The vision unfolded before Lin Mo—
The setting remained the same: Yuehua’s chamber.
His master, Yuehua, and his junior sister, Shen Ke’er, were quietly discussing something.
As soon as Lin Mo entered, Shen Ke’er’s expression became unnatural, but she still handed him a pill.
“Senior Brother, you’ve just formed your Golden Core. This is a pill that Master prepared for you to stabilize your foundation.”
Yuehua gave a slight nod.
“Take it now. Your junior sister and I will protect you while you meditate.”
The original Lin Mo in this vision did not hesitate.
Without any suspicion, he swallowed the pill.
But the moment he began circulating his energy, his vision blurred, his mind spun, and soon he collapsed unconscious.
When he regained consciousness, he couldn’t move.
His entire body felt weak, his head heavy and clouded.
The first thing he noticed—he was chained to a stone pillar in a dimly lit secret chamber.
And standing before him…
His master, Yuehua.
She held a short sword, its icy blade gliding across his skin, as if searching for the perfect place to cut.
“Master… what are you doing?”
The original Lin Mo felt a chill of horror run down his spine.
Yuehua’s cold, detached gaze stared back at him.
In the flickering candlelight, her eyes held no warmth—only indifference, as if she were merely looking at a corpse.
“Mo’er,” Yuehua’s voice remained calm, almost gentle, yet it carried an undeniable finality.
“You’ve always been harsh and unfeeling, treating your junior disciples with cruelty. Though I have overlooked these faults, I cannot forgive your collusion with the demonic cultivators. You have sinned too deeply.”
The original Lin Mo was completely dumbfounded.
What?
When had he ever abused his junior disciples?
When had he ever colluded with demonic cultivators?!
Yuehua pressed the tip of her short sword against his dantian, sighing.
“You have made a grave mistake. Perhaps I failed you as your master.”
“But you have already fallen to darkness. For the sake of the world, and for the sake of Qingxuan Sect’s honor, you must die.”
Her tone remained calm, almost as if she were discussing the weather.
Yuehua’s grip tightened on the sword.
“But before you die, there is something I must take from you.”
“You already know that your junior brother, Ye Kai, was poisoned with Gu from a young age. His meridians have long been sealed, making it impossible for him to cultivate.”
“I will take your Golden Core and bone marrow, and give them to Ye Kai.”
“With your essence and blood, he will recover and eventually surpass even what you could have achieved.”
“He will walk the righteous path, making up for your sins.”
The original Lin Mo was in total disbelief.
The master he had respected most, the one he had trusted the most…
Was now cutting him open with her own hands.
“Master… please… don’t do this.”
He struggled.
He begged for mercy.
But Yuehua did not waver.
His desperate screams echoed through the secret chamber, yet Yuehua remained indifferent.
Her hands moved steadily, precisely, carving into him without hesitation.
Pain unlike anything he had ever felt before wracked his body.
When she extracted his Golden Core, his vision blurred with agony.
When she drained his marrow and blood, his body trembled uncontrollably.
Until finally—
The light faded from his eyes.
His breathing stopped.
And he died.
Lin Mo’s consciousness snapped back.
His body was drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged.
That wasn’t a dream.
That was his fate—what would have happened to the original Lin Mo.
Had it not been for Huang Liang’s Dream, he never would have known.
As his vision refocused, he heard the last words Yuehua had just spoken:
“Since you have already punished Yuan Li, let him remain in charge of Qingzhu Peak’s spiritual fields.”
Lin Mo’s expression immediately darkened.
He said nothing.
Originally, Lin Mo had a favorable impression of Yuehua.
From his memories, he knew that while she was obsessed with cultivation, she had always treated him well.
When he first joined the sect, she personally refined pills for him, bought him clothes, and even took him traveling.
But in the end, none of that mattered.
No matter what, she would still cut him open for the sake of Ye Kai.
Whether or not the accusations of colluding with demonic cultivators were true didn’t even matter.
She had already chosen her path.
Lin Mo had felt the pain of being betrayed and butchered once already.
Now, when he looked at Yuehua’s face, all he felt was cold certainty.
Sensing his abrupt change in demeanor, Yuehua spoke gently.
“Mo’er, are you alright?”
Her tone was soft, her gaze warm—as if nothing was wrong.
But Lin Mo wasn’t the original host.
It didn’t matter how much Yuehua cared for him now.
It didn’t matter how much she had done for him before.
Because in the end, she would still sacrifice him without hesitation.
There was no such thing as an unbreakable master-disciple bond.
It was all an illusion.
Lin Mo’s expression remained cold.
He shook his head.
“Disciple is fine.”
Yuehua observed him closely, frowning slightly.
Something about him felt different.
She waved a hand.
“Ye Kai, you may leave.”
Ye Kai hesitated, but still bowed respectfully before stepping out.
Once the door closed, Yuehua’s sharp gaze fixed onto Lin Mo.
“Tell me, Mo’er…”
“Have I done something to make you dissatisfied?”
Lin Mo said nothing.
Yuehua pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Mo’er… do you dislike your junior brother Ye Kai?”
She felt puzzled the moment the words left her lips.
Having mentored Lin Mo for so many years, she understood his temperament well.
He had never been the kind of person who acted petty or intolerant.
But when it came to Ye Kai, his emotions seemed especially intense.
Not only was he angry, but he had also grown distant from her as well.
This was not a good sign.
Lin Mo, in part for the original host’s sake, looked at her and asked:
“If I said I don’t like him… would you send him away?”
Yuehua was caught off guard by his directness.
For a brief moment, she hesitated before responding:
“Ye Kai is the son of an old friend. I made a promise to his father before he passed… to look after him.”
The meaning was clear—
She would not send Ye Kai away.
Lin Mo felt a deep sense of pity for the original host.
He lowered his gaze and bowed slightly.
“Just now, I overstepped my place,” he said calmly.
“You are my master. It is your right to choose your own disciples. I have no authority to question that.”
“If there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”
His tone was indifferent, as if nothing mattered anymore.
Seeing this unexpected shift in demeanor, Yuehua frowned slightly.
“If Ye Kai has done something wrong, you, as the senior brother, should guide him rather than hold a grudge.”
Then, she once again brought up the matter of Yuan Li.
“Mo’er, you claim you didn’t punish Yuan Li harshly,” she said slowly.
“But all of your junior disciples saw how you treated him.”
Lin Mo had no interest in explaining himself.
His voice was low and steady.
“So… you plan to keep Yuan Li here, then?”
Yuehua thought for a moment before nodding.
“Let him stay,” she said decisively.
“I’ve spoken to him and understand the situation. His mistake was caused by his dedication to cultivation—he simply became too absorbed and forgot to tend to the fields.
“A cultivator should prioritize their cultivation. That is the most important thing.”
Lin Mo laughed internally.
No rules, no discipline.
As the leader of Qingzhu Peak, how could she not understand this basic principle?
His voice turned cold.
“So, you think just like them—that I was being petty and merciless for expelling Yuan Li?”
Yuehua’s expression hardened slightly.
“Mo’er.”
Her tone was low, as if warning him.
She did not deny it.
Which meant—she agreed.
Lin Mo said nothing more.
He turned and left.
From this moment on, Qingzhu Peak had nothing to do with him.
If they wanted to mismanage themselves into ruin, so be it.
Yuehua’s beautiful eyes followed his retreating figure, a deep frown forming on her face.
Her disciple…
He was different now.
