Chapter 165: You... Are Going to Reveal Your Identity

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: You... Are Going to Reveal Your Identity

"Yun Sheng..."

A flicker of clarity suddenly appeared in Bai Ye’s crimson eyes.

He gazed at her face, which was inches away, his pupils constricting slightly. The hand gripping her wrist tightened unconsciously.

Yun Sheng said nothing.

Her fingertip remained pressed to the center of his forehead as she focused her spiritual power, delving deeper into his crumbling spiritual landscape.

The violent spiritual power surged wildly, more tenacious than before, threatening to attack her at any moment.

But she didn’t flinch. Instead, she condensed more of her spiritual power, taking a more assertive stance as she swiftly wrapped it around his, enveloping and soothing it.

The wildly churning, violent energy was like a gentle hand pressing down, smoothing it out inch by inch.

The struggle in Bai Ye’s eyes intensified, but he stopped moving. He just stood there, staring at Yun Sheng without blinking.

It was as if she were the only person in his world!

Si Jin stood a short distance away, his expression terrifyingly dark.

He watched as Yun Sheng’s brows furrowed in a pained grimace while she saved Bai Ye. He watched Bai Ye’s hand clutch her wrist, refusing to let go. A fire ignited in the pit of his stomach.

An inexplicable frustration surged within him.

’He wanted to charge over and kick Bai Ye away, to pull Yun Sheng into his own arms, to shield her from everyone.’

’But there was nothing he could do.’

「Time ticked by, second by second.」

Yun Sheng’s spiritual power, like the softest of silk threads, combed through the rampaging energies in Bai Ye’s spiritual landscape again and again.

Under her calming influence, the fissures that had been expanding wildly finally began to slow their growth.

Bai Ye’s breathing gradually evened out, and the hand gripping her wrist stopped trembling so violently.

But the crimson in his eyes hadn’t faded. He was still on the verge of losing control, merely pulled back from the edge of the abyss and stabilized by the barest of margins.

Beads of sweat trickled down Yun Sheng’s temples, her face growing increasingly pale.

’It wasn’t enough.’

’She needed more time.’

Just then, Si Jin’s expression suddenly changed.

"Yun Sheng."

He took a step forward, his voice lowered to a whisper, yet laced with unprecedented gravity.

"Qi Yao is here with his men."

Yun Sheng’s heart clenched.

In the distance, several figures were rushing this way at an astonishing speed. The man in the lead had a sharp and powerful aura; it was Qi Yao.

’Dawn was breaking, and he’d arrived with reinforcements!’

’But the raging fissures in Bai Ye’s spiritual landscape had only just begun to stabilize. If she pulled away now, all her effort would be for nothing.’

Yun Sheng bit her lip. After a moment of silence, she looked up at Si Jin.

Her eyes held a plea, a hint of guilt, and an unreadable complexity.

"Si Jin, I need time... Buy me some time."

Si Jin stared at her, his gaze unwavering.

He took in her pale face, the sweat on her temples, and the way she was clearly exhausted but still forcing herself to go on.

Without a word, he gave a slight nod and turned, walking toward the direction from which Qi Yao and his men were approaching.

After a few steps, he raised a hand, and his fingertips moved slightly.

Several black barriers materialized behind him, completely shrouding the small area where Yun Sheng and Bai Ye stood.

The barriers were thick and solid, enough to block any prying eyes or disturbances.

As Yun Sheng looked at the barriers, she felt a soft pang in her heart.

It was a bittersweet ache.

’Si Jin... He would always, always be on her side.’

’Even when he was jealous, even when it hurt him, he would still help her without a second thought!’

Yun Sheng took a deep breath, pushing down the swirling emotions. She gathered more of her spiritual power and continued to soothe the raging fissures in Bai Ye’s spiritual landscape.

Meanwhile, Si Jin had reached the edge of the pollutant swarm.

His gaze swept over the pollutants swarming toward them.

Low-level and Mid-tier pollutants were scattered about. So many had been killed earlier that the survivors were still shaken, cowering and afraid to get any closer.

A slight smirk touched his lips.

The next moment, his spiritual power flowed out, an invisible whip that lashed lightly at several low-level pollutants.

The pollutants shrieked in terror, their forms bristling as they fled in a frenzy—straight toward Qi Yao’s approaching team.

One, two, three...

More and more low-level pollutants were herded by Si Jin, surging in that direction.

’They were all worthless low-level fodder. Qi Yao and his team could handle them with ease; they wouldn’t get hurt.’

’But there were enough of them to buy a little time.’

Si Jin leaned against a tree trunk, his arms crossed. He gazed in their direction and clicked his tongue with a soft "tsk."

Meanwhile, in Qi Yao’s reinforcement team, a Sentinel sliced through a pouncing pollutant and grumbled under his breath.

"Why are these pollutants suddenly charging this way?"

Qi Yao’s eyes narrowed. He quickly scanned the area with his spiritual power but found nothing out of the ordinary.

He raised his blade and cleanly dispatched another pouncing pollutant. "They must have sensed our presence," he said, his voice deep. "Finish them quickly. We still don’t know what the situation is back in the canyon."

"Yes, sir!"

The Sentinels responded in unison. Amidst a flurry of flashing blades, the low-level pollutants fell one after another.

...

Meanwhile, back with Yun Sheng, her spiritual power continued to roam through Bai Ye’s spiritual landscape. The violently raging fissures were finally, gradually, being stabilized.

Bai Ye’s breathing steadied, and the crimson in his eyes began to recede, replaced by a slowly returning clarity.

He looked at Yun Sheng’s pale face, the fine beads of sweat on her temples, and her fingertips, which trembled slightly from the excessive drain on her spiritual power. His gaze deepened.

He suddenly raised his own hand and gently pulled hers away from his forehead.

Yun Sheng froze, her gaze meeting his now-clear eyes.

"That’s enough," he said. His voice was hoarse, but the loss of control from before was gone. "Any longer and you’ll overdraft your spiritual power."

Bai Ye paused, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the dense forest. "Qi Yao is here with reinforcements, isn’t he? I can sense his presence. Si Jin can’t be seen by them, and you shouldn’t stay here either. Go back into the canyon and join Guo Kai and the others. I’ll... handle things here."

Looking at the familiar calm and certainty on his face—the look of the Star Alliance War God—Yun Sheng was overcome by a wave of complex emotions.

"You... you’re going to reveal your identity?"

Bai Ye’s lips twisted into a self-deprecating smile.

"Qi Yao is no fool. Even if I were to put my mask back on now, it would be a futile attempt to hide what’s already obvious."

He looked at her, his gaze firm.

"Don’t worry. Someone of his rank isn’t in a position to question my actions."

The words had barely left his lips when Si Jin’s figure emerged from the darkness, landing at Yun Sheng’s side.

He raised a hand, and the black barriers silently dissipated.

He didn’t spare Bai Ye a glance, walking quickly to Yun Sheng’s side to look at her.

"Listen to him. Go back to the canyon. I’ll find you later."

Yun Sheng looked from him to Bai Ye, then finally nodded.

She turned and walked back toward the canyon.

Only Bai Ye and Si Jin remained.

Si Jin shot Bai Ye a cold glance, his lips curling into a sarcastic smirk.

"Hah! If Yun Sheng hadn’t saved you, you’d be just like me right now. You’re not so high and mighty after all, Bai Ye."

Bai Ye ignored his taunt. "The person who took Yun Sheng is dangerous," he said, his tone cold. "If I’m not around to protect her in the future, you have to watch over her!"