break out
At the end of the Star Trail Corridor, starlight coalesced into a colossal gate. The energy emanating from within was no longer the cold power of the stars, but an extremely pure, yet violently potent, yang aura—their target: Yang Fiend Marrow!
No stronger guards appeared; it seems the previous puppets were the final test.
But the door itself exudes a chilling aura of oppression.
"Behind the door should be the Yang Sha Marrow, the source of Yang Sha power." Lan Xichen stared at the giant door, his tone solemn. "Although this power is extremely Yang, it is too violent. Direct contact may be risky."
Wei Wuxian walked around the door twice, then stroked his chin: "We need a container, or... some kind of guiding method."
His gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Xie Linyang's Blazing Staff. "Linyang, your Blazing Staff and the Yang-Generating Technique are extremely pure and Yang. Perhaps you can try to guide and absorb a portion of the most refined Yang Sha essence."
Xie Lin Yang nodded; she felt the same way. She stepped forward, preparing to circulate her inner energy, when she heard Jiang Cheng's cold, hard voice:
"I'll go."
Everyone was taken aback.
Jiang Cheng stepped forward expressionlessly, his Three Poisons Sword already half an inch unsheathed, its cold light gleaming. He didn't even glance at Xie Linyang, but stared at the massive door: "My Three Poisons Sword Intent is fierce and powerful; it may not be unable to withstand it. We can't... rely on others for everything."
The last sentence carried a clear sense of sarcasm, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Meng Yao, who was being protected behind Lan Xichen.
Meng Yao leaned against the star trail wall. Upon hearing this, she merely raised her eyelids slightly, a barely perceptible mocking smile curving her lips before turning into a weak cough, as if she were overwhelmed.
Xie Linyang felt a sudden tightness in his chest, and a sense of irritation arose spontaneously.
She knew that Meng Yao was scheming and that Jiang Cheng disliked her, and even felt repulsed by Meng Yao's overly dependent attitude towards her, all of which she understood.
But this time, his reaction seemed too extreme? Just seeing her and Meng Yao together made him so irritable and easily angered, even at such a crucial moment, he still wanted to argue about this pointless matter?
She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
The future revealed by the lingering grass, the path Meng Yao takes towards sin and destruction, is visible only to her.
She had to control him, to prevent a greater tragedy, and for the sake of this crumbling world. She couldn't tell anyone this heavy secret, especially not to Jiang Cheng, whose emotions were clearly out of control at that moment.
“Jiang Cheng,” she said, her voice as steady as possible, tinged with a barely perceptible weariness, “the power of Yang Sha is violent and not entirely compatible with the Three Poisons Sword Intent. Zhuo Yao is a more reliable option, and its ability to restrain Yin Iron is of paramount importance.” She invoked the greater good, hoping to quell his nameless anger.
Jiang Cheng turned his face away, his aura suddenly dropping, and he stopped speaking, but his tense back was full of resistance and a kind of... almost aggrieved anger.
Xie Linyang couldn't understand it, and only felt that the tangled mess in her heart tighten even more.
What was he angry about? Was he angry that she favored Meng Yao? Or was he angry that she... didn't choose to believe in his abilities? Various guesses swirled in her mind, but she couldn't find a definite answer, which only made her more upset.
Wei Wuxian quickly smoothed things over: "Alright, alright, stop arguing! Lin Yang is the most suitable person to go. We'll protect her, and if anything unexpected happens, your Sandu can respond in time, right?"
Lan Wangji nodded slightly in agreement.
Jiang Cheng snorted coldly, which could be considered tacit approval, but he crossed his arms and stepped aside, still looking like a stranger should not be approached.
Without further hesitation, Xie Linyang walked to the giant gate and sat down cross-legged. The Zhuoyao Golden Hairpin floated in front of her, emitting a soft yet firm golden light. Activating the Yang-Generating Technique at full power, she carefully separated a wisp of her divine sense, carrying the pure Yang energy of Zhuoyao, and probed towards the giant gate.
The Yang energy within the gate, like boiling lava, surged violently upon sensing the incoming energy! Xie Linyang groaned, her face instantly turning pale; the scorching, violent impact nearly tore her consciousness apart!
