#14: Jiang Yan

Shi Luoyi recognized Jiang Yan.

However, the gentle and smiling Jiang Yan before her was completely different from the one in her memory.

Between her and Jiang Yan, there had been a conflict. About thirty years ago, Master Shi Huan held his two-thousandth birthday celebration on Buye Mountain.

For the Dao Lord’s birthday, powerful figures from all sects came to offer their congratulations—except for Chuan Yun Sect, which sent their Young Sect Leader, Jiang Yan.

At that time, though Shi Luoyi already had the appearance of a young girl, she was still underage. Jiang Yan, also a youth, appeared refined and jade-like, carrying himself with maturity beyond his years.

On Buye Immortal Mountain, there were no children of Shi Luoyi’s age, and Wei Changyuan was often practicing swordsmanship on Mingyou Mountain, leaving Shi Luoyi without playmates. Jiang Yan, with his handsome face, gentle manners, and witty speech, became her companion. Having studied at Penglai in his youth and later traveled the world with his senior brother, he was well-versed and worldly.

He told her stories, made kites for her, and even secretly took her down the mountain to see the lantern festival in the mortal world.

Her father had sheltered her so much that Shi Luoyi was delighted to find a friend other than Huixiang.

Later, Jiang Yan said he would take her to a fun place. Still wearing his gentle smile, he suddenly pushed Shi Luoyi into the Demon Abyss.

That memory was one of the most terrifying moments of her childhood.

After falling into the Demon Abyss, Shi Luoyi fled desperately, summoning her Divine Meteor Blade and fighting to survive. She encountered countless horrifying demons—some wanted to devour her body, others coveted her soul. Though she fought continuously, she was young and her cultivation was low. In the end, a foul-smelling demon flower swallowed her whole.

Trapped within the petals, bound by filaments, and injected with venom, Shi Luoyi could not move. It would not be long before she became fertilizer for the flower.

Dao Lord Shi Huan descended alone into the Demon Abyss, slaughtering thousands of demons single-handedly until he found his daughter and brought her home.

Shi Luoyi spent a long time recovering from her injuries.

Later, Dao Lord Shi Huan asked her, “Chuan Yun Sect has sent Jiang Yan to apologize to you. Do you want to see him?”

Of course, she wanted to see him. She wanted to know why a friend who had been so kind to her would unhesitatingly push her into the Demon Abyss.

Shi Luoyi saw Jiang Yan kneeling in the main hall.

The youth was covered in blood, his clothes tattered, not a single patch of unscathed flesh left. Clearly, Chuan Yun Sect, fearing the wrath of the Dao Lord, had tortured him mercilessly before sending him over as a gesture of goodwill.

Shi Luoyi’s pale face hardened as she demanded, “Why?”

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, yet he still smiled gently. “Little Luoyi, it’s been a while. Why? There’s no reason—it was an accident.”

Such a blatant lie was unbelievable. Shi Luoyi even sensed that his so-called “accident” carried a hint of regret for failing to kill her.

The elder from Chuan Yun Sect accompanying Jiang Yan, seeing his defiant attitude, quickly forced his head down, demanding that he apologize to Shi Luoyi.

One forced kowtow after another echoed through the hall, but Jiang Yan remained silent, his eyes filled with faint resentment and mockery. Even Dao Lord Shi Huan couldn’t bear to watch anymore, frowning and interrupting, “Enough. Take him back and discipline him properly. Don’t frighten Luoyi.”

Before leaving, Jiang Yan, his face and hair soaked in blood, suddenly looked at Shi Luoyi and gave a cryptic, low laugh.

“The next time I see you, I’ll bring the kite I made for you.”

What kite?! Was he insane?!

Betrayed by her closest friend, Shi Luoyi fell into melancholy for days. Later, she learned why Jiang Yan had turned against her. The Dao Lord explained: Jiang Yan’s father had long ago fallen deeply in love with Princess Wanxun of Nanyue. However, the Jiang family was only a minor sect, and after the princess married the Dao Lord, Jiang’s father was forced to marry Jiang Yan’s mother.

Jiang Yan’s mother was arrogant, domineering, and ruthless. Obsessed with her husband, she harbored hatred and jealousy toward the princess.

Jiang Yan was conceived after she drugged her husband. The more her husband despised her, the more she tormented Jiang Yan, who bore a striking resemblance to his father.

Before the age of fifteen, Jiang Yan lived a miserable life in Chuan Yun Sect, never experiencing a single day of happiness.

His mother was nearly mad, and his father ignored him. As the Young Sect Leader, Jiang Yan grew up relying on the pity and handouts of his fellow disciples.

His father’s unyielding obsession and his mother’s deranged abuse… his hatred grew day by day. From his mother’s resentful words, he came to blame Princess Wanxun for his wretched existence.

A few days ago, Jiang Yan’s mother passed away. Acting as if nothing had happened, he brought his subordinates to celebrate Dao Lord Shi Huan’s birthday, leading to the tragedy of Shi Luoyi being pushed into the Demon Abyss.

Perhaps after enduring years of suffering, he finally gained the ability to seek revenge, only to discover that the princess of Nanyue was already dead. With no one left to hate, he redirected his vengeance onto the princess’s youngest daughter.

