Long Aotian’S Villain Taoist Companion Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Chapter One Do You Want My Life?

Shen Ciqiu trembled as he held a bowl of medicine.

His skin, like white porcelain, covered his slender wrist bones. He was frighteningly thin, and his hands shook so violently that he nearly spilled the medicine several times. Finally, he managed to bring it to his lips and swallowed it down with difficulty.

He had his innate Immortal Bone removed by his Master seven days ago to extend the life of his junior martial brother.

Shen Ciqiu swallowed the bitter medicine and slowly exhaled.

He was in severe pain, and his cultivation was completely crippled as a result, yet his courtyard was empty, with no one coming to check on him.

Junior martial brother Mu Zichen was an extraordinary person.

It was one thing that ever since he joined the sect, both his junior martial brother and his fiancé revolved around him, but even his Master had suddenly developed a crush, harboring ambiguous feelings for Junior martial brother.

Shen Ciqiu was the Eldest Senior Brother of the Jade Immortal Sect, mentored by the Sect Master Xuanyang Zun. He had a biological junior martial brother and a fiancé acquired through a sect alliance.

He and his martial brother Yu Kui originally had a harmonious relationship, but everything changed quickly after the arrival of the younger junior martial brother.

Shen Ciqiu had never told anyone that the younger junior martial brother had tried to seduce him, but he had coldly sent him away.

Not long after that, upon returning to the sect from a Secret Realm trial, the younger junior martial brother tearfully claimed that Shen Ciqiu had refused to save him when he was in mortal danger.

Without concrete proof, the Master did not punish him openly, but it was clear he was already biased towards the younger junior martial brother. Martial brother Yu Kui even had a massive argument with Shen Ciqiu.

He even deliberately injured Shen Ciqiu during a subsequent crisis.

Yu Kui didn’t even bother pretending anymore, stating righteously, “You harmed Junior martial brother, so I’m returning the favor. We’re even!”

Betrayed by the junior martial brother he trusted, Shen Ciqiu and Yu Kui completely broke ties. From then on, they avoided each other whenever possible, and when they met, they were confrontational and irreconcilable.

Shen Ciqiu had always focused on cultivation, possessing a cold temperament. He didn’t care how many people liked the younger junior martial brother. If Yu Kui didn’t believe him, then the years of brotherhood were wasted, but as long as his cultivation wasn’t affected, he could still tolerate it.

But…

But seven days ago, the younger junior martial brother was attacked while outside and was on the brink of death. The Master demanded Shen Ciqiu’s Immortal Bone to save him.

Shen Ciqiu possessed an innate Immortal Bone and was exceptionally gifted. Once the Immortal Bone was taken, his previous cultivation would be crippled. Although he could re-cultivate later, his aptitude would certainly be far inferior to before.

Yu Kui, who hadn’t spoken to him for a long time, shouted hoarsely, “If you lose your Immortal Bone, you’ll only lose your cultivation, and you can cultivate again. But Junior martial brother’s life can’t wait. What do you have to hesitate about!”

Trading cultivation for a life—it sounded like he, the Eldest Senior Brother, was obligated to do it.

Shen Ciqiu felt roasted over a fire by their moralizing. He thought expressionlessly: He tried to seduce me first, then slandered me, and now he’s about to lose his life… what does that have to do with me? I don’t consider him a junior martial brother I should protect.

But the Master gave the order.

Xuanyang Zun’s cultivation, accumulated over hundreds of years, was incomparably profound. Shen Ciqiu was only twenty and utterly powerless against him. If he refused, Xuanyang Zun could forcibly take the Immortal Bone; it was not up to him.

Shen Ciqiu was an orphan, taken in and raised by Xuanyang Zun. Losing his Immortal Bone was just repaying the kindness of Xuanyang Zun’s upbringing.

Shen Ciqiu coughed twice and pulled his cloak tighter.

The door panel was knocked.

Shen Ciqiu: “Cough, cough, come in.”

The visitor was actually his fiancé, Wen Lan. Why was Wen Lan here instead of guarding the younger junior martial brother?

Shen Ciqiu sat, slightly lifting his chin, and turned his head to look at him.

Wen Lan had rushed over hurriedly, but upon seeing Shen Ciqiu’s appearance, he stopped abruptly, momentarily stunned.