She gritted her teeth and, relying on the exquisite control of Yang energy through the Sheng Yang Technique and the protection of Zhuo Yao, stubbornly guided that power, like navigating a small boat in a raging storm, peeling away and purifying the most core and relatively gentle wisp of it little by little. It was a marrow-like energy that was like liquid gold, exuding a pure and masculine aura, which was the "Yang Sha Marrow"!
The process was extremely dangerous; fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and her body trembled slightly, clearly indicating that she was under immense pressure.
Although Jiang Cheng turned his face away, he kept watching her out of the corner of his eye.
Seeing her pained expression, he gripped the hilt of the Three Poisons Sword tighter and tighter, his feet almost moving out of control, but he remained rooted to the spot, though the air around him seemed to grow even more oppressive.
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were also on high alert, ready to lend a helping hand at any moment.
An unknown amount of time passed, seemingly only a moment, yet also feeling incredibly long. Suddenly, the Radiant Golden Hairpin before Xie Linyang shone brightly. At the center of the already dazzling crystal at the hairpin's tip, a drop of golden marrow, radiating a vast and radiant power, slowly flowed like a living thing—Yang Sha Marrow—successfully acquired!
Xie Lin Yang let out a long sigh of relief, her body swaying as if she were about to collapse from exhaustion. Jiang Cheng, who had been watching her out of the corner of his eye, tensed up instantly, only to see Lan Xi Chen step forward first, gently supporting her with his spiritual energy.
"Thanks for your hard work."
"Thank you, Zewu-jun, I'm fine." Xie Linyang steadied himself, shook his head, and looked at Jiang Cheng immediately, only to see his cold and hard profile that he quickly turned away.
Just then, another unexpected event occurred!
The entire Star Trail Corridor suddenly began to shake violently! The flowing starlight around us became chaotic, and cracks appeared in the transparent ground beneath our feet!
"The ruins are about to collapse! Run!" Wei Wuxian shouted.
Everyone's expression changed, and they immediately retreated in the direction they had come from.
“Meng Yao is still there!” Lan Xichen looked at Meng Yao, who was seriously injured and unable to move quickly on her own.
Meng Yao's face was deathly pale as she looked at the collapsing corridor. Despair and dependence flashed in her eyes as she stared straight at Xie Linyang.
In the chaos, seeing that Meng Yao was unable to move, Xie Linyang almost instinctively went to help her. This was not only a responsibility to his disciple, but also a way to control his "monitoring target". He absolutely could not let her out of his sight or die here!
But Jiang Cheng was faster. He roughly pulled Meng Yao up and dragged her away. The undisguised disgust in his movements made Meng Yao groan in pain.
Why was he like that? Even if he hated her, it shouldn't be like this... Looking at Jiang Cheng's rescue method, which could almost be described as "abuse," a feeling that was hard to describe as either anger or heartache welled up in her heart.
She was angry at his inability to distinguish between public and private matters and his excessive methods, but she also felt a slight unease about Meng Yao's current miserable state. Although she knew that Meng Yao would commit heinous crimes in the future, he had not yet truly done evil and was still her disciple.
After rushing out of the ruins, Jiang Cheng abandoned Meng Yao and wiped Sandu alone. His cold back seemed like an invisible wall, keeping her out.
Xie Linyang stood there, her fingertips unconsciously clenching her sleeve. Her desire to explain was stronger than ever before.
She wanted to rush over and tell him that it wasn't what he thought! Her feelings for Meng Yao were not what he assumed—protection or anything else! It was surveillance, imprisonment, to prevent something even more terrible from happening!
But when the words reached his lips, he couldn't utter a single one.
What should I say? Should I tell him that Meng Yao will become a demon who kills his father, brother, wife, and children? Should I tell him that I live in a book? That I transmigrated here?
Would Jiang Cheng believe it? Given Jiang Cheng's black-and-white, strong-willed nature, if he knew that Meng Yao was the villainous boss, he would probably draw his sword immediately.
She couldn't tell anyone; she had to bear this secret alone.
But... if she didn't explain, Jiang Cheng's misunderstanding would snowball. Looking at his aloof back, she felt a pang of panic.
