The End of the Dream
Dream.
Xu Shulou stepped out of Bai Roushuang’s courtyard, treading over a ground stained with blood. Someone was waiting for her outside, and upon seeing her, they smiled faintly. "Done?"
"Mm."
The one waiting for her was Shen Zhuang. "You were right. People like us—why should we abide by the order of the mundane world? Those rules are made for the mediocre."
Xu Shulou smiled sweetly. "I merely thought someone like Master Shen shouldn’t be beneath Lu Beichen. What right does he have to command you?"
Shen Zhuang gazed at the sea of crimson, then crushed a heart he had dug out from someone’s chest with his bare hands, laughing in delight. He wiped the bits of flesh from his shoes on the clothes of a corpse lying nearby.
"By the way, there’s someone in that courtyard—Su Lian'er, was it? She’s carrying Lu Beichen’s child."
"What a pity," Xu Shulou sighed softly. "She could have been spared."
Shen Zhuang grinned. "I admire your ruthlessness."
"Because we’re the same kind of people." Xu Shulou toyed with Bai Roushuang’s golden core, wiping away the blood with a delicate handkerchief.
Shen Zhuang glanced at her. "Even with the spiritual energy from the golden core, your meridians won’t hold. They’ll wither and fail."
"I know," Xu Shulou replied with a smile. "Just remember to collect more golden cores for me."
Shen Zhuang didn’t press further, nodding instead. "Fine. Oh, I’ve also released the rest of the beastmen under my command to continue the slaughter in the city."
"The mortal world will suffer," Xu Shulou murmured. "And the barrier at the Ten Thousand Insect Abyss—have you sent someone to tamper with it?"
"Of course. We searched for so long to find a usable secret realm. The barrier was already on the verge of collapse—we’d be fools not to take advantage."
Xu Shulou nodded. "Also, I’ve invited Qi Wutong here under Bai Roushuang’s name. I wonder if she’ll come."
"Don’t worry. If she does, I won’t let her leave."
———
A storm was brewing.
Xu Shulou stood atop the highest pavilion in the Lingxiao Sect, holding an umbrella adorned with plum blossoms in the snow, as if she were merely a spectator enjoying the scenery.
Snowflakes drifted from the sky, and she shivered slightly, pulling her robes tighter.
Behind her, Lu Beichen’s voice rang out, filled with disbelief. "It was you?"
Xu Shulou turned, her smile soft and lovely. "Husband? You’re back?"
Lu Beichen’s fury faltered for a moment, almost making him doubt his accusation. "You… Was it you?"
Xu Shulou couldn’t help but laugh. "Only after Bai Roushuang died did you start suspecting me? Lu Beichen, oh Lu Beichen, you’re not half as clever as you think."
The sudden shift in her demeanor—from meek and submissive to sharp and mocking—struck Lu Beichen like a thunderbolt. He stumbled back, drawing his sword. "You—it was you! Why? You jealous witch! I’ll make you pay for Rou’er’s life!"
Even now, he still believed Xu Shulou had acted out of jealousy over Bai Roushuang’s favor.
Xu Shulou’s smile turned sardonic. "To think I wasted my time on someone like you—what a shame."
Lu Beichen pointed his sword at her. "What are you talking about? Speak clearly!"
"What am I talking about?" Xu Shulou met his gaze and called out, "Senior Brother Lu. Senior Brother Lu, do you remember how many years it’s been since we first met?"
The title "Senior Brother Lu" made him freeze. How long had it been since she last addressed him like that? He tightened his grip on the sword. "Don’t think this will make me spare you. What does it matter how long we’ve known each other?"
"Do you remember, years ago, there was a time when you avoided me, refused to speak to me?" Xu Shulou’s voice was gentle, as if whispering sweet nothings. "That was when you found out I was under a love curse, wasn’t it?"
"…" Lu Beichen’s eyes widened.
"Back then, you were still decent. You stayed away to avoid influencing me," Xu Shulou observed his expression. "Senior Brother Lu, how… how did you end up like this?"
Lu Beichen was speechless. "I… I…"
Those days were too distant now. He could still recall the guilt he had felt back then. But later… what had happened? All he remembered was the growing number of women around him, and how he had grown increasingly self-righteous, convincing himself that even without the curse, Xu Shulou would have loved him as his betrothed. Over time, she had become nothing more than dirt beneath his feet—someone to summon or dismiss at will. He had long forgotten about the curse.
Now, faced with Xu Shulou’s words, a pang of guilt—long buried—resurfaced.
The Xu Shulou before him no longer fawned or flattered. She stood by the window, her back straight, the timid demeanor gone. For the first time in years, he saw a glimpse of the proud disciple of Bright Moon Peak, long lost to time.
"Xu… Junior Sister, I… you…" Lu Beichen stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Sect Leader Lu, whatever the reason, there’s no turning back for you now," Xu Shulou didn’t wait for his answer, merely sighed at his expression. "Just as there isn’t for me."
"…" For a fleeting moment, Lu Beichen felt an inexplicable sorrow.
