Han Yunxi only replied, “I trust you, not Long Feiye.” She gave her husband a meaningful look after that. After he’d lied to her about the condition of his injuries, how was she supposed to believe him again?
Long Feiye looked like he wanted to explain himself, but in the end he only settled for a silent smile. Actually, he had long told his master not to reveal the information about the Lustbite Seal. Even if this woman was glaring at them both, she’d still be fooled all the same. The sword sect master didn’t expect Han Yunxi’s words. As he studied his disciple’s half-hearted attempts to speak, his heart ached.
Feiye has really given thought and care to this lass!
“Feiye, let’s begin,” the sword sect master intoned.
“What…are you planning to do?” Long Feiye asked. Although the two of them couldn’t mention the Lustbite Seal by name, they were very clear on the situation. Long Feiye hadn’t controlled all of its powers yet because he came out early. He had suppressed its last shreds of power within his body by sheer will alone. Because of this, his internal injuries were actually quite serious. He had forced himself to fight the sword sect master for three days and three nights, but a single moment of inattention would have lost him the battle. If he could master the last bit of Lustbite Seal energy, then his true skills would be on par with his master.
Currently, the final bits of energy were still swirling madly within his body. Thanks to his nap, it was acting up now more than before. Because his internal injuries were so severe, he had no way to draw out the energy, much less control it. Thus, he could only rely on external forces like that of his master’s strength. His master could help him heal his injuries; after that, he would expel the final bit of the Lustbite Seal to harness it anew.
“This old man will use my inner energy to heal your wounds,” the sword sect master said seriously. Long Feiye nodded without a word. Only true qi could help heal him now.
His master arranged for a guard at the doors before the duo sat down on a bamboo bed, one in front of the other. Han Yunxi stood on one side watching.
“Lass, you’re only allowed to look. Don’t make any sound, understood?” the sword sect master warned. “Otherwise, you’ll risk his life.”
Han Yunxi nodded firmly. “I understand.”
“Feiye, remember not to get distracted,” the sword sect master said next.
“Mm,” Long Feiye replied simply.
“Maybe it’s better if I leave. I’ll wait outside the door,” Han Yunxi felt her heart sink. She’d distract Long Feiye just by standing around.
“You can just stand there. I feel more at ease with you here,” Long Feiye smiled.
The sword sect master had already started circulating his qi, so Han Yunxi dared not speak. She quickly withdrew to stand behind Long Feiye. He too, stopped feeling distracted, but he soon felt that something was wrong. The sword sect master wasn’t channeling him his true qi at all but his…inner energy!
Alarmed, he turned back to see the old man holding him by the shoulders and sending him his powerful energy.
“Master…” Long Feiye blurted out. It was the first time he’d referred to his master since coming out of his cultivation.
“Don’t get distracted!” the sword sect master’s voice was as sonorous as a bell. Long Feiye knew the consequences of his master’s actions and didn’t want to accept this. But all he could do was turn around and endure it in silence. Master wasn’t using true qi to heal him, but inner energy! That’s exactly what the old man had tried on Duanmu Yao before, but Long Feiye had stopped him then.
True qi could be recovered over time, but inner energy was far more difficult. With master’s age and body, it’d be impossible for him to ever get it back. Whether his healer used true qi or inner energy, great sacrifices would be required. Just how much inner energy was master planning to give him? Long Feiye didn’t know. Perhaps the sword sect msater wasn’t certain either. After all, this was the first time either of them had dealt with internal injuries from the Lustbite Seal’s backlash.
Vigorous, pure internal energy poured unceasingly into Long Feiye’s body. He could clearly feel his injuries healing up and the last bit of Lustbite Seal energy growing calm with the infusion. Long Feiye had to focus his attention to absorb the sword sect master’s internal energy as his own. Only by taking it as his own could he truly cure his wounds. As time trickled by, the sword sect master’s channeling didn’t cease. Han Yunxi watched them from behind, her heart stuck in her throat. Yet she was far from knowing the dangerous truth, or the sword sect master’s boundless sacrifice.
In his moment of insanity, the sword sect master had tried to give his internal energy to Duanmu Yao; in his moment of sanity, he now channeled it willingly to Long Feiye. It was proof enough of how much he doted on this disciple as well. In the wide and expansive rooms, there was nothing but silence. The weak candlelight glimmered on Long Feiye and the sword sect master’s forms, whose faces were covered in sweat. The simple curing session was hiding turbulent waves.
Suddenly!
Long Feiye turned back to look at the sword sect master, his face turning green as his eyes widened. Alarmed, Han Yunxi stepped forward, wanting to ask what was the matter. But in the end, she held herself back, afraid to disturb the pair. Long Feiye was stunned for the simple fact that the sword sect had given him five levels of inner energy into his body. That was equal to half a lifetime’s worth of cultivation for the man! His master was a level eight expert, but now he’d fallen down to level three. Even the branch faction disciples could be a match for him now. Although he wasn’t a complete waste now, he might as well be compared to his previous state.
