The Red String Breaks
The special "man" before her eyes was none other than the second to appear in the original novel, the most popular, and even the one often dubbed the official love interest in the fan fiction circle—the important supporting female character and the current reserve divine maiden of the Dao Yi Immortal Alliance, Bai Fangsui.
In the original book, Bai Fangsui's first encounter with the male lead took place precisely on Wendao Peak.
Yingshi could not remember the details clearly, but she had not forgotten the general plot: Bai Fangsui, disguised as a man, was suspected by a fellow disciple of the Dao Yi Immortal Alliance who had seen her before. While dodging, she bumped into the male lead. Then came the classic trope of her hairpin falling out, allowing the male lead to recognize her true identity as a woman. However, he acted like a gentleman and did not expose her, even standing in front of her to provide cover.
As a result, she developed a favorable impression of the male lead, and in their subsequent interactions, she gradually gave her heart to him.
As the reserve divine maiden of the Dao Yi Immortal Alliance, Bai Fangsui originally did not need to participate in the Tiangang Martial Gathering.
But she had a noble character and her own pursuits, only wanting to find an opportunity to temper and prove herself like an ordinary person.
With her master's tacit approval, she disguised herself as a man to avoid drawing attention, took the pseudonym Bai Feng, and participated in the Tiangang Martial Gathering under a male identity.
Bai Fangsui had many supportive readers. If it were not for Jing Fengliu's bizarre train of thought and refusal to tie up the romantic subplot, she would most likely have been Han Shuangjian's official love interest, as the two shared many fated connections.
First was the male lead's background. Han Shuangjian was the son of the Immortal Sect's divine maiden and the Netherworld's Demon Lord. His fallen birth mother was exactly the previous divine maiden of the Dao Yi Immortal Alliance.
A divine maiden inherently could not be corrupted by demonic aura and possessed an absolutely pure purifying power.
As a reserve divine maiden, Bai Fangsui's status was an incredibly perfect match for the male lead.
Secondly, Bai Fangsui also had a substance in her body that acted up periodically like a demon core, though it was not another Demon King's spiritual core, but a Millennium Cold Jade.
When the Millennium Cold Jade acted up, her body temperature would plummet, and she would fall into a semi-comatose state. Ice crystals would even form on the surface of her skin, hair, and eyelashes, which perfectly complemented Shuangjian's high fever during the period his demon core acted up.
CR, it's just a pity that the original text didn't let the two of them huddle together for warmth.
Finally, there was a connection that the readers savored on their own: Han Shuangjian, Bai Fangsui. Even the tonal patterns of their names were exactly the same. If that wasn't a perfect match, what was?
Then... what about Xu Yingshi?
Yingshi absentmindedly muttered her own name... Uh, no! What was she doing?
She shook her head vigorously and locked her gaze back on the scene of the incident, only to meet Shuangjian's eyes, who had turned around to look at her at some unknown point.
...
Silent.
Hidden and complex.
His eyes seemed to carry a faint sense of urgency.
...Such an indescribable emotion that Yingshi could not decipher it for a moment.
Why was Shuangjian looking at her like this?
She stared blankly into Shuangjian's eyes for a few seconds. After a brief moment of silence, he stepped toward her. Behind him to the side, Bai Fangsui, disguised as a man, had long vanished without a trace—without bumping into an obstacle, she sure ran fast.
"Shuangjian!" Yingshi took a few steps forward to meet him, momentarily forgetting that she had clearly come to demand an explanation. Instead, she just looked around for Bai Fangsui's figure and hurriedly whispered, "Did you not recognize the identity of the person you just dodged? She is one of the supporting female characters I told you about, Bai Fangsui!"
She had observed Shuangjian's dodging posture at that time. It was incredibly agile and decisive, so fast that it revealed a subtle sense of disgust, as if he was terrified of even touching the other party's clothes.
This obviously meant he had not recognized Bai Fangsui's identity at all and treated her as an ordinary passerby, causing him to miss out on his first encounter with an important character!
"...I know."
