Chapter 387: After the Breakthrough

"Solomon?" Yue called out telepathically.

Solomon didn’t react. His silver eyes were blank, completely unresponsive to her voice.

It was a relatively common occurrence for a cultivator to become so deeply ’in the zone’ during a major breakthrough that they temporarily forgot their surroundings and slipped into a catatonic trance. Breaking him out of that specific trance wouldn’t cause any internal damage now, since he had already successfully shattered the navel core and achieved the breakthrough.

Of course, external interference in the outside world could cause harm.

She walked over to his projection, placed her hand on his shoulder, and called his name again. When he still didn’t respond, she grabbed him and shook his shoulders firmly, but his spiritual body simply swayed aimlessly with her movements.

Desperate to pull him back to reality, Yue grabbed his face with both hands, pulled him close, and shouted his name into his mind.

Suddenly, Solomon gasped. His silver eyes snapped wide open in shock.

He looked at the deep concern etched across Yue’s ethereal face. "What happened?" he asked, completely disoriented.

"Do you not remember what just occurred?" Yue asked, stepping back slightly.

Solomon glanced around the calm, stabilized spiritual space. "I honestly do not remember anything after the final compression phase. I was just focusing on condensing the energy into a single drop."

"You successfully broke through," Yue informed him, a wave of profound relief washing over her projection. "It is time to wake up."

The spiritual space instantly dissolved.

Solomon opened his physical eyes. The very first thing he registered was Yue sitting directly on his lap, straddling his waist on the narrow tree branch, with her lips pressed firmly against his in a kiss.

Yue’s eyes snapped open at the same moment.

She immediately realized the compromising physical position they were in. She broke the kiss instantly, jerking her head back, her face flushing a vibrant shade of crimson in the moonlight.

[1Fizzy: WAKE UP TO A KISS!]

[GoonLord: IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MEEEE!]

[James_hayes: bro is living the dream.]

[M00N: Yue is so embarrassed right now.]

[Mezz_3863: Solo Man getting all the action.]

[sgtcwby: what’s even going on anymore?]

Solomon was incredibly confused. "What happened?"

Yue quickly, and very awkwardly, explained the physical breakdown he had experienced, how his body had started fracturing, and how she was forced to initiate a desperate, physical qi-siphoning kiss to re-establish the spiritual union and save his life.

"Thank you," Solomon said sincerely, realizing she had risked her own life to save his. He looked at her pale face. "Are you okay?"

Yue opened her mouth to respond, but instead of words, she coughed up a splatter of dark, almost black blood. She quickly raised her silk sleeve to wipe her mouth, trying to hide the stain.

Solomon immediately grabbed her shoulders, his silver eyes wide with alarm. "What happened?! Are you hurt?!"

She gently pushed his hands away, offering a weak, reassuring smile. "It is nothing serious. This is perfectly normal. I just coughed up the stagnant blood and the minor internal damage caused by the forced entry. There is nothing to worry about."

[Zoomtech: she is coughing blood! that is not normal!]

[Frendscham: she took damage for him.]

[Foodball: Yue is a real one.]

[Brerell: Solo Man protect her!]

Solomon looked at her with deep concern, unconvinced by her casual dismissal. "Are you sure you are okay?"

"I am a Pavilion Master, Solomon," Yue replied, lifting her chin proudly. "A minor spiritual backlash like this cannot shake my foundation. I am just feeling incredibly weak and drained right now from the intense dual cultivation. I used up significantly more energy than I originally anticipated because I had to force my way back into your mind."

[DaoistAlexkg: she burned her reserves to save him.]

[Vaelen: W Pavilion Master.]

[Naturic: she needs to rest immediately.]

She sat there on his lap for a few more seconds, catching her breath, before she suddenly remembered she was still straddling him. She quickly pushed herself back, scrambling to her feet on the thick branch.

Solomon stood up right beside her.

"It definitely feels like I will have to take the entire day off tomorrow," Yue chuckled weakly, taking a step toward the trunk.

As she stepped forward, a sudden wave of severe dizziness hit her. Her knees buckled completely. She stumbled sideways, her foot slipping off the edge of the branch.

She desperately tried to grab the rough bark, but her weakened fingers failed to find purchase.

She plummeted backward off the branch, falling directly toward the bottomless sea of clouds below.

[Nick: YUE NOOO!]

[Ron_Selby: SHE FELL!]

[GoonLord: CATCH HER!]

[Haifuri: OMG MY HEART JUST STOPPED!]

Solomon noticed her slip and did not hesitate for a single microsecond. He dove headfirst off the branch directly after her.

He plummeted through the night air, reaching out and grabbing her wrist mid-fall. He pulled her body flush against his chest to protect her. Scanning the sheer cliff face as they fell, he spotted a thick, sturdy vine dangling from a rock outcropping.

He reached out with his free hand and grabbed the vine, his arm muscles screaming in protest as their combined falling momentum jerked them to a swinging halt against the cliff face.

"Are you okay?!" Solomon yelled over the rushing wind, holding her tightly against him.

Yue was completely shocked by the sudden dive, but she let out a shaky, profoundly relieved breath. "Yeah... I am fine."

[EvilNCarnate : SOLO MAN WITH THE SAVE!]

[trenthay : my heart rate just spiked to 200.]

[Joshua_Swofford : bro did not even think twice.]

[Name_Not_Listed : the reflexes on this guy.]

Solomon glanced around the cliff face, trying to find a stable mountain ledge or a series of handholds they could use to climb back up. But the nearest viable ledge was far too high, and the rock face was smooth.

He could clearly feel how weak and exhausted her body was. She was in no condition to even walk, let alone climb a cliff.

He pondered the nightmare for a few seconds, looking up at the branch they had fallen from, and then looked down into her emerald eyes.

’Hmm... I guess I have no other choice,’ he thought.

"Do you trust me?" Solomon asked.

Yue blinked in confusion. "Huh? Of course I do. The dual cultivation would not have worked if we didn’t trust each other."

"Hold on tight," Solomon instructed.

He gripped the thick vine tightly with both hands, wrapping his legs securely around her waist to hold her against him. He began swinging their bodies back and forth, building momentum like a human pendulum.

Once they reached the peak of the forward swing, Solomon channeled a dense burst of silver aura into his arms. He hurled her straight up into the air with all of his monstrous, giant-enhanced strength.

Yue let out a terrified shout as she rocketed upward through the night sky, flying over the edge of the cliff and landing safely, albeit ungracefully, onto the soft grass near the base of the ancient tree.

[DragonSon: BRO JUST YEETED THE PAVILION MASTER!]

[James_hayes: AHAHAHA TACTICAL THROW!]

[Last_Fables: he literally tossed her to safety!]

[IceWaterKat: the strength required to do that is insane.]