As Xue Yueliang remained in her slumber, her expression kept on changing. It changed from one of extreme pain to anger and then, finally, unwillingness. Her blood-soaked robes were switched for a fresh pink robe, adding a frail, feminine charm to her pale face. The sweat that trickled from her body was wiped by a gentle hand. A young girl pats the hair on her head, finding its purplish shade fascinating, "Sister, who is this?" She asked curiously, looking at the person attending to Xue Yueliang, who was none other than Jiu Li.

"She's the person who will be deciding my fate." She answered, but the young girl stared at her in confusion. Seeing that her sister did not understand her words, she bitterly smiled. "Don't worry." Jiu Li did not know whether she wished for Xue Yueliang to wake up. Every day she slept was a day she was guaranteed to live, but if she woke up. Jiu Li sighed and did not continue her train of thought. What would come would naturally come. Like this, a whole month passed, causing Lei Jian's heart to fall as the days slowly trickled by. A week later, Xue Yueliang finally awoke, but she did not get up; she instead conversed with her master.

"Master, you knew?" Xue Yueliang asked, her voice sounding immeasurably tired. Her master's sigh resounded in her mind as he answered, "Your fate is out of your hands. Your life and death have already been decided before you ever walked this path. The only thing you can do is either follow through with it or resist the temptation of fate."

Xue Yueliang's gaze flashed as a distressing feeling overwhelmed her. She did not wish to die, but fate had decreed otherwise. But before this depressing feeling could fester, it was quickly changed to one of anger, as she could not allow herself to feel helpless.

"What about Yao Niang and Lei Jian." "They are big players in your life, of course, I can't say much, but I can say Yao Niang is fated to be your greatest enemy. As for Lei Jian, his fate is much greater than that, but it's not the time for you to know yet." Her master said, a mysterious tone behind his words.

"Why did you wish for me to travel with him?" "I hoped his fate would overpower yours, but he's still too weak." She did not question his words as if even her father knew; her more powerful master should also know.

"It will be much easier for you to change your fate if you change who you are. Some paths are not meant to be walked to the end." He quietly added, leaving her deep in thought.

She got up, her feet soundlessly touching the ground beneath her, and she saw an unexpectedly warm scene playing out in front of her. Lei Jian stirred a pot of soup and then poured three bowls out. Jiu Li received two of the three bowls, feeding her younger sister before herself. She gently blew on the soup, played games with her sister, and their laughter tinkled out. The three seemed like a picturesque family as they happily conversed, appearing like none of them was the prisoner of the other.

"Jianjian, it seems you have forgotten about me," Xue Yueliang pouted, causing the warm atmosphere in the room to chill. Jiu Li's ever-moving hand stopped, staring at her in fear.

"Yueliang, you're awake," Lei Jian smiled happily, rushing over to give her a warm hug. He then realised his actions were improper and moved away, but a faint blush appeared on his face, stunning Xue Yueliang. She had only teased him and was expecting him to deny having any romantic relationship with either of them. Then a cute thought appeared in her mind, he cares for me more than his own pride.

Xue Yueliang laughed, and a warm smile showed on her still pale face, "Yeah. Thank you for taking care of me." She walked toward the sister duo, terrifying Jiu Li, but she paid her no heed. She grabbed herself a cup of soup and began eating silently, causing an awkward atmosphere to envelop the room as Jiu Li did not dare move.

"What's her name?" Xue Yueliang asked, finding the quietness unsettling. Before Jiu Li could answer, the young girl jumped up. "I'm Ling'er," she smiled, heading toward her. "Ling'er, you're bigger than I thought you would be." "Does big sister know me?" Ling'er asked, her wide eyes betraying her curiosity. "I used to know your parents," Xue Yueliang smiled, "You can even say I saved your life once."

There was a difference between sparing and saving, but that difference did not bother her. Jiu Li, however, began trembling, maybe from fear or rage, but the sight was amusing enough.

"Thank you, big sister!" Ling'er smiled, petting her hair, "Big sister's hair is pretty. Ling'er wants pretty hair too!"

What a cheerful girl, Xue Yueliang smiled.

"Ling'er! Jiu Li screamed, terrified that Xue Yueliang would kill her.

"Relax, I won't eat her." Xue Yueliang waved her dismissively and refocused her gaze onto the kid.

"Are you sure you want to have pretty hair like me?" She asked amicably, causing the young girl to repeatedly nod her head.

Xue Yueliang laughed at her excitement, she knew this barely three-year-old child did not understand what she was agreeing to, but she did not care. She placed her right index finger onto the child's glabella, revolving her Blood Moon Cultivation Sutra. She then poured her spiritual Qi directly into her soul. Immediately after, she allowed it to pass through her body a few times, slightly strengthening it. Jiu Ling's hair turned a bright shade of red, then settled into the colour of red wine. She had now inherited the Blood Moon Cultivation Sutra.

Xue Yueliang retrieved her mirror and asked gently, "It's not the same, but do you like it?" "I love it!" Jiu Ling exclaimed, planting a wet kiss on Xue Yueliang's cheek, surprising her. "I'm glad you do."

