Chapter 6

The lake was silent.
Too silent.
Mist curled over the surface, thick and unnatural, as if something beneath the water was breathing.
Zhou Yi Chen stood at the edge, Yun Guangjian in hand.
Behind him—Zhao Yuanzhou.
Watching.
Waiting.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then—Zhou Yi Chen moved.
In a flash, the blade turned—
And stopped at Zhao Yuanzhou’s throat.
The air froze.
“…You,” Zhou Yi Chen said, voice low, trembling with something deeper than anger.
Zhao Yuanzhou didn’t move.
“Say it.”
His eyes met Zhou Yi Chen’s.
Calm.
Too calm.
“You killed them, didn’t you?” Zhou Yi Chen continued. “My father. My brother.”
A pause…

“They died because of you.”
The words cracked.
Just slightly.
Zhao Yuanzhou watched him quietly.
“…You’re dreaming again,” he said softly.
Zhou Yi Chen’s grip tightened.
“Answer me.”
For a moment—
There was only silence.
Then Zhao Yuanzhou spoke.
“One day,” he said, voice steady, “I’ll let you kill me.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s breath hitched.
“To avenge them.”
The sword didn’t move.
But something in Zhou Yi Chen’s eyes did.
“…You think this is a joke?”
“No,” Zhao Yuanzhou replied.
“Then why—”
“Because,” Zhao Yuanzhou said quietly, “it’s the only thing you’ve ever truly wanted from me.”
That landed.
Hard.
Zhou Yi Chen’s hand trembled—
Just for a second.
Then—
A ripple.
The lake stirred.
A presence emerged.
“Touching.”
A voice echoed across the water.
Ran Yi.
He appeared like a shadow stepping out of a dream, eyes gleaming with something inhuman.
Zhou Yi Chen immediately turned his blade toward him.
“Where is Miss Qi?”
Ran Yi smiled faintly.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Wen Xiao stepped forward.
“That’s strange,” she said. “Because the last time we visited Qi Manor…”
Zhou Yi Chen continued coldly,
“…we found her trying to hang herself.”
Ran Yi’s smile faltered.
For just a moment.
“We cut her down,” Wen Xiao added. “Saved her life.”
“She told us everything,” Zhou Yi Chen said.
“That she was in love with you.”
Silence.
“And that her father treated her like she didn’t exist.”
Ran Yi’s expression darkened.
Wen Xiao’s voice softened slightly.
“I even told her I’d help her find you.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s gaze sharpened.
“So don’t lie to us.”
Ran Yi’s eyes flickered between them.
Then—
He laughed softly.
“You think you understand her?”
With a flick of his hand—
A sack appeared.
It dropped heavily onto the ground.
Zhou Yi Chen stepped forward instantly and tore it open—
His expression changed.
“…Master Qi.”
Inside, Master Qi writhed, his face twisted in terror.
Sweat drenched his body.
His lips moved—
But no sound came out.
Ran Yi’s voice drifted over them.
“He’s dreaming.”
Wen Xiao frowned. “What did you do to him?”
Ran Yi tilted his head.
“I gave him what he deserved.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s grip tightened.
“…Explain.”
Ran Yi’s smile returned.
Cold.
“He’s trapped in a nightmare,” he said. “One where he can’t wake up.”
A pause.
“And he won’t.”
Bai Jiu paled. “You mean—”
“He’ll die in it,” Ran Yi finished calmly.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Zhou Yi Chen’s eyes darkened.
“You’re killing him with fear.”
Ran Yi shrugged slightly.
“He chose this.”
Wen Xiao stepped forward. “What do you mean?”
Ran Yi’s gaze turned distant.
“He chose status over his daughter,” he said quietly. “Chose wealth… over her life.”
A flicker of anger.
“He deserves to know what fear feels like.”
Zhou Yi Chen didn’t lower his sword.
“But she doesn’t.”
Ran Yi went still.
Zhou Yi Chen’s voice cut through the air—
cold, unwavering.
“Where is she?”
For a moment—
Ran Yi said nothing.
The lake rippled.
The mist thickened.
And Zhao Yuanzhou, standing just behind Zhou Yi Chen, watched everything carefully—
His gaze lingering not on the enemy—
But on Zhou Yi Chen.
On the way he stood.
On the way he didn’t hesitate.
A faint smile touched his lips.
“…There you are,” he murmured quietly…

