Yuyi and mingjing rode toward Xuantian City. Along the way, Yuyi mentioned Yunzhi being taken away by Bixiao, wanting to introduce her to mingjing. mingjing smiled in agreement, but a complex look flashed in her eyes. She knew Yuyi was a person who valued friendship and loyalty, always taking good care of friends. But she also felt a trace of unease—she didn't know if she could always stay by Yuyi's side.
Yuyi worried about Cangqiong Alliance's pursuit. mingjing suggested: "Let's go to Falling Leaf Cliff to see the scenery—the sunset there is beautiful. I've heard Falling Leaf Cliff's sunset is one of the most beautiful sights in the cultivation world."
Yuyi smiled in agreement, and the two changed course toward Falling Leaf Cliff. They didn't know this decision would change everything. mingjing's suggestion seemed casual, but actually hid ulterior motives.
Falling Leaf Cliff's mountain path was narrow, with extremely high stone cliffs on both sides. The path wound and twisted like a giant snake coiled in the mountains. Sparse ancient pines grew on the cliffs, their branches swaying in the wind, making rustling sounds. A thin layer of mist permeated the path, making everything appear hazy and mysterious. Occasionally a few withered leaves drifted down from the cliffs, spinning in the wind, finally disappearing at the path's end. The air carried a trace of coldness, mixed with the fragrance of earth and vegetation, making one feel a trace of oppression. Sunlight spilled through gaps in the cliffs, forming beams of light that illumingated the dust in the path.
Yuyi tied up his horse, walking into the mountain path on foot. He felt the cold aura in the path, a trace of unease flashing through his heart. This terrain was indeed an excellent ambush location. With cliffs towering on both sides and a narrow path in the middle, once surrounded, there was almost no possibility of escape.
Yuyi joked: "If I'd known there was such a good place, many previous battles could have lured enemies here for ambush—even immortals would be hard to save. Haha..."
Just then, over a dozen figures suddenly rushed out from the path behind, while seven people appeared in front, led by Bixiao, with Shuanghua, Yingxue, Mihuang among them. Their appearance made Yuyi's expression change dramatically.
Bixiao said coldly: "Valley Master Yu, setting up ambush here, even immortals would indeed be hard to save. You didn't expect we'd be waiting for you here, did you?"
Yuyi's expression changed dramatically. He suddenly understood—this was all a trap. mingjing had informed on him. He turned to look at mingjing, a trace of pain in his eyes. That was the pain of being betrayed by the person he trusted most, sharper than any sword. His heart surged with bitterness—mingjing was one of the people he trusted most, someone he was willing to give everything for, and now she had betrayed him.
mingjing leaned close to Yuyi's ear, saying softly: "Just break through ahead, there's a cliff where it's easy to defend."
Yuyi remained silent. He knew mingjing had betrayed him, but mingjing was also helping him. What was this woman thinking? Her eyes flashed with complexity, both determingation and pain, as if making some difficult decision.
Yuyi gave a great shout, throwing mingjing over the heads of the enemies blocking ahead. His figure transformed into a shadow, drawing his sword and rushing forward. He knew only by breaking through was there a thread of survival.
Bixiao clashed swords with Yuyi hard. Bixiao pretended to be shaken back, letting the six behind be unable to deploy. Yuyi did a flip over the seven people's heads, grabbing mingjing and desperately flying toward the cliff. He knew Bixiao was deliberately letting him through, but he didn't have time to think about why.
Yingxue, Shuanghua, and Mihuang swept a glane at Bixiao, knowing he deliberately let them pass. A trace of killing intent flashed in Bixiao's eyes: if Yuyi were to be captured alive, he would definitely kill him himself. He couldn't let Yuyi fall into Cangqiong Alliance's hands—that would make Yuyi wish he were dead.
Yuyi pulled mingjing and fled for two quarters of an hour, reaching the cliff top. The cliff top was extremely narrow, only able to hold a dozen or so people. The wind at the cliff top was strong, blowing the two's robes flapping. The sunset's afterglow spilled on the cliff top, dyeing everything golden. The sea of clouds in the distance surged like a golden ocean. The wind whistled, carrying a trace of desolation, as if telling something.