Shuangjian pursed his lips and replied softly.
He also felt a slight irritation in his heart—Yingshi had still seen it.
Would she intensify her disdain for him because of this?
Would her judgment of him being fickle and a scumbag become even more deeply rooted?
In the previous two reincarnations, Bai Fangsui had appeared outside the door of his living quarters.
He had walked away early on, thinking he could skip this meaningless brief encounter, but he never expected it to almost play out right in front of Yingshi...
He had not been this close to Yingshi for many days. As their clothes brushed against each other again, Shuangjian's attention involuntarily focused on that sensation, and his brows furrowed even tighter.
Shuangjian heard his own voice run dry as he feigned calmness, "Why must I get to know her? I don't think it's necessary."
Then, he inexplicably felt a faint sense of remorse in his heart: Why speak his true thoughts so stiffly and urgently? It was as if he was trying to prove his innocence, making him look somewhat ridiculous.
Before he got the answer to that question, he shouldn't be in contact with Yingshi—what was he doing?
"Alright, the plotline has already skewed anyway, so it really doesn't matter! As long as we smoothly become stronger, there's no problem!" Yingshi blinked and said, "Um, can we find a place with fewer people to chat? I still have some things I want to ask you..."
"..."
Shuangjian's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He opened his mouth but made no sound.
"Hmm?" Yingshi looked at him, somewhat at a loss.
He lowered his eyes, the irritation in his heart growing even stronger. His fingers silently clenched tight as he said hoarsely, "Right now, the entirety of Wendao Peak is full of disciples. There are too many people and prying eyes, so it's hard to find a suitable place to talk at the moment. Besides... I haven't finished setting up my living quarters, and I have to leave for a bit right now. I'm afraid I can't go with you. How about next time."
...What was he saying?
He clearly wanted to refuse decisively, so why did he have to add so many long, terrible, and utterly absurd extra words?
What was he trying to make up for, what was he trying to save?
"...Oh." Yingshi lowered her head and handed over the storage bag that she had squeezed out of shape in her palm, "Then this is for you. Thank you for teaching me so much."
But Shuangjian gently pushed her hand back.
"There's no need for this," he said.
"I'll be leaving first," he added.
After saying that, he turned and left, without lingering any longer.
"..."
Yingshi stood rooted to the spot, her head lowered, and pulled her hand back.
She felt her face begin to burn.
It wasn't out of embarrassment from being rejected, nor was it out of shame for pressing her warm face against a cold shoulder.
But rather a temperature difference between the inside and outside, caused by her heart turning too cold, as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
She tried hard to create an opportunity for communication, but she was rejected by Shuangjian once again.
And it had nothing to do with the plot's influence; it was his own personal will.
Put this way, his repeated avoidance was an answer in itself.
She had already verified the outcome.
"..."
The cover in her heart used for self-deception was lifted, exposing a hollow emptiness that could no longer be concealed.
Yingshi stood blankly for a long time before rubbing her eyes and turning back as if nothing had happened.
Fortunately, Xinmei and the others had already gone to wander elsewhere.
Otherwise, she wouldn't even know how to pretend to be calm and natural.
From now on, in this alternate world, would she have to walk alone?
It seemed... she didn't even have the strength to walk anymore.
...
Yingshi left.
When Shuangjian sensed this, he stiffly came to a halt.
The irritation in his heart did not disappear with her departure; instead, it grew more intense, to the point where his breathing even became a bit heavier.
He couldn't help but turn back to look, but among the shifting shadows beneath the osmanthus tree, Yingshi was nowhere to be found.
The surrounding noise was incessant. The chatter of the men and women sounded exceptionally loud at this moment, growing increasingly chaotic and shrill. Eventually, the sounds twisted together into a single, piercingly sharp note, triggering a massive, continuous, and agonizing ringing that pierced straight through his brain.
Shuangjian's body was forced to a standstill, frozen by the arrival of that moment. Then, all the sounds faded away, save for one:
Clack.
The crisp sound of a bell hitting the ground.
