The palm’s strong internal energy neared Yang Lianting’s face. His body was drenched in cold sweat, but he did not dodge. He stood still and closed his eyes.
Bang–
The palm strike did not hit Yang Lianting.
Dongfang Bubai’s hands shook uncontrollably. He turned his face aside and struck the stone pillar beside him. The stone pillar was smashed into pieces, collapsing with a loud bang. Dongfang Bubai took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger.
The Four Friends of Jiangnan were shivering in terror as they looked at each other helplessly. Silently sighing, they all shrank back to reduce their presence. Afraid that the Cult Master would lose his temper and take out his anger on them.
Yang Lianting sighed.
Looking at Dongfang Bubai’s pale face, green and drained of blood, he could not help but step forward and take his hands into his own. At first Dongfang Bubai wanted to break free, but Yang Lianting did not allow him to break away. One of his hands held him tightly and the other gathered his loose collar, then he gently rubbed this person’s hands. Sighing, he waited until Dongfang’s frozen hands had warmed before letting go.
The Four Friends of Jiangnan stood in the back and could not notice Yang Lianting’s actions, they all merely thought that this Brother Yang actually had the courage to be so close to the Cult Master, despite committing such a heinous offense. Stranger yet, the Cult Master did not tell him to ‘go to hell’ in anger. The four looked at each other in shock, not daring to speak.
“Yes, I deliberately schemed to kill Ren Woxing.”
Glancing back at the Water Dungeon, Yang Lianting vaguely heard the painful screams of Ren Woxing. He lowered his head, his expression obscured by the dark night and murky water.
After staying silent for a while, his eyes finally fell on the one in front of him. Yang Lianting’s eyes were deeply focused as he gently gazed into Dongfang Bubai’s black pupils. Sighing and slightly smiling, he slowly and resolutely said in a low voice, “As for Ren Yingying…”
“Killing her is imperative.”
“But Dongfang please believe that I don’t harbor the slightest intent to do you any harm.” Yang Lianting halted “As for why I chose tonight…”
Yang Lianting stared into Dongfang Bubai’s eyes and stated, “Dongfang, I can’t wait.” He was unwilling to live in constant anxiety, to watch the trajectory advance as before, to witness those who had harmed them continue to live in this world.
Dongfang Bubai shook his head.
His red rimmed eyes were brimming with the disappointment and pain he felt. He didn’t understand why Yang Lianting didn’t tell the truth, didn’t understand why Yang Lianting could still be so confident at this moment.
Dongfang Bubai, you’re too foolish.
The hands covered by his wide sleeves were tightly clenched together, his nails piercing into the flesh of his palms. Dongfang Bubai felt cold, the blood flow in his body stagnated, his muscles and bones were painfully pulled apart. He had not lost control of his emotions for a long time, he felt so furious and saddened that he wanted to destroy all.
However, he simply stood still, looked at Yang Lianting, then took a deep breath and turned his face away. I’m demanding and greedy so I’ve been deceived by Yang Lianting, and I don’t know shame so I’ve fallen in love with a man.
He only had himself to blame.
Dongfang Bubai stood still with clenched fists, trying his best to restrain his body from trembling. He forced the corners of his lips upward and coldly sneered.
What had he said in the beginning?
No matter what Lian di wanted, he would give it to him.
Now, Yang Lianting only wanted a mere cult master’s token, only wanted the lives of Ren Woxing and Ren Yingying.
Even if he betrayed him, even if their marriage was a sham–
Dongfang Bubai was willing to be deceived.
How come he still felt wronged?
Fearing that Yang Lianting would see his embarrassment and shame at this moment Dongfang Bubai tried to control and hold back his violently surging qi and reversing blood flow, he hastily swallowed back the metallic taste in his mouth, turned and left.
Yang Lianting noticed the changes in his body, he took a step forward and pulled his hand. Dongfang’s hand felt icy cold and his entire body was trembling incessantly. Yang Lianting’s heart skipped a beat, he asked, “Is your neigong in disorder?”
