Love for Nie

by Ma12Liara89rybka

Summary:

A warrior finds love, gremlins scheme, and Lan Qiren suffers—Nie Sect gains chaos, legend, and a future.

Chapter 1: The Fateful Encounter at Qinghe Border

The night air crackled with the remnants of battle. The ground was torn where the serpentine beast had thrashed, its lifeless body sprawled across the rocky terrain. The fight had been quick but brutal, the blood staining Wei Ying’s robes a testament to their victory. Beside him, Wei Megami exhaled, brushing stray strands of silver-white hair from her forehead, her fingers trembling only slightly.
Nie Huaisang clung to her arm, his youthful face still pale from the fright. “That was terrifying!” he exclaimed, his voice shaking. “But also incredible! You—both of you—how did you move like that?”
Wei Ying grinned, shaking out his sleeves. “It’s called talent, A-Sang. You should get used to seeing it up close.”
Megami rolled her eyes. “Or maybe it’s called reckless improvisation that somehow didn’t kill us this time.”
Nie Huaisang clutched his fan to his chest. “Either way, I am eternally grateful! You must let me repay you somehow—”
A sudden gust of wind swept through the battlefield, carrying with it a suffocating aura of power. The presence struck like an invisible hammer, pressing down on their lungs. Megami’s eyes widened.
A figure descended from the ridge, his landing barely disturbing the earth beneath him. Nie Mingjue.
The leader of the Qinghe Nie clan cut an imposing figure, standing tall and unwavering. His broad shoulders carried the weight of his reputation—merciless, unyielding, dangerous. Even in the dim moonlight, his sharp features were striking, his gaze fierce as it raked over the scene before him.
His voice was a blade slicing through the silence. “What is the meaning of this?”
Nie Huaisang flinched but bravely pointed toward the slain beast. “D-Da-ge! These two saved me! That thing attacked, and I—I—”
Nie Mingjue’s sharp gaze snapped to Wei Ying and Megami, his grip tightening on Baxia, the legendary saber strapped to his back. His scrutiny was not kind—it was assessing, dissecting.
Wei Ying, ever shameless, gave a lazy bow, flashing a grin. “Ah, the mighty Chifeng-Zun himself! What an honor to meet you.”
Megami elbowed him sharply in the ribs, hissing, “Wei Ying, stop antagonizing him.”
But Nie Mingjue’s attention was now locked onto Megami. His brows furrowed as he took in her bloodied state—the exhaustion in her eyes, the way she swayed on her feet even as she fought to stand tall. And then, as if fate had woven this very moment to test him, she collapsed.
It happened too fast. One moment, she was on her feet, glaring at him with those piercing silver eyes—searching him, testing him—and the next, she crumpled. Instinct overrode thought. Nie Mingjue caught her before she hit the ground.
Wei Ying’s smirk vanished. “Megami!” He rushed forward, but Nie Mingjue held up a hand, halting him in his tracks.
“She’s burning up.” His voice was gruff, but his touch was careful as he shifted her weight against him. The sensation of her delicate form, fever-warm and trembling in his arms, sent an unfamiliar jolt through him.
Wei Ying bristled. “Let her go. We can take care of her—”
Nie Mingjue silenced him with a glare. “She is in no condition to be left to your reckless whims. We’re taking her to the Unclean Realm.”
Wei Ying’s hands curled into fists, but even he knew better than to challenge Chifeng-Zun when Megami’s health was at stake.
“Fine,” he spat. “But I’m coming with her.”
Nie Mingjue ignored him. His gaze flickered back to Megami’s face, her brows furrowed even in unconsciousness. His grip on her tightened. Why does she look so… familiar?
Without another word, he turned and strode away, carrying her as if she weighed nothing.
Wei Ying exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. “Well, that went well.”
Nie Huaisang let out a nervous laugh. “Da-ge didn’t kill you on sight. I’d call that a victory.”
Wei Ying groaned. “Just wait until she wakes up. I have a feeling she’s not going to let him off easy.”
As they followed after Nie Mingjue, the night air seemed heavier—not just with the promise of conflict, but with something else entirely.
Something dangerous.
Something unstoppable.
And it had just begun.

