◎I truly want to be with you◎

Kunlan’s sword came swiftly and sharply. Just as Luo Wanqing blocked the sword, someone beside her suddenly brought down a blade with tremendous force!

Luo Wanqing dodged nimbly, but the blade’s edge still sliced through a piece of her clothing.

Seeing her strike miss, Kunlan raised her eyebrows with a smile and quickly retreated.

Luo Wanqing looked up coldly to see Kunyu smiling slightly: “Chief Liu, don’t be angry. There are still three hours left.”

“Yes,” Luo Wanqing said calmly, “only three hours left.”

Kunyu knew she was mocking them, but said nothing more, only observing her and searching for her weaknesses.

Every time Luo Wanqing showed any opening, they would immediately seize the opportunity to launch sneak attacks.

This was the first time Luo Wanqing had encountered such a disruptive fighting style.

In the past, when she killed in the dense forests, she would look for opportunities to strike alone, facing at most thirty people simultaneously. She had never encountered this kind of one-sided, large-scale assault.

Under this type of attack, the opponents could always maintain their best condition. They used those ordinary soldiers to continuously harass her, wearing down her stamina and searching for her weaknesses. Before long, Luo Wanqing began to feel her physical strength declining, and there were still two and a half hours until dawn.

Fortunately, she had recently absorbed Xie Minran’s internal energy, and with her Yin Moon Scripture successfully cultivated, her internal power was now abundant. Under the stalemate between both sides, an hour passed without either side advancing even half a step.

Kunyu’s expression didn’t look good. She turned and said, “Go invite the Palace Master over.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing knew things were turning bad. She looked up at Kunyu and couldn’t help saying, “What, the four of you plus all these people don’t dare to attack, and you still need to invite Ji Ruifang over? Is Jirui Palace just a bunch of useless people?”

“Seeking death!”

Hearing these words, Kunlan and another green-clothed woman beside her raised their swords and charged forward together. This was exactly what Luo Wanqing had been trying to provoke.

If Ji Ruifang came, she couldn’t possibly fight so many people alone. She had to resolve this before Ji Ruifang arrived.

Currently, only ordinary soldiers surrounded the area, and the cave contained poison. Unless a master entered, it would be impossible to reach Xie Heng.

She could have a very brief moment to focus on these four people.

Luo Wanqing raised her blade, ready to strike, watching as Kunlan and the other person charged toward her together.

She had always excelled at breakthrough attacks; defense had never been her strength. Now, as Kunlan approached head-on, she gripped her blade and rushed forward with lightning speed!

No one expected her to actively leave the main entrance. Kunyu shouted urgently, “Quickly!”

The moment her voice fell, Kunlan instantly changed direction. In that instant of turning, she suddenly sensed cold intent ahead.

A blade!

Only then did everyone see clearly that Luo Wanqing had already positioned her blade horizontally in front of the woman. No one knew when her blade had gotten there, as if she had calculated the opponent’s route long ago and had been waiting there.

Kunlan had no time to react, no time to dodge. She could only let that blade slice across her entire abdomen, cutting her in half instantly!

Bloodshot skyward. Luo Wanqing’s blade was stained with fresh blood. She spun around and flung it out, the blood flying like deadly stone beads straight at the faces of those beside her. The opponent didn’t dodge, instead attacking Luo Wanqing head-on. Luo Wanqing didn’t dodge either, meeting blade with sword. The blood beads simultaneously struck the opponent’s face, covering it in crimson. In that instant, Luo Wanqing’s blade fell like a waterfall, fiercely cutting off half the opponent’s head!

The opponent’s sword was pressed down by Luo Wanqing’s shoulder, barely scraping across her arm. Luo Wanqing used the sword’s supporting force to leap up and quickly retreated to the cave entrance.

Everything happened too fast. Kunyu barely had time to shout, “A’Lan!” before seeing that Luo Wanqing had already killed two people consecutively and retreated to the cave entrance, cutting down the soldiers who rushed toward the cave.

Her arm was stained with blood, her expression calm, but her blade seemed to have been blood-baptized by those two, radiating a violent and domineering momentum.