She didn't understand why she was so afraid of his misunderstanding, so concerned about his opinion. Was it just that she didn't want infighting within the team? Was it just that she didn't want to lose a reliable comrade? This reason seemed so pale and powerless at this moment.
A vague emotion, one she herself was not yet fully aware of, quietly began to grow in her heart, but it was overshadowed by a stronger sense of responsibility and the predicament she was facing. All she knew was that Jiang Cheng's anger and aloofness at this moment made her feel an unprecedented sense of panic and...sadness.
This unfamiliar feeling left her at a loss, which she could only attribute to the complexity of the situation and Jiang Cheng's overly awkward and unpredictable temper.
She closed her eyes wearily, feeling the warmth of the Yang Sha marrow flowing through the scorching sun.
She held the hope of saving the world in her hands, but at this moment, she was in turmoil because of a misunderstanding with a fellow disciple.
Meng Yao lay on the ground, her melancholy gaze falling upon him again, like a silent shackle.
As they left the ruins, the humid heat of the miasma forest enveloped them once more, but it couldn't dispel the lingering chill in the group. They walked silently through the dense forest, the atmosphere as oppressive as the stillness before a storm.
Jiang Cheng walked at the front, occasionally slashing away at the vines blocking his path with his Three Poison Sword, his movements carrying an undiminished ferocity. His back was straight but stiff, like a moving ice wall, shutting everyone out.
Xie Linyang followed not far behind him, her gaze falling several times on his tense shoulders. Her lips moved slightly, but in the end, they all turned into silent sighs.
The words of explanation lingered on his tongue, but he could not find a suitable opportunity, and the unspeakable secret made it too heavy to utter.
Disturbed, she could only force herself to focus on perceiving her surroundings. The radiant gold hairpin emitted a faint light, dispelling the poisonous insects and miasma that tried to approach.
Meng Yao was helped forward by his uninjured disciples in turns. His face was pale, his steps were unsteady, and he occasionally let out a suppressed groan when his wounds were aggravated. However, his gaze always seemed to drift towards Xie Linyang, with a cautious and seemingly aggrieved dependence.
Whenever this happens, Jiang Cheng, who is walking at the front, will suddenly increase the force of his sword swing, and the low pressure around him will almost freeze into frost.
Looking at the strange atmosphere, Wei Wuxian moved closer to Nie Huaisang and whispered, "Brother Huaisang, don't you think we're walking through an ice cave? Jiang Cheng's face is as black as the bottom of a pot."
"I don't know. I don't know anything." Nie Huaisang frowned, feeling that he shouldn't have come here.
Lan Wangji stared straight ahead, expressionless, but the knuckles of his hand on the hilt of Bichen Sword tightened slightly, revealing that he was not entirely unaware.
Lan Xichen walked in the middle of the group, a hint of worry creeping into his gentle brows. He could tell that there was a problem between Jiang Cheng and Xie Linyang, and that Meng Yao was not in good condition and her thoughts were unpredictable, but as an outsider, he could not interfere too much, and could only be more vigilant in his surroundings.
This stalemate reached its peak when they camped for the night.
The campfire crackled, illuminating the varied expressions on everyone's faces. Jiang Cheng sat alone in the shadows furthest from the fire, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Xie Linyang sat by the fire, absentmindedly poking at the embers with a twig, his mind troubled.
Meng Yao leaned against a tree trunk and suddenly coughed violently. He curled up, his shoulders trembling, and he looked extremely painful.
"Are you alright?" Lan Xichen asked with concern, bending down to transfer spiritual energy to him.
"No...no need, Zewu-jun." Meng Yao waved her hand weakly, her voice barely a whisper, but her gaze passed over Lan Xichen, looking sadly at Xie Linyang, and she said softly, "Shizun, my wound hurts..."
In the flickering firelight, his pale face and watery eyes actually looked rather pitiful.
Xie Linyang frowned. She knew Meng Yao was putting on an act, but his injuries were indeed serious, and the Soul Binding Contract needed to be stabilized. She stood up, preparing to go and check on him.
"Clang!"
A sharp crack echoed as Jiang Cheng slammed the Three Poison Swords heavily onto a nearby rock. He abruptly stood up, his sharp eyes, gleaming with undisguised mockery and rage, fixed on Xie Lin Yang: "Truly, the bond between master and disciple runs deep; they can't bear to be apart for even a moment!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, startling everyone who turned to look.