Chapter 2: The Unclean Realm – A Battle of Wits and Will

The journey to the Unclean Realm was a blur. Megami drifted in and out of consciousness, vaguely aware of the steady rise and fall of powerful footsteps beneath her. She recognized the firm, unyielding warmth holding her—the sensation was unfamiliar yet strangely grounding.
When she finally woke, it was to the sound of hushed voices and the faint scent of medicine.
“—she’s still burning up, but the worst has passed,” a healer murmured.
A deep, commanding voice—his voice—responded. “Then why isn’t she waking up?”
She almost smirked. So impatient.
With great effort, Megami forced her eyes open. The dim candlelight illuminated the sharp angles of Nie Mingjue, standing beside her bed like an immovable mountain. His arms were crossed, his expression set in stone, but there was something… watchful in his gaze.
Wei Ying was perched on a chair nearby, eating fruit like he was enjoying a festival. He brightened when he saw her eyes open. “Finally! You know, if you wanted to be carried in the arms of the fearsome Chifeng-Zun, you could’ve just asked.”
Megami groaned, pushing herself up despite the ache in her limbs. “I would rather let a spirit beast swallow me whole.”
Wei Ying gasped in mock offense. “And yet, you let him hold you all the way here. How scandalous.”
Nie Mingjue’s expression darkened. “She wasn’t in a state to protest.”
Megami turned her silver gaze on him, scrutinizing him. “And yet, you didn’t have to be the one to carry me.”
Silence. A flicker of something crossed Nie Mingjue’s eyes—annoyance, perhaps, or something deeper. He exhaled sharply and stepped closer, his presence commanding as ever.
“You’re reckless,” he stated flatly. “That battle could’ve killed you.”
Megami arched a delicate brow. “So could a lot of things.”
His jaw tightened. “Then you should be more careful.”
Wei Ying leaned forward, smirking. “Wow, Da-ge, you almost sound like you care.”
Nie Mingjue shot him a sharp look. “I don’t waste my concern on reckless fools.”
Megami’s lips curled. “Yet, here you are.”
The tension in the room thickened, like a blade balanced on the edge of a breath. Megami could see the way his fingers twitched, the restrained power coiled within him.
Nie Huaisang peeked in through the door. “Ah… should I come back later?”
Nie Mingjue turned on his heel. “You should be resting,” he told Megami, ignoring the amusement in her gaze. Then, without another word, he strode out.
Wei Ying let out a low whistle. “You know, I think you just did the impossible.”
Megami tilted her head. “Which is?”
He grinned. “Got under Chifeng-Zun’s skin.”

