Xiao Hua's expression darkened uncontrollably the instant Ya Fei's words fell. A storm brewed within his gaze, faint threads of killing intent leaking out alongside his rising fury.
He had already suspected that Yun Yun's Dou Qi was sealed—after all, she was nowhere to be seen on this battlefield—but never did he expect this old man to shamelessly proceed with forcing her into marriage with Gu He, just as it had been written in the novel!
Knowing her character—both from the pages of that story and from their time together in person—Xiao Hua was certain of one thing: Yun Yun would never accept such a marriage. For her, this decision could only bring despair and grief, a betrayal that cut deeper than any blade.
"Yun Shan… to think you would resort to such vile methods just to bind strength to your side. What a 'benevolent teacher' you are." Xiao Hua's lips curled into a chilling smile, his voice laced with ridicule and fury. "Perhaps you deserve a reward—for your shamelessness."
"This… this…" Yun Shan's legs trembled, terror flooding his eyes. He already knew the fate awaiting him.
Turning to Xiao Yan, Xiao Hua's voice was sharp, icy, and unyielding. "Brother Xiao Yan, I know you bear a deep grudge against him… but you wouldn't mind if I take this one, would you?"
Xiao Yan exhaled a soft sigh, disappointment flickering in his gaze. "I cannot deny, part of me had hoped to end him myself. But…"
A faint smile tugged at his lips, tinged with satisfaction. "I've already beaten him countless times before your arrival. That much, at least, is enough."
Nodding slightly at Xiao Yan's words, Xiao Hua began to stride forward. With each step, the space itself groaned and fractured beneath his feet, cracks spreading like spiderwebs across the void, echoing the weight of his wrath. His voice resounded with every pace, sharp and unyielding.
"I have heard much of your deeds from Yun Yun. But never did I imagine her so-called 'respected teacher' would stoop so low—treating his own disciple like a puppet, selling her off just to trap an alchemist into his sect this quickly."
Disdain dripped from his tone, and Yun Shan's expression darkened, his face clouded with gloom. Even his allies exchanged uneasy glances, their gazes now tainted with contempt, deepening his humiliation.
"So what if I did?!"
Unable to endure the humiliation any longer, Yun Shan's fury erupted. Madness surged within his eyes as his voice cracked with rage.
"I raised her! It was I who brought her to such heights! Yet not only does she dare to rebuke me, she even claims I will bring the Misty Cloud Sect to ruin! Tell me—what is wrong with using her as a tool for the benefit of my sect?!"
As his roar fell, majestic yet sinister deep-green Dou Qi burst forth, twisting violently above his head. It condensed into the shape of a longsword, over a foot in length.
The blade's surface was shrouded in gloom, its body without luster—yet the instant it fully took form, the air around it rippled with a frightening force. The longsword, born entirely of Yun Shan's Dou Qi, exuded an overwhelming energy that made the very heavens tremble.
A cold thought flashed through Yun Shan's heart. His gaze turned sharp, and his hands formed seals at a blistering speed. A low cry, brimming with murderous intent, tore through the sky.
"Submerged Wind Braking Blades!"
Whiiiing!
An eerie sword whistle pierced the air the instant Yun Shan's cry rang out. The green blade above his head began to spin wildly. The shrill note cut through the sky, making countless faces pale as they looked upward.
Yun Shan's seals shifted, his finger snapping toward Xiao Hua in the distance. With a thunderous boom, the violently rotating longsword shot forth like a streak of green lightning!
Its speed was terrifying—so fast it tore straight through the barrier of the air itself, crossing the battlefield in a blur. In the blink of an eye, it had already closed to within mere dozens of meters from Xiao Hua.
Yet Xiao Hua merely shook his head, his eyes carrying pity and disdain as he spoke, his voice low and steady:
"Consumed by wild ambition… blinded by greed… shackled by desire… with your soul drowned in darkness. You do not make your sect great, Yun Shan—you have only made yourself a chained hound, willing to slaughter the innocent at the command from Hall of Souls."
"Unable to recognize this fault, your heart has long strayed from the path you once walked."
Xiao Hua's voice was low, yet it echoed like thunder. Shaking his head slightly, he raised his palm. A ripple of spatial fluctuations spread outward, freezing the void itself. The raging longsword halted mid-flight, trembling as though trapped in an invisible cage.