Xie Linyang froze, her face turning pale at the sharpness of his words. She clenched her fingers, trying to explain, "Jiang Cheng, his injuries..."
"What does his injury have to do with me?!" Jiang Cheng interrupted her, stepping out of the shadows. The firelight illuminated his taut jawline and the surging pain and anger in his eyes. "Xie Lin Yang, is your only good disciple in your eyes? You believe him when he says he's in pain, and you feel sorry for him when he pretends to be pitiful! What about us? What are we to you?!"
He finally unleashed his pent-up anger, targeting Xie Linyang directly.
He didn't understand why the deep-thinking Meng Yao could always so easily sway his emotions, and why her trust and concern for him seemed to far surpass that for her comrades-in-arms.
Seeing the situation was turning sour, Wei Wuxian quickly stood up to smooth things over: "Jiang Cheng! Say less! Lin Yang is just worried about his disciple..."
"Disciple?" Jiang Cheng sneered, his gaze sweeping over Meng Yao, whose expression was changing, before finally fixing on Xie Linyang. "What a master and disciple! I'm afraid that in some people's hearts, the weight of this master and disciple relationship is far greater than they can imagine!"
Xie Linyang was stunned, staring at Jiang Cheng in disbelief. How could he... how could he think of her like that?!
He actually thinks she likes Meng Yao?
A surge of immense grievance and anger welled up inside her, causing her voice to tremble: "Jiang Cheng! What nonsense are you spouting!"
"I'm talking nonsense?" Jiang Cheng took a step closer, almost shouting, "Then tell me, what did you mean when you told him 'I care about you' in the ruins?! Huh?!"
He finally pulled out the thorn that bothered him the most, laying it bloody and exposed to everyone.
The scene was deathly silent. Wei Wuxian stared wide-eyed, Lan Wangji frowned, Lan Xichen looked surprised, and Mianmian and the others dared not even breathe.
Meng Yao lowered her head at the opportune moment, her shoulders shrugging slightly as if she were unable to bear the humiliation, but in reality, she was concealing a hint of triumph at the corner of her mouth.
Xie Lin Yang was struck dumb, her face turning deathly pale. Looking at Jiang Cheng's eyes, reddened with anger, and at the undisguised hurt and doubt in them, she felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart, the pain almost suffocating her.
So that's why... So that's what he heard!
An overwhelming sense of powerlessness and injustice overwhelmed her. She opened her mouth, only to find that any explanation seemed so pale and laughable in the face of Jiang Cheng's rage and the unspeakable truth.
Jiang Cheng interpreted her silence as tacit agreement.
The fire in his eyes gradually died out, leaving only cold disappointment and self-mockery.
He nodded, backing away repeatedly, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a sense of dejected weariness: "Fine... I was meddling, I... I got in your way."
After saying that, he turned around abruptly, no longer looking at anyone, and his figure resolutely disappeared into the darkness outside the camp again, even more lonely and cold than before.
"Jiang Cheng!" Wei Wuxian called out, wanting to chase after him.
"Let him calm down," Lan Xichen sighed softly, stopping Wei Wuxian.
All eyes were on Xie Linyang, who was pale and swaying precariously.
Only Jin Zixuan, who was fast asleep, was woken up. He frowned, changed to a more comfortable sleeping position, and thought, "These people are so boring!"
Xie Linyang stood there, feeling a chill run through her body. Jiang Cheng's final look of disappointment was like a knife, cutting back and forth in her heart.
She couldn't understand how things had gotten to this point. She only wanted to control the potential crisis and protect more people, so why did her most cherished companion misunderstand her so deeply?
She glanced at Meng Yao, whose head was bowed, her expression growing increasingly weary.
Meanwhile, in a corner unseen by anyone, Meng Yao felt Xie Lin Yang's pain and Jiang Cheng's departure, and a twisted sense of satisfaction grew wildly in her heart like a poisonous vine.
Master, you see, the more you try to explain, the more you try to get closer to him, the further he gets from you.
In the end, you can only look at me, and you can only belong to me.
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