After Constantly Courting Death, I Became the White Moonlight - Chapter 16

Outside the Xuan Mirror, the crowd was in an uproar.

“Unbelievable! That little girl played two entire sects like a fiddle. One twist after another—what a spectacular show!”

“Now that Haoran Sect and Glorious Light Island have both suffered heavy losses, not only did Ning Ning take the rare spiritual plant, but she also even looted Glorious Light Island’s belongings. Even if others are seething with rage, with their injuries and depleted cultivation, they can’t do anything to her.”

“She’s just sitting back and watching the tigers fight now. I can only imagine how pleased she must be—haha!”

He Xiaocheng, sect master of Luminous Mountain, laughed heartily.

“As expected of Elder Tianxian’s disciple! This unorthodox method truly echoes the style of her master.”

A female cultivator from the Ten Thousand Sword Sect, who had almost smashed the Xuan Mirror in rage earlier, let out a long breath and chuckled with relief.

“That brat Xu Ye… thank goodness. But how did Elder Tianxian know ahead of time that Xu Ye’s ‘betrayal’ was just an act?”

“Huh?”

Tianxianzi, his mouth full of pastries, gulped down some tea, then chuckled mysteriously:

“Come on, just look at your disciple’s dumb expression—does he seem like someone who could come up with a fake betrayal scheme?”

The female cultivator twitched her lips.

“Tianxianzi, duel me.”

Tianxianzi immediately dodged behind Zhen Xiao.

“Senior Brother, she’s threatening me!”

Zhen Xiao ignored him. His snow-cold eyes swept over the Xuan Mirror with indifference, and his voice was just as chilly.

“As a sword cultivator, why waste time scheming? If others are dissatisfied, just draw your sword and make them yield.”

He Xiaocheng, familiar with his old friend’s temperament, shook his head and argued,

“That may work for you. But Ning Ning is just a young girl, surrounded by danger. Even with great talent, she can’t possibly stand against the combined forces of Haoran Sect and Glorious Light Island.”

Someone laughed in agreement.

“It’s said Sword Venerable Zhen Xiao is the best in the world at uniting with the sword heart. Seeing him today, the rumors are true. Against his overwhelming swordsmanship, all plots and schemes are meaningless.”

Zhen Xiao was silent for a moment.

Then he said:

“No. It’s just that when the schemes get too complicated, I don’t understand them.”

After a pause, he turned to Tianxianzi.

“Junior Brother, what exactly did Ning Ning do just now? Can you explain it simply for me?”

Ah, right, they’d almost forgotten. The world-renowned Sword Venerable Zhen Xiao… wasn’t very smart. Rumor had it he dedicated himself to sword training after repeatedly failing exams at school, eventually coming to a simple realization.

He wasn’t just seeming dumb—he truly wasn’t clever.
For the ugly, staring is cruelty; for the dim-witted, forcing them to take the imperial exams is murder.

The world thought Zhen Xiao was cold and stoic, the type to solve everything with a blade and speak as little as possible.

Only a few close seniors and junior brothers knew the truth:
He just didn’t know how to talk, and his brain couldn’t keep up. So he solved everything by fighting, it was the safest way to avoid being taken advantage of.

“What’s wrong with scheming?” said a female cultivator in white with a faint smile. “Innocent flowers are dull. The ones with thorns are far more interesting to taste.”

Her voice drew the attention of several men around her.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, like an unattainable celestial from the nine heavens. Her long, black hair was tied casually behind her, with a few strands brushing against her flawless, porcelain cheek and falling into the delicate hollow of her collarbone. As her body moved slightly, those strands swayed just enough to stir the imagination.

Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled like stars, and her naturally red lips made her look like a living jewel—ethereal and otherworldly.

But when she smiled, a trace of seduction bloomed across her face. The goddess became a siren.

This was none other than the master of Glorious Light Island—Qu Feiqing.

Tianxianzi glanced at her.

“What? It seems the Island Master is quite fond of my little disciple?”

Qu Feiqing laughed softly behind her hand, her eyes brimming with watery charm.

“Fond is an understatement. I’ve seen Glorious Light Island manipulate others many times—but being used by someone else? That’s a first. Ning Ning is truly interesting. Elder Tianxian, if you’d allow it, why not let her visit my island as a guest for a few days? I’ll personally take care of her.”

