a smile from the villain ( ASV)

Chapter 31: The Sword Forest Changes

“Yan Buxuan?” Qin Kaiyi repeated the name, trying to place it. The man in question was caught in the chaotic dance of sword energy, his face contorted in pain. But Yan Gu’s insistence gnawed at Qin Kaiyi’s mind. “What do you mean, Yan Gu?”

Yan Gu’s eyes narrowed. “His reaction… it’s uncanny. I’ve seen that before.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “And not just once.”

Qin Kaiyi frowned. “You’re not making sense. Yan Buxuan is a righteous cultivator, isn’t he?”

Yan Gu’s voice rose, urgency coloring his words. “That’s the point! He’s no different from Tang Shayun—the same darkness coils within them. They’re both demonic cultivators!”

The revelation hit Qin Kaiyi like a bolt of lightning. He turned back to the Sword Forest, where Yan Buxuan struggled against the relentless onslaught of blades. But then, something shifted. Yan Buxuan’s pain twisted into a cold smile, and Qin Kaiyi’s heart skipped a beat. That smile… it was familiar.

In a swift motion, Yan Buxuan formed a seal with his right hand. And just like that, Tang Shayun—once smugly observing from the sidelines—was ensnared by an invisible force.

Qin Kaiyi’s shock deepened. Yan Buxuan, the righteous cultivator, harbored hidden strength. His true nature, veiled until now, was laid bare. The Sword Forest quivered, its reality bending to accommodate this revelation.

In the heart of the Sword Forest, where reality and illusion wove a treacherous dance, Tang Shayun’s carefully laid plans crumbled like ancient parchment. She had anticipated victory, the annihilation of Yan Buxuan’s entire team. Instead, she found herself ensnared in a web of fate, her fate entangled with the very man she sought to destroy.

Tang Shayun’s eyes widened in horror as Yan Buxuan’s grip tightened around her delicate throat. Her voice, once commanding, now trembled with fear. “What do you want to do?” she gasped, her beautiful eyes reflecting the chaos around them.

Yan Buxuan’s smile was chilling, a predator toying with its prey. “Don’t yell,” he murmured, his voice deceptively gentle. “Unless you want to part with that  tongue of yours.”

Silence descended upon Tang Shayun. Regret gnawed at her insides—she had underestimated Yan Buxuan’s strength. The Sword Forest, with its ethereal blades, should have been his downfall. Yet here he stood, defying her calculations.

“You disappoint me,” Yan Buxuan chided, shaking his head. “Each generation of the Tang family falls short. Your martial arts lack the resilience of your ancestors.”

Tang Shayun’s desperation surged. “Who are you?” she demanded, her voice raw. “This isn’t right. You’re not Yan Buxuan!” She had seriously researched Yan Buxuan’s information, and knew that this elder of the Ice and Fire Sect absolutely did not have the strength to survive the Sword Forest’s attack!

“Of course I am not Yan Buxuan.” The man with a gradually changing face smiled casually: “If I were Yan Buxuan, I would have long ago stabbed your unrighteous demonic cultivator self.”

The man before them—his face morphing like a chameleon—dismissed any pretense of being Yan Buxuan. His casual smile held the promise of danger.

“If I were Yan Buxuan,” he drawled, “I’d have already skewered your unrighteous demonic self.”

Yan Buxuan’s features twisted, revealing another visage. Qin Kaiyi’s scream echoed through the ethereal trees. “Zi Yangpei!” he blurted out, recognition and shock warring on his face.

“Old monster!” Yan Gu’s voice joined the chorus. He and Qin Kaiyi shared wide-eyed disbelief. Yan Gu muttered, grappling with the impossible: “How is this even possible? How could he survive… this?”

Qin Kaiyi pressed for answers. “Who is he?” he demanded. “Why is Zi Yangpei here?”

Yan Gu hesitated, then spilled the truth. “We must leave,” he urged. “Zi Yangpei’s appearance is not a good sign.”

“Do you know him?” Qin Kaiyi immediately noticed Yan Gu’s change: “What is going on?”

Qin Kaiyi persisted, “Are you from the Hua Lian sect?”

Yan Gu’s self-deprecating smile held a world of secrets. “Me?” he said. “I’m but a dog trained by Hua Lian.”

Qin Kaiyi’s silence spoke volumes. Yan Gu’s humility was unexpected, and the lotus mask he wore hinted at deeper allegiances. But time pressed upon them—the Sword Forest’s edge loomed, and Zi Yangpei’s presence threatened catastrophe.

“Let’s go,” Yan Gu urged. “This proximity to the Sword Forest is perilous. As for you…” He eyed Qin Kaiyi’s natural demonic body. “Perhaps you won’t die, but the rest of us—”

In the dim chamber, the elusive figure vanished like smoke, leaving Qin Kaiyi to grapple with the urgency of their situation. He withdrew his hand from the wall, eyes darting to Yan Gu. “Tell me how to leave,” he urged, voice taut.

Yan Gu’s response was swift, devoid of humor. “Find a chair in the room’s center,” he instructed. “Sit on it. Quickly.”

Qin Kaiyi wasted no time. The Sword Forest’s threat loomed, and Zi Yangpei’s presence was a harbinger of doom. He beckoned to Shen Feixiao, urgency etching his features. “Feixiao, come here,” he called. “We can’t afford to be caught.”

Shen Feixiao’s anger flared. “What are you doing?” he snapped, struggling in Qin Kaiyi’s arms. “Let me down!”

“Stop,” Qin Kaiyi ordered, his grip firm. Shen Feixiao’s slight frame surprised him; the bony contours pressed against his palms. Perhaps he should pay more attention to his shidi’s diet. As Shen Feixiao’s self-proclaimed “dear father,” he had been remiss.

Yan Gu’s instructions echoed in his mind “Turn the golden lion on the right armrest of the chair three times left, then five times right. Finally, press down.” He held Shen Feixiao closer.

“…” Shen Feixiao clenched his teeth and didn’t want to say anything. He was influenced by Qin Kaiyi’s serious expression, and finally rested on his stomach and allowed Qin Kaiyi to carry him.

“Calm down, he hasn’t come yet, right… grab it harder, maybe we just…” The words that followed didn’t make it out, and Yan Gu’s voice disappeared at once.

Qin Kaiyi’s body stiffened. He heard the sound of something heavy falling behind him.  His instincts screamed: Zi Yangpei had arrived, and he wasn’t alone.

And there he was, striding toward them with the ease of a predator. Zi Yangpei, carrying Tang Shayun like a sack of rice, wore that same teasing smile. Qin Kaiyi’s gaze hardened; his welcome was anything but warm.

“Yo, I didn’t expect there were people here.” The familiar voice, as before, carried teasing laughter.

“Huh? Another acquaintance.” Recognizing Qin Kaiyi, Zi Yangpei  tossed Tang Shayun aside, her fear-stricken face a stark contrast to his nonchalance. His eyes shifted to Qin Kaiyi and Shen Feixiao, nestled together like a pair of star-crossed lovers. “Just the two of you in this world?” he quipped.   (T/N: Usually refers to a romantic couple. Meaning they’re in a romantic couple’s world.)

“…” Big brother, this joke is not funny at all, really. The corners of Qin Kaiyi’s lips quietly drew down. .

“En, long time no see, baby.” Clearly not knowing that Qin Kaiyi did not like his corny jokes, Zi Yangpei seemed no different than before entry into the secret realm. He smiled, full of greetings: “How have you been recently?”