Sixty-eight mistakes

When Fei Ling chased outside the hall, he saw Jue Yi ensnared by Weihan’s pale ribbon.

“Let her go.”

Weihan stood unmoved, but the other three stepped forward in unison, blocking Fei Ling’s path. Weihan sneered, then wrapped the white ribbon around the Azure Soul Lamp in Jue Yi’s hand, masking its purifying, demon-banishing blue light. At the same time, she gripped Jue Yi’s throat, turning to Fei Ling and saying, “Choose. Will you let her go or eliminate her?”

“Why do you force me like this?” Fei Ling frowned, his sword appearing in his hand.

Among the five present, though Weihan was the eldest, she was the weakest. Sensing Fei Ling’s intent to fight, she pulled Jue Yi back, leaving the sixth and eighth to encircle Fei Ling, while the fourth, Withered Leaf, stepped before Jue Yi and spoke softly, “This all began because of you. You have the right to know everything and to judge his actions. So, I give this choice to you.”

Withered Leaf raised his hand and gently touched Jue Yi’s brow.

Jue Yi closed her eyes, and after a moment, tears slipped from the corners. Weihan released her, drawing back the white ribbon. Not far away, Fei Ling and his opponents unconsciously paused their struggle.

When Jue Yi opened her eyes again, they were clear as water. The blue light from the Azure Soul Lamp in her hand suddenly flared, making the others uncomfortable. After a brief moment, the light softened. Jue Yi stepped forward, stopping before Fei Ling, and said, word by word, “You lied to me and deceived me—I could forgive that. Taking the Undying Herb and seizing the Immortal Jade Box—I could let it go. But you slaughtered my tribe and destroyed my home; for that, I sever all ties with you. And you killed my father and my sister Bili—tell me, Your Highness Ninth Prince, how could I not hate you? If by chance I survive, even if my soul is scattered, I will see this vengeance personally repaid.”

As Fei Ling and the others stood stunned, Jue Yi spread her palm, letting the Azure Soul Lamp hover above. Realizing what she intended, Fei Ling rushed to stop her, but the lamp suddenly burst forth with a powerful light, keeping him at bay. In the surging blue radiance, Jue Yi’s body began to rise until she lay flat, suspended in the air. The Soul Lamp floated above her heart, paused for an instant, then plunged downward.

She bound the lamp with her own soul, sending the Azure Soul Lamp back into the Primeval Abyss. Unless she could restore her soul, she would fall into eternal slumber.

She was still not strong enough now. If they refused to let her go, escape would be impossible. So she made this choice, staking everything on a single gamble.

She would rather sleep forever than face him again. Truly stubborn, truly ruthless. The Azure Soul Lamp vanished, the blue light faded, and the others finally returned to themselves. Holding her limp form, Fei Ling could not help but break into wild laughter. Only now, at this moment, did he realize his mistake—how terribly, absurdly wrong he’d been. But who could tell him how to make amends? How to ease her pain? Cut out his own heart? But she had even denied him that chance...

She wouldn’t see him again, wouldn’t stay, wouldn’t even let another take revenge for her. Yes, he’d forgotten: the last time she sought help, he’d led the Hall of Ephemeral Life to annihilate her entire clan. How could she trust him again? How could she not have learned her lesson? This was her punishment for herself and her revenge upon him.

After laughter came bitter weeping; now Fei Ling was like a child denied his sweets. But a mistake is a mistake—he would never have another chance to choose, and she would never pretend nothing had happened.

Weihan’s expression grew grave. The others had departed; she watched a while longer, then turned away as well.

Thus, holding her still-warm body, Fei Ling sat outside the hall for seven days. On the eighth day, he finally stirred, placing her in a room and lighting incense made of Undying Herb around the bed.

“What do you intend to do?” Weihan asked.

“I’ll go to the Primeval Abyss, retrieve the Soul Lamp, and help you save the third brother. Then I’ll find a way to restore Jue Yi’s soul.”

Weihan frowned, clearly disapproving. “You think the Primeval Abyss is something you can just enter? If it were that easy, its treasures would have been looted long ago! Besides, she used her own soul as a binding—meaning part of her soul is now sealed with the lamp in the abyss. What will you use to restore her?”

“I have my ways.” Fei Ling’s gaze was cold, but his hands were gentle as he smoothed Jue Yi’s hair. “As long as she can enter the cycle of reincarnation, in time her immortal body and soul can be restored. Then, I’ll wait for her to seek vengeance.”