If she personally “took care” of her, Ning Ning might come back as a dried corpse—or not at all. That was a very real concern.

Tianxianzi waved his hands frantically, clearly alarmed:

“No, no! Ning Ning’s still young. Please, Island Master, bestow your great mercy and kindness upon someone else instead.

Qu Feiqing gave a cold hump, but her smile was still laced with ambition. She changed the subject:

“After this incident, I’m afraid the disciples of both Glorious Light Island and Haoran Sect will be heartbroken for quite a while.”

Rong Ci had been the most talented disciple she’d encountered in years, and that naturally made him proud and overconfident.

His plans had rarely failed before. He excelled in manipulating hearts and minds. But this time, he’d met someone who didn’t follow the rules, someone who not only saw through his intentions, but even turned the tables on him with a counter-scheme, turning him into a pawn.

Back in the cave, his conversation with Ning Ning had seemed like he was controlling the girl step by step into emotional vulnerability, extracting secrets from her through guilt and sympathy.

But in truth, Ning Ning had seized the upper hand. Though she appeared to be a naive and easily swayed girl, she had been orchestrating the entire situation from the shadows.

Even Rong Ci’s plan had been anticipated in hers.

And to think—he even injured himself on purpose to get close to her. Once he finds out the truth, he’s going to be livid.

The fairy-like female cultivator’s smile deepened. As she looked at the girl in the Xuan Mirror, a flicker of intense anticipation crossed her eyes.

What the elders outside the Xuan Mirror thought, Ning Ning had no idea. At this moment, what concerned her most was—where should the three of them go next?

Although she had boldly declared she was going to fleece them dry, she wasn’t some heartless monster. After arriving at Glorious Light Island’s supply cave, she only took a few detoxifying herbs.

After taking the herbs, He Zhizhou and Xu Ye finally recovered somewhat from their delirious, crazed state.

Thinking back on the whole ordeal—swimming, ascending to immortality, and giving birth, it left the two proud sword cultivators speechless, their eyes brimming with tears.

Naturally, they wouldn’t return to the previous cave again. After some discussion, the trio decided to head to the Ancient Forest of Colossal Trees at the mountain summit, hoping they might get lucky and find some rare and ancient spirit plants.

“Just by the name alone— ‘Ancient Forest of Colossal Trees’—you can tell it’s a mysterious place.”

He Zhizhou, still holding half-eaten grilled fish and roasted eel, said with mock mystique:

“I’ve heard the drop rate of Heaven-rank spirit plants and rare ores there is insanely high. It’s basically the legendary mobile game with 999 damage per slash, golden gear bursting everywhere, a paradise for farming loot—no top-ups required to beat the rich players!”

Was he mistaking the forest for a pay-to-win game?

Xu Ye, not understanding what He Zhizhou was rambling about, assumed he still hadn’t recovered from the mushroom poisoning. He glanced at the eel in He’s hand and frowned deeply.

“First it was poisonous mushrooms, now it’s this slippery-looking thing. Can’t you eat something normal?”

“You don’t get it! This is called ‘Don’t underestimate a small eel—every eel counts, every bite divine!’ It’s full of auspicious symbolism. Eating brings good luck. Not like grilled fish. Just seeing it reminds me of that classic line— ‘A strange glint flickered in the fish’s eye.’”

He Zhizhou wagged his head as he rambled nonsense.

“And you’re talking about me? Didn’t you get poisoned by mushrooms too?”

“I—I didn’t eat the mushrooms you cooked!”

Xu Ye’s face flushed red.

“I got poisoned because I ate a rabbit that ate the mushrooms! That doesn’t count as eating weird stuff!”

He Zhizhou made a time-out gesture.

“Bro, stop with the nesting logic.”

And so, Xu Ye fell silent.

So it’s true what they say—the infamous “Courtesan Brother” from Xuanxu Sword Sect, who got bullied to tears by a seven-year-old monk, really wasn’t normal.

“Oh right! There’s something I must tell you guys.”

He Zhizhou suddenly remembered something, swallowing the last bite of grilled fish:

“Aren’t we about to fly on our swords to get to the forest?”