Xu Shulou didn’t dwell on the past. Instead, she remarked, "You truly cared for Bai Roushuang, didn’t you? Hearing of her death must have shaken you so much that you rushed back without even handling the beastmen’s rampage properly."
"…" At the mention of Bai Roushuang, Lu Beichen stiffened, snapping back to reality. "Rou’er…"
Xu Shulou continued, "Fortunately, you won’t need to deal with it anymore. Someone has already informed the Royal Family of the Xiao Kingdom that you’ve been allowing your subordinates to experiment with human-beast hybrids all these years. The beastmen slaughtering the city—they’re your doing."
Lu Beichen laughed in fury. "Why would they believe you?"
Xu Shulou feigned surprise. "But it’s the truth. Why wouldn’t they?"
"You—!"
"Don’t forget—the caves beneath Lingxiao Sect’s Silent Spirit Valley are filled with evidence," Xu Shulou smiled. "And the Royal Family of the Xiao Kingdom may lack cultivators, but they have money. A lot of it. Enough to tempt anyone."
"What are you trying to say?!"
Xu Shulou listened to the distant clang of weapons and pointed into the distance. "This. They’ve come for you."
"…" Lu Beichen heard it too—the sounds of battle. He rushed to the window, his words forgotten.
Xu Shulou added softly, "Oh, and among them are members of the Black Tortoise Tower. You shouldn’t be too surprised—after all, you killed their leader."
"You bitch!" Lu Beichen grabbed her by the throat in a fit of rage.
Xu Shulou struggled to speak. "But there’s good news. Feng Jiuyou will believe Qi Wutong died in this attack orchestrated by the Royal Family of the Xiao Kingdom. So you needn’t worry about them escaping unscathed."
Lu Beichen was both shocked and furious, his confusion evident: "What does Feng Jiuyou and Qi Wutong have to do with this?"
"Qi Wutong is dead. She died in a particularly noisy manner," Xu Shulou replied with a look of disgust. "But one of her maids, a mere mortal, faced death with remarkable calm. So I granted her a swift end."
"You dare kill Qi Wutong? Do you think Feng Jiuyou will let you live?"
"Who knows? Once the fighting dies down, I’ll mix Qi Wutong’s corpse among the fallen," Xu Shulou tapped her temple lightly. "Feng Jiuyou has never been the brightest, but his love for Qi Wutong was genuine—to the death, no less. By the way, do you think phoenix flames could reduce an entire mortal capital to ashes?"
Realizing she intended to frame Feng Jiuyou, Lu Beichen paled. He abandoned his intent to kill her and turned to leave, desperate to intervene—only to be blocked by a sword.
The blade was pitch-black, cold and sinister, wreathed in swirling dark mist. Strange sounds emanated from within, like tormented souls wailing. Its mere presence was enough to unsettle the mind.
Lu Beichen’s gaze sharpened. "I’ve never seen this sword of yours. It seems you’ve hidden far more than I realized."
"It’s a blade forged from resentment," Xu Shulou recalled the black sword, stroking it almost tenderly. "I don’t know why it chose me."
Old habits died hard. Lu Beichen still instinctively underestimated her. "You think you can kill me?"
Xu Shulou smiled. With a sharp whistle, she flung her "Proud Snow and Plum Blossom Umbrella" into the air. A woman answered the call, her slender sword dripping with blood—perhaps from slaying Lu Beichen’s two attendants. Catching the umbrella midair, she wielded it as a weapon and lunged at Lu Beichen with lethal intent.
"Proud Snow and Plum Blossom Umbrella? That’s Yu Qishuang!" Lu Beichen, recognizing the artifact, barely managed to parry the attack. "How did you get her to help you?"
"Tricked it out of Shen Zhuang’s senior brother. Quite useful, isn’t it?" Xu Shulou admired Yu Qishuang’s lifeless expression. "Lu Beichen, you won’t leave here alive today."
"Even if you kill me, what then? You’re too weak to lead the Lingxiao Sect. Will you hand power to Shen Zhuang?" Lu Beichen sneered. "Do you think he’d be any better than me?"
"What does that matter to me?" Xu Shulou stood by the window, watching the chaos unfold within the Lingxiao Sect—white snow stained crimson with blood. Her expression was serene as she hummed a soft tune to the sounds of slaughter.
"You bitch!" Lu Beichen spat. "I should’ve killed you long ago!"
Xu Shulou nodded, as if agreeing. "I often think my life should’ve ended the day my kingdom fell. Everything since has been nothing but suffering."
She raised her sword and joined the fray. Lu Beichen had talent in cultivation, but his luck had made him complacent. Years of indulging in power and pleasure had dulled his edge. Though both were at the Tribulation Transcendence stage, he was no match for Yu Qishuang. With Xu Shulou’s added interference—her attacks precise, targeting his weaknesses—he found himself overwhelmed. His cries for help went unanswered; his subordinates were too busy fighting.
Lu Beichen, forced into retreat, sought an opening to escape. But suddenly, his spiritual energy drained rapidly, as if a sack of rice had been slit open.
Horrified, he accused, "You poisoned me? The calming tonic?"
