Jun Yelan's brow was furrowed, his face growing paler, one hand tightly gripping Lan Yan's waist as they plummeted.
His wings, ragged and torn with holes everywhere, flapped desperately, shielding the person in his arms from the wind and rain.
Looking up at the scene above, Lan Yan was stunned, her hands tightening around Jun Yelan's arm. She looked into Jun Yelan's eyes, her lips parting silently, calling his name.
Jun Yelan stared at Lan Yan's lips. Though only the sound of the wind reached his ears, he felt Lan Yan's voice enter his heart. He sped up, placing Lan Yan down steadily.
Above their heads was a sheer cliff. Having finally touched the ground, Lan Yan was still trying to process what had happened.
Jun Yelan reached out to touch Lan Yan's forehead and asked, "Are you alright?"
Lan Yan shook her head, but her pale complexion betrayed her. She met Jun Yelan's worried gaze and forced a smile, "Don't worry, I'll be fine after a rest."
Her legs felt a bit weak now, and she wanted to find a place to sit. She took a step forward.
In the next instant, she was scooped up by Jun Yelan, and she looked at him in surprise.
Jun Yelan said nothing, carrying Lan Yan forward and finding a cave nearby. He looked at the person in his arms, who had become so frail, and his heart ached without reason.
She shouldn't have had to suffer like this.
Jun Yelan placed Lan Yan on the straw. She looked around, finding no trace of any beasts. Seeing Jun Yelan about to leave again, she tugged at his sleeve, her eyes trembling slightly, and asked, "Where are you going? It's so late, and there might be unknown dangers here."
It was too dark here.
Jun Yelan looked at Lan Yan, reading a hint of fear in her eyes. He had seen the same expression when he was struck by the Spirit Mountain Sect Master on the cliff earlier.
His lips moved, "I'm just going to set up a formation."
"Okay." Lan Yan released his sleeve, unconsciously gripping her own.
Jun Yelan saw this, turned, and walked towards the entrance. He used his own blood to set up a formation, ensuring safety for the night. He then returned to the cave and, seeing Lan Yan's state, moved to sit beside her.
Lan Yan leaned closer to Jun Yelan, her arm brushing against his. She murmured, "Why isn't there any light here?" She held out her five fingers, unable to see them in front of her.
Hearing her mumble, Jun Yelan opened one side of his wings behind him, gently embracing Lan Yan. Then he closed his eyes and activated his wings.
Lan Yan felt warmth spread over her. In the next moment, she saw a layer of blue light on Jun Yelan's wings. She exclaimed in surprise, "Jun Yelan, your wings are glowing!"
Jun Yelan looked at Lan Yan's eyes, now bright with the light, and nodded. He had never used this technique before, as it was unnecessary. Now, he found it quite good.
Lan Yan was no longer afraid. She leaned against Jun Yelan's shoulder and fiddled with the pouch at her waist. "Jun Yelan, we can call this a blessing in disguise. You won't have to be chained anymore."
Jun Yelan's heart skipped a beat. Even in such a dire situation, this person was still only thinking of him! He couldn't help but ask, "What about you?"
"Me?" Lan Yan thought for a moment. She was now an accomplice, and there was no going back to Spirit Mountain. But the Six Realms were vast; there was bound to be a place for her. Besides, her mission target was here, so she didn't need to overthink.
"We'll talk about it after we leave here tomorrow," she said, closing her eyes and slowly falling asleep against Jun Yelan.
Jun Yelan remained silent, his gaze fixed on Lan Yan's sleeping face. His heart was calmer than ever. There was nothing here, yet for him, it felt as if he possessed everything.
As the black night passed, the first ray of morning sun pierced through, illuminating the two people in the cave.
Lan Yan rubbed her eyes and woke up. She habitually scanned her surroundings and suddenly saw two skeletons in the corner, startling her into a pounce into Jun Yelan's arms. "Oh my god, what is that?"
It was too dark last night; she hadn't seen them in the corner.
Jun Yelan glanced over and said, "Those are people who died here before."
Lan Yan breathed a sigh of relief, emerged from Jun Yelan's embrace, and walked towards the corner.
In the corner lay two intertwined skeletons, with a sword lying around them. Beneath the sword was a piece of paper.
Curiously, she picked it up, brushing off the dust from the sword. She found the sword's blade to be luminous, likely belonging to a cultivator. She saw the inscription "Qing Ming" on the sword, which seemed familiar!
It was the story Lin Qian had told her, about a senior from Spirit Mountain.
She opened the dusty paper and read aloud, "My child, please forgive us for leaving you behind. May your life be peaceful and prosperous, and may you never suffer because of us."
Jun Yelan walked over, looked at the letter, then at the skeletons on the ground, and said, "One of them is a demon beast. Children born of demon beasts and humans are not accepted by the Six Realms; they cannot live anywhere."
As he spoke, he clenched his fist, and a hint of pain flickered in his eyes.
Lan Yan noticed Jun Yelan's expression. She put the letter away and said, "Let's bury them. For many cultivators, demon beasts are merely ingredients for medicine. But for this senior and for me, it has never been so."
Jun Yelan was taken aback and stared at Lan Yan.
Lan Yan was secretly delighted, finally finding an opportunity to share her true feelings with Jun Yelan. She smiled outwardly and said, "Jun Yelan, though my abilities are not strong, I will protect you."
Having escaped with Jun Yelan this time, they would be hunted by the entire cultivation world, and perhaps other realms would also be involved.
Jun Yelan's eyes trembled gradually. He remained still for a long time before finally saying, "I promised you." With that, he went to move the skeletons and find a good place to bury them.
Now it was Lan Yan's turn to be stunned. She suddenly remembered the meaning of that sentence. "I had made a promise with Jun Yelan before. I never expected Jun Yelan to remember it. From now on, I'll have someone watching my back."
She burst into laughter.
Jun Yelan, hearing her, curved the corner of his lips upwards, his heart filled with warmth.
After burying the deceased, Lan Yan bowed once, then left the cave with Jun Yelan to find a way out of here. "I've read in my sect's books that this cliff is said to have no survivors, and no one knows where it leads."
Seeing Jun Yelan walking with determination, she asked, "Jun Yelan, do you know the way?"
"I have a rough idea." Jun Yelan, being a demon beast, was adept at identifying things through scent. He sensed something beneath the cliff, possibly a formation. "If I'm not mistaken, we're trapped here. Only by finding the core of the formation can we leave."
Lan Yan looked around; it was just mountains upon mountains. Where was the core of this formation? She called out, "Then let's work hard to find it."
Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from her stomach. She looked apologetically at Jun Yelan.
Jun Yelan turned to look at the mountaintop and flew into the air, his gaze landing on a fruit tree on the peak.
Lan Yan watched from below. She saw a demon beast emerge from behind the fruit tree and immediately shouted, "Jun Yelan, be careful!"