The Unseen Strings of Fate

Tears streamed down Du Xiaoyan's face as she screamed, rushing toward Lian Zhouluo and Qin Nier. She blocked their path and began to violently strike them, ripping away their veils in the process. But in her emotional turmoil, Du Xiaoyan was weak—her arms and legs lacked the strength to truly hurt them. Even if Lian Zhouluo and Qin Nier had stood still and allowed the beating, they would have barely been harmed.

Yet, this brief obstruction was enough to prevent the two women from reaching the Third Young Master. They couldn't bear to push the devastated woman away with a slap, so they merely stood frozen, allowing Du Xiaoyan to vent her grief upon them.

Just as Qiao Wei was about to drag the Third Young Master away, he suddenly turned his head with great effort. His gaze lingered on Lian Zhouluo and Qin Nier, his eyes filled with a depth of emotion too profound for words. His lips moved slightly, uttering something so faint that even Qiao Wei could barely hear it.

But Lian Zhouluo and Qin Nier heard it. Or rather, they didn't hear it—they saw it.

From the way his lips moved, they understood what the Third Young Master had said.

"I thought, all these days I've been chasing love, that it was just an illusion. Like a dog chasing after bones—it doesn't love them, it just wants to bite them or perhaps, doesn't want another dog to take them. But now I see, I was wrong. What truly traps a person is not the teeth, but love… My Zhetian (Shrouding Heaven) hands can never cover the sky above your heads..."

Lian Zhouluo extended her hand as if to stop him, but she couldn't bring herself to move forward.

Qin Nier stood there, frozen, unaware that two crystal-clear tears had silently slipped from her eyes.

Du Xiaoyan, watching the sorrowful expressions of the two women, finally snapped out of her daze. She stopped her beating and turned to see the Third Young Master, now being carried away by Qiao Wei, fading into the distance. Her heart broke, and with a sob, she dropped to her knees, clutching her head and weeping uncontrollably.

The Third Young Master's faint, desolate figure grew smaller and smaller, swallowed by the bustling crowd. Only three women were left in tears.

In a nearby tavern, a woman in white stood motionless, watching the scene unfold below. She was so absorbed that, without realizing it, tears began to fall freely from her eyes.

The waiter, who had been ready to serve her, wisely stepped aside, not daring to interrupt her.

When the young man she had been so deeply concerned about finally disappeared into the crowd, held up by his servants, her senses returned. She threw a small piece of silver on the table, wiped away no tears, and dashed downstairs in haste.

Tears fell from her face, hitting the ground and shattering as she ran. Her lips turned white as she bit them to suppress the excruciating pain in her chest, trying desperately to hold back the cry that threatened to escape.

At the entrance of the tavern, she stood still for a moment, gazing in the direction where the Third Young Master had disappeared. She then glanced at Lian Zhouluo and Qin Nier, her hand instinctively gripping the hilt of the sword at her waist, her fingers turning pale from the pressure.

Her gaze was filled with a terrifying venomous hatred, directed at the two women.

After pulling the sword halfway from its scabbard, she let out a long, heavy sigh and violently shoved it back into place. Without a second glance at Lian Zhouluo and Qin Nier, she turned and ran in the direction the Third Young Master had gone.

"Marvelous!" In a hidden corner, Uncle Li, who had been watching the whole scene, slapped his thigh in approval, his voice low but filled with admiration. "The Third Young Master's acting is absolutely flawless. What's more, he even managed to deceive himself while performing! If I were his scene partner, I'd sell him out and still help him count the money! Truly, he is the best of the best!"

Li Xiaoye, standing beside him, frowned. "Master, what are you saying? The Third Young Master tricked those three girls so cruelly, and yet you're so pleased?"

Uncle Li shook his head, beaming with joy. "You don't understand, little girl. The Third Young Master's acting is impeccable—his sharpness hidden beneath a mask of kindness, his talents displayed through his actions. This trap he set was perfect, far beyond what Old Qiao and I had anticipated."

He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Originally, we planned for him to eliminate Du Xiaoyan, maybe even pretend to take some minor injuries to win Qin Nier's favor. But I didn't expect the Third Young Master to do it all without killing anyone—he used a strategy of self-sacrifice."

He grinned wickedly. "This way, Du Xiaoyan will fall completely for him, and Lian Zhouluo and Qin Nier—they might not love him right away, but they'll be grateful. The words he left behind are more meaningful than anyone realizes. Those words planted two seeds in their hearts—seeds that will surely grow into towering trees!"

Li Xiaoye pouted in displeasure. "He's heartless! Du Xiaoyan clearly loves him deeply, and he was willing to deceive her like that. Doesn't he fear retribution? He's pretending to be so noble, yet he's a cold, calculating man. Hmph! He's already bad enough, and you and Old Qiao keep teaching him how to be worse. Be careful, or you'll end up dragging everyone down with him!"

Uncle Li's smile faded, his tone turning serious. "Little girl, you speak without understanding. People who do evil well—who excel at it—are successful in their own right. If he does bad deeds but does them with such skill, then he is a successful villain. As for me, I've always been a villain. My reputation is already tarnished, so what do I care about legacy? But the Third Young Master, he was born to bring chaos to the world. What's legacy to him? He probably doesn't care at all."

Li Xiaoye's expression shifted. "Master, are you saying that the Third Young Master might really rebel?"

Uncle Li's lips curled into a dark smile. "Of course, it's not a joke. The legend of the Shura Magic Eyes was passed down from the Grand Master of the previous dynasty—Tai Gong Wang. His insight was impeccable; he foresaw the future. His words were never in jest. I've already promised to dedicate you to the Third Young Master. You must know your place."

Li Xiaoye's heart skipped a beat. "You've already arranged this for me?"

Uncle Li's expression darkened. "The Third Young Master may lack ambition, but destiny forces his hand. The world will not let him remain idle. No matter how much he wishes to retreat, the circumstances will drag him into the fight. As for whether the world will descend into chaos..." He let out a chuckle, his eyes glinting with dark foresight. "It's inevitable."