“You’re mad!” Weihan flung her sleeve. “Reincarnation is fraught with peril in every life. She’s a fragmented soul—if anything goes awry, what remains will scatter, and she’ll lose even the chance to be born again!”

“I will watch over her carefully. That’s none of your concern—just focus on saving the third brother.” Fei Ling looked no longer at Weihan, but fixed his gaze upon the silent Jue Yi on the bed.

At this, Weihan said no more and left with a sweep of her sleeve.

Three months later, he truly did retrieve the Azure Soul Lamp, but he himself was left half-dead, requiring Weihan and the others to take turns performing spells to save him. He never spoke of how he’d managed to enter the abyss, and they no longer bothered to ask.

Four years passed before Jue Yi’s remnant soul grew somewhat stable, and then Fei Ling took her away from the Hall of Ephemeral Life. Weihan and the others knew what he intended. Outwardly, they did not hinder him, but in secret they watched closely.

Thus began nine cycles of reincarnation, and with each, Jue Yi’s immortal soul repaired bit by bit. The Hall of Ephemeral Life, once five members, grew to nine. Fei Ling was no longer as despondent as at first—he’d even return for brief visits, his story becoming a favorite topic among the others.

When an accident befell Yun Qing in her tenth life, Fei Ling was chatting with Qing Ning, the newly minted Second Prince of the hall—or to be precise, being teased by her.

“So you’ve saved her—what of it? She’ll never forgive you just for that,” Qing Ning remarked coolly.

Fei Ling smiled; time had taught him calm. “I don’t expect forgiveness. With her nature, there’s little chance she ever will. Saving her is just what I wish to do. She’s slept so many years—I’ve almost kept vigil long enough. I want to see her open her eyes, to see her alive, to hear her speak, even if it’s to seek revenge.”

“Tsk, how sentimental. Why didn’t you think of all this before you acted? After so much effort to save her and bring her soul back, if you just let her kill you, wouldn’t it all be for nothing? You still wouldn’t see her again.” Qing Ning cracked melon seeds, unrestrained.

Fei Ling’s eyes dimmed, but he replied, “If we could foresee our ends, where would this world’s regrets come from? I’m waiting for her revenge—I never said I would just surrender. You talk about me, but aren’t you and Fifth Brother the same?”

Halfway through his words, Fei Ling paused, and before Qing Ning could reply, he vanished in a gust of wind, sending her seeds scattering. Soon after, Weihan entered, shaking her head and reporting his whereabouts.

The accident Weihan had foretold finally came, though it had been delayed by Fei Ling’s protection.

Fei Ling returned, and this time he snatched away the Fifth Prince’s artifact, White Night.

But saving someone with White Night came at a price. Before White Night could merge with Yun Qing’s incomplete soul, Fei Ling could not forcibly extract her soul from Ming Yue’s body, lest it be damaged further. Meanwhile, he had to continually feed the soul with objects representing what was missing—in Yun Qing’s case, emotion—so that White Night would resonate and merge with the remnant soul. Thus, the need for Lovesickness Incense; among all feelings, longing was the easiest to infuse into White Night.

Now, memory faded. Fei Ling opened his eyes and gazed at Yun Qing standing before him, his voice hoarse. “You may see me as whoever you like.”

“What virtue or ability does Yun Qing possess to deserve such care from the Hall of Ephemeral Life’s Ninth Prince?” Yun Qing smiled faintly, but her eyes were icy. She lifted her right hand, and the Azure Soul Lamp, sensing her intent within Fei Ling’s body, flew to her. She grasped it and said, “I once vowed: if by chance I survived, even if my soul be scattered, I would see my vengeance done. Since my survival is owed to Your Highness, I’ll let it go this time. But should we meet again, I hope Your Highness will not hold back.”

With the Azure Soul Lamp in hand, Yun Qing turned to leave. Suddenly, a white flash streaked across the sky, and thunder fell with a crash. Dark clouds rolled in, swallowing the last glimmer of light from the earth. The wind howled, carrying peals of thunder, heralding the coming wrath of heaven.

Just as Yun Qing took her first step forward, a bolt of lightning struck before her feet. Looking up, she saw that the sky above had gathered countless thunderclouds, as if the heavens themselves were summoning a trial.