Chapter 19 The Unexpected Price
Looking around at the mountains behind the gate, the night is as dark as ink.
Di Feisheng quietly sneaked into the forbidden area, his internal energy not yet fully recovered making him take every step with extreme caution. According to the clues provided by Jiao Liqiao, the Forgotten River Flower should grow in the deepest valley of the forbidden area.
The deeper they went, the richer the exotic floral fragrance in the air became. Di Feisheng's spirits lifted. This fragrance was exactly like the Lethe flower recorded in ancient texts. He quickened his pace and finally, at the edge of a cliff, he spotted the legendary flower—its entire body was as crystal-clear as ice, shimmering a faint blue light in the moonlight. It was the Lethe flower.
Just as he reached out to pick it, countless torches suddenly lit up around him.
"Di Feisheng, you've finally arrived!" Xiao Zijin led the Sigumen group out from the darkness, his expression stern. "Jiao Liqiao has already informed us of your plan."
Di Feisheng's heart sank, knowing he'd fallen into a trap. He suppressed his anger, his gaze fixed on the Forgotten River flower. "Move aside, I'll take the flower and leave."
"You are so arrogant, devil!" Qiao Wanwan said sternly, "Today I will make you pay for your past crimes!"
Di Feisheng sneered, the knife in his hand already unsheathed: "Just you guys?"
Normally, he would have ignored these people. But at this moment, his internal energy had only recovered 60%, and facing the siege of the Sigu Sect elites, he quickly fell into a disadvantage.
In the fierce battle, Di Feisheng braved a palm strike and finally approached the Forgotten River Flower. Just as his fingertips were about to touch the petals, a sharp sword energy suddenly struck from the side. He hurriedly dodged, but this left him vulnerable and he was struck by several palm winds simultaneously.
Di Feisheng knelt on one knee, blood dripping from the corner of his lips, staining his body dark red. His robe had been ripped in several places by the sword's energy, the deepest wound on his right chest, seeping more blood with every breath. All around him were the fiercely watching Si Gu Men masters, their torches tearing the night into pieces.
Xiao Zijin pointed his sword straight at him and sternly shouted, "Di Feisheng, today is the day you die!"
The sound of the flute seemed unheard. His gaze passed over all his enemies and fixed itself on the Forgetful River flower standing on the cliff edge. Its entire body was as crystal clear as ice, gleaming a faint blue in the moonlight, and its petals were still condensed with night dew, as translucent as teardrops.
Li Lianhua's pale face flashed before his eyes. The trembling body when the poison took effect that day, the cold sweat on her forehead, and the forced smile on her face all pierced his heart.
Must obtain the Lethe Flower.
This thought supported him as he slowly stood up. Every time he moved, the wound on his right chest ripped apart with pain, and his internal energy flowed through his meridians withering, leaving less than 40% of it.
"You are so stubborn!" Qiao Wanwan shouted delicately, and the sword light came straight at her like a rainbow.
Di Feisheng didn't dodge or evade, instead charging forward to meet the sword's edge. The moment the longsword pierced his left shoulder, his right hand, as quick as lightning, grasped Qiao Wanwan's wrist, leveraging the force to thrust forward. This unexpected move allowed him to instantly break through the encirclement and head straight for the cliff.
"Stop him!" Xiao Zijin roared, and dozens of sword energies attacked Di Feisheng's back at the same time.
Di Feisheng gritted his teeth and resisted. His protective Qi had already dissipated, and the sword energy ripped through his robes, leaving a crisscross of wounds on his back. He stumbled, blood gushing from his mouth, but he used the momentum to push closer to the cliff.
The Forgetful River flower is within reach, and its subtle fragrance is tangy.
Only three steps, two steps away——
Suddenly, a fierce palm wind struck from the side, aiming straight at Di Feisheng's heart meridian. Normally, he could easily deflect the attack, but now, his internal energy was depleted, his body sluggish, and he could only reluctantly turn sideways.
