"Han Shun…" Bai Shijue's eyes gradually turned hostile towards his beloved disciple, and he said, "I never mentioned anything about demonic cultivator."

Han Shun's eyes widened instantly. Bai Gege was right, he hadn't mentioned anything about demonic cultivators, but because Han Shun was already part of that, he instinctively mentioned it, basically exposing himself. 

Beads of sweat started leaking from Han Shun's temple. He stared at Bai Gege, who looked at him with hostility, "A-Ah, Bai Gege, it was just an assumption! I mean, when it is evil, it must be those demonic cultivators, right?"

"Not really. It could be in the form of another dark deal," Bai Shijue replied. "Such as dealing with the evil god, surrendering yourself to be his disciple, despite receiving all the privileges that I gave him."

Han Shun's heart was beating like crazy right now. Deep down, he knew that Bai Gege had already discovered his dealing with the evil god. 

"Bai Gege, who told you about this stuff? Do you believe him more than me?" Han Shun asked. 

"I will believe you once you drink that tonic, Han Shun. You're not part of the demonic cultivation, right?" Bai Shijue asked. "Or even worse… you're not dealing with the evil god, aren't you?"

"OF COURSE NOT!" Han Shun denied it vehemently. "I would never betray you, Bai Gege!"

"Good, drink it, and I will believe you."

Han Shun gulped. With no help from Master Han Ye, he didn't know if it was safe for him to drink this tonic since Bai Gege mentioned that it was a very difficult tonic to make, so the effect must be potent.

He stared at the small bottle in his hand. This bottle could make or break his relationship with Bai Gege.

'If I can control my expression after drinking this tonic, Bai Gege will believe that I'm clean,' Han Shun thought. 'As long as I can pass this test, Bai Gege might feel sorry because he has accused me of something so heinous, and I can use it to get his heart fully.'

Han Shun was trying to convince himself that he could pass the test. Besides, he really wanted Bai Gege to fall in love with him. 

'I just need to act like nothing happens for five minutes,' Han Shun encouraged himself.

"Bai Gege, if I prove that I didn't join that demonic sect, will you finally let me enter your heart? Not as a disciple, but as a man," Han Shun asked.

Bai Shijue took a deep breath and nodded, "If it's proven that you have no evilness in your heart, I will give my everything to you, Han Shun."

Han Shun was quite satisfied with their trade. He took a deep breath and silently enhanced all of his pain resistance. He had to make sure he didn't look in pain after experiencing the potent effect. 

"This is for you, Bai Gege."

Han Shun opened his mouth and drank the whole tonic in one gulp. He waited for one minute, two minutes, three minutes… and nothing happened.

He looked at Bai Gege mirthfully, "See this, Gege? Didn't I tell you I don't have evil in my heart? I will never betray—"

Han Shun went silent right when the potent effect of the tonic spread through his body. He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, trying to hold the pain that attacked his entire body.

It was like being gnawed by thousands of hell ants— the type of ants native in the immortal realm that could consume corpses or even living humans if incapacitated. 

It was so painful that Han Shun almost lost his footing many times. Yet, he persevered with all his might. 

He stared at Bai Gege, who looked at him like a dead man, "B—Bai Gege, T—There is nothing wrong with me. This tonic gives me a lot of strength!"

"Han Shun…" 

At this point, it was nothing but torture for Han Shun. Bai Shijue was angry at him, but he wouldn't torture Han Shun. 

"B—Bai Gege, hold on, t—the effect of the purifying tonic is very strong. L—Let me—"

Bai Shijue approached Han Shun and then touched his forehead. A gentle light came from Bai Shijue's palm, and Han Shun roared in pain, "AARRGGHHHH! GEGE— BAI GEGE! S—STOP! ARGHHH!!"

Slowly a dark cloud came out of Han Shun's mouth while he kept screaming nonstop, and the air around the courtyard started thinning.

Bai Shijue's heart sank when he saw the thick dark cloud that continued coming out of Han Shun, almost covering the whole courtyard. 

His eyes were pooling with tears as the dark cloud had no end. He lifted his hand from Han Shun's forehead. He thought he could slowly decrease the amount of dark energy from Han Shun.

But once he stopped using his purifying light, all the dark clouds were automatically sucked away from Han Shun's mouth and nostrils. Han Shun sucked everything until there was nothing left in him. 

Bai Shijue paled instantly. No word could describe his disappointment, anger, pity, and other feelings that he couldn't say. 

Han Shun coughed while inhaling all the dark clouds back into his body. 

He fell to his knees as his body trembled nonstop, his face was red, and he was sweating and breathing heavily as he had never experienced something so painful. 

He looked up towards Bai Gege and saw a stream of tears from the edge of Bai Gege's eyes.

The scene was so shocking that Han Shun was stunned for a moment before calling him, "Bai… Gege?"

Bai Shijue turned back immediately, hiding the tears that couldn't stop flowing down. 

'Bai Gege… cried for me? He actually cried because I betrayed him?' Han Shun thought in his heart. 'W… What have I done? I've promised myself that I will never let anyone hurt Bai Gege, let alone make him cry.'

'But in the end, I am the one who makes him cry instead?'

'Han Shun… what did you do?'