Seraphina, with a face full of sorrow, clutched his hand, whispering, "I would give my life to be with him."

Beside them, I felt utterly alone, especially since our destined partnership was common knowledge throughout the sect.

Before we arrived, tales of the three of us were on everyone's lips.

In those stories, they were the embodiment of love, defying the chains of fate.

I, on the other hand, was the villain, feigning innocence to win the elders' favor, and a failure who couldn't match Seraphina's one night of passion after my eighteen years of pursuit.

In the eyes of others, my actions were nothing more than a pretense and a pitiful attempt to gain Azure's sympathy.

Had it not been for the sect's rules, the onlookers might have already berated me, demanding I step aside for them.

More ironically, seeing his son being flogged, Jasper immediately felt the pain and asked Wynd to stop.

The next moment, the whip came down on me. I swallowed the blood that rose in my mouth, hearing Wynd's cold rebuke.

"You can't even keep your own husband in line. You're utterly useless!"

He could even blame me for this. I laughed bitterly with blood in my mouth.

This seemed to have struck a nerve with Seraphina. She stormed up to Wynd. "I think you're mistaken. Azure is my husband!"

Enraged, Wynd raised his whip to strike her.

In an instant, Azure leaped forward, shielding her from the blow.

"So he can protect someone after all," I thought.

Wynd was furious, his whip now a whirlwind of pain, each strike bringing a new wave of agony, and I couldn't help but cry out.

I was flogged into a daze, but in that haze, I saw Seraphina, completely unharmed, sheltered beneath Azure's protective embrace.

He cast an apologetic glance my way... just a glance.

Such clear favoritism. I laughed through my tears.

"But Azure, didn't you forget that it was you who begged for my help, and it's because of you that I'm suffering today?" I whispered to myself.

3

"I've been away for quite some time. I never expected to walk into such a lively scene upon my return."

A teasing voice interrupted Wynd's movement. Everyone turned to look.

I rose silently, with Azure and the others following suit. He cautiously reached for my wounds, but I evaded his touch subtly.

His hand froze.

At that moment, the owner of the voice approached me. "Oh, isn't this my dear Violet?"

"Azure made a mistake. Why is Violet the one being punished?" His tone turned icy.

This voice... I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. "Raven, it hurts so much!"

It was Raven, another senior of me. I knew he was a man of deep emotions, unlike Azure, who was timid and fearful.

He had left the sect for his own journey when I was just six, but precisely because of that, he knew the real me.

Azure's marriage to Seraphina would surely bring him back. He was the one who could help me escape this dreadful place.

They said I only pretended to be weak to gain sympathy, but I would show these "executioners" what true pretense was.

I had given Azure my true heart, but he shattered it and trampled it into the dust.

But before I could make the next move in my "innocent" act, Raven strode towards me with a sullen expression.

Amid the gasps of the crowd, he swept me up in his arms.

Compared to Azure, Raven is the true prodigy of the Immortal Sect, mastering the basics in a hundred days with an effortless grace that won the hearts of countless female disciples and noble ladies.

His bold move to carry me away like this was nothing short of a thunderbolt to everyone present!

Before we left, I even saw Azure's eyes wide with disbelief.

4

Wynd was so insistent on pairing me with Azure because we were prophesied to be destined lovers.

The Demon King had slain Jasper's wife, Azure's mother. But he was too powerful; only the ancient Bonded Swords passed down within our sect could kill him.

The Bonded Swords had chosen Azure and me, and their power would only manifest if our hearts were in sync.

My sword was named Phoenix Cry, and his was Dragon Roar—how fitting they sounded together.

I remember the gentle lady, Cynthia, a cherished secret in my few happy memories.

To avenge such a good person, I didn't feel too distressed, no matter how cold and repulsive Azure treated me.

Now, I realize that the gentleness in my character also bears the shadow of Cynthia.

No one could have imagined that Azure would fall in love with the daughter of his mother's murderer.

Others might see it as true love breaking all bonds, the grudge of a mother's death just one of the obstacles in their way.

But to me, it felt even more disgusting that he could move past his own mother's death. I wonder if Cynthia would find peace in the afterlife.

5

Raven, who had left the sect early for his own trials, was unaware of these details. He only knew that Azure and I were destined lovers. We occasionally interacted, always strictly observing etiquette.

It must have been the first time he had ever done something so out of line.

After being carried for a while, I asked him to put me down.