Shen Ciqiu was truly beautiful.

He was only twenty, yet already ranked first on the Cultivation World’s Beauty List. His skin was fairer than snow, possessing a graceful and ethereal charm. His slightly upturned phoenix eyes, with glass-like light-colored pupils, seemed studded with cold stars. He should have possessed a profoundly captivating appearance, but his transcendent and cold temperament made him a high-mountain flower, admired only from afar.

In Wen Lan’s memory, every time he saw Shen Ciqiu, he was as unattainable as the bright moon. He had never seen him look so vulnerable.

A beauty in sickness possessed a unique flavor.

Wen Lan was momentarily lost in thought, but remembering the injured Zichen, he quickly snapped back to reality and entered.

“A’Ci, you…” The fleeting glance when the door opened had unsettled him. After struggling for a while, he managed to utter, “Are you alright?”

Shen Ciqiu assessed him and spoke faintly, his voice still weak, “What is it? Speak.”

Wen Lan pondered how to broach the subject delicately, saying, “The sect wants to dissolve our engagement. I am certainly not a coward who would kick you when you’re down, but the elders in my clan are pressuring me, and I’m in a difficult position. You…”

“It’s fine,” Shen Ciqiu replied without much inflection. “The alliance between our two sects was based on my cultivation talent. Now that my Immortal Bone is gone and my aptitude has plummeted, your family probably doesn’t value me anymore.”

His understanding relieved Wen Lan, but Shen Ciqiu’s quick agreement inexplicably displeased him. It was as if he held no weight in Shen Ciqiu’s heart, easily discarded.

Just as he was about to say something to comfort him, Shen Ciqiu spoke again.

“I should have brought this up, but I delayed for a while,” Shen Ciqiu looked at his pale fingers, his tone cold and steady. “You keep fawning over Mu Zichen repeatedly; do you know what people outside say about us?”

Some said Shen Ciqiu was incapable of managing his affairs, and others said Wen Lan was frivolous and fickle. But Mu Zichen seemed invisible, rarely mentioned. Why? Because he never agreed to be with Wen Lan; outsiders just thought Wen Lan was relentlessly pursuing him.

Wen Lan’s face flushed with alternating shades of green and white. He grew anxious, “Zichen and I are not what you think!”

Shen Ciqiu listlessly lowered his eyes, appearing tired and unwilling to say more.

Seeing him like this, the slight romantic stir Wen Lan felt upon entering vanished completely, leaving only disgust and anger. He took a deep breath, “Forget that. I came mainly for something else.”

“Zichen is too severely injured; his cultivation might not be saved. We must use the Exquisite Heart,” Wen Lan said. “Give him your Exquisite Heart.”

Shen Ciqiu suddenly looked up! His calm expression slowly vanished. He suspected he misheard, “What did you say?”

Wen Lan was stone-hearted, looking directly into Shen Ciqiu’s eyes, and repeated in a deep voice, “Exquisite Heart.”

“You want me to give up my heart to protect his cultivation,” Shen Ciqiu said word by word. “Wen Lan, are you mad, or am I?”

Wen Lan’s hesitation was entirely gone. He placed a hand on his sword, his tone deepening with a hint of threat, “I am only here to inform you that your Exquisite Heart must be left behind today.”

Shen Ciqiu currently had no cultivation and couldn’t even draw his Spirit Sword; he was no match for Wen Lan. He immediately gripped his Sound Transmission Jade Token, intending to send a message to his Master, and said sharply, “This is the Jade Immortal Sect; how dare you be so presumptuous!”

Wen Lan saw his action and scoffed, “Xuanyang Zun agreed to it. I’m just here to relay a message on his behalf.”

The hand holding the Sound Transmission Jade Token tightened sharply. His injuries hadn’t healed, and the sudden surge of anger made him taste metallic sweetness in his throat. He forced the blood back down, trying hard not to show weakness.

But the hand beneath his cloak was trembling uncontrollably.

“…Impossible,” Shen Ciqiu swallowed the taste of blood, as if trying to convince himself, “Impossible.”

But was it truly impossible?

On the other end of the Sound Transmission Jade Token, his Master did not respond for a long time.

Shen Ciqiu’s limbs turned cold, and his heart felt like it dropped into an ice cellar.

