Silently standing on the tree trunk, Xiao Yan coldly stared at Yun Yun, who was at the forest’s exit. With a flick of his hand, a massive Dark Heavy Scale appeared. Swinging the heavy scale, it emitted a ripping sound that pressed against the air, directly pointing at the beautiful woman. Slowly raising her head, Yun Yun’s exquisite eyes fixed on the black-robed youth on the tree trunk. A complex expression flashed across her face, and she whispered, “Are you alright?”
“Thanks to you, I almost died here,” Xiao Yan smiled slightly, but the words that came out of his mouth were as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth.
“I… I had no choice. As the Sect Master of the Cloud Rending Sect, I have responsibilities to bear,” Yun Yun said with a bitter smile, as if trying to explain something.
Xiao Yan glanced at her indifferently, “Do you want to capture me and let Yun Shan publicly execute me?”
Her face turned pale, and Yun Yun muttered, “Teacher wouldn’t kill you.”
“Haha, perhaps not, but your Cloud Rending Sect has many methods. Just seal me up, then keep me locked away for life. That would be even worse than death, driving one mad!” Xiao Yan sneered.
“No, if you come back with me, I will ensure your safety! Okay? Xiao Yan, let’s not make things worse,” Yun Yun stepped forward, speaking urgently, her voice carrying a hint of pleading.
“Is there still a chance for reconciliation between us and the Cloud Rending Sect? You, being the Sect Master, can’t possibly be blind to this reality. If I fall into the hands of the Cloud Rending Sect, there is only one path—death! There are no other options!”
Xiao Yan laughed coldly, “Can you really change Yun Shan’s decision?”
Yun Yun’s lips parted, wanting to say something, but found herself unable to persuade him. With her intelligence, she could vaguely guess what fate awaited Xiao Yan in the Cloud Rending Sect. Yet, caught between the two sides, she still naively hoped for a miracle.
“Enough talk. Let’s do this. If you insist on stopping me, then…”
Xiao Yan tilted the heavy scale, saying calmly, “You can take my corpse back.”
Yun Yun bit her red lips, shaking her head vigorously, her voice slightly hoarse, “You know, I can’t bring myself to kill you.”
Xiao Yan’s face remained cold as he leaped down from the tree trunk, holding the heavy scale, and slowly walked towards Yun Yun. His powerful Dou Qi burst out, forming a flame armor on his body.
Yun Yun’s eyes fixated on the black-robed youth approaching, her delicate figure trembling slightly. Her usually authoritative gaze now filled with struggle. Her jade-like hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly, reflecting the difficulty of her decision.
His feet landing softly on the grass, Xiao Yan’s eyes were fixed on Yun Yun, his hand tightly gripping the heavy scale. The Dou Qi within him flowed like a river, ready to burst out at any moment.
The distance between them gradually closed, and an eerie atmosphere enveloped the small forest.
“Shh…” In the soft sounds, Xiao Yan finally reached five meters from Yun Yun. With her face lowered, Yun Yun’s trembling form suddenly stilled, and a terrifying aura slowly rose from her, almost freezing the space around them.
A muscle twitched in Xiao Yan’s eye, and his hand holding the heavy scale tightened. He knew that if Yun Yun really wanted to capture him, he had little chance to resist.
Taking a step forward, Xiao Yan stopped in front of Yun Yun, inhaling the faint fragrance from her, and said indifferently, “Are you going to attack?”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s words, Yun Yun’s body trembled again. Lifting her bitter face, she gazed at the young man’s handsome features, and asked softly, “Really not coming back with me?”
“You can take my corpse back.” Xiao Yan repeated coldly, and without hesitation, turned and moved past Yun Yun, heading towards the forest’s edge.
Just as he took a step, the terrifying aura behind him surged again, and a blast of force struck his back.
Feeling the lightning-fast attack from behind, Xiao Yan’s heart felt like it was plunged into an ice cellar, turning cold. Shaking his head in self-mockery, he muttered, “She really did it…”
Sighing, Xiao Yan closed his eyes, his hand lightly touching his sleeve. He knew that if Yun Yun really wanted to kill him, he had no chance to resist. Only the Heavenly Fire Venerable could stop her.