Dongfang Bubai’s blood and qi were in painful disorder, and after being recklessly pulled by Yang Lianting, he felt even more pain in his chest. Refusing to glance at him, he waved his sleeves and forcefully pushed the person away.
To the Four Friends of Jiangnan the atmosphere between the two men appeared wrong. Thinking that Yang Lianting intended to attack the Cult Master, the four quickly brandished their sharp weapons and surrounded Yang Lianting once again. One of them even used a grappling hook to restrain him. Unable to move even a little, Yang Lianting staggered a step forward and knelt on the ground with one knee. He did not attempt to resist and let himself be restrained by the Four Friends of Jiangnan.
Dongfang Bubai had already walked to the Water Dungeon’s exit, hearing the sound from behind his footsteps halted, looking back, his eyes focused on Yang Lianting’s figure. “Let him go!” Dongfang Bubai heard himself say.
“Cult Master, this person stole your Blackwood Token to fake your orders! He has ulterior motives–”
“Cult Master, this person is vicious and sinister, he mustn’t be left unguarded.”
“Cult Master, this villain–”
“Let him go!” Dongfang lowered his eyelids, his line of sight falling upon a certain point in the air. Lightly laughing at himself he thought that he was stupid and ridiculous, turning his back to Yang Lianting he told the four men detaining him, “Ren Woxing has been poisoned. Once he’s dead, I don’t need you all to guard here anymore, just find the nearest Hall to serve.”
Hearing Dongfang Bubai’s verbal decree, the Four Friends of Jiangnan felt joyous. They had guarded the underwater dungeon for many years and the four of them had led a miserable life, had felt like they were the ones imprisoned here instead. Finally they were permitted to leave, how could they not be joyous? The four hastily knelt down and thanked Dongfang Bubai for his grace.
No longer restrained, Yang Lianting thought about Dongfang Bubai’s current state. Feeling anxious and distressed, he quickly took a step forward to take his hand. “Dongfang, are you alright? Do you feel uncomfortable?”
The two were very close to each other.
Dongfang Bubai could see Yang Lianting’s eyes looking into his eyes with worry, his emotions did not seem to be fake. Tong Baixiong’s letter and tonight’s events were still vivid in his mind however. Dongfang Bubai’s heart only slightly softened, before it hardened in an instant.
He felt stupid.
He hated himself for being unable to fight back against him.
Anger attacked his heart.
Instantly, he spurted out a mouthful of blood.
“Dongfang–”
“Cult Master–”
“Cult Master–”
Yang Lianting’s heart was seized in a grip. He hastily stepped forward wanting to hold this person in his arms. The blood stains dripping down the corners of his mouth formed a sharp contrast to his nearly translucent complexion.
Yang Lianting regretted.
What about killing Ren Woxing, killing Ren Yingying?
No one was more important than the person before him.
Dongfang must be furious, must be thinking nonsense. So his blood flow reversed and his qi rose, deep pain visible in his eyes. Yang Lianting knew that Dongfang always felt violent pain after his martial arts backfired on him. In how much pain must he be?
Dongfang Bubai’s face was pallid, but he gritted his teeth and glanced at Yang Lianting with red rimmed eyes. He then pushed him aside, resolutely turned around, and used his qinggong to fly away.
Yang Lianting’s martial arts skills were meager, naturally he could not keep up with Dongfang Bubai. Still, he rushed to their house as fast as he could. On the way, he felt as anxious as if he were set afire. Grinning wryly, he slapped his face over and over.
“Truly a smartass.”
He had thought that he could quickly solve the biggest threat against Dongfang and himself, thought that Dongfang would be too tired, too exhausted to notice. Never had he expected…
Dongfang was incredibly sensitive and suspicious, yet he had used all his courage to gently and daringly give himself to him.
He clearly remembered the instant he had spurted out blood.
Yang Lianting felt unbearable heartache.
In his previous life, he had heartlessly hurt Dongfang Bubai many times. But now, in this life, he was the one who felt wronged and unwilling to let go. He took a deep breath and smiled bitterly at the thought. Yang Lianting felt as if a sharp blade stabbed his heart’s deepest, most vulnerable place.
