The Reincarnated Villain Can Break the Fourth Wall!

Chapter 64 End: Parting (3.2)

"It's Lingling's, isn't it?"

Su Xiaobai twirled the ribbon, its silk smooth against his fingers, like a lover's teasing caress. "A gift. Her parting words? 'Keep it.' Guess she thinks I'm sentimental."

He smirked—a fleeting curve of disdain—as he clapped Wei Jun's shoulder. The slap wasn't friendly; it mocked. "Brother Jun, your sister's too naive. One day, she'll hand her 'life' to some bastard who'd trade it for spirit wine. Someone like me, maybe."

Hiss~

Wei Jun struck like a snake, his grip crushing Su Xiaobai's shoulder with mountain-like weight. His voice was low, icy. "Brother Su… Lingling isn't some clueless girl chasing butterflies. She grew up with poisoned tea and shadows of daggers. If she trusts you, don't spit on it."

For once, Su Xiaobai's smirk faltered, his mask slipping. "Damn, you're dramatic. Fine. Now, let go. My shoulder isn't a spirit ore for refining."

Wei Jun released him, slowly, deliberately. His fingers left faint creases in the fabric. "That ribbon isn't just a keepsake. It's her pride, her identity. She wouldn't part with it—not even for me."

The smile vanished. Su Xiaobai turned the ribbon in his hands. Its faint glow shimmered, like the last ember of a dying fire. Her scent lingered—sweet, fleeting, like a dream slipping away. Scorch marks marred its edges, yet its brilliance endured.

"A soul-grade artifact," he muttered, his tone tinged with disbelief.

Wei Jun nodded, his expression dark with grief. "The last thing she has of her mother."

Su Xiaobai stilled. The ribbon in his hand no longer felt like silk but chains, heavy with someone else's pain. He forced a dry chuckle. "She doesn't think her mom's soul is in this thing, does she?"

Wei Jun said nothing.

The silence crushed down, suffocating.

"Brilliant," Su Xiaobai muttered bitterly. Soul imprisonment wasn't a joke—it was reserved for rebels who spat in heaven's face. Could Lingling's mother have been one? No. Impossible.

He flicked the thought away like a burning ember. Tucking the ribbon into his spatial ring, he muttered, "It's just a ribbon. I'll get it fixed, hand it back, and we'll move on."

But as he turned, a bitter whisper hissed at him: Aren't you clinging to broken things too? Chasing ghosts you can't bury?

"Shut up," he hissed, rubbing his temples. "Later. I'll deal with this shit later."

Wei Jun's gaze softened slightly, though his stance remained guarded. "Brother Su, I've seen more honesty from you in five minutes than most cultivators show in a lifetime."

"And I've seen more paranoia from you than a sect full of failed alchemists," Su Xiaobai snapped back.

Wei Jun snorted. "Brother Su… do you even have a goal?"

Su Xiaobai raised a brow. "Why the philosophy? Trying to marry me off to your sister?"

Wei Jun's tone grew serious. "You're not wandering aimlessly. You're running—from something, or toward something."

Su Xiaobai sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "My goal? Simple. Go home, kill bastards, save others. Clean and tidy." He grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Easy, right?"

Wei Jun studied him for a moment. "How strong are these bastards of yours?"

Su Xiaobai laughed sharply, bitterly. "Strong enough to flatten Yue Country with a sneeze."

Wei Jun's face darkened. "Brother Su… are you trying to get my sister killed by association?!"

"Relax," Su Xiaobai said, his grin flashing. "I'm not some runaway prince of an empire."

Wei Jun exhaled, tension bleeding out. "Good. For a moment, I thought you were from the Eternal Ice Abyss."

"..." Su Xiaobai blinked. "The hell is that...?"

Wei Jun hesitated. "Your red eyes, white hair—they reminded me of a legend. Descendants of an immortal who mastered the Dao of Ice. They say emperors bow to them. But the abyss was destroyed a century ago."

Su Xiaobai groaned, dragging a hand down his face. Removing his black dye after leaving Red Flame Fortress was a genius move—to make himself a damn beacon.

"Fantastic," he muttered. He turned, waving a hand dismissively. "Hold that thought."

Wei Jun frowned. "What—"

Whoosh!

Hiding behind a tree, Su Xiaobai glared at the sky, hissing under his breath. "Oi, my lovely bastards, can we not do this? I'm not some hidden prince or celestial bastard with a tragic backstory! I'm a lazy villain trying to keep my head down! Don't throw another empire or immortal grudge at me!"

He exhaled sharply, leaning back against the tree. "Calm. I'm calm."

Straightening, Su Xiaobai returned with his usual smirk, as if the moment hadn't cracked his veneer. "Now, what was that about abyss monsters? Sounds like my kind of bedtime story."

Wei Jun stared at him, bewildered. "You alright?"

"No," Su Xiaobai said smoothly. "I'm surrounded by lunatics, and you're the loudest one."

