The Heroine Must Die

“It’s like this,” she said smoothly. “He blew up Starfell Summit. My master ordered him to restore the mountain to its original state, but he hasn’t. And now, while my master is in seclusion, he’s trying to run. I’d like the Sect Leader to send a message to Herbert and demand compensation. Otherwise, we can’t allow his disciple to leave.”

Gerald raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Blew up a mountain and thinks he can just walk away? What an arrogant brat.”

Timothy’s face turned black as the bottom of a pot. He stared at Lauren. She was lying through her teeth without the slightest blush.

He knew better than to argue with her when she decided to stir up trouble. But Indiana was waiting nearby. He couldn’t waste time here.

After a brief hesitation, Timothy took out a storage pouch and handed it to Gerald.

“Sect Leader Gerald,” he said stiffly, “these are spirit stones as compensation. I hope they will suffice.”

Gerald reached out to take it— Lauren immediately blocked him.

“Timothy, what do you mean by that?” she said sharply. “My master has so many spirit stones he doesn’t know where to store them. Do you think he’s lacking in spirit stones? Who are you trying to brush off with this trash?”

Gerald’s eyes sharpened at once. “That’s right,” he said coldly. “This isn’t about spirit stones. Restore the mountain. Don’t move—I’ll contact Herbert right now.”

The message was sent. The reply came quickly. Herbert was in chaos.

Indiana had run away. She’d broken the seal of Desolate Valley and even damaged his protective formation. He was gathering people to search for her.

And now Timothy was causing trouble too. Then a thought struck him—

Timothy was perfectly fine at Thunder Sect. Why would he suddenly want to leave? Unless…

Indiana had gone to find him. Realizing this, Herbert immediately changed direction and rushed toward Thunder Sect without hesitation.

Meanwhile, somewhere within Thunder Sect’s territory, Indiana was growing impatient.

She told Timothy she was leaving this place forever, that she would never return, and she wanted to see him one last time.

Timothy had wanted to settle things with her. If his master arrived first, he would absolutely forbid him from seeing her again. And then it would truly be too late.

Seizing a brief lapse in attention from Gerald and the others, Timothy activated a Thousand Mile Talisman and vanished.

Lauren’s face darkened. “Shit.” She immediately gave chase.

Gerald swore angrily, “You little bastard—running right under my nose? Dante, gather people. After him!”

A Thousand Mile Talisman meant nothing to people at their level. They would track him down soon enough.

Of course, Timothy hadn’t intended to run. He only needed a little time. And that was enough.

......

A thousand miles away, at the edge of Thunder Sect’s territory, he found Indiana. She looked haggard. Pale. Her lips were nearly colorless.

“Junior Sister.”

“Senior Brother… you finally came.”

Timothy stopped a few feet away from her. He didn’t step closer.

Indiana took several quick steps forward, but when she saw the restraint in his eyes, she stopped as well. She smiled bitterly.

“Congratulations. You’ve successfully reached Spirit Severing. I believed you, you know. I thought you would come to take me away. Turns out… I was wrong.”

At first, Timothy hadn’t understood why his master called him to copy that letter. During those long days of moving mountains, it finally dawned on him. Moving mountains was just an excuse.

Keeping him at Starfell Summit—that had been the real goal. “You’ve changed,” he said quietly. “Looking at you… it’s you. And yet it’s not you.”

Indiana’s expression shifted. “What did they tell you? Why do you believe them and not me? We’re the closest people to each other. You’re my only family. Even you don’t trust me?”

Timothy’s voice was calm. “What am I supposed to believe? And what am I supposed not to believe? Let me ask you something. Have you ever used me?”

Indiana hesitated. “I… I would never harm you. There’s no such thing as using you. Everything I did was for your own good.”

“For my own good?” Timothy let out a faint laugh. “Then answer me this. Will you give me the opportunity to ascend?”

She froze. “Is ascension really that important?” she asked softly. “Can’t I just stay with you until the very end?”

Timothy suddenly felt something break inside him. “What do you think cultivation is for?” he asked. “If not for ascension, why would I walk this path? If it’s just about love and staying together, then wouldn’t it be better to be ordinary mortals?”

Indiana’s expression darkened. “You didn’t say that before. You said you envied ordinary couples.”

“I did,” Timothy admitted. “But if I say now that I want to ascend—will you give me that chance?”

“Yes.” Her answer came instantly. “It wasn’t possible before,” she said quickly, stepping closer. “But it’s different now. As long as we succeed, we can both ascend. Together. We’ll be a divine couple.”

She reached out her hand. “Come here,” she said gently. “Heaven has approved us both. You’re my only family left. I wouldn’t harm you. Not for anyone. Senior Brother… come.”

Her voice carried an almost irresistible pull.

Timothy’s eyes grew slightly unfocused. Step by step, as if guided by something beyond his control, he moved toward her.

Indiana smiled softly. She took his hand. And slowly, she drew him closer.

“Senior Brother… I’m sorry.” The words had barely left Indiana’s lips when a flash of light shot from her sleeve. A Binding Immortal Rope.

It snapped tight around Timothy before he could react, winding around his arms and torso, locking him in place.

The haze in his eyes vanished instantly. He stared at her in disbelief. “Junior Sister? You… you set me up? Why?”

Indiana gripped one end of the rope, her expression twisting into a cold sneer. “You’ve been heartless to me,” she said quietly. “Why should I be kind to you?”

But even as she spoke, tears filled her eyes. “I’ve never harmed you. When Lauren beat you half to death, who brought the Soul-Forging and Meridian-Continuing Pill to save you? Me. It was me.” Her voice trembled. “How could you believe them and not me?”

She stepped closer, fingers tightening around the rope.

“Master said I brought this disaster on myself. That I harmed you. Fine. I admit it. You went to the Evercrest family because of me. I’m sorry. So Master sent me to Desolate Valley to reflect. And I went.”

Her voice grew hoarse. “But do you know what kind of life I lived there?”

Her eyes were red now. “There was no day or night. No life. Not even a single weed growing. No sound. The entire world was silent. That kind of silence—” her breath hitched, “—it drives you insane. I talked to myself every day because I was afraid if I didn’t, I’d forget how to speak.”

“The only thing that kept me alive was you. I thought once your injuries healed, you’d come for me. I waited. And waited. There was nothing. No news.”

Her grip trembled. “My longing for you grew stronger every day. So did my resentment. Until I received that letter you wrote.”

Timothy’s pupils shrank slightly. “So you hadn’t forgotten me,” she continued, laughing weakly through tears. “You were cultivating diligently. Waiting to reach Spirit Severing. You said you’d come for me after you broke through.”

“I was so happy. So stupidly happy.” Her tears streamed down freely now. “But the greater the hope… the greater the disappointment.”

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