A look of disdain immediately crossed Bai Qiuyan’s face.

He remembered how, lately, every time Yu Haiqing mentioned Xie Shuangxue, he’d say things like “He’s fine” and “You fans are unreasonable,” as if he was completely clear-headed. The way Yu Haiqing had been so anxious and flustered before seemed almost like an illusion. In the end, he didn’t seem to know anything at all.

Ha, now in front of the main character himself, he can’t keep up the act, can he?

Yu Haiqing: …

He sensed Bai Qiuyan’s gaze but, truth be told, had no rebuttal. Even he didn’t quite understand how his hand had moved so quickly to accept the task. Xie Shuangxue’s hidden task had a proximity trigger, and it seemed that just seeing the words “Xie Shuangxue needs” was enough to make him agree automatically.

Things were different now; with the storyline developing in this direction, the Gods and Demons game department was already tense. They had one last chance, at the major plot point in Penglai City — the siege of Yun Panlong.

Ling Luo was the first to charge, moving even faster than Chun Yao, landing a fatal blow on Yun Panlong. It seemed heroic, but it was all pre-arranged. In that moment of contact, a substantial amount of demonic Qi had been stealthily infused into Ling Luo.

At the very instant he became a hero, he’d unknowingly taken a step toward the abyss. In other words, if they could capture this pivotal moment, the storyline might still be salvaged.

But with Xie Shuangxue messing around like this, Yun Ruowei’s plans for the storyline were entirely unpredictable.

As President of Endless Sea, Yu Haiqing was once again at the forefront of rewriting the plot. He could already picture Gou Yuan screaming like a groundhog if he found out about this.

Yet, every time at moments like this, Xie Shuangxue’s innocent look would soften Yu Haiqing’s defenses, especially when he asked, “Aren’t you coming over?”

“Don’t be mad at me.”

With a sigh, Yu Haiqing replied, “I’m not mad at you.” He stepped forward, discreetly nudging Bai Qiuyan aside.

Bai Qiuyan: …

What a weirdo.

He had no interest in wasting words with Yu Haiqing. A true fan wouldn’t squander time with Xie Shuangxue. Just as he was about to ask something, Yu Haiqing, all serious, cut him off.

“Shuangxue, I have something important to say to you. Right now, you still have a chance to change your mind,” Yu Haiqing said. “If you want, we can take you out of here. And the demonic Qi isn’t an unsolvable problem. I understand your thoughts, but this path you’re on is difficult, and if you’re not careful, it may be impossible to turn back.”

Yu Haiqing understood Xie Shuangxue’s original storyline and didn’t want to see it go that way. But taking this approach was undoubtedly the hardest choice, even worse than before in his opinion.

Bai Qiuyan and his fans didn’t get it. All they knew was “Support Shuangxue no matter what he does,” unable to foresee the consequences.

If Xie Shuangxue really took Ling Luo’s place, he’d have to endure all the suffering meant for him.

They couldn’t understand, but Yu Haiqing knew the NPC understood him perfectly.

Xie Shuangxue didn’t look worried; his smile deepened as he gazed at Yu Haiqing. “I never regret it.”

“I know what you’re saying. Of course, I could go back,” Xie Shuangxue said, “and ignore all this, just hide behind everyone while Senior Brother takes care of things. But does that make it right? You care about me, but what about Ling Luo? Doesn’t he deserve someone to care about him too?”

If not him, then it would be Ling Luo. Someone had to shoulder it.

But Ling Luo hadn’t done anything wrong either.

His demonization wasn’t just a personal tragedy. Elder Ling lost his elder position because of it, falling ill from stress, injured by accident, and passing soon after. The loss of one of the three elders unsettled the Feather Clan, spreading doubt and paranoia. Even a once-unbreakable clan couldn’t escape its downfall.

If you looked deeper, these events were all tragic consequences of the broader conflict between gods and demons. This was why the protagonists Chun Yao and Luo Yin’s efforts to change things felt so meaningful.

“Is this so-called fate truly right?”

“You’re free to refuse me; I wouldn’t blame you. Even if you stop me, I’ll never hold it against you,” Xie Shuangxue said solemnly. “Until the day you understand why I made this choice.”

