Chapter 7:Summit Views and Celestial Doubts

The crisp morning air, redolent with the fragrance of wildflowers and ancient pines, caressed the ridges of Mount Yuling. High above, where the arboreal canopy thinned and yielded to an expansive azure sky, Yueqing guided Mo Ren along a narrow, time-worn stone path. The once-resonant waterfall, now a distant memory, roared faintly in the background.

"Come along," Yueqing called, glancing back over her shoulder. Her long braid swayed rhythmically with each measured step, her laughter as gentle as the mountain breeze. "I trust you will not succumb to exhaustion from this relatively short ascent?"

Mo Ren offered a faint chuckle, maintaining his steady pace. "I have engaged in combat with demons possessing significantly greater speed. And they complained considerably more."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Is that so? Then I urge you to refrain from lagging behind."

Shortly thereafter, they attained the summit—a broad cliff offering an unparalleled vista of the valley below. The clouds parted dramatically, revealing a breathtaking panorama of Tianhua Realm in the distance. From this vantage point, it shimmered like a celestial dream—pagodas, radiant with ethereal light, floated amidst a landscape of spiritual rivers flowing through the heavens, and divine trees stood sentinel amidst the sacred academies.

Yueqing stepped forward, her eyes wide with awe.

"That realm," she murmured, gesturing towards the distant splendor, "is it not breathtaking? That is where the most powerful immortals reside. The esteemed gods and goddesses freely traverse those lands, diligently maintaining the equilibrium of the realms. It must feel… immensely powerful to belong there."

She turned slightly towards Mo Ren, her voice imbued with a wistful tone. "Do you not concur?"

Mo Ren stood beside her, his gaze fixed not upon Tianhua, but upon her.

"I am uncertain," he replied, a playful smile gracing his lips. "I believe I find greater contentment here. In the company of a certain mountain maiden who compels me to ascend cliffs merely to showcase radiant realms."

Yueqing blinked, momentarily taken aback by his words.

"Are you… jesting with me?" she inquired, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

Mo Ren averted his gaze, his expression inscrutable. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I genuinely meant what I conveyed."

Yueqing refrained from a verbal response, yet her silence eloquently conveyed her sentiments.

Meanwhile, chaos brewed within the hallowed halls of Tianhua Realm.

Within the Celestial Assembly Hall, divine energies throbbed with palpable tension. The circular platform, crafted from luminous jade, hovered serenely above the clouds, encircled by floating talismans and divine orbs. Seated in a spiraling arrangement were the highest authorities of the realm: revered immortals, ancient gods, and sect leaders entrusted with the fate of the world.

"Have we received any further information regarding the demon's escape route?" one of the elder immortals inquired sharply.

"None," another responded. "We have thoroughly investigated the outer regions. It vanished near the borders of Mount Yuling. Our protective formations detected no trace."

"Impossible," a bearded god muttered. "No creature can evade our vigilance unless… someone facilitated its escape."

A hush fell over the assembled deities.

Then, a slender figure arose from his seat. Clad in pale blue robes, exquisitely embroidered with starlight, his long hair secured with silver clasps—this was Qinliang, one of the Five Heavenly Lords, renowned for his sharp wit and unwavering pride.

"I posit," Qinliang stated deliberately, "that a certain individual disappeared concurrently with the incident. Someone possessing the skill to vanquish demons… and the freedom to vanish without authorization."

Murmurs rippled through the assembled dignitaries.

Qinliang narrowed his eyes. "I refer to Mo Ren. The disciple of the Sword Arts Academy. Where is he?"

Several elders shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"That is a grave accusation," Master Yunlan, the esteemed head of Mo Ren's academy, declared firmly. "Mo Ren risked his life during the demonic invasion. His loyalty to Tianhua is unquestionable."

"Yet, he is missing, is he not?" Qinliang retorted. "Vanished immediately following the battle. And we know demons fled in that general direction. Is it not plausible that he—"

"Enough," another goddess interjected, her voice laced with icy authority. "You are drawing premature conclusions. Mo Ren is a dedicated disciple, not a traitor. He has no connection to the demonic realm."

Qinliang raised a skeptical eyebrow. "We cannot afford to disregard even the slightest possibility. A single breach in our defenses, and the entire realm could crumble."

Yingluo had remained silent, her hands clasped demurely, her face still pale from her recent injuries. But upon hearing Mo Ren's name, her head snapped up.

"What did you say?" she asked, her voice sharp with concern.

All eyes turned towards her.

Qinliang offered a mocking smile. "Your savior, Lady Yingluo. He is missing. And some of us question whether his allegiance is as unwavering as you believe."

Her expression darkened considerably. "You suspect that he betrayed us?"

"I suggest," Qinliang stated, "that we locate him. And ascertain the truth."

Yingluo rose abruptly, her long sleeves billowing around her like silken wings. "Then I shall undertake the search myself."

Master Qianlong regarded her with apprehension. "Lady Yingluo, you are still recovering from your wounds—"

"I owe him my life," she declared. "And I refuse to believe he would ever align himself with demons."

She turned, her robe swirling majestically, and exited the hall with determined strides. An unwavering resolve burned in her emerald eyes.

Somewhere, Mo Ren was out there.

And she would find him.

As the mountain breeze whispered secrets through the towering bamboo, Yueqing and Mo Ren continued their leisurely stroll along the ridge, their steps unhurried and measured. Sunlight dappled the forest floor, creating a mosaic of light and shadow. Mo Ren walked beside her, his hands clasped behind his back, stealing furtive glances at the maiden who, unexpectedly, had begun to occupy his thoughts.

"I still find it difficult to believe that you nearly plummeted into a ravine on the day of our encounter," Yueqing remarked with a teasing smile, gently nudging him with her shoulder. "Had I arrived even a moment later, you would have become either demon fodder or waterfall soup."

Mo Ren let out a soft, genuine laugh. "And I had envisioned you constructing a shrine to commemorate my heroic arrival."

Yueqing placed her hands on her hips. "Hah! You mean that moment when you collapsed unconscious in the middle of the woods? Hardly heroic."

He feigned offense, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. "You wound me, mountain maiden."

She chuckled, then executed a graceful twirl beneath a branch laden with early-blooming cherry blossoms. "Perhaps you deserved to be wounded. You never even revealed your full name. You simply appeared, shrouded in mystery, silent, and dramatic."

Mo Ren folded his arms across his chest. "Mo Ren. That is all there is to know."

"Untruthful," she countered, narrowing her eyes. "Even your name suggests a multitude of concealed secrets."

He stepped closer, near enough for her to discern the faint scar above his brow. "Would you still desire to uncover them… even if they were not captivating?"

Yueqing blinked, the playful teasing in her demeanor faltering. Her voice softened as she spoke. "I believe… I would still wish to know you."

A hush fell between them, broken only by the gentle rustling of leaves.

A faint blush colored her cheeks, but she quickly averted her gaze, feigning an interest in adjusting her hair. "In any case," she mumbled, "do not assume that you are exceptional merely because I provided you with rice porridge."

Mo Ren offered a faint smile. "It is too late for such considerations."

She looked at him, surprised by his words. "What do you mean?"

He refrained from a verbal explanation. He simply smiled.

And in that unspoken moment, his silence conveyed everything.