Chapter 3: The Star-Crossed Lovers
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In a small town twenty miles from Sky Sword City,
inside an inn.
“Li Lang…”
Si Yan gazed at her beloved, who was so close she could almost reach out and touch him. Even now, she felt as if all of this was unreal, like something dreamt up in a wild fantasy.
Since she could remember, she had never seen her parents.
All she knew was that she was a half-demon,
like the other girls from Yihong Courtyard.
If they accidentally drank a cup of realgar wine during the Dragon Boat Festival, a fluffy tail would sprout from their tailbone in an instant.
Thus, they were trained from a young age,
to keep their secrets guarded at all costs.
But this was just the beginning of her tragic fate…
In this day and age, to become a sought-after courtesan, being pretty was just the first hurdle.
You needed to master the skills of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, flowers, and tea, to meet the spiritual needs and show-off desires of the upper crust.
If you were only good at physical pleasures, you’d drop straight to the bottom of the heap.
It was the interesting souls that truly kept the guests coming back for more.
So, from the age of five to fifteen, the girls underwent the harshest training,
where physical punishment was a daily occurrence.
If you wanted to eat and sleep comfortably, you had to sweat bl**d and toil to complete every chore assigned by your instructors,
all for the sake of becoming the kind of woman men longed for.
Fortunately, Si Yan had graduated.
Among the half-demons who trained alongside her, only one in ten made it through.
After starting to see clients, playing coy became second nature.
Many had professed their love to her,
but Si Yan knew that these courtesans were mere pieces on an organization’s chessboard.
If she ever let her heart sway, it would mean curtains for her.
And thus far, no one had truly caught her eye.
Most men, while they might pretend to be honorable and wise, were all about the greed once they got close to her, practically drooling with desire.
Until one day, she met Li Xiaocong.
That Li Gongzi was indeed different.
Having seen so many men, she confidently told herself she wouldn’t be fooled.
During their first encounter, they casually chatted about poetry.
But poor Li Xiaocong turned beet red and stammered like a flustered turkey, mumbling nonsense in response to her lines.
For the sake of coin, Si Yan patiently feigned interest.
Just a few days later, Li Xiaocong returned.
To Si Yan’s surprise, this time his poetic skills seemed to have improved somewhat.
Though still far from her level, he was at least able to hold a conversation.
And so, they gradually got to know each other.
For the first time, Si Yan felt a man genuinely striving to get closer to her, working hard and making efforts.
Other men would just flirt lip service,
but when they showed up again, they were the same as ever. If Si Yan wasn’t in the mood,
they’d be the first to whine, “I paid good money, what’s with your attitude?”
Sorry,
her status as the second-best courtesan at Yihong Courtyard, after Ru Yu, wasn’t just based on looks or talent; it was also her skills that matched Ru Yu’s.
If it weren’t for Ru Yu being favored by the higher-ups and becoming the true controller of Yihong Courtyard, Si Yan believed she had every bit of what was needed to be just as good.
Sometimes, a woman doesn’t fear a man being underqualified,
she fears him not putting in the effort, just sitting around doing nothing.
Plus, Li Xiaocong was genuinely kind to her,
the kind of gentleman who would treat her like a precious gem.
She had never encountered such sincerity before.
So, when Lin Nan suddenly asked her if she wanted to leave Yihong Courtyard with Li Xiaocong,
her mind buzzed; it felt like a pot boiling over, nearly causing her to lose her balance.
The education she had received made it clear:
from her hair to her toes, she belonged entirely to the organization,
and betrayal was absolutely forbidden.
She had wrestled with the idea of how to face Li Xiaocong in the future.
What she hadn’t anticipated was that Lin Nan would actually hold a token, offering her a chance to follow her true love out of Yihong Courtyard.
How could she not tremble? How could she remain calm?
Looking into Li Xiaocong’s eager eyes, she finally mustered all the courage she had stored up since birth and shouted, “I am willing!”
She finally achieved her heart’s desire.
Li Xiaocong was overjoyed to the point of tears.
The moment they left Yihong Courtyard, Si Yan’s heart soared with joy.
But knowing the inner workings of the organization,
she realized that Ru Yu would certainly not let her off easily.
“Si Yan, don’t let this little town fool you; nearby is a Wan Hua Valley where flowers bloom year-round. I’ve always wanted to take you to see the flowers covering the hills,
you’ll love it there.”
Li Xiaocong was utterly smitten.
Though she was just an NPC, and he could only hold her hands,
her elegance and innate charm had made him forget all the women from the real world.
He wanted nothing more than to walk alongside her forever.
Si Yan understood that leaving the main city wasn’t smart at this moment,
but when she saw his pure, earnest desire, her heart softened.
Ah, what the heck.
She thought to herself, if they went to the little town, at most she would accompany him for one more night.
The next day, she would discreetly leave, find a remote place, and wait for the organization’s retaliation.
If she somehow survived, she would rekindle her romance with him.
If she died, it would still be better than dragging him down with her to the underworld.
“Si Yan, let’s set our next destination in Thousand Bird City. I’ve already inquired about the land prices there.
You can rent a courtyard on Floating City for a whole year with just 100,000 Spirit Coins! From Floating City, you can overlook the world; it’s like being a celestial being.
We could watch the sunrise and sunset together every day,
until the end of time.”
Li Xiaocong’s eyes were filled with dreams of the future,
and Si Yan leaned into his embrace, softly responding, “I’ll follow your lead.”
The two were lost in the warmth of their little world.
If only this moment could last forever.
Unfortunately, good times never last long,
Si Yan suddenly heard faint footsteps from above the roof.
Was it a thief… or…
A chill ran down her spine.
Why did they arrive so quickly?
Though Li Xiaocong was just a casual player, wholly uninterested in the path of cultivation,
in the game, he was quick to react. As Si Yan’s body went rigid, he too heard the rustling sounds from the roof.
Li Xiaocong tried to comfort her,
“Maybe it’s just a couple of inexperienced little thieves. If we stay quiet, they’ll probably just move on.”
Si Yan nodded but was on high alert.
Better safe than sorry; if they dared to make a move against Li Lang, she wouldn’t hold back.
But in the next second,
there was a loud “bang” as the roof suddenly caved in!
A masked man in black descended, brandishing a sword aimed at stunned Li Xiaocong.
Just as Li Xiaocong thought the sword was about to pierce through him,
Si Yan kicked out, connecting squarely with the attacker’s head.
The assailant crashed into the wall, momentarily incapacitated.
Si Yan grabbed the still-dazed Li Xiaocong and hurriedly jumped from the window.
But the moment they landed,
she hadn’t expected the inn to be surrounded by dozens of black-clad figures!
In the moonlight, gleaming weapons reflected a cold, chilling light.