He scratched his head awkwardly and said, “Well… thing is, I’m afraid of heights.”

…

“AAAAHHHH I’M GONNA DIE! Jade Emperor! Guanyin! Zeus! Athena! JESUS CHRIST!”

He Zhizhou screamed like a howler monkey echoing through a canyon, his voice reaching dolphin-pitch as they sped through the air:

“Democracy! Prosperity! Harmony! MOM SAVE ME! HALLELUJAH!”

Xu Ye was beyond irritation:

“Shut up already!”

How could a cultivator be afraid of heights, especially a sword cultivator?! Had this guy never flown on a sword before? What a disgrace to the sword path!

“It’s not like I can’t fly. But you know… every time I’m up here, I feel dizzy, like I’m about to cry and die in the next second.”

He Zhizhou clung to Xu Ye like a koala to a tree.

“Ning Ning, quick, tell me some jokes! Distract me, I beg you!”

Ning Ning stood on her Starmark Sword, laughing uncontrollably at the sight:

“I don’t know any jokes. Why don’t we ask our literary genius He Zhizhou to recite a poem?”

“A p-poem…”

He Zhizhou trembled and kept his eyes shut tight, brain in complete chaos.

“The beauty rolls up her pearl curtain… T-the paths are all deserted… I remove the war robe with the gentleman… In the lotus canopy, we share a spring night… A spring night is worth a thousand gold coins… One must experience it personally to understand…”

Xu Ye’s body jolted. As a pure and upright youth raised under the light of righteousness, he blushed to the tips of his ears.

“He Zhizhou, shut up!!”

Amidst He Zhizhou’s cries and Xu Ye’s scolding, the three of them finally reached their destination: the Ancient Forest of Colossal Trees.

Perched atop Mount Xiaozhong, the forest was said to have been born from the essence of the sun and moon—an undisputed gathering place of powerful spiritual energy.

Night had already fallen. Towering ancient trees pierced the vast sky, their lush, dense foliage tinged with a silvery-white glow under the moonlight.

All around, giant trees stood strong and proud, their twisted roots tangled like the wrinkles of an old man, giving the place an air of solemn majesty.

The thick canopy blocked out most of the moonlight, but the forest was filled with glowing spirit plants.

Moonlight Flowers dotted the grass like twinkling stars, giving off a pale glow. Luminous Grass, like countless faint-blue lanterns, hung silently from the treetops. Some unknown trees had leaves that glowed gently, making them look as if they were adorned with emeralds.

As a young girl, Ning Ning couldn’t help being captivated by the sight. Her eyes sparkled as she looked around in awe, occasionally bending to touch a Moonlight Flower. Her delicate fingers, bathed in its glow, looked as white as snow.

“If this place were developed as a tourist site, Luminous Mountain would make a fortune.”

Still recovering from the trauma of sword-flight, He Zhizhou patted his chest nervously, his face pale.

“I remember this place has Moonstone, Wailing Rock, Water Dragon Grass, and the Immaculate Immortal Spring. If we get lucky, maybe we’ll even run into something ultra-rare, like Seven-Treasure Glazed Grass or Great Ascension Buddha Herb.”

Ning Ning studied the map in her hand and nodded thoughtfully.

Although Luminous Mountain had given everyone a map with general areas marked for spirit plants below the rare-grade level, the locations were vague at best. Everyone would have to find the treasures on their own.

As for treasures of rare grade and above, they were things one could only hope to come across by chance. Even the host sect, Luminous Mountain, had no idea where such items might appear—so naturally, they weren’t marked on any map.

The Ancient Forest of Colossal Trees was famous for its abundant resources, and as expected, many cultivators came here seeking fortune.

Back on the mountainside, aside from the medical cultivator they first met, Yunduan Yue, and the troublemakers from Glorious Light Island and Haoran Sect, Ning Ning hadn’t encountered anyone else. But now that they had just arrived, they began to see groups of men and women in different sect uniforms passing by one after another.

Among them, someone seemed to recognize He Zhizhou. After stifling a laugh, they whispered something to their companions, likely recounting one of his glorious feats.

“Everyone’s here for the rare treasures—it’s too many monks, not enough porridge.”

Xu Ye calmly analyzed the situation.

