The warmth Junior Brother left on the bed had already dissipated.
Inside the empty room, Ji Xuanyuan’s jade-like fingers touched the bed, feeling the fading temperature. Their relationship grew increasingly distant—like tea left to cool after the drinker had gone, the warmth slowly vanishing, much like the emotional connection between them.
Spring breeze seeped through the window cracks, yet it chilled her to the marrow, stirring a sense of desolation. Her vermilion lips released a fragrant sigh as she turned her gaze to catch sight of a single black hair on the pillow, lying quietly against the white fabric. It was clearly a strand Junior Brother had left behind, like a few casual ink strokes.
Instinctively, Ji Xuanyuan wrapped the strand around her jade finger, as if Junior Brother were still by her side.
Sniffling slightly, she felt a tangled mess of emotions lodged in her chest—unable to rise, unable to fall, pressing down with unbearable discomfort.
After a moment, Ji Xuanyuan shook her head forcefully.
She had already decided long ago to let Junior Brother and Fairy Gu be together. She shouldn’t have grown so close to him in the first place.
Besides, the current situation was perfect for her to transition to the Jealousy Dao.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied the reluctance within her heart.
When she opened her eyes again, her phoenix orbs were clear and composed.
Walking to the bedside, Ji Xuanyuan sat cross-legged on the spot where Junior Brother had just lain.
Closing her eyes, she formed hand seals and began circulating the Imperial Arch-Classic of World Governance.
As the ultimate treasure of the Immortal Dynasty’s imperial clan, this technique encompassed all knowledge, naturally including methods for transitioning to various emotional paths. Following the instructions recorded in the scripture, Ji Xuanyuan silently recited the incantation for entering the Jealousy Dao.
The next moment, memories from the past few days involuntarily surfaced before her eyes:
Junior Brother’s heartfelt sincerity when he gifted Fairy Gu the Thousand-Year Lingzhi;
Yesterday morning, Fairy Gu’s smug satisfaction after helping Junior Brother with his medicinal bath;
And just now, Fox Venerable’s triumphant expression as she successfully took Junior Brother away, along with his figure gradually fading into the morning light.
Truth be told, ever since she’d discovered the connection between Junior Brother and Fairy Gu, jealousy had been slowly coiling around her heart like a serpent.
At first, it was just a thread—fine as silk, light as a cobweb. Ji Xuanyuan hadn’t even noticed it, instinctively suppressing it. But as the serpent grew, tightening its hold, sinking its grip deeper, she now no longer resisted. She let the snake slither through her heart, allowing that sour, suffocating emotion to spread unchecked through her body.
The serpent finally bared its fangs, sinking them viciously into her Dao Heart, injecting the venom called Jealousy.
Jealousy—a mutation of love, the shadow of affection.
Without love, there is no jealousy. Without emotion, there is no envy.
Those who feel jealousy must first have loved, desired, and hoped; then, when their desires go unfulfilled, their hopes unmet, and their love stolen—jealousy is born.
Those who cultivate the Jealousy Dao must confront the ugliest aspects of their inner selves—greed, possessiveness, resentment, hatred.
Cultivators must acknowledge that they are not saints. They must admit that they suffer when others grow close to what they cherish, and that they harbor resentment when others drift away. As the venom was injected, Ji Xuanyuan’s spiritual power circulated through her body at an accelerating pace.
Jealousy itself was not terrifying. What was terrifying was the refusal to admit one’s jealousy.
Those emotions of envy became like keys, unlocking one tightly shut door after another.
Behind each door lay a hideous version of herself she had never seen before.
Not the lofty Crown Princess, but a woman who writhed in pain over what she could not have.
Seeing Fairy Gu holding Junior Brother’s arm made Ji Xuanyuan’s heart churn with displeasure;
Seeing herself seated inside the imperial carriage, pushing the cultivation technique toward Gu Qingwan while secretly scheming to sabotage their relationship;
Seeing herself standing on the steps, watching Chu Yuan’s retreating figure, a thought bubbling up within her: ‘I want to lock him by my side and never let him go anywhere.’
Ugly yet genuine—but she did not run away.
She opened her eyes wide, staring at those images, at that ugly version of herself, and spoke each word clearly in her heart: This is me.
This is Ji Xuanyuan.
This is the decisive Crown Princess, the lofty Sword Venerable, the woman looked up to by tens of thousands.
She is jealous.
She is unwilling.
She yearns for it but dares not take it.
The dark emotions exploded within her body.
The blockages lodged in her meridians were burned away by the flames of jealousy;
The shadows that had haunted her heart became fuel for the fire of envy.
Ji Xuanyuan opened her eyes. Her phoenix orbs were no longer cold and distant.
A blazing fire flickered at the depths of her gaze. The fire phoenix awakening within her began to stir.
The Jealousy Dao was complete. She lowered her head, staring at her own trembling, excited hands.
