Chapter 8: The New Generation Best Actor

As it turned out, Xie Lin was anything but soft-hearted.

Jiang Lingyi’s repeated petty tricks were like a buzzing bee around his ears; even if the sting didn’t hurt much, the incessant humming was deeply irritating. He was anxious to return to the Xuyang Sect to uncover the truth about the events of years past, yet Jiang Lingyi was always clinging to him and pestering him. If he returned to the sect with her, his plans would inevitably be discovered.

With deliberate composure, Xie Lin brushed her hand away. The dim candlelight outlined his mesmerizing, uncanny face, highlighting his unnervingly red lips. He curled his lips into a smile, watching as Jiang Lingyi’s expression slackened. Suddenly, he leaned in, lowering his voice as mockery danced in his eyes. "Your acting is terrible."

Jiang Lingyi: Huh?
What is it, Teacher Xie? Are you planning to give me some pointers?

A faint sound came from nearby. Xie Lin recognized the approaching footsteps and raised an eyebrow at her.

Jiang Lingyi: ...
I have a bad feeling about this.

The footsteps grew clearer. Jiang Lingyi stared unblinkingly at Xie Lin’s face, then suddenly saw his brows knit slightly before a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Jiang Lingyi: Huh?
She watched as the blood drained from Xie Lin’s face—the speed and pallor were comparable to a master of face-changing opera!
Damn it! Xie Lin, you absolute master of performative arts!

[Host! Host! The task interface shows the male lead has been poisoned. Quickly say your line!]

Wait, how could the poison he induced himself be blamed on her? Still in shock, Jiang Lingyi struggled to regain her senses and glanced at the line in the prompt: *Don't you go taking a piss to see what kind of pathetic wretch you are—go to hell!*

The ten-second countdown began. Jiang Lingyi was dumbfounded. In this context, suddenly blurting out such a nonsensical line would make her look like she had lost her mind!

Wait, what was she just talking to Xie Lin about?
Oh right, he said her acting was bad. So, if she flew into a rage out of unrequited love, that wouldn't be too out of character, right?

Jiang Lingyi gritted her teeth, bit the bullet, and shoved Xie Lin, yelling, "My acting is bad? I truly like you, and you say I’m acting? I never thought you would trample on my sincerity like this! Fine! I won’t like you anymore! Don’t think you’re so special—why don’t you take a look at what a pathetic wretch you are? You’re not worthy of my affection! Go to hell!"

[Ding—Congratulations, Host! Task complete!]
[The beginner stage has ended. The system will issue your beginner rewards shortly. Please look forward to them.]

Finally! It was done!
Her heart raced, her hands trembled, and her eyes welled with tears!

***

Alright, shift over. Work for today was done. She wiped away her tears of joy and was just about to turn and leave this place of trouble when she saw a neat row of onlookers standing at the door.

Several people who had just returned from taking care of business stood frozen at the threshold, having witnessed this entire drama of love and hate—along with Xie Lin’s deathly pale, weak face.

And the blood still hanging from the corner of his mouth...

"Xie Lin’s cultivation isn't as high as ours; his poisoning is much more severe!"
"He was already poisoned, and then he took a palm strike from the young miss after his confession was rejected. His internal energy is in total chaos!"
"Xie Xuan’s body is not yet cold; his only son must not meet with disaster!"

Everyone’s gaze drifted silently toward Jiang Lingyi.

Jiang Lingyi: Huh?

"Step aside, let us detoxify Xie Lin and then treat his injuries!"

Jiang Lingyi: Huh???

They were truly a pair: one dared to act, and the others dared to believe!

Two people sat to the left and right of Xie Lin, immediately channeling their own spiritual energy to neutralize the poison. Jiang Lingyi looked over, her brows furrowed tightly. Xie Lin’s performance—appearing semiconscious from some world-ending toxin, weak and powerless, yet stubbornly clinging to the last shred of his awareness so as not to trouble others—was simply...

In a word: masterful.
No wonder he said her acting was bad; he was at the level of a Best Actor!
Who said this male lead was a gloomy, crazy villain? Gloomy? Gloomy? He was as lively and cheerful as they come!

Yet, upon stepping closer, she could indeed feel the chaotic spiritual energy within him, his pale and enduring expression, and his rapid, unsteady breathing. Jiang Lingyi only wanted to cover her face and laugh bitterly.

Buddy, what kind of poison did you even take? The "involuntary, anywhere-anytime acting" poison? It was just green beans! How poisonous could fresh, natural, green vegetables be? Besides, I only gave you a light push; why are you more fragile than a pregnant concubine in a palace drama? You didn't even use a blood bag; you went straight for the live performance. You deserve the "Dedication Award" for the entire year!

It was too much.

When Jiang Yuanshan, who had been rushing over for a quarter of an hour, finally leaned against the wall and stumbled in, he saw several high-level cultivators treating Xie Lin. He looked at the dazed Jiang Lingyi nearby; his legs went weak and his heart trembled, but he still braced himself to walk toward his daughter.

The boy looked heavily poisoned; Zhenzhen must be worried sick!

"Zhenzhen, don’t worry, he just had an upset stomach from the food."

***

The moment the words left his mouth, Xie Lin "unconsciously" vomited another mouthful of blood.

Jiang Lingyi: ...
Jiang Yuanshan: !!!
It’s that serious?!

Xie Lin’s entire dantian was in chaos, his complexion so poor he looked as if he were about to follow his father to the grave. Jiang Yuanshan was completely baffled. "It was just some unwashed vegetables, how could it be this severe?"

Jiang Lingyi rolled her eyes, scoffing internally.

The two kind-hearted seniors stabilized the rampaging energy in Xie Lin’s body. Only then did Xie Lin slowly open his eyes, whispering weakly, "Apologies for worrying you all. I am allergic to green beans, that is why..."

He was so weak he didn't have the strength to finish his sentence. But Jiang Lingyi clearly saw his gaze flicker for a moment, landing on her face with a profound, meaningful look.

Jiang Lingyi: ...

The onlookers’ expressions clearly read: *Look, Jiang Lingyi beat him into this state, and he hasn't uttered a single word of complaint. What a kind-hearted child!*

Jiang Lingyi: Speechless.
Not at all, everyone! His excuse is so low-IQ!
Author, has your male lead broken his character setting? Why is he acting so petty and manipulative?

The cultivator beside them sighed heavily and patted Xie Lin’s shoulder. "A-Lin has been overthinking these past few days. Now that the toxins haven't been fully cleared, and combined with that strike from earlier..."

He glanced at Jiang Lingyi and then looked away. "He will need plenty of rest."

That one look made Jiang Yuanshan realize that the palm strike Xie Lin suffered was most likely dealt by Jiang Lingyi. Thinking back, Xie Lin hadn't even intended to eat the green beans; it was only because he had insisted on putting them in his bowl that he had eaten them.

Thinking further back, he had sworn before Xie Xuan’s spirit tablet that he would take care of Xie Lin as if he were his own son. He never expected that less than a day after taking charge of the boy, he would end up in this state...

Sigh, alas...

Jiang Yuanshan couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt. *You boy, if you were allergic, why didn't you just say so instead of eating them anyway!*

Jiang Lingyi: My silence is deafening.