After My Paranoid Act to Woo My Cold Master Failed - Chapter 3

Shen Shuheng’s sword collided with the dark blue sword-shadows. From her blade, a colossal, snowy-white sword-shadow erupted.

BOOM!

A single sword-shadow struck against ten thousand. Instantly, a blinding silver light illuminated the entire Jade Platform. Suddenly, snowflakes danced through the air, and moonlight began to flow like water.

So, Master had sealed a strand of her sword-qi within my blade.

Shen Shuheng looked up in astonishment at the celestial phenomenon caused by her Master’s sword-intent. The falling snow touched her skin, but unlike the gloomy, murderous chill that had sought her life moments ago, these snowflakes melted into her, transforming into threads of sword-intent that spiraled into her spiritual platform.

In that moment, she saw a vision: a figure in white standing beneath the elegant moonlight, practicing with a sword in the snow year after year, or gazing at the moon in solitude. The back was lonely and desolate—it was her Master’s back.

In an instant, she understood her own “Sword Path.” Among the three thousand Great Daos, the path she sought was for her Master and for herself—to use the sword in her hand to carve out a path of survival.

Having found her own path, a wondrous sense of clarity surged from her sword. Shen Shuheng gripped her blade and walked toward Xiao Xiaoxiao.

Xiao Xiaoxiao’s eyes were bloodshot, and her lips parted in shock. The sword-intent she had unleashed—a trump card—had been neutralized just like that, and Shen Shuheng stood there completely unscathed.

Xiao Xiaoxiao wanted to tear Shen Shuheng into ten thousand pieces. Behind her stood her entire clan, while behind Shen Shuheng stood only a single Sword Immortal. If a piece of trash like this died, surely the Sword Immortal wouldn’t offend the entire Tianyan Sect for her sake. What could a mere Sword Immortal do to her?

Xiao Xiaoxiao flashed a sinister smile at Shen Shuheng, her white teeth gleaming with an eerie light.

In contrast, Shen Shuheng’s gaze was as calm as a lake, yet exceptionally deep—just like the sword in her hand, unfathomable.

“Ding… The female lead’s hatred value has reached the reward threshold. Rewarding the Host with ‘One-Click Maximum Foundation Building.’ Please work hard to complete missions for even richer rewards!” The System’s voice rang in her head.

At that moment, a majestic power surged through her spiritual veins, washing through her entire meridian system before finally settling in her spiritual sea.

“An ant like you dares to provoke me? You truly deserve death. You’re nothing but trash with five spiritual roots.”

Xiao Xiaoxiao thrust her sword forward. The dark blue blade danced around Shen Shuheng like a venomous serpent baring its fangs, seeking only to sink them into its prey.

Having received the “One-Click Maximum Foundation Building” from the System, Shen Shuheng’s cultivation had reached the ninth level of Foundation Building—the Great Circle. She was only a hair’s breadth away from a breakthrough. Although she was still far from Xiao Xiaoxiao’s early Golden Core stage, it was enough.

Her back was ramrod straight, and the howling wind made her red robes flutter loudly, like a blooming blood-red tulip—beautiful yet fraught with danger. She blocked Xiao Xiaoxiao’s strike. “Today, I will show you how the ant you despise so much can defeat you.”

Spiritual power gathered in her arms. Shen Shuheng’s sword-qi turned piercingly cold. The snowy-white light was like a white dragon churning the waves, crashing against Xiao Xiaoxiao.

Dark red blood stained the pink dress, and more blood continued to gurgle out. As the pain mounted, the flaws in Xiao Xiaoxiao’s swordsmanship grew more apparent.

Suddenly, a shift occurred. An Explosion Talisman flew through the air. Xiao Xiaoxiao had intentionally revealed a flaw to lure Shen Shuheng into close quarters, only to hurl the talisman at her.

BOOM!

The talisman detonated. Bright yellow flames erupted in waves of heat, and a searing pain spread throughout Shen Shuheng’s body. She did not retreat; where her sword went, all obstacles were severed. Her opponent had exposed a critical weakness; she had to seize this moment to bridge the gap in their cultivation levels.

Sword Rise: A Thousand Piles of Snow.

The scorching flames made Shen Shuheng’s cheeks flush a deep red, but she endured the agony of the fire devouring her. She raised her sword and unleashed the first form of the Shocking Swan Sword Style: A Thousand Piles of Snow.

