Chapter Seven: Outward Compliance

Ning Qingqing forced herself into the water. The moment her skin touched the icy river, it transformed—translucent, iridescent scales appeared, shimmering with flashes of color beneath the surface. As she fully submerged, the distinctive traits of her merfolk lineage manifested: she could breathe freely underwater, unlike ordinary people.

The current seemed almost sentient; as it approached her, it veered aside, the once-turbulent river suddenly gentler. The gaze from the shore lingered unbroken, compelling Ning Qingqing to steel herself and swim toward Xie Yingying.

Being a merfolk descendant gave her an innate affinity for water; the traits of her kind allowed her to move with ease, as if she were at home in the river. Merfolk were born of water, and such natural gifts made her rescue effortless. She had hesitated to enter the river, not out of inability, but because she wished to conceal her true nature from Bai Shengyun—and because she had no desire to save Xie Yingying, who was on the verge of drowning.

Now, Xie Yingying, having swallowed several mouthfuls of river water, endured the sting in her eyes and watched Ning Qingqing draw nearer, holding her breath stubbornly.

“Heartless scoundrel,” she fumed inwardly, “casting me aside without a second thought, all that for a handsome face.” Even as she hovered on the brink of drowning, she could not resist cursing Bai Shengyun in her mind, though she only dared do so because he could not hear her. With his vindictive and unpredictable temperament, she shuddered to think how he might torment her if he knew.

Reluctantly, Ning Qingqing dragged Xie Yingying to shore. As soon as her feet touched land, the merfolk traits receded, leaving her as she had been before—save for her clothes, now soaked through.

“Useless woman, can’t even swim and only holds everyone back,” Ning Qingqing muttered in vexation.

Xie Yingying coughed violently, finally expelling all the water from her lungs, her breathing easing. With a forced, mischievous smile, she retorted, “Yes, I’m useless, unlike Fairy Ning, blessed with merfolk blood, gliding through water with ease.”

Ning Qingqing’s brows arched in anger. “You—someone like you ought to be drowned, to save the world from your troublemaking ways!”

But this time, Xie Yingying made no effort to bicker. Instead, a flicker of sympathy surfaced. Ning Qingqing, as a merfolk descendant, possessed a beauty tinged with an aura of delicate vulnerability, enhanced by her aquatic heritage. Had she encountered another man, he might have showered her with affection and treasures. Unfortunately, she had fallen for Bai Shengyun—a man as heartless as he was ruthless—who threatened her, treated her as a mere tool, and left her powerless to resist.

So it was: the falling flower yearned for love, while the flowing water was indifferent. Ning Qingqing’s devotion was met only with coldness, not even a word of concern after all this time.

Xie Yingying wondered whether she should pity Ning Qingqing for her plight, or for her unrequited love—a deep, one-sided longing that yielded only bitterness.

Bai Shengyun eyed Xie Yingying, dripping wet and bedraggled, and sneered, “So this is the famed beauty of the Demonic Sect—the one skilled at beguiling hearts. Yet you nearly lost your life in a trivial river crossing, unable to swim to save yourself.”

At his words, Xie Yingying rolled her eyes and silently began to tidy her clothes. Her garments, already thin and light, offered scant coverage; no matter how she adjusted them, she appeared all the more disheveled. Waterweed clung to her hair in tangled strands, adding to her wretched appearance, a far cry from her usual flamboyant self.

“What a waste of cultivation,” Bai Shengyun continued. “In the end, you still had to rely on others to save you.”

While his words prattled on, Xie Yingying kept rolling her eyes, cursing him inwardly. When she did not respond for a long while, Bai Shengyun grew bored. “Did the river wash your wits away? Can’t even muster a reply now?”

His sarcasm was nothing new. Normally, Xie Yingying would have snapped back, arguing tirelessly. But now, she simply kept her head down, fussing with her clothes in silence—a rarity.

At last, she brushed off her skirt, found a stone by the bank, and sat with a huff. “You’re right, Immortal Bai, I’m useless. Fall in the river and all I can do is wait for someone else to fish me out. Sorry for holding everyone back.”

“At least you know your own shortcomings,” Bai Shengyun snorted, feeling as if his words had struck nothing but air, leaving him powerless.

“If I didn’t, how could I have survived this long?” Xie Yingying shot back, unruffled. So long as she was thick-skinned enough, Bai Shengyun could talk until his tongue bled, but he would not shake her composure.

He looked her over, his gaze darkening at her sorry state. “Slovenly.”

Xie Yingying just grinned. “What can I do? That river was foul—couldn’t even wash the filth off me.”

She rolled her eyes inwardly. Bai Shengyun was quick to find fault with others, never thinking to reflect on himself. With all his glaring flaws, he still had the gall to nitpick.

He could only be so overbearing because of his superior cultivation and status. It was a pity about Ning Qingqing—a fine young woman, blinded by her feelings, ensnared by a cold, unfeeling man who would turn his back on her without hesitation. To think of her fate was to feel only sorrow.

Bai Shengyun gave Xie Yingying a long, inscrutable look, tinged with disdain. “Sharp-tongued as ever. Seems the river didn’t just wash away your wits—it made you a fool. You weren’t particularly clever to begin with; now you’re worse than an idiot.”

Still beaming, Xie Yingying replied, “You’re right. I must be a fool—standing by the river, fetching water, only to end up in the river myself. Best you keep your distance, lest my stupidity rub off on you.”

Her carefree demeanor truly made her seem simple-minded, unable to distinguish between mockery and concern. In truth, she was quietly scheming—waiting for a chance to slip away. She could not continue under Bai Shengyun’s threats, following him to some den of wolves and tigers. After all she had endured to survive, it would be a cruel waste to let her life end so pointlessly.