She then placed her left index finger on her glabella, leading to streams of memories attacking the girl's consciousness. Brutal scenes of murder played in the young girl's mind. From the murders in Blackwater Town to the inheritance site, memories of people being killed played in her mind, seemingly without rhyme or reason. Even the death of her father was witnessed by her. These scenes overwhelmed Jiu Ling's consciousness and caused her to faint.

"Ling'er, are you okay? Please don't die. Ling'er!" Jiu Li cried sadly, and her overwhelming grief made her unable to see that Jiu Ling was very much alive.

"She is just asleep." Xue Yueliang said, her lips twitching, she was not some monster who would not even spare a child. "You can leave."

Jiu Li carefully looked at her sister and saw that she was breathing rhythmically; she was not dead.

"Thank you for your mercy. Thank you! Thank you." Jiu Li said, kowtowing with every thanks and slightly bruising her head from her overexcitement. She hurriedly left with her unconscious sister, not waiting for even a second longer. It was as if she was afraid that Xue Yueliang would renege on her words.

"What did you do to her?" Lei Jian curiously asked, not a trace of the accusation she expected in his voice. Xue Yueliang's smile warmed further, "I let her inherit some of my power and memories."

"Do you plan on taking her in as a disciple?"

"I’m too weak to begin to think about such things. I want to make a play on fate." Xue Yueliang said while looking into the distance, no specific spot in her sight. "Do you think she will grow up to be a good person?"

Lei Jian felt his heart sink at this question though he did not know why she would ask this; having a firm Dao heart was vital in the cultivation world. Her having doubts about her path was not a good thing. He held her hand, gently asking, "Is everything okay, Yueliang?"

"No." Xue Yueliang got up and stretched for a bit, smiling in the direction of the worried Lei Jian. "Let's spar."

Lei Jian hesitated but felt that he should follow her whims as something seemed to be bothering her. Xue Yueliang retrieved the Blood Moon Sword and fixed her stance. She knew that she was in no state to fight, but she felt the need to blow off some steam. If she internalised any more of this frustration, she might explode.

As always, she was the first to attack, lunging at him and swinging her sword horizontally. She did not use any techniques as she did not wish to further strain her weak meridians, relying on pure brute force.

Being the uninjured of the duo, Lei Jian managed to easily block her attack, causing her to fall back. He had not slacked off during the past month, and his cultivation now was equal to hers. Blocking her attacks would not be hard for him.

"Do you know, ever since I left the Qin Clan, I felt that I had control over my own life like no one could control me any further." Xue Yueliang began. She relentlessly attacked Lei Jian, not letting up even as she spoke. Lei Jian silently defended, allowing her to release her frustrations while listening quietly.

"But then, I just found out that my father had known and planned for my every step. Though I can't say how much he had planned, he at least knew I would show up here and meet up with Lei Chi. Do you know how frustrating it is; to feel that everything you had ever done, your achievements and the inheritances you received were due to the person you hate most in this world?" She complained, her blow much fiercer than before, lightly numbing Lei Jian's hands.

"Maybe, it's not that he planned it, but he had foreseen it." He consoled, hoping to ease her vexation.

Xue Yueliang calmed down and thought, "So it's not that I'm being controlled, but I'm being seen through. If that were the case, does that mean he knew I would kill Qin Yundi?"

A chill passed through both their spines, as even though the Qin Clan's patriarch was known for his heartlessness, Qin Yundi and his mother were known as the spring in his icy heart. They were the only people capable of moving him, but it seems he created a fake weakness for himself.

"I'm nothing compared to him, even in ruthlessness." She sighed, sheathing her sword and strapping it onto her waist. She had learnt the importance of keeping her sword on her at all times, as keeping it in her storage ring was not close enough.

"Being heartless isn't good; it leaves you alone and cornered. Regardless of the outcome, you know I will be by your side, and if the chains of fate try to lock you down, I will be there, breaking them down with you."

"Will you not break them down for me?" Xue Yueliang joked.

"You are more than capable. You don't need a protector." Lei Jian said sheepishly, feeling embarrassed from his previous ignorance.

Seeing that she had calmed down, Lei Jian put away his greatsword and asked, "What do you wish to do next?"

"Become strong enough and display his head on the city wall?"

Lei Jian bitterly smiled and asked, "I mean now."

Xue Yueliang laughed freely, the knot in her heart finally undone, "It depends. What do you want to do about the Lei Clan?"

"I don't hate them to the point where I want to kill them, nor am I grateful enough to protect them if they were in any danger. Their fate and mine were fully severed from each other the moment Lei Chi tried to kill me by their orders."

"Aren't you too kind-hearted? Isn't a life for life the standard?"

"Well, I was born in the Lei Clan, and I can take Lei Chi trying to kill me as dying there. This is a new life, free from their karma."

Xue Yueliang smiled and did not refute his words. If he was convinced by his reasoning, then there was no reason for her to challenge it; after all, people have their own beliefs. "Since you don't mind, I have to inform the princess of this rebellion."

"Why?" He asked quizzically. "I plan on wooing her," Xue Yueliang smiled mischievously.

"Wo-wooing her?"

She giggled at his confusion and left the room. If fate wished for them to be enemies, then she might as well change them to being lovers. She had heard many stories of people escaping their destiny of being enemies; ultimately, they were all lovers, not friends.