The setting sun half-submerged, the moon climbed the branches.

In the quiet, deserted, and dark grove of the Imperial Academy, three sword sheaths faced each other in confrontation. In the distance, the noise of students could be heard, and once all the students left the academy, it marked the end of the principal Cha Huan's workday—according to intelligence, after work, Cha Huan liked to go for a dump, then have dinner.

This was a well-known secret because Cha Huan had publicly stated, "Dining after completing metabolism is as timely as rain after a long drought, as surprising as meeting an old friend in a distant land, and as joyful as a wedding night"—before lunch and after work was always Cha Huan's unshakeable metabolism time.

If there was still a chance to call Cha Huan over to mediate earlier, now shouting until hoarse wouldn't bring anyone here.

Leyu and Niruo chatted with Qianmian not because of gossip or leisure—perhaps Leyu did, but Niruo was the kind of person who would rather act than speak.

They were all stalling for time, waiting for Cha Huan to finish work.

At this moment, Qianmian suddenly chuckled, extinguished the cigarette on the tree trunk, casually put it back in her clothes, and said with a smile: "You guys didn't really believe it, did you? Haha, Extreme Divine Weapon, Water of Mutation, Gratitude Tribulation…"

"Do you know why I can disguise as others, and in most cases, it's hard to see through? Besides being able to perfectly imitate others' voices and expressions, it's more because I'm very skilled at empathizing with others—as long as the story I fabricate can resonate with them, they will overlook how many flaws and loopholes I reveal, only believing my sincere feelings."

"Most people aren't interested in getting to the bottom of things, just like Lou Yinhai won't investigate the real situation of 'Shang Lingyi'; he'll only be moved by my straightforward investment; just like you didn't plan to see whether Ms. 'Shang Lingyi' was bedridden because her face was stripped or because she fell for a poor scholar and was confined by the family, you were just immersed in the stormy story I just told."

Leyu was stunned for a moment and sighed, "None of your words are true."

"Of course, when am I the strongest? It's when you know nothing about me. That's when I'm the strongest," Qianmian laughed.

"Do you really think I would so casually reveal the essence of my abilities, my heart tribulations, or expose my personality traits or past experiences? The more you understand about me, the weaker I become, but you don't even know if I'm male or female, old or young, strong or weak, good or bad, and your judgment on me will be wrong..."

"Coward," Niruo suddenly said.

Qianmian shrugged: "I'm touched. While I never expected a brute like you to understand the subtleties of an intelligence war, your disdain for me is very helpful for my future actions…"

"No matter how beautifully you speak, it can't hide the ugliness in your heart."

Niruo swung fiercely, the Tooth-Sakura long blade slashing out with sword wind, shaking countless withered leaves, lifting Leyu's red hair, and sending Qianmian's hair flying.

"You're just a brat who can't see the reality of the world, hating everyone after being hit; just a petty merchant yet feel like you're a Saint rescuing others from danger..."

"Bah!" Niruo spat: "Disgusting!"

Qianmian squinted: "I'm touched. You actually believed the story I just told..."

"You know, your petty tricks of taking verbal advantage aren't even worth the use of children," Niruo sneered: "You got one thing right earlier—the power of the Mad Mask indeed comes from the bearer's negative emotions."

"Because of this, I'm very sensitive to negative emotions too."

"Roll around all you want, but the hatred and the pain you just leaked, I saw it all clearly."

"The words you spoke might be false."

Niruo pointed the long blade at Qianmian: "But that's what your heart truly thinks."

After a moment of silence, Qianmian suddenly laughed: "What if I said, I knew about your empathy for negative emotions, so I deliberately released those emotions to mislead you?"

Niruo held the blade with both hands, assuming an intermediate stance.

"Besides hatred and pain, I also smelled loneliness." He said quietly, "I refuse to talk with a coward; cowards only deny their failures. But I loathe solitary cowards more because they blame others for their failures."

"Does loneliness have a scent?" Qianmian laughed, "I think you might have just smelled smoke."

"Qianmian, the number of bad people I've met might be less than you, but the quality surely surpasses yours," Leyu assumed the Eight Ridge Flow stance, "But I don't have as radical a tribulation as yours. Even if eight or nine out of ten things in the world don't go as planned, there are still one or two that are enough to soothe all my discontent. And among the things I remember, eight or nine out of ten are happiness; only one or two are grievances."

"That just shows you've met many good people, but it doesn't mean much."

Qianmian tied up her hair with a ribbon, tore her dress, revealing white, long legs in black stockings, instantly transforming from 'noble young lady' attire into clothes suitable for battle:

"My luck is always not so good."

"So why did I meet good people, yet you met so many ungrateful ones? When surrounded by flies, shouldn't you first consider if you're a pile of dung?" Leyu laughed, "Or perhaps…"

"Precisely because all beings are filthy and vile, it highlights your ability to emerge unscathed from the muck. You are not blind to the true, good, and beautiful, but only when punishing the false, evil, and ugly can you feel your greatness, right? Does the position of the just arbiter make you enjoy it?"

"I'm touched," Qianmian said, "It's surprising Teacher Qin and Teacher Nie would advise students to turn back on the wrong path…"

"I will tear off your mask and let your face kiss the soil well; the elders at home deal with disobedient kids this way," Niruo said quietly.

"I second that. Kids with a middle schooler syndrome just need a beating. After a few years, they'd wish they could strangle their past selves." Leyu laughed.

Qianmian sighed: "You think what you see is the world, but you don't know what the world is like in the eyes of a child, a beauty, an ugly woman, or a disabled person... You boast shamelessly just because you've never witnessed true cruelty."

"Then let us witness it."

As Leyu finished speaking, a dazzling Sakura Dragon Sword explosion erupted in the grove, severing the sky!

Sakura Dragon Sword Dance: Floating Boat!

Niruo, who had been biding his time, slashed open the path of life and death with a single stroke!

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