“After Penglai City, I found myself thinking a lot. At that time, hiding in that cave, I didn’t dare go out. You all killed the Skeleton Ghost, then Senior Brother Chen Xin came to save me. I didn’t accomplish anything — everyone shielded me. I want to be the one in front for once.”

Xie Shuangxue continued, “If someone must wield the sword, why can’t it be me?”

Bai Qiuyan found himself at a loss for words.

Glancing over at Yu Haiqing, he saw the same speechless expression, so the two accepted the task and left.

It was the kind of task they could technically abandon; there was no penalty for accepting but not completing it. Yet, he didn’t see Yu Haiqing hesitate to refuse it, and soon the task slots filled up with thirty people who quickly gathered to strategize.

This hidden quest was smoother than they’d expected.

Convincing Lord Yun wasn’t as complicated as they thought; following Xie Shuangxue’s instructions, it turned out surprisingly simple.

As soon as Yun Ruowei’s name was mentioned, Lord Yun’s expression shifted.

His reaction confirmed he’d been aware of Yun Ruowei’s existence all along, with Yun Panlong merely as her cover, yet he’d kept it hidden.

“You all know already.”

His voice trembled. “Ruowei… does she still want to see me?”

“Yes, truly.” Just as Xie Shuangxue had taught them, the players didn’t reveal anything further, instead repeating the same line: “She’s struggling. She really needs you.”

“She needs me?” Yun Panshan’s voice was thick with emotion. “No matter what… I’ll do anything to make it right…”

That was easy to say, but with all that had happened, it wasn’t so certain.

Players couldn’t tell NPCs anything outside of their storylines, so they could only work within what they had. Yun Panshan knew it was Yun Ruowei in Lu Yun Tower, and he’d wanted to go there anyway, so it wasn’t exactly due to player persuasion.

For what would follow, they’d still need Xie Shuangxue’s help.

Yun Ruowei hadn’t expected Xie Shuangxue to act so quickly.

She had just finished dealing with the Yun family captives with Yun Qiang, ensuring they’d behave, when she received word from Xie Shuangxue.

“He’s really here?”

“Yes,” Xie Shuangxue replied, “Would you like to see him?”

Yun Ruowei’s expression turned strange.

Unlike her treatment of Yun Pannan and the others, her resentment and hatred for Yun Panshan ran deep. He was, after all, her father, her blood relative. If she saw him, she feared she’d lose control and kill him.

At that moment, Xie Shuangxue looked at her calmly, understanding her thoughts with a single glance.

“Fine, you just need to be there; leave the rest to me.”

Yun Ruowei gave him a look of warning. “He won’t be as easy to handle as you think. For him to admit Yun Panlong and Yun Pannan were wrong from the start is as good as renouncing the entire Yun family.”

That was entirely different from withholding certain information from the Feather Clan.

“Let’s give it a shot,” Xie Shuangxue said, “Who knows, it might work.”

Yun Ruowei said nothing more. Soon, the players, following the Skeleton Ghost’s directions, brought Yun Panshan into the city and to the designated location.

But all Yun Panshan saw was Xie Shuangxue.

Yun Panshan froze, looking unsure of what to do.

He knew Xie Shuangxue, and the Feather Clan had told him that he’d been captured. Since hearing this, Yun Panshan had felt uneasy, fearing Ruowei might do something even worse. Yet, here was Xie Shuangxue, unharmed and standing right in front of him.

“You’re not…”

“Uncle Yun, I asked them to bring you here,” Xie Shuangxue stepped forward. “I know what you’re thinking. At first, I thought I’d be tortured here too, but that didn’t happen. Ruowei hasn’t hurt me, and she didn’t cause the chaos at Penglai City either.”

“It wasn’t Ruowei?”

The relief in Yun Panshan’s face was evident after Xie Shuangxue’s words.

“Yes. Actually, I’ve always thought of her as kind-hearted.”

Xie Shuangxue started blending fact with fiction to bolster his story’s credibility. “On the night of the chaos, the Skeleton Ghosts didn’t harm the commoners; they only prevented them from approaching and distracted them. The Feather Clan members who clashed with her were only knocked back, no one died. Even Yun Pannan and the others are alive. If you don’t believe me, I can show you.”

