Apologize
He recalled her clear and determined eyes during their argument last night, and his own awful words accusing her of being "naive" and "stupid"... Intense remorse gnawed at his heart like poisonous ants, causing him more pain than the wounds on her body at that moment.
“Wake up…look at me!” he commanded, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly, as he gently patted her cheek, trying to bring her back to consciousness.
Perhaps it was the stimulation of the excruciating pain, or perhaps it was the effect of his persistent calls, but Xie Linyang's long eyelashes trembled a few times, and he opened his eyes with great difficulty, just a crack. His vision was blurry, and he could only see Jiang Cheng's face, filled with anxiety and panic, magnified before him.
“…Jiang…Cheng…” she whispered weakly, each word aggravating the wound on her back, bringing a heart-wrenching pain that instantly covered her forehead in cold sweat.
"I'm here!" Jiang Cheng replied immediately, holding her even tighter, as if he could preserve her fading life force. "Don't talk, conserve your energy! We'll go out right away and find a doctor!" He tried to pick her up, but his movements were clumsy and cautious because he was afraid of touching her wounds.
“…The…eye of the array…” she weakly reminded, her gaze turning with difficulty towards the direction of the stone platform. Although the array eye was broken, this “Thousand-Mechanism Enigma” was strange and needed to be kept absolutely safe.
"It's broken! It's already broken!" Jiang Cheng hurriedly replied, seeing that she was still thinking about this, he felt anxious, angry, and a strange bitterness in his heart. "What kind of time is this to still be concerned about the array's core!"
Xie Linyang seemed to want to force a reassuring smile, but only managed a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. The cold from excessive blood loss made her involuntarily snuggle closer to him, feeling a little warmth.
This subtle movement made Jiang Cheng freeze. He could clearly feel the coldness and fragility of her body, and an unprecedented panic gripped him. Without hesitation, he carefully wrapped her in his blood-stained outer robe, avoiding her wounds, and lifted her up horizontally.
"Hold on, we'll get out of here." His voice was deep and firm, as if he were making a promise to her, or as if he were swearing an oath to himself.
He carried her, step by step, as the illusion dissipated. The surrounding scenery gradually became clear, and the valley wind blew, carrying a hint of freshness beyond the smoke and blood. He walked very steadily, afraid of bumping her, his eyes fixed on the light of the exit ahead.
Xie Linyang leaned against his strong chest, able to hear his rapid and powerful heartbeat, pounding against her eardrums, strangely dispelling some of the lingering cold and shadow of death.
At that moment, all the grudges from arguments and all the differences in ideas seemed so insignificant in the face of life and death.
He didn't say anything, but tightened his arms, holding her more securely in his embrace, and quickened his pace.
When Jiang Cheng, carrying Xie Lin Yang who was covered in blood and unconscious, staggered through the last bit of illusion and appeared at the valley exit, the crowd waiting outside instantly erupted in uproar!
Wei Wuxian was the first to rush forward, his nonchalant expression replaced by shock and worry: "Jiang Cheng! Lin Yang! What happened?!"
Lan Xichen, Jiang Yanli, and the others immediately surrounded him, and upon seeing Xie Linyang's miserable state, they all gasped in shock.
Wen Chao stood on the high platform, watching this scene. Instead of showing concern, his face revealed a sinister and mocking expression, as if his scheme had failed.
"Physician! Call a physician!" Jiang Cheng roared hoarsely, his eyes bloodshot, holding the person in his arms tightly as if she would disappear if he let go. From his posture and expression, anyone could see that this young master of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan was in complete turmoil.
Amid the chaos, a clear, cold voice rang out: "Let me see."
Everyone turned around and saw Wen Qing standing in the distance, still wearing her fiery red robe, her expression calm, carrying an ancient-looking medicine box.
...
The medicine shed was filled with the bitter aroma of herbs. Wen Qing was sitting at the table grinding medicine, her black hair, tied with a silver hairpin, hanging down her side.
While unconscious, Xie Linyang felt a burning sensation erupt from the memory grass he wore on his chest.
