man’s body away. The onlookers showed no signs of shock or fear. Instead, they pointed and sneered, “Look! That’s what happens when you can’t find medicinal ingredients! We better put in more effort and search farther away. If we don’t complete the task the City Lord assigned us this year, we won’t receive any elixirs.”

Lin Dan silently noted their words before walking away. Upon returning to the inn, the enthusiastic innkeeper already had her lunch prepared and even recommended she visit the Eastern District, which was the most prosperous area of Bulao City, bustling with taverns, restaurants, and people.

Lin Dan indifferently nodded. After finishing her lunch and resting for a while, she decided to head to the Eastern District. As she stepped out of the inn, she saw He Yufei running over, panting and shouting, “Master, I finally found you!”

Lin Dan stepped aside, allowing He Yufei to rush toward Bai Yan. The person the other Lin Dan hated the most and loved the most now followed Lin Dan, but they had no impact on her whatsoever. However, as they brushed past each other, Lin Dan noticed the strange looks people were giving He Yufei. Their eyes were filled with a peculiar hunger, the same gaze directed at herself, though slightly restrained by the steel blade she held.

Lin Dan’s eyes darkened briefly, but her face remained expressionless as she continued walking toward the Eastern District.

Since parting ways that day, He Yufei had pushed herself to the limit trying to catch up, only to be left far behind. By the time she finally reached Bulao City, she was utterly exhausted, barely able to stand. Clinging to Bai Yan, she complained in a coquettish tone, “Master, you left me behind and walked off on your own! I’m so hurt!” She added with a couple of playful whimpers to her words.

Bai Yan looked down at her and said in a deep voice, “This place is dangerous. You should leave first.”

“What danger? Where’s the danger?” He Yufei immediately straightened up and looked around, her bright eyes filled with mischievous curiosity.

“Forget it, follow if you want.” Bai Yan relented as he saw Lin Dan walking farther away, having no choice but to let He Yufei stay.

The Eastern District was indeed very prosperous. The streets were crowded with people brushing past each other and a cacophony of shouting, singing, and noise created a scene of bustling prosperity. Lin Dan walked through this spectacle, her gaze cold and her expression indifferent. She observed the people around her and the scenery, finding it increasingly strange. There were no elderly people or children on the streets, only young and middle-aged men, with very few women. The few women present all had expressions of interest and curiosity, clearly outsiders, which was very unusual.

Bai Yan frowned slightly as he slowly walked through the crowd.

He Yufei, however, noticed nothing amiss. Everything seemed new and fun to her as she dragged Bai Yan around the stalls, constantly begging him to buy her delicate trinkets. Bai Yan silently handed over silver, but his eyes were locked on Lin Dan’s figure. He knew there was something odd about Bulao City, but his most important task was to keep an eye on Lin Dan. Everything else was secondary.

When Lin Dan entered a clothes shop, Bai Yan immediately pushed He Yufei inside as well, saying indifferently, “Pick out some clothes.”

He Yufei, mistakenly thinking he wanted to buy clothes for her, beamed with an even sweeter smile and chirped a cheerful “Okay!” before running in. Seeing Lin Dan also picking out clothes, she hesitated for a moment but quickly reminded herself that if her master was following Lin Dan, he must have his reasons, so she didn’t overthink it.

“Lin Dan, do you need my help?” She asked, forcing herself to be brave.

“No need.” Lin Dan replied, taking a black dress and heading to the fitting room.

The shopkeeper brought a pot of hot tea for Bai Yan and selected a few beautiful dresses for He Yufei, pushing her into another fitting room. This was the largest clothes shop in the Eastern District, specializing in women’s clothing and selling only colorful fabrics, with no business for men.

Lin Dan glanced at the fragrant black dress in her hands, slightly raising an eyebrow. On the other side, He Yufei gleefully spread out a dress, ready to put it on, but the next moment, she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Hearing the thud of her fall, Lin Dan followed suit and pretended to faint. After two-quarters of an hour, when He Yufei began to stir, Lin Dan also opened her eyes. The two were now imprisoned in a dungeon, the air thick with the stench of blood, and intermittent cries filled the terrifying atmosphere.

“Where am I? Where is my master?” He Yufei rubbed her throbbing temples, then screamed in horror, “M-my power is gone! What have you done to me?!”

“Stop yelling! You don’t need any powers here in Bulao City. Just be good and give birth to our babies, hahaha……” Two men in black warrior robes approached the cell door, holding torches. In the flickering light, He Yufei finally saw the dungeon clearly.

Cells like hers lined the walls, row upon row, each holding three or four young women. They all looked lifeless, their limbs weak, some crying softly, others groaning in pain, and still others heavily pregnant, their fates uncertain.