Ostentatious Zhao Yao

However, beyond my expectations, even though I was able to block the sword energy, its power was so great that it shook my grip on the sword. In response, the Liu He Tian Yi Sword produced a buzzing whine and with a “bang,” it shattered into pieces. Then the Wan Jun Sword’s energy slammed into my chest and the painful sense of tearing lacerations immediately spread. The sword energy slashed my body from my shoulder to my chest.

As I released a groan, I clenched my teeth, willing my body to support myself upright, but in the end, I had to kneel down. Shi Qi grabbed me from behind and alarmingly exclaimed: “Sect Leader? Sect Leader!” Her voice was filled with panic, as she fiercely questioned Mo Qing, “Are you crazy? Did you lose your mind?!” 

There was no response in front of me, so I looked up and saw an unprecedented fear in Mo Qing’s eyes. He looked at me and the blood-stained ground, just standing there, frozen in place. As if someone placed a Fixed Body Curse on him. As if the one who had been injured by the sword energy from a moment ago was himself. 

His face was even paler than mine. 

When his hand slackened, the Wan Jun Sword fell to the ground. 

Amidst Shi Qi’s angry tirade, I looked directly into Mo Qing’s eyes and stretched out my hand. I tried to reassure him: “Mo Qing, don’t be afraid, I’m fine.” Then I reprimanded Shi Qi, “Stop being noisy.” Then I used my power to seal the dripping blood in my chest. With all my might, I propped myself up to stand, and with each step, I walked towards Mo Qing. I grabbed onto his clothes, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.” 

As he reached out and touched the blood flowing down my hand, the black pupils in his eyes trembled, as if there seemed to be an earth-shattering struggle deep down in his inner core. 

I just hate that there was no way for me to use the Spying Heart Mirror to know what was going on in his heart. I just hate that my comfort could not touch the truest depths of his innermost being. Words were powerless, I could only reach out and hug Mo Qing. However, when I dived into his arms, I just realized that he was trembling uncontrollably. 

“Mo Qing… I’m fine.” 

As he gritted his teeth, he finally reached out his hands to hug me. Then in a blink of an eye, he took me to Gu Han Guang’s courtyard. When Gu Han Guang saw my injury, he was momentarily shocked and blurted out: “Who did this? How did you get so badly injured?” 

Mo Qing’s eyes trembled slightly, but he stayed silent. I immediately clenched my teeth and said: “It’s nothing serious, nothing serious at all! I don’t even feel the pain!” I made a stance to dance, but Mo Qing’s trembling hand stopped me: “Zhao Yao… Be good.” 

In an instant, I felt sadness creeping up. Mo Qing and I were both so cautious and prudent with each other. We just wanted to protect one another… 

Upon seeing this, Gu Han Guang did not say anything more, and cut off the blood-stained part of the fabric on my shoulder. During the entire process, Mo Qing stood close to me watching Gu Han Guang clean up the wound, apply the medicine, and wrap my shoulder in a bandage. 

After Gu Han Guang finished the treatment, he left. Then I immediately comforted Mo Qing: “During those years, when I was the Sect Leader of Wan Lu Sect, I suffered so many injuries. This one’s just scratching an itch, it doesn’t hurt.” 

“It was I, who hurt you.” 

The problem was not whether the injury was serious or not, but it was because he was the one who hurt me, therefore…

There was no way he could forgive himself. 

I grabbed onto Mo Qing’s sleeve, and finally saw my pale face reflected in his eyes. As I asked him, my voice trembled a bit unexpectedly: “Promise me, you will stay by my side no matter what happens.” 

Mo Qing was silent.. 

“Mo Qing, promise me.”

He caressed my cheek, leaned over slightly, and gently placed a kiss on my forehead: “Okay, I promise you.” 

At night, I fell asleep surrounded by a blanket of peaceful calm. Between being half-asleep and half-awake, I vaguely felt someone approaching me. I wanted to open my eyes, but my eyelids were so heavy that I could not lift them. I wanted to get up, but it was like my body was being tied down to the bed by magic that prevented me from moving. 

When the person in black robes sat down next to me, I realized that it was Mo Qing who came. 

Knowing that it was him, my body relaxed. Then he gently stroked my hair: “Zhao Yao, that day in the Sword Tomb, you said, I could throw everything away for you because I originally had nothing.” Ah, I sure did, I did say these words. So, the Ugly Little Monster still held a grudge against me that he even remembered these words to this day. His fingertips gently caressed my facial features again: “Back then, I wanted to explain, but I really had nothing at that time, so I couldn’t explain anything. And now…” 

He leaned down to gently kiss my lips. The kiss was so light and so gentle, but it carried a nostalgia that was heartbreaking: “I have everything. I can also throw it all away for you.” 

What did he mean by that? 

I wanted to open my eyes but I could not do it. I wanted to stop him but I could not move my body. 

I felt him leaving. I also felt his aura disappearing, but I could not move even in the slightest. 

As I laid on the bed, I only felt that every passing moment was so difficult to endure. I wanted to break through the restriction on my entire body, but I could not do it in any way. 

I knew that this was a restriction created by Mo Qing. Now that he had awakened the power of an inner demon, the cultivators in this world could no longer deal with him. I would not be able to break through his restriction, unless… He disappears completely. 

When dawn came, I heard someone coming into my room to check on me, but when that person saw that I was still asleep, that person immediately went out again.

[No, go stop Mo Qing, tell him to come back. Don’t let him go.] 

[Don’t let him…]

[Face those cruel choices alone again. In this life, he has had to carry too many burdens on his back. Lastly, even at the end of his life, don’t let him bear those hurtful and heavy past anymore, and then die alone.]

[I was willing to go with him, why didn’t he ask for my opinion! I was willing to go with him!]

As I closed my eyes, I mobilized all the power in my body. Finally, I opened my eyes. It was dark outside with no one around. Without a second thought, I sat up and immediately teleported back to my homeland. In that huge cave below, the light was as bright as day and the seal at the bottom was already being reconstructed. In the midst of that dazzling light, there was an eye-catching black-haired person wearing black robes. He stood in the middle of the light, holding the long Wan Jun Sword making his own grave. 

In the moment that I had just arrived, the light on the ground suddenly exploded, and a pillar of light shot up into the sky, enveloping his figure. As the light fell back from the sky, Mo Qing’s body was drifting inside like falling leaves. I ignored it all and charged into that same brilliance. 

In the light, the intense pain was tearing my body apart. As I suppressed the earth-shattering pain that was coming at me like a current with all my might, I found Mo Qing and grabbed onto the lapels of his robes. 

Mo Qing opened his eyes and looked at me in disbelief: “What are you doing here!” He was extremely angry, “Go back!” Then he waved his hand to push me away. 

With a death-like grip, I held onto his neck and together with him, I endured the excruciating pain of our bodies being shattered: “Don’t order me around!” I scolded him, “Don’t make decisions for me. I know which is the better choice!” 

I knew which was the better choice. I knew that there were many things in this world that were more important than love, but I also knew that the greater the love, the more important it was than life itself. 

To be able to experience such a love as this, was my greatest fortune. 

“In the underworld, at the Forgetful River, as long as you are there, I will follow you.” 

Compared to living alone, I would rather be with you. 

As Mo Qing’s throat choked up, he finally did not push me away anymore: “Lu Zhao Yao, having you in this life is my greatest luck.” 

It was great, even in our last moments, we still considered ourselves as someone who was both lucky and happy. 

In the midst of such agony, all my awareness had already shattered to many pieces, only the warmth in my embrace would never disappear, forever…