“The Ancient Forest covers a vast area. We can keep heading deeper and avoid the places others frequent. I heard there’s a ten-thousand-year-old Dragonblood Tree deep within the forest. Even if we don’t find much, seeing it alone would be worth the journey.”

“Wow, Xu Ye is so knowledgeable.”

Ning Ning blinked in admiration.

“You always seem to know everything. Like when you told us Rong Ci’s true identity—you just blurted it out without hesitation.”

Xu Ye tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s important to come prepared.”

Of course. He’d practically combed through every room, learning about each disciple’s identity, personality, cultivation level—and even what they were doing the night they arrived at Luminous Mountain.

When he thought about what he saw outside the Xuanxu Sword Sect guest room that night, and looked again at Ning Ning’s pure, innocent smile… Xu Ye’s feelings were complicated.

Such a good girl… and yet…

Sigh.

“That’s strange.”

A sigh just rose in Xu Ye’s chest when He Zhizhou’s voice cut in:

“Don’t you guys hear something… kind of weird in the distance?”

Weird sound?

The Ancient Forest was renowned for its serene beauty and plentiful resources. Xu Ye didn’t think anything would go wrong in such a quiet forest, so he just lazily raised his brows and listened closely to the vague noise coming from within the trees.

It sounded like several people running—footsteps pounding the forest floor—and mixed in were cries of…

“Help!” and “Run!”

The thought stabbed into his mind like a sword, and Xu Ye’s spiritual energy tightened instinctively.

At the same time, Ning Ning’s startled voice rang out, full of disbelief.

“Look at those trees!”

The glowing green trees in the distance suddenly shook violently, and the gentle green aura surrounding their leaves instantly turned into a blood-red hue, horrifyingly vivid and aggressive.

That intense, pure red rushed forward like a tidal wave. Wherever it went, the flowers, grass, and trees were all stained an eerie crimson, made even more chilling under the cold, frosty moonlight—like the stillness of a funeral hall.

The three of them were, of course, right in its path.

“What’s happening?!”

The red spread like spilled ink across the entire forest, even dyeing the tree leaves with the look of blood. As they swayed gently in the wind, it was as if skeletal fingers from hell had climbed up from below.

He Zhizhou couldn’t make sense of it. He looked up and spotted two people running toward them.

“Run! Run!”

The young man on the left was pale and gasping for breath.

“Something’s gone wrong in the forest!”

Xu Ye raised his voice.

“Fellow cultivator, what exactly is happening?”

“The trees—the trees came to life… the whole forest’s gone mad!”

The youth’s face suddenly changed as he pointed behind Xu Ye and shouted:

“Look out—behind you!”

Before the words were finished, a vine as thick as a human arm suddenly lashed out from the trees, soaring through the air with lightning speed—heading straight for Xu Ye!

All their attention had been on the young man. It wasn’t until he shouted that they whipped around. The vine was already within reach, too close to dodge or draw a sword in time. Xu Ye hastily formed a quick sword seal and stabbed at it—

But to his shock, the vine was extremely tough. The hastily formed sword technique wasn’t strong enough. When the sword’s energy struck, it bounced right off, completely ineffective.

“Xu Ye!”

The sword seal was deflected, and Xu Ye was sent flying by the force, landing hard on the ground with a bone-jarring thud.

The vine didn’t stop, whipped forward as if to strike again. Sensing danger, He Zhizhou quickly drew his sword and slashed at the vine with full force.

With a crack, he finally severed most of it, but instead of retreating, the remaining part seemed to grow enraged shaking furiously in the air.

Another flash of sword light.

A vine whipped toward He Zhizhou’s neck, but Ning Ning struck it down with one clean slash.

“It’s like this inside too… no, even worse in there!”

The young man trembled so hard he couldn’t even run. After they dealt with the rampaging vines, his expression finally calmed a little.

“You all should run too! Find an open area and take off with your swords—something’s wrong with this place!”

Ning Ning gripped her Starmark Sword, her gaze growing serious.

Something’s wrong… What kind of plot is this?

She remembered from the novel she’d read that Pei Ji was supposed to be in the Ancient Forest tonight, and that he stumbled upon some great treasure. His journey was so smooth it was almost boring, and there had been no mention at all this forest-wide catastrophe.