"Puff——" The palm force hit the old wound on the right chest heavily.
Di Feisheng's vision went dark, and his ears buzzed incessantly. He clearly felt the snap of his ribs, the excruciating pain nearly causing him to faint. Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the front of his shirt completely red.
"It's over." Xiao Zijin approached with a sneer, the tip of the sword pointing directly at his throat.
Di Feisheng fell to his knees, his breath foaming with blood. His vision began to blur. The Forgotten River flower swayed in the moonlight, as if within reach, yet as far away as the horizon.
Li Lianhua...
He seemed to see that person standing in the center of the lotus pond again, her white clothes whiter than snow, her smile as beautiful as a flower. The person with whom he had made a vow under the moon, the person for whom he was willing to give everything.
"Because you are the only one in this world who can rival me..."
"If I forget, wouldn't that be the biggest loss?"
A final glimmer of madness suddenly flashed in Di Feisheng's eyes. He bit his tongue fiercely, the intense pain bringing a moment of clarity. His depleted dantian unexpectedly forced out a surge of internal energy.
Ignoring the long sword stabbing at his throat and the deadly attacks coming from all around him, he rushed towards the cliff like an arrow!
The sword's edge grazed his neck, leaving a trail of blood. Countless attacks landed on his back, making dull thuds. He seemed oblivious to the sound of the flute, his eyes fixed only on the flower.
The fingertips finally touched the cold petals.
Just as he was picking the Forgotten Flower, the cliff beneath his feet loosened and collapsed due to the fighting. Di Feisheng fell straight into the abyss!
"Alliance leader!" Wu Yan's exclamation came from a distance.
On the way down, Di Feisheng used up his last bit of strength to carefully protect the Wangchuan Flower in his arms, and with his other hand he suddenly pulled out the long knife from his waist and stabbed it into the cliff wall!
There was a sharp friction sound, sparks flying everywhere. The long knife scratched deep marks on the cliff wall, slowing the fall. But the impact was still tremendous. Di Feisheng's arm made a terrible cracking sound, but he still held the knife handle tightly.
Finally, he stopped falling more than ten feet from the cliff bottom, hanging in mid-air. The Forgetful Flower in his arms was intact, still emitting a faint blue light.
Di Feisheng raised his head with difficulty, gazing at the distant cliffside above. The torchlight was as tiny as the stars. Blood flowed down his arm, staining the hilt of his knife and the rare flower in his arms that had saved his life.
He ripped off his shirt, carefully wrapped the Forgotten Flower, and stuffed it into his arms. After doing all this, he finally let go, exhausted, and let himself fall into the dark valley.
In his blurred consciousness, he seemed to see the lotus pond under the moon again, and saw Li Lianhua turning around and smiling at him.
"Wait for me..." Di Feisheng muttered to himself and fell into endless darkness.
He lay quietly in the grass at the bottom of the cliff, covered in blood, yet he had kept the Forgetful Flower intact. Moonlight shone on his pale face, and the corners of his lips held a faint curve.
It seemed to be saying: Li Lianhua, I have obtained your antidote.
At the bottom of the cliff, a chill wind blew fiercely. Di Feisheng regained consciousness amidst the excruciating pain. His first reaction was to reach into his arms—the Forgotten River flower, which he had bought with his life, was intact, still emitting a faint blue light.
"Is it worth it?" A familiar voice came from behind.
Di Feisheng turned his head suddenly and saw Li Lianhua standing quietly not far away, her white clothes fluttering in the night breeze, her face calm as if she had been waiting for a long time.
"You..." Di Feisheng struggled to get up, but stumbled and fell to the ground due to the severity of his injuries. Li Lianhua did not step forward to support him, but just watched him quietly.
The sound of fighting could be heard in the distance. The people of Sigumen were fighting against the Nanyin master who suddenly appeared. Di Feisheng understood everything in an instant: "This is your setup."