Yun Panshan looked astonished. “Really?”

“Really,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “I’m part of the Feather Clan now; why would I lie for her?”

Only Chen Xin and Ling Luo knew about Xie Shuangxue’s demonic Qi. To the Feather Clan, he was just captured, so Yun Panshan had no reason to doubt him.

“Then why did you call me here…?”

“I wanted to tell you the truth,” Xie Shuangxue explained. “At that time, Ruowei had only a thread of consciousness left. To survive, she turned to dark magic, but she’s been fighting against it, unwilling to lose herself completely. I witnessed all of this and decided to help her return to the right path. She didn’t choose this path, and Ruowei is even willing to destroy the dark magic for the peace of Lu Yun Tower.”

“What?”

Yun Panshan hadn’t considered this possibility.

All he knew was that the Feather Clan had surrounded Lu Yun Tower, poised for battle. But now there was another side to the story?

“As long as we can settle her grievances, there’s no need for Lu Yun Tower to face such an outcome,” Xie Shuangxue said. “Uncle Yun, as the City Lord, you need to think about both Lu Yun Tower’s and Ruowei’s futures.”

Yun Panshan listened intently, then asked, “What should I do?”

Opportunity struck.

Xie Shuangxue laid out his ideas, including mentioning the connection between Yun Ruowei and the Evil Sword. Yun Panshan hesitated after hearing him. “Will this work? Ruowei is tainted with dark magic. What if the Feather Clan finds out? And I’d have to tell them…”

“You could say you were kept in the dark before. Besides, if she’s willing to renounce dark magic, it won’t be an issue. The golden lock left by Senior Evil Sword was meant for her. You know we have a way,” Xie Shuangxue said. “And among the Yun family, who else could be the City Lord but her?”

Yun Panshan knew his own health well; even if the poison were removed, he wouldn’t live much longer. As for anyone else, they had no chance of being City Lord, mainly because of Yun Ruowei.

“Uncle Yun, I’m not asking for an immediate answer. You can wait and see. If Ruowei shows no remorse, or if you don’t witness her casting aside the dark magic, you can always change your mind,” Xie Shuangxue added. “Just think about it. I’m doing this for Lu Yun Tower’s sake. You’re her only family left; if you don’t give her a chance now, there may never be another.”

“You said you’d do anything for her. Are you telling me you can’t do what I’m willing to?”

“And besides, without Ruowei, the Yun family won’t have the strength to defend Lu Yun Tower on its own. If we must rely entirely on outsiders for protection, then the Yun family’s reputation will be truly lost. Your brothers are gone, but this achievement could secure the family’s future.”

With that, he had Yun Panshan exactly where he wanted him.

Xie Shuangxue’s reasoning was flawless, and Yun Panshan’s attitude shifted markedly.

“Alright,” Yun Panshan said, “I… I’ll help her.”

He then asked, with a trace of hope, “Can I speak to her?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll pass on your message. I’m sure she’ll be moved to hear your decision,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “Uncle Yun, please rest here. The Skeleton Ghosts won’t harm you.”

As he left the room, his smile faded, and he turned to Yun Ruowei and Yun Qiang, who had been listening behind the door. “Don’t meet him yet. Keep him waiting a few days. You’ve already dealt with Yun Jia and the others, right? Send the most obedient one to talk to him. Stick to what I told him; don’t slip up.”

Yun Ruowei: …

She looked at Xie Shuangxue with a complicated expression, then nodded.

The players overheard everything.

To those with deeper knowledge, Xie Shuangxue’s convincing words were really just a trap. Whatever about Yun Ruowei’s “repentance” or Yun Panlong being a shell, it was all bound to backfire in the end.

But somehow, Yun Panshan, knowing what he now did, genuinely seemed happier, his once haggard look much improved.

Yun Ruowei still had doubts. “Aren’t you afraid he’ll notice something’s off?”

“He won’t,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “Because this is exactly what he needs to believe. It matches Yun Panshan’s desires perfectly. He’s more than willing to believe it.”

Yun Ruowei couldn’t quite understand.