Unlike the Dispassionate Dao, which isolated everything with its coldness, this was the first time in two lifetimes that Ji Xuanyuan felt such scorching emotions surging within her. The corners of her lips slowly curled into a faint smile as she murmured to herself:
‘So this is what it feels like to walk other emotional paths?’
For the first time, Ji Xuanyuan felt joy at facing her true heart. Her tone was resolute as she whispered:
“Don’t worry, Junior Brother! From now on, I’ll use this power to silently protect your relationship with Fairy Gu!”
The moment these hypocritical words left her lips, the image of Junior Brother and Fairy Gu being lovey-dovey under the moonlight surfaced in her mind. Instantly, the flames of jealousy in her Dao Heart blazed even fiercer, and her cultivation level advanced by a noticeable margin.
Ji Xuanyuan’s eyes lit up:
“That’s right! This is exactly it!”
Just as she had anticipated back at the Divine Grade Auction, her current complicated and contradictory state of mind was the perfect nourishment for cultivating the Jealousy Dao.
With that thought, Ji Xuanyuan lightly closed her phoenix eyes, savoring the new power as it slowly took shape.
The Jealousy Dao.
Jealousy as its guide, resentment as its fuel, possessiveness as its flame.
Burning away all pretense, incinerating all cowardice.
From now on, she would use this very power to protect Junior Brother’s side.
—
At the same time.
Fox Venerable and Chu Yuan walked through the deep, winding corridor.
Su Xuanxuan walked ahead, her golden hair cascading down to her waist, her pace unhurried.
Chu Yuan followed behind her in silence, his gaze falling on the young dragon in his arms.
Gu Su Die curled up against his chest, her tiny claws gripping his robes, her dragon tail wrapped around his wrist, sleeping soundly.
A satisfied smile still lingered on her face, as if she had finally snatched something precious back into her embrace.
Before he could dwell on it further, he suddenly heard Fox Venerable’s voice transmission:
[Holy Son, since you’ve become my disciple, you will move into my courtyard from now on!]
She turned her head to look at Chu Yuan, an undeniable firmness in her tone: [Besides, your current courtyard is small and shabby—cold in winter, hot in summer, without even a decent Gathering Spirit Array.] [Here with me, you’ll receive better protection and nurturing.]
Meeting the possessive gaze in Fox Venerable’s eyes, Chu Yuan frowned with inexplicable irritation:
“No need, right? Fox Venerable, I think my courtyard is fine.”
Truth be told, if he had the choice, he wouldn’t mind moving to a better place.
But living with the woman who killed his foster parents? He couldn’t help feeling some resistance.
Su Xuanxuan narrowed her fox-like eyes:
“Fine?”
She repeated the word as if savoring something amusing:
“No, Your Highness. Your courtyard can hardly be considered fine.”
“Now that we’ve reunited, I absolutely cannot let you continue living in such a place.”
Finally reclaiming control over the Holy Son, the weight that had been hanging over Fox Venerable’s heart finally settled.
After all, just a while ago, the moment she took her eyes off the Holy Son, he had been targeted by the Crown Princess and even forced into an unequal contract.
Now, she absolutely could not let Chu Yuan slip out of her sight again, giving anyone else the chance to harm him.
Besides, her courtyard had the best Gathering Spirit Array, the strongest defensive restrictions, and the eighty-one layers of nine-nine protection she had personally arranged.
Nowhere was safer than by her side.
With this thought in mind, Fox Venerable’s attitude grew even more forceful:
“There’s no point arguing about this. You’re moving into my courtyard today!!!”
Without giving Chu Yuan a chance to refuse, she spoke.
An overwhelming pressure suddenly radiated from her body.
Even though he was already at the early Domain Transformation Realm, facing the suppression of a Harmonization Realm powerhouse, Chu Yuan still felt as though a mountain was pressing down on him. Yet his spine remained straight, shielding the young dragon in his arms tightly.
Chu Yuan’s body stiffened, his knees slightly buckling, nearly forcing him to kneel.
But he held on, even as a fine layer of sweat broke out on his forehead.
This was a clear demonstration of the absolute dominance of the Harmonization Realm over the Domain Transformation Realm.
This suffocating sensation reminded Chu Yuan of his previous life.
Back then, he had finally been acknowledged by Fox Venerable, moving from that rundown courtyard in the Chu Clan Branch into the Holy Son Courtyard of the Taixu Sacred Domain.
The Holy Son Courtyard was ornately decorated, filled with spirit plants, the Gathering Spirit Array running day and night, the spiritual energy so dense it felt like it could drip water.
When he left Xuanji City back then, everyone said he had hit the jackpot, watching him leave with envious or jealous eyes.
But Chu Yuan knew—that wasn’t ascension. It was imprisonment.
Those beautiful courtyards had doors, locks, and restrictions.
Unless Fox Venerable permitted it, he couldn’t freely pass through a single door.
The first argument with Fox Venerable was over a cultivation technique.
It was an ancient sword manual called the Primordial Sword Canon, said to be capable of splitting the heavens with a single sword when cultivated to its peak!
