RUAN YANJUN
The doors creaked open, a sound that sent tension rippling through the air. My eyes darted to the movement, and there he stood—Xie Lianyu, the Weaver of Shadows, his dark crimson eyes gleaming with malicious delight. In front of him, bound at the wrists and ankles with strands of shimmering black hair, was Luo Fan.
Xie Lianyu's claws hovered dangerously close to Luo Fan's throat, sharp as razors, and his smile twisted into something both mocking and predatory. He traced one claw lightly along Luo Fan's cheek, a slow, deliberate movement that made my blood boil.
"Sect Leader Ruan," he said, his voice smooth and oily, the kind of tone that made one's skin crawl. "Would you care to make a trade?"
I squinted, forcing myself to remain calm. I couldn't let my rage show—not yet. As much as I wanted to rip him apart for daring to touch my A-Fan, I knew this monster thrived on provoking his prey.
"You're bold to show yourself again, Xie Lianyu," I replied, my tone deceptively cool.
His smile widened, his claws pressing slightly closer to Luo Fan's throat, just enough to draw a faint line of red.
Luo Fan winced but didn't cry out. His eyes, locked with mine, radiated a quiet resolve.
"Bold?" Xie Lianyu purred, "I'd call it determined. Or perhaps... opportunistic." He dragged a claw down Luo Fan's jawline again, this time pausing just above his collarbone. "Such beauty is rare, isn't it, Sect Leader Ruan? How much is it worth to you? A strand of your hair? Perhaps... half?"
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.
Of course, it was my hair he sought. It wasn't the first time he had tried to claim it. For years, my hair—both the object of his twisted admiration and what he believed to hold the essence of my cultivation—had consumed his obsession. He was convinced it contained the key to a power he could never achieve on his own.
"I've already given you my answer once before," I said, my voice low and edged with warning. "You didn't like how that ended, did you?"
His laugh was soft, almost musical. "Oh, I remember well. The lake was quite cold, but here I stand, none the worse for wear. Now... shall we negotiate?" His claws pressed deeper into Luo Fan's skin, a bead of blood rolling down his neck.
Luo Fan met my gaze, his expression calm, almost calculating. He wasn't afraid. That steadiness in his eyes only made my chest tighten more.
"One strand," I said, forcing my voice to remain calm despite the storm of anger raging within me. I couldn't let Xie Lianyu see just how precious Luo Fan truly was to me.
Xie Lianyu tilted his head, feigning disappointment. "One strand? Sect Leader, you insult me. Half your hair—or I take all of his."
I smirked, letting the faintest trace of mockery enter my tone. "Half my hair? With that much, you'd breach the eighth level in no time. My hair is far more precious than you're worth. The trade isn't fair."
For a moment, his smile faltered, his eyes narrowing. He wasn't stupid. He suspected I was playing a trick on him. His hand moved abruptly, his claw slicing a shallow line across Luo Fan's throat.
Blood trickled from the cut, and I felt my control slipping. My fingers itched to crush Xie Lianyu's skull, but I forced myself to hold back. Luo Fan's gaze flicked to me again—not pleading, but deliberate. He had a plan.
Suddenly, with a sharp motion, Luo Fan twisted his hands, and the hair binding his wrists fell away. Before Xie Lianyu could react, Luo Fan drove his elbow hard into his stomach. Xie Lianyu staggered back, snarling, but quickly recovered, his claws flashing as he lunged at Luo Fan.
Luo Fan ducked low, his movements fluid despite the ropes of hair binding his feet. Using his momentum, he twisted sharply, summoning his qi to snap the binding strands. Freed, he spun and lashed out with a precise kick, catching Xie Lianyu's shin. The Thread Reaper stumbled but recovered swiftly, his hair twisting into vicious whips that lashed out with deadly speed, forcing Luo Fan to evade again and again.
I stood frozen, my heart hammering as I watched. A-Fan was fighting valiantly, his skill undeniable, but Xie Lianyu was relentless. It was only a matter of time before—
A whip of hair coiled around Luo Fan's ankle, yanking him off balance. He hit the ground hard as Xie Lianyu surged forward, claws gleaming and poised to strike his chest.
I moved before I even thought about it. In an instant, I was there, catching Xie Lianyu's wrist mid-strike. The force of my grip stopped him cold.
"Enough," I growled, my voice low and sharp with menace.
With a swift motion, I hauled Luo Fan to his feet and eased him behind me, shielding him from further harm. My qi surged, crackling in the air around us like a storm about to break as I faced the Weaver of Shadows head-on.
"This ends now."
The decision to fight again grated on me. Facing someone as vile as Xie Lianyu wasn't the problem. It was the distraction I couldn't afford. Luo Fan needed me, and lingering here only invited more danger. But with Luo Fan injured and unable to defend himself, I had no choice.
Xie Lianyu sneered, his crimson eyes alight with a twisted glee. His hair shifted unnaturally, whipping around him like living snakes. Each strand shimmered with stolen spiritual essence, the grotesque source of his power.
"Still playing the untouchable hero, Sect Leader Ruan?" he taunted, his voice a poisonous silk. "Let's see how long your pride lasts."
"You talk too much," I replied, my tone clipped.
With a surge of qi, I materialized a blade from thin air—a glimmering construct forged of pure metallic energy, as sharp as any crafted steel. Xie Lianyu's sneer faltered for a fraction of a second, but he lunged anyway, his hair snaking forward in a net meant to ensnare me.
I met his attack head-on. My blade sliced through the strands with a satisfying hiss, cutting them as cleanly as paper. The severed hair fell to the ground, writhing briefly before disintegrating into black ash. Xie Lianyu growled, pulling back and weaving new threads with desperate speed.
"You think this will stop me?" he snarled, lashing out with clawed strikes that I dodged with ease.
I smirked, countering with a swift series of slashes that severed more of his cursed hair. The more I cut, the weaker he became. His movements slowed, and his attacks lost their precision.
Finally, I struck a decisive blow. My blade arced through the air, cleaving through the thick braid of hair coiled at the back of his head. Xie Lianyu let out a guttural scream, collapsing to the ground as his strength drained away. His crimson eyes dimmed, and his breathing grew ragged.
Weakened, he sat hunched on the floor, clutching at the remnants of his once-glorious mane. "No... my power..." he gasped.
I scanned the area. Wang Bei had vanished, predictably fleeing the moment the tide turned.
But my work wasn't done.