Chapter 3: Clashing Flames – The Battle of Pride and Power

Megami didn’t stay in bed for long. Three days of rest were enough. Any more, and she’d feel like a prisoner.
Despite the protests of the healers, she slipped out of the infirmary and wandered into the courtyard of the Unclean Realm. The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of iron and cold steel. Qinghe Nie cultivators trained in the open courtyard, their blades clashing in disciplined rhythms.
She watched them for a moment before a familiar presence—one like a storm barely held in check—filled the air behind her.
“You should be resting.”
Megami turned, unsurprised to find Nie Mingjue standing there, arms crossed, gaze unreadable. He had changed out of his heavier battle armor, dressed now in a dark robe that emphasized his powerful frame. His presence was overwhelming, an iron wall of authority that most would cower before.
But Megami had never been most people.
“I’ve rested enough,” she replied smoothly. “I needed some air.”
His gaze flickered over her, assessing. “Your wounds aren’t healed.”
“I’ve survived worse.”
His expression darkened. “That doesn’t mean you should be careless.”
Megami huffed, tilting her head. “You act as if you’re responsible for me.”
Nie Mingjue exhaled sharply, stepping closer. His presence was like a firestorm, scorching and relentless. “You’re in my territory, under my protection. That does make you my responsibility.”
Megami’s silver eyes glowed with challenge. “I never asked for your protection.”
Nie Mingjue’s jaw tightened. She was infuriating. Stubborn, reckless, and entirely too willing to test his patience.
But beneath that defiance was a warrior—one who had bled and fought and survived against the odds. One who carried herself with an ease most cultivators never mastered. And he hated that he noticed.
He took another step closer, his towering frame nearly brushing hers. “You’re bold.”
She smirked. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
Their eyes locked—two unyielding forces, neither willing to break first. The tension crackled like an impending storm.
“Megami.”
Wei Ying’s voice cut through the air, breaking the moment. He sauntered toward them, his smirk full of mischief. “Are you flirting with Chifeng-Zun?”
Megami scoffed. “Hardly.”
Wei Ying chuckled, glancing at Nie Mingjue. “Don’t take it personally, Da-ge. She does this to everyone.”
Nie Mingjue’s gaze didn’t waver from hers. “I doubt that.”
Megami’s breath hitched. His tone was low, measured—but there was something there, something dangerous.
Wei Ying’s eyes darted between them before grinning. “Well, this is getting interesting.”
Nie Mingjue ignored him, his voice steady but firm. “If you insist on being reckless, then at least prove you can back it up.”
Megami arched a brow. “Are you challenging me?”
He unsheathed Baxia with a swift, fluid motion. The blade gleamed under the moonlight, humming with restrained power.
Wei Ying whistled. “Oh, now this I have to see.”
Megami smiled, stepping forward, her fingers twitching with anticipation.
Fine. If Chifeng-Zun wanted a fight, she’d give him one.
And neither of them would walk away unchanged.

