Chapter 33
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Chapter 33: Title
"Young master, you’re finally awake!" Qiao Zhu helped Mu Huaiyun sit up. It had only been an hour, but it felt like days to her.
Thank goodness, the young master had endured the harsh medicine; now, aside from weakness, he was fine.
Mu Huaiyun slowly let out a stale breath, coughed a few times, and asked, "What… happened to me?"
"Young master, you are…"
Qiao Zhu’s words were cut off by a disciple rushing in. Overwhelmed caring for Mu Huaiyun, she had sent a disciple to guard the cave entrance.
The disciple looked terrified, stammering, "It’s bad! There’s… there’s a monster outside the cave! It’s… it’s Yin Huai!"
"What?!"
Mu Huaiyun was the first to rush out.
Yin Huai’s clone was curled up nearby, raising her delicate face slightly. Her pale look seemed pitiful.
But Mu Huaiyun had no pity. He demanded, "Where is Ye Qingshang? Where is she?"
"Cough, cough…" A coughing fit brought tears to her eyes. She sniffled, her voice raspy. "I never thought the great young master of Yunshan Sect would care most about that. If I said I settled Ye Qingshang safely, then your sect attacked me, would you believe it?"
"Does it matter if I believe you? I’ll ask one more time: where is Ye Qingshang? Give her back to me!"
"Ha… Give her back?" She smiled smugly. "You see, I’m dying. She’s my only bargaining chip. If I give her to you, what do I do? Wait to die?"
"You!"
"Young master!" Qiao Zhu and the others hurried out of the cave behind him.
Mu Huaiyun and the others had heard the conversation with Yin Huai’s clone. But they hadn’t faced Yin Huai much, and since his clone was incredibly skilled, they couldn’t tell if it was the clone or the real body.
They only knew the monster was right before them, badly hurt and helpless. The group cared little for anyone else’s life, focused solely on ending the monster to honor the dead villagers of Quan Village.
"Yin Huai, your easy days are over!"
Someone shouted first, stirring the crowd’s anger. The disciples quickly gathered their spiritual power and aimed it all at Yin Huai’s clone.
The attack was obvious, but Mu Huaiyun barely blocked it.
Through the water mirror, Ye Qingshang saw Mu Huaiyun’s face turn pale, and she frowned.
Yin Huai said, "Feeling sorry for him? Well, I still have to chat with him properly. Won’t that hurt you more?"
"You scoundrel!" Ye Qingshang glared fiercely at him.
Yin Huai stepped back casually from Ye Qingshang, gathered a surge of spiritual power with his fingertips, and sent it into the water mirror.
Outside the cave, Yin Huai’s clone got that power and smiled slightly. "I must say, you have no compassion. I’m just a weak woman, yet you attack me."
She pretended to sigh. "I pity Ye Qingshang. I caught her for your sake, and now she’s trapped and in danger. Yet you’d cut off her last hope."
"My life isn’t worth saving, but if you kill me, I’ll make sure Ye Qingshang dies with me!"
Yin Huai’s clone’s words didn’t move most Yunshan Sect disciples. Apart from Qiao Zhu, Senior Brother Yin, and Mu Huaiyun, hardly anyone cared if Ye Qingshang lived or died.
The disciples, high above, easily decided one person’s fate.
After all, sacrificing one to save many—who would hesitate?
In the end, it just didn’t concern them.
"Young master, don’t listen to Yin Huai’s lies. She’s dodging blame. So many died in Quan Village, showing her cruelty. Let her escape today, and you may never get another chance to kill her!"
"Young master, this monster is sly. Even if you do what she wants, will she really free anyone?"
"Yes, young master, you can’t miss this chance. Think carefully!"
Amid the noise and chaos, Mu Huaiyun felt a wave of nameless emotion rise in him, making it hard to breathe.
"If I let you go, will you spare Ye Qingshang?"
Yin Huai’s clone said, "Of course."
"Talk is cheap. How can I trust you?" Mu Huaiyun handed her a pill. "Swallow this first."
That wasn’t too foolish. Yin Huai’s clone smiled and refused flatly. "You can’t bargain with me. Want Ye Qingshang alive? Do as I say."
Mu Huaiyun paused, unmoving.
"What will he choose?" Yin Huai asked through the water mirror.
Ye Qingshang glanced at him but stayed silent.
Yin Huai didn’t mind. Instead, he said kindly, "Care to guess?"
What was there to guess? To everyone, it was sacrifice one to save all. Even a fool would choose that, and Mu Huaiyun was no fool.
Though her bond with Mu Huaiyun had eased since her past life, she didn’t think they were close enough for him to give up this perfect chance to kill the ancient beast for her. Impossible.
Besides, no one knew this was Yin Huai’s clone; they likely thought it was the real body. Immortal sect rules said such beasts must be killed on sight, not captured. Whatever reason Mu Huaiyun had for freeing Yin Huai, it would mean disobedience and punishment.
One reason was the people’s welfare, the other was the rules. Either alone would make Mu Huaiyun abandon Ye Qingshang.
This absurd choice was doomed from the very beginning.
She refused to gamble.
"What? Won’t guess?" Yin Huai shook his head with feigned regret. "Then I’ll guess. This Yunshan Sect young master seems deeply devoted—he’ll surely save you. But will his disciples agree?"
"Silence!" The word "devoted" stabbed at Ye Qingshang. Could Yin Huai be blind? Where did Mu Huaiyun show devotion? They weren’t even friends.
"Hah… Flying into a rage isn’t wise…"
Before Yin Huai finished, Mu Huaiyun made his decision.
He leaned forward, spiritual power condensing around the pill. The pressure forced her eyes downward. When Yin Huai’s clone braced for death, a faint crack echoed—the pill had crumbled to dust.
Mu Huaiyun turned, his voice ringing clear:
"Go. I spare you."
Outrage erupted. Disciples glared like magistrates passing judgment, their expressions sharp enough to startle Ye Qingshang. For a moment, she couldn’t name the emotion stirring within her.
