Chapter 14: Interrupting the Spell

Luo Jiutian couldn’t understand.
Why was it like this?

Su Wan’er wasn’t a cold or heartless person.
On the contrary—she would even throw away her life, just to save him.

They had already reached this point, so why was the Strategy Value still stuck at ninety?

Luo Jiutian racked his brain to no avail. Even on the very last day before the Qingyun Secret Realm closed, that number still hadn’t budged.

Day after day passed, and Su Wan’er continued to cling to Luo Jiutian as before.

Whenever something amusing happened to her, she always wanted to share it with him first.
After finishing cultivation, she would drag him to roadside stalls for food.
Even when she threw little tantrums, before long she would find an excuse to come back, asking if he wanted to go for a walk together.

Luo Jiutian had tested her many times, but he could never see through her thoughts.

He didn’t understand.
He really didn’t.

Until that day.

Su Wan’er said she wanted to see the waterfall nearby, and Luo Jiutian didn’t refuse.

The two of them walked from the foot of the mountain up to the halfway point.
Few people came this way; only birdsong occasionally broke the silence.

Su Wan’er walked in front, sometimes crouching to look at wildflowers, sometimes running a few steps ahead to wait for him.

By the time they reached the water’s edge, the sun had already dipped westward.

To be honest, the waterfall was spectacular—rushing straight down from the cliffs, surging with overwhelming force.

Su Wan’er sat on a rock at the bank, slipped off her shoes, and dipped her feet into the water.
She gazed at the surface, twirling a leaf she had picked up beneath a tree, slowly spinning it between her fingers.

Luo Jiutian stood behind her, only two steps away, his eyes fixed on the waterfall.
The current was not strong. Waves lapped against the rocks at the shore with a steady rhythm.

“Jiutian-ge…”

“Mm?”

“If one day, I’m no longer the Su family’s young miss, or… if I could never cultivate again…”
She smiled faintly, though the tension in her voice was impossible to hide.
“Would you still treat me like you do now?”

When she finished speaking, Su Wan’er gently placed the leaf on the water’s surface and watched as it drifted away with the current.

Luo Jiutian stared at the leaf as it floated farther and farther.
His expression did not change, but his fingertips slowly curled tight.

An indescribable feeling welled up within him, as if waking from a long dream only to find that nothing around him had truly changed.

He walked to Su Wan’er’s side and bent his knees to sit down.
There was just a sliver of space between their shoulders.

The water broke the sunlight into shards of gold, scattering them across their robes.

Only after a long silence did Luo Jiutian speak.

“Do you want to hear a story?”

Su Wan’er blinked and nodded.

“A long, long time ago, an injured little beast came to the back mountain of a certain sect.
It had a foul temper and bit anyone who came near.
Everyone feared it and stayed far away.

Only one servant disciple secretly went to bring it water and fruit every day.”

Luo Jiutian paused, the corners of his lips curving faintly.
“That disciple wasn’t very smart. Even after being bitten a few times, he never avoided it—he just kept going.”

Su Wan’er gave a little “hmph,” lowering her head to the water without commenting.

Luo Jiutian continued.
“Later, the little beast healed. Before it left, it dropped a bare, broken twig at the disciple’s feet.
Others laughed, saying it was just a branch snapped off by the wind.
But the disciple kept that twig on him always, even after becoming an inner disciple—he never threw it away.”

Su Wan’er frowned slightly.
“Why?”

“He said it wasn’t just a twig.
It was proof that someone had once remembered him.”

Su Wan’er murmured softly.
“That sounds… kind of sad.”

Luo Jiutian’s voice was calm.
“There aren’t so many reasons in this world.
Not biting doesn’t mean others will approach you.
Biting doesn’t mean others will stay away.
There will always be someone willing to stop for you, even when you have nothing at all… even if only for a moment.”

Su Wan’er said nothing, her toes lightly stirring the water.
Luo Jiutian fell silent too.

A breeze passed by.
He lifted his hand to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

Su Wan’er asked curiously, “What happened to the beast and the disciple afterward?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

Luo Jiutian gazed into the distance.
“Perhaps for the disciple, the ending was irrelevant from the very start.”