These two moves had cost her tremendous mental effort, but they also awakened her bloodthirsty nature.

For a moment, she couldn’t think of anything else. She only felt that as she cut down with each strike, blood surged and roiled within her body, bringing a strange sense of pleasure.

She desperately used her reason to suppress this excitement, watching as Kunyu rushed over with another woman, dragging the corpses of Kunlan and the other woman to a distance, crying out urgently, “Kunlan! Kunye!”

As she spoke, the woman on the ground suddenly raised her head, eyes full of tears as she thrust her sword forward: “Liu Xiniang, I’ll kill you!”

“Wait.”

The sound of bells suddenly rang around them, and a woman’s voice abruptly emerged.

Everyone stopped their movements and looked up together to see flickering firelight in the forest. A woman sat in a soft sedan chair, carried by people approaching.

The sedan chair she rode was exquisite and luxurious, with four copper bells hanging from its sides, chiming with her movements.

Seeing the newcomer, Kunyu was the first to react, immediately kneeling and saying, “We respectfully welcome the Palace Master.”

Voices rose one after another. Luo Wanqing stared at the sedan chair, gasping as she watched it slowly approach and set down not far away.

Ji Ruifang quietly observed Luo Wanqing’s movements. Her gaze was deathly still, showing no joy or anger.

Luo Wanqing breathed heavily, not daring to speak rashly, only trying to buy time with Ji Ruifang.

Ji Ruifang seemed to see through her plan. The moment she supported herself against the wall to stand up, Ji Ruifang spoke calmly: “Liu Xiniang, is Minran’s internal energy useful?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t respond. Ji Ruifang smiled: “I know you’re formidable, but you’re indeed much stronger than I imagined. You haven’t learned my techniques, yet you absorbed his internal energy. How did you refine it?”

“My internal energy was never originally mine.”

Seeing that she didn’t intend to attack immediately, Luo Wanqing responded hoarsely: “From the beginning, it was internal energy given to me by someone else. Since I could digest that person’s energy, naturally, I could refine Xie Minran’s as well.”

“You have great talent,” Ji Ruifang calmly praised her. “If you hadn’t killed him, you could have entered my tutelage.”

“Thank you for the Palace Master’s favor,” Luo Wanqing smiled, “but I’ve heard that those in your school never meet good ends.”

Ji Ruifang fell silent, not speaking. After a moment, she laughed softly: “Do you think that following Xie Heng, you can meet a good end?”

“That depends on whether the Palace Master allows it.”

“I allow it?”

Hearing this, Ji Ruifang seemed to find it amusing. Water gathered in her eyes: “Minran is dead.”

She spoke, and Luo Wanqing said nothing. Ji Ruifang supported herself to stand up, took a sword from nearby, and said with a smile: “Thanks to you and Xie Heng, his meridians burst. Before dying, Xie Minsheng even wanted to assassinate me. Unfortunately,” Ji Ruifang’s expression grew slightly cold, “he only made it halfway before Minran awakened. Your hidden weapon didn’t serve much purpose, but Minran…”

Ji Ruifang’s expression was indifferent: “Was killed by both of you.”

“Do you want me to pay with my life?”

Luo Wanqing confirmed her meaning. Ji Ruifang sneered coldly: “Pay with your life? No, I don’t want you to pay with your life.”

Speaking thus, Ji Ruifang raised her eyes toward the cave: “I want you to live, to live like me. I am separated from him by yin and yang—why should you two be able to meet in the underworld? Today I’ll give you a way to live,” Ji Ruifang raised her sword, pointing at Luo Wanqing, “step aside.”

“Palace Master Ji,” Luo Wanqing smiled bitterly, “you know I won’t step aside.”

“Are you certain?” Ji Ruifang’s expression turned cold. “You have no chance of victory against me.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. She looked at the sky.

After thinking for a moment, she said softly, “Since the Palace Master is so confident, why don’t we have a contest?”

Ji Ruifang raised her eyes. Luo Wanqing said calmly, “I’ve heard that the position of Grandmaster has always been won through battle. Today, Liu Xiniang, though lacking in talent, wishes to fight the Palace Master.” She looked at Ji Ruifang and said lightly, “I challenge Palace Master Ji for the position of Seventh Grandmaster.”

