Achieving One's Wish

"I, I do!" Filled with overwhelming joy, Ye Yun spoke the answer Tian Ling'er had most longed for, under her expectant gaze.

"Junior Disciple Brother, I didn't quite hear that. Could you say it again?" Tian Ling'er still couldn't quite believe it.

Ye Yun took a deep breath, pulled Tian Ling'er into his embrace, and said with a firm tone, "I said, I, Ye Yun, am willing to become a Dao companion with Senior Disciple Sister Tian Ling'er, to stay together for a lifetime, never to part."

Tian Ling'er tightly hugged Ye Yun's waist, tears streaming down her face as she laughed and said, "I, Tian Ling'er, am willing to become a Dao companion with Junior Disciple Brother Ye Yun, to stay together for a lifetime, never to part, to follow each other through life and death."

Ye Yun held Tian Ling'er tightly, his eyes full of tenderness, and said, "Senior Disciple Sister, I, Ye Yun, swear here and now that I will love you, cherish you, shield you from wind and rain, and never let you suffer even the slightest harm."

"Mmm, I believe you," Tian Ling'er replied, resting her head on Ye Yun's shoulder again, a sweet smile on her face. Not far from their sweet moment, in the bamboo forest, two figures, one fat and one thin, were silently watching them.

"Madam, I told you there's nothing to see. Ling'er is so beautiful, and she's always with this brat. I noticed his gaze towards Ling'er was off long ago. How could anything unexpected happen? Come on, let's go back and prepare some things for him to descend the mountain. Otherwise, Ling'er will throw a tantrum when she gets back."

"Oh, oh, oh, now you say there's nothing to see? Who was pacing back and forth anxiously just now? Now that things have settled down, you're not in a hurry anymore? Stubborn pride leads to suffering. I shouldn't have dragged you here, I should have just let you worry yourself to death."

"Madam, wasn't I just worried that the kid might bully our Ling'er? Please calm down. Now that they've settled things, we shouldn't worry unnecessarily. Let's go back and not disturb them."

"Hmph, I think you're worried Ling'er might bully Xiao Yun, aren't you? Alright, I won't tease you anymore. But are you really not sending anyone to follow Xiao Yun? Letting him descend the mountain alone?"

"Although Xiao Yun is still young, he is meticulous in his actions, sharp-witted, and his strength is among the very top of the younger generation. Nothing will happen to him. Besides, jade cannot be made into an artifact without carving. Keeping him confined to the mountains and rivers all the time is not a solution. It's time for him to go down the mountain and try his luck. Moreover, the vicinity is all within the Qingyun Sect's sphere of influence. What could possibly happen!"

"That's true. Let's go." With that, the two figures quickly departed. Tian Ling'er and Ye Yun, not far away, remained oblivious, still holding each other and reminiscing about their past.

Two days later, Ye Yun, dressed in a set of cyan robes, carrying a small cyan cloth bag, and holding an ancient-looking long sword, bid farewell to his master, his wife, and his senior disciples one by one. He cast a deep, lingering look at Tian Ling'er, whose eyes were filled with tears, and said with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Master, Madam, and Senior Disciples. I will definitely return safely with a top-tier magic treasure."

After speaking, Ye Yun turned his gaze to Tian Ling'er, suppressing the urge to go back and wipe away her tears. He said gently, "Senior Disciple Sister, I'm just going down the mountain for some training. It's only for a year, and I'll be back soon. Don't worry about me, I'm very capable."

With that, Ye Yun turned decisively, formed a sword seal with his hand, and the three-foot green sword in his hand instantly unsheathed. After a spin, it hovered a foot in front of him. Ye Yun stepped onto it without hesitation. With a crisp sword cry, Ye Yun instantly rode his sword into the distance, quickly becoming a black dot and gradually disappearing.

Tian Ling'er gazed in the direction Ye Yun had gone, lost in thought for a long time. Just as Su Ru was about to impatiently call out to her, Tian Ling'er suddenly withdrew her gaze, turned back to Su Ru with a determined expression, and said, "Mother, I've decided to enter seclusion starting tomorrow. I feel like I'm on the verge of breaking through to the fifth level. I definitely won't lose to Junior Disciple Brother."

"What!? Breaking through to the fifth level?" Exclamations of surprise erupted from Great Bamboo Peak in unison.

Ye Yun was unaware of what was happening on Great Bamboo Peak. At this moment, he was joyfully sword riding, freely soaring through the sky. Although this wasn't his first time flying on his sword, Great Bamboo Peak wasn't that large. A slight increase in speed and he'd be anywhere. Moreover, not all places on the mountain allowed sword riding; after all, it was his sect, and respect was due. Because of this, although Ye Yun had learned sword riding long ago, he had never truly flown at full speed. Now that he had left Great Bamboo Peak, he was like an eagle unbound, darting through the clouds, admiring the rolling sea of clouds above them, swooping down from high altitudes to skim past treetops and startle flocks of birds. The sadness of parting had long been cast to the winds.

Half an hour later, Ye Yun skimmed over a lake, stirring up ripples, and then ascended back into the high skies. After orienting himself, he sped up with all his might. Ten minutes later, a small village, nestled in a valley amidst ruined walls and overgrown with wild grass, appeared before him.

With a turn of his sword seal, the speeding sword carrying him slowly decelerated and descended above the small village, still covered in scorch marks. Ye Yun looked around, found an open space, and slowly landed. Just then, a plump grey rabbit suddenly darted out from a collapsed, overgrown house beside him, scurrying into a dense patch of wild grass not far away.

Looking at the village, where only faint traces could be seen, Ye Yun felt a pang of emotion and couldn't help but sigh, "Time is indeed the best healer. In just over three years, the village has become like this. In a few more years, it will likely be completely covered by wild grass and trees, disappearing without a trace."

Ye Yun had originally intended to find the house where he used to live, but after searching for a long time, he couldn't find it and eventually gave up. He then proceeded to the cave he called his "shelter."

The cave was still the same as before, with no significant changes. Even the straw inside was still there, though its color had deepened, no longer golden yellow, and it had a faint odor, likely from forest animals seeking shelter from the rain.

With a touch of melancholy, Ye Yun slowly wandered through the village. Finally, he caught two sparrows and a fish and began to roast them. However, after only a few bites, he lost his appetite and put down the roasted fish.

"Ultimately, it lacks a certain feeling. The sparrows are still the same sparrows, the fish are from the same river, but the person is no longer the same person." Thinking of how he had cautiously ingratiated himself with Zhang Xiaofan and the others, and nervously delivered meals to Pu Zhi in order to survive and return home, Ye Yun let out a long sigh, tossed the roasted fish into the forest, summoned a stream of water from the river to extinguish the campfire, and with a slight smile, flicked his sword seal. The sword light flashed, and he was already riding his sword, carried by the wind.