Su Wan’er tilted her head, as if she didn’t quite understand.

Luo Jiutian smiled faintly.
“He gave fruit not for any reward. Simply because… the beast was curled up in the wind, all alone.”

Hearing this, Su Wan’er froze.
She bit her lip, whispering, “…That disciple was pretty stupid.”

Luo Jiutian turned to look at her.
“Stupid?”

Su Wan’er raised her eyes to his, then suddenly leaned over and kissed his cheek.
“But I like that kind of fool.”

She said earnestly, “Thank you, Jiutian-ge.”

Before he could reply, she stood up, slipped on her shoes, dusted off her dress, and hopped away cheerfully.

Luo Jiutian remained seated, quietly watching her back grow smaller in the distance.

The sound of water lingered.
The sun dipped lower in the west.
Golden afterglow fell across his face, yet could not enter those still, fathomless eyes.

At that moment, a glowing virtual screen shimmered in midair, overlapping perfectly with her receding silhouette.

[Strategy Target: Su Wan’er]
[Current Strategy Value: 90]

Luo Jiutian’s face betrayed no emotion.
He only stared at that number for a long time, until it finally faded away…

“Jiutian-ge, what are you thinking about?”

Su Wan’er’s voice pulled Luo Jiutian back from his memories.
He blinked and realized he was still holding a handkerchief against her face.

Somehow, Su Wan’er had already recovered her usual lively demeanor.

“Nothing. Just dazed for a moment.”
Luo Jiutian answered casually and moved to withdraw his hand.

But Su Wan’er was faster—she grabbed his hand tight and fixed her eyes on him.
“Were you thinking about another girl again?”

Luo Jiutian: “…?”

That line felt awfully familiar.

Only this time, something about it was different.

He lowered his gaze at her.
“And which eye of yours saw me thinking about someone else?”

Su Wan’er instantly replied, “Both of them! I saw it with both eyes.”

Her face was serious as she continued.
“Your gaze was drifting.
When your gaze drifts, your heart drifts.
And when your heart drifts, you fly away.”

At her words, the corner of Luo Jiutian’s mouth twitched.
He tried to pull his hand back, but she held on like a vice.

Yes, you saw correctly—late Foundation Stage Luo Jiutian was being overpowered by Su Wan’er like this.

“Let go, Soup-Queen. I’m being wronged here.”

“Not letting go.” Su Wan’er lifted her chin.
“Unless you swear you’ll only ever think of me from now on.”

“That’s called coercion.”

“This is called precaution.”

Su Wan’er raised her head, her eyes curving with mirth.
“Who knows what might happen tomorrow?
Better to tie Jiutian-ge down a little tighter now, than have him vanish when I turn around.”

Her tone was light, almost teasing, but Luo Jiutian could feel that the strength of her grip was firmer than before.

Su Wan’er continued on her own,
“And what if one day you meet a girl more beautiful, stronger, more captivating than me… and then… you forget me?”

“Then what would I do?”

Her lips still curved in a smile, but in Luo Jiutian’s eyes, that smile seemed strangely unfamiliar.

“But it’s fine,” she whispered.
“As long as I keep you here, no one can take you away.
We’ll be together forever… never apart… forever… forever…”

She muttered on and on, her gaze turning more and more unsettling.

And then—

Thunk!

Luo Jiutian raised his hand and tapped her on the head.

Su Wan’er froze, stunned like a crashed puppet.

After a moment, she clutched her head, pouting.
“Jiutian-ge, you hit me!”

Luo Jiutian ignored her coquettish protest.
“Enough. Don’t make trouble. It’s late—get some rest. We’re entering the Qingyun Secret Realm tomorrow.”

“…Oh.”

Su Wan’er answered softly, released his hand, and turned toward the gate.

After a few steps, she suddenly looked back.
“Then Jiutian-ge, you’d better rest early too. No secretly thinking about other girls.”

Luo Jiutian didn’t reply—just waved his hand.

Su Wan’er gave him a smile, then skipped out of the courtyard.

But just as she stepped outside, she bumped into a familiar figure.

“Yunlan-jie?”