I can't imagine my life without you

Lin Ning had kept watch over Xiao Cheng for several days without closing her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face haggard, but she still sat resolutely beside him.

That day, she finally succumbed to exhaustion. Her body gradually relaxed, and she curled up gently beside Xiao Cheng and fell asleep.

Her hand still gripped Xiao Cheng's tightly, as though it were the most precious thing in her life. She seemed afraid that if she let go, he would vanish like a dream.

Since the Encampment was inside the Secret Realm, conditions were extremely limited. Yezi had settled Xiao Cheng and several other gravely wounded disciples together beneath a rock face that offered shelter from the elements, barely keeping their injuries stable.

The others found suitable places to rest, some in groups of three or five, others searching alone.

When Yezi came to check on them, she discovered that Xiao Cheng had woken up.

She was about to wake Lin Ning when Xiao Cheng quickly extended his right hand, signaling for her to stay quiet.

With his right hand held tightly by Lin Ning, Xiao Cheng could only raise his left hand to his lips in a shushing gesture. "Shh!"

Then he silently mouthed, "Let her sleep..."

Yezi took the hint and closed her mouth, going to check on the other unconscious disciples.

Xiao Cheng looked at Lin Ning, curled up beside him. Her eyelids were slightly swollen, and even with her eyes closed, he could see the redness at their corners and the dark shadows beneath them. She probably had barely slept while looking after him.

Lin Ning had been pampered since childhood. Even if the sky fell, he would hold it up for her.

This was her first time going through something so serious.

Xiao Cheng knew that after he was injured, Lin Ning had carried him back. She really had grown up.

Looking at Lin Ning's sleeping face, Xiao Cheng could not resist reaching out to tuck the stray strands of hair across her forehead behind her ear.

Lin Ning was not sleeping soundly. The slightest movement woke her.

Xiao Cheng frowned in frustration. I shouldn't have touched her.

He had known she had not slept well these past few days, yet he still could not help waking her.

Lin Ning opened her eyes and immediately saw that Xiao Cheng was awake. The heartache and hurt she had suppressed all these days seemed to find an outlet, pouring out in an instant.

"Eldest Senior Brother..." she murmured, her voice carrying an almost imperceptible catch.

Seeing Lin Ning's red eyes, her faintly trembling lips, and the way she looked ready to burst into tears at any moment, Xiao Cheng's heart clenched. He hurriedly asked, "Xiao Ning, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"You're finally awake..." Lin Ning said softly, tears welling in her eyes, ready to fall at any moment.

At that moment, she desperately wanted to throw herself into Xiao Cheng's arms, hug him tightly as she had as a child, seek his affection, and tell him everything she had been through these past few days.

She wanted to tell her eldest senior brother that she would never slack off again, and that she no longer needed some wretched bird's feathers to make magical artifacts.

Because only now did she understand that the only thing she truly wanted was her eldest senior brother...

Thinking back now, it seemed that ever since she could remember, her eldest senior brother had always cared for her in every possible way.

Xiao Cheng was her father's only disciple.

Their parents had died too young, leaving behind only two small children and one disciple.

Back then, Lin Yuan had still been an infant in swaddling clothes, too young to understand anything, with no memory of their parents' passing.

But Lin Ning had been old enough to understand. She knew their parents would never return, and could only cry quietly by herself.

Whenever that happened, Xiao Cheng would stay beside her, offering care and comfort.

Even now, Lin Ning remembered what Xiao Cheng had once said: "As long as I live, I will never let you come to any harm."

Those words had been like a warm ray of sunlight, illuminating the dark corners deep within her heart.

As time passed, she gradually grew accustomed to his protection and came to depend on it.

She began to take Xiao Cheng's love and care for granted, even demanding more and more that he do things for her. When she made mistakes, she would shift the blame onto him without hesitation.

Usually, she neglected her cultivation, spending all day eating, drinking, playing, and fooling around with the other disciples.

Because she firmly believed that as long as her eldest senior brother was beside her, every problem would resolve itself. There was no need to worry or be afraid.

She had never dared to imagine what she would do if, one day, her eldest senior brother was gone.

All these years, Xiao Cheng had kept his promise. Lin Ning had never been hurt.

Even when Xiao Cheng himself was covered in wounds, he always kept Lin Ning safe.

