"Yes, I know how you feel, senior brother. But I only see you as a senior brother. I have no other feelings for you." Su Yunshang sighed.
The sorrow in Heng Taiwei's eyes finally turned to venom as his gaze settled on my face. "Su Yunshang, you're saying all this because of him, aren't you?! Because I'm only an artifact refiner? Because I can't beat him?"
I spread my hands with an innocent smile. Yet even that almost mocking gesture failed to stir the slightest shame in Heng Taiwei.
Su Yunshang shook her head as well. "Senior Brother Heng, that makes no sense. How many years have I known you? If it were because of your cultivation or your status as an artifact refiner, I would have said so long ago. Why wait until today?"
"Then why are you only saying it now?"
"Because I'm going into the Abyssal Eye." Su Yunshang looked at him. "Back then, because of her relationship with your master, my master asked you to take extra care of me, and you did. At first, I could accept that karmic debt as something my master had arranged. But what about later? Once you began harboring other feelings, the nature of your kindness changed too, didn't it? Now, your ultimate aim in caring for me is to make me your Dao companion, isn't it? Since we're clearing things up today, naturally, I must leave something behind. After all, now that I've made it clear this can never happen, I can no longer accept your care with an easy conscience. Otherwise, when the day comes for Void Treading, my Dao heart will surely be flawed, won't it?"
Heng Taiwei knelt on the ground, his lips trembling several times.
"Your Dao heart?" He laughed, his smile bitter and cold.