—How could the plot diverge this drastically from the original?

Ning Ning steadied herself, her heart pounding.

“What caused this disturbance? Do either of you have any idea?”

“The first thing that felt off… was that ancient Dragonblood Tree.”

The female cultivator beside the young man was still shaken, her bloodless lips trembling nonstop. “It suddenly started oozing bright red sap without any warning. Its branches and vines lashed out at a disciple from the Xuanxu Sect, and right after that, the entire forest… Ah! You two—your robes—are you also from the Xuanxu Sword Sect?”

Xuanxu Sect disciples.

Ning Ning’s brow twitched, an inexplicable sense of unease rising in her heart. “Sister, can you describe what that disciple looked like?”

“A tall, slender young man with a small mole at the corner of his eye. He wore black robes embroidered with the cloud patterns of the Xuanxu Sword Sect. Very handsome.”

The woman exchanged glances with the man. “He seemed to be acting alone. Very skilled. When the two of us fled, that young man was still tangled in battle with the Dragonblood Tree. But… he was outnumbered and seriously wounded. By now, he’s probably exhausted and unable to keep fighting.”

“No way…”

He Zhizhou helped Xu Ye up from the ground, handing him a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, then paused at those words. “Wearing black… Could it be Pei Ji?”

No, that shouldn’t be right.

Ning Ning instinctively bit her lip. Tonight’s Xiaozhong Mountain was supposed to be peaceful. Pei Ji wasn’t supposed to encounter any danger.

In the original novel, as the main character, he never faced any truly life-threatening situations. Like any typical “cultivation rise-to-power” story, he always overcame crises with ease. How could it be…

How could he end up exhausted and gravely injured, especially in a plotline that was never even mentioned in the original?

“Everyone, we should leave this place at once. This forest is cursed—it’s dangerous to stay here any longer.”

The young man tugged the woman’s wrist, casting a fearful glance at the forest dyed like a sea of blood behind them. “We’ll take our leave first. Take care.”

“Take care!”

He Zhizhou replied instinctively, then leaned sneakily closer to Ning Ning, eyes full of curiosity. “Which part of the plot is this? You’ve read the original novel—can you give me a spoiler? We’re not gonna die, right?”

That was the strangest part.

Neither Pei Ji’s desperate fight nor the bizarre change in the ancient forest had ever been mentioned in the original work. She tried calling out to the system in her mind—but got no response.

Ning Ning looked at Xu Ye, who was writhing in pain after the sneak attack, then at the bewildered He Zhizhou. She took a deep breath. “You take Xu Ye and leave on your sword first. I’m going in to check.”

The current situation was far beyond her expectations. If she didn’t go investigate, she wouldn’t be at peace.

The young man in danger the female cultivator mentioned should be Pei Ji.

If this was a skipped-over plotline in the original novel, then as someone carrying the “vicious supporting character” halo, no matter how recklessly she acted in the forest, she likely wouldn’t die a heroic death.

But if this development was already off-script…

With Pei Ji’s life uncertain and no one else to rely on, as his senior sister, she ought to try and save him.

Regardless of everything else, they were still fellow disciples.

And on a deeper level—if the male lead dies here, then her mission to “court death” would naturally collapse halfway.

Without the foundation of the plot, she’d lose all value. The system wouldn’t keep her around. She’d die just the same.

Ning Ning didn’t want to worry about He Zhizhou. Seeing the confused look on his face, she smiled lightly and reassured him, “It’s just another mission. As long as I follow the original plot, I’ll be fine. You two go on ahead.”

“Oh! Then good luck!”

He Zhizhou grinned in understanding and nodded. “We’ll wait for you at the spot where we grilled the fish earlier. Come back soon!”

Ning Ning gripped her Star Mark Sword, her knuckles turning white. “…Mm.”

…

“You’re in this state and still thinking about flying on a sword?”

He Zhizhou firmly refused Xu Ye’s plan to “carry a passenger on a flight mission” and stared into his eyes with righteous seriousness: “I may be a coward, but for a friend? What’s a little fear of heights? Xu Ye, your injuries are the real issue here. Let me handle it.”

For once, he looked solemn and dependable.

