In her memory, there is a continuous blank.
Yun Duan couldn’t recall anything that happened since that day when she fell asleep in Shang Can’s embrace. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a cave that was both strange and familiar. Flickering flames burned on the rocky walls, illuminating the dim cave as if it were daylight.
She stared blankly for a while before finally realizing where she was. For a moment, a sense of joy surged within her—Shang Can must have remembered this place and brought her here, which meant… perhaps Shang Can had always valued their relationship.
However, this joy only lasted an instant before dissipating. Yun Duan quickly realized that there were no other living beings in the cave besides her. Confused, she looked around, but when she glanced down, she saw the dark red stain on her white clothes. Her heart sank.
She had no external injuries, so whose dried blood was this?
Everything felt like it was uncontrollably spiraling out of control. Suddenly, Yun Duan felt a sharp pain in her wrist. She raised her hand and was horrified to see that the heavenly fire bracelet given to her by Shang Can was rapidly and inevitably fading.
In that moment, all other thoughts vanished. Even with Chu Ming’s arrival, she could not tear her mind away from the pain. She cast her gaze towards the extinguishing heavenly fire, a wave of weakness, which she herself did not understand, rose in her heart, almost resembling a silent plea.
Not knowing how to cope with this inexplicable panic, Yun Duan struggled to suppress her emotions. Since she had been safely hidden in this place, perhaps Shang Can simply hadn’t expected her to wake up so suddenly and had temporarily left. As for the heavenly fire going out, it might just be… just—
A gaping hole felt like it had been forcibly torn open in her heart, and the overwhelming sense of emptiness made it impossible for her to convince herself. With a mind as blank as a slate, she instinctively fled the cave. Chu Ming urgently called her name, following closely behind, but Yun Duan had no time to pay attention to him.
It was the afternoon, the sunlight was bright, and a gentle breeze brushed past. Suddenly, Yun Duan felt an unusual chill. She touched her cheek, only to find it wet.
Only then did she realize she was crying. Confused, she wiped away her tears, but the emptiness in her heart remained unfilled, even with the return of daylight. Yun Duan stood there dazed for a while before finally turning to Chu Ming, whispering, “…Where is she?”
Perhaps because she had been asleep for so long, her voice was slightly hoarse. Chu Ming’s throat tightened, and he instinctively avoided Yun Duan’s gaze, handing her his water pouch. “Drink some water first. How are you feeling? Do you want—”
“…”
Yun Duan didn’t take it; she just stared directly at Chu Ming, her eyes as dark as ink. Chu Ming couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze; his words halted midway, and even the hand that held the water pouch became stiff, trembling unconsciously.
What could he say? What could he say? That Shang Can only summoned him with a paper crane? Did he really not know Shang Can’s whereabouts?
Chu Ming dared not say a word.
He didn’t know if it was his illusion, but he felt that the person before him couldn’t bear to hear such things. Although Yun Duan’s expression and posture appeared normal, there was an uncanny feeling that she was like fragile ice at the edge of a high cliff, ready to shatter and dissipate into a wisp of mist at the slightest breeze.
And Shang Can had indeed told him nothing. Chu Ming didn’t know whether this was Shang Can’s way of preventing him from feeling guilty, but regardless, he remained silent, giving a vague answer through his silence.
“Fire! The mountain over there is on fire!”
However, the silence between them was soon shattered by distant cries. Before Chu Ming could react, he saw a flash of white—Yun Duan’s speed was astonishing. In a blink, she reached the cultivator who had shouted and asked urgently, “What did you just say?”
The cultivator was startled by her sudden appearance, but upon recognizing her, he relaxed and stammered, “It’s… it’s Yun Zhongjun. I meant to say, I heard that a mountain nearby suddenly caught fire, and the flames are huge, like the heavenly fire of the Can!”
Yun Duan quickly turned to look in the direction he indicated, and in the distance, she could see rising smoke. Without a moment’s hesitation, she drew her sword, and before the cultivator could finish speaking, Wu You had already soared into the sky, disappearing from Chu Ming’s line of sight and turning into a small white dot in the sky.
Chu Ming had just approached and was caught off guard, hurriedly following on his sword. But Yun Duan seemed to be in excellent condition, her speed was astonishing, and no matter how hard he tried, he could only watch helplessly as the distance between them widened. Fortunately, the mountain was not far. By the time Chu Ming arrived, the entire mountain was already surrounded by crimson flames, crackling as they burned like a huge bonfire rising in the realm of immortal cultivation, coloring half the sky red.