Wen Lan sighed, “A’Ci, you’ve always been cold and untamable. I once genuinely liked you, but did you ever let your heart warm up? You can’t even say a single soft word. But Zichen is different; he is kind and well-behaved, which is why your Master and junior martial brother prefer him. It’s only right.”

Shen Ciqiu couldn’t speak softly. The younger junior martial brother would cry and act spoiled when hurt, but Shen Ciqiu would only stand before everyone with his sword drawn. Everyone praised him for his astonishing talent, but no one pitied the wounds he carried. He was a person, not just a sword.

Over the years, Shen Ciqiu had protected the sect, facing life and death situations. Both Yu Kui and Wen Lan owed their lives to him. Outsiders might not know, but didn’t they know what kind of heart lay beneath Shen Ciqiu’s seemingly cold exterior?

Shen Ciqiu’s dark eyelashes trembled slightly, as if overwhelmed.

Wen Lan felt a flicker of pity for him. He reached out to Shen Ciqiu, intending to show some mercy, but before he got close, his vision suddenly went black!

With a “swish,” Shen Ciqiu shook open his cloak, throwing it over Wen Lan’s face. Taking advantage of this moment, Shen Ciqiu struggled to stand and rushed out the door.

It was snowing heavily outside, and the biting wind and frost hit him. His entire body ached. He had poured out all his strength; he couldn’t give Wen Lan a chance to attack. As long as he could summon nearby disciples, anyone would do. This was the Jade Immortal Sect, and he was still the Eldest Senior Brother of the Jade Immortal Sect!

Shen Ciqiu staggered out into the snow, collapsing onto the ground. He looked up and shouted with all his might, “Someone—”

Shen Ciqiu cut himself off.

Because he saw his Master, Xuanyang Zun, and his junior martial brother, Yu Kui, standing in the courtyard.

…Wen Lan was telling the truth.

Shen Ciqiu trembled violently. He could hold back no longer, coughing heartbreakingly. His frail body was like a butterfly about to shatter. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Blood stained his crimson lips. Shen Ciqiu, barely breathing, raised his head with reddened eyes, “Master, you cannot treat me this way.”

Xuanyang Zun looked down at him, “If you offer your Exquisite Heart, this Master will replace it with another heart, which can preserve your life.”

“Replace my heart, replace my heart…” Shen Ciqiu tried to get up but fell back down. His throat choked up, his heart was shattering, and the pain was intense. “Someone with a naturally formed Exquisite Heart cannot withstand another heart. Master, if you want to deceive me, at least use a different excuse.”

Shen Ciqiu pressed a hand to his chest. He prided himself on cultivating the Dao and tempering his heart, believing he could remain impassive even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, but it turned out he wasn’t immune to sadness; it just hadn’t reached a breaking point. It truly hurt, really… so much pain.

Shen Ciqiu tightly clenched his robes, “You took my Immortal Bone, I consider that repayment of my debt of gratitude. But you want to take my life to protect his cultivation,” Shen Ciqiu said word by word, “I… do… not… wish… to!”

Yu Kui, usually so garrulous, remained silent today. Wen Lan rushed out of the room and stood with them. Xuanyang Zun lowered his gaze, sighed, and slowly drew his sword under Shen Ciqiu’s watch.

“Master,” Shen Ciqiu asked softly, “Are you going to kill me?”

Xuanyang Zun remained silent.

Shen Ciqiu maintained his weak posture, looking at him stubbornly. In the silence, he received his answer and, for some reason, managed a smile. He rarely smiled, but today, his lips were stained red with blood. This smile was devastatingly beautiful, instantly eclipsing all the beautiful scenery in the world, suppressing it completely with one look.

Never mind his good junior martial brother Yu Kui or his fiancé Wen Lan; even Xuanyang Zun was momentarily stunned.

How ridiculous, Shen Ciqiu thought. None of these people were worth it.

Shen Ciqiu was already weak and stopped struggling to stand. His long sleeves covered his hands. He seemed resigned. When he looked up, his eyes held endless sorrow and desolation. Utterly frail.