Chapter 4: Clashing Blades, Clashing Wits

The Unclean Realm’s courtyard fell silent as Nie Mingjue raised his saber, its sharp edge gleaming under the lantern light. The sheer weight of Baxia’s energy pressed down on the air like an impending storm, but Megami only smiled, rolling her shoulders in anticipation.
From the sidelines, Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang perched together like two mischievous gremlins, their eyes glinting with delight.
“Oho, this is going to be good,” Wei Ying whispered, nudging Huaisang.
“Da-ge challenging a woman? Voluntarily?” Nie Huaisang whispered back. “She must have really gotten under his skin.”
“I know, right? It’s almost romantic.”
Nie Huaisang gasped. “What if this is how they fall in love?”
Wei Ying smirked. “Oh, I hope so. This is better than any drama I’ve seen in Lanling.”
Their whispers didn’t go unheard.
Nie Mingjue shot them a sharp glare. “Shut up.”
Wei Ying grinned innocently. “Don’t mind us! Carry on with your very serious and not at all tension-filled sparring match.”
Megami chuckled under her breath, then tilted her head at Nie Mingjue. “Are you sure about this? I wouldn’t want to bruise that very serious and not at all tension-filled ego of yours.”
His grip tightened on Baxia. “Draw your weapon, or step down.”
“Oh, demanding. I like that.”
Nie Mingjue’s eye twitched.
From the sidelines, Wei Ying and Huaisang erupted into poorly stifled giggles.
Megami gracefully unsheathed her blade, its silver edge reflecting the flickering lantern light. She spun it in her grip, testing the weight, then settled into a fighting stance.
Nie Mingjue didn’t hesitate.
He moved like a storm, swift and unrelenting. Baxia came down in a powerful arc, the sheer force of it enough to split stone. But Megami was faster. She sidestepped at the last moment, the wind of his strike whipping past her like a ghost’s breath.
Wei Ying gasped dramatically. “Oh no, Megami’s in danger! What ever shall she do against the big, bad Chifeng-Zun?”
Nie Huaisang nodded solemnly. “She’s so tiny in comparison. Look at those height differences. He could pick her up with one hand.”
Wei Ying clutched his chest. “How scandalous!”
Megami, dodging another brutal swing, snorted. “You two sound like aunties gossiping at the market.”
Nie Mingjue’s strikes were relentless, but Megami was fluid, weaving between his attacks with a dancer’s precision. She wasn’t trying to match his brute strength—that would be foolish. Instead, she used his power against him, deflecting just enough to keep him overextending.
Finally, she saw an opening.
Nie Mingjue swung—a devastating downward slash. But Megami ducked, spun behind him, and with a flash of silver, the edge of her blade kissed his throat.
Silence.
Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang froze mid-giggle.
Megami smirked, her voice a low purr. “I win.”
Nie Mingjue didn’t move. His breathing was steady, his jaw tight. Her blade was at his throat, but Baxia was already shifting in his grip.
With lightning speed, he pivoted, catching her wrist in a firm grip. Before she could react, he twisted, pulling her forward—straight into his chest.
The impact sent a jolt through her.
Megami blinked up at him. His face was much, much too close.
Wei Ying let out a choking sound. “OH?”
Nie Huaisang gasped. “OH NO.”
Megami arched a brow. “If you wanted to hold me, you could’ve just asked.”
Nie Mingjue exhaled through his nose. “Do you ever stop talking?”
“Not when I’m winning.”
Wei Ying leaned toward Nie Huaisang. “Do you think they’re gonna—”
Nie Huaisang smacked his arm. “Shh! Let it happen naturally!”
Nie Mingjue ignored them, his grip firm but not painful. Megami could feel the raw strength in his hands—the callouses of a warrior, the unyielding restraint of a man who could crush mountains but chose not to.
For the first time, something flickered in his expression. Not anger. Not irritation. Something else.
Then, with deliberate slowness, he leaned in ever so slightly. His voice was low, quiet enough that only she could hear.
“This isn’t over.”
Megami’s breath caught, but she refused to back down. “Good,” she whispered back, smirking. “I like a challenge.”
Then she pressed forward just enough that their noses brushed. A bold, deliberate move.
Nie Mingjue went completely still.
From the sidelines, Wei Ying screamed internally.
Nie Huaisang fanned himself dramatically.
The air between Megami and Nie Mingjue crackled with unspoken tension, sizzling like embers ready to ignite.
Then, with a sharp exhale, Nie Mingjue released her and stepped back.
Megami sheathed her sword. “That was fun.”
Nie Mingjue scowled. “You are infuriating.”
She grinned. “And yet, you haven’t walked away.”
Wei Ying collapsed into Nie Huaisang’s arms. “I CAN’T BREATHE. THE TENSION. THE HEAT.”
Nie Huaisang wiped a fake tear. “This is the best thing I’ve ever witnessed.”
Nie Mingjue turned to glare at them.
Wei Ying immediately straightened, all innocence. “Oh, don’t mind us, Da-ge. Please, continue your totally professional and not at all tension-filled sparring.”
Nie Huaisang nodded. “Yes, yes, pretend we’re not here. We know nothing.”
Nie Mingjue pinched the bridge of his nose.
Megami only smiled.
This was going to be fun.

Chapter 5: The Unwanted Guests of the Unclean Realm

Nie Mingjue should have known better.
Should have known that letting Wei Megami and Wei Ying stay in the Unclean Realm would bring nothing but trouble.
Yet, here they were. Still here.
Days turned into weeks, and somehow, against all logic and reason, Megami and Wei Ying had ingratiated themselves into the daily life of the Qinghe Nie clan. The good news? Nie Huaisang was thriving under their watchful eye, his Golden Core developing faster than expected. The bad news?
Wei Megami was haunting Nie Mingjue.
In his days.
In his nights.
In his dreams.
And it was infuriating.