Kacha!
Xiao Hua's hand clenched, and the space before him collapsed. The longsword shattered instantly, crumbling without even a breath of resistance.
Puha—!
Yun Shan spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Yet he had already anticipated this outcome. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and fled, escaping from Jia Ma Empire's capital the very instant he unleashed the Submerged Wind Breaking Blade.
Xiu—!
Just as he was about to cross the capital city's wall, a streak of piercing light ripped through the void, striking the back of his head and bursting out from between his brows.
"Wha—…?"
His eyes widened in shock. The streak of light was not a blade, but a single feather—razor-sharp, glimmering with an icy radiance—plucked from the wings of Xiao Hua.
Lowering his gaze, Yun Shan caught sight of Xiao Hua's cold expression. Those eyes, filled with frost and indifference, allowed no chance of escape. In that instant, despair and unwillingness flooded his heart as his strength ebbed away.
As the light within his eyes dimmed, Yun Shan's mind wandered to his last conversation with Yun Yun.
"Ah… Yun Yun… you were right… I truly have brought ruin to the Misty Cloud Sect… If you still regard me as teacher… then I pray you will not follow the path of this foolish master…"
A mocking laugh stirred in his heart, directed at his own folly. Only in the moment of death did he completely recognize the truth in her words—he had indeed destroyed the Misty Cloud Sect with his own hands.
As Yun Shan drew his final breath, his body suddenly ignited, burning to ashes before it could even strike the ground. In that fleeting instant, he carried nothing but deep regret for his actions, praying with all sincerity that Yun Yun would never walk the same path as he had.
Xiao Hua sensed both the regret and the earnest prayer lingering in Yun Shan's dying will. He shook his head lightly—yet within his heart, there was neither pity nor joy. Only indifference.
His gaze swept across Yun Shan's remaining allies. Several faces caught his eye—figures he recognized, each hailing from different empires. Shock and fury flickered in his heart as he realized they had actually chosen to stain their hands in the massacre of the Hua Alliance, drawn in by the Hall of Souls' promises.
The instant they felt his gaze, Yan Luo Tian and the others stiffened, their expressions turning pale with fright. They dared not even breathe.
Ignoring the ashes of Yun Shan and the death of Zhai Xing, all they could recall was the sight of Xiao Hua killing a Hall of Souls elder—one far stronger and more esteemed than Zhai Xing—within a matter of breaths. Against such a man, what worth did their own lives hold?
Xiao Hua's stare lingered for a moment longer before his voice rolled out like thunder, reverberating across the skies of Jia Ma Empire:
"Those who slaughter my Hua Alliance, offering blood and soul to the Hall of Souls—shall all perish here!"
Blood-red lightning erupted from his body, coiling around him like serpents of wrath. His figure resembled a furious god descending to pass judgment, striking down the guilty so their blood would soak the earth.
Rumble!
Each arc of crimson lightning tore through the void, lashing down upon the army. One by one, their bodies were consumed, their pleas for mercy and cries of surrender drowned beneath the storm. Not a single strike faltered—each bolt claimed a life.
Yet Xiao Hua did not slaughter them all. He stayed his hand upon several—among them Yan Luo Tian and the Three Mulan Elders—for there were still questions he wished to ask. But for the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate and the Misty Cloud Sect's remaining elders and disciples, not one was spared. Their blood stained the ground, leaving behind only a handful alive.
When the thunder finally subsided, Xiao Hua turned his gaze toward Cai Lin, Little Fairy Doctor, and Ya Fei. The sharpness in his eyes softened, a trace of guilt and awkwardness flickering within them.
Sensing the turmoil in his heart, the three women exchanged a glance. Understanding flashed in their eyes before they smiled gently. Lifting their heads, their beautiful gazes met his, and they nodded lightly.
Though their voices carried no sound, their lips shaped the words: "Yun Yun has sacrificed much for you. Be certain she remains well. Once this is over, we, too, wish to meet her."
A trace of warmth spread through Xiao Hua's chest. He let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned toward Xiao Yan, entrusting him with the decision of how to deal with Yun Shan's remaining allies. Xiao Yan agreed readily, but then added a request—asking Xiao Hua to personally confirm Nalan Yanran's condition and informed him if anything befell her.