She felt herself fall into a scalding darkness. The cacophony of voices around her seemed to be filtered through a thin film of water. She struggled to open her eyes and found herself standing before a familiar body of water, lotus lanterns floating on its surface, and in the distance, courtyards with blue bricks and gray tiles, a plaque reading "Yunmeng Jiang Clan" hanging under the eaves. It was Lotus Pier.
But there was no fragrance of lotus flowers in the air, only the pungent smell of smoke.
"The Wen Clan's envoy has arrived—!" A shrill announcement pierced her eardrums. She turned her head and saw Yu Ziyuan standing on the stone steps at the entrance of the dock, his purple robes fluttering in the wind, his face ashen as if about to rain. Several black-robed cultivators knelt before him, the leader holding the Wen Clan's Flaming Banner, his tone arrogant: "Sect Master Wen has decreed that all major families must establish supervisory offices, to be managed by Wen Clan disciples."
The scene abruptly shifts, and the smell of smoke transforms into the acrid smell of burnt blood.
The Lotus Pier signboard lay on the ground, crushed to pieces by horses' hooves. Flames soared into the sky, illuminating half the heavens. The screams of Jiang Clan disciples, the clash of weapons, and the maniacal laughter of Wen Clan cultivators mingled together, like a lament from hell.
Yu Ziyuan stood in the center of the martial arts arena, her purple lightning dancing like a storm, each bolt carrying a resolute killing intent. Her hair was disheveled, her face stained with blood, yet she still stood tall, like a purple bamboo that would rather break than bend.
Xie Linyang wanted to rush forward, but his body seemed nailed to the spot. He could only watch helplessly as Yu Ziyuan's body suddenly stiffened, the purple lightning slipped from her hand, and crashed heavily to the ground with a final, mournful cry. As she fell, her gaze drifted towards the outside of the dock, as if searching for something. Her lips moved, but in the end, only a very soft sigh escaped her lips: "…………"
The scene then shifts again.
"Go! Jiang Cheng! We have to leave!" Wei Wuxian grabbed his arm, his voice hoarse. "Staying here means certain death!"
"I'm not leaving!" Jiang Cheng roared, shaking him off. "My parents are dead! Lotus Pier is gone! Where will I go if I leave—"
"Live on!" Wei Wuxian's voice was filled with despair. "Only by living can you take revenge! Have you forgotten what your mother said? To protect the Yunmeng Jiang Clan—"
A rocket roared in, and Wei Wuxian shoved Jiang Cheng aside, but his arm was burned by the flames. He pulled Jiang Cheng up and staggered towards the secret passage behind the dock, with the burning Lotus Dock behind them, like a lotus flower withered in the flames.
The scene shifts again to a dark and damp alley.
Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian hid there, their clothes tattered. Jiang Cheng leaned against the corner of the wall, stroking the ring in his hand—Yu Ziyuan's Zidian. His eyes were empty, like a puppet that had lost its soul.
"We need to find a place to stay," Wei Wuxian said softly, pulling half a hardened biscuit from his robes. "The Wen clan is still searching the mountain; it's not safe here..."
"Where will we go?" Jiang Cheng's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping. "Yunmeng is gone. We're like stray dogs. Who will take us in?"
Wei Wuxian choked for a moment, then held the pancake to his mouth: "Eat something first, there'll always be a way."
Jiang Cheng abruptly slapped the cake away, sending it rolling into the muddy water. "A solution?" He laughed, a laugh more like a grimace. "You think we can escape Wen Zhuliu's Core Formation Technique?"
"No!" Wei Wuxian interrupted him, his eyes red. "I won't let him hurt you!"
The scene was fragmented, but a middle-aged man dressed in a robe blazing with scorching sun had already reached Jiang Cheng. He raised his hand, and pale blue spiritual energy shot straight at Jiang Cheng's heart, where his golden core was located.
"Crack!"
It sounded like porcelain shattering.
He collapsed limply, and all that could be heard was Wei Wuxian holding him and crying out, "Jiang Cheng! Jiang Cheng, how are you!"
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Despair overwhelmed him like a tidal wave; he was crippled. He could no longer cultivate, no longer seek revenge, and no longer protect the Yunmeng Jiang Clan…
...
Wen Qing walked to the bedside, her fingertips gathering even gentler spiritual energy, and gently touched Xie Lin Yang's brow. Seeing that the person on the bed seemed to be trapped in a nightmare, she whispered, "Calm down... focus your mind..."