The Good Thing: A-Sang’s Unexpected Progress
“Again,” Megami instructed, arms crossed as she observed Nie Huaisang struggling through a new set of cultivation drills.
A thin sheen of sweat clung to his forehead as he adjusted his stance, focusing on the flow of energy through his meridians. His progress had been astonishing, considering his usual aversion to anything remotely difficult. But under Megami’s sharp eyes and Wei Ying’s constant teasing, he had no choice but to improve.
“I’m trying!” Huaisang huffed, adjusting his grip on his fan. “Why is this so hard?”
“Because,” Wei Ying drawled from his place in a nearby tree, “you spent your childhood hiding instead of cultivating.”
“Not hiding,” Huaisang corrected, opening his fan with a flourish. “I was strategizing.”
Wei Ying cackled. “Oh, sure! Strategizing ways to avoid Da-ge’s wrath.”
Megami smirked. “To be fair, that’s probably what helped him survive this long.”
Huaisang gasped. “I knew you understood me!”
Wei Ying swung down from the tree, landing gracefully beside them. “Alright, alright, enough chitchat! We’ve got to get A-Sang here into peak condition, or his Da-ge is going to blame us when he still can’t swing a saber properly.”
“I heard that.”
The deep, familiar voice sent a chill down their spines.
All three turned to see Nie Mingjue standing at the edge of the courtyard, arms crossed, towering like an impending storm.
Wei Ying immediately threw an arm around Huaisang. “Da-ge! You wound us! We are only here to ensure your dear little brother reaches his full potential.”
Nie Mingjue’s brow twitched. “By distracting him with nonsense?”
Megami stepped forward, silver eyes meeting his gaze without hesitation. “Actually, he’s made more progress in these past few weeks than he has in years.”
Nie Mingjue’s sharp gaze flickered to Huaisang, assessing.
Huaisang swallowed. “Uh… it’s true?”
Nie Mingjue frowned, but even he couldn’t deny the results. Huaisang’s posture was stronger, his breathing more controlled, his Golden Core developing at a noticeable pace.
Wei Ying smirked. “See? We’re helping.”
Nie Mingjue exhaled through his nose. “You’re still a nuisance.”
Wei Ying clutched his chest dramatically. “He hurts me, Megami.”
Megami barely held back a laugh. “Try not to cry, Ying.”
Nie Huaisang, emboldened by the moment, leaned into Wei Ying’s shoulder. “I can’t believe Da-ge won’t even say thank you. How heartless.”
Nie Mingjue’s eye twitched. “You two are insufferable.”
Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang grinned at each other. Mission accomplished.

The Bad Thing: The Haunting of Nie Mingjue
The first time Nie Mingjue dreamed of Megami, he dismissed it.
The second time, he cursed the heavens.
The third?
It was a problem.
It wasn’t just at night, either. She haunted his waking hours, too.
He would be deep in cultivation, and then—a flash of silver hair.
He would be training, and suddenly—the echo of her laughter.
He would be leading a war council, and somehow—her voice whispered in the back of his mind, teasing, taunting.
It was infuriating.
One night, after a particularly unwanted dream—**one where her lips were far too close to his, her breath warm against his skin—**Nie Mingjue snapped awake, furious.
This had to stop.
So he stormed out into the night, determined to confront her.
He found her, of course. She was always there, waiting, as if she knew.
Megami sat beneath the great willow tree in the courtyard, bathed in moonlight, her silver-white hair cascading over her shoulders like silk. Her expression was serene, but her eyes glowed with mischief the moment she saw him.
“You look terrible,” she observed.
Nie Mingjue scowled. “You.”
She smirked. “Me?”
“You’re haunting me.”
A delighted laugh escaped her lips. “Oh? How flattering.”
He exhaled sharply, stepping closer. “I’m serious.”
Her gaze flickered over him, assessing. “Let me guess. Dreams? Distractions? A sudden inability to focus?”
His jaw tightened. “I don’t have time for games.”
Megami leaned back against the tree, utterly unbothered. “But you do have time to storm out here in the middle of the night and confront me about it?”
Silence.
She smiled. She had him.
Then, to make it worse—to make him suffer—she lifted a single delicate finger and traced it, ever so lightly, down the side of his arm.
Nie Mingjue froze.
His breath hitched.
And Megami, utterly shameless, tilted her head. “Poor Chifeng-Zun. Do I really bother you that much?”
From behind them, two suppressed giggles echoed through the night.
Nie Mingjue’s fury snapped. He turned sharply to see Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang watching from the roof, eyes gleaming with absolute joy.
Wei Ying grinned. “Oh, don’t stop on our account! Please, continue. This is better than any love story I’ve ever heard.”
Nie Huaisang fanned himself dramatically. “Da-ge, I never knew you were so romantic.”
Nie Mingjue’s hands curled into fists. “I will kill both of you.”
Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang shrieked with laughter and leapt off the roof, vanishing before Nie Mingjue could make good on his threat.
Megami, still far too close, smiled. “Looks like they approve of us.”
Nie Mingjue’s patience shattered.
“I am going to spar with you,” he growled, voice low and dangerous. “And this time, I’m not holding back.”
Megami’s silver eyes lit up with excitement.
“Oh, finally.”
As she rose to face him, sword in hand, Nie Mingjue realized one thing:
This woman was going to be the death of him.
And the worst part?
He wasn’t sure if he even minded.

