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Things went like so…
The sword sect master and Long Feiye were fighting until dusk fell when a few guards suddenly rushed down from the mountain peak to shout that Duanmu Yao’s poison had acted up. In three days, rose vines had covered every inch of Duanmu Yao’s skin. Now roses were slowly starting to bloom from the tendrils.
Without an antidote, Duanmu Yao would die today!
The sword sect master took a full on blow from Long Feiye before immediately heading for the Abstinence Hall and blasting open its door with his sword qi. Long Feiye would never let him disturb Han Yunxi easily, so he was quick to give chase and stop him by the entrance. The old man had no choice but to keep fighting, but his heart was desperate!
If Yao Yao dies, then the last traces of that woman will disappear from this world. I won’t let that happen!
Because he was distracted, the sword sect elder was successively beaten back. Soon enough, Long Feiye had the full advantage against him. Cang Qiuzi watched the scene from the sidelines, stunned by Long Feiye’s advancements in internal energy even as he secretly rejoiced. Long Feiye was already injured, so he couldn’t last long. If he really defeated Li Jianxin, there’d be n.o.body standing in his way to the top.
“Three days! Duanmu Yao’s poison must be acting up!” Granny You replied hastily inside the room.
Han Yunxi could convince Long Feiye to back down, while Duanmu Yao’s plight would make the sect leader give way as well. This was their best possible chance.
“Han Yunxi, here’s the chance to reconcile! Hurry and tell them to stop fighting!” Granny You pressed on Han Yunxi’s hand.
Han Yunxi was in no rush and shook herself free. “Reconcile? Why should I?” They had injured her and Lil Thing so seriously, but now they wanted to make up for Duanmu Yao’s sake? On what grounds?!
“Don’t you know that Cang Qiuzi’s been waiting for this day? If that master and disciple pair keep fighting, Celestial Mountain will be ruined!” Granny You fumed.
“What does Celestial Mountain’s destruction have to do with me, a descendant of the Poison Sect?” Han Yunxi asked coldly.
“You!” Granny You was so furious that blood rose up in her throat. She turned aside and spat out another fresh mouthful of blood.
“You…” Han Yunxi had no idea what was wrong with Granny You until Xu Donglin came to explain.
“Esteemed w.a.n.gfei, Granny You used true qi to help you heal.”
Now Han Yunxi understood why she didn’t feel less vitality despite her serious wounds. It was Granny You who had saved her. But that didn’t calm the fury in her heart or clear Celestial Mountain of its guilt!
She said coldly, “If you saved me just for this reconcilation, there’s no need. I’ll return the true qi to you!”
Granny You shook her head. “Han Yunxi, Celestial Mountain’s destruction might have nothing to do with you, but once it’s ruined, Long Feiye will be done for, too!”
Han Yunxi was about to retort when Granny You added, “Han Yunxi, have you ever considered the consequences if your status as a Poison Sect descendant spreads down the mountain? Can you imagine the troubles Long Feiye will face? And once master and disciple injure each other, how the two of you are ever supposed to leave the mountain if Cang Qiuzi seizes control in their stead?”
Han Yunxi’s ire abruptly cooled as she looked silently at Granny You. She had long thought of the repercussions of her ident.i.ty being exposed, and she understood the implications if Cang Qiuzi seized an advantage here.
“Han Yunxi, the sword sect master doesn’t just want you dead for the sake of righteousness, but more for Long Feiye’s own sake!” Granny You urged earnestly.
Suddenly, a harsh blast of sword qi caused the roof to rise from the building. In its wake, the sword sect master crashd heavily into the room with Long Feiye in hot pursuit. Everyone was stunned, but mere seconds pa.s.sed before the two figures flew back into the air.
“Han Yunxi, Long Feiye is willing to offend everyone in the world for your sake. Can’t you just swallow your temper this time for his?”
“Han Yunxi, you’re someone who knows when to advance or retreat. Are you really going to watch Long Feiye be deserted by the world?”
“Han Yunxi, do you want to carry the infamy of being a woman who only brings disaster?”
Granny You’s heated questions simply made Han Yunxi get off the bed without a word. But her feet had hardly touched the floor when she swayed, lightheaded. It was a completely different sensation than the dizziness from the poison storage system. It came from the fact that her body was too weak. Granny You’s true qi might have healed her internal injuries, but three days of unconsciousness coupled with such severe injuries had left her extremely feeble. She paused to grip Granny You’s shoulder. The old woman didn’t speak, but looked at her with furrowed brows. Around them, the crowd waited in silence. Everyone else was just like her, unable to swallow their rage. But here was the reality. They had to face it for the bigger picture, which was more important!
Human lives were full of cares of fetters. How many people were truly able to live a wild and unbridled life, paying debts and avenging woes as they pleased? Could someone as free and easy as Han Yunxi lived as she pleased, unscrupulously as she wanted?
She paused for a second before asking with a cold smile, “Granny You, do you know what ‘righteousness’ means?”
Face with Han Yunxi’s gaze, Granny You thought back to three days ago and found herself unable to reply.
“All forms of battle, injury, and ma.s.sacre are unjust. All contests between victors and losers are unjust. But the winner is righteous! Only through victory does one gain the right to protect what is truly righteous, fulfill what is truly justice. All righteousness steps over the back of unrighteous actions!”
Han Yunxi spoke word for word. “Granny You, I’m not going to reconcile. That’s because Li Jianxin’s already lost!”
