Chapter 127 — Heart's Intent

"What happened to him?" Ming Li's voice had gone abruptly hoarse.

Xiao Bai still wore that air of detached unconcern. "I remember the old man fought some strange fellow from the sky. In the end his strength gave out and he was beaten, badly wounded—and even their sacred artifact..."

"How is he? Is he dead?" Ming Li scrambled up abruptly, cutting Xiao Bai off, and plainly caring nothing at all about the so-called Miao sacred artifact. But the moment he stood, pain showed on his face; his legs gave way and his whole body swayed, and he nearly collapsed.

Xiao Bai was just reaching out to steady him when Ming Li, gasping for breath, managed to plant himself upright—though cold sweat already stood glistening on his temples.

Xiao Bai slowly drew her hand back and gazed at him in silence. "Why must you do this to yourself?"

Ming Li panted, "What has become of the great sorcerer? Is he all right?"

Xiao Bai said, "When I carried you off, I saw the Miao people crowding around the old man from a distance. As for whether he lives or dies—honestly, I don't know."

A look of bitter remorse flashed through Ming Li's eyes. He gritted his teeth and turned to go, but before he had taken a few steps a muffled groan escaped him; the white bandage at his right shoulder had turned red, and his face began to contort.

Behind him, Xiao Bai said mildly, "You'd better rest. The Canglan Sect's 'Divine Sword, Thunder-Commanding True Art'—did you think it was so easy to endure?"

Ming Li felt the meridians within him in utter chaos, his qi veering wildly. The Canglan Sect arts he himself cultivated, the Fanyin Temple's "Great Brahma Prajna," and the secret lore of the Heavenly Book—all churned together in confusion. Since he had betrayed Qingyun ten years ago, he had cut his way through countless battles in the Demonic Sect's internal strife, yet today's wounds were the gravest of all.

Lu Xueling's cultivation truly advanced a thousand li a day!

He thought this with a touch of bitterness, yet forced down the groan of pain his body wanted to utter, and slowly took a step forward.

"You'd risk life and death to see that great sorcerer—it's for Bi Li, isn't it?" Xiao Bai's voice came drifting from behind him.

Ming Li did not answer. He only slowly took a second step.

Behind him, Xiao Bai watched that stubborn figure, let out a long breath, and shook her head with a bitter smile. "You're something, you really are!" she said, and slowly followed after him. But a moment later she suddenly asked, "That white-robed woman you fought tonight—compared with Bi Li, which do you like better?"

Ming Li's body jolted; he whipped his head around and stared hard at Xiao Bai. Her expression did not change; under Ming Li's gaze, which held a trace of ferocity, she still smiled at him.

Ming Li breathed heavily, slowly turned his head away, and looked at her no more. After a moment he said, slowly, yet as though speaking to the depths of his own heart, "In this world, Bi Li is the only one who truly cares for me!"

Xiao Bai fell silent.

"For her, what does it matter if I die?" Ming Li said slowly. Then he shifted his body and walked on.

Above the horizon, the starlight shone brilliantly, spilling down upon the world.

Xiao Bai gave a faint sigh and followed. After a few steps she suddenly turned back toward the place where they had rested and called out loudly, "Dead monkey, we're leaving!"

"Zzz... zzz..."

Xiao Bai: "..."