She wasn’t the other Lin Dan and would not be blinded by emotions. If Bai Yan was truly just a frail scholar, he wouldn’t have stayed calmly at the Eastern Sacred Sect, nor would he have trained He Yufei to become a first-class master in such a short time. Since he kept his true capabilities hidden, he must have a deeper motive.

Bai Yan’s face showed no signs of panic as he slowly nodded and said, “Yes.”

Lin Dan immediately stood up, drew her blood-soaked Asura Blade, and asked in a deep voice, “Why?” She couldn’t sense Bai Yan’s aura and he completely appeared like an ordinary person. However, this only made him more terrifying. With her current level of skill, Lin Dan could usually see through a person’s abilities with a single glance, yet she couldn’t discern Bai Yan’s true strength, indicating that his level was far above hers.

What realm lies beyond that of a half-step grandmaster? It’s the realm of a grandmaster!

Lin Dan tightened her grip on the hilt of the blade and stepped forward, her posture one of utmost vigilance, though her expression remained calm.

Bai Yan continued to stand with his hands behind his back and slowly explained, “The Asura Blade was originally a forbidden technique of my sect, but it was stolen by the Eastern Sacred Sect. My master, on his deathbed, said that if the Asura ever reappears in the world, the entire sect must unite to destroy it.”

So that’s how it was. Lin Dan nodded slightly in understanding. She wasn’t particularly interested in Bai Yan’s sect or origins, but she did understand why his master would leave such a final command. Once the Asura Blade technique was fully mastered, it was easy for the practitioners to become lost in killing and lose their sanity. Even more terrifying was that the practitioners’ life force would protect their hearts, making them nearly impossible to kill.

What kind of impact would such an unkillable monster, driven by endless bloodlust, have on the world? Lin Dan closed her eyes briefly as if she could already see the rivers of blood and fields of corpses. She didn’t bother to defend herself but instead calmly raised her blade and stated, “Let’s fight.”

Yet Bai Yan didn’t move for a long time. His gaze lingered on Lin Dan’s face before drifting down to the line at her feet.

He Yufei, utterly confused, looked back and forth between Lin Dan and Bai Yan, exclaiming, “Master, you—, can you do martial arts?” He Chongling had once checked Bai Yan’s pulse, confirming he was just an ordinary person with no internal power.

But neither Bai Yan nor Lin Dan paid her any attention. The two stood in silence, eyes locked on each other.

After a long while, Bai Yan unexpectedly took a step back and said calmly, “I won’t kill you today. You may leave.”

Lin Dan quickly understood his meaning. Though he spared her now, it didn’t mean he would never come after her again. Today, he chose not to act, but tomorrow or the day after, who knew? Moreover, when he mentioned ‘kill you’, his tone was certain, as if slaying a half-step grandmaster was an easy task for him. This indicated that he was undoubtedly one of the five grandmasters, his power far beyond what Lin Dan could currently contend with.

If she could live well, why court death? Lin Dan was no fool. She immediately sheathed the Asura Blade and took off, flying away. Bai Yan tapped his toes lightly and followed closely behind.

He Yufei watched their seemingly slow yet swift departure, their figures vanishing in the blink of an eye, and was left stunned. She had thought Lin Dan was a pitiable woman, but who would have guessed that she would decisively cut down He Chongling with a single blade stroke, more resolute than anyone? She had also thought Bai Yan was a frail scholar, but to her surprise, he stood his ground against Lin Dan, a half-step grandmaster, without faltering.

Didn’t this mean Bai Yan was a grandmaster? Realizing this, He Yufei’s eyes lit up. She quickly chased after them, shouting, “Master, wait for me!” She had randomly picked a master and it turned out to be one of the five grandmasters. What incredible luck she had!

———pr


Lin Dan sped ahead, trying to shake off Bai Yan, but no matter how fast she moved, he always maintained the same distance, neither too close nor too far, matching her speed. If it were someone else, they might have already been irritated or flustered, but Lin Dan remained unfazed. She slowed down completely and headed toward the nearest city. The other Lin Dan had no attachment to the Eastern Sacred Sect, so Lin Dan had no intention of returning there.

The Eastern Tang Continent revered martial arts and had countless sects. The power of the martial arts world far exceeded that of the imperial court, and many cities were controlled by major sects and were not under royal jurisdiction. When Lin Dan reached the city gate, she looked up at the signboard hanging above the entrance. The large characters inscribed on it read— 「Bulao^[1]Everlasting City」

An interesting name. Lin Dan studied it for a moment before paying the entrance fee. She then found an inn to settle in. “Innkeeper, bring me some signature dishes and a jug of strong wine. If you have an upper room available, I’ll also take one.” She said, placing a piece of silver on the counter.

“Right away, Guest. Please take a seat. Our signature dishes are stewed frogs and poached beef with hot chili. I’ll have the cook prepare them for you immediately. Here’s the key to your upper room. It’s the first room on the left on the second floor. That’ll be three taels of silver. I’ll weigh it for you.” The innkeeper placed the piece of silver on the scale.

Lin Dan said, “Keep the change. Also, prepare a bucket of hot water for me. I need to bathe.” Her black clothes were already soaked with blood, weighing heavily on her.

