Chapter 116: Storming Out in a Fit of Anger

Tang Wei had no idea where she was running to. Her mind was a blank slate; she could recall nothing but the image of the two of them kissing. At the mere thought of that scene, her heart felt as though it were shattering, pulsing with waves of sharp, stabbing pain. She longed to collapse right then and there, yet she dared not stop. Behind her, Zixuan was calling her name, over and over. She feared that if she halted, she would have to face his beautiful face, and she would be unable to suppress the agony in her heart—or worse, she feared seeing him and finding that nothing could be mended.

Zixuan’s shouts drew nearer. Tang Wei began to panic, a single thought echoing in her mind: "No! No! I don't want to see him!"

Without a second thought, Tang Wei channeled the energy of the golden treasure within her to manifest a flying sword. She leapt onto it and surged forward. She no longer cared about her fear of heights or whether she had truly mastered the art of sword flight; her only focus was to put as much distance between herself and Zixuan as possible. The flying sword carried Tang Wei away like a streak of light, vanishing in the blink of an eye. She was no longer the novice she had been; she was flying faster than many could manage even after a decade of practice. It seemed that one’s greatest potential is only unlocked under the most intense provocation.

Zixuan knew full well that Tang Wei had not yet fully mastered sword flight, and seeing her fly at such a reckless speed terrified him. He immediately summoned his own sword, leapt onto it, and gave chase with lightning speed before he had even steadied himself. The two flashed through the air one after the other, indifferent to the reactions of the mundane world below.

One had to admit, a woman’s rage is truly a fearsome thing. Tang Wei, the novice, was flying so fast that even Zixuan, the veteran, could not keep up.

They ran and chased, covering an unknown distance. Zixuan began to falter; his internal spiritual energy was depleting, and his speed began to wane. Watching her figure grow smaller in the distance, Zixuan gritted his teeth. Regardless of the toll on his own body, he pushed his sword to its limit. As he recited the incantation, his dantian constricted, and a wave of numbness surged through him, followed by a pain as agonizing as being flayed alive. Then, a sharp, piercing ache struck his consciousness. Zixuan could no longer hold on; he clutched his head and cried out in agony. His mind went blank, and he lost consciousness, his body and sword plummeting from the sky.

Tang Wei, meanwhile, remained unaware of Zixuan’s plight, pressing onward with singular determination. Supported by the five elements, spiritual energy flowed into her sword in an endless stream. She felt no fatigue; the speed of her flight never slackened, and even when Zixuan’s shouts faded, she never considered stopping.

Tang Wei piloted the sword in a daze, soaring over mountains, plains, rivers, and cities. She knew not how much time had passed, only that the sky was gradually darkening. Her sword began to wobble, yet its speed remained relentless—had Zixuan been there, the sight would surely have terrified him. Slowly, Tang Wei’s head grew heavy and dizzy; the entire sky seemed to be spinning around her. She had long since lost her sense of direction, and her vision blurred. In her stupor, she seemed to see a vast, boundless ocean merging with the heavens. She shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her vision, and realized she had reached the coast.

Tang Wei finally stopped. As she withdrew her spiritual power, the flying sword dissolved back into her body. Before her stood a towering cliff, and as the waves crashed against it, a fine mist of sea spray rose up. In Tang Wei’s eyes, only that towering rock remained. It felt like the love of her life—an obstacle that seemed impossible to overcome. At that moment, she only wanted to climb that height to prove that her love could not be blocked by such a thing; she wanted to live her life on her own terms.

Dragging her weakened body, she stumbled to the base of the cliff and began to climb. She did not notice her clothes tearing, felt no pain as her knees were scraped raw, and did not care as her fingers bled. She had only one goal: to reach the top. As if the heavens felt she wasn't miserable enough, or perhaps simply taking offense at her sorrow, a torrential downpour began. The bean-sized raindrops lashed against her head, streaming from her hair and blurring her vision. She ignored it, staring only ahead. Closer! Closer!

Finally, she pulled herself up and stood on the precipice, looking down at the crashing waves. Tang Wei smiled; it turned out there were no obstacles in life that could not be overcome. As her mind relaxed, her body followed, collapsing backward. Her final conscious thought was the sight of two distant figures slowly approaching.

She did not know how much time had passed when Tang Wei drifted back to wakefulness. Her head still ached, and she pressed her temples firmly. Once the pain subsided, she opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings. She appeared to be in a farmhouse; judging by the furnishings, the owners were not wealthy—in fact, they seemed to be struggling. In the current era, to see someone living in such an earthen hut told her everything she needed to know about their circumstances.

