Chapter Thirty-Two: When I Awaken

“Linglong, don’t!” The cry was nothing short of hysterical, as if Han Tanyi had exhausted every ounce of strength he possessed. His body jerked upright, terror etched across his face, his hands clawing desperately at the air, as if searching for something—anything. To Old Su, watching from nearby, the scene was bewildering. He gently pressed his hand to Han Tanyi’s shoulder, letting his spiritual energy flow, attempting to calm the young man. It was true; such actions were often the result of an overwhelming shock, causing one’s spiritual energy to surge uncontrollably. Old Su’s abilities surpassed Han Tanyi’s by several degrees, and it was no great task for him to restore order. With a few guiding touches, Han Tanyi’s spiritual energy slowly steadied, and his agitation ebbed. Yet even then, pain lingered on his face, and his lips muttered softly, “Linglong, don’t… don’t…”

“You finally woke up, boy. It wasn’t easy—almost scared this old man half to death!” Only after Han Tanyi’s emotions were soothed did Old Su withdraw his hand. It wasn’t the first time he’d helped the youth regulate his energy, though this time seemed easier. When Old Su’s gaze lingered on Han Tanyi, a trace of worry flickered in his eyes—a feeling not even he could place. Han Tanyi, catching Old Su’s words, finally began to register his surroundings. His gaze landed on Old Su’s face, unchanged from his memory. Yet hadn’t he been ascending the cliff face? How had he ended up here?

“Where is this place? Why am I here? Wasn’t I dead? What happened to Linglong? Is she alright?” Questions tumbled out of Han Tanyi’s mouth in a rush, confusion giving way to deep concern. Old Su was momentarily stunned by the barrage, unsure where to begin. After a brief pause, he replied, “What nonsense are you talking, boy? Dead? You’ve been here all along, just unconscious. You only now woke up.”

Unconscious, here all along—how could that be? Han Tanyi’s mind reeled, his eyes still fixed on Old Su, searching for answers the old man couldn’t provide. As confusion mounted, Han Tanyi instinctively scanned his surroundings. The bamboo grove was far behind; now, they were in a mountain valley, the rush of a nearby stream audible, and the cool breeze brushing his face was real and unmistakable. Was this truly outside the illusion? How had he come here?

“Old Su, what about Linglong? Is she alright?” Despite his confusion, Han Tanyi suddenly remembered something. He had been sleeping here, so what he’d experienced must have been a dream—mere illusion. If so, then the painful farewell never happened, and Linglong should be here, by his side. Without waiting for a reply, he began searching anxiously, this time more urgently. Just as he had hoped, Shui Linglong lay quietly nearby, only a few feet away. Her eyes were closed, her breathing faint, causing her chest to rise and fall ever so gently.

“I don’t know what happened to the girl. When I was in the illusion, you two vanished. But when I came out and the world brightened, I found you both lying here, unresponsive. No matter—let’s go quickly. If Shui Lianhua finds out, we’ll never escape. Leave the girl for now; hurry!” Unlike Han Tanyi, Old Su was impatient, urging him on. Hearing this, Han Tanyi seemed to understand something, and sorrow washed over his face once more. He reached out slowly, gently stroking the face veiled in purple gauze, his touch infinitely tender. His lips parted, voice thick with remorse: “How could you be so foolish? Why are you so foolish? I’m nothing but a worthless man—why would you go to such lengths for me? You should have let me die there. Why did you come? In this world, who could be as foolish as you? Who could be as foolish as you? Wake up, please… I beg you, Heaven, I beg you, let it be me who dies, not her. Open your eyes—look at me!”

“How dare you! You think you can escape Blue Lotus Sect right under my nose? Clearly, you’re tired of living!” The voice was harsh and seemed to come from nowhere. Han Tanyi spun around, searching, but saw nothing. A strange thought flickered in his mind—could this truly be Heaven’s intervention? They say, in times of panic, a person loses all sense of direction; at this moment, Han Tanyi was exactly so. Compared to him, Old Su was far more composed. He knew exactly who had arrived. His face darkened, and he grabbed Han Tanyi’s arm, tugging urgently as he shouted, “Boy, run! The Sect Leader is here—run!”

But Han Tanyi was rooted to the spot, unmoving. Seeing this, Old Su let go in frustration, cursing, “Fool! You don’t know how dangerous Shui Lianhua is. She despises betrayal more than anything. If she catches you, your life is forfeit. What are you doing standing here? Run!”

Despite his urging, Old Su didn’t hesitate, charging forward. Yet it was futile; only a few steps in, a figure appeared before him, faster than he could have imagined. Old Su halted abruptly. At that moment, four maidens descended from the sky, their white robes fluttering like celestial beings, each holding a lotus flower on a long stem, graceful and ethereal.

“Do you think you can escape, Lord Left Envoy?” With a casual wave of her hand—so swift that even Old Su, master as he was, could not guard against it—a crisp sound rang out, reaching Han Tanyi’s ears. A searing pain bloomed, and a red handprint stood out vividly on Old Su’s face. Such humiliation would ignite anyone’s anger, and Old Su was no exception. His anger surged, threatening to explode, but in a blink, it vanished, replaced by a smile bordering on obsequious. At his age, he’d seen much; he could read the situation clearly. His voice became one of utmost flattery: “Sect Leader, you wrong me! Why would I run? I’ve finally returned to the sect, and life couldn’t be better. Why would I leave? Even if you drove me out, I wouldn’t go!”

His earnest expression was somewhat exaggerated, but even Old Su felt convinced by his own performance. Shui Lianhua’s gaze lingered on his face, her hand gently caressing the dark red mark, as if recalling something. Her voice softened, like a girl who’d made a mistake: “Is that so? Then I must have misjudged you. Does it hurt?”

Old Su felt some relief at her gentleness, but it lasted only a moment. Shui Lianhua’s hand reached the end of the mark and, with a twist, clamped onto his ear, pinching hard. Sharp pain shot through him, and Shui Lianhua’s face turned cold, a mocking smile appearing: “If so, then why are you here?”

Why was he here? The question stumped Old Su, as if his own words had been thrown back at him. The pain and panic made him hesitate, unable to meet her gaze, as if she might devour him whole. He hurriedly looked away, and his gaze fell upon Han Tanyi, who was struggling to rise. Old Su breathed a quiet sigh, a thought drifting through his mind: “Forgive me, young brother. Since you’ve been dragged into this because of me, be the good man to the end and save this old fool one more time.”