Chapter 54: The Rise and Fall of Fate, Heartbreak Without Words

Although the sea water is green and lovely, more people die of thirst at sea than in the desert. (Gu Long)
……
He didn’t know when or where he was. Liu Yi opened his eyes. The only thing he felt was warm sunlight shining on him—so warm. In that moment of warmth, Liu Yi realized he wasn’t dead, for there was sunlight here!
He tried hard to get up, but his body was too weak. He had lost too much blood. After struggling, he had to lie down again. Moving his right hand slightly, he felt a slight pain. Looking down, he saw a deep cut on his wrist. He didn’t know when it had been injured, but it no longer bleeding.
Just then, Jili’er pushed the door open and came in…
Liu Yi looked at Jili’er. She was still wearing her blue Miao-style dress, with a cute headdress on her head and a crescent-shaped knife at her waist. But… her face was pale, her thin lips colorless, yet her eyes showed determination.
Jili’er glanced at Liu Yi and said happily, “Scholar, you’re awake! I knew you’d be fine. Here, try my lotus seed porridge. It’s sweet and delicious.” Clearly, even speaking took effort from her.
Jili’er placed the porridge on the table, then sat by the bed and struggled to help Liu Yi up. “Scholar, I spent the whole morning cooking this porridge. You must eat it all…” Before she could finish, Jili’er suddenly collapsed forward, unable to speak anymore.
Liu Yi looked at Jili’er, who had fainted on his shoulder. Her left wrist, which was gripping his right hand, also had a deep wound. Suddenly, Liu Yi’s mind exploded as if struck by lightning. That’s why… Liu Yi finally understood why Jili’er seemed so weak and powerless, and why she fainted on his shoulder. At the same time, he understood why he could see the sun today…
Liu Yi gently raised his left arm and held Jili’er, who was unconscious. An indescribable pain filled his heart—not the pain of “love poison,” but a thousand times worse. It was a heart-wrenching pain! He knew he was now covered in Jili’er’s blood. He knew she had sacrificed her own life to save him!
His heart felt warm again—it was gratitude! Looking at Jili’er’s pale face, Liu Yi held her tightly, tears falling from his eyes. As his tears fell, thunder roared. The sky, which had been clear moments ago, suddenly became overcast, and heavy rain began to fall! Perhaps the sky was crying, weeping for these lovers in their suffering.
Liu Yi looked at the porridge on the table, shook his head, and said softly, “Jili’er, why are you so silly? Why don’t you rest properly? Why go through the trouble of making porridge? Do you know how weak you are? If you keep this up, Liu Yi will really go mad!”

It was raining outside, with cold winds mixed with flashes of lightning and thunderous roars. Yet, Liu Yi’s heart was warm, extremely warm. He was happy, and in this happiness, he felt even more moved. Ignoring Jillie, who had fainted in his arms, he softly said, “Liu Yi can’t make promises to Jillie. Sincere promises are so pale and powerless. Liu Yi can’t give Jillie romance. In this chaotic world, romance always disappears the moment it appears—dying first! The only thing Liu Yi can do is hold Jillie, just keep holding her, not knowing what the next moment will bring, only knowing eternity, forever.”

A tear gently fell, landing on Jillie’s face. Jillie’s lips moved slightly—it was a smile, a happy smile…

Just then, with a bang, the door was pushed open, and six women in red rushed in, each holding a long sword. With their hair flowing over their shoulders, they all looked stunning, but their eyes showed no expression, as if they were wooden statues. Then two more women entered…

One of them wore purple combat attire—a tight purple top that highlighted her curves, her flat waist and abdomen completely exposed, her dark and healthy skin on full display. Her lower half was covered by a tight purple dress with a long slit from waist to heel, revealing her slender legs with every step. Purple leather boots up to her knees added to her wild appearance. A purple shoulder cape wrapped tightly around her, with a long sword at her waist.

Behind the woman in purple was a girl in green, also holding a long sword, following closely behind.

Liu Yi opened his eyes, from which tears had just fallen. The woman before him wasn’t July—who else could it be? Who would dare to dress in such revealing clothes!

July smiled and said, “You’re really good at hiding. I thought you were dead these past few days.”

Liu Yi softly recited, “In July, the fire fades; in September, clothes are given. In spring, the sun shines bright, and orioles sing. A woman carries a fine basket, following a quiet path, seeking tender mulberry trees… This July is not that July. Why is the gap between lives so vast?”

July gripped the sword at her waist and glanced at the girl in blue in Liu Yi’s arms. Her face was pale, her lips colorless, yet she wore a smile, as if very happy. Looking down at Liu Yi’s hand holding hers, both their wrists showed deep wounds.

July’s face changed—some helplessness, some madness. With a swish, her sword was pointed at Liu Yi’s throat. “This woman is your fiancée. Tell me—what’s good about her? In terms of figure and appearance, what does she have that surpasses me? Tell me what promises are, what romance is, what happiness is… Tell me what ‘forever’ means?” It seemed July had gone mad at seeing two people who couldn’t resist.

Liu Yi held Jillie even tighter with his weak arm, smiled softly, glanced at July with disdain, and said, “Loving someone isn’t about their appearance or figure. You’re too vulgar.”

It seemed Liu Yi had gone too far in his words. July’s long sword swished violently toward Gillier’s right arm. Liu Yi used his last strength to turn sharply, and the sword struck his back firmly. Although the wound wasn’t deep, blood seeped through his clothes little by little. Gradually, Liu Yi turned over and gently straightened a strand of hair that had fallen across Gillier’s face with his left hand. When July retracted his sword, he was stunned and asked, “Was it worth it?” Liu Yi replied, “There’s no such thing as worth or not. If you love her, you don’t want her to get hurt. Though I can’t protect her, I definitely won’t let her die in front of me.” July demanded angrily, “Is this a promise? Is this romance? Is this what you call forever?” Enduring the pain in his back, Liu Yi coughed and said, “True love doesn’t need promises; romance doesn’t need to be artificially created. As for forever, even a moment of happiness is forever. You’ve never loved, so of course you don’t understand…” His voice grew weaker and weaker until it seemed to vanish entirely—he was too weak. Though his voice was faint, July heard everything. Looking at Liu Yi’s disdainful gaze and Gillier’s happy smile, he suddenly felt incredibly lonely and lost in this world, with no direction in sight. July abruptly drew his sword again and said, “Very well. Today, I’ll fulfill your wish as lovers and send you both on the path between life and death.” Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past July, and two people appeared before him… They moved at incredible speed, and even the maids and Shuang Rou beside them couldn’t stop them in time!