Shen Ciqiu had never shown weakness before, so when he displayed such a fragile appearance, no one doubted it. He spoke softly and bitterly, “I dare not disobey a Master’s command… Fine, Master, I will give you my life too, to repay your kindness. Take me to see Junior martial brother. I wronged him in the past; before I leave, I will apologize to him.”

An Exquisite Heart offered willingly would yield the best results. Xuanyang Zun nodded and told Yu Kui to help him up.

Yu Kui found this version of Shen Ciqiu very unfamiliar. He had never seen Shen Ciqiu so compliant. This made him uneasy and inexplicably reminded him of the early days, causing a sliver of reluctance. But thinking of the younger junior martial brother, he hardened his heart, though he was slightly gentler when pulling Shen Ciqiu up.

Shen Ciqiu seemed truly devoid of strength, only able to lean on him. Yu Kui supported him, and they entered the younger junior martial brother’s sickroom like that.

Mu Zichen lay on the bed, trembling as he opened his eyes. Upon seeing Shen Ciqiu, he flinched, his gaze anxiously seeking Xuanyang Zun and Yu Kui.

Xuanyang Zun faced him, his usually stern voice carrying a barely perceptible softness, “Don’t be afraid, you will be fine.”

Mu Zichen was instantly moved to tears and softly murmured, “Mm.”

Shen Ciqiu watched from the side, thinking that Mu Zichen was indeed better at stirring emotions than he was. Even feigning weakness, Shen Ciqiu couldn’t match Mu Zichen’s performance.

He was helped to sit on the couch, in the position closest to Mu Zichen, and asked, “Junior martial brother, do you want my Exquisite Heart?”

He asked in almost a whisper.

Mu Zichen shivered, then spoke in a hoarse voice, “Eldest Senior Brother, I know you don’t like me, but please save me. Master said he wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

It sounded so pleasant, but the look in your eyes clearly held a trace of excitement, an irrepressible greed, and a sense of certainty. You calculated well.

Shen Ciqiu leaned closer, sighing, “Oh, Junior martial brother…”

Mu Zichen thought Shen Ciqiu was about to stage a scene of brotherly affection and prepared to weakly raise his hand to complete the act. However, suddenly, a silver glint flashed past his eye. Before he could react, his chest was pierced by a sharp pain!

In a flash of lightning, a thin, cicada-wing-like blade slid out from under Shen Ciqiu’s wide sleeve and stabbed directly into Mu Zichen’s heart before anyone could react!

All the talk of weakness and apology was a lie; Shen Ciqiu was just waiting for this moment! If they wanted to kill him, he would drag one down with him before he died. He, Shen Ciqiu, was never a weakling who would submit to slaughter.

Shen Ciqiu’s first attempt at acting successfully deceived everyone.

Mu Zichen stared wide-eyed in disbelief. Blood spurted from his chest, splashing onto Shen Ciqiu’s snow-white cheek. Wen Lan cried out and rushed forward, while Shen Ciqiu felt the world spin. A powerful force struck him, sending him flying backward to crash heavily against a pillar with a loud thud!

Shen Ciqiu’s vision went black, and he nearly fainted. He slid down the pillar powerlessly, struggling to look up, his eyes holding a cool mockery as he watched the farce unfold.

Yu Kui’s heart broke, “Junior martial brother!”

Xuanyang Zun raised his hand to seal the severe bleeding around Mu Zichen, but it was too late.

Wen Lan broke down and suddenly turned, “There’s still time! Immediately switch his heart with the Exquisite Heart—!”

But it was too late. As he turned, he heard the sound of flesh tearing, “Puchi.” Shen Ciqiu, still gripping the thin blade, turned it around and plunged it into his own chest! He even used his last bit of strength to twist it fiercely. The sharp blade instantly mangled his heart, and blood gushed out, instantly soaking Shen Ciqiu’s white robe a vibrant red!

He had always been ruthless to himself! Want the Exquisite Heart? Dream on.

Yu Kui and Wen Lan rushed forward, but Shen Ciqiu was already slowly collapsing. Shen Ciqiu swept his final gaze over the three of them, as if engraving them into his eyes: Deep kindness utterly betrayed, life and death enemies. It was a pity he couldn’t drag them all to hell with him. If he had another chance…

His thoughts abruptly ceased. Shen Ciqiu’s ink-black eyelashes slowly closed, plunging him into darkness.