282: Love or Lie (Bai Ye's Memory)

Love or Lie (Bai Ye's Memory)

It wasn't the first time that the sword spirit had pointed her blades at him. She had done it plenty during their practices, and Bai Ye had always reveled in it, glad that he had finally found his rival. But this time was different. This time, the hard glint in her dark eyes told him that she meant every word she said—she would claim all the rest of the lives on Mount Hua if he didn't stop her. And to stop her … He had to end everything for good.2

For his entire life, Bai Ye had never known the feeling of despair. He had never felt hopeless. Even on the day when he first found out about the sword spirit's situation with Twin Stars, he had believed that as long as he tried hard enough, there would always be a solution to their problem, and that things would always return to the way they were supposed to be in the end.

Admittedly, he was getting so close. He had finally found the perfect ritual she needed to sever her ties with the demonic sword. Chu Yang and Teng Yuan were finally starting to show willingness in helping with the summoning. All they needed was a little more time … Maybe a few weeks. Maybe a few months. He was so close that he was already envisioning their life together after all of this was behind them, when they could finally make up for everything they missed in the past years just like they said they would three days ago. He was so close that he could already see that first ray of light breaking through the horizon, signaling the arrival of their dawn.

But now, all he saw was darkness devouring that last ray of light. All he felt was despair.

Bai Ye gripped his sword so hard that he almost couldn't feel his hand anymore. He wished he wasn't standing here right now. He wished all of this was only a dream. He closed his eyes, and for a moment, he wished she could just swing her blade forward and end his life right there. It'd be easier for him than going through a slow torture like this. It'd be easier than forcing him to make a choice.

"You are taking too long," he heard the sword spirit say. "Answer my question."

He didn't know how to. He couldn't hurt her … How could he, when all he ever wanted for over a hundred years was to make her happy, to keep her safe? But he couldn't stop the earlier scenes from flashing in front of his mind's eye either. The gaping wounds on the bodies lining the mountain path. The young disciple's half-spoken plea before Twin Stars pierced through his chest. The words of coldblooded hatred that came so easily out of the sword spirit's lips. He couldn't simply pretend that none of it ever happened.

As much as he was her lover, he was also a master at Mount Hua. As much as he had sworn his heart to her, he had also promised to guide and protect all the disciples at his sect. And now they were dead … Because of her. Because of his failure to stop her. He couldn't just walk away like none of this had anything to do with him.

He forced himself to open his eyes and look at her then. "Is there no other way?" he rasped.

She leveled her gaze on him. Surprise fleeted across her dark pupils before it turned into disappointment. Then disgust.

"So you do agree with them …" She shook her head. "For the longest time, I thought you loved me, Bai Ye. You said you've only wanted the best for me, and I believed you. But now I see it was only a lie. You see me as a demon just like the rest of them. You see my power as a threat, and while you kept telling me you wanted to protect me, you would not hesitate to kill me to prove your Dao. In the end, that's still the only thing that matters to you, isn't it?"

Bai Ye opened his mouth, but he was at a loss for words. There was no need to defend himself—she was right, in too many ways. He was the one who owned Twin Stars. He was the one who made her bond with it and caused her soul to be affected. But now, when the situation spiraled out of control, he was the one who wanted to stop her. He was the one who wanted her to pay the price.

"It was my fault," he muttered. "I shouldn't have let you bond with the swords. I should have been more cautious. I should have seen the signs sooner when things started to change … If only there is a way to reverse all of this, or let me bear these consequences on your behalf …"

A dark laughter escaped her. "Is this when you try to convince me again that you'd do anything for me?" she sneered. "You can save those hypocritical self-reflections for your own ears. I have no interest in hearing more." She drew her swords back, repositioning herself into a new stance. "So you're sure about this?"

Bai Ye wanted to shake his head. He couldn't bring himself to do this. He still couldn't come around how things had suddenly come to this point in a mere three days, and he couldn't believe this was how it had to end. But someone had to do something … If it wasn't him, then it would be Chu Yang or Teng Yuan once they returned, and he didn't need to imagine to know what endings they'd have in mind for her after seeing the scene around them.

It had to be him.

His hand moved. As if his body was no longer his own, he raised his sword, with more effort than it should have taken. "You leave me no choice," he answered.

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