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️✨✨✨✨✨

Wen Xiao stepped forward, anger flashing in her eyes.
“What you’re doing is cruel,” she said sharply. “No matter what he did, trapping someone in a nightmare until they die—”
“Cruel?”
Ran Yi laughed softly.
“Do you even know what he did to me?”
The air shifted.
Zhou Yi Chen narrowed his eyes.
“…Explain.”
Ran Yi’s smile faded.
“Your precious Master Qi,” he said quietly, “used the Corpse-Suppressing Demon Technique on me.”
Wen Xiao froze.
“That’s forbidden—”
“Yes,” Ran Yi cut in. “And yet he used it without hesitation.”
Silence fell.
Then—
Ran Yi’s gaze drifted, distant.
“…I met her by accident.”
His voice softened.
“Your Miss Qi.”
Scene: Memory
The lake rippled—
And for a moment, it felt like the past was unfolding before them.
“She found out I was a demon,” Ran Yi continued. “A fish demon.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“But she didn’t run.”
Zhou Yi Chen didn’t interrupt.
“She stayed,” Ran Yi said. “She laughed. Said it didn’t matter.”
His voice lowered.
“…And I believed her.”
Wen Xiao’s expression softened slightly.
Ran Yi continued,
“We fell in love.”
A pause.
“I told her I would take her away… to the wilderness. To see the world I lived in.”
For a moment—
There was warmth in his voice.
Then—
It shattered.
“But we were caught.”
His eyes darkened.
“Her father.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s grip tightened.
“He hired a demon-hunting priest.”
Wen Xiao whispered, “Of course he did…”
Ran Yi laughed bitterly.
“He had already arranged another marriage for her.”
The air grew heavier.
“She saw me suffering…” Ran Yi said quietly. “And she agreed to it.”
Zhou Yi Chen frowned.
“She gave up on you?”
“No,” Ran Yi replied.
His voice dropped.
“She sacrificed herself.”
Silence.
“I was already weakened,” he continued. “Barely alive.”
“So I needed power.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s eyes sharpened.
“The brides.”
Ran Yi nodded slowly.
“I absorbed their resentment… their fear… their vengeful energy.”
Wen Xiao clenched her fists.
“To force Master Qi to change his mind?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
Ran Yi’s voice turned hollow.
“But he didn’t care.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s jaw tightened.
“Of course he didn’t.”
Ran Yi’s eyes burned now.
“All he cared about… was the dowry.”
Scene: The Breaking Point
Silence stretched.
Heavy.
Then—
A surge of power.
Zhao Yuanzhou stepped forward.
His expression had changed.
No teasing.
No amusement.
Only something dark.
Cold.
“…That’s enough.”
Before anyone could react—
He moved.
The world twisted—
And in the next instant—
He was gone.
Scene: Inside the Nightmare
Master Qi screamed.
The dream was endless.
Faces.
Shadows.
Water closing in.
He clawed at nothing—
Until suddenly—
Everything stopped.
Zhao Yuanzhou stood before him.
Calm.
Terrifying.
Master Qi trembled.
“Y-you—who—”
Zhao Yuanzhou didn’t answer.
He simply stepped forward.
And—
Killed him.
Clean.
Effortless.
The nightmare shattered.
Scene: Reality
Master Qi’s body jolted.
He gasped—
Eyes snapping open.
Alive.
But wrong.
His breathing was uneven.
His eyes unfocused.
“…No… no… don’t come near me…”
He laughed suddenly.
Then cried.
Then laughed again.
Wen Xiao stepped back slightly.
“…He’s lost his mind.”
Zhou Yi Chen’s expression darkened.
Zhao Yuanzhou stood quietly nearby, as if nothing had happened.
Zhou Yi Chen turned to him.
“You entered the dream.”
Zhao Yuanzhou shrugged lightly.
“He was in the way.”
“That wasn’t your decision to make.”
Zhao Yuanzhou looked at him.
For a moment—
Something flickered.
“Would you rather he died?” he asked softly.
Zhou Yi Chen didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.