Yuyi let mingjing go first, then struck both palms toward the cliffs on left and right. Rocks fell, blocking the path. He knew this could temporarily stop the pursuers. But he also knew this was just a stopgap—the pursuers would soon clear the path.
Yuyi asked mingjing if there was another way out. mingjing shook her head. Yuyi discovered his protective talisman was gone. He suddenly understood—mingjing had long ago taken his protective talisman.
Just then, mingjing suddenly attacked, twenty-four sword shadows pouncing toward Yuyi. Yuyi was caught off guard, his thigh and left arm pierced through, blood splattering. He felt the intense pain of the wounds, but what hurt more was his heart. That was a pain of being torn apart, more unbearable than physical pain.
Yuyi stared at mingjing: "I can't understand."
mingjing's eyes were as calm as before, but her heart surged with complex emotions. She knew she had betrayed Yuyi, but she also had her own difficulties. She didn't want Yuyi to die in Cangqiong Alliance's hands—she wanted Yuyi to die under her sword. This was her obsession, and also her love. A trace of tears flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.
"Actually, when they appeared just now, you already knew it could only be me who informed. You just weren't willing to believe it. Yuyi, I'm giving you a chance—throw me down from here, and you can take back the protective talisman from me. This is your only chance." mingjing said.
Yuyi remained silent. He looked at mingjing, a trace of pain in his eyes. This woman he had once trusted, now had betrayed him. But in his heart, there wasn't a trace of hatred, only endless sorrow and helplessness.
mingjing continued: "Make your move. I can kill you in battle. If you don't make a move, you only have one path—death."
Yuyi still didn't move. He knew mingjing was telling the truth, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to kill mingjing, even though she had betrayed him.
mingjing gave a bitter smile: "Yuyi, you're still like this, disappointing me thoroughly. Even at this moment you still don't understand—you still don't understand. You think I'm forcing you to kill me, but actually I'm giving you a chance."
mingjing's sky-full of sword shadows rose again. Yuyi could only defend. The Cloud-Breaking Sword Art was executed in one breath, with no gaps in between. A complete sword technique with over three hundred moves per set, each move with hundreds of variations. Yuyi was forced to the cliff's edge, half a step behind him was the cliff. The wind blew up from below the cliff, carrying a trace of coldness, making Yuyi feel a shiver.
Yuyi gave a bitter laugh: "I won the bet on friendship, but lost the bet on love." His voice was filled with helplessness and release. mingjing heard this, her heart aching, but the sword in her hand didn't stop. A trace of tears flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.
Yuyi forcefully leaped backward, his figure flying out over the cliff edge. He knew this was his only choice. Rather than being killed by mingjing, he would jump himself.
mingjing's expression was as calm as before, suddenly flying out from the cliff. The sword in her hand pointed at Yuyi's heart: "Yuyi, you must die under my sword."
The sun set in the west, the sunset's afterglow shining on mingjing. Her figure appeared extraordinarily beautiful in the sunset, but also extraordinarily determined. Long hair flew in the wind, clothes fluttering, like a butterfly about to fall.
Yuyi revealed a smile, the two figures gradually approaching. He looked at mingjing, no resentment in his eyes, only release. He knew mingjing truly loved him, but her love was too complex, too heavy.
"mingjing, I understand." Yuyi said.
Yuyi's Dream Sword thrust toward mingjing in mid-air—fast, accurate, ruthless. mingjing had no way to dodge, but also no intention to dodge. Yuyi's sword tip pierced into mingjing's heart area first.
Just then, mingjing's figure suddenly flew upward, a red shadow floating over. Yuyi's heart jumped—he hadn't expected Xueji to appear here. Xueji used the Object Manipulation Art to forcefully pull mingjing's body backward. Xueji's appearance changed everything.
Yuyi gave a bitter laugh, everything now clear. Xueji had planed all this long ago.