Upon learning this past, even the Dao Lord sighed, feeling both pity and disdain for the boy. He asked Luoyi how she wished to deal with Jiang Yan.

“Chuan Yun Sect has already punished him with whipping, beating, and…” After a pause, the Dao Lord added, “…and flaying.”

Though still young, Jiang Yan’s once flawless skin would never fully recover.

Shi Luoyi felt a pang of discomfort, unsure whether it was for Jiang Yan or herself. Pulling the blanket over her head, she mumbled after a long silence, “Since he has already been punished and I’m fine, let it be. Father, I never want to see Jiang Yan again.”

He had been her first friend, and his betrayal left her heartbroken and angry. She pitied him but despised his misplaced hatred, cruelty, and irrationality.

The Dao Lord patted her head in comfort. Though kind-hearted and merciful, he had no intention of killing Jiang Yan after uncovering the truth.

But from that day on, no disciple of Chuan Yun Sect was ever allowed to set foot on Buye Immortal Mountain again, and Shi Luoyi never saw Jiang Yan again.

Now, staring at Jiang Yan before her, Shi Luoyi felt a chill run down her spine.

He smiled softly. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

The man before her had clear and gentle eyes. His ink-black hair was half-tied, and he wore a gray-blue robe akin to those worn by mortal scholars. Jiang Yan held an oiled-paper umbrella, shielding Shi Luoyi as he extended a hand to help her up from the ground.

When their skin touched, Shi Luoyi felt an icy, sticky sensation. Suppressing her discomfort, she asked, “Where am I?”

If her memory served her right, after being subjected to the flaying punishment, Jiang Yan’s face should have been scarred, making it impossible for him to appear so intact.

The Jiang Yan before her now was already an Untransformed Toad.

The reason they were called “Untransformed Toads” was that they would not easily take on the cold, grotesque form of a toad unless their grudge was resolved or they were killed.

They retained their memories from life and could even use the cultivation techniques they had mastered in their previous existence, living just like ordinary people—until they no longer wished to disguise themselves.

An Untransformed Toad in human form was far easier to deal with than its true form. Shi Luoyi knew this well, so she didn’t rush to force him to reveal his true shape.

In her past life, the person who appeared before her wasn’t Jiang Yan but Wei Changyuan. At the time, Shi Luoyi, confused, truly believed it was her ever-caring Senior Brother Changyuan, nearly marrying him.

Later, during a fight, “Wei Changyuan” transformed into an Untransformed Toad, but he never used Jiang Yan’s face. Shi Luoyi had a suspicion—perhaps the “Wei Changyuan” from her past life was also this Jiang Yan in disguise.

She remembered that Jiang Yan was supposedly the “leader” of the Untransformed Toads.

Hearing her ask where she was, Jiang Yan smiled and said, “Are you still mad at me? At noon, I only exchanged a few words with Zhu’er, and you ran off in anger. You little jealous bundle, you don’t know how to embroider your wedding dress, so I asked Zhu’er to do it for you. She just delivered it today. Come back with me, and let’s try on the wedding dress, alright?”

The more Shi Luoyi looked at Jiang Yan, the more disheartened she became. Perhaps the rumor that she brought misfortune upon herself was true—she really was this unlucky.

Of all the Untransformed Toads, she had to encounter the strongest one. In her past life, he disguised himself as Senior Brother Changyuan to deceive her, and in this life, he wouldn’t spare her even by using his own face.

To kill an Untransformed Toad, one had to find its weak point and sever its head. Otherwise, any other injury would be superficial, and it could recover effortlessly. Shi Luoyi knew Jiang Yan’s head was hidden somewhere in the house. Though it was dangerous, if she faced the danger here, Han Shu would be safe elsewhere. With no other choice, she followed Jiang Yan.

“Tonight is the wedding?”

“Of course,” he said with a smile. “I won’t allow you to back out.”

“…” Shi Luoyi’s expression remained wooden. Fine. No matter how things turned, she still had to go through this. If events unfolded as she expected, next would come the fitting of the wedding dress. Then, before consummation, Jiang Yan would accidentally touch her pulse, discover she was no longer a maiden, and begin to lose control…

Having gone through this twice, she was more experienced now. The sooner she completed the process, the sooner she could go save Elder Han Shu.

Though Shi Luoyi still couldn’t understand why, after becoming an Untransformed Toad, Jiang Yan’s final obsession was to marry her. According to his twisted logic, shouldn’t he have killed her instead?

Then again, perhaps Jiang Yan intended to disgust her, terrify her, and torment her to death. That made sense.

What kind of grudge could drive him to such cruelty?!

After the blinding flash of light, Bian Lingyu opened his eyes to find himself in an apricot grove.

The Untransformed Toads nurtured by the Dragon Vein grew rapidly. Even the mirage they created was so vivid, as if mocking his former naivety.

He looked down at himself and could vaguely feel the blood and shattered bones hidden beneath his clothes.

It was the exact same scene as three years ago, down to the patterns on his clothing. After recovering from his injuries and regaining the ability to walk, he had gone to Mingyou Mountain to find her.