Xiao Hua blinked in surprise, puzzled by Xiao Yan's concern for Nalan Yanran, but he did not press further. With a nod, he shot into the skies, heading straight toward the Misty Cloud Sect.
In his mind, Xiao Hua simply assumed Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran shared some bond of friendship, since their bitter conflict from the novel had never occurred in this world. Yet, what he would later learn from Yun Yun would shake this assumption and leave him utterly shocked.
Cai Lin, the Little Fairy Doctor, and Ya Fei quietly watched as Xiao Hua's figure vanished into the distant horizon. A soft sigh escaped their lips, tinged with deep melancholy. They were well aware of the bond he had formed with Yun Yun.
Yet, the matter of Yun Shan's actions loomed like an unyielding wall—one that might force their relationship into silence and sorrow.
They also knew of the first kiss Yun Yun had lost to Xiao Hua—whether accidental or not—because Lady Azure herself had told them with a mischievous smile. She had spoken freely, knowing full well that none of them would harbor anger in their hearts over it.
Though Yun Yun seldom revealed her feelings, the three women clearly understood how deeply she longed for him. She had even acted in secret to shield the Xiao Clan, a silent testimony to the weight of her affection.
Thus, pity welled up within them. For Yun Yun's heart was torn asunder when her own Misty Cloud Sect, under Yun Shan's command, brought calamity upon the Xiao Clan. She had pleaded bitterly for him to stop, yet her master's mind was already veiled in obsession.
In the end, not only was her strength sealed, but she was reduced to a pawn of politics, nearly forced into a union with Gu He.
…
At that very moment, Xiao Hua's figure descended upon the Misty Cloud Mountain. His spiritual sense instantly locked onto Yun Yun's presence, and without hesitation, he rushed toward the distant cliff.
When he arrived, his gaze fell upon the edge of the precipitous peak. There, a white-clothed woman stood with unmatched grace, her figure refined and solitary. Her long black hair flowed down her shoulders, swaying gently with the mountain breeze, her presence serene yet carrying an unspoken sorrow—like a lotus blooming in silence beneath the moonlit sky.
"You have come… faster than I thought you would."
The lady's soft voice drifted with the mountain breeze. Within its gentle cadence lingered sorrow and melancholy, stirring the depths of one's heart.
"Yun Yun… you intend to leave the Jia Ma Empire?"
At the sight of her lonely figure, Xiao Hua's heart trembled. The bitter truth of her decision weighed heavily upon him, and a sigh escaped from the depths of his chest. His expression darkened, unwillingness and gloom flickering across his eyes.
Slowly, the woman turned. The moment her face came into view, his chest tightened—it was indeed Yun Yun.
Her beautiful eyes met his, clear yet carrying a profound sadness. With quiet composure, she spoke, "The instant I sensed your aura, I knew the fate of the Misty Cloud Sect was already sealed. I have already spoken with the disciples and elders who remain. The sect… has been disbanded. All I ask is this: spare those who are innocent, those who never bore knowledge of nor reason for my… Yun Shan's ambition."
Xiao Hua shook his head gently. A faint, weary smile curved his lips as he answered, his voice steady yet tinged with grief: "I am not one who slaughters blindly. I know the difference between the guilty and the innocent—you need not worry."
"The ones I kill were those who sought gains from the Hall of Souls, trading countless innocent lives for fleeting strength."
Yun Yun nodded, offering no rebuke. She understood her sect's foundation all too well. The sudden surge of power within its ranks could only have been born from dealings with the Hall of Souls. Their methods were not merely ruthless—they were cruel, even to the point of preying upon innocent souls for their twisted ambition.
At this thought, a melancholic smile touched her lips. Never had she imagined that the sect which had nurtured her would one day collapse so utterly because of her own master.
Shaking her head lightly, Yun Yun whispered, "Then I can be at ease. With the Misty Cloud Sect no longer in existence, there is nothing left for me to linger upon. I have been bound to the Jia Ma Empire for far too many years. To be able to leave… perhaps it is not such a misfortune."
Her smile was fragile, like a flower blooming in frost—gentle, beautiful, yet filled with heartbreaking solitude. Xiao Hua could read the meaning behind her calmness, could feel the sorrow she refused to voice, yet he knew there was nothing he could say to change it.