It was faint, yet it overpowered everything else.
A snapped red braided cord lay on the bluestone path; the earlier sound had come from the mute bell attached to it striking the stone slab.
The red string on his wrist, the one that belonged to Yingshi, had broken and fallen to the ground.
...!
Ignoring the severe pain in his head and the long-lost sense of constraint that descended upon him in that split second, Shuangjian tried to reach out. He tried to pick up the switch to his freedom, the cord that had been tied around his wrist for three months.
Pick it up.
He had to pick it up.
He was clearly trying with all his might, yet his hand only trembled in extreme tension.
His vision began to darken until he could see nothing at all. The rules had finally caught him again, and so double the punishment would rain down upon him taking advantage of this opportunity.
He could feel the invisible threads wrapping around him once more, loop by loop. Every inch of his flesh and bone turned into a suspended puppet. That force he had exhausted several lifetimes fighting against, the thing that could be called fate, was trying to drag him back onto his predetermined path...
Excuse me! A deliberately lowered, androgynous voice sounded from behind. The man who had clearly run far away had circled back behind him and was about to collide with him.
...Dodge.
...Dodge!
Shuangjian's entire body was trembling. He only managed to shift a microscopic distance before he violently coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Everyone nearby was startled, including Bai Fangsui, who had fled back to the vicinity.
From her perspective, she had merely brushed past a gloomy-looking weirdo, and then the person fell to their knees, vomiting blood!
Her hairpin had been knocked askew and now happened to fall to the side. Her hair was disheveled. Filled with shock and doubt, she hastily gathered her hair, unsure whether she should keep running or stay to check on the weirdo's condition...
While Bai Fangsui hesitated, the bystanders nearby had already crowded around.
What happened? Brother, are you alright?
It looks like he's suffered internal injuries! Does anyone recognize his uniform? Quickly, go inform the elders of his sect!
Let's stop the bleeding first. Seeing how he can't stop vomiting blood and his consciousness is fading, I'm afraid ordinary medicine won't be able to cure this!
Don't intervene recklessly! Hurry and call the people from the Daoyi Immortal Alliance. This happened on their turf...
Voice after voice drifted into Shuangjian's ears, all turning into meaningless buzzing.
He knelt on the ground. Because of his earlier resistance against the rules, his meridians were in chaos. The demonic breath and spiritual power clashed within his body, feeling as if countless swords were waging a chaotic war inside his organs, threatening to pierce his heart and lungs to shreds.
An undeniable force commanded him, driving him to stand up, to intercept those chasing after Bai Fangsui, and to shield her.
To pick up the fallen white jade hairpin from the ground and hide it in his sleeve, so no one would discover her true identity as a woman!
As long as he complied, as long as he accepted his fate, he would feel much better.
...
The blood from Shuangjian's mouth continued to spill from the corners of his lips. In an instant, it had dyed his clothes red and pooled all over the ground.
The white jade hairpin lay in the pool of blood beneath him, right next to the broken red string.
He supported himself against the ground with one hand, while his other hand slowly reached toward the hairpin.
Brother, don't move now! You should save your strength and wait for the elders to arrive...
Someone nearby cried out in dismay to stop him, but because the scene was too horrifying, no one dared to actually step forward and physically intercept him.
And upon clearly seeing Shuangjian's next action, those cries of dismay instantly turned into shrieks. Someone yelled and turned their back, Ah!! What are you doing?!
They watched as the blood-vomiting man actually struggled to grasp a hairpin from the ground, and then viciously drove the sharp end of the hairpin into the palm of his other hand, piercing straight through!
...Heavens, are you under a madness curse? Who uses a hairpin to stab their own hand?! Do you think you haven't bled enough?
The bloody, mangled back of his hand caused some disciples to retreat from the crowd in terror.
They suddenly realized that this person might not be a victim who had mysteriously suffered severe injuries, but rather a lunatic!
Every movement of this man was excruciatingly slow and difficult, as if his body had reached its absolute limit. Yet, instead of saving his strength to help himself, he chose to use everything he had to self-mutilate!