Chapter 6: Clashing Blades and Stolen Glances

The night air was thick with tension, the courtyard alive with the ringing clash of metal.
Nie Mingjue moved first.
His blade—Baxia—swung in a vicious arc, fast, deadly, precise. The force behind it would have sent any normal cultivator stumbling back.
But Megami wasn’t normal.
She met his strike with a sharp, effortless parry, her blade singing as she redirected the attack rather than taking it head-on. She pivoted on her heel, her movements swift and almost playful, and her silver hair flowed like silk behind her.
“You’re holding back,” she observed, eyes gleaming.
Nie Mingjue’s expression darkened. “I don’t hold back.”
“Then prove it.”
And that was when everything changed.
His strikes became relentless.
Each swing of Baxia was designed to break, to overwhelm, to leave no room for counterattacks. Nie Mingjue was a warrior, a man who had forged himself in battle. His style was unyielding, his blows heavy enough to crack stone.
But Megami was untamed.
She didn’t match his force—she danced around it. She was fluid, sharp, her movements like water, adapting, twisting, always one step ahead.
Every time he thought he had her—she slipped away.
Their swords met again and again, sparks flying in the moonlight.
And then—
She moved too close.
In a single breath, she was inside his guard, her blade sliding against his, her face inches from his.
Nie Mingjue could feel her breath, warm against his skin.
For a heartbeat—**just one—**he hesitated.
And that was his mistake.
Megami struck.
She twisted Baxia’s angle just enough to send him slightly off balance, swept her leg behind his, and shoved.
Nie Mingjue fell.
Flat on his back.
With Megami on top of him, blade at his throat.

The Aftermath: A Very Unfortunate Audience
For a long moment, there was silence.
Megami smirked, tilting her head as she looked down at him. “Pinned you.”
Nie Mingjue’s hands itched to throw her off—to correct this humiliation—but something about the way she was hovering above him, silver eyes flickering with amusement and something else, made it impossible to move.
Then—
“DA-GE?!?!”
Both of them froze.
Megami slowly turned her head.
Nie Mingjue closed his eyes, praying to any god listening.
It did nothing.
Standing at the entrance of the courtyard were Nie Huaisang and Wei Ying.
Their expressions?
Absolute. Unfiltered. Chaos.
Wei Ying grinned so wide it was a miracle his face didn’t split in half. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?”
Nie Huaisang gasped, clutching his chest. “Scandalous! Da-ge, under the moonlight?! In the middle of the courtyard?! How bold!”
Nie Mingjue saw red.
“GET. OUT.”
Wei Ying and Huaisang screamed with laughter and bolted before he could chase them down.
Megami, still straddling him, sighed. “You know, if you just admit you like me, this would be much easier.”
Nie Mingjue growled. “I am going to kill you.”
She leaned in just enough to brush her lips by his ear. “Try it, Chifeng-Zun.”
Nie Mingjue shoved her off, but the damage was already done.
His reputation? Ruined.
His sanity? Gone.
His self-control? Hanging by a thread.
And somewhere in the distance, Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang were already planning their next attack.

