It was still a snowy, overcast day outside.

“Don’t you have an early class today?” Zhong Yin Yue asked him. “I’ve heard that Qian Yao Palace is very strict with its disciples; they have to go for early morning scripture readings every day.”

“I’ve already memorized the scriptures. Staying in Elder Yu Luan’s palace these days, it’s fine if I don’t go,” Shen Chang Xue replied. “The scriptures are already in my heart; helping the elder manage the grand ceremony within the sect is the priority.”

“That’s true,” Zhong Yin Yue nodded, yawning.

He sat down at his desk, and Shen Chang Xue followed suit.

Shen Chang Xue, with his keen sense, picked up the teapot on the tea table and began to brew tea for Zhong Yin Yue, casually asking, “So early in the morning, where has the elder gone?”

“To Shang Xuan Palace,” Zhong Yin Yue sighed as he spoke. “Yesterday, I accidentally let a demon beast into the mountains. When the sect leader found out, he went to receive a scolding early this morning.”

Shen Chang Xue chuckled lightly, “What a disaster for no reason.”

Zhong Yin Yue looked at him.

Shen Chang Xue slightly nodded, a smile lingering on his face as he brewed the tea.

Shen Chang Xue was indeed quite handsome. With his head lowered and his long eyelashes obediently drooping, they half-covered his deep-set eyes. His pair of affectionate eyes made his appearance seem non-threatening, like a gentle rabbit. His pale skin was warmed by the flickering candlelight, and dressed in white robes that were whiter than snow, he appeared exceptionally gentle.

Zhong Yin Yue remained silent, quietly staring at him for a while.

Noticing his gaze, Shen Chang Xue raised his head, and their eyes met.

Shen Chang Xue was momentarily taken aback, “Why is the elder looking at me like this?”

Zhong Yin Yue chuckled at the question, “Like what?”

Shen Chang Xue pondered for a moment and replied, “It doesn’t seem like the gaze you would give to a disciple from another palace.”

“To me, you are not just a disciple from another palace,” Zhong Yin Yue answered. “Among all the characters in this story, you are my favorite.”

Shen Chang Xue’s pupils suddenly constricted.

It was as if he had been struck by a sword to the heart, a momentary shock appearing on his face.

He stared blankly at Zhong Yin Yue.

But that was just for a brief moment. Soon, Shen Chang Xue’s expression calmed down, and his gaze became tranquil again.

He spoke calmly, but his words were a confirmatory probe, “Is the elder serious about this?”

“Of course I am. A cultivator does not speak falsehoods.”

Shen Chang Xue smiled, shaking his head lightly with an ambiguous meaning, “That’s good then.”

Zhong Yin Yue, oblivious, didn’t notice that his body language and words were completely at odds.

He grabbed a pear from the fruit plate beside him, took a bite, and asked, “Why did you come to find me so early today? Do you want to continue asking about what you didn’t finish asking yesterday?”

“The elder is very perceptive.”

Shen Chang Xue poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, “The elder has explained to me that this world is merely a story. Our fates have long been predetermined. Naturally, I trust the elder. I came today to ask about the details within it.”

Zhong Yin Yue nodded, “Go ahead, ask whatever you want, and I’ll tell you.”

“What I want to ask is about the content of this story,” Shen Chang Xue said. “Since it’s a story, there must be a main character who is carefully depicted from beginning to end. I want to know, who is this main character? What experiences does this story recount, and what happened that made Master Qian Yao want to kill me?”

Shen Chang Xue’s gaze remained calm, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Zhong Yin Yue looked into his eyes and suddenly noticed a hint of despair lurking within.

Zhong Yin Yue suddenly realized—he silently reviewed the timeline of the original story in his mind.

Shen Chang Xue was currently living quite well. The main character hadn’t awakened his extraordinary spiritual root yet, his talent hadn’t been discovered by the sect, and he hadn’t been taken away by Qian Yao. In Qian Yao Palace, Shen Chang Xue was still highly respected.

But in the past few days, Zhong Yin Yue had told him so many shocking things that turned his worldview upside down.

Thinking of this, Zhong Yin Yue looked at him with pity, “You… are you okay?”

Shen Chang Xue was puzzled, “I’m naturally fine. Why does the elder say this?”

“In just these few days, I’ve told you so much… You won’t be affected? That your master would kill you, and that this world is actually just a story, that all of your fates have long been set and cannot be changed… I didn’t realize this would be too cruel for you.”

Shen Chang Xue chuckled, shaking his head, “No, the elder is only looking out for me. You needn’t worry. You know, Chang Xue has already experienced much cruelty, having gone through the massacre by demonic cultivators in my village. I am not as fragile as the elder worries; you can speak freely.”

His expression was as usual, appearing to be affected but not to the point of having his world shattered.

Zhong Yin Yue felt a bit relieved, “That’s good. If you ever feel troubled, remember to tell me.”

“I understand,” Shen Chang Xue nodded.

Zhong Yin Yue then said, “So I’ll get straight to the point. The main character of this book… the protagonist, is Bai Ren Dong, who is currently under my tutelage.”