It was only then that the innkeeper noticed her treasured blade and the blood dripping from the hem of her garment, forming a large red stain on the floor and filling the inn with a thick stench of blood. There was no need to ask— this person had been killing, and not just a few!

“Certainly, thank you for your generosity, Guest. I’ll go prepare the water right away.” The innkeeper quickly measured the silver and put it on his pocket before happily rushing to the back to have the hot water prepared, not showing a hint of fear the entire time.

The customers in the shop all acted as if they hadn’t seen Lin Dan, completely ignoring the fresh blood on the floor and the horrifying trail of bloody footprints.

Their reactions made Lin Dan wary. She slowly walked to a seat by the window and sat down, pondering. These people were acting so bizarrely, either because they were used to seeing blood, or they were not in their right minds. But it’s impossible for everyone there to be abnormal, which leaves only one answer— to these people, killing and bloodshed have become as ordinary as anything else. However, this had nothing to do with her, so there’s no need to delve deeper into it.

With that thought, Lin Dan pulled out a pair of chopsticks from a bamboo container and took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, intending to wipe the utensils. However, she noticed that the handkerchief was stained with dark red blood stains, even dirtier than the chopsticks. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she found herself staring blankly at the chopsticks and handkerchief.

Bai Yan had been standing at the door for a long time, observing
Lin Dan. Seeing that she hadn’t noticed his arrival and was lost in thought, he slowly approached. He leaned in close, his gaze filled with complexity as if he were studying an unsolvable riddle or observing a wild beast.

“Are you planning to eat?” He asked in a low voice.

Lin Dan snapped out of her daze and glanced at him coolly. The dishes had been ordered and the chopsticks were in her hand, so what else would she be doing if not eating?

For the first time, Bai Yan experienced the feeling of being looked down upon. Though Lin Dan said nothing, her eyes clearly conveyed, ‘You just asked a pointless question’. He had never expected that after running thousands of miles to this city, Lin Dan’s only intention was to sit down and have a proper meal.

The Asura Blade was originally a forbidden technique of his sect, so he knew better than anyone the consequences of practicing it. Severing emotions and cutting off love was already exceedingly difficult, but the excruciating pain could completely destroy even the strongest will. To alleviate that agony, practitioners often fell into the abyss of slaughter, ultimately dying from madness. The sect’s records were full of gruesome accounts of bloodbaths.

Yet now, Lin Dan had clearly mastered the technique, yet her face showed no sign of pain, and there was no madness in her eyes. Apart from her paler-than-usual complexion, there was no trace of anything amiss about her. She had rushed there, paid the entrance fee, ordered two dishes, booked a room, and requested a bucket of water. Every action she took was entirely normal, just like a weary traveler. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Bai Yan would never have believed that she was practicing the Asura Blade, nor would he have believed that she was enduring excruciating pain every moment.

“What do you plan to do next?” The usually cold and unpredictable Bai Yan couldn’t help but ask another question. He had originally intended to kill Lin Dan, but seeing that she had adhered to her principles and refrained from killing indiscriminately, he hesitated. This was the first time he had felt compassion for a sworn enemy of the sect, something that shouldn’t have happened.

“I’ll take it one step at a time.” Lin Dan folded the blood-stained handkerchief neatly and tucked it back into her sleeve.

Bai Yan handed her his own handkerchief, declaring, “I will follow you.”

Lin Dan took it. She wiped two pairs of chopsticks, handed one pair to Bai Yan, kept the other for herself, and nodded. “Alright.” She knew why Bai Yan insisted on following her. It was to prevent her from slaughtering innocent people. The moment she lost control, Bai Yan would eliminate her without hesitation. Letting him follow her was equivalent to hanging a sharp blade over her head, ready to fall at any moment. But Lin Dan wasn’t afraid. In fact, she even felt somewhat reassured. If she ever did lose control and couldn’t sever her own meridians, she would hope for someone strong enough to kill her instantly.

Bai Yan raised an eyebrow, surprised that she agreed so readily, and couldn’t help but take a closer look at her.

Lin Dan, however, didn’t mind his scrutiny at all. Once the dishes were served, she immediately began to eat. Since the day Bai Yan and He Yufei’s elopement failed and they were imprisoned in the dungeon, the other Lin Dan had hardly eaten. The other Lin Dan could waste away for love, but Lin Dan couldn’t bear hunger. However, after just one bite, Lin Dan’s brow furrowed deeply. The cook’s skills were truly terrible. The frog meat hadn’t been marinated to remove the fishy smell and the poached beef was so tough it was inedible. It needed to be cooked for at least another half hour to become tender.

After just one bite, the correct way to prepare these two dishes inexplicably appeared in her mind. Even though she hadn’t touched a kitchen knife or a stove since arriving in this world, she was confident she could cook the most authentic and delicious dishes.

Was I a cook in my previous life? She put down her chopsticks, thinking with a complex expression.

Bai Yan stared directly at her and asked in a deep voice, “What’s wrong with you?” In his eyes, Lin Dan was like a beast on the brink of madness, ready to explode and kill at any moment.