Hearing this, Ji Ruifang laughed softly: “Very well.”

Then she turned to sit back in her sedan chair, slowly and leisurely saying: “I was injured today, so I’ll let you get injured too before we compete. That shouldn’t count as petty, should it?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing raised her eyes, understanding Ji Ruifang’s meaning, and nodded: “Naturally.”

“Good, then. A’Yue, A’Yu, go.” Ji Ruifang waved her hand and said coldly, “Avenge your sisters.”

The moment her voice fell, Kunyue could no longer restrain herself and charged forward first!

Luo Wanqing struck down with her blade, her expression suddenly stern.

The opponent gave her no chance to catch her breath. In an instant, swords fell like dense rain, thick and numerous, sealing off Luo Wanqing’s entire front.

Seeing her sister had already been engaged, Kunyu immediately followed up, shouting: “Attack!”

In that moment, everyone surged forward together. Luo Wanqing had no time to react, only feeling blades and swords everywhere.

She knew that earlier she had only succeeded in delivering fatal strikes when Kunlan and the other were careless. But Kunyu and Kunyue were already on guard, and they were a level higher than Kunlan and the other. Under the pincer attack from both sides, Luo Wanqing had no chance to resist.

Swords emphasized agility, being both fast and dense. Luo Wanqing desperately tried to keep up with their speed using her blade, while also having to deal with soldiers surging from all sides. She gradually felt her strength failing. The slightest slowness would result in sword edges slicing across her body.

“Oh my,” Ji Ruifang’s voice rang out, “injured.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t speak. She focused all her attention on the swords of Kunyu and Kunyue.

After persisting for a short time, wounds appeared all over her body.

The pain from these wounds further slowed her speed. When a soldier rushed at her and she kicked him away, Kunyu’s sword wind struck. She raised her hand to block, and in that opening, Kunyue’s sword thrust straight at her abdomen from below. Luo Wanqing sensed the sword coming, her heart suddenly alert. She grabbed Kunyue’s blade with her bare hand and flung it violently while simultaneously sweeping her blade horizontally toward Kunyu. Kunyu quickly retreated and kicked hard at Luo Wanqing!

Luo Wanqing’s hand was cut by the sharp blade, and blood splattered. Her entire back struck heavily against the uneven stone wall in front of the cave, eliciting a muffled groan.

In that instant, Luo Wanqing heard rushing wind. Purely on instinct, she threw herself toward the cave entrance beside her, reflexively using her blade to meet the sword’s body in front of her.

Ji Ruifang was startled, not expecting Luo Wanqing to react so quickly.

Feeling annoyed, she applied force with her hand and shouted angrily: “Move!”

Luo Wanqing gripped her blade with one hand reversed, pushing with the other hand, gasping: “Please instruct me, Palace Master Ji.”

Ji Ruifang finally erupted, raising her sword like a long waterfall pouring down, roaring: “Move!”

Her internal energy was profound. She struck down with explosive force, and Luo Wanqing instantly felt her tiger’s mouth trembling.

However, the stronger she was, the more fully Luo Wanqing met her with even greater strength!

In their rapid exchange of moves, they seemed like fierce tigers tearing at each other, eagles clawing and leopards striking, relying entirely on instinct to support themselves, fighting for their lives. Others couldn’t interfere even slightly.

After barely over ten exchanges, Luo Wanqing was kicked away by Ji Ruifang. Ji Ruifang took the opportunity to rush toward the entrance, but just as she reached the cave, someone suddenly grabbed her. Ji Ruifang turned and struck with her palm. Luo Wanqing took the chance to slide down and again blocked Ji Ruifang’s path at the entrance.

“I said,” Luo Wanqing placed her blade at the entrance, staring fixedly at Ji Ruifang, “as long as I’m here, no one can enter.”

Ji Ruifang breathed rapidly. Looking at Luo Wanqing’s eyes, she felt some fear in her heart.

However, she quickly reacted, instantly increasing her sword momentum dramatically, sending Luo Wanqing flying violently.

