I don't talk about love with my Martial Sister

Chapter 99

Pei Chen found it absurd.

His past days could be described as smooth sailing; he came from a well-off family and, due to his high aptitude, was accepted into Tianwaitian, a prestigious sect. He was diligent and patient, quickly rising to prominence within the sect, celebrated as a shining star and a model for his peers.

When he first entered the sect, he wasn't actually a disciple of Nan Shuang but was recorded under another's name along with many other disciples. Nan Shuang was not one to stay put; she spent very few days in the sect throughout the year. Initially, Pei Chen only heard a few whispers about the legendary Frostfall Monarch and had only a vague impression of her without having seen her even once.

If one were to speak of the cause, it was during a grand competition within the sect when Nan Shuang suddenly appeared midway through the contest. She watched for a while from the audience, then pointed at him with a smile and said, "Does this one have a master? I wish to take him as my disciple."

Pei Chen looked over at her, and from that moment on, he could never tear his gaze away.

It was the first time in many years that the Frostfall Monarch had spoken up to take a disciple. Even though it was against protocol, the sect acquiesced. Pei Chen's sudden favoritism from Nan Shuang brought him considerable attention, elevating his status and reputation. Yet none of this affected him; he was busy coping with Nan Shuang's sometimes strict and sometimes whimsical teachings, and his originally orderly life was thrown into chaos. He could never muster the courage to refuse her; he silently endured it all, as if swept along by the tides of her whims.

It had always been like this; he had never had the power to refuse from the very beginning.

Nor did he have that notion.

To this day, Pei Chen couldn't remember when those unmentionable feelings had begun to surface. It was just one day when he suddenly realized that Nan Shuang's presence had become too intense for him. He had struggled against it; he tried to distance himself and return to the life constrained by rules and rituals. His elders praised him for not being arrogant or impetuous, but only he knew, in the solitude of the night, what feelings had truly taken root in his heart.

Young love is the hardest to endure. The more one tries to let go, the tighter the grip. And that person always remained so nonchalant. Pei Chen felt as if he were sinking in quicksand, each day living like he was drinking poison to quench his thirst. The first time he dared to call her "A-Shuang," his voice trembled uncontrollably, yet Nan Shuang remained unfazed, responding in her usual calm manner, like a silent acquiescence.

It seemed they had shared an unspoken understanding during their time together in the strict confines of Tianwaitian. Even without spoken words, Pei Chen believed... he believed this was love.

But now... what was this scene before him?

Through the gaps in the vines, the person he had cherished for so many years, the one he had gone to great lengths to pursue despite his selfish deeds, was right there. She was kissing someone else, completely unconcerned, her gaze focused and gentle, holding only the figure of a flower spirit in her embrace.

What was this? What did it mean?

A demon, merely a demon, why should it... why should it—

Inescapable negative emotions piled up like sludge in his gut, bubbling with murky feelings, soon swelling throughout his body. Before Pei Chen realized it, he had fallen into eternal darkness.

His vision rapidly faded to black, the last image etched in his mind being the profile of Nan Shuang, calm and oblivious, not looking in his direction.

What happened afterward was all a blur to Pei Chen. When he regained consciousness, the sky had darkened. He opened his eyes to a pitch-black canopy, momentarily dazed, only to realize he was lying on the ground. Just as he attempted to sit up, a chill spread across his neck; a sword, sharp as a razor, pressed against him. Even when it sensed he had awakened, it merely shifted slightly, showing no intent to withdraw.