Dongfang–
Yang Lianting ran back to the courtyard house unable to rest assured. He feared that Dongfang Bubai was enraged to the point that he would ignore him and directly return to Blackwood Cliff. Running past the courtyard’s gate, he noted that there was no light lit within the inner rooms. Even their bright bedchamber was now pitch-black. Yang Lianting’s heart skipped a beat. He breathed out to calm down, took a step forward and stretched out his hand to open the door.
The door could not be opened, it was locked from within.
Dongfang was inside.
Yang Lianting felt unbearable heartache.
Dongfang Bubai feared the dark, so even if he slept alone the candles would remain lit all night to give him a sense of security. Thinking that he must be in pain, Yang Lianting’s heart hurt. He raised his hand to knock on the door, “Dongfang, open the door. Please open the door, alright?”
“I can explain.”
“I used to like women, and I… I’ve also been to a lot of dirty places–”[12]
“But, I haven’t gone there since I met you.”
“Dongfang, I didn’t lie to you.”
“One lifetime, one couple.”
“I seriously want to be together for a lifetime…”
Yang Lianting stopped speaking as soon as his eyes saw the fresh blood stains covering the door sill, his heart skipped a beat. It had taken him a quarter of an hour[13] to arrive here, yet Dongfang was still coughing up blood? This person… in how much pain must he be?
Without even thinking Yang Lianting hastily turned back and ran out of the courtyard gate toward the nearest town in hopes of finding a pharmacy. He still remembered Ping Yizhi’s signature prescription for neigong disorder. If I let Dongfang Bubai go on like this– Yang Lianting felt deep fear, He will die in agony from his internal energy backfiring! I need to find medicine. Yang Lianting’s heart was set aflame, his mouth was dry, and he could not help but feel guilty. As if he had gone mad, he hastily searched pharmacy after pharmacy. However, the sky hadn’t yet brightened and this early in the morning the pharmacies had not yet opened.
“Who’s knocking this late? Come back tomorrow morning!”
“Get lost, don’t disturb people in the middle of the night!”
“Go somewhere else if you want medicine, we’re only open for business tomorrow morning. Stop knocking!”
He didn’t know how many doors he had knocked, until he finally found a pharmacy that would sell him the medicinal herbs he urgently needed. He quickly grabbed the bound paper packet, containing the medicine that had been compounded according to the prescription in his memory, and ran back.
He had just passed the gate when he noticed Dongfang Bubai standing a few steps away. Dongfang Bubai held an expression that looked fragile yet panicked, an expression that he had never seen before. In haste his red outer clothes were carelessly draped over his slim shoulders, his loose collar was covered in stains of blood, and his black hair was disheveled by the wind. On such a cold morning, he did not even wear shoes nor socks, and had run out barefoot. His face was as pale as paper, he frantically looked around.
The instant he saw Yang Lianting’s figure, the entire internal energy in his body seemed to have been drained. He took a deep breath, swallowed dryly and opened his mouth a little. He looked like he wanted to speak but before he could make a single sound, the rims of his eyes reddened. Dongfang Bubai looked away and turned around, about to leave.
Yang Lianting quickly stepped forward, grabbed him, rubbed his hands gently, “Dongfang, why did you go outside?”
“It must be painful! Dongfang, where are you hurt?”
Before he continued, Yang Lianting abruptly realized why he had run out in such a panic.
Is he afraid that I’ll leave? Even though he had deceived him tonight, even though he had acted in such a heretical manner and committed such a great offense behind his back, and even though he had truly infuriated him–
Dongfang fears that I’ll leave and never return.
Yang Lianting’s words were stuck in his dry throat. Looking at Dongfang Bubai’s profile, his chest felt unbearably painful. He breathed out to calm himself and after a long pause, he tightened his grip around his hands.
He smiled at him.
“Dongfang, I’ve brought you medicine.”
“The pharmacies weren’t open yet, so I had to knock on a lot of doors until I found one that was willing to help me.”