Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 53

Lingxi severed her divine sense and lost consciousness. She had no strength left, like a piece of driftwood swept into a deeper whirlpool by the waves.

Demonic energy coiled around her, lingering persistently.

The bl00d seeping from her palm was carried away by the seawater, attracting a horde of ferocious merfolk drawn by the scent.

They circled the demonic aura, crazed yet hesitant.

They could neither retreat nor advance, guarding their prey closely.

Suddenly, a brilliant golden light approached from the distance. The merfolk, alerted, surrounded it, but in the next instant, an invisible blade pierced the leader.

The bl00d that spilled from its body immediately triggered the frenzy of the others. They no longer saw it as kin but as prey to be devoured.

The golden light continued, piercing through the demonic aura. When it reached the core, a soft glow merely touched Lingxi’s fingertips. From within the light, a hand extended and firmly grasped hers.

“I was late.”

Xie Xisui lowered her gaze to look at her, raising a hand to gently brush over her brow.

If this were before, the person before her would have told her she wasn’t late, called her “Master” in a soft voice, and looked up at her with clear, tea-colored eyes filled with warmth.

But now, there was no response. She lay there silently, unable to feel anything, let alone speak.

Xie Xisui’s fingertips brushed against her brow, dispelling the cold that had seeped into her from the sea, feeling the delicate softness of her skin.

After a long pause, Xie Xisui closed her eyes briefly, the dark glow of the night passing over her features.

She bent down, lifted Lingxi into her arms, and together, they vanished into the golden light, disappearing in an instant.

When they reappeared, they were in Pingzhou Town.

It was a secluded residence, with an inner river dividing the courtyard at its center, making it resemble an island.

“Elder.”

“Elder.”

The people around them bowed in greeting.

Xie Xisui walked past them, carrying Lingxi, her expression indifferent. She did not look at anyone else from beginning to end.

Reaching the innermost chamber, Xie Xisui carefully placed her on the bed. The soft and comfortable fabric failed to elicit any reaction from the person in her arms. Her fingers paused slightly.

She was too quiet, her face pale, her breathing shallow.

“Senior… Senior Sister?”

Tong Ningyun stole a glance and suddenly burst into tears.

“Elder, we are sorry. It was all because of us…”

Before she could finish, Qin Tang gritted his teeth. “We should never have followed Senior Sister’s orders and returned to the sect first. If we had stayed by her side…”

“The outcome would have been the same,” Xie Xisui interrupted.

“You wouldn’t have been able to stop her.”

Qin Tang’s grip on his sword tightened. Tong Ningyun bit her lip, not daring to look at the person lying on the bed.

The hall was filled with people, but for a moment, all fell silent.

“Is there a way to save her?”

A voice suddenly broke the silence.

Xie Xisui turned back, her ink-black eyes like a deep, still pool in the night.

“I don’t mean anything by it, I just…”

Ruan Xuan furrowed her brow, trying to explain. After a while, she finally said, “I just didn’t expect it to come to this…”

“I’m sorry, but I have no way.”

Her voice trailed off.

Xie Xisui brushed aside the strands of hair on Lingxi’s forehead, her gaze calm.

“Everyone leave. Qin Tang and Tong Ningyun, stay here. The rest, go to the shore and assist.”

“Yes, Elder.”

The senior disciple, Ji Yuanzheng, glanced at them before stepping out and closing the door.

After giving the two disciples some brief instructions, Xie Xisui dismissed them as well.

With silence restored, she turned back to the person on the bed, her dark eyes clouded with turbulence.

Her fingertips traced over Lingxi’s hand before slipping between her fingers, intertwining their hands.

Xie Xisui gazed at her deeply. As she closed her eyes, light flickered and merged into Lingxi’s palm.

…

Lingxi felt as though she had fallen into a long dream. In it, she sank into the depths of the sea, entangled by demonic energy like vines tightening around her. The more she struggled, the tighter they became, leaving her gasping for breath.

Just as she felt she could endure no longer, a faint fragrance drifted in, transforming into a blade that severed the vines one by one.

When Lingxi opened her eyes again, she stepped into a completely new space.

Unlike the place where she had encountered the mask before, this place felt clean and comforting.

Perhaps it was the faint scent of Agama buds in the wind that made her feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

The space was like an endless night—dark yet peaceful, without oppression. At its center stood an ancient, towering tree with lush leaves. If not for the black dragon coiled around its trunk, Lingxi might not have noticed it so soon.

The dragon seemed to be asleep, its head resting on a branch.

Lingxi instinctively stepped closer. Though the ground was flat and seemingly empty, the moment her foot touched it, the dragon’s eyes snapped open, staring straight at her.

Yet, her heart remained calm, without a ripple of fear.

Until it moved.

The dragon slowly descended, lowering its head to gaze at her from above. Its breath, warm and damp, brushed against the top of her head.

It bore no killing intent.

Lingxi tilted her head, looking around. The clearing was vast, but apart from the dragon and the tree, there was nothing else.

For some reason, an inexplicable sadness welled up in her chest.

“Aren’t you lonely?”

She looked up and asked.

The dragon did not respond. It didn’t even make a sound. It only observed her for a long while before lowering its head slightly, drawing closer.

For a brief moment, Lingxi reached out, placing her palm against its hard scales. Just then, a gust of wind rustled the tree’s leaves.

The dragon lifted its head in surprise.

Lingxi let out a soft exclamation, the sadness in her heart dissipating like the wind. She smiled at the dragon.

“You’re not alone anymore.”

As she stepped back, the clearing turned transparent.

Darkness engulfed her again, but this time, she heard the distant rumble of something breaking apart.

