Yue Ling’s emergency talisman had escaped.
That did not mean Yue Ling was nearby.
Xuan Mei knew that.
Gu Yan knew it too.
The tournament grounds were enormous.
The Wind Resonant residences occupied another mountain.
Even a Heavenly Domain cultivator required time to cross distance.
Not much.
But right now—
Minutes mattered.
Gu Yan’s sword changed.
Gray Essence darkened.
Xuan Mei frowned.
Something was wrong.
His spiritual aura twisted.
Cold.
Wet.
Rotten.
Not the clear river Essence associated with Nine Rivers Sword Pavilion.
Something beneath it.
Something hidden.
Gu Yan’s eyes gained a faint red ring.
“Demonic Essence.”
Xuan Mei’s voice hardened.
Orion stared.
Gu Yan said nothing.
That was confirmation enough.
Black-red veins appeared across his sword arm.
His aura surged.
Xuan Mei’s expression changed.
He had been concealing strength.
Not cultivation.
Something worse.
Demonic techniques.
Gu Yan moved.
Xuan Mei barely raised her sword.
The impact threw her backward.
She recovered in midair.
Wind gathered beneath her feet.
Gu Yan was already there.
Sword.
Block.
Second strike.
Block.
Third.
Blood appeared across Xuan Mei’s arm.
Fourth.
Her sword slipped.
Gu Yan’s fifth strike hit her side.
Xuan Mei crashed into the wall.
Orion moved before thinking.
He caught her.
The impact drove both of them across the floor.
Pain tore through his chest.
Xuan Mei immediately pushed herself up.
“Why are you here?”
Orion coughed.
“This is my room.”
“Orion.”
“Bad time?”
Her eyes flashed.
“Leave.”
“No.”
“That was not a suggestion.”
Gu Yan walked toward them.
Xuan Mei stood.
Orion caught her sleeve.
She looked back.
“I can’t outrun him.”
She froze.
That was true.
“If I run, he goes through you.”
“That is preferable.”
“No.”
Something fierce entered Orion’s blue eyes.
“Not to me.”
Xuan Mei stared.
Gu Yan attacked.
She turned.
Moonwind Step.
Her swords met his.
Orion forced himself upright. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
He could not beat Gu Yan.
Couldn’t even meaningfully injure him.
But he could watch.
That was what he had done throughout the tournament.
Watch.
Learn.
Adapt.
Gu Yan’s swordsmanship changed when he used demonic Essence.
Less refined.
More aggressive.
His right shoulder dropped before certain thrusts.
His left foot turned before the river-style sweeping strikes.
Tiny things.
Meaningless against someone this much stronger.
Except—
Xuan Mei was close enough to use them.
“Left!”
Xuan Mei reacted instantly.
She shifted right.
Gu Yan’s hidden thrust missed her abdomen.
Her sword cut his ribs.
Gu Yan’s eyes snapped toward Orion.
Orion smiled weakly.
“Hi.”
Killing intent exploded.
Xuan Mei’s expression changed.
Gu Yan vanished.
Not toward her.
Toward Orion.
“NO!”
Orion saw the sword.
Could not avoid it.
Golden Essence erupted from what little remained in his dantian.
He raised his own weapon.
CLANG!
His sword shattered.
The force hurled him backward.
Gu Yan followed.
Xuan Mei appeared between them.
Both swords crossed.
Gu Yan struck.
Xuan Mei’s knees bent.
Stone shattered beneath her feet.
She refused to move.
“Stay.”
Her voice trembled with effort.
“Behind.”
Another strike.
“Me.”
Gu Yan’s sword descended again.
Blood ran from Xuan Mei’s hands.
Orion saw it.
Something inside him twisted.
Not pride.
Not embarrassment.
Fear.
He had never wanted someone he cared about injured because of him.
Yet that was exactly what was happening.
“Xuan Mei.”
“Don’t.”
“You can’t keep taking—”
“I said don’t.”
Her silver eyes never left Gu Yan.
“This is my choice.”
Orion froze.
Those words.
Their conversation at Dawnflower Lake.
Choose me once.
Yourself.
Xuan Mei smiled despite the blood on her lips.
“You told me to choose for myself.”
Gu Yan attacked.
Her swords flashed.
“So stop complaining when I do.”
Something broke open inside Orion’s chest.
Not cultivation.
Something quieter.
Warmer.
The system chimed.
[Ding.] The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
[Affection increased.]
[Affection: 50%]
[Major Bond Milestone Reached.]
[Bonded Companion: Xuan Mei]
[Emotional State: Genuine Romantic Love Emerging]
Orion’s breath caught.
A second screen appeared.
[50% Bond Reward generated from Xuan Mei’s nature, physique, and cultivation path.]
[Reward: Sun-Moon Resonance Scripture]
[Grade: Divine]
[Description: A paired resonance scripture allowing Solar and Lunar-aligned cultivators to harmonize Essence, techniques, recovery, and combat rhythm.]
[Special Trait: Effect increases with mutual trust and emotional synchronization.]
[Reward stored.]
Orion dismissed it instantly.
Later.
If they had a later.
Gu Yan struck again.
Xuan Mei’s left sword flew from her hand.
It embedded itself in a distant wall.
She stumbled.
Gu Yan’s blade came down.
Orion moved.
He had no sword.
No Essence worth mentioning.
So he threw the nearest thing he had.
A ceramic medicine bowl.
It struck Gu Yan in the side of the head.
Crack.
Everyone froze.
The bowl shattered.
Gu Yan slowly turned.
Orion stared back.
“…That worked better in my head.”
Xuan Mei laughed.
Actually laughed.
During an assassination attempt.
Gu Yan’s face finally showed genuine fury.
That half-second was enough.
Xuan Mei’s remaining sword flashed.
Pure Moon Sacred Physique—Moonshadow Severance.
Silver light crossed Gu Yan’s chest.
Blood erupted.
He staggered.
Xuan Mei immediately retreated to Orion.
She grabbed him.
“Run.”
“You said the formation—”
“I broke part of it.”
They moved.
Xuan Mei supported most of his weight.
Behind them—
Gu Yan roared.
The gray disguise around his Essence collapsed completely.
Demonic blood-light erupted.
The medical pavilion’s remaining walls shattered.
A black-red sword river surged after them.
Xuan Mei turned.
Her face became pale.
Too strong.
She raised her sword anyway.
Orion stood beside her.
Not behind.
Xuan Mei looked at him.
“Idiot.”
“Frequently.”
The sword river descended.
Then—
Stopped.
Everything stopped.
Dust.
Broken wood.
Blood droplets.
The demonic river.
Even the wind.
A woman’s voice came from behind them.
Calm.
Soft.
Terrifying.
“Take your sword away from my disciple.”
Gu Yan’s face went white.
Moonlight flooded the ruined pavilion.
Yue Ling had arrived.