Chapter Twenty-Two: I Truly Wish to Die...

[Ding... Attribute panel activated.]
[Name: Jiang Lin]
[Realm: Peak of the Cave Abode Stage]
[Skills: Infinite Swordworks – I Am the Swordbone (Beginner), Return My Pretty Fist (Half-Beginner), Sun and Moon Dual Cultivation Technique (Proficient but Incomplete), Dragon Gate Sword Technique (Nearly Perfect)]
[Infamy: 2000 points]
[Constitution: Always attracts villainous events and main protagonists.]
...

The voice of the system echoed slowly in Jiang Lin’s mind as his consciousness gradually returned. Red firelight flickered before his eyes.

“Who are you?”

“And who are you?”

“You fox, why are you getting close to my Jiang Lin? Are you after his body?”

“I’m his senior sister. It’s only right that I take care of him!”

"Senior sister? I think you want to be more than just that to Jiang Lin, don’t you?”

“So what if I do! What’s it to you?!”

“Xiao Lin is mine!”

“Yours?! What gives you the right to say that?”

Faintly, it seemed as though the sound of arguing reached his ears, but Jiang Lin’s mind was too clouded to make out the words, and besides, it was simply too noisy.

He sluggishly opened his eyes to see two pairs of long legs swaying in front of him, making his head spin even more...

“Stop moving... please stop arguing...”

He slowly closed his eyes again, enduring the dizziness, and spoke weakly.

But his voice was so faint, it was quickly drowned out by the two girls’ bickering. After a while, they seemed to realize something was wrong, and both turned toward the feeble Jiang Lin, rushing over to embrace him.

“Xiao Lin! Thank goodness you’re alright, truly thank goodness.”

“Junior brother, you scared me to death. I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, all my fault...”

He felt his breathing grow labored, and before long, short of breath and suffocating, he fainted again.

Had the girls not noticed right away that Jiang Lin had gone limp and separated, it would almost have turned into a murder scene.

...

Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?

When he opened his eyes again, Jiang Lin found himself leaning against a wall. The surroundings looked like a cave, with a pile of burning firewood and… two girls watching him intently.

He remembered regaining consciousness once… but perhaps not really...

“You’re awake,”

The girl called Lin Qingwan looked at Jiang Lin coldly. Her slender hand tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Perhaps it was the firelight, but her cheeks seemed slightly flushed.

“Mm... I’m awake...” Jiang Lin swallowed nervously as he looked at the icy Lin Qingwan, thinking he was probably doomed—though it wouldn’t be the first time...

“How are you feeling, Young Master Jiang?” asked the other girl gently.

Examining her face, she wasn’t particularly stunning, nor was her figure especially remarkable, but she was clean and fresh, graceful as the girl next door, giving off a gentle, comforting aura.

“I feel alright...” He shook his head. Aside from the chill in his skull and his drained spiritual power, everything was fine.

But...

“Where is this?” he asked, looking at the two girls and the cave. Trying to recall, he remembered provoking the major sects, with hundreds flying at him for his head.

He’d already been prepared to die.

But unexpectedly, he’d collided with two girls and ended up in a secret realm.

Judging by the situation, these two must be Senior Sister Lin and the other girl.

But why would Senior Sister Lin save him? Why did the other girl help him as well? Did he even know her?

Not a chance.

Wait! Could this girl be the protagonist?!

“And you are...?”

“This is a cave within the Maze Secret Realm. The environment here is different from the outside, and you fainted from acclimatization when you entered unprepared. My sister and I brought you in here. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself—my name is Cai Xie, just a humble itinerant cultivator. When I saw you standing sword in hand before the sects, so dashing and unrestrained, I was captivated by your bearing. When you were in danger, I didn’t think too much—I simply rushed into the Maze Secret Realm with you in my arms.”

“Th-thank you...” Jiang Lin’s mind was still a little foggy. What was this situation? Moved by his heroic bearing? Wasn’t he just courting death in front of the major sects? How could there be a fangirl?

But then again, he did recall someone shouting they liked him once.

“You’re most welcome, Young Master.” Cai Xie smiled, her clear expression gentle and touching.

Lin Qingwan glanced dismissively at the girl beside her, who was feigning the gentleness of a neighborly elder sister. She couldn’t understand what this woman was thinking. When Jiang Lin first fainted, she’d fought so fiercely, claiming “Xiao Lin is mine!” over and over. Her looks were enough to make even Lin Qingwan feel a twinge of inferiority, yet she insisted on concealing her beauty, binding her chest, and presenting a plain appearance to Jiang Lin.

And she even called me ‘sister’?!

What does that mean?! Is she saying I’m older than her?!

Especially seeing Jiang Lin exchanging glances with her, Lin Qingwan grew angrier, as if a fire was smoldering in her chest.

“Jiang Lin! I have something to ask you!” Suddenly, Lin Qingwan stood up, sword pointed at Jiang Lin’s chest.

“Why did you fake your death to deceive me? Why did you humiliate me at the inn? You claimed the demonic sect forced your hand—was that true or just another lie? Have you been deceiving me all along?”

Faced with Lin Qingwan’s sudden questioning, Jiang Lin slowly closed his eyes and sighed softly...

Meanwhile, the girl calling herself Cai Xie—her true name Jiang Yuni—cast an exasperated glance at the little miss beside her.

She’d just been shouting “my junior brother” moments ago, and when Jiang Lin first woke, she’d shamelessly thrown herself at him. Now she was acting all aloof and cold—did she really think she could win like this? So naive.

“Senior Sister, I don’t know everything that happened, but I truly couldn’t help myself. Please forgive me. But it’s not because I’m a disciple of the Sun and Moon Demon Sect. In fact, while there are scoundrels among us, most are upright. Senior Sister Lin, please don’t blame the whole sect.”

Jiang Lin took a deep breath and stood up shakily.

“I, Jiang Lin, take responsibility for my own actions! If I must die by your sword, Senior Sister, that is my fate...”

With that, he made to throw himself upon the sword’s tip.

“No! Young Master Jiang, don’t!” Just as he was about to impale himself, Cai Xie clung to him tightly.

“No, Miss Cai Xie! This has nothing to do with you, please let me go!”

“No!”

“Miss Cai Xie! Please release me...”

“No! I won’t!”

“Let go.”

“No!”

“Let go!”

“No! If Young Master Jiang dies, Cai Xie would not wish to live either!”

For a moment, the cave seemed like the setting of a melodramatic romance, with Lin Qingwan cast as the villain.

Especially the girl called Cai Xie—her tears had already dampened Jiang Lin’s back.

Hearing her say, “If you die, I won’t live either,” Jiang Lin was utterly dumbfounded.

What on earth is going on... Miss, we’ve only met once, isn’t this a bit much...

And...

I really do want to die...