A final, deafening sound forced her eyes open.

Moonlight cast a glow over Xie Xisui’s pale face, her occasional furrowed brows revealing her unease.

Lingxi could feel the forces within her colliding—an even stronger struggle than the last time Xie Xisui had suppressed her demonic energy.

The spiritual energy that Xie Xisui transferred and the demonic energy already tainting Ling Xi’s body mixed together, one black and one white, forming a massive vortex that churned everything upside down.

This time, Ling Xi felt like a bottomless black hole—whichever side lost would be completely swallowed. But the two energies remained locked in a long stalemate.

As Ling Xi opened her eyes to look over, the dark eyes across from her seemed to notice and looked back at her.

Their eyes met again, and Ling Xi suddenly felt like a long time had passed.

“Master?”

As soon as Ling Xi spoke, Xie Xisui suddenly leaned over and wrapped her arms around Ling Xi’s shoulders. Ling Xi, pressed close to her neck, could even feel the light tickle of her hair brushing past her ear.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Ling Xi said softly.

“You will. Always.”

Ling Xi looked up at her. Xie Xisui was very close, her eyelids slightly lowered as she looked back at Ling Xi. Her brows were gently relaxed, and her slightly pursed lips held a faint, nearly invisible smile.

A strong scent of Ahan sprouts lingered at the tip of Ling Xi’s nose, not dispersing for a long time. But mixed in was a light, metallic smell—bl00d.

Only then did Ling Xi slowly realize something was wrong. When she turned her head, she finally saw the surrounding area was in ruins.

Qin Tang stood behind Xie Xisui, holding a sword. The blade was stained red, and a slash marked the back of his hand. Tong Ningyun was wrapping his wound.

“Senior Sister! You’re awake!”

As Tong Ningyun spoke, Ling Xi suddenly felt a powerful force from behind. Her back stiffened, and her hand instinctively reached for her sword.

But Xie Xisui, still holding her shoulder, gently patted her, as if to comfort her, and said softly, “It’s okay.”

Then, Ling Xi heard a dull crashing sound—like something breaking.

“A mighty sword elder of the Yaoguang Sect—this is all you’ve got? No counterattack?”

“Oh, I forgot. You used too much energy sealing the Demon Lord. Or are you just trying to save your disciple?”

A strange, cold voice laughed wildly from behind—arrogant and grating.

Xie Xisui didn’t look up. In fact, her gaze had never left Ling Xi.

She asked, “How do you feel?”

As if nothing had just happened.

Ling Xi stopped herself from turning around. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “It’s hard to explain. I feel hot and cold at the same time. It’s like two forces inside me are clashing.”

“Mm,” Xie Xisui responded and raised her hand, still holding Ling Xi’s fingers. “I’ll temporarily remove the spiritual energy holding back the demonic power inside you. Can you handle it on your own?”

Ling Xi was a bit stunned. She looked into her eyes, then down at their tightly clasped hands. Something seemed to lightly sweep across her heart.

“Master, I can do it.”

“Good.”

In the next moment, the light in their hands slowly faded, and Xie Xisui smiled and let go of her hand.

Ling Xi watched as Xie Xisui stepped forward to shield her. A breeze lifted the hem of her plain robe.

“You’re the demon who used the You Gu mask, aren’t you?”

Xie Xisui’s voice turned cold, like ice needles formed by winter wind, piercing straight into one’s spine.

“Oh? You know me? But I’m not called a demon—they call me the Wolf King.”

“The mask is destroyed. Do you think you can do anything on your own?”

At the mention of the mask, the Wolf King’s face twisted slightly, and he sneered darkly. “Yes, your dear disciple destroyed it. But didn’t you notice? The fragments fused into her body. Do you still think she’s far from becoming a demon?”

“I simply changed the recipient of those pills—from the mask to myself. Same result. My demonic power is even stronger now.”

Xie Xisui’s eyes grew colder, a chill in the depths of her dark pupils.

“Then you’d better make use of the little time you have left.”

As her last word fell, several invisible sword blades materialized, their energy slicing through the air.

Ling Xi remained inside the protective barrier Xie Xisui had placed around her. Her eyes followed the fluttering edge of Xie Xisui’s robe.

Although the Wolf King kept losing ground under Xie Xisui’s attacks, with each round, Ling Xi saw her master’s face grow paler.

She was forcing herself to keep going.

That was Ling Xi’s first thought.

A loud crash suddenly echoed through the air. A sword pierced into the Wolf King’s body—but instead of pain, he smiled eerily and, using the sword as a pivot, lunged forward.

A red mist spread around them. When he was just half a step away from Xie Xisui, he suddenly revealed a black dagger!

Master!

Ling Xi soared upward, grabbing her and pulling her back, shielding her. But Xie Xisui only gave her a gentle smile.

The hand Xie Xisui placed behind Ling Xi blocked the incoming force. Out of Ling Xi’s sight, red droplets slowly fell, clashing sharply with the color of her pale robe.

At that moment, Ling Xi heard her whisper, “Don’t come.”

Ling Xi’s eyes widened, her body flooded with searing heat from an unknown source. It rushed through her, overtaking her bl00d vessels. Her head throbbed with pain, and she clutched her temple.

When she opened her eyes again, red had taken over her vision. Her light brown irises were now veiled in crimson.

A new wave of attack was about to hit Xie Xisui—but suddenly, a dark force exploded outward and knocked it back.

Before the Wolf King could react, a shadow flashed by, and a hand clamped tightly around his neck, lifting him straight into the air.

He had been floating using his own demonic power, but the moment Ling Xi touched him, even that power was swallowed.

He lost his footing and hung in the air, struggling, staring at her in disbelief.