Repeating something over and over...

It was clearly unnecessary—a reflexive gesture born from the speaker’s fear that the listener wouldn’t believe them.

Ordinarily, few would notice such a thing.

But once spotted, that insistence would ring hollow and false.

Liu Xiyun offered Little Green a faint smile and a nod.

Her gaze held layers of curiosity.

After a moment of silent observation yielded nothing, she suddenly spoke.

"Oh, Little Green—I turned down the show’s invitation today."

"What?" Little Green stared at her, puzzled.

Liu Xiyun chuckled softly. "The Martial Way Lecture Program uses warriors’ diaries to help people grasp insights from powerful martial artists—or experience their lives. It’s an outreach effort."

"You know about martial diaries, right?"

"Yeah, sure. But what’s that got to do with me?" Little Green’s confusion deepened.

Liu Xiyun didn’t answer. She turned toward the car window, watching the blurred scenery rush by. After a few seconds, she murmured, "Feel like coming over to my place tonight?"

"Aren’t I already at your place?" Little Green deadpanned.

She wanted to leave.

"I mean my bedroom." Liu Xiyun kept her eyes forward, voice flat.

Little Green froze.

*Bedroom? What does she want in her room?*

Her mind screamed: *Trap!*

*Absolute trap!*

*Not falling for it this time!*

"You’ll see when we get there," Liu Xiyun said, still not looking back.

Little Green’s lovely eyes narrowed sharply.

She clutched her stomach with a groan: "Ugh! Xiyun-jie, my stomach’s killing me... I probably can’t make it tonight. Gotta sleep early."

"...".

A flicker crossed Liu Xiyun’s eyes as she stared out the window.

She knew it was an act.

But she couldn’t call her out.

"Alright then," she said after a pause. "What about tomorrow—"

"Not for days. You know how it is."

".....".

*No, I don’t know!*

She wanted to snap it aloud—but held her tongue.

Resigned, she sank back into the rear seat, silent.

Seeing Liu Xiyun quiet, Little Green relaxed slightly.

*Good. Silence means no traps.*

*Just stay quiet. Everyone stay quiet.*

The car rolled onward toward the Liu Clan residence.

...

Meanwhile.

At the Riversea City Central Martial Hall.

The Martial Way Lecture Program had begun anew.

This time, they’d continue reading Qin Ling’s unfinished diary.

Host Bingbing stood onstage beside a pillar of light enveloping the warrior’s journal.

She beamed at the audience, then waved amid their impatient cheers to start the broadcast.

"Giggles~ Hello everyone! I’m your host Bingbing, back again for today’s Martial Way Lecture!"

"Now! Let’s pick up where we left off. I know you’re all dying to see what comes next!"

"Who is this diary’s owner? Why does our goddess Xiyun obsess over him? Why did she storm off-set to find him? Why did she even reject our invitation today? Could she be chatting with him right now?"

The moment the words left her mouth, the hall erupted.

"Host, stop talking! We might rush the stage and tackle you!"

"Yeah! Xiyun goddess just hasn’t found that heartless jerk yet! Once she does, she’ll chop him up with a cleaver and come back—she’ll still be our shared goddess! Right, everyone?"

"RIGHT!"

"ABSOLUTELY!"

"Host, quit stalling! Open the diary! I wanna know that guy’s name!"

Bingbing only smiled at the chaos, unfazed. "Haha, alright, alright! Let’s see what secrets this diary holds!"

"Staff—activate the projection!"

She stepped toward the glowing journal and flipped it open.

The pages turned to a fresh entry.

No one had previewed it. Every eye locked on the text, breath held.

**[May 20, 2034 | Saturday | Overcast | Wind: Northwest]**

**What a fine day this is.**

**Dark clouds blanket the sky. The wind howls restlessly. Heaven itself seems poised to unleash an extraordinary storm. This weather reminds me of the day I found those two unlucky kids.**

**It’s been days since they left. Lying and saying I don’t miss them would be pointless—but I have weightier matters to attend to. I can’t dwell on it. Gathering herbs can’t wait, not even today.**

**Though rain looms, I’ll cross the canyon to harvest deeper in the mountains. I’ve stripped the outer slopes bare. It’s dangerous there. I don’t know what awaits. Pray for my safety.**