The Lan Arrival: Order Meets Chaos
The Unclean Realm was many things—powerful, disciplined, unwavering in its strength.
It was not, however, a place accustomed to the calm and dignified presence of the Lan Clan.
Which was precisely why, the moment Lan Qiren, Lan Xichen, and Lan Wangji arrived, Wei Ying and Nie Huaisang took one look at them and immediately started scheming.
Lan Qiren had barely stepped into the main hall when the chaos began.

The Gremlin Trio Forms
Lan Wangji had come to the Unclean Realm for official matters.
He did not expect to be ambushed by the untamed storm that was Wei Wuxian.
“You’re really that Lan Wangji?” Wei Ying asked, circling him like a predator. “Hanguang-Jun? The cold, untouchable, righteous pillar of Gusu Lan?”
Lan Wangji stood silent, stoic, unmoving.
Wei Ying leaned in, eyes alight with mischief. “You look like someone who secretly enjoys chaos.”
Nie Huaisang gasped dramatically. “Wei-xiong, he would never! He’s an exemplar of virtue!”
Lan Wangji remained still, but his fingers twitched.
Wei Ying grinned.
“Oh, you’re doomed,” Megami murmured beside Nie Mingjue, arms crossed. “He’s making that face.”
“What face?” Nie Mingjue grumbled.
Megami tilted her head. “The I will dedicate my entire existence to ruining this man’s peace face.”
Nie Mingjue scowled. “That’s his default face.”
But Megami just smirked. “We’ll see.”

Chapter 7: The Comment That Broke Nie Mingjue

Trade discussions between Nie Mingjue and Lan Xichen had been going relatively well—which, in itself, was a miracle, given the circumstances.
Lan Qiren had been skeptical of how order could function within the chaotic Nie Sect, but Lan Xichen, ever the diplomat, had smoothed things over.
Then, it happened.
Lan Xichen, watching Megami and Nie Mingjue bicker for the seventh time that day, took a slow sip of his tea, then said, too casually:
“Ah. So this is courting in the Nie Sect?”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Wei Ying choked.
Nie Huaisang gasped.
Lan Wangji froze.
Megami raised a brow, completely unbothered.
Nie Mingjue?
Lost. His. Mind.
In one swift motion, he stood, grabbed Megami by the waist, flipped her over his shoulder like a sack of rice, and started marching out of the hall.
The room erupted.
“DA-GE?!” Nie Huaisang shrieked. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
Lan Qiren sputtered, gripping his robes in horror. “Nie Mingjue! Put her down this instant! We are in the middle of negotiations!”
Lan Xichen, utterly calm, sipped his tea. “Ah. I see I was correct.”
Wei Ying cackled. “OH, THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.”
Megami, upside down over Nie Mingjue’s shoulder, sighed. “You could at least warn me before caveman-carrying me across the sect.”
Nie Mingjue didn’t stop marching. Didn’t acknowledge the chaos behind him.
He was done.
Done with the teasing.
Done with the smug comments.
Done with pretending this woman wasn’t ruining his damn sanity.
He slammed open the door to his private quarters, threw Megami onto his bed, and glared down at her.
Megami, utterly unbothered, propped herself up on her elbows. “Well, well. If you wanted me in your bedroom so badly, you could have just asked.”
Nie Mingjue dragged a hand down his face, inhaled deeply, and exhaled even slower.
“…I regret everything.”
Megami smirked. “No, you don’t.”
And that was the worst part.