Lin Ning suddenly understood that Xiao Cheng had always remembered those words he had said in jest when they were young, and had always lived by them.

"Eldest Senior Brother... I was so scared... I almost thought... you were going to leave me..." Lin Ning sobbed, leaning over his lap.

"You're all grown up, and you're still crying?"

Xiao Cheng gently patted Lin Ning's shoulder, then raised his hand to ruffle her hair. "All right, don't cry. See? I'm fine. It was my fault for making you worry."

Hearing his words, Lin Ning cried even harder. Between sobs, she said, "Boo-hoo... Eldest Senior Brother, I'm sorry... It's all my fault..."

Seeing Lin Ning blame herself pained Xiao Cheng terribly. He quickly asked, "What are you saying? This wasn't your fault. Don't take all the blame yourself."

Lin Ning explained through her sobs, "No... it wasn't your fault. It was mine. If I hadn't insisted on getting those feathers, we could have met up with Yezi long ago. If I hadn't neglected my cultivation, I wouldn't have let you down at the crucial moment and gotten you hurt. Eldest Senior Brother, scold me... you can hit me, too... I know I was wrong..."

Deeply moved by Lin Ning's words, Xiao Cheng hugged her tightly and gently comforted her:

"Xiao Ning, don't talk about yourself like that. This wasn't your fault. Besides, you've already worked very hard. Just pay more attention to your cultivation from now on.

He had not expected Lin Ning to suddenly say something like that. Only a few days ago, all she had thought about was having fun, yet today she had become like this.

"Xiao Ning, stop crying, all right? Where's Xiao Yuan?" Seeing Lin Ning sniffling so hard as she cried pained Xiao Cheng, too.

He hurriedly changed the subject. "How is Xiao Yuan doing now?"

Hearing Xiao Cheng's question, Lin Ning lifted her head with a sob, her eyes full of worry. Wiping her tears, she choked out, "Xiao Yuan... Xiao Yuan, he..."

Seeing her like this made Xiao Cheng even more anxious. He hurriedly pressed her, "What happened to Xiao Yuan? Did something happen to him? Tell me!"

Lin Ning took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Then she leaned close to Xiao Cheng's ear and whispered so quietly that only the two of them could hear, "Eldest Senior Brother, I'll tell you something, but you absolutely mustn't tell anyone else."

Xiao Cheng nodded. Only after he agreed did Lin Ning continue, "Xiao Yuan met Demon Venerable Gu Yi! While you were unconscious these past few days, the two of them even dual cultivated, for seven whole days!!!!"

Xiao Cheng's eyes widened as he stared at Lin Ning in shock, unable to believe what he had heard. After a moment, he asked in a low voice, "Are you sure? Gu Yi really is in here?"

Lin Ning hurriedly nodded hard and replied through voice transmission, "That's what Xiao Yuan told me. That Chu Jing fellow nearly killed him, but Gu Yi suddenly appeared and saved him. Still, it seems he doesn't really want Xiao Yuan to find him. He ran off after they dual cultivated."

"Didn't he see what he looked like?" Xiao Cheng asked.

"He was under One Leaf Obscures the Eyes at the time, so he was temporarily blind. By the time he recovered, Gu Yi had already run off. Xiao Yuan insisted on looking for him. There was no stopping him!"

After venting her complaints, Lin Ning felt a little better.

"It seems this Demon Venerable isn't entirely without affection for our Xiao Yuan." Xiao Cheng chuckled softly.

"Eldest Senior Brother, if he has feelings for Xiao Yuan, why does he avoid him? All these years, Xiao Yuan has suffered so much and been hurt so many times trying to find him, but he never showed his face. If Xiao Yuan hadn't been about to die this time, I doubt he would have come out either."

Lin Ning sided with her own family, thinking only of how her younger brother had narrowly escaped death. To her, Gu Yi was nothing but a faithless lover.

Looking at the indignant Lin Ning, Xiao Cheng could not help shaking his head.

"Perhaps he doesn't want to drag Xiao Yuan into trouble. After all, he was once the Demon Venerable. If he keeps in contact with Xiao Yuan, whether the righteous or demonic side finds out, it will bring Xiao Yuan trouble. It could even make our Qingling Sword Sect everyone's target."