“And also, Long Feiye won’t offend the world. Because there will come a day when he conquers all of Cloud Realm Continent and its peoples. Even if everyone else deserts him, I’ll still be by his side!”
As Han Yunxi finished speaking, she suddenly let go and strode outside. Her back was thin and frail, but very straight. It seemed like it’d never topple. Granny You looked at her in a daze until Han Yunxi’s figure vanished beyond the door. She was in shock. In her lifetime, she’d seen her share of people. Those who could make it to Celestial Mountain to study martial arts were already prominent talents amongst their kind, but she’d never a girl like Han Yunxi before.
Here was someone without the strength to truss a chicken, but strong enough to earn one’s respect; a woman from the secular world who far surpa.s.sed its people; a woman who was so lofty as to be unreachable!
—
As soon as Han Yunxi came out of the building, she saw Long Feiye and Li Jianxin in a fierce fight mid-air. On th sidelines, a few guards from the mountain peak were shouting updates about Duanmu Yao’s condition. Right now, the girl was in a state worse than death. Once Rose Rattan bloomed, its vines would bind the victim with unimaginable agony.
“Li Jianxin, I can give you an antidote!” Han Yunxi shouted.
As soon as she spoke, Long Feiye was the first to withdraw and turned to fly towards her. Li Jianxin immediately sheathed his sword and chased after him. When Long Feiye landed, he pulled Han Yunxi into his arms. Although he wanted to embrace her right there and then, he held back to examine her from head to toe.
“Where does it hurt? Is anywhere uncomfortable? Tell me!”
Han Yunxi was actually feeling awful all over her body. But even so, nothing could compare to the pain in her heart.
“It’s fine,” she looked at Long Feiye, smiling despite her urge to cry. “Since I’m awake, I won’t die. I’m okay.”
Long Feiye didn’t believe her and took her wrist to check her pulse. Granny You emerged next and said, “Her internal injuries are all cured. Feiye, the debt between you and your master can wait. We shouldn’t let a certain someone get off scot-free.”
Between Granny You’s ashen complexion and Han Yunxi’s normal pulse, Long Feiye pieced together what had happened. But so what? He coldly asked the woman, “What did you promise your lords.h.i.+p back then? Did Han Yunxi take a single step out of Abstinence Hall?”
Since she agreed, she was supposed to hold out until the end! So what if Han Yunxi’s Poison Sect roots were exposed? Granny You should have waited for him to come out first before judging what was right or wrong, just or evil!
Granny You hung her head. She had no words to retort.
“Han Yunxi, hand over the antidote immediately!” the sword sect master pressed.
Long Feiye instantly drew Han Yunxi behind his back. “Don’t think about it! Duanmu Yao deserves death more!”
The sword sect master was so agitated that his face was pale white. He ignored Long Feiye and demanded, “Han Yunxi, what will make you hand over the antidote?”
Hearing this, Granny You mentally sighed. Han Yunxi was right. Li Jianxin has already lost…
Han Yunxi was about to reply when she caught sight of the red on Long Feiye’s back…the red of blood. She drew back with a startle and sucked in a cold breath at the sight. As if in a trance, she saw Long Feiye’s white unders.h.i.+rt dyed completely crimson. What happened…to his back?
Han Yunxi covered her mouth with one hand while the other carefully touched him. Long Feiye immediately avoided her fingers. “It’s fine, it’s just—”
“Don’t move!” Han Yunxi snapped.
Long Feiye stilled turned around. “It’s only a minor wound, there’s nothing–”
“Stop moving!” Han Yunxi was absolutely livid. Somehow, she found the strength to turn him around by force. Long Feiye stood with hooded eyes and dared not move an inch anymore.
The sword sect master was on the verge of panic. “Han Yunxi, just what will make you hand over the antidote? Yao Yao’s almost on the point of death! Hurry and tell–”
“You shut up!” Han Yunxi denounced him.
The sword sect master gave a start, but he didn’t argue. “Whatever you want, this grandmaster will agree. First cure the poison, Yao Yao is–”
“If you waste any more words, this w.a.n.gfei can promise that even the G.o.ds won’t be able to save her! You can try me if you don’t believe it!” Han Yunxi glared at the sword sect master, forcing him to swallow the words on the tip of his tongue.
Silence fell upon the scene until it was still enough for Han Yunxi to hear her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. With the thin layer of clothing between her hands and Long Feiye’s back, she slowly felt around until she found his scars. Undoing his waistband, she ruthlessly ripped off his s.h.i.+rt and exposed all of the wounds underneath.
Day after day of whip lashes gathered on his back in vicious streaks over the expanse of a month. The crisscrossing scars stood out prominently on his back, making it impossible to count. None of them had healed, but all were a mess of blood and mangled flesh. Han Yunxi’s hand stiffened in mid-air, afraid to touch it all.
She pursed her lips tightly and asked in a voice choked with sobs, “Long Feiye, are you hurting?”
“I’m not….” Long Feiye murmured as he made to put on his s.h.i.+rt, but Han Yunxi stopped him.
“But I’m hurting…I’m in so much pain…” As her voice trailed off, tears flowed from her eyes and turned her vision blurry.
How can this be? Why is he so seriously injured?
She could tell the scars had come from whip lashes that he’d done to himself. Just what had he gone through in the secret chamber? They were only a wall apart, yet she’d been completely clueless for the past month.
“Long Feiye, you lied to me…”