He saw Yun Duan standing at the foot of the mountain, staring blankly upward. Her smoke-like, cold features bore a rare bewilderment, as if she hadn’t fully grasped what had happened. Slowly but resolutely, Yun Duan took a step toward the fire blazing less than three feet in front of her—
Chu Ming forcefully blocked the space between Yun Duan and the heavenly fire, a wave of scorching heat hit him from behind. The hem of his robes caught fire, and through gritted teeth, he drew his sword to cut away the burning fabric, watching it turn to ashes in an instant. Filled with an overwhelming sense of fear, he shouted at Yun Duan, “What are you trying to do?!”
His voice cracked from agitation, but Yun Duan’s face showed little change; she simply replied, “I want to find her.”
“…Then you shouldn’t have come here!” Chu Ming gritted his teeth, standing firmly in front of Yun Duan, urgently saying, “This mountain is already destroyed, the heavenly fire is still burning, she wouldn’t still be here—”
As the two of them stood in a stalemate, several monks who had heard the news began to descend around them, their eyes widening in shock at the scene before them, rendered speechless. Yet, Yun Duan seemed oblivious, her focus entirely fixed on the mountain above. Her delicate brows drew together dangerously, and Chu Ming even felt as if he could sense the unsheathed sword intent radiating from her, building up like a storm. Just as he was considering how to stop the obviously unstable Yun Duan at all costs, she suddenly halted, her ink-black eyes slowly focusing on something behind him, revealing a hint of astonished confusion.
Chu Ming’s heart tightened, and he soon heard a heart-wrenching cheer from the disciples of Tian Wai Tian: “It’s Lord Kun Yao! Lord Kun Yao has returned safely!”
He quickly turned to look, and indeed saw Pei Chen stepping out from the sea of fire, the heavenly flames parting for him as if they had no intention of harming him. In contrast, while Pei Chen appeared unharmed, his face was startlingly pale, and his steps seemed somewhat unsteady. It was only when he reached the crowd that he dully lifted his eyes, appearing suddenly aware and shaken.
The disciples of Tian Wai Tian were ecstatic about their leader’s return, rushing to surround him, causing Chu Ming and Yun Duan, who had been standing not far away, to be pushed back by the crowd. It took Chu Ming a moment to realize that Pei Chen must know something. He noticed Yun Duan was also gazing intently in Pei Chen’s direction, and Pei Chen, at the center of the crowd, seemed to sense something, slightly recoiling.
Everyone around was aware that he had gone to pursue Shang Can, and it wasn’t long before someone voiced the question: “Lord Kun Yao, what happened here with the mountain burned to this extent? Did you confront the one called Shang? And what about the demon clan now?”
The crowd eagerly turned their gaze to Pei Chen. He was momentarily taken aback, instinctively looking toward Yun Duan outside the throng. His complexion remained as pale as paper, yet his eyes surged with complex emotions that were difficult to decipher.
He remained silent for so long that those around him began to notice the tension. Unable to contain himself amidst the hushed whispers, Chu Ming impulsively stepped forward and, suppressing his voice, shouted, “Speak up!”
“—”
Pei Chen was jolted back to reality by his shout. He awkwardly glanced at Chu Ming, trembling slightly as he took a deep breath, speaking in a stammering voice.
“…She… she ran away.”
Once he got started, the words flowed more freely. Pei Chen took one last look at Yun Duan before hastily turning away.
“Demonic transformation running rampant, disappeared without a trace—”
There was a barely perceptible tremor in his voice, which he quickly composed, returning to the calm demeanor expected of the leader of Tian Wai Tian.
“…That’s it, we should go back.”
After saying this, Pei Chen hurriedly left with the disciples of Tian Wai Tian, showing no intention of elaborating further. Chu Ming wanted to chase after him to clarify things, but he was also worried about Yun Duan, who stood dazed in place after hearing Pei Chen’s words. He had no choice but to remain, keeping watch beside her.
Originally feeling apprehensive, fearing that Yun Duan might recklessly rush into the flames, he found her surprisingly calm after hearing Pei Chen’s words. She merely lowered her brow and stood quietly at the foot of the mountain, remaining still from noon until deep into the night, unresponsive to anything Chu Ming said.