Li Lianhua agreed, her eyes sweeping over the Forgetful River flower in Di Feisheng's arms, a complex expression flashing in her eyes: "Jiao Liqiao is colluding with the remnants of Nan Yin. Only by luring them out can we catch them all in one fell swoop."
Di Feisheng stared at him intently, his voice hoarse: "So, all these days of being together day and night, it was all an act?"
Li Lianhua was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Aren't you acting too? You've clearly recovered your memory long ago."
Those words pierced Di Feisheng's heart like a sharp knife. He thought back to the days when he'd feigned amnesia, remembered Li Lianhua's cautious probing, remembered the unfulfilled vow under the moon...
"I took the Forgotten Flower to save you." Di Feisheng clenched the flower in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force, "And you..."
"And I used you to lure out the enemy." Li Lianhua continued, her tone cruelly calm. "Alliance Leader Di, we're even."
"Hehe...hahaha..." Jiao Liqiao, who had been hiding in the dark, suddenly appeared and couldn't help laughing. The laughter echoed in the empty cave with a bit of creepy madness. "My Lord, my Lord, do you understand now? I am the only one in this world who truly loves you!"
Her original plan was to use the sound of the flute as bait to lure the main force of the Si Gu Sect to the back mountain and capture them all in one fell swoop. To this end, she even made a deal with the Nan Yin elders, promising to share the position of leader after the plan was successful.
Unexpectedly, Li Lianhua had outmaneuvered them, using the sound of the flute to draw out the Nanyin forces. During the earlier melee, she had clearly witnessed the heavy losses suffered by the Nanyin elders, and the forces that had been lurking in the Central Plains for many years had been nearly eradicated.
"What a jerk Li Xiangyi..." Jiao Liqiao gritted her teeth, digging her nails into her palms. "He actually ruined my years-long plan!"
But on second thought, this might not be such a bad thing. The damage to Nan Yin's power would actually reduce the obstacles to her future control of the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance. And Di Feisheng's breakup with Li Lianhua was a godsend.
"Your Majesty must be in great pain right now, right?" Jiao Liqiao looked at Di Feisheng. Since Di Feisheng and Li Lianhua had broken up, she still had a chance. "Being betrayed by the one you love most... I'm all too familiar with this feeling."
An obsessive glint flashed in her eyes: "But it doesn't matter, I will stay by your side. When you have tasted the bitterness of betrayal, you will understand who truly loves you..."
She wanted to take Di Feisheng away. From now on, Di Feisheng would belong to her alone!
Di Feisheng turned a blind eye to all this and just stared at Li Lianhua: "What about the oath under the moon? Was that also a play?"
Li Lianhua turned away, avoiding his gaze. "The oath under the moon... let's just treat it as a dream."
Di Feisheng suddenly burst into laughter, a shrill and desperate laugh that caused his wounds to burst open, staining his clothes red with blood. "What a dream! Li Xiangyi, you really haven't changed..."
He forced himself to stand up and threw the Forgetful Flower at Li Lianhua. "Your antidote! We're even now!"
The flower traced an arc in the air, and Li Lianhua instinctively caught it. The petals were icy cold, as if carrying the last of Di Feisheng's body temperature.
"From today on, we'll be enemies if we meet again." Di Feisheng's voice was as cold as ice, and every word was tinged with blood. "Next time we meet, I won't show mercy."
Li Lianhua clenched the flowers in her hand, her knuckles turning white, but she remained calm: "That's exactly what I want."
Wuyan arrived with the remnants of the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance, and Jiaoliqiao went over to support the shaky Di Feisheng. Before leaving, Di Feisheng took one last look at Li Lianhua, a look so cold that it made Li Lianhua feel as if she were falling into an icy cave.
Only after the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance had completely vanished from the valley did Li Lianhua stumble forward, holding onto the rocks beside him. He looked down at the blood-stained Forgetful River flower in his arms, and finally coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Fang Duobing walked out from the darkness, worried: "Why are you doing this? You can clearly explain..."