“People always try to make up for their regrets. They carry lifelong resentment over their failures, whether it’s pain over their own powerlessness or scars from losing loved ones. But the Yun family’s pride and the City Lord’s duty hold him back, and the gods and demons’ rivalry gives him no room to make things right,” Xie Shuangxue explained. “Now there’s a way to resolve it all, even a way to reframe his marriage to a demon. I’m fulfilling his wish — how could Yun Panlong refuse?”

“Even if it’s fake?”

“How could it all be fake? Most of what I said was true, wasn’t it?”

Yun Ruowei: …

“You’re becoming more and more like a demon,” she remarked. “Will the Feather Clan still take you?”

“Who says it has to be a demon who’d do this?” Xie Shuangxue shook his head. “When I joined the Feather Clan, I learned their rules. The Yun family descends from gods, and their principles are pretty similar.”

“As gods, they’re symbols of fairness and justice. They mustn’t kill the innocent indiscriminately, harm others out of jealousy or ambition, or shy away out of weakness. The gods hold the world’s reverence and respect because of these standards. If anyone fails, they face harsh punishment as an example.”

In the original storyline, Xie Shuangxue broke all three, leading to his inescapable execution. The Yun family, too, had sinned. How could no one hold them accountable?

“I’m helping them,” Xie Shuangxue said. “As gods, they must make amends for their mistakes, don’t they? Yun Panshan should be thanking me.”

Yun Ruowei’s expression grew even more complicated.

“Xie Shuangxue,” she said, “you really are something else.”

“Your little sister just swore; mind her manners,” Xie Shuangxue turned to Yun Qiang, adding, “A future City Lord of Lu Yun Tower can’t talk like that.”

The players heard this loud and clear.

In Qiao Zhihui’s livestream, viewers were equally conflicted.

“…Why does this actually make sense?”

“Maybe my guy should just be the City Lord?”

For the following days, everything went according to Xie Shuangxue’s plan. Yun Panshan grew more and more convinced, showing renewed resolve.

The players didn’t miss out either. The Bond Value rewards from the hidden quest were generous, especially since the participant cap had been raised, making this a prime opportunity.

With the exchange rate from his accumulated points, Bai Qiuheng could now advance to the third stage. This gave Bai Qiuyan a legitimate reason to seek out Xie Shuangxue, only to bump into Yu Haiqing on his way there.

What? Coming even more often than me?

Bai Qiuyan snorted but kept quiet. When a whole group sneaked in through the windows, they found Yun Ruowei with Xie Shuangxue.

The players hesitated awkwardly, caught in an almost embarrassing scene.

But Yun Ruowei didn’t seem to mind and, unlike before, didn’t tie them up. Xie Shuangxue gestured them in.

“It’s alright,” Xie Shuangxue said. “You can use the front door from now on. She already knows you.”

Today, Yun Ruowei had come to bring something to Xie Shuangxue.

Bai Qiuyan, peering closely, recognized it as Xie Shuangxue’s hairpin — his blade-hilt sword.

Is it repaired?

Yun Ruowei could repair it? She’d said before that she couldn’t.

Xie Shuangxue seemed pleased but not surprised, as though he’d expected it.

“I died with my mother, our bones and blood intertwined. She shielded me, sacrificing her soul while I survived with a trace of consciousness, carrying on for us both,” Yun Ruowei rarely opened up, but here she was, sharing this with Xie Shuangxue. “After coming back, I also gained my mother’s abilities. The blade Yun Qiang wields is one I personally refined.”

Then, looking at Xie Shuangxue with a serious expression, she whispered, “I noticed your sword had fragments of the Book of Floating Dreams on it. I didn’t tell anyone. Keep it for yourself.”

The craftsmanship of the Evil Sword’s refining technique was unmatched.

Yun Ruowei hadn’t only repaired his sword but modified it to better suit his abilities, making it feel natural in his grip.

Though it still looked like a sword, it could now extend and retract effortlessly. As Xie Shuangxue moved, the blade became semi-transparent, its edges both illusory and solid. In a fan-like spread, ghostly images shimmered across the blade, quietly launching with lethal accuracy, leaving visible marks on the wall before slipping back into his hand, resembling a unique hidden weapon.

What was once an unsuitable weapon for the Xie family now felt different.

“See,” Xie Shuangxue sheathed the sword, “since someone has to wield it, why not me?”