Bian Lingyu had dressed in his finest attire, concealing his broken body. At the time, he had nothing—not even the source of his life and strength. But ignorance bred fearlessness, and he hadn’t understood much then.

He stayed in the apricot grove where Shi Luoyi practiced her blade techniques for seven full days. His body was weaker than that of an ordinary mortal, and it was only thanks to Bian Qingxuan’s help that he managed to sneak into Mingyou Mountain.

He knew this might be his last chance, and fearing he would miss her, he hadn’t taken a single step away. By the end, his clothes were dirty, bone spikes uncontrollably protruded from his sleeves, and his appearance became monstrous—a wretched being neither human nor ghost.

Finally, he saw her. Unaware of how repulsive he looked, he wanted to approach her and speak.

But the young girl lifted her skirt and ran toward another youth.

Her beauty was radiant, like a flower floating gently to the ground, landing in Wei Changyuan’s arms.

“Senior Brother Changyuan,” her voice chimed like a bell as she complained, “I’ve waited for you for so long!”

The young man sighed helplessly, pulling her aside and gently asking about her recent studies. Though his tone was slightly stern, reprimanding her for being playful and not working hard enough, Bian Lingyu could easily hear the care and affection in Wei Changyuan’s voice through the rows of apricot trees.

That noble-born youth meticulously planned the future of his young fiancée. Even though Shi Luoyi’s father was in deep slumber, his life uncertain, and her status no longer lofty, he still thought of their Daoist union ceremony.

They sat together, eating small snacks Wei Changyuan had brought from the mortal world, exchanging innocent, childlike conversations.

Bian Lingyu watched them coldly for a while. After a long pause, he curled up under a tree, unable to tell whether his aching bones or his bewildered heart caused him more pain.

He vaguely realized he should leave, but after seven days and nights of waiting, his barely recovered body collapsed entirely. He found it difficult even to stand, and his face throbbed painfully. Raising his hand, he touched the hard scales that had formed.

As evening approached, a light rain began to fall. Wei Changyuan returned to his sect to report, and after practicing her blade techniques for a while, Shi Luoyi discovered him hiding under the tree.

She softly exclaimed, “Eh?” Her crimson blade pointed at him, her voice firm: “How could there be a monster in Buye Mountain?”

Bian Lingyu clenched his teeth, retreating further as he lowered his head to hide his face.

His frail body was riddled with silver-white bone spikes that had torn through his clothes, leaving him grotesque and trembling. His once-neat attire was now filthy, unrecognizable from seven days prior.

The blood-red blade, due to his retreat, slashed across his shoulder, spreading a sweet, metallic scent of blood through the air.

The young girl sniffed, puzzled, and lowered her voice as she sheathed her blade: “It’s not demonic energy. Are you not a demon?”

Seeing him remain silent, his body trembling slightly, she squatted down, assuming he was a newly transformed spirit. A look of guilt crossed her face as she gently coaxed him: “Could you be a spirit born from the apricot grove, like Huixiang? I’m so sorry for injuring you. Don’t be afraid—I’m not a bad person. Let me treat your wounds first. Where is your home? I’ll take you back, alright?”

Bian Lingyu closed his eyes, his hoarse voice barely audible: “Don’t come closer. Leave.”

His last shred of dignity compelled him to raise his bone spikes, forcefully driving her away.

After Shi Luoyi finally walked away, he braced himself, his fingers digging deeply into the mud.

The rain grew heavier, and Bian Qingxuan found him, holding an umbrella.

The young girl chuckled softly, her voice tender: “Brother, you’re so pitiful. Did you confess your feelings to her? Oh, I forgot to tell you—Little Peacock has someone she loves. Did you see enough while you were here? Are you jealous? You probably don’t even know what jealousy feels like—it’s the pain you felt just now.”

She whispered seductively: “Since you’re destined never to have her in this life, why not steel your heart and kill her? Hmm? Otherwise, you’ll spend your entire life drowning in that agony.”

Now, Bian Lingyu watched the events unfold again with cold clarity.

The apricot grove, himself on the verge of becoming a “monster.” If he wasn’t mistaken, soon a young girl would appear in the depths of the grove.

This time, there would be no Wei Changyuan. Shi Luoyi was destined to approach him. The most gentle and beguiling way for an Untransformed Toad to reproduce was to transform into the image of its beloved, lay eggs inside them, and turn them into another Untransformed Toad.

Only when they lacked a beloved or were seen through would they reveal their true, hideous forms.

Sure enough, not long after, the young girl lifted her skirt and walked toward him.

She looked up, smiling at him: “Have you been waiting for me here all along?”

Bone spikes tore off her head, and Bian Lingyu sneered. From his sleeve, bone spikes shot out.

Did they think he was still the clueless Bian Lingyu from before? He was perfectly lucid, knowing she would never come to him in this life—never.

On the ground lay a grotesque toad, dead with its eyes wide open.

Bian Lingyu stepped over its husk, hating how it had glimpsed his past. Thinking of what Shi Luoyi might be doing with her Senior Brother Changyuan at this moment, his heart burned with anger and annoyance.