...
Bai Fangsui also stared blankly at the center of the crowd. Her hairpin... had actually become a madman's weapon for self-harm.
That person looked like he was going to die in the very next second, but it seemed... he smiled?
Right after piercing his own palm with his own hands, he smiled?!
Upon noticing the faint curve at the corners of Shuangjian's lips, Bai Fangsui felt incredibly creeped out. For a split second, a chill even ran down her spine!
She deeply disliked the gloomy, cold aura emanating from that person. Such self-destructive tendencies reminded her of demonic cultivators...
Fortunately, this incident drew away everyone's attention. The fellow disciples who had seen her finally stopped chasing her to get a clearer look.
But soon, more people from the Daoyi Immortal Alliance would arrive to handle this bizarre event, and among them might be her senior brothers and sisters...
Bai Fangsui pondered for a moment, bit her lip, and retreated from the outer edge of the crowd.
The faint hint of a smile that Shuangjian revealed while self-mutilating wasn't caught by her alone.
Immediately, someone else questioned in terror, What are you smiling at?
In reality, Shuangjian's vision was entirely pitch black. Enduring extreme agony, he still chose to fight against the rules at the wrong time; his spiritual altar might have already shattered.
Yet at this moment, he possessed a rare sliver of mental clarity.
What was he smiling at?
He smiled because he finally had the answer.
Everything he did was still for the sake of freedom.
All of his bizarre actions were still to secure a logical, justifiable opportunity to approach Yingshi and stay by her side.
So that in moments as wretched as this, like a stray dog, he wouldn't be overwhelmed and crushed just because of a brief estrangement from Yingshi!
He no longer needed to feel remorse over those strange losses of control.
He didn't need to feel conflicted, didn't need to be cowardly, didn't need to want to run away!
...Make way! Everyone make way, this is my junior brother!
Wei Kai, who had come running from far away, was pale with fright.
Not long after parting ways with Xin Mei, he heard rumors that someone fell to the ground vomiting blood and is about to die.
Upon hearing that the person vomiting blood was exceptionally handsome and wearing the uniform of the Yunshui Sect, Wei Kai immediately thought of Han Shuangjian!
Although their relationship was average—they couldn't even be called acquaintances—when away from home, being fellow disciples was the strongest bond!
Wei Kai stumbled and crawled his way to Shuangjian's side, speaking hurriedly, Junior Brother Han, hold on a little longer! Someone is coming to save you right away!
His hand hovered in midair, not daring to touch Shuangjian's shoulder. The pool of blood on the ground and the man's hand, still pinned down by a hairpin, left him panicked and anxious. He had no idea how to make Junior Brother Han feel any better. His eyes swept frantically over the injured man's body. He saw Junior Brother Han's eyes hidden beneath disheveled strands of hair; his mouth parted slightly, moving as he struggled to speak.
"...Ying..."
"What? Junior Brother Han, what are you trying to say?!"
Wei Kai leaned in close, frantically watching Shuangjian's blood-stained lips.
"...Ying...shi..."
"Yingshi?" Wei Kai turned pale with shock. "At a time like this, you're still thinking about Junior Sister Xu?!"
It was a matter of life and death; how could he still be caught up in romantic affairs!
He was completely at a loss. Suddenly, he remembered that Yingshi had just come over looking for Junior Brother Han. How could it be that in such a short span of time, one of them had disappeared while the other was left in such a state?!
"Could it be that Junior Sister Xu did this to you?!" Wei Kai shuddered, then muttered while shaking his head, "Impossible! Junior Sister isn't that vicious!"
"No, this gentleman was standing perfectly fine earlier. He was knocked into by a reckless young boy, and that bump left him looking like this!" a helpful bystander in the crowd chimed in.
"Also, brother, is it possible that your junior brother is asking you to fetch this girl named Yingshi?" another well-meaning onlooker, unable to watch the misunderstanding continue, pointed out. "He wants to see her!"
"...Is that what he meant?"