Xu Shulou shook her head. "Remember when you were drugged by Lady Wu? She wanted to seduce you, but I took her place. That’s why you married me. Back then, I used myself as the catalyst to plant a toxin in you. The tonic was to suppress it—so you wouldn’t notice too soon."
Lu Beichen gritted his teeth. "You’ve been scheming since before our marriage!"
"You’re not half as clever as you think. And you assumed all women adored you—left you wide open." Xu Shulou drove the eerie black sword into him, draining his life force.
"No… no!" Lu Beichen thrashed wildly. He couldn’t bear to lose his power, wealth, fame, the title of "Sect Leader," the thrill of controlling others, the flattery, the sweet whispers of his concubines… He couldn’t die like this.
If only he hadn’t… No. He’d done nothing wrong.
Xu Shulou’s form blurred before his eyes. How could he, heaven’s favored, the leader of Lingxiao Sect, die so ignobly at the hands of someone he’d always despised?
——
The cultivation world was in turmoil, even Dustless Island—known for its neutrality—was dragged into the conflict.
Xu Shulou stepped over the corpses of her fellow disciples, clutching Lu Beichen’s golden core. She suppressed the demonic energy roiling within her. The signs of demonic possession were clear, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
In a quiet chamber atop Bright Moon Peak, Elder Changyu sat behind a desk, fingers tracing invisible calculations. At the sound of footsteps, he looked up. "Shulou."
"Master, do you wish to kill me?"
Changyu shook his head. "This is my fault. I thought I should follow the destiny I foresaw, forgetting that mortals can defy heaven."
"What did you foresee?"
"Long ago, I saw your fate with Lu Beichen. At your wedding, you smiled so brightly," Changyu wiped a trickle of blood from his lips, as if struggling to speak. "I thought that was the end."
"You’re centuries old. How are you still this naive?"
"...My path cannot be entangled with mortal affairs," Changyu admitted. "That’s why I’ve always secluded myself. Other peaks have hundreds of disciples, outer disciples, and servants. Mine has only a handful."
"And yet you couldn’t even protect those few."
"If I interfered, my divinations would fail," Changyu said plainly. "So I remained passive, fearing the unknown. I thought obeying fate would lead to a good ending. But you—you had the courage to defy heaven. I was a coward, letting things I despised unfold. I was wrong. I’m sorry."
"What did you see just now?" Xu Shulou had no patience for his regrets.
"There’s still a sliver of hope."
"Where?"
"Not in this world."
"Are you speaking in riddles?"
"..."
Xu Shulou did not engage in another fight with Elder Changyu. She left Dustless Island, having already pushed her limits by forcibly using Lu Beichen’s golden core to kill several people—her meridians could no longer bear the strain, and now she was at the end of her strength.
Snow began to fall once more from the sky. It seemed this winter had brought an unusual amount of snowfall. Holding her cold plum blossom umbrella, Xu Shulou walked through the mortal world, passing one scorched city after another. The tyrannical nature of the phoenix’s spiritual flames meant even a single spark could ignite an entire city, leaving not even ruins behind—just utter devastation. Feng Jiuyou had done far better than she had imagined. The great cultivators of the cultivation world had been distracted by the collapse of the Ten Thousand Insect Cave’s barrier, preoccupied with the giant insects that had escaped. By the time they heard the news and rushed to stop him, Feng Jiuyou had already burned half of the Xiao Kingdom to ashes.
Xu Shulou silently calculated in her heart: phoenix flames, beastmen slaughtering cities, rampaging giant insects, demonic poisons—how many living cities remained in the mortal world after one calamity after another?
The chaos in the cultivation world continued as well. Though she had been the one to instigate it, the situation had spiraled beyond control… She had heard that Lu Beichen was dead. Some had tried to seize his power, sparking yet another conflict, and then one battle led to another, dragging everyone into the fray. Xu Shulou couldn’t help but laugh. How many fools had joined in to escalate things to this point?
Her laughter turned into a cough, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.
What a pity—she wouldn’t live to see the ending.
As the snow fell heavier and heavier, thick flakes blanketed the scorched earth, burying all traces of the devastation beneath pristine white. It was as if this land had always been nothing but an untouched expanse of wilderness.
Xu Shulou walked through the snow, admiring the beauty of the snowscape. She had always loved a world this clean.
Amidst the snow, a single branch of winter plum blossoms stood untouched. Perhaps because it had grown in the wild, it had escaped the ravages of the fire, and now it bloomed beautifully on its own.
Xu Shulou paused to breathe in the fragrance of the plum blossoms before continuing forward, her umbrella in hand, leaving a trail of footprints behind her in the snow.
A sparrow alighted on the plum branch. Normally, it would have been wary of humans, but it had flown for so long without seeing a single living soul. Its tiny mind couldn’t comprehend what had happened, so it simply tilted its head, watching the woman’s retreating figure.
Then, suddenly, the woman collapsed. The little sparrow startled, tucking its head in and playing dead for a long moment. But when the woman didn’t move, the snow continued to fall, thick and relentless, soon covering her completely. Even her footprints vanished, as if she had never been there at all.
The earth was pure white, flawless in its emptiness.
Only then did the sparrow relax, chirping cheerfully into the silence.