Xu Ye had been flung by that giant vine so hard his organs almost got scrambled. The pain made it nearly impossible to move. Hearing He Zhizhou’s words, he gritted his teeth and managed to make a faint smile.

Looks like this guy can be reliable in critical moments.

So He Zhizhou took the lead. Once Xu Ye stepped onto the flying sword, he began trying to launch it—wobbly and shaky.

On one side were the deadly vines that could send them to the afterlife at any moment. On the other, a clumsy but ultimately safe flying sword that might bruise their pride at most.

He Zhizhou chose the latter without hesitation.

He wasn’t good at it, but he remembered the general process of flying on a sword. His White Rainbow Sword trembled like an old man in his seventies or eighties, shaking for quite a while before it finally crept forward… a little.

Then a little more.

It was a struggle.

Trying to get the sword off the ground felt like watching the Chinese nation rise—it took sheer determination.

“I did it! Xu Ye, I did it!”

He Zhizhou’s eyes sparkled with tears. “Clutch down! Step on the gas! Time to overtake! The 86 wins again—86 is the true Drift King of Mount Akina!”

Xu Ye was probably in too much pain to respond.

He Zhizhou’s little flying sword wobbled along like a broken tricycle, slowly drifting forward. After a while, a laugh suddenly rang in his ears.

He turned and saw a talisman cultivator riding on a whisk.

The man was laughing hard, and He Zhizhou couldn’t help asking, “Friend, what are you laughing at?”

“Hm? You’re asking me?”

The man was laughing so hard his shoulders shook. It took him a while to catch his breath before he spoke.
“Over there, there was this guy. He was probably flying with a friend on a magic artifact or something, but then—whoosh—he got flung right off! He started running, shouting, and chasing after his friend, but that friend didn’t hear a thing and just wobbled off into the distance. The look on that guy’s face—hahaha—it was priceless! So tragic, I can’t help laughing every time I think about it!”

He Zhi Zhou imagined the scene in his head and burst out laughing too:
“That guy’s not even the funniest part! His friend is! That dumbass probably thought he was still behind him, being all brotherly and loyal and stuff!”

He took a deep breath, then added, “What if he’s seriously talking to thin air right now, totally clueless that there’s no one behind him—hahaha!”

The talisman cultivator was laughing so hard he was twitching.
“How unlucky do you have to be to have a friend like that? That idiot’s probably already flown out of sight by now! Still talking to the wind like a moron—his brain must be full of nails or something—hahaha!”

Now that he thought about it… yeah, unlucky.

He Zhi Zhou scratched his head.
“Sigh, Xu Ye, I think that guy who got thrown off is kinda pitiful. Should we go back and pick him up? I mean”

He was too afraid of heights to turn his head fully, so he just tilted it slightly to talk to the Xu Ye behind him. But mid-sentence, he suddenly heard the talisman cultivator’s dry, slightly panicked voice.

“Fellow cultivator… there’s no one behind you. Who are you talking to?”

Thunderous silence.

He Zhi Zhou: “…”
Talisman cultivator: “…”

They stared at each other. No words were needed, they both understood immediately.

The cheerful atmosphere vanished instantly.
Both, still mid-flight, fell into deep awkwardness.

A chill ran down He Zhi Zhou’s spine.
He slowly turned his head back around—

Behind him, there was only the flap of his white robe in the wind.
Not a single trace of another person.

The talisman cultivator stopped laughing, coughed lightly, averted his eyes, and sped off in silence.

Leaving as if nothing had happened—that was his final act of kindness.

Drizzle began to fall from the sky.
But to He Zhi Zhou, today’s rain felt heavier than the one when Yiping begged her dad for money, more heartbreaking than the one when Chu Yuxun broke up with Murong Yunhai.

He had thought this was a story of “friends for life, returning home side by side.”

He never expected it would become “I head north alone, leaving behind the season of Xu Ye.”

And far away, on the crest of a mountain, a lone figure swayed unsteadily.

Xu Ye’s face was drenched in rain, his expression impossible to make out.
In his eyes gleamed a light stranger than a dead fish’s.

A single, clear tear slid down He Zhi Zhou’s cheek.

He Zhi Zhou:
“Ye—ahhh!”