Her voice carried a strange, soothing power, and Xie Linyang gradually relaxed his brow.
Outside, Jiang Cheng heard Xie Lin Yang's mutterings and sobs from inside the room. His heart clenched, and he could no longer contain himself. He pushed open the door and rushed in, shouting, "What's wrong with her?!"
He saw Xie Linyang's pained expression even in her unconscious state, the tear stains at the corners of her eyes, and Wen Qing's unusually pale face, her eyes filled with anxiety.
Wen Qing didn't look at him, but focused on comforting Xie Lin Yang with her spiritual power. After a while, she said softly, "The injuries are no longer serious, and you just need to rest. However... your mind is injured, and you are plagued by nightmares."
Jiang Cheng clenched his fists tightly, his gaze fixed on Xie Linyan's pale face. He didn't know what she had dreamed about, but it must have been related to him, and... it was definitely not a good thing.
When Xie Linyang regained consciousness, it was already the fifth day of the Qingtan Conference.
My heavy eyelids slowly opened, revealing the ceiling of the guest room, and a faint medicinal fragrance lingered in the air.
She tilted her head slightly, her vision still a little blurry, but the purple figure leaning against the bedpost by the bedside, taking a nap with its eyes closed, clearly caught her eye.
Jiang Cheng sat on the footstool, his head resting against the edge of the bed, seemingly exhausted. Dark circles were clearly visible under his eyes, and his brows were furrowed uneasily even in his sleep. One hand rested casually on the edge of the bed, while the other was clenched into a fist and placed on his knee.
Is he just going to stay here like this? He didn't participate in the matches in the following days...?
Xie Linyang felt a pang of emotion, a bittersweet feeling slowly spreading through her. She tried to move her body, but a tearing pain shot through her back, causing her to gasp and let out a soft gasp.
The faint sound immediately startled Jiang Cheng, who was in a light sleep.
He suddenly opened his eyes, still bloodshot and sharp from being startled awake, but when he met her clear gaze, that sharpness instantly transformed into undisguised surprise and a relieved sigh of relief.
"You're awake?" His voice was a little hoarse from not speaking for a long time. He leaned forward instinctively and asked anxiously, "How are you feeling? Does the wound still hurt? Do you want some water?" He asked a series of questions, his voice filled with a panic and concern that was unusual for his usual personality.
Looking at his bloodshot eyes and haggard face, Xie Linyang thought of his reckless attitude before he fainted, and then of the desperate and empty look in his eyes that she had foreseen in the Memory Grass. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions, her nose tingled, and her eyes became slightly hot.
"I...I'm alright now." Her voice was still weak, but she forced a reassuring smile. "You...you've been here the whole time?"
Jiang Cheng felt a little uncomfortable with her question, looked away, and said in a muffled voice, "...Yeah. Anyway, the later matches aren't very interesting." He paused, then quickly added, as if explaining or convincing himself, "You got injured because you saved me, I can't just abandon you."
A brief silence fell over the room. Yesterday's argument, their life-or-death struggle, and the unresolved estrangement all flowed through this silence.
After a long silence, Xie Linyang spoke softly, his voice trembling slightly: "Jiang Cheng... I... saw something."
Jiang Cheng slowly asked, "What did you dream about?" He recalled her painful murmurs and tears when she was unconscious.
Xie Linyang closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, her eyes were filled with unprecedented solemnity and sorrow: "I saw it... Lotus Pier... was broken into by the Wen Clan, under the pretext of setting up an inspection office... Madam Yu and Sect Leader Jiang... to resist..." Her words choked, and she could hardly continue. That resolute and tragic figure lingered in her mind.
Jiang Cheng's face turned deathly pale instantly, and his fists clenched tightly.
"Anything else?" His voice was dry, almost as if he were squeezing it out from his throat.
"...You and Wei Wuxian...escaped...but...later..." Xie Linyang's voice was so low it was almost inaudible, tears finally streaming down her face uncontrollably, "Wen Zhuliu...he...destroyed your golden core..."
The golden core is destroyed! For a cultivator, that is a punishment more cruel than death! It is utter despair!