The wind and snow arrived, extinguishing the tongues of fire and the heatwaves from the explosion. Xiao Xiaoxiao had intended to use the talisman to kill Shen Shuheng, but she hadn’t expected her to extinguish the blast with a single strike.

Wave after wave of snow, a thousand piles high, blocked Xiao Xiaoxiao’s vision. Fear began to spread through her heart, making her feel like a powerless mortal caught in an avalanche—as weak as the very ants she looked down upon.

In less than half a breath, the snowy-white blade was pressed against Xiao Xiaoxiao’s throat. She stood pale and frozen, not daring to move an inch. The icy sensation of the blade traveled from her throat to the depths of her soul, as if her entire body had been submerged in ice.

“I admit defeat!” Xiao Xiaoxiao snapped back to reality from the shadow of death. She shouted her surrender so loudly that everyone present heard it. To save her life, she discarded her pride. It wouldn’t be too late to find another chance to kill Shen Shuheng later.

The disciples below the stage were dumbfounded. “The Junior Sister actually lost!” Considering Xiao Xiaoxiao’s exceptional talent—reaching the Golden Core stage at seventeen—they were convinced Shen Shuheng must have used some trickery to win.

“Junior Sister, how does it feel to be held at sword-point by an ant?” Shen Shuheng’s voice carried clearly to everyone. She lowered her sword from Xiao Xiaoxiao’s neck and turned to walk toward her Master.

The moment Shen Shuheng turned her back, Xiao Xiaoxiao swung her sword toward Shen Shuheng’s nape. As long as I kill Shen Shuheng, I can become the Child of Destiny.

Fu Xueke’s expression as she watched Xiao Xiaoxiao was as cold and desolate as snow. She simply flicked her sleeve.

CLANG—

The dark blue sword snapped into two pieces, slamming heavily onto the ground with a mournful ring.

Xiao Xiaoxiao began to bleed from her seven orifices, her limbs trembling uncontrollably. Her sword was broken—it was her “Natal Sword.” With the blade shattered, her body suffered a devastating blow.

Hearing the sound, Shen Shuheng looked back, gave a faint, indifferent glance, and then walked to her Master’s side. There was a thin, long cut on Shen Shuheng’s face, with bright red blood seeping through her porcelain skin. The scar didn’t ruin her beauty; rather, it added a touch of bewitching allure.

Fu Xueke’s fingertip touched the wound. The blood hadn’t cooled yet, feeling warm and sticky.

“Does it hurt?” Shen Shuheng heard her Master ask.

Shen Shuheng gazed at her and shook her head as a wave of warmth flowed through her body. After Fu Xueke cast a healing spell, the wounds on her face and body vanished.

“Thank you, Master,” Shen Shuheng said with a smile.

After healing the injury, Fu Xueke turned to look at Xiao Xiaoxiao. The concern she had shown Shen Shuheng dissolved instantly, replaced by a bone-piercing coldness. Under that gaze, Xiao Xiaoxiao felt a chill spread from her spine to her entire body, her trembling hands and feet growing even more erratic.

“You are so malicious toward your fellow disciple—trying to take a life even after losing.”

Shen Shuheng nodded in agreement. The female lead was hell-bent on killing her. If it weren’t for the need to keep farming hatred values, she should have killed the female lead right then and there.

“According to the sect rules, you should be expelled,” Fu Xueke stated.

“Disciple is willing to give Junior Sister a chance to reform. Let us instead punish her with one month of repentance in the Void Valley,” Shen Shuheng said in a calm tone.

If the female lead was expelled, it would be harder to farm hatred values. Locking her in the Void Valley would only make her hate Shen Shuheng more.

Fu Xueke said coldly, “It shall be as A-Heng says.”

Feng Ya looked at Fu Xueke, his eyes glistening with moisture, full of deep, lingering affection. His voice was somewhat choked. “Junior Sister, I have you in my heart. Don’t take your anger out on Xiaoxiao; it was just a bit of play between disciples. Besides, she is the daughter of the Xiao Family’s Patriarch.”

“Is my Master close with you? Stop flattering yourself. It doesn’t matter what’s in your heart; Master’s heart only has, and can only ever have, A-Heng.” Shen Shuheng tilted her chin up slightly, her hair swaying against her fair face in the wind.