His first reaction was one of disappointment. "Azure has treated you so poorly, and you still want to endure it!"

I shook my head in confusion. "Raven, isn't your hand injured? Be careful it doesn't worsen."

When he held me, I distinctly felt a tremor in his right hand.

Raven was taken aback for a moment, then he laughed and patted my head. "Violet, you're such a good girl. It's Azure's fault he doesn't cherish you."

Raven hated evil and would not abandon me.

As expected, I heard him continue, "I won't leave anymore. If I can't even protect you, then I'm unworthy to be your senior."

With Raven's help, even our senior, Orion, who was always busy with the sect's affairs, learned of the matter. He came to Azure with a look of anger, joining Raven in giving him a severe beating.

Seraphina stood by, so frightened that she could only cry, not daring to make a sound.

Remembering she had said she would give her life to be with him, I hid under the covers, giggling.

"This is not the end, Azure. You've insulted Cynthia this way. I will make you pay the price."

6

During Azure's recovery, Seraphina sought me out first.

She must have been a lady of privilege, raised to be haughty, and as soon as she saw me, she raised her chin arrogantly. "Azure doesn't love you. Why do you keep clinging to him?

"You're just a stuffy good girl, devoid of any spirit. How could he possibly be attracted to you?"

The demonic aura around her soon attracted other disciples.

Seeing the crowd growing, she became more excited, drawing her sword. "The night I pledged my life to that dull boy, we used a dual-sword technique to repel our enemies."

Her sword faintly bore the essence of Dragon Roar.

"I heard that you've never succeeded even though you and Azure have Bonded Swords, have you?" She feigned surprise. "So what if you're destined lovers? He's still more suited to me."

Even the outer disciples began to point at me, saying, "Indeed, it has to be a real couple to win."

"You truly don't deserve to wield Phoenix Cry."

Without blinking, I drew my sword and struck her. "How can you be sure it's my fault? Phoenix Cry works just fine in my hands. Azure himself is the failure. Don't blame his shortcomings on me."

Seraphina's eyes widened as she clutched her bleeding chest.

"How dare you treat me like this! Gentle? I knew all your gentleness was just an act for Azure! You're clearly just jealous!"

I admit I did act gentle, but as for jealousy... She was not worth my envy.

"Whoever is jealous knows it in their heart." Raven interjected at that moment, smiling, "Seraphina, if you truly felt no threat, why would you come here first to flaunt your favored status?"

Her face contorted instantly, and she finally threw a curse and left.

Raven looked at me, his expression softening. "If something like this happens again, you can come to me. It's never right for someone like her to humiliate Violet."

I nodded somewhat awkwardly. This was the first time someone had expressed such kindness towards me so overtly.

"And," he said as he showed me his sword, "Phoenix Cry doesn't have to be paired only with Dragon Roar."

Raven's sword was Celestial Roc.

With a smile in his eyes, he continued, "Both our sword spirits have wings. In the future, we will surely soar high."

His eyes seemed to twinkle like the stars, and his cheerful aura even made me feel more lively.

I lived in darkness, but this was the first time someone had given me such a clear light.

7

As expected, Seraphina reported this to Azure.

He was being robbed of reason by the emotions of love, and like all men who stand up for their lovers, his first reaction after recovering from his injuries was not to reflect but to rush into my room.

"Violet, I know it's hard for you to accept, but you can vent your dissatisfaction on me. Don't make things difficult for Seraphina."

I had planned never to let Azure disgust me again, even if tortured by the Insect Curse, but his words really angered me.

Why shouldn't I make things difficult for her?

I shook off his hand. "Azure, don't flatter yourself. You can forget the pain of losing your mother, but I owe an explanation to her!"

But he still thought I was just desperately in love with him. "Violet, you're a gentle girl. How could you be jealous of Seraphina..."

I was about to say something when I felt a sharp pain rose from my abdomen.

I understood.

I held back my tears. As long as I didn't comply with him, the insect from the curse would gnaw at me day by day.

My face turned pale, and I finally gave in. "I'm sorry."

He suddenly became flustered again. "This is the right attitude. Violet, I know you're a good girl. Let's go back to how things were."

"How things were? The way I catered to your every whim and obeyed you completely?" I thought.

I didn't want to argue with him anymore, but he seemed to want to have a long discussion.

Raven, like a savior, stood in front of me again.

"Can't you see Violet doesn't look well? Azure." He was as gentle and polite as ever, but his tone was firm.