The heavenly fire, which had been burning fiercely, appeared poised to rage on for three days and nights. But perhaps it reached its peak and began to wane; by midnight, it gradually subsided. Chu Ming couldn’t help but feel relieved, thinking that if this continued, the fire would likely die down by the next morning. Perhaps then Yun Duan would have some reaction—
But his assumption was quickly overturned. Without any warning and disregarding the flames still burning before her, Yun Duan suddenly took a step forward. During the time Chu Ming had spent guarding her, he had let his guard down, and in a moment of hesitation, he watched helplessly as Yun Duan stepped into the sea of fire, his heart sinking.
—It’s hard to say whether it was expected, but the once ferocious flames parted rapidly as Yun Duan approached, almost as if they were clearing a path just for her.
Yun Duan pursed her lips slightly and walked silently toward the mountain’s peak. Chu Ming stared blankly for a moment before hurriedly following her.
Yun Duan walked quickly, and soon they reached the mountaintop. However, she continued to ignore Chu Ming’s attempts at conversation, her steps resolute, as if she knew exactly what lay ahead, moving forward with unwavering focus.
In the glow of the flames, a faint white light didn’t stand out much, but Chu Ming spotted it immediately. He instinctively halted, as if his feet were weighed down by a thousand pounds, watching helplessly as Yun Duan approached slowly, bending down to pick it up. The two characters “Fei Wang” were clear and striking on the hilt.
Fei Wang was a fine spirit sword, imbued with coldness, which perhaps allowed it to survive amidst the heavenly fire. Yun Duan quietly ran her fingers along the sword, finding no signs of damage, only a chilling cold that felt even more intense than before, instantly turning her jade-like fingertips a bluish-white.
She cast a spell upon Fei Wang. From the very beginning, she had known it was somewhere on this mountain. At that time, she had held onto a slim hope that Shang Can might also be here, but it now seemed to be nothing more than an empty wish.
Demonic transformation running rampant, disappearing without a trace.
Just eight words, yet it took her so long to fully accept this reality. The last memory she had of Shang Can was indeed of a drastic change in character, perhaps there had been signs of it since then—but why had Shang Can taken her away? And why had she now abandoned her?
Yun Duan sought an answer, but it felt impossibly difficult. Silently, she cradled Fei Wang in her arms, gazing distantly at the ethereal lights of the town below.
The world was vast; Shang Can could be right there or far away, but they were likely both looking at the same moon.
“Yun Duan…” Unable to bear the suffocating silence any longer, Chu Ming finally spoke softly, “Shall we go back first? We can discuss the other matters later, and you should see a doctor about your condition…”
Seeing that Yun Duan still ignored him, he hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “She—Shang Can said you should return to Qing Yu.”
That name was more effective than anything else. Chu Ming noticed Yun Duan stiffen, then slowly turn her head.
“…Did A Can tell you to let me go back to Qing Yu?”
“…”
Chu Ming held his breath slightly. The white-clad woman standing on the mountaintop spoke softly, the night wind chilling, tousling her hair. Her delicate and refined face revealed no discernible emotion, yet her eyes, looking straight at him, sparkled with a sharpness reminiscent of jade washed by a moonlit spring. In the presence of such eyes, Chu Ming felt inexplicably intimidated.
He struggled to formulate his words, but Yun Duan had already withdrawn her gaze, turning back to look down the mountain, her white robes fluttering in the wind, making her silhouette appear quite frail.
“Then I won’t go back.”
Her voice was as cold as cutting ice and snow, carrying an indescribable emotion.
“Until she personally tells me, I will never return to Qing Yu.”
At that moment, she couldn’t articulate what emotions enveloped her; it was an unfamiliar feeling that made her involuntarily tighten her grip, her knuckles turning white from the force.
The suffering she had endured from the pain of unspoken goodbyes was all brought upon her by Shang Can.
Yun Duan silently gazed down the mountain, suddenly struck by an absurd thought—if she were to leap down now, would Shang Can care? Would she regret it? Would she appear at her grave after she died?
Yet, this thought was fleeting. Yun Duan exhaled a weary breath and closed her eyes.
Ironically, despite the numbing pain stretching across her heart, her physical condition felt remarkably good; every movement felt lighter than before, as if she had made an unseen deal, unaware of what she had gained but fully aware of what she had lost.
The future was long. Yun Duan thought she would eventually have to tell Shang Can that she loved her.
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