"Uh… understood." Xiao Fan covered his face, feeling nothing but a mixture of helplessness and frustration. He had never encountered someone who forced others to become their master. But, as he reflected on Xuanwei's actions, he realized she wasn't truly malicious.
Though Xuanwei seemed unreasonable and overbearing, she reminded Xiao Fan more of a lonely child clinging desperately to a beloved toy, unwilling to let go. Despite her tough exterior, her heart was soft and emotional—something he had witnessed when she cried multiple times over his life story. Perhaps her sudden insistence on becoming his disciple stemmed from a deep sense of pity for his tragic life, a desire to offer him some form of redemption.
Her intentions were good, but her methods were far too direct and forceful. Xiao Fan sighed inwardly. "Alright… I suppose I've gained yet another troublesome disciple."
Seeing Xiao Fan reluctantly agree, Xuanwei's face lit up with satisfaction. She quickly added, "Since we're now master and disciple, naturally, we need to change how we address each other."
"I want to hear you call my name," she said, gazing at Xiao Fan with eager anticipation.
Xiao Fan didn't think too much of it. After all, if Xuanwei was now his disciple, calling her by name seemed harmless enough. "Xuan…wei," he slowly uttered.
"Ahhh~" Xuanwei let out a contented sigh, her expression filled with bliss as she gazed at Xiao Fan with dreamy eyes. "Master, I want to hear you call my name every day from now on!"
Xiao Fan: "…"
It seemed he had miscalculated. Things were turning out to be more complicated than he had anticipated.
Outside the Vast Heaven Mirror.
"Pfft!" The onlookers couldn't hold back their laughter any longer. What was this? A pervert? Case closed, indeed. This Xuanwei fairy wasn't just any fairy; she was a lonely, perverse stalker! Xiao Fan had been caught in the clutches of a twisted, lovesick fairy, much to everyone's astonishment.
They had always thought of fairies from the Immortal Realm as pure and holy beings, like the God Clan Empress. But this Xuanwei was anything but. This discovery shattered their preconceived notions.
As they watched the scene unfold, the disciples of Xiao Fan were filled with anxiety. Their master, Xiao Fan, had fallen into the hands of this deranged fairy. Who knew what kind of torment he might face? The mere thought made them ache with worry. Xiao Fan's innocence might be in serious jeopardy!
Some of the bystanders even speculated whether the gentle and kind-hearted Xiao Fan eventually becoming the feared Netherworld Demon Emperor was a result of being corrupted by this twisted fairy in the Immortal Realm. As rumors often do, the more they discussed, the more exaggerated the stories became.
The God Clan Empress, overhearing these wild speculations, was so furious she was shaking. How dare they accuse her of making Xiao Fan her master just to fulfill some twisted, blasphemous fantasy! Some even went so far as to claim that she had forced Xiao Fan into countless days of torment until he was completely broken, leading him to descend into the path of the Netherworld Demon Emperor out of sheer spite against the world.
Although these words enraged Gongsun Yarou as well, she was too focused on the God Clan Empress's increasingly erratic behavior. The divine light surrounding her was wavering, unstable, and finally, it burst forth in a powerful explosion.
"Enough! Everyone, shut up!" A tremendous wave of imperial power erupted from the God Clan Empress, her wrathful aura engulfing everyone present. All, except for the few empresses, turned pale, trembling under the overwhelming pressure, too frightened to speak.
The crowd looked at the God Clan Empress in confusion, not understanding why she had suddenly unleashed her fury upon them. It wasn't until the divine light surrounding her began to dissipate that their faces froze in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.
The God Clan Empress's true appearance was identical to that of the Xuanwei fairy in the scenes they had just witnessed!
It was unbelievable! It was incomprehensible! Yet, it was happening right before their eyes, and they were left utterly stunned.
Now they understood why the God Clan Empress had erupted in such anger. She was the same person as Xuanwei, the fairy they had been gossiping about!
Xuanwei's eyes burned with rage as she glared at those who had been spreading rumors about her. There was a saying: "Tolerance is a virtue, but even virtue has its limits!" Originally, she had intended to keep her identity hidden, but the increasingly absurd rumors had pushed her past her breaking point. If she didn't clarify things now, her reputation would be forever tarnished.
"Say something! Weren't you all calling me a pervert? Well, come on! Say it to my face!" Xuanwei shouted, her voice dripping with anger. She scanned the crowd, daring anyone to speak up. But under her intense gaze, not a single person dared to raise their head.
At this point, no one doubted that the God Clan Empress was the very same Xuanwei from the scenes in the Vast Heaven Mirror. Her manner of speaking was identical, leaving no room for denial.
Who could have imagined? The God Clan Empress, who had always been seen as the embodiment of purity and holiness, was actually the same as that twisted, love-crazed fairy! It was almost too shocking to comprehend.
"Hmph!" With no one daring to respond, Xuanwei snorted in contempt, allowing herself a moment to calm down. But when her gaze met Gongsun Yarou's cold, piercing eyes, she knew the jig was up. Now that everyone knew the truth, there was no point in pretending anymore.
"What's with the staring? Haven't you ever seen a fairy more beautiful than you?" Xuanwei snapped, glaring at Gongsun Yarou.
A flicker of icy light passed through Gongsun Yarou's eyes. She had originally suspected that the God Clan Empress might know Xuanwei, but never did she imagine that they were the same person! Watching Xuanwei's arrogant posturing, Gongsun Yarou's voice turned as cold as ice. "If I find out you've done anything to Xiao Fan, I won't let you off."
"Oh, I'm so scared!" Xuanwei mocked, rolling her eyes before coldly replying, "And even if I did do something to Xiao Fan, what business is it of yours?"
Xuanwei then turned her attention to Leng Ruoxue and the others. "What's the use of regretting now? Xiao Fan gave so much for all of you, and look what you did in return!"
"Let me be blunt—Xiao Fan doesn't care about your attempts at redemption. Don't even think about making it up to him!"
"The best thing you can do now is stay out of his life entirely!"
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8