"Don't worry, you said it was a dream. Even if it wasn't a dream, nothing will happen to Lotus Pier, and my parents won't encounter this situation."
Xie Linyang knows that the Memory Grass can foresee future events. Can this outcome really be changed?
Jiang Cheng looked at Xie Linyang with a deep gaze, his expression serious and resolute like never before: "Xie Linyang, before... I was wrong. I shouldn't have only considered the so-called 'trouble' and 'implicated'. The Wen clan has wolfish ambitions and has long regarded all families as fish to be slaughtered. Avoidance and compromise will not bring peace, but will only make them more emboldened!"
He reached out, seemingly wanting to hold her hand to offer comfort or seek some kind of support, but hesitated and stopped just before touching her, ultimately just clenching his fist tightly and placing it on his knee.
“You’re right. Some things, even knowing the danger, must be done. For Lotus Pier, for my sister… and for…” He paused, meeting her gaze, “…so that I won’t regret it in the future.”
"No, Jiang Cheng, it's my fault. I was too arrogant and thought I could save everyone. Now I've been tricked. I was careless. I will never let Wen Chao get away with this!" The moment she fell into the trap, she knew that this was Wen Chao's revenge for her standing up for Wen Ning.
At this moment, all barriers and misunderstandings vanished.
Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and Wei Wuxian and Jiang Yanli walked in carrying medicinal food and water. Seeing Xie Linyang awake, both of them showed joy.
"Lin Yang! You're finally awake!" Wei Wuxian strode forward, his face full of genuine concern. "You scared Jiang Cheng so much! He's been guarding this place like a precious treasure these past few days, not even leaving the house!"
Jiang Cheng glared at him angrily and said, "Wei Wuxian, shut up!"
Jiang Yanli gently sat down by the bed, carefully examined Xie Linyang's complexion, and said softly, "It's good that you're awake, it's good that you're awake. Drink your medicine first, Miss Wenqing gave you a lot of instructions." She carefully blew on the medicine to cool it down and fed it to Xie Linyang spoonful by spoonful.
The warm atmosphere slightly eased the previous heaviness. After feeding him the medicine, Wei Wuxian's joking expression vanished, and he lowered his voice, saying, "Since you're all here, I've talked with Zewu-jun, Huaisang-xiong, Lan Zhan, and the others. The 'Resentment Binding Spirit Array' and those insidious traps in the Thousand Machine Illusion this time were definitely not used for ordinary assessments; they were clearly designed to kill! Especially targeting those who were emotionally unstable or had grudges against the Wen clan, Jiang Cheng, Lan Zhan, and I all encountered dangers far beyond what was expected. Wen Chao's actions were probably premeditated, intended to suppress or even eliminate the elite disciples of various clans!"
As they were talking, Lan Xichen and Nie Huaisang also came to visit as invited, and Lan Wangji remained silent, following behind his elder brother.
Several future pillars of the immortal sects gathered in the small guest room.
Lan Xichen's expression was solemn: "What Young Master Wei said is true. During this discussion, the Wen clan pressed on relentlessly, and their intentions are now crystal clear. The matter of the illusion is by no means an accident."
Nie Huaisang covered his mouth with his fan and whispered, "I heard that Wen Ruohan has recently gone into seclusion, seemingly cultivating some extremely powerful technique... The day he emerges from seclusion will probably be the day when the immortal sects' power structure is completely overturned."
Even Lan Wangji spoke coldly, his words concise and to the point: "We need to take precautions as soon as possible."
As everyone pieced together their observations and speculations from the past few days, the sinister nature of the Wen clan—their attempt to monopolize the immortal sects and eliminate dissidents—became crystal clear.
Xie Linyang leaned against the headboard, listening to their analysis, feeling the hidden pain in the wound on his back, and thinking of the blood-red future in the Memory Grass, a strong sense of urgency arose spontaneously.
Time may be running out. She must recover as soon as possible, she must find a way... to change that inevitable tragedy. And these young companions before her may be the hope for the future.
Her gaze slowly swept over Jiang Cheng's resolute profile, Wei Wuxian's lively eyes, Lan Xichen's gentle yet firm expression... and finally landed on the gloomy sky over Qishan outside the window.
And it was time for her to leave.
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