In a blink, the force approached Xiao Yan, but just as he was about to unleash the Heavenfire, the force suddenly softened, gently pushing him away.
Under the starlit sky, Xiao Yan opened his eyes in surprise. After the force hit him, he clearly felt the energy trace left by Yun Shan melting away.
Turning around, Xiao Yan looked at Yun Yun, who was leaning weakly against a tree, and asked, “What… what does this mean?”
“Leave the Jia Ma Empire. Don’t come back, or Teacher and the Cloud Rending Sect won’t spare you,” Yun Yun waved her hand, her voice weary, the stress of being caught between both sides exhausting her.
Xiao Yan looked deeply at the elegant woman, then said softly, “Thank you… but I will return, I promise!”
“You… ” Yun Yun’s eyebrows arched slightly, angry at Xiao Yan’s stubbornness. She swept her sleeves and said, “Next time, I won’t hold back! Whether you live or die, I won’t care!”
“Next time, you might not have the chance to hold back, because I don’t know when I’ll return,” Xiao Yan shrugged, looking at Yun Yun’s angry face. For some reason, his frozen heart warmed. Perhaps, that “Yun Zhi” in the cave hadn’t truly vanished.
Thinking this, Xiao Yan felt a mix of emotions. He turned and walked back to Yun Yun, their eyes meeting.
“Aren’t you leaving?” Yun Yun’s eyes flitted away, avoiding his intense gaze, and she asked, slightly annoyed.
Her heart was in a tangle. Reason told her to immediately capture the man who dared challenge the Cloud Rending Sect, but a strange emotion blocked her logic, making her alter the attack.
“I believe the real Yun Zhi is in front of me now.” Looking at the beautiful face, once filled with grace and now showing a childlike panic, Xiao Yan recalled the days in the cave, and his voice softened.
Yun Yun was taken aback, and her heart raced. Suppressing the flutter in her chest, she replied coolly, “Yun Yun is Yun Zhi, and Yun Zhi is Yun Yun. You should have known this. And on the Cloud Rending Mountain, didn’t you say that you had nothing to do with either Yun Yun or Yun Zhi anymore?”
“I have no good feelings for Yun Yun, the Sect Master of the Cloud Rending Sect, but I have a great deal of affection for Yun Zhi. Those days in the cave, I will never forget, even to my death…”
Xiao Yan chuckled, then suddenly extended his arms, wrapping them around her waist, covered by the Sect Master’s robe.
Caught in his embrace, Yun Yun’s face turned as red as a flaming cloud, even her ears flushed. With her strength, a mere release of her aura could have made Xiao Yan bleed, but she was paralyzed, like a girl in the arms of her first love, savoring the unfamiliar yet comforting feeling.
Though she was in his arms, Xiao Yan’s eyes held no desire. His black eyes were clear as a spring. After a minute, he released her, stepping back.
“I regret not acting on my desires in that cave. If I had done something back then…”
As he retreated, Xiao Yan chuckled, his smile playful.
“Then I would have killed you on the spot, sparing us all this trouble,” Yun Yun retorted, her cheeks flushing.
“Haha, our farewell is over…”
With a sigh, Xiao Yan bowed to Yun Yun, “Tell Yun Shan that Xiao Yan will return. When I do, I will settle every score with him!”
With these words, Xiao Yan turned and strode away, disappearing into the darkness.
Standing still, Yun Yun watched his retreating figure, her smile fading, replaced by a bitter look. She whispered, “Though it pains me, I hope you don’t return. Time will fade all enmity, but as Teacher said, I must be alone…”
“Since you’re gone, Yun Zhi must disappear. From now on, I am Yun Yun, Sect Master of the Cloud Rending Sect. Personal feelings have no place here. This time, let it be a final act of rebellion…”
Raising her head, Yun Yun gazed at the vast sky, sighing. Her vulnerability vanished, replaced by the cold, stern authority of a leader. Her body swayed, then she disappeared like a ghost…
“Little one, remember my words. Since you’ve left, don’t return…”
Her voice lingered in the forest, fading slowly.
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