Xiao Hua's fists tightened, veins faintly trembling as fury, regret, and sorrow surfaced within his eyes. He understood all too well the reason behind Yun Yun's decision to leave the Jia Ma Empire.
He could see clearly—she bore no hatred toward him, nor toward the Xiao Clan for the calamity that had befallen the Misty Cloud Sect. She understood why matters had come to such an end. And yet… she was, after all, the Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect.
By status and by duty, she should have been the one to bear the sect's vengeance, to stand against him in blood and steel. But though she possessed the strength, her heart could not move against him. For Xiao Hua's figure had already etched itself deep into her heart, leaving behind a brand that even time could not erase.
Both of them understood this truth. Yun Yun could not remain by his side while the knot within her heart remained unbroken. Thus, she chose to leave—not for herself alone, but for the sake of them both.
Xiao Hua drew in a long, steadying breath, his voice low and heavy with suppressed emotions.
"There are countless experts across the Dou Qi Continent, and dangers that defy imagination. For a woman to wander alone amidst such storms… is no different from walking willingly into suffering."
He paused briefly. With a flick of his hand, a spatial ring emerged from the Mysterious Heaven Ring, filled with pills, treasures, and artifacts. He tossed it toward her, his gaze unyielding.
"Take this. If you refuse, then I will force you to remain here in the Jia Ma Empire—whether you wish it or not."
Yun Yun's eyes widened slightly at Xiao Hua's overbearing words, but she still reached out to receive the ring, her slender fingers caressing it with a rare tenderness. When she lifted her gaze, her eyes met the delicate yet striking face before her—so young, yet now bearing an expression of irritation, frustration, and sullen grief.
Compared to the time when they had once met within the mountain cave, his bearing had transformed. The traces of youthful gentleness had been tempered away, replaced by a maturity and resolve as unyielding as the heavens.
Even when recalling their encounter in the Tager Desert, the difference was undeniable—he had grown, stepping further and further into a height unreachable by ordinary men.
A soft smile bloomed upon Yun Yun's lips. Within its warmth, however, lingered a sorrow so deep it tugged at the heart. She took a slow step forward, raising her jade-like hand, and with the utmost care, her slender fingers brushed against his cheek. Her voice, light and tender, carried both affection and parting sorrow.
"I know Queen Medusa, Lady Ya Fei, and Lady Little Fairy Doctor all wish to meet me… but I must trouble you to apologize to them on my behalf. If I were to face them now, I fear my heart would waver even more, and leaving… would become impossible."
Xiao Hua's heart quivered at her gentle touch, his sternness faltering, only to harden once more. His hand shot up to clasp hers, his grip firm, his voice low and edged with suppressed anger.
"What Queen? What Lady? To them, you are already a sister. I will not allow you to address them so distantly ever again!"
His indignation was not feigned. How could he accept her treating Cai Lin, Ya Fei, and the Little Fairy Doctor as strangers? How could he accept her placing walls where none existed? It was not as though he bore no feelings for the woman standing before him—on the contrary, his heart was already entangled with hers.
Yun Yun's delicate body quivered at his words. For a moment she was stunned, before a soft laugh escaped her lips. Clear, tender, and carrying a joy she could no longer suppress, her laughter rang like the chime of jade bells.
In truth, she had long hesitated to call Cai Lin, Ya Fei, and the Little Fairy Doctor with closeness. After all, under Yun Shan's suppression, she had seldom met them, let alone shared words. But at Xiao Hua's words, her heart felt a trace of warmth she had not expected.
"To think… you already regard me as yours," she whispered softly, her eyes misted with emotion. Her tender smile deepened as she looked at him, her voice teasing yet filled with sorrowful affection. "Had you been just a little bolder within that mountain cave… had you ignored my threats… perhaps now, I might already…"
Her words trailed off, dissolving into another quiet laugh. Her eyes, however, never left him, filled with warmth and a faint joy at the possessiveness he revealed so openly.
Xiao Hua's expression twitched, then curved into a mischievous smile as a flicker of light danced in his eyes. Without warning, his arm extended, encircling that slender waist, pulling Yun Yun into his embrace. His breath brushed against her ear as he whispered with quiet teasing,
"Are you… implying something?"