Kunyue took the opportunity to hold her breath and rush inside. Luo Wanqing grabbed a stone from the cave’s long passage and spun around to strike with her blade the instant Kunyue entered!

The blade edge sliced through Kunyue’s head. Without hesitation, she charged outside swiftly, cutting at everyone who rushed in.

Her internal energy wasn’t as deep as Ji Ruifang’s.

Her speed wasn’t as fast as Ji Ruifang’s.

So she channeled all her internal energy into physical recovery, using all her techniques to protect herself.

Like a sandbag, she repeatedly charged at Ji Ruifang, blocking her path.

No one could advance even one step, not even Ji Ruifang.

With her flesh and blood, she stood guard at the cave entrance like a towering, continuous Great Wall, silently overlooking everyone.

Dawn gradually broke. After being kicked away by Ji Ruifang one last time, Luo Wanqing struck the ground heavily.

Before being kicked into the cave, she also gave Ji Ruifang a blade strike, forcing her to retreat three zhang.

Rumbling sounds came from the distance. Everyone looked over, and someone urgently called out: “Palace Master, the Supervision Department’s people have entered the valley! Should we…”

“We’re not leaving!”

Kunyu shouted fiercely, turning back with tears, her face covered in blood: “Palace Master, A’Lan, A’Ye, and A’Yue all died at her hands. We can’t leave. We must kill her!”

“I know.”

Ji Ruifang looked coldly at the person in the cave.

Her hair was disheveled, her clothes tattered. She supported herself, slowly crawling up from the ground bit by bit.

Black robes, silver blade.

Her body was covered with countless tears, each tear a wound. She looked like someone fished out of blood, yet she still stubbornly straightened herself, walking step by step from the cave into the light.

At this moment, corpses lay everywhere outside the cave. Morning light filled the snowy plain. She walked out of the cave, covered in blood loss, her breathing chaotic, yet she still maintained her original, steadfast, unyielding appearance.

Ji Ruifang’s expression shifted slightly. She waved at Kunyu.

Kunyu instantly understood Ji Ruifang’s meaning and said through gritted teeth: “Yes.”

She then turned and walked away.

Luo Wanqing stood steady at the entrance, looking at Ji Ruifang holding her long sword.

Ji Ruifang gazed at her, her tone carrying respect as she said softly: “Liu Xiniang, you are indeed qualified to challenge for the Grandmaster position, but you cannot win.”

Luo Wanqing gasped without speaking. Ji Ruifang lowered her eyes to look at the sword in her hand, her tone indifferent: “What a Grandmaster represents is not merely strength or speed. Most importantly, every Grandmaster has their final technique. You haven’t comprehended yours. Without a final technique, you cannot defeat me.”

Luo Wanqing’s gaze shifted slightly. Ji Ruifang raised her eyes to look at her: “If you’re willing, I can show you my final sword. But if I draw this sword, you will surely die. Do you still want to see this sword?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing laughed softly. She coughed lightly, saying with difficulty: “Actually, I’ve always wondered why heaven let me return, gave me the chance to change the past.”

Ji Ruifang didn’t understand and looked at her with confusion.

Luo Wanqing raised her hand to tear off a strip of cloth, slowly wrapping it around her hand and the blade handle.

“For a long time, I thought it was to let me seek revenge, to let me kill someone. I thought Li Guiyu was my destiny, that I would spend my life killing him.”

Her voice carried from outside the cave into it. Xie Heng sat in the spring water, his eyelashes trembling lightly.

“But now I understand,” Luo Wanqing tied the blade handle tight, her gaze gradually focusing sharp as a blade, “I returned not to kill, but to save. Not for hate, but for love. The final technique asks nothing more than why the blade is drawn. Everyone has one. I can receive your sword.”

“Sword intent has levels.” Ji Ruifang’s expression wavered slightly.

“Heart intent has no hierarchy.”

Luo Wanqing used her mouth to bite the cloth strip and bind her blade properly. She raised her head, looking at Ji Ruifang, her gaze clear and unwavering.

In that moment, heaven and earth seemed to contain only the two of them. Luo Wanqing quietly gazed at her opponent, speaking calmly yet solemnly: “Liu Xiniang requests battle!”

Ji Ruifang’s gaze stirred.

