After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 40 - Next Time, For Sure

Xia Ranyue was preparing to visit the black market today.

She had two main goals for her trip:

First, as she had mentioned, she wanted to follow He Ange to gain some insight into the black market and observe the “real” He Ange in his element.

Second, Xia Ranyue hoped to try her luck in finding a certain nobleman from Yong’an City. This man had once been involved in the trafficking of young fox demons. If not for the timely intervention of her sister, the saintess of the Fox Clan, Xia Ranyue herself might have become one of the clan’s missing members.

This memory was etched deeply in her mind.

It was said that the man had since “turned over a new leaf,” leaving his days as a human trafficker behind to become a wealthy tycoon in Yong’an City. His newfound status made it difficult for the Fox Clan’s covert operatives to bring him to justice, as they were hindered by local authorities.

Such was the repulsive nature of the human world.

With enough money, even the most heinous crimes could be forgiven, and the perpetrator could be reborn as a respectable noble.

If Xia Ranyue ever caught him, she wouldn’t let him off so easily.

Of course, before heading to the black market, Xia Ranyue had some preparations to make.

For instance, she had agreed to act as a mannequin for He Ange, showcasing his outfits to potential customers.

The problem was...

Yesterday afternoon, He Ange had mentioned that the clothes were a bit “unconventional,” but before he could show her the outfits, Xu Xin had arrived, whisking him away with a few words. As a result, Xia Ranyue still hadn’t seen the clothes.

He had left her hanging mid-conversation, and she couldn’t help but dwell on it.

So, the next evening, after her lessons ended, Xia Ranyue left the spell cultivation hall and headed to the swordsmanship plaza to find He Ange.

She had long been curious about the black market, but various circumstances had prevented her from going alone.

Now, with someone like He Ange—a demonic cultivator—guiding her, she couldn’t help but feel excited, as if she were about to embark on a thrilling adventure.

She was so eager, in fact, that she ignored Ji Jian when he tried to strike up a conversation with her on the way.

“Ji Jian, you see that? She doesn’t even bother acknowledging you anymore.”

“Haha, that’s rough. Maybe it’s time to give up?”

“Yeah, maybe Junior Sister Ranyue really is into He Ange. Didn’t you see her rush off to the swordsmanship plaza right after class? Pretty telling, huh?”

Inside the spell cultivation hall, a group of inner disciples surrounded Ji Jian, mocking him.

They claimed to be his friends, but in truth, Ji Jian’s habit of flaunting his talent and boasting about his breakthroughs had long irritated many of them.

Now that Ji Jian was facing rejection in his personal life, his “friends” couldn’t resist taking jabs at him.

“You all...!”

Ji Jian’s face turned red with embarrassment as he became the butt of their jokes.

Thinking back to the events in the cafeteria yesterday, he couldn’t help but question He Ange’s confidence. Doubt began to creep into his mind, fueling his overthinking.

For a moment, Ji Jian felt as though he were wearing a green hat, being laughed at by everyone around him—even though he had never been in a relationship with Xia Ranyue.

“Hey, do you think Junior Sister Ranyue might have a thing for sword cultivators?”

“Come to think of it, sword cultivators do seem cooler than us spell cultivators. Who didn’t dream of being a sword immortal as a kid?”

“Haha, exactly. Ji Jian, don’t take it personally. It’s not that you’re lacking—it’s just that you’re not her type.”

The group continued their banter, patting Ji Jian on the shoulder in mock consolation. Their smirks, however, betrayed their true intentions.

This time, Ji Jian was genuinely provoked.

After class, while everyone else left, Ji Jian stayed behind in the spell cultivation hall, meditating in solitude.

He, too, had once dreamed of becoming a sword immortal. But when he realized he lacked the aptitude for swordsmanship, he had switched to spell cultivation.

Now, watching another man use the sword skills Ji Jian had always envied to captivate the girl he liked but could never win over...

The pain was unbearable.

Ji Jian felt like the entire day would be a torment.

…

At the swordsmanship plaza.

Xia Ranyue stood under the shade of a tree, watching He Ange practice his swordsmanship. Since his class wasn’t over yet, she decided to wait.

To be honest, she couldn’t really tell how skilled the inner disciples were. She wasn’t a sword cultivator, after all. But purely in terms of aesthetics, she found He Ange’s swordsmanship the most pleasing to watch.

Of course, that was largely due to his looks.

Among the sword cultivators, those with clean and fluid movements were naturally more enjoyable to watch. In contrast, those with stiff or awkward techniques only served to highlight the elegance of the former.

Interestingly, while Xia Ranyue had seen inner disciples practice before, today’s class seemed different. All the other disciples appeared clumsy and awkward, while He Ange stood out with his smooth and graceful movements.

Curious, she stopped a passing junior sister to ask about it. She learned that today’s lesson involved a new sword technique, which explained why most of the disciples were struggling.

“Junior Brother He Ange picked it up so quickly. Senior Brother Bai Zihua was full of praise for him during the class,” the junior sister said, her tone gossiping.

Xia Ranyue glanced at the white-robed man at the front of the plaza, raising an eyebrow at his overly enthusiastic demeanor. She dismissed the junior sister with a wave of her hand, not particularly interested in the topic.

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As the class continued, Xia Ranyue grew bored of waiting.

An idea popped into her head.

“Hey, Junior Sister, can you help me with something?”

…

When the swordsmanship class ended, the disciples began to disperse.

But He Ange stayed behind.

“Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother Bai,” he said, clasping his hands respectfully.

At the front of the plaza, He Ange was speaking with Bai Zihua, the atmosphere between them amicable.

In truth, He Ange wanted to leave.

During the class, the elder had taught a new sword technique. Coincidentally, He Ange had practiced this technique before, so he performed exceptionally well.

But for some reason, Bai Zihua—a senior disciple—had taken a particular interest in him. Throughout the class, Bai Zihua had showered him with praise, making He Ange the center of attention.

To be honest, He Ange couldn’t quite figure out Bai Zihua. While his other senior sister, Xu Xin, was naturally kind and approachable, Bai Zihua’s enthusiasm felt... off. Why would a true disciple take such an interest in someone like him, a disciple with a crippled spiritual vein?

Even after class, Bai Zihua wanted He Ange to stay and practice with him.

“Senior Brother, it’s getting late. I have some matters to attend to. Perhaps we can discuss swordsmanship another day?” He Ange said, bowing politely.

Bai Zihua, dressed in his flowing robes, smiled warmly. His almond-shaped eyes glimmered as he unconsciously reached out to touch He Ange’s fair face.

He Ange didn’t flinch, but his sharp gaze stopped Bai Zihua in his tracks.

Realizing what he was doing, Bai Zihua quickly withdrew his hand, opting instead to pat He Ange on the shoulder. He laughed softly, his tone light and friendly.

“Junior Brother, with such remarkable talent, I hope you’ll visit Huatian Peak someday to continue our discussions on swordsmanship.”

“Next time, for sure,” He Ange replied, his tone cool and composed.