Chapter 20: Choices

The golden light of the sky grew further and further away as they fell. Ji Yunhe was not without fear when the darkness swallowed her. But she preferred doing something over sitting around and waiting, even if it might be the wrong move. She held Changyi's hand and listened to the roaring grow louder, until...

Splash!

They finally reached the sinking water. Changyi had mentioned that the pool was bottomless, and he was right. Ji Yunhe closed her mouth and nose tightly, held her breath, and followed the downward pull.

Then she felt a tug that swept her into a pair of arms warmer than the icy water. Changyi embraced her. This was his kingdom. He held her with one hand and gently stroked her face with the other.

Ji Yunhe felt the pressure around her instantly disappear. It startled her and she parted her lips, but no water entered her mouth.

"Changyi," she called out his name.

"Hmm?"

She could hear his reply.

"I didn't think you fish had such practical magic," Ji Yunhe said.

"But this spell shouldn't be of much use to you, right?"

"This is the first time I've used it."

"Changyi, within this short period of time, how many first times have I taken from you?"

Although still in the dark, Ji Yunhe was now relaxed enough to joke around. But Changyi went silent for a long time after her question.

Knowing his nature, Ji Yunhe teased, "You're not really thinking about it, are you?"

"I haven't finished counting yet..."

Ji Yunhe was really amused by him. She laughed and shook her head in his arms.

"You are such a serious big-tailed fish."

"It is good to be serious."

"Yes, I just didn't expect someone as serious and rigorous as you would sing for a possessed demon." Changyi did not respond this time.

"What did you sing?"

"A jiaoren's song, praising freedom." After hearing this, the smile on Ji Yunhe's face faded a little.

She looked at the endless darkness in front of them and said, "That's what should be sung, Changyi, we are also going to be free."

While falling into the water, Ji Yunhe felt that this was indeed their way out. The further they went, the more she could feel the energy flow from outside.

Changyi was now able to use magic to help her breath, and she could also detect her hidden pulse. If they continued going down, they would definitely get out of the Ten Square Formation. With the antidotes in her pocket, she would be free to leave the Demon Valley and roam the world. As if to confirm Ji Yunhe's thoughts, a dim light appeared within the darkness below. It illuminated Ji Yunhe and Changyi's eyes, and at the same time, the scales on his tail. His scale armor glimmered like stars, making Ji Yunhe feel as if they were soaring through the Milky Way.

"Changyi, after we leave the Demon Valley, I will return you back to the sea," Ji Yunhe said.

"Then I'll go travel the world. And when I'm about to die, I'll move to the beach. If destiny allows us to meet again, you can sing me a song too like you did today."

Changyi did not understand why she would say such a thing right now. Obviously the sky would be high and the sea would be wide once they got out, but she seemed to... always feel as if she was facing death. But Changyi did not probe, he only asked, "Sing what?"

"Praise for freedom," Ji Yunhe said.

"Maybe true freedom can only be attained on that day."

"Okay. When that day comes, I will go find you."

He agreed without a time, date, or place. But Ji Yunhe knew this fish would definitely keep his promise. She smiled and ushered in at the end of the darkness.

Daylight broke.

A jiaoren and a demon master emerged from the cold water and leapt out. The warm sun of spring shined onto their bodies. Ji Yunhe felt a bit weak and drained of energy. She laid on the ground and panted. Changyi's breathing was also a bit heavy next to her.

Ji Yunhe gathered some air and raised her head. She looked at Changyi and started to smile, but the smile froze on her face. A circle of demon masters had rushed forward and surrounded them.

Ji Yunhe felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. All the color of blood faded from her face. She was all too familiar with this place.

The backyard of Li Feng Hall, where the Valley Master lived. Although it was now in shambles with bricks and stones all over the floor, Ji Yunhe still recognized it. She looked back and saw the water they had jumped out from was the pond behind Li Feng Hall.

Who could have guessed that this pond would be the main eye of the Ten Square Formation. Ji Yunhe felt ridiculous. She had thought of a thousand possibilities, but did not think of ending up here.

"Master Warden?"

Someone among the demon masters recognized her. Then someone else shouted, "Why is she with the jiaoren?"

Another person muttered, "We searched all over the valley, so she was the one who took him. What did she want to do?"

"Earlier when everyone was fighting the jade phoenix, she was absent..."

Ji Yunhe did not move, but thoughts raced through her mind. The jade phoenix must have left a good while ago. What happened to Snow March? Now was not the time to inquire.

After Qing Ji left, the people in the valley must have realized that the jiaoren's cage had fallen and searched for him. This was a task sent by Princess Shunde after all. The entire valley would be in trouble if they were to lose him. And now, the great Master Warden of the Demon Valley fell out of a pond behind Li Feng Hall… with him. Ji Yunhe had only two choices.

The first was to immediately wound Changyi, capture him, and tell everyone that she had accidentally fallen into the Ten Square Formation while chasing after him, and made it out just now.

Second, was a bloodbath.

For Ji Yunhe, there was no doubt the first choice would be much better. If this had been her first day meeting him, she would have chosen that one. But now...

She had talked to him, heard him sing, and her life had been saved by him...

Ji Yunhe took a deep breath and stood up. Water still dripped from her clothes, falling onto the gravel beneath her feet.

She channeled the spiritual power in her body and flipped her hand. A sword unsheathed itself from the nearest demon master and flew into her grasp. She had never wanted to do this, but the hand of fate would not let her go.

Changyi, who remained silent this whole time, suddenly moved. His tail swept across the pond and stirred up millions of water drops, each one forming into an icicle and flying out toward the crowd.

He attacked first.