Shen Chang Xue immediately recalled, “Ah, that little errand boy?”

“Yes,” Zhong Yin Yue replied. “Although he seems like an ordinary person now, with no connection to cultivation, he will soon awaken his spiritual root. He is not useless; it’s just that when Elder Ling Ze brought him back to the sect, he used a method to awaken ordinary spiritual roots.”

“And the spiritual energy within him is a lightning spiritual root. Naturally, the ordinary method wouldn’t yield any response.”

Shen Chang Xue was surprised to hear this, “Is that so?”

“Indeed,” Zhong Yin Yue said, rubbing the pear he had only taken a bite from. “You also know that later on, there will be a sect competition among the various sects. Before the competition, in order to train the disciples, Tian Jue Sect will send all disciples into a secret realm for training.”

“In that secret realm, he will showcase his talents. Elder Qian Yao will see his potential, and after the secret realm ends, he will take Bai Ren Dong away from my sect to your Qian Yao Palace. After that, there will be the sect competition and other matters, and after a year or so… Bai Chan will re-enter the world.”

Bai Chan is the ghost king in this story and the leader of many ghost cultivators.

“After he exits seclusion, he will re-enter the world and bring disaster to humanity. During one of his descents to eliminate demons and protect the way, your Qian Yao Palace will encounter not ghost cultivators, but a group of demonic cultivators,” Zhong Yin Yue said. “Ghost cultivators and demonic cultivators formed an alliance to suppress celestial cultivators, and that group of demonic cultivators is here to ambush you.”

“With their numbers, you will suffer heavy losses, and Bai Ren Dong will be planted with a demonic seed…”

“To save him, you will risk your life to venture into the secret realm to find spiritual herbs. In the end, on your way back… you will also encounter demonic cultivators, suffering heavy injuries, and the spiritual herbs will be taken away.”

“You return to the sect… and in the end, they will skin you and sacrifice you to create a blood array to save Bai Ren Dong.”

Shen Chang Xue fell silent.

His expression was somewhat dazed. He stared at Zhong Yin Yue for a moment before slowly lowering his head, staring blankly at the tea cup in his hands.

After a long time, Shen Chang Xue asked, “Then, what happens afterward… does the elder know?”

“A… a little bit.”

Zhong Yin Yue felt pain for him, his voice trembling slightly as he stuttered, “They all say… you deserve it. After Bai Ren Dong… wakes up, when others mention this to him, he also feels… that what you did was only natural.”

Shen Chang Xue fell silent again.

This time, he kept his head down and didn’t lift it.

Zhong Yin Yue felt heartbroken. He looked around but couldn’t find anything to comfort him at the moment.

Zhong Yin Yue pursed his lips. He opened his mouth several times but didn’t know what to say.

“Does he really think it’s only natural?”

Shen Chang Xue suddenly asked.

Zhong Yin Yue was taken aback, “Huh?”

“I mean, Bai Ren Dong,” Shen Chang Xue repeated in a hoarse voice, “Elder, does he really… just think it’s natural?… Doesn’t he feel the slightest bit sad?”

Zhong Yin Yue fell silent.

When he asked this, Zhong Yin Yue thought carefully and remembered.

When Bai Ren Dong had just awakened, others came to him excitedly, saying that it was thanks to Qian Yao sacrificing Shen Chang Xue that he was brought back to life. Bai Ren Dong had remained silent for a long time amidst the others’ celebrations.

It wasn’t until someone pulled him and asked why he wasn’t happy that he forced a smile and laughed.

When others asked if he was sad, Bai Ren Dong laughed and said it was only natural.

Zhong Yin Yue had been furious at the time, and seeing him think it was only natural made him even angrier, not paying attention to this part.

“He… when others mention you to him, he was silent for a while before saying it was only natural,” Zhong Yin Yue said. “But no matter what, he thinks it’s only natural. He’s an ingrate! I know you’re soft-hearted, but you absolutely cannot let others…”

“I know.”

Shen Chang Xue interrupted him.

He straightened up, still wearing a light smile. However, this time, that expression seemed to carry an inexplicable sense of helplessness, as if the tides of time had changed everything.

“I understand, Elder.”

Shen Chang Xue turned around, holding the tea cup with both hands, respectfully raising it towards him, “Qian Yao Palace disciple Shen Chang Xue, thanks Elder Yu Luan for your careful teachings, and I will speak without reservation.”

“The elder’s life-saving grace, I will remember in my heart.”

Shen Chang Xue bowed deeply, drinking the tea in one gulp.

Shen Chang Xue left.

After finishing a cup of tea, he sheathed his sword and left. Outside, the snow was falling heavily. Shen Chang Xue, dressed in white robes, walked in without looking back, not saying another word.

Before he left, Zhong Yin Yue stuffed two oranges into his arms, reminding him to come if he needed anything.

Shen Chang Xue didn’t say anything.

Zhong Yin Yue felt sad for him but also knew that saying more would be pointless, so he watched him walk into the snowstorm until he disappeared at the end of the snowy haze.

Zhong Yin Yue sat alone in the palace all day, feeling an indescribable frustration in his heart.