Even knowing she was the one who killed Xie Minran, even seeing her kill the three Kun sisters, in this moment, Ji Ruifang still forgot everything else.

Her sword trembled lightly, blood boiling with excitement.

She slowly raised her sword, gathering power. In that moment, wind moved around them, leaves rose, filled with killing intent, dyeing the snowy forest.

Luo Wanqing calmly watched her sword. As she began her stance, Luo Wanqing also gripped her blade.

In that moment, she didn’t know why, but she suddenly remembered many things.

She remembered Li Guiyu’s retreating figure in the prison, Zhang Jiuran laughing and asking for wine in the water dungeon, Cui Heng or Qin Jue turning back in surprise on the field of corpses, the moment their eyes met when Xie Heng used his qin to guide her home at the Qin Music Gathering.

She remembered the five arrows received at Fangfei Pavilion, the full moon that night when she looked up to see Xie Heng and Li Guiyu fighting on Liufeng Island in the dense forest.

All those past events condensed at her blade tip. Watching Ji Ruifang charging toward her, she suddenly felt her five senses become extraordinarily acute. Ji Ruifang’s movements slowed and eased in her eyes. Her eyes seemed to retain phantom images of every movement, watching her raise her sword, step forward, and rush ahead.

“Ji Ruifang,” the sword brought vast seas and long rivers, crashing down. But what Luo Wanqing’s eyes saw was the small courtyard behind Dongdu’s rear mountain, Cui Heng carrying a wine pot behind him, blue robes with wide sleeves, walking calmly through the long corridor.

She had watched this figure depart countless times. In the past, she always wanted to call out to him, but never dared.

At first, she feared becoming addicted to this dependence.

Later, she feared disturbing his life.

But this time, she could no longer hold back.

Because she had to save him.

There was someone in her heart. As long as he existed, her blade had to move forward without retreat or withdrawal.

“Xie Heng.”

These two words began on her lips and teeth. That person suddenly turned around.

This time he wasn’t wearing a mask. Xie Heng’s pale, cold, beautiful face showed some surprise as he looked at her.

As their eyes met, the surprise on his face gradually diminished, finally transforming into a warm smile.

“Xiniang.”

The moment he spoke, sword wind arrived. The sword’s body struck straight down at Luo Wanqing’s head. Ji Ruifang shouted as she brought it down: “Accept battle!”

Internal energy swept up wild wind. Only the sound of “ding” rang out as blade met sword, followed by thunderous roaring around them. Wild wind destroyed everything in its path, shaking heaven and earth.

Luo Wanqing poured her internal energy into one blade. Her blade and Ji Ruifang’s sword pressed against each other, deadly. Her meridians were torn inch by inch by the surging internal energy, but she knew—not enough! Still not enough!

She had to win. She couldn’t lose.

She couldn’t retreat. She must not retreat!

Her blade had to save someone.

Hate was easier than love, evil simpler than good.

Killing was easier than saving, but she insisted on saving!

She wanted to save people, she wanted to seek good, she wanted a vast heaven and earth, she wanted a life without regret, without remorse, brilliant and open!

Blade intent surged dramatically in that instant. Ji Ruifang’s sword cracked inch by inch. She opened her eyes wide in shock, watching helplessly as her sword, in the final moment, fell apart completely.

Magnificent blade intent instantly sent her flying. Her internal organs felt as if they had all shattered as she coughed up blood.

As the dust gradually settled, Luo Wanqing’s figure slowly emerged from the dust.

Her hands were covered with blood flowing from meridians bursting through skin, but her gaze was exceptionally bright.

Ji Ruifang looked at her in disbelief. Luo Wanqing carried her blade, gasping, stepping over the corpses on the ground, walking forward step by step.

“He said that if it were him today, he couldn’t manage to defeat you.”

Luo Wanqing walked to Ji Ruifang’s side, knelt on one knee before her, planted her blade in the ground, and smiled at her: “I won.”

Ji Ruifang looked at her with labored breathing, about to say something, when she suddenly sensed something was wrong and shouted urgently: “Liu Xiniang!”

