"Oh, then go ahead and humiliate her." Ming Yun watched him quietly.
Pei Ye actually glanced at the woman pinned to the wall. There was no blood, nor any sign of misery; even now, she remained like a goddess above the clouds. Then his gaze touched that familiar face, aloof and serene. He abruptly looked away.
"No, no... I won't." Pei Ye hurriedly waved his hands and glanced at Ming Yun, even somewhat worried that she might truly misunderstand. Looking down at her, he explained softly, "...I was joking."
Ming Yun lowered her eyes, the corner of her mouth curving briefly, but soon pressed her lips together lightly and said nothing.
Of course she knew he had joked deliberately-precisely because this was no time for lighthearted jokes.
Ming Yun looked at the boy. Every word he spoke was hoarse and broken, so weak that he seemed liable to dissipate at any moment. Sword Qi had cut great gaps into his body.
This was a battle of Mindscapes, and the boy's Mindscape had long been teetering on the brink. After this fight, he had all but burned himself away, yet everything still fell short of what they had hoped.
Yes, they had defeated the Heavenly Heart, but that had only stopped Gushe from harming this body.
This was not the path originally prescribed by the Gushe Heart Sutra-having suppressed the Heavenly Heart, it would naturally be difficult to regain Gushe's power.
They had discussed this.
If the Heavenly Heart won, the woman could immediately regain control of her Gushe True Qi and enter Gushe's second realm. Even gravely wounded, her strength might surpass her former peak.
But if the Bright Heart won, things would be far more troublesome.
This was a new path no one had traveled.
At another time, this