Wei Jun sighed, shaking his head. Living with Su Xiaobai was like guarding a drunk phoenix—chaotic, loud, and destined to burn everything around him before soaring off, leaving only ashes behind.

From his robes, Wei Jun pulled a cloth-wrapped package, his expression sour, like someone had replaced his tea with piss. "I need a favor. Deliver this to a woman called the White Jade Sword at Xiantian Sect."

Su Xiaobai raised a brow, a wolfish grin spreading across his face. "A love letter? Oh, Brother Wei, who knew you had such poetic flair? Should I seal it with a kiss for luck?"

He reached for the package, but Wei Jun's grip didn't falter. His eyes hardened, steel beneath the surface. "Brother Su, I'll say this once. Don't drag Ling'er into your chaos. She's not one of your games."

Su Xiaobai froze mid-grin, his fingers stilling. "Ah, I see. I'm the villain in this family now, am I? Should I call you 'Brother Protective,' or just stick to Wei Jun?"

Wei Jun's grip tightened, just enough to make his point, before he let go. "Call me what you like, but understand this: Ling'er may seem soft, but she's tougher than you think. Even so, she doesn't belong in the kind of messes you and I swim in."

Su Xiaobai sighed theatrically, slipping the package into his spatial ring. "Brother Wei, must we choke the air with clichés? 'Stay away from my sister'? Next, you'll challenge me to a duel for her honor."

Wei Jun chuckled, but the sound was sharp, without warmth. "Act the clown all you want, but you've already carved a hole in her heart. The only question now is whether you'll plant something… or piss on the soil and leave."

Su Xiaobai's grin thinned, his voice sharpening. "What do you expect? A blood-oath to the heavens? I'm no storybook hero. Ling'er isn't part of my path."

"Isn't she?" Wei Jun's tone was quiet but carried the weight of a falling mountain. "She's already tied herself to you, Brother Su. Our ancestral technique—the one she's kept hidden from everyone—could drag her into your bloody games."

For the first time, Su Xiaobai faltered. Ling'er, the princess who claimed no heritage, no significance in the royal family… had lied?

Wei Jun's gaze darkened, "Before our mother passed, she made me swear to protect Ling'er, no matter what. That oath led me into this throne struggle, and it'll keep me here until the end. You might think you're above it all, but your shadow is enough to pull others into the abyss."

Su Xiaobai had no clever retort this time. Wei Jun's words hit like a slap—not enough to hurt, but impossible to ignore.

Wei Jun's tone softened slightly, though the edge remained. "Enough about Ling'er. What about you, Brother Su? Do you really think you can face the monsters waiting for you as you are? Or are you just a fool playing at greatness?"

The words landed like a hammer, cracking Su Xiaobai's confidence. He thought of the titans on his path—beings who turned battlefields to graveyards, sect masters whose palms split mountains, immortals who played with storms.

Could he beat them?

The question coiled in his mind like a venomous serpent, hissing doubts he couldn't silence.

Wei Jun placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him with surprising warmth. "You don't need to answer now," he said quietly. "But if you want to protect anyone—or anything—you'll need more than a sharp tongue and bravado."

Su Xiaobai said nothing, stepping away as the words lodged in his chest like splinters. Protect? Conquer? Rule? Once, those ambitions had burned brighter than any sun. Now, they were ashes scattered in the winds of a world he no longer recognized.

Descending the mountain, Wei Jun's questions filled his mind.

What did he want?

In his past life, he had been a tyrant—a storm that crushed armies and left nations trembling. But that path had cost him everything. Now? He was a shadow of that man, wandering a road he no longer understood.

His enemies hadn't changed—they were still monstrous forces of power and ambition. The only thing that had shifted was him. He wasn't ready. Not yet. But he could be.

Su Xiaobai, are you ready to pick up the brush and rewrite your legend?

A bitter laugh escaped his lips, echoing through the tense silence. He clenched his fists, forcing doubt and pain into the corners of his mind.

The questions could wait. The ache could wait.

For now, there was only one truth: move forward, or die standing still.

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[A/N: Alright, you degenerates, that's the end of Volume 1! Clap it up, because your boy Su Xiaobai has officially leveled up from "family reunion simp" to "power-hungry badass" — thanks to your suggestions. Give yourselves a pat on the back (or a slap, whatever works).

Now, let's talk Volume 2. It's gonna be longer, juicier, and packed with more evil than Xiao Hei's murder attempts. By the end, Su Xiaobai will leave the mortal plane, reunite with his crew, and—wait for it—start his own empire. Yep, Little Su is gunning for the big leagues. But hey, he can't do it without your support. Gifts? Gold coins? You know the drill. Feed the beast if you want to see him conquer the heavens!

Oh, and about Ling Er's mom—will she show up? Will she not? That's up to you. Vote or forever hold your complaints.

Thanks for sticking around, you legends. Peace out, and remember: no gifts, no empire!]