A faint blush blossomed upon Yun Yun's snow-pale cheeks at his sudden audacity. She struggled lightly, her delicate figure twisting in resistance, yet each attempt only tightened his hold. After a few futile moments, she could only yield, her jade-like hands falling softly as she resigned herself to his embrace.
Xiao Hua's smile deepened, yet within it flickered a hidden sorrow. His head lowered slightly, breathing in the elegant fragrance that lingered upon her hair, imprinting it into his very soul. He knew well—it would be a long time before fate would allow them to meet again.
Feeling his unspoken sadness, Yun Yun sighed softly, her voice tinged with melancholy. At last, she leaned her face gently against his chest, absorbing the warmth of his body as though it were the only solace left to her.
After a brief silence, she flipped her jade-like hand. A deep-blue inner vest appeared, worn yet carefully mended. She pressed it tenderly against his chest, her voice as soft as flowing water.
"This… was the first thing I ever gave you. Once, it was covered in charred scars, but I have mended it with care. Though it no longer holds much worth to you, you must still keep it close. If you dare to lose it… when I met you again one day, do not blame me if I refuse to forgive you."
Xiao Hua's body trembled as he looked at the vest resting against his chest. Memories of their past—their first encounters, their conflicts, their unspoken bond—flooded his mind in a torrent.
Lowering his gaze, he was caught by the depth of emotion reflected in Yun Yun's eyes. Gentle, sorrowful, yet filled with a moving tenderness that shook his very soul. His heart surged with an irrepressible impulse. Raising his hand, he firmly cupped her delicate, snow-white chin—then lowered his head, capturing her red lips with his own.
Yun Yun's eyes widened in shock. Her jade-like hand instinctively pressed against his chest, but her resistance was feeble, her strength absent. For a heartbeat she trembled, startled by his sudden boldness, but soon her resistance melted away. Slowly, her lashes lowered, and she closed her eyes, yielding to him.
She knew… she was leaving. The next meeting might be years, or perhaps never. Since this would be their final moment together, she would allow him this. Her tightly closed lips parted, welcoming his domineering advance, and their breaths intertwined.
Upon the lonely cliff, beneath the vast heavens, a man and a woman clung tightly to one another. Their embrace radiated a fiery passion, a bittersweet longing that could sear the heart of any who beheld it.
The embrace lingered for the span of half an incense stick before the man and woman slowly parted. Their eyes met, holding each other's gaze in silence, until at last they both let out a soft sigh that seemed to carry a thousand unspoken words.
Xiao Hua turned his head toward a certain direction, his eyes narrowing upon a boulder in the distance. Without another word, he retrieved another spatial ring from Mysterious Heaven Ring and flicked it outward.
The ring turned into a streak of light, landing precisely behind the boulder. His voice followed, deep and steady.
"Just like you, I know her temperament. Her stubbornness rivals that of Cai Lin, Ya Fei, and Little Fairy Doctor. No matter the peril, she would rather endure it alone than call for aid—even at the cost of her life. When you travel with her, if danger arises, crush the token within that ring. No matter where you are, I will come to resolve it."
"...I… understand…"
For a while, silence stretched endlessly. Then, from behind the boulder, a soft, hesitant voice drifted out—awkward, restrained, like a bird too timid to leave its nest.
At that instant, Yun Yun's expression shifted. Recognizing her disciple's voice, her jade-like face flushed scarlet. She quickly shook her head, forcefully pushing down the thoughts that threatened to surge. Yet, unable to stop herself, she shot a sharp glare at Xiao Hua.
This detestable man… he had clearly noticed her disciple's presence long ago, yet still acted so brazenly in front of her!
Naturally, she understood—this was his deliberate retaliation.
But just as her annoyance stirred, the corner of her red lips curved slightly, a mischievous smile blooming as she spoke with playful grace, "Do you know… that my disciple and your cousin have dissolved their old betrothal and are now engaged once more?"
Xiao Hua's sullen expression froze, then vanished. He turned sharply toward Yun Yun, his gaze searching her face for truth. Her proud, teasing expression was written with satisfaction—clearly pleased at her little act of revenge—yet beneath it, he could tell she was not lying. For a moment, he stood stunned, caught off guard by the revelation.
Behind the boulder, Nalan Yanran's delicate face turned crimson. Embarrassment and awkwardness surged within her heart, leaving her caught between shame and helplessness at being drawn into their private entanglement.
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