Seeing Shen Shuheng’s serious expression, Fu Xueke rubbed her head. The girl’s black hair was soft and carried a faint, delicate fragrance. Fu Xueke’s eyes crinkled slightly as the orange glow of the sunset fell upon her thick lashes.

“If she is not punished today, more disciples will follow her example and attempt secret assassinations in the future.”

“Even if the Patriarch of the Xiao Family were here today, she must be punished.”

The disciples below also began to glare at Xiao Xiaoxiao and Feng Ya. “The Shocking Swan Sword Immortal is right! If one is wrong, they must be punished. Elder Feng is being unfairly biased. Do disciples not born of Great Families deserve to be killed at will by those who are?” The common disciples quickly connected this incident to their own potential futures.

Feng Ya’s handsome face flushed bright red. His lips parted, his gaze flickering, until finally he lowered his voice. “Junior Sister, you are becoming increasingly reckless, just like that ignorant disciple of yours.”

“If you don’t want the rest of your bones to snap like your legs, stop talking nonsense in front of my disciple.”

A giant hand made of spiritual energy crushed Feng Ya’s right arm. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he bit his lip until it turned pale.

Fu Xueke looked intently at Shen Shuheng. “A-Heng is the most sensible of all. Don’t listen to his nonsense.” Her tone was like she was coaxing a child.

The gentle words brushed against Shen Shuheng’s heart. No wonder the original host in the book was willing to self-detonate her Golden Core just to save her Master. When a beauty as cold as the moon becomes gentle, it is truly intoxicating—especially when that gentleness is reserved for her alone. At the thought of this, a stone seemed to drop into the lake of her heart, sending ripples outward that wouldn’t settle for a long time.

Master must remain independently beautiful and focus on her career. These ‘rotten fish and stray shrimp’ men shouldn’t even think about harming her.

Shen Shuheng glared fiercely at Feng Ya.

Seeing her disciple like this, Fu Xueke couldn’t help but smile and rub her head again. She used her spiritual energy to form a rope to bind Xiao Xiaoxiao. Then, Fu Xueke gently took Shen Shuheng’s hand. Master’s fingers were long; though she had practiced the sword for years, her palm was soft and carried a hint of coolness as it pressed against Shen Shuheng’s.

“Master,” Shen Shuheng called out obediently, her eyes crinkling with a smile and a light mist of emotion. Fu Xueke’s fingertip lightly brushed across her palm and she nodded.

“To the Void Valley,” Fu Xueke said.

The moment she spoke, Xiao Xiaoxiao felt a force pushing her forward. She could only walk uncontrollably, her messy hair covering her eyes and making her face look exceptionally dark and sinister, a far cry from her usual sweet appearance.

As Xiao Xiaoxiao walked down the steps, the surrounding disciples sensibly made a path for her. This scene made Shen Shuheng secretly giggle as she and her Master followed through that same path.

While they walked behind, Xiao Xiaoxiao trudged ahead. Upon reaching the Void Valley, Fu Xueke raised her hand. A faint white light flowed from her fingertips, the only illumination in the pitch-black valley, looking like a wandering firefly.

The Void Valley was a place of total darkness. There was no concept of time here, only endless void—the standard punishment of the Yuheng Sect for errant disciples.

The original host had once been locked here. The sound of dripping water in the cell caused memories of the original host’s imprisonment to flood Shen Shuheng’s mind. Simultaneously, a sense of infinite emptiness and despair washed over her, causing her heart to plummet.

The sensation was so intense it felt like a personal experience rather than a memory. She entered a profound, trance-like state, her consciousness seemingly falling into the void.

The vision flashed: thousands upon thousands of corpses floating in a sea of blood. Above them, ink-black resentment condensed into clouds that completely blotted out the sky. The entire world was cast in a dismal, dark hue.

In the sky stood her Master, holding a sword in one hand. Her white robes were soaked through with blood, turning a brilliant crimson. Shen Shuheng saw her own phantom floating beside her Master, trying to call out to her, but her Master could neither see nor hear her.

“Master!” These images made it impossible for her to distinguish reality from illusion. Her voice carried the sound of sobbing.

Immediately following was a soft embrace, carrying a faint, clear, and cold fragrance.