"Little sister, you're awake!" A woman in her thirties or forties, speaking with a rustic, unpolished accent, walked in from the doorway. She was carrying a bowl, likely something to eat.

"Where am I?" Tang Wei asked, her voice raspy.

"This is a fishing village. We saw you faint when we returned from the beach yesterday, so we carried you back!" The woman possessed the straightforward, cheerful nature typical of country folk. She walked to the bedside, felt Tang Wei’s forehead, and smiled. "Good, no fever! You haven't eaten all night—you must be hungry. Drink this clear soup first. I'll go heat up some food; it won't be long!" She set the bowl on the table and turned to leave.

Tang Wei quickly stopped her. "Big sister, don't trouble yourself. I'm not hungry, I don't want to eat right now. If you have other things to do, please go ahead; don't worry about me."

"You child, how can you not be hungry after so long? Don't worry, I'll be quick." The woman didn't stop, walking out regardless.

Seeing she couldn't be deterred, Tang Wei had no choice. She looked at the fish soup on the table, but felt no appetite. She pressed her head, sat cross-legged, and circulated her internal energy for several cycles. Her headache eased significantly, and her body felt much lighter. She fumbled her way off the bed and stretched, just as the woman returned with a meal.

"Little sister, why are you up? Shouldn't you be resting?" Seeing the untouched fish soup, the woman fussed again. "Why haven't you eaten? Don't worry, I cleaned the fish very well and simmered it for extra time. It's very nutritious; it's the best thing for your condition."

"Big sister, I'm really fine! Look, I can jump around now." Tang Wei even hopped twice to prove her vitality. Unable to refuse the woman's kindness, she added, "Big sister, I'm truly not hungry. I really can't eat right now."

Seeing her resolve, the woman set the food down, still grumbling gently. "Sigh! How can you not be hungry after being unconscious for so long? You young people, you don't take your health seriously over such small matters. You'll regret it when you're old. I haven't had much schooling, but if I may say so, there is no such thing as perfection in this world, and there is no obstacle that cannot be crossed. As long as you open your heart, everything will be fine. If you obsess over a small thing, even nothing can become a catastrophe. Look at me—busy all day, worrying about the elderly and the children—I have no time for idle thoughts. You are all just too idle. Find something to do, and you'll soon stop thinking about it."

Listening to the woman’s simple, plain-spoken advice, Tang Wei gave a faint, self-deprecating smile. "Thank you for the advice, big sister. I think I've realized a lot; perhaps I really was being too stubborn." Tang Wei had indeed been thinking. The moment she saw that scene, she had been blinded by rage, but now, thinking it over carefully, she felt she might have truly misunderstood. Having spent so much time with Zixuan, she knew him well enough to know he was not that kind of man. Still, understanding was one thing; to go see Ziye right now... Tang Wei felt she needed more time alone. She wanted to figure out why she had lost control so completely. Could Zixuan truly have become that important to her?

She remembered when her ex-boyfriend had wanted to break up; she had felt sad, of course, as they had been together for years—anyone would have feelings after such a long time, especially in a romantic relationship. But when she found out he had gotten involved with her best friend, the primary feeling had been humiliation. This time, however, it was different. When she saw Zixuan kissing Ouyang Qianru, she felt as if her heart were bleeding. Her mind had been a void, and she had lost all sense of what to do, which was why she had acted so out of character.

Regardless, the woman meant well. Tang Wei didn't want to dwell on it further; she obediently picked up the fish soup and took a sip, praising, "Big sister, your fish soup is delicious."

There was no praise better than that. The woman was naturally pleased and smiled broadly. "If it's tasty, have some more. There's plenty more in the kitchen; I'll bring it for you."

"Big sister, don't trouble yourself! This is enough; I don't have a big appetite. But there is one more thing—I wonder if I might impose on you for a couple more days." Tang Wei had nowhere else to go, and since the woman was so kind, she wanted to hide here for a while. Besides, she owed the woman a great debt and wondered how she might repay her later.

The woman was, as expected, warmly hospitable. "Little sister, don't be so formal. As long as you're comfortable, you can stay as long as you like. Our village is small, and most of the able-bodied men have gone out to work, so it's very quiet. If you stay, it'll be a bit livelier."

"Then I shall trouble you."

"No trouble, no trouble at all," the woman said, waving her hands repeatedly.