Chapter 2380: The Aloof Sword Cultivator and His Natal Sword Spirit 24

Upon learning the plan had succeeded, Xingyan and the others could barely contain their excitement.

"Great, second senior brother! From now on we'll follow you to Heavenly Mountain Peak!" Xingyan cheered.

"The spiritual energy at Heavenly Mountain Peak is definitely better than at Never-Come Peak!" Shiyan gave a simple smile.

Xie Qingmo looked at the excited junior brothers and sisters, nodded slightly, and said, "Hmm."

He was about to say something when he suddenly turned toward Jin Chen beside him.

"Wait." Xie Qingmo's voice returned to its usual clarity. "Jin Chen, with your strength and standing in the Sect Leader's heart, if you directly asked him for a separate peak, the Sect Leader…… might not refuse."

"Why go through all that trouble?"

Besides, you insisted on pretending to faint and being carried around, making it known to everyone.

Jin Chen's little scheme was exposed; seeing Xie Qingmo's ears blush with embarrassment, his smile deepened.

He felt no guilt, openly meeting Xie Qingmo's gaze and pulling him closer into his embrace.

"Because I wanted to hug you."

Xie Qingmo: "……"

"Nonsense."

【Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 51!】

Jin Chen thought, "As expected," and said, "Xie Qingmo, you really like being held by me."

"……How do you know? I never said anything."

"You just like it."

——

Never-Come Peak.

Warm sunlight fell on the stone steps, what should have been a tranquil and harmonious scene was shattered by the eerie atmosphere pervading the courtyard.

Yun Che leaned sideways on the bamboo chair under the eaves, more withered than before; his once clear eyes were now dull and lifeless, veiled by an inescapable laziness and haze.

The spiritual energy on his body was so faint it was barely perceptible, like a gorgeous shell hollowed out by insects.

He no longer cultivated, no longer handled peak affairs, and spent all day lazily leaning against Liu Qingcheng.

Liu Qingcheng, meanwhile, radiated vitality; his late Golden Core cultivation was solid, and there was even a faint sign of further progress.

He leaned against Yun Che's side, his fingers idly twirling the strands of Yun Che's hanging hair, a satisfied, triumphant smile playing on his lips.

Sunlight fell on him, yet it carried an indescribable eeriness.

As Xie Qingmo's group stepped into the small courtyard, they saw exactly this scene.

Yun Che lifted his eyelids, his cloudy gaze lingering on Xie Qingmo for a moment, and murmured, "Qingmo…… you're back."

His voice hoarse, he said, "Qingcheng…… he just obtained a new spiritual plant today, its spiritual energy quite pure…… look……"

He tried to point to the plant emitting a soft glow on the stone table beside him, but his motion was weak, and he said, "Among fellow disciples, we ought to be harmonious and friendly. Can you accept Qingcheng today?"

Yun Che seemed to have completely forgotten the previous conflict, unable to see the complexity and pain on the junior brothers' and sisters' faces, and only insisted on having Xie Qingmo accept Liu Qingcheng.

"Second senior brother..." Liu Qingcheng also called out.

Xie Qingmo calmly glanced over Liu Qingcheng; his cold eyes showed not a ripple.

"You're right; among fellow disciples, we indeed shouldn't exclude anyone."

Yun Che's face just showed a relieved smile, and Liu Qingcheng quietly let out a breath of relief.

But the next second, Xie Qingmo slightly turned sideways and said, "Xingyan, are you all packed?"

"All set, second senior brother!"

"Everything's packed!"

"We can leave anytime!"

Only Xingyan and the two others were seen, each shouldering a bulging storage bag and holding a few parcels of daily necessities, filing out from their respective side rooms.

Yun Che stared blankly. "What are you doing?"

Liu Qingcheng jumped to his feet. "Where are you going?!"

Xie Qingmo stared at Yun Che and said, "Since you, senior brother, said fellow disciples shouldn't be excluded, then you and Liu Qingcheng are now the true fellow disciples."

"From today onward, I, Xie Qingmo, together with Xingyan, Shiyan, and Lan Yi, withdraw from the tutelage of True Person Ling Xu and am no longer a disciple of Never-Come Peak."

"What?!"

Yun Che was struck as if by lightning; his cloudy eyes widened dramatically and he sprang up from the bamboo chair.

His body swayed, but Liu Qingcheng quickly steadied him, preventing a fall.

He stared disbelievingly at Xie Qingmo, then at the equally resolute Xingyan and the others, and stammered, "Withdraw from the master's gate? You…… you……"

The four of them faced Yun Che, clasped their fists and bowed in unison, performing the final fellow-disciple rites.

"Senior brother…… take care."

Yun Che watched Xie Qingmo turn away; that pure white, cold silhouette walked resolutely toward the courtyard gate.

Watching Xingyan, Shiyan, and Lan Yi follow without hesitation, never looking back.

Their silhouettes gradually faded into the distance in the warm sunlight.

In Yun Che's muddled mind, a fleeting spark of clarity arose.

Countless blurry yet warm images flashed through like fragments.

It was when they were young on the back mountain of Never-Come Peak, Xie Qingmo clumsily waving a wooden sword, brow furrowed in earnest as he helped them correct their stances.

It was during their first downhill trial when danger struck; he gave his all to shield Xingyan and Shiyan in front, while Xie Qingmo calmly set up a formation to cover their retreat.

It was Lan Yi's timid appearance when she first joined the sect, and it was this senior brother who personally placed the sect's jade tablet on her.

It was countless mornings spent practicing swordplay together, countless nights gathered around the hearth discussing the Dao……

It was the bond of fellow disciples, the affection of brothers and sisters.

Confusion and loss, like an icy tide, instantly flooded Yun Che's heart, which had been gnawed until full of holes.

Yun Che instinctively took a staggering step forward, their emaciated fingers futilely reaching toward the empty courtyard gate, their lips moving as if trying to shout something.

However, Liu Qingcheng keenly sensed Yun Che's Dazed and wavering.

Liu Qingcheng's heart alarm rang loudly; instantly, like a weak, boneless dodder vine, they clung tighter into Yun Che's embrace, burying their face against Yun Che's chest, their voice thick with sobs.

"Eldest senior brother……they all left……they don't want me anymore. From now on……from now on Qingcheng will only have you and Master."

Warm tears soaked Yun Che's thin robes; Liu Qingcheng's soft body pressed close to Yun Che, instantly breaking the fleeting clarity that had arisen in Yun Che's mind.

The confusion and loss in Yun Che's eyes faded, replaced by a turbid obsession and a morbid need to be needed.

Yun Che lowered their head, looking at Liu Qingcheng in their arms, crying with tears like pear blossoms in rain, their face showing Distorted pity and satisfaction.

Yun Che raised their equally emaciated hand, as if comforting a rare treasure, gently patting Liu Qingcheng's back, their voice hoarse yet gentle.

"Don't cry……Qingcheng don't be afraid. Eldest senior brother is here, eldest senior brother will always be with you……"

Yun Che tightly held Liu Qingcheng, as if embracing the only world left to Yun Che.