Chu Yuan discovered it in the Scripture Library and treasured it like a precious gem. He carried the bamboo slips to Su Xuanxuan, hoping she could guide him.
Su Xuanxuan sat on the soft couch, not even glancing at it before flatly rejecting him:
“No.”
Chu Yuan froze:
“Why? This sword technique aligns with my Sword Dao. If I could learn it—”
Before he could finish, Su Xuanxuan cut him off directly:
“I said no, and that’s final. This sword technique is far too dangerous. With your current level of cultivation, you cannot handle it.”
Chu Yuan frowned. He opened the bamboo slips, pointing at a specific passage, and enunciated each word:
“But it clearly says here that one can begin practicing upon reaching Clarity Realm. I’m already—”
“What? Are you questioning me???”
Su Xuanxuan’s voice suddenly turned ice-cold.
Meeting Su Xuanxuan’s abruptly chilled fox-like eyes, Chu Yuan’s words caught in his throat. Frustration churned inside him.
Regulating his breathing, he forced his voice to remain calm:
“Fox Venerable, I’m not questioning you. I’m just asking you to give me a reasonable explanation. Why not? Is there something wrong with the technique itself, or is my aptitude insufficient? You should at least—”
Su Xuanxuan stood up:
“I said no, and that’s FINAL!!!”
She instinctively released her pressure, crushing down on Chu Yuan until he could barely breathe: “What more explanation do you need?”
Chu Yuan gritted his teeth, wanting to resist, but his knees weakened, his spine bent, sweat dripping from his temples onto the floor.
From that moment on, he realized the pathological extent of Fox Venerable’s need for control.
Refusing to back down, he raised his head to meet Su Xuanxuan’s icy fox-like eyes and spoke slowly:
“Fox Venerable, although you are my Imperial Tutor, you cannot simply disregard my choices. I am the Holy Son, not your puppet!!!”
Facing the Holy Son’s defiance, bulging veins appeared on Su Xuanxuan’s fair forehead.
She said nothing, only silently intensified the pressure.
At that time, Chu Yuan, who was only at Clarity Realm, simply couldn’t withstand it.
With a loud crash, his body buckled and he fell to his knees.
The floor shattered, fragments embedding into his knees. Blood streamed down his calves, staining the ground red.
Su Xuanxuan’s body trembled, and her pressure instantly dissipated. Clearly, she hadn’t intended for things to go that far.
Meeting Chu Yuan’s resentful gaze, she softened, letting out a reluctant sigh.
“Yuan’er, I’m doing this for your own good.”
Su Xuanxuan’s voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, as if she were talking to herself: “You’ll understand when you’re older.”
With that, Fox Venerable snatched the Primordial Sword Canon from his hands and confiscated it.
Chu Yuan, still kneeling on the shattered floor, his knees bleeding profusely, felt a wave of unprecedented sorrow surge through his heart.
Looking down at the shocking bloodstains on his knees, he didn’t argue any further.
Because he knew—arguing was useless.
In the face of absolute power, reason was the most worthless thing.
All he could do was wait for this woman, who claimed to be doing things “for his own good,” to heal his wounds and leave.
Then, he would stand up, wipe away the blood, return to his courtyard, and continue cultivating.
Back then, Chu Yuan understood clearly:
Only by becoming stronger than this vixen could he ever fight back.
Yet, those three words—”for your own good”—would echo in his ears countless more times.
Every time, they came when he was suppressed, restricted, or hurt by Fox Venerable;
Every time, they came when he wanted to resist her, to fight for a sliver of freedom;
Every time, they came when he needed understanding, support, and someone to stand by his side—only to be rejected.
“For your own good”—so you can take away my choices;
“For your own good”—so you can ignore my wishes;
“For your own good”—so you can hurt me, then tell me, “This is love”???
Chu Yuan once considered complaining to the Holy Lord, his father whom he had barely met. But when he finally saw the Holy Lord’s true appearance, he found a withered shell, like a candle flickering in the wind. That realization also explained Fox Venerable’s obsessive attention and protection over the Holy Son. Precisely because he was nearing his end, the Holy Lord had entrusted his only son to the Fox Venerable, who had guarded the Sacred Domain for a thousand years.
To give birth to him, the Holy Lord had sacrificed all of his own essence.
But fate played a cruel trick—afterward, because he had activated the Roleplay System, he didn’t even have that chance.
Pulling his thoughts back from the memories—
Now, Chu Yuan was free of all restrictions, and his cultivation had risen to the point where he was no longer forced to his knees by her pressure.
Bracing himself against Fox Venerable’s oppressive aura, he demanded with indignation:
[Fox Venerable, do you intend to commit regicide again???]
In this new life, he would not let her have her way.
And hearing the words “commit regicide,” Su Xuanxuan felt as if a sharp sword had pierced straight through her full, abundant heart.
The Holy Son’s look of loathing was like a bucket of ice water thrown over her, chilling Fox Venerable from head to toe.