Long Feiye had no choice but to feel stunned. How could he accept this? Master was sacrificing his everything for his sake!
“Feiye, concentrate on assimilating the energy!” the sword sect master said word by word, his voice powerful.
It was such a familiar voice to Long Feiye. Master had spoken the same words when he was just a child learning to cultivate his own internal energy. In a flash, Long Feiye returned to his past. The sword sect master was a strict teacher, but also a loving father. He dropped his severity after every training session to personally cook a table full of dishes. While he drank his wine, Long Feiye would drink his tea. They spent late summer nights beneath a canopy of stars, exchanging toasts and feeling carefree.
Perhaps the sole childhood moments of Long Feiye’s life came from summer nights on Celestial Mountain.
Sensing that Long Feiye was getting distracted, the sword sect master roared, “Feiye, you’ve never disappointed your master before! You’re not allowed to this time, either!”
Long Feiye’s heart was filled with grief, but he quickly concentrated his efforts into controlling himself. Five levels’ worth of internal energy required massive energy to absorb and assimilate! In the late moonlit night, Han Yunxi…saw everything while remaining silent. By the time dawn peeked out from the east, the sword sect master finally withdrew his hands and almost fell to the side. Fortunately, he caught himself with a hand. His task was done.
But Long Feiye was still at work. After recovering his internal injuries, Long Feiye had to draw out the last of the Lustbite Seal’s power before forcefully reabsorbing it anew in a show of control. The sword sect master got off the bed with difficulty. Despite being dressed neatly, he gave off an air of distress. From his lofty perch as an eighth level expert, he was now a simple level three. What a fall.
His face was ashen white, and he had difficulty standing. After swaying for a bit, he headed for Han Yunxi. She didn’t dare to make a peep besides staring at him. When he came closer, she prepared to help him at the same time a massive force exploded from Long Feiye’s body. Though it was formless and invisible, even a non-practitioner like Han Yunxi could feel the sheer vicious, killing intent coming from within him. Instinct told her that this was nothing good. Had the sword sect master just given this energy to Long Feiye, or did it come from him himself? Her heart was filled with curiosity, but she was afraid to ask. Instead, she continued walking towards the sword sect master.
But Long Feiye suddenly took out his whip and swung it viciously at the air. Han Yunxi stiffened. Recalling his back, she wondered whether he was going to…in alarm, she moved to speak, but the sword sect master gave her a stern look. Her mouth opened and closed a few times in silence.
Just like this, she watched wide-eyed as Long Feiye’s whip rose into the air, twirled in a circle, and lashed viciously at his back. Fresh blood flew out at the contact to splash in all directions. The last bit of Lustbite Seal energy was stronger than anything else before it. It was very difficult to control. Although the whip only lashed him once, it was stronger than any lash he’d felt before. Han Yunxi could smell the stench of blood slowly permeating throughout the room. She muffled her mouth and held back her ears, forcing herself to not think about what Long Feiye must have gone through in the past month. She always knew this man wasn’t simple, but never realized how difficult his path must have been.
He stood in the darkness with a single whip, his figure looking desolate and lonely. It felt as if he was standing between Heaven and Earth, both closeby yet immeasurably far away. Han Yunxi’s heart ached. She couldn’t express it, but she told herself to treat this man well and do all she could to love and protect him. As Long Feiye stood, Han Yunxi and the sword sect master remained unmoving as well. She stared fixated at him while the sword sect master had his back to the man with hooded eyes as he waited.
Finally, when the sun climbed high enough over the mountains to illuminate half the peak, Long Feiye slowly turned around. His face was speckled with blood, but his smile was beautiful.
He was smiling at Han Yunxi, who returned his grin. Seeing this, the sword sect master gave a long exhale before he smiled as well. Long Feiye walked towards Han Yunxi, but stopped suddenly after three steps.
‘Master!’ he threw his voice at him to express his alarm. The sword sect master looked over in shock, only to see Long Feiye looking perfectly fine. What’s wrong with him?
‘What is it?’ the sword sect master replied.
‘The Lustbite Seal’s energy is reversing its flow,’ Long Feiye said seriously.
After quelling the last of the Lustbite Seal, all of its energy had integrated into his body. He could feel that he was more powerful than before. He thought he had it under control, but the force had abruptly started acting against him! The sword sect master was greatly alarmed. He had never encountered this situation before. Is he on the path to cultivation insanity?
At this moment, the guard spoke up from outside. “Grandmaster, Elder Cang’s sent someone to hurry us on.”
In front of Celestial Mountain’s grand plaza, the ranking matches had already begun…