The spatial blockade of the demon race shattered, crumbling under the crushing force of supreme Dao methods and the impact of boundless faith.
She flew past the Bridge of Helplessness, over the sea of 彼岸花 (Bǐ'àn huā - flowers of the other shore), and arrived beside him.
Hundreds of souls followed her here.
They bowed to her in gratitude.
Qi Manyao turned, waved goodbye to them.
The souls dissipated, destined for reincarnation.
Qi Manyao smiled, crouching down. She could feel a trace of life remaining in the two figures lying on the ground; they were not dead yet.
That was good. That was good. I finally made it in time.
Qi Manyao gently pushed Fang Xiaoyu off Wan Lei's back. She wrinkled her nose slightly; even at a time like this, she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
She laid them both flat, her heart aching as she looked at their battered bodies in deep comas.
How much suffering must these two have endured?
Qi Manyao didn't dwell on their miserable state. She picked up her small丹瓶 (dānpíng - pill bottle), poured out a single丹药 (dānyào - pill), and gently pried open Wan Lei's mouth, placing the pill inside.
The pill dissolved instantly upon entering his mouth, transforming into a surge of vital energy that spread rapidly throughout Wan Lei's body, expelling all traces of the death curse and beginning to heal his injuries.
Wan Lei's consciousness had been like being in a dark abyss, constantly sinking deeper.
Suddenly, from the depths of his soul, he opened his eyes and saw a ray of light.
That light, like the only beacon in this darkness, illuminated him and reached out a hand.
Instinctively, Wan Lei reached out as if grasping at a lifeline.
That hand pulled him, lifting him continuously, drawing him out of the abyss, freeing him from the darkness.
Wan Lei opened his eyes.
The dried blood on his face made it difficult for his eyelids to open. The tearing pain brought him a sliver of clarity.
He felt that all his injuries were healed, his cultivation restored, and his body was stronger than ever before.
He saw a white-clothed girl, radiating light, crouching beside him, her hands cupping her chin, gazing at him with a smile.
"Man Yaoyao?"
Wan Lei propped himself up with his arm, looking at the girl before him in disbelief.
He couldn't understand how Qi Manyao had managed to overcome so many obstacles to reach him.
He glanced at Fang Xiaoyu beside him, still unconscious.
He then turned back to Qi Manyao.
"Why are you here? What happened? How did I come back to life?"
"The Heavenly Dao Myriad Lives Pill. You've heard of it, right? Sui Xiaohang refined it, and it's incredibly powerful. You were saved by this pill.
But that guy fainted after refining it. Such an idiot, hehe."
Qi Manyao spoke as if she were chatting with Wan Lei as usual, lively and cheerful, without any hint of the sorrow of impending separation.
"Then... how did you get here? Where are the others? Why did they send a Nascent Soul cultivator like you to take such a risk?"
"The others? They're all busy. The demon race and the allied forces of the three families have launched a full-scale attack on the Yin Yang Sect. The final battle has begun, and the battlefield is at the Yin Yang Sect.
You should hurry over and help soon. If it goes on too long, they might not be able to hold on.
Everyone else is busy, and I'm the only useless piece of trash with nothing to do. I wouldn't be able to contribute much on the battlefield, so I came instead."
"You're not useless at all. You're the most amazing."
Wan Lei sat up, rubbing his cheeks. The prolonged deep coma left him feeling dizzy and disoriented as he woke up.
"The demon race attacked? It's fine, I'll go after I get the token.
By the way, how did you get through? This place is so dangerous, filled with memes and enemies everywhere."
"Me? I'm amazing too, you know. If I want to find you, I can find you. I have the power of faith.
You know, the power of faith, like what Tian Suanzi used to make it snow? Good heavens, it snowed across half the continent, so vast and white, it was beautiful.
Now I have the power of faith too, and I've become amazing..."
Looking at the smug and self-satisfied girl before him, Wan Lei's lips curved into a doting smile. Suddenly, his expression changed drastically. He saw something wrong with the scene before him.
"Your body, why is it semi-transparent? This is a soul body. Did you... die?"
"The power of faith was too strong, and my physical body couldn't support it, so it dissipated."
Qi Manyao said it with a calm, indifferent air.
"No, your soul is dissipating too!"
"My soul couldn't bear it either. Fortunately, I met a hundred kind souls. If not for them, I really wouldn't have made it here."
As she spoke, the pride in Qi Manyao's eyes intensified.
Wan Lei, however, was truly starting to panic.
He hadn't panicked when he was being surrounded, when he was on the verge of death, but the dissipating soul of the girl before him made him frantic.
"No, there must be a way, right? What can stop the soul from dissipating..."
Wan Lei fumbled to take out the Life-Guiding Diagram, but he couldn't collect Qi Manyao's soul into it.
"It's no use. Even immortals can't stop the dissipation of a soul. Don't panic, Wan Lei. My time is running out. Can you listen to me for a moment?"
"You... speak."
Large tears streamed down Wan Lei's face. His lips trembled, his eyes filled with terror, afraid that the person before him would disappear in the next second.
Qi Manyao reached out, gently wiping the tears from his face. However, the speed at which her soul was dissipating was increasing.
"Do you know? I love you. I always have.
It's just that after you got together with her, I could only bury this love in my heart.
I know you two are the most suited for each other. I never thought about stealing you away; I couldn't bear to ruin your happiness.
There were many times when I couldn't even distinguish whether I loved you, or your happiness together.
It's a pity that I won't be able to see your wedding day or send my blessings.
I always wanted to be able to help you, not to be a useless piece of trash.
Unfortunately, I don't have her family background, her connections, her talent, or her beauty. I can't be your right-hand man, expanding your territory and overcoming obstacles like she can.
I have nothing. I only have this life, and now, I give it to you.
Years ago, my master asked me if I was willing to trade my life for yours, and I said I was.
Now, I've truly done it.
I have no regrets, Wan Lei.
You and she should be well in the future. Don't take risks anymore. Cherish the happiness you have. You must live on with my blessings, forever happy.
Wan Lei, don't live with guilt.
You are a ray of light in my life, illuminating my darkness. Today, let me be that ray of light in your heart. Never let yourself fall into darkness.
I love you. You must... forget me."
At some point, tears had also appeared on her face.
Qi Manyao opened her arms and embraced Wan Lei. Wan Lei immediately moved to meet her.
At the very moment they were about to embrace, the girl's soul turned into countless specks of starlight and dissipated into the night sky.
She had fulfilled her promise, trading her life for his.
This girl, who, even in death, wanted him to see her at her most beautiful,
left Wan Lei with nothing but a white gown.
Wan Lei knelt on the ground, tears streaking through the dried bloodstains on his face. He clutched the gown in his arms, his body trembling violently.
Gasping, sobbing...
"Man Yaoyao...
Come back...
Qi Manyao!!!"