Li Lianhua slowly turned around. The moonlight shone on his pale face, revealing a sense of transparent fragility. He coughed softly, and dark red blood oozed from between his fingers.
"The Nanyin people have been lurking in the Central Plains for decades, and their ambitions are not small." Li Lianhua's voice was soft, yet heavy with fatigue. "Jiao Liqiao is merely a pawn in the open, but there are deeper forces behind them."
He looked towards the still smoking Sigumen headquarters in the distance: "Over the years, I have been tracking down the remnants of Nanyin. They acted in secret, leaving almost no loopholes. Until..."
"Until Di Feisheng appears with amnesia?" Fang Duobing seemed to understand something.
Li Lianhua nodded. "Everyone knows Jiao Liqiao's obsession with Di Feisheng. If he suddenly disappears, Jiao Liqiao will surely be searching frantically. This is the best opportunity to lure out the Nanyin people."
He paused, his tone growing deeper: "But I didn't expect... that he would become like that."
The Di Feisheng who would panic for him, express concern clumsily, and even risk his life to get medicine for him was completely different from the cold-blooded leader of the Golden Yuan Alliance in his memory.
"So you are using his own trick against him, pretending to deal with him, but actually luring him out of his hole?" Fang Duobing suddenly realized.
Li Lianhua smiled bitterly, "That was true at first. But then..." He touched his chest, where the feeling of Di Feisheng's careful care still lingered, "I wavered."
Those days spent together day and night, the unfulfilled vows under the moon, the figure who sacrificed herself to get flowers for him...none of this was fake.
"Then why don't you tell him the truth?" Fang Duobing was puzzled. "You can definitely join forces..."
"Precisely because we can't join forces!" Li Lianhua suddenly became agitated, triggering another violent coughing fit. "The Nan Yin people are too cunning. If they see even the slightest flaw, they'll continue to lurk. Only if Di Feisheng truly hates me will Jiao Liqiao believe in this breakup, and the Nan Yin people will feel comfortable revealing themselves."
He took a breath and continued, "What's more...if Di Feisheng knew, he would protect me at all costs. But his internal energy hasn't recovered yet, and Nanyin is full of masters. I can't let him take any more risks."
Fang Duobing stared at him blankly: "So you'd rather let him hate you than not protect him?"
Li Lianhua didn't answer, but silently wiped the blood from his lips. His eyes fell on the Wangchuan flower in his arms. The petals were stained with Di Feisheng's blood, and they looked particularly dazzling in the moonlight.
"For years, I've been searching for an antidote," Li Lianhua said softly. "The poison from the green tea has penetrated my bones, and there's no cure. This Wangchuan flower... can't actually save my life."
Fang Duobing was shocked: "Then why do you..."
"But it can save others." Li Lianhua looked up, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "The people of Nanyin are good at using poison. I don't know how many people they have harmed over the years. This Wangchuan flower is a holy medicine for detoxification. Perhaps one day... it can save those who need it."
He carefully put the flower away, as if it were some rare treasure. "As for Di Feisheng...it's better for you to hate me. It's better than dying for me."
Disciples from the Si Gu Sect called out from afar; the pursuit continued. Li Lianhua straightened his robes, returning to his usual nonchalant demeanor.
"Let's go, the show has to go on." He turned and left, his back looking particularly lonely in the moonlight.
Fang Duobing followed behind and couldn't help but look back in the direction where Di Feisheng left. Suddenly he understood what kind of heavy sincerity was hidden behind this seemingly ruthless deception.
Moonlight shone on the cliff face, where traces of the knife carved by the flute flying sound and mottled blood were still visible, silently telling a story of self-sacrifice and betrayal.
Li Lianhua, carrying the Forgetful Flower, took every step with great difficulty. He knew that from now on, Di Feisheng, who would feel heartbroken and panic for him, would never come back.
This was the price he had never expected when he set up the scheme.
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