Outside the outskirts of Weiyang City.
A young girl in white, wielding a longsword, was gasping for breath. Blood bloomed across her robe like plum blossoms, and several lifeless men in black lay beside her.
It wasn’t hard to tell she had just survived a vicious battle.
Now that all her enemies had been cut down, Ye Jinxi finally caught her breath, but not a hint of relief could be seen on her face.
Half an hour ago, she had just flown back to the outskirts of Weiyang City, only to be ambushed by these black-clad killers. They were aggressive and ruthless, clearly after her life, so she’d had no choice but to retaliate.
“Good thing that after the last incident, I was worried about being caught again and asked Bai Lingfeng for advice on combat techniques, or I might not have survived this time.”
Ye Jinxi’s gaze swept over the corpses of the black-clad men, her eyes reflecting deep thought. “These people came to kill me without saying a word the whole time. I don’t know who they are, but they’re probably from that evil cult. Only they would have this kind of motive.”
“If they sent this many after me, wouldn’t there be even more after Lin Huanhuan? I wonder if they can handle it, or if they might run into danger?”
“No!”
Ye Jinxi frowned deeply, gritting her teeth. “Even though Lin Huanhuan said those cultists weren’t much to worry about, from the fact that they tried to ambush me, it’s clear her estimation was way off. They might even send a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
“What should I do? Go back to help? No!” Ye Jinxi shook her head quickly, rejecting the thought. “If I go back, I’d just be throwing my life away. I have to report this to Lingyun Sect and request backup. That’s the only safe way.”
“Yes, that’s it. I have to hurry.”
With her decision made, Ye Jinxi ignored her injuries, formed a spell seal, and once again activated her flying sword. She leaped onto it, soaring quickly toward the gates of Lingyun Sect.
“You must hold on. Wait for me!”
“How could this happen? When was she hurt? Why didn’t I notice at all just now?”
Lin Huanhuan stared dazedly at Dong Yuner, who had suffered grave wounds in her arms, unable to understand how things had come to this.
“She was just fighting by my side, breaking out of the encirclement with me. How did it turn out like this so suddenly?”
Her thoughts were tangled and chaotic, like a knotted mess of rope she couldn’t untangle. “So much blood… Why didn’t I notice—” Lin Huanhuan abruptly stopped mid-sentence, recalling how Dong Yuner had been wounded multiple times before.
“So that’s it. She’d already been injured and bled before, and I was bleeding too, so I’d gotten somewhat used to the smell of blood. With everything happening so fast, I didn’t realize it. Damn!”
Suddenly understanding, Lin Huanhuan recalled the moment just before she released the Soul-Chasing Smoke, when Dong Yuner had shielded her. She had wondered why Dong Yuner’s chest was bulging out a bit—now she realized it must have been a dagger pushed through from behind.
“Are… are you all right?”
Lin Huanhuan cradled the woman in her arms carefully, hardly daring to move for fear of worsening her wounds.
“I-I’m fine.” Dong Yuner’s voice was faint and shaky, like someone who had just run a marathon and could collapse at any moment. “But… it looks like I won’t be able to take care of Miss from now on. It’s… a bit of a shame…”
Her voice was so quiet that Lin Huanhuan had to lean in close just to make out her words. Clenching her fists, Lin Huanhuan’s heart ached as if it had been pierced by knives.
She looked into Dong Yuner’s face—it was as pale as snow. Sensing her mood, Dong Yuner struggled to lift her hand, gently brushing the tears from the corners of Lin Huanhuan’s eyes. Only then did Lin Huanhuan realize she was already in tears.
“Miss, don’t be sad.” Though Dong Yuner’s breath was shallow and her vision nearly gone, she still tried to comfort her in halting phrases:
“After all, I’m just a maid to you. If I’m gone, you can just find another one. Don’t be sad—the next one will be even better.”
The once-clear and gentle voice was now weak and frail.
Gritting her teeth, Lin Huanhuan tried her best not to cry. “That’s not true! You stopped being just a maid a long time ago. You fool, why can’t you understand?”
“Hm?”
Dong Yuner looked at her in surprise. For a moment, her gaze became a little clearer, then she sighed softly with a smile. “I see. I cared too much and let it cloud my judgment—I never noticed before.”
She murmured to herself, “Yes… Not just before, but even when Miss entrusted her life to me without hesitation, I should have understood.”
“But it’s not too late now. Even if it’s just at the end… I have no regrets.”
As she spoke, Dong Yuner coughed up two mouthfuls of blood. Lin Huanhuan hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe it away. But wiping the blood from her lips did nothing to hide how dire her condition was.
Lin Huanhuan said anxiously, “No more of this ‘no regrets’ nonsense! You’re not allowed to die. I command you—not allowed! Do you hear me?!”
“You’d better survive. Dying for me as a human shield—are you trying to make me feel guilty for the rest of my life? You despicable woman, you’re not allowed to do this. Live! You have to live for me!”
Her voice shook, and her whole body trembled. She could feel the little hand clutching at her sleeve relaxing. Alarmed, she hurried to grip Dong Yuner’s hand, trying to help her hold on.
Dong Yuner looked up and gave a smile, as fleeting and beautiful as a summer flower about to fade—so lovely, it hurt to look at her:
“This might be fine too. This way, Miss will remember me forever. Maybe it’s greedy and despicable, but that’s just who I am. If I can live forever in your heart, then death doesn’t seem so scary.”
Clenching her fists, Lin Huanhuan said hastily, “If you dare die, I’ll forget you right away, throw away everything you ever gave me, and never remember you again!”
Faced with her desperate threat, Dong Yuner only smiled again. “Dead is dead. Miss can do whatever she wants—I won’t know anyway.”
“You—!”
Lin Huanhuan protested, “Didn’t you say you’d take care of me forever? Now you’re giving up? Where’s your patience? Pull yourself together! You’re not allowed to give up like this. Live—do you hear me?!”
Dong Yuner fell silent, just gazing at her for a long time before finally saying, “This time, I may have to break my promise.”
With that, her head drooped. Panic-stricken, Lin Huanhuan quickly checked—she still had a pulse, her life force had not yet faded. Only then did she feel slightly relieved.
“She’s only fainted? Thank goodness… Thank goodness. Before reaching Foundation Establishment, if someone dies, their soul is claimed by the underworld instantly.”
“As long as there’s breath, there’s hope.”
Until now, with Dong Yuner’s condition so uncertain, Lin Huanhuan hadn’t dared move and had just held her. Now that she’d passed out, Lin Huanhuan, half-supporting her, carefully took out a bottle of extremely precious healing pills from her storage pouch, fed her one, and after a short while, Dong Yuner’s breathing finally grew a little steadier.
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