After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 217 - He’s So Gentle, I’m Crying

He Ange’s “little magic trick” was actually quite simple.

When he returned from Ten Thousand Demons Sect, Dongfang Zhou, as a gesture of goodwill, casually gifted him two sword pills.

At first glance, these sword pills didn’t seem like anything special—not particularly valuable. But when Dongfang Zhou demonstrated one on the mountains behind the Hall of Slaughtered Faces, He Ange was left speechless.

A tiny sword pill, yet it held immense power!

With a single boom, the sword’s might cleaved the mountain in half, its force shaking the heavens and earth.

From that moment, He Ange realized just how terrifying Dongfang Zhou truly was.

A young demon lord at the peak of Void God Realm, Dongfang Zhou could casually create a sword pill containing the devastating sword intent of a peak Void Refinement cultivator—capable of carving the earth itself!

It was said that the Blood Moon Witch once captured Dongfang Zhou’s daughter and used her as leverage to extort him, enraging Dongfang Zhou to no end. He even promised to heavily reward He Ange if he could deal with the Blood Moon Witch for him...

Thinking about it now, He Ange couldn’t help but admire her. With her approximate Void Refinement cultivation, how had Mu Yanli managed to survive under Dongfang Zhou’s wrath?

This also highlighted just how despised Mu Yanli was in the demonic realm. Her heinous deeds had made her a target for nearly every major power.

“I’ll save the last sword pill for Mu Yanli,” He Ange murmured.

Standing atop Muyun City’s rooftop, He Ange looked down at the blood mist from the slain cultivators below. The thought of using a sword pill to kill a few Nascent Soul cultivators might seem wasteful to some.

But not to He Ange.

With just one sword pill, he had successfully shown off in front of An Luo Yi—an investment well worth it!

He needed An Luo Yi to understand that he was no longer the same person she once knew. She needed to recognize who truly held the upper hand now.

Otherwise, He Ange would forever remain beneath her in their dynamic.

Even if An Luo Yi loved him, relationships in this world were built on power. If He Ange couldn’t make her submit to him both physically and mentally, how could he ever control this proud Destined Heroine?

If An Luo Yi decided to do something against his wishes in the future, how could he stop her as a subordinate?

Beg her?

Cling to her like a lapdog?

Please—being a man who relies on women is pathetic!

Sure, He Ange had relied on An Luo Yi in the past, and yes, clinging to her as a Destined Heroine had its perks. But don’t get it twisted—He Ange wasn’t inherently spineless.

Back then, relying on An Luo Yi was a matter of survival. Without her, he wouldn’t have made it.

But now that He Ange had risen, why should he continue groveling before her?

He had no interest in being anyone’s lapdog, let alone writing “I’m Lady Luo Yi’s loyal servant!” across his forehead every day.

A real man stands tall and proud!

“What’s wrong?”

“Not fighting anymore?”

On the rooftop, the young man in moon-white robes stood with his hands behind his back, his expression unreadable. His calm gaze swept over the countless cultivators in Muyun City as he spoke softly. Even after killing dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators moments ago, he remained composed—as if swatting flies.

A demonic lord loomed over the city.

Under the suffocating pressure of bloodlust and killing intent, none of the cultivators dared to speak.

They stood frozen in place, their gazes filled with terror. Some who had witnessed the sword intent up close were already kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy.

After all, aside from An Luo Yi, most of Muyun City’s inhabitants were low-level cultivators at Core Formation or Nascent Soul stages. How could they possibly handle such a cataclysmic display of power?

One strike had decimated dozens of elite Nascent Soul cultivators—this was strength nearing that of a second-rank Dragon General!

At this point, who would dare step forward? Only someone with a death wish.

For now, He Ange had successfully quelled the chaos in Muyun City.

The once-righteous cultivators now knelt silently in submission, their fear palpable.

“Good.”

“It seems you cultivators value your lives after all.”

He Ange smiled faintly, feeling quite satisfied.

With everyone kneeling in submission, there was no need for him to waste his second sword pill.

With that thought,

He Ange exhaled lightly, feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders.

Meanwhile,

His commanding presence only deepened the awe and fear of the silver-haired maiden inside the tower. Her wide eyes reflected disbelief as her worldview shattered before her.

So her little junior brother—her Dao companion—had possessed such terrifying strength all along?

Could it be that when He Ange faked his death on Zongshan Plains, he had deliberately concealed his power to avoid hurting her?

He could have easily killed her but chose not to—instead leaving Saint Void Sect in the gentlest way possible...

He’s so gentle—I’m crying!

At that moment,

An Luo Yi felt that the abyssal Phoenix Mark on her abdomen didn’t seem so invasive or unsettling anymore.

After all,

As someone truly worthy of being called a supreme prodigy,

He Ange naturally had both the qualifications and strength to do so. The fact that he marked her with the Phoenix Mark while treating her so selflessly only proved how much he cared for her!