Xueji smiled: "Hehehe... Yuyi? Goodbye..."
Xueji's right palm struck Yuyi's chest. Yuyi spat out large mouthfuls of blood, his figure rapidly falling. He felt the intense pain in his chest, but what hurt more was his heart.
mingjing called out anxiously: "Sister Xueji! Why did you come? You don't have a protective talisman!"
Xueji's left arm held mingjing tight, her right hand inserting into the cliff rock. Xueji's right hand was fractured. To save mingjing, she had paid a huge price.
Xueji asked mingjing to pull out the golden needle at her dantian. mingjing pulled out the golden needle, and Xueji's spiritual power instantly increased several times. The two laned safely on the cliff top.
mingjing said sadly: "Sister Xueji, your right hand is fractured! mingjing has harmed you."
Xueji said indifferently: "Hehehe... fractured? mingjing, do you regret it? You actually wanted to die with him without a protective talisman. Did you really want to die?"
Yingxue, Shuanghua, and others had already cleared the path. Everyone was shocked to see Xueji appear. Xueji's strength was top-tier in the cultivation world—no one dared to easily provoke her.
Xueji asked everyone to leave, and no one dared to say more. They knew Xueji's temper—no one dared to defy her.
Shuanghua struggled in her heart: could she kill Xueji? But she quickly abandoned this idea. Xueji's strength far exceeded her imagination.
Yingxue stopped Shuanghua: "Even if Sister Xueji only uses her left hand, you plus Feiyue wouldn't be enough! Don't fantasize."
mingjing looked back deeply at the Ghostly Abyss, a complex look in her eyes. She knew Yuyi had fallen into the Ghostly Abyss, life or death unknown. Her heart was filled with contradiction and pain. She had betrayed Yuyi, but Yuyi had ultimately drawn his sword against her. This was the ending she wanted, and also the ending that pained her most.
Xueji's eyes became dazed, falling into a trance state. mingjing picked up the protective talisman, standing still and gazing at Xueji. She knew Xueji had paid a huge price to save her.
Xueji seemed to suddenly sober up: "Hehehe... let's go, take all his Spirit Stones and things from Lingbao Pavilion. Then go to Youming Sect."
mingjing worried about Xueji's injury: "Sister Xueji, your injury..."
Xueji said indifferently: "Enough. Don't worry about me."
mingjing looked back deeply at the Ghostly Abyss. She knew Yuyi might already be dead. But in her heart, there was still a trace of hope. That was her obsession with Yuyi, and also her own redemption.
"He finally drew his sword against me. But he still doesn't understand—he actually let me have the authority to collect his things from Lingbao Pavilion." mingjing said, a complex look in her eyes. She remembered Yuyi's final gaze—no resentment in those eyes, only release.
Xueji smiled: "Hehehe... mingjing, it's you who doesn't understand. He understood long ago, but he was proud. Hehehe... proud? He would rather jump off a cliff than kill you. This is his pride, and also his love. He knew you would betray him, but he still chose to believe you. This is his love."
Below the Ghostly Abyss, Yuyi's figure had already disappeared into the darkness. The sunset's afterglow spilled on the cliff top, stretching mingjing's shadow long. A trace of tears flashed in mingjing's eyes. She knew she had betrayed Yuyi, but Yuyi had ultimately drawn his sword against her. This was the ending she wanted, and also the ending that pained her most.
Xueji looked at mingjing, a complex look in her eyes. She knew mingjing's heart, and also knew Yuyi's heart. But all this could no longer be salvaged. The two turned to leave, heading toward Zhongzhou City. mingjing's heart was filled with contradiction and pain. She didn't know if Yuyi was still alive. She also didn't know if she regretted. But all this could no longer be changed. She had made her choice, and she had to bear the consequences.
The sun set in the west, and Falling Leaf Cliff returned to tranquility. Only the sound of wind echoed among the cliffs. Yuyi's figure had already disappeared into the Ghostly Abyss. But his story had only just begun.