I Won't Play Along in My Ninth Life

She is the soul of a phoenix.

Across nine cycles of reincarnation, she was bound to the Immortal-Slaying Platform nine times, and nine times the same man personally beheaded her.

In her first life, she believed him when he said, "Wait for me," and waited on the platform for three days.

On the first day, she thought he would come save her. On the second, she thought he would come to see her off. On the third, she hoped he would at least come look at her once.

He never came.

Dressed all in white, he walked onto the platform, drew his sword, and pierced her heart.

His hand was steady. It didn't tremble at all.

In her second life, she married him and became his empress.

His first imperial decree after ascending the throne was to order her death.

When the poison was brought into the palace, he was still on the dragon throne, holding his new consort in his arms.

In her third life, she saved him from danger, giving him the last spirit medicine she had.

The first thing he did after recovering was lock her inside the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.

Outside the pagoda, he said, "Demoness, good and evil can never stand together."

In her ninth life, he beheaded her again.

Her head was hung above the city gate for seven days as a warning to all.

Late that night, he came up dressed in white and knelt before her head, weeping. "I'm sorry. Master made me do it. I had no choice."

She opened her eyes and smiled.

"Zhaoming."

"I waited for you on the Immortal-Slaying Platform for three days. On the first, I thought you'd come save me. On the second, I thought you'd come to see me off. On the third, I hoped you'd at least look at me once."

"You never came."

"Your hand was steady when you drew your sword. You struck me right in the heart. You must have practiced a lot to kill me, hadn't you?"

He knelt on the ground and cried.

She looked at him and spoke, each word clear:

"Don't tell me you had no choice. Every time someone has no choice in this world, it's because they think I'm less important than the other options."

"You did have a choice. You chose what benefited you most"