To destroy your foundation and never see each other again.
The moment these words were spoken, Ye Ming's two feet felt as if they were filled with lead, unable to take another step forward. Bai Qiushui's decisive tone was clear. Even if it meant death, she would face this spiritual tribulation head-on. It seemed that describing Bai Qiushui as outwardly gentle but inwardly strong was entirely accurate.
At this point, Ye Ming could only watch helplessly, respecting Bai Qiushui's will. "Qiushui! Why must you do this!"
Ye Ming retreated, his heart in immense pain. He regretted it. He regretted dragging Bai Qiushui into his world. But it was all too late. What had to be faced, what had to happen, was already set in stone. He had no choice but to wait.
In the distance, the raging lightning continued to devour Bai Qiushui's life force, even the sky darkened at this moment. The destructive power contained within the lightning seemed even more terrifying than before. The speed at which her life force was being consumed was also increasing.
Seeing this, Ye Ming began to despair. Even if he wanted to intervene now, it was too late. "No!"
With a mournful roar that echoed through the heavens, Ye Ming plummeted from the air, crashing heavily onto the ground. Yet, at this moment, he felt no pain. The remorse and self-blame in his heart made him unable to face reality. Coupled with the fact that he could barely sense Bai Qiushui's life force, his mind was on the verge of collapse.
*Pfft!*
A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth. His pale face made the scene before him appear desolate.
One minute later, the lightning dissipated, and the world returned to its original colors. The spiritual tribulation was over. But the beloved maiden was falling from the sky.
Ye Ming looked up, his once brilliant pupils now devoid of light. He mechanically stood up and rushed towards the figure in the air. Bai Qiushui's life force! Completely gone! She had ultimately failed to withstand the spiritual tribulation! All things, all emptiness. Ye Ming's heart was empty. He could not accept this. He could not face Fang Junxue and the others. He could not forgive himself. Just this morning, he had confidently promised Fang Junxue a surprise, but now, it was devastating news. No one could accept it.
"Ah!"
Two streams of blood flowed from Ye Ming's eyes, his mournful cries echoing in the air. He seemed to have lost all strength. As he ascended, intending to fly towards the falling woman, he collapsed onto the ground.
"No!" He desperately tried to crawl forward but could not muster any strength. He could only watch helplessly as Bai Qiushui's body continued to fall towards the ground. He dared not imagine if he would completely break down the moment she touched the ground. This was too cruel for Ye Ming. Helplessness and powerlessness! Despair and desolation! These were emotions he had never experienced before. Now, he understood. But the price of understanding was too painful and too heavy.
Tears of blood obscured his vision, and everything before him slowly faded. Endless terror became Ye Ming's most dreadful nightmare. He could only listen with his ears, listening for the sound of the beloved maiden's shattering. How tragic and sorrowful!
One second passed! Ten seconds passed! One minute passed! Ten minutes passed!
Perhaps time had frozen in Ye Ming's world. In endless torment, Ye Ming still did not hear the sound of shattering. Silence! Absolute silence! In his dim world, all things grew still.
After an unknown amount of time, the blood tears in Ye Ming's eyes dried up. His faint senses detected a cool, comfortable sensation. A gentle breeze brushed across his cheek, and his world came alive at this moment. Slowly opening his eyes, Ye Ming didn't know what had happened, only that a spring-like warmth and life force surrounded him.
Then, the scene before him became a painting that he would never be able to erase from his memory. In that painting, a pure lotus bloomed in the air, lush green, with dancing butterflies and circling bluebirds. White clouds served as embellishments, and the azure sky formed the background. A silhouette formed by the dense life force, composed of all things. Above that pure lotus, between heaven and earth, the nascent form of the silhouette gradually evolved, and a graceful figure with the appearance of blue-green water emerged from the painting. Around the graceful figure, as if enveloped by ethereal mist, the inexhaustible life force of heaven and earth poured into her. Her jade feet touched the air, and water-like ripples spread beneath them, turning into layers of air ripples that descended from the sky. She wore the beauty of water as her clothing and the vastness of the sea and sky as her eyes. She had the skin of condensed snow and dew, and a countenance of the purest essence of heaven and earth. All things shaped her, and flawless beauty was gathered in her being. With the beauty of water, she embodied a thousand tender emotions in one person. Her name was Bai Qiushui, and she had returned, reborn.
On the ground, Ye Ming's eyes widened. He didn't know if what he was seeing was a dream or an illusion. All he knew was that if this was all a dream, he didn't want to wake up. He dared not make a sound, his breathing was at its lowest frequency, fearing that any slight disturbance would shatter this beautiful moment. Watching the graceful figure approaching him, Ye Ming's attempts to control his heartbeat seemed futile. The excitement that stemmed from his soul had overturned his reason. Slowly, instinctively, he reached out his hand, wanting to grasp everything before him. The woman floating towards him also extended her hand. She was responding.
"Qiu... Qiushui!" Ye Ming's body trembled, and his voice became uncontrollable. As their hands drew closer, his heart stopped. He was afraid, he was terrified. What if, the moment they touched, she vanished like a bubble? Then, he would surely go mad.
One meter apart! One inch apart! One millimeter apart! Their fingertips met first. Then, from Ye Ming's palm, a warm, moist, soft, and dreamlike sensation flowed towards him. His heart, as if electrified, became active. Uncontrollable excitement and eagerness made him feel as if he were on clouds, disbelieving.
With a gentle pull, he drew the woman from the sky towards him. Seeing that familiar yet now ethereal and celestial face, Ye Ming was stunned. This didn't seem like a dream? Whether it was the touch in his hand or her smile, which flowed into his heart like water, everything told him this was not a dream. His Qiushui was back.
"Qiushui!" Ye Ming gently held Bai Qiushui's hand, not daring to use too much force, afraid he might accidentally break her.
"I'm here!" When Bai Qiushui's voice, like a clear spring, resounded in Ye Ming's ears, he could no longer suppress the emotions that had been building up. He embraced her tightly, and the tears of blood in his eyes changed color, flowing down like clear streams. At this moment, Ye Ming felt redeemed. His fear! His unease! His powerlessness! All were completely dispelled by Bai Qiushui's return.
"Ye Ming! I'm back!"