Meanwhile, Back in the Hall…
Wei Ying turned to Lan Wangji, wiping away tears of laughter.
“So, Wangji. Now that your uncle is having a mental breakdown, how does it feel to be one of us?”
Lan Wangji, composed as ever, simply said:
“…Mn.”
And just like that, the gremlin trio gained its final member.
Captured in the Lion’s Den
The Unclean Realm was built on discipline, strength, and control.
Tonight?
All of it had been thrown into chaos.
Nie Mingjue stood at the foot of his bed, arms crossed, muscles tense as steel cables, staring down at Megami like she was his biggest problem.
She, meanwhile, was lying across his bed like she owned it, silver hair fanned out over his dark sheets, lips curved in amusement.
“Are you going to keep standing there glaring at me,” she drawled, “or are you going to admit that you like having me here?”
Nie Mingjue’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t.”
Megami arched a brow. “You just threw me over your shoulder in front of half the Lan Sect.”
“That was because—”
“—you snapped,” she finished for him, smirking. “Lan Xichen made a little comment, and suddenly, here we are. Alone. In your room. With you brooding and me looking absolutely ravishing on your bed.”
Nie Mingjue inhaled sharply.
Megami’s eyes gleamed. “Ohhh, that got to you, didn’t it?”
Damn it.

Nie Mingjue’s Last Thread Snaps
Nie Mingjue prided himself on control.
He had spent his entire life reigning in his emotions, keeping his anger, his passion, his everything in check.
But Megami was impossible.
She infuriated him, she challenged him, and worst of all—she knew exactly how to push him to the edge.
“You’re playing with fire,” he warned, voice low, dangerously close to something else.
Megami propped herself up on one elbow. “I like fire.”
Nie Mingjue moved before he could stop himself.
One moment, she was lounging like she owned his bed—the next, he was above her, one knee pressing into the mattress, his hands braced on either side of her head.
Megami’s breath hitched, but her smirk remained.
“Oh?” she murmured, silver eyes darkening. “Have I finally broken the great Chifeng-Zun?”
Nie Mingjue stared down at her, his own breath uneven.
He should stop.
He should move away.
He should—
Megami lifted a hand, fingers brushing against his jaw, her touch light, teasing, maddening.
“You’re a coward,” she whispered.
Nie Mingjue snapped.
He grabbed her wrist, pinned it above her head, and leaned in, his lips a hair’s breadth from hers.
“I do not run,” he growled.
Megami’s pulse pounded.
For once, she had nothing to say.
Nie Mingjue leaned closer—
BANG.
The door slammed open.

The Worst Possible Moment
Nie Mingjue and Megami turned in sync to see Lan Qiren, Lan Xichen, and the entire damn Gremlin Trio standing in the doorway.
Nie Huaisang had his hands over his mouth.
Wei Ying looked like he was dying on the inside.
Lan Wangji… was staring.
Lan Xichen simply sighed.
Lan Qiren turned red. “NIE MINGJUE—”
Nie Mingjue growled, grabbed the nearest weapon, and threw it.
The door slammed shut in their faces.
Silence.
Then—
Wei Ying’s laughter echoed through the halls.
“OH MY GODS, HE REALLY WAS COURTING HER.”

The Aftermath: Consequences? What Consequences?
Later that night, Nie Mingjue sat in his study, arms crossed, glaring at the ruins of his sanity.
Across from him, Lan Qiren was still lecturing.
“…shameful! Indecent! What example does this set—”
Megami, sitting beside Nie Mingjue with her feet kicked up on his desk, yawned.
Nie Mingjue rubbed his temples.
“Enough.” His voice was sharp, final. “The trade deal is done. If you want to discuss anything else, do it tomorrow.”
Lan Qiren spluttered. “You—!”
“Tomorrow,” Nie Mingjue repeated, firm.
Lan Qiren inhaled deeply, exhaled, and stormed out of the room, robes billowing in frustration.
As soon as the door shut, Megami smirked.
“You really don’t regret it, do you?”
Nie Mingjue scowled. “Go to bed.”
She grinned, standing and leaning in close as she passed him. “Only if you join me, Chifeng-Zun.”
Nie Mingjue closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and prayed for patience.
Megami laughed all the way back to her room.
And somewhere in the shadows, Wei Ying, Nie Huaisang, and Lan Wangji were already planning their next attack.