Just as her voice fell, Luo Wanqing instinctively turned around. She had no time to react to anything—she only saw a blood-stained white figure suddenly leap from behind her, gathering her tightly into his embrace!

The smell of gunpowder instantly filled her nostrils. Heat waves and tremendous impact force suddenly struck. Only a thunderous “boom” was heard as the ground shook violently around them.

Luo Wanqing instinctively curled up, held tightly in someone’s arms. All heat waves and impacts were intercepted, leaving only the final force that sent them flying outward.

Luo Wanqing struck a tree heavily, fortunately, with the other person instinctively protecting her head.

After waves of heat passed over them, the surroundings finally calmed. Luo Wanqing breathed lowly in the other person’s embrace, finally realizing what had happened.

Gunpowder.

Ji Ruifang and her people had set off gunpowder!

Just now, that was…

Luo Wanqing instantly understood and frantically pulled away from the person holding her.

The young man coughed urgently, blood continuously flowing from his mouth.

Seeing his face, Luo Wanqing was so shocked she quickly grabbed his hand to check his pulse, saying urgently: “Don’t move!”

As his pulse reached her fingers, Luo Wanqing’s expression changed dramatically.

She said hurriedly, “Your injuries need medicine. Use your true essence to protect yourself. I’ll take you to find someone.”

With that, Luo Wanqing immediately lifted Xie Heng. Xie Heng coughed lightly, seeming to want to say something.

Luo Wanqing said hurriedly: “Don’t rush to say whatever you want to say!”

But Xie Heng didn’t respond. His blood flowed mouthful by mouthful onto her shoulder. Luo Wanqing had no time to look around and carried him as she ran wildly back.

She also carried injuries, but compared to Xie Heng, they were much lighter.

Although he had preserved his true essence, his original injuries were already severe. Now, all the force of the gunpowder had struck his body. His internal organs were damaged—every moment was his soul-binding chain.

Luo Wanqing didn’t dare think too much. Carrying him, she ran urgently across the wilderness.

She had no internal energy left, relying only on her strength. But her strength was actually already exhausted—she was hanging on by a thread, running and walking all the way.

Their blood fell along the road onto the snow, reflecting like flowers.

Cold wind poured into her lungs. Luo Wanqing listened to his coughing, unable to help but feel afraid.

“Hold on a little longer.” Luo Wanqing controlled her panic, saying urgently, “Once we see Wei Qianqiu, it’ll be fine. Please hold on a little longer.”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. He held her, his hands trembling as he gently touched the marriage token on Luo Wanqing’s neck.

“Luo Wanqing,” Xie Heng spoke hoarsely. He gripped the marriage token, saying with difficulty, “I am Cui Heng.”

Luo Wanqing froze.

This was the first time she heard him admit his identity.

She had known. When she fought back to the dungeon and rescued him from Xing Ling’s hands, she had confirmed his identity.

It was just that he wouldn’t acknowledge it.

She didn’t understand why he wanted to admit it at this moment. This sudden confession frightened her. She breathed softly, carrying him, stepping in the snow, saying with difficulty: “It doesn’t matter. Whether you’re Cui Heng or Xie Heng, as long as you’re you, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng smiled silently.

“Qingqing,” he spoke hoarsely, “I know how much you hurt.”

When he was forced to wait.

When he listened to her saying “I won’t let them” again and again.

When he knew she was enduring suffering, but was powerless to help.

He finally understood what pain it was to be arranged to walk a path, to watch one’s beloved head toward death.

“I want to live.”

He said hoarsely on her back, “At Tingfeng Tower, I was waiting for you. I was always waiting.”

From Tingfeng Tower, to Jirui Palace, to last night’s cave.

He had always been waiting, every moment waiting.

“I finally waited.” Xie Heng smiled, “It wasn’t out of responsibility.”

His voice was hoarse yet solemn: “Luo Wanqing, I truly, truly want to be with you.”

Author’s Note:

[Little Theater]

Xie Heng: “Hundred-meter sprint, give me a chance to fight!!!”

Luo Wanqing: “(ノ`Д)ノ Get lost!! Let me be awesome alone!!!”

Wei Qianqiu: “Ahhh, the hospital rooms are full, get lost!!!”