If He Ange were weak,

The Phoenix Mark would have triggered her rebellious instincts. She would have immediately thought she was being controlled by someone beneath her. While she would still love him, there would undoubtedly be some resentment in her heart.

This was only natural—people are inherently pragmatic.

An Luo Yi loved He Ange deeply—that much was true. But she also saw herself as superior. She believed that because He Ange’s cultivation was lower than hers, she had the right to control him. If he disobeyed her, she would assume he was betraying her.

But if He Ange were strong enough to suppress her effortlessly...

Then she wouldn’t feel as rebellious. After all, someone as powerful as He Ange wouldn’t need something like a “slave mark” to control her...

Instead,

She might start wondering if the Phoenix Mark served some other purpose she didn’t yet understand.

Even Destined Heroines can be pragmatic—

This dynamic is entirely normal when there’s a disparity in power between two people.

Even in loving marriages lasting decades,

There’s always an imbalance of power—otherwise “henpecked husbands” or “domineering wives” wouldn’t exist...

As someone An Luo Yi loved deeply,

He Ange had two choices:

Either become so strong that An Luo Yi willingly submitted—turning this proud Destined Heroine into his devoted wife—

Or remain weak and rely on An Luo Yi’s protection—forever dependent on her favor and affection.

But let’s not forget—

Cultivation spans centuries.

How could anyone guarantee that a Destined Heroine wouldn’t grow tired of loving only one mediocre man for thousands of years?

This isn’t some idealized novel—reality is far less forgiving.

Women in this world aren’t so simple-minded.

That’s why He Ange had been deliberately distant towards An Luo Yi recently. Changing their dynamic required time. If he continued treating her like before, she’d still see him as inferior.

He needed An Luo Yi to realize that he could thrive without her—

But without him,

She couldn’t survive—neither emotionally nor professionally.

For this reason,

Spending one Void Refinement-level sword pill was absolutely worth it.

With that resolved,

He Ange stored away his remaining sword pill and summoned an abyssal portal. Standing against the sunlight, he turned back and spoke softly:

“Senior Sister—I’m leaving.”

“As for the Phoenix Mark—I hope you won’t think too poorly of me. I can assure you—it’s not some lowly slave mark. I’m not that kind of person—I have no need or reason to enslave someone who already loves me...”

“An Luo Yi—I may not be a righteous saint.”

“But in this world—I’m definitely not someone who would harm you.”

With those words,

The white-robed youth stepped into the void and disappeared.

On Muyun City’s rooftop,

The wind carried faint traces of blood—

The silver-haired maiden sat motionless—her exquisite face blank with shock—unable to move for a long time.

After what felt like an eternity,

An Luo Yi finally exhaled shakily—her tense body slowly relaxing—

This time,

Though she hadn’t fought any intense battles—it felt like she’d narrowly escaped death—the pressure overwhelming—leaving every cell in her body fatigued and sore—

This unprecedented exhaustion felt almost as if He Ange had siphoned away much of her spiritual energy while infusing abyssal energy into her earlier...

But then again,

He Ange had clearly said—

Even if the whole world betrayed her—he never would!

Thinking this,

An Luo Yi shook her head firmly—banishing any doubts about He Ange from her mind—

If even He Ange wanted to harm her,

Then who could she trust?

Who could possibly love her more than He Ange?

Certainly not Dragon Dynasty’s ministers or even the True Dragon Empress—

What a joke.

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An Luo Yi firmly believed that He Ange marked her abdomen with the Phoenix Mark for her own good! It was just that with her current cultivation level, she couldn’t yet understand his intentions!

No wonder He Ange never explained why he faked his death or betrayed Dragon Dynasty...

These answers didn’t need explaining—

One day,

When An Luo Yi grew strong enough to follow in his footsteps—

She’d uncover these truths herself.

Just like how she never understood why He Ange chose suicide back then—but now realized it was his way of sparing her—

Every revelation left An Luo Yi deeply moved—

Unbeknownst to her,

He Ange had always been so gentle towards her—even when she didn’t know it—

Surely now,

His coldness towards her was deliberate—to push her towards uncovering these truths herself—

“I’ll catch up to you someday...”

“I’ll make you look at me again! I’ll make you willingly marry me!”

Clenching her teeth,

The maiden’s proud yet determined eyes burned with newfound resolve—

...

...

...

“Woohoo~”

“Senior Sister’s spiritual energy is so fragrant!”

“Now I’m just one step away from Divine Transformation—and with enough reserves—I might even soar straight to its peak!”

Leaving Muyun City through an abyssal portal,

He Ange strolled along a snowy mountain path—checking his cultivation with great interest—

The spiritual energy he gained came from siphoning it through the Phoenix Mark earlier—