Kane's mind laughed at the absurdity of the situation, but he knew better than to show surprise. He had already suspected that the mysterious figure was a girl, and now he was face to face with her.
"San Fe, I already knew you were a girl," Kane said, his voice steady and calm.
He knew that showing surprise or weakness would be a death sentence, and he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction.
The girl's grip on the sword tightened, her eyes narrowing slightly. "How did you know?" she asked, her voice low and menacing.
Kane shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Just a hunch. You're not very good at hiding your gender, San Fe."
The girl's expression didn't change, but Kane sensed a flicker of annoyance. She didn't like being underestimated.
"I'll give you credit, Elder Fang Lin," she said. "You're not as stupid as I thought. But that won't save you."
Kane smiled inwardly. He had already gained the upper hand by not showing surprise. Now, he just needed to stall for time and wait for an opportunity to strike.
Kane vanished and reappeared behind San Fe, his voice dripping with disdain. "This is why you're too weak."
He sat on a nearby rock, his eyes piercing through the darkness. "I have many female disciples, but you changed your appearance to a male. Why?"
San Fe hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. "I saw you with many male disciples, but you never interacted with female disciples. I only saw you talk to Senior Sister Qing Yu, so I thought...I thought you were attracted to males."
Kane's expression twisted in disgust. "You thought I was a (同性戀) gay?"
San Fe nodded, her face flushing with embarrassment.
San Fe continued, her voice trembling, "When I saw Elder Fang Lin descending from the sky, you looked like ShaoShan..."
Kane's expression twisted in mockery. "ShaoShan, hmph, just a legend about emperors who ascended to heaven. A mere myth created to inspire and control."
He thought about the legend, how ShaoShan was said to have risen from slavery to become an emperor. But Kane knew the truth - that ShaoShan's journey was built on bloodshed and betrayal.
San Fe's eyes sparkled with tears. "I disguised myself as a man
because...because I like you, Elder Fang Lin."
Kane's gaze pierced through her, his voice dripping with disdain. "Love, ha! 'Love is eternal,' they say. But I know the truth. Love is just a word, a fleeting emotion that can be discarded at any moment."
He thought about the philosophers who spoke of love, how they were all fools. " 'Love conquers all,' they say. But I know that humans only love ambition, power, and survival."
Kane's eyes narrowed, his voice taking on a mocking tone. " 'Love is the answer,' they say. But I know that love is just an illusion, a weakness that can be exploited."
He thought about his past, how he had seen using love to destroy everything. "I've seen it all before," he thought. "Love is just a word, a meaningless word that can be used to justify any action."
San Fe's face fell, her eyes dropping to the ground. Kane's expression twisted into a snarl. "You dare to speak of love to me? I will show you what love truly is - a weakness, a liability, a thing to be exploited.
Kane's voice was devoid of emotion, his eyes cold and calculating. "If you truly love me, then take the sword and pierce your chest."
San Fe's gaze met his, her eyes shining with determination. She knew this was her only chance to prove her love to Elder Fang Lin. With trembling hands, she took the sword and positioned it above her chest.
Her pale skin glistened in the moonlight, her beauty mesmerizing. Slowly, she began to push the sword into her chest, the blade slicing through her skin like silk. The sound of her ribs cracking echoed through the air, her blood flowing like a crimson river.
Kane's expression remained emotionless, his eyes fixed on San Fe's face. But as he gazed into her eyes, a hint of fascination crept into his voice. "Your beauty is indeed captivating, San Fe. Your willingness to prove your love...intriguing."
Just as San Fe's vision began to fade, Kane appeared beside her, a healing pill in his hand. He fed it to her, and her wounds began to close, her pale skin restored to its former radiance.
San Fe's eyes locked onto Kane's, her face flushed with emotion. "Elder Fang Lin...do you accept me?"
Kane's voice was low, husky, his words dripping with false sincerity. "You have proven your love, San Fe. I accept you."
As San Fe's tears of joy fell, Kane's mind whispered, "Love is just a tool, a mea
ns to an end. And now, San Fe has become my newest pawn."