Mo Yan and every single disciple's gaze was vigilant; all were ready for any trouble. The air suddenly grew silent. The winds ceased. The fog became even denser. Everything vanished into that mist. The houses, the buildings, the trees, the ground everything seemed to disappear in the fog.

  Seeing all this, Mo Yan commanded the disciples:

  "Stay alert. Something is nearby. Anything could come from anywhere."

  All the disciples responded in unison:

  "Yes, Master."

  Suddenly, the door of a nearby house opened on its own. No one saw the door open, only heard the sound. Everyone became even more vigilant. All eyes were now fixed on the direction from which the door had opened.

  And then, a corpse was violently flung out from the middle of the fog. It flew and landed right in front of them all. Everyone's eyes widened upon seeing the body. Mo Yan immediately stepped forward and examined the corpse. When the body was turned over, it was revealed that the corpse was none other than Hei Tian Zong, the Chief General of the Liuguang Sect and Lin Chaoyuan. His entire body was burnt black. His eyes were white. His soul... had been devoured. When Mo Yan placed his two fingers on the forehead, he realized that even his inner core was destroyed. The disciples looked at each other fearfully.

  Mo Yan stood up and looked around. His gaze swept every corner and every spot. This was because he felt the proximity of the person he had been yearning for. A sudden, soft feeling washed over him. A desperate longing filled his eyes, and he just kept looking around.

  Just then, the sound of footsteps was heard. Someone was walking out from within the fog. The disciples stood alert with their swords drawn. But as the Su Tao Jue mantra on Mo Yan's wrist glowed, his eyes filled with astonishment and longing. He saw that the Su Tao Jue spell seal had become fully awakened. This meant that the one standing before him was none other than Yu Sui.

  Mo Yan’s gaze fixed on him; his heartbeat quickened. He was restless inside. But he couldn't react because his disciples were standing behind him. Su Nian, however, understood everything.

  Finally, Yu Sui emerged from the fog. His red and maroon robes announced his new identity. When Yu Sui stood before Mo Yan, everything seemed to halt. Time stopped, just for the two of them. Their eyes met, and their gazes seemed to convey their love for each other.

  Stolen story; please report.

  But Yu Sui's steps suddenly stopped. When his eyes landed upon the talisman bound to Mo Yan's forehead, his heart seemed to stop. It was as if a storm had halted upon seeing the innocence of a tiny flower. Yu Sui's eyes welled up. He understood that the talisman tied to Mo Yan’s forehead was the Oath Talisman.

  Seeing that Yu Sui had noticed the talisman on his forehead, Mo Yan's eyes lowered, but his tears fell like raindrops. Yu Sui saw this and stepped back. All this happened in front of Su Nian, who himself felt deeply disappointed seeing their emotional state. He could perfectly understand the situation of the two of them.

  But before Master Shen Jichuan could arrive here himself, Su Nian said to Mo Yan:

  "Master. We should leave. Master Shen Jichuan must be waiting for us."

  He knew what would happen to Mo Yan if Shen Jichuan saw this. Mo Yan had been whipped many times before because Master Shen Jichuan had caught Mo Yan searching for Yu Sui, which is why he had this talisman on his forehead today.

  Hearing Su Nian’s words, Mo Yan turned. Seeing him turn, the disciples also began to move. But before leaving, Mo Yan looked at Yu Sui one last time. With a loving, longing gaze. His eyes conveyed his message to Yu Sui without words:

  "If I were not bound... if I were not forced to save you... you would already be in my arms, Yu."

  Reading his desperate eyes and seeing his helpless face, Yu Sui walked away. He vanished into the fog. And then Mo Yan also turned to leave.

  The disciples walked behind Mo Yan. Su Nian looked quite disappointed. As they walked, he softly said to all the disciples behind him:

  "No one will say anything about what happened. Pretend that we saw nothing."

  All the disciples nodded in agreement. Because Su Nian was a distinguished disciple, the others respected him after Mo Yan. In fact, all the disciples respected each other. Due to this, everyone agreed to Su Nian's words and followed their Master back toward the Ming Jing Men Sect.

  They took horses from the Liuguang Sect's stables and began their return journey, as 10 of their horses had already been taken by the first group of disciples.

  In just a few hours, everyone reached the Ming Jing Men Sect. But upon reaching the academy, Mo Yan went straight to his chamber without stopping or speaking to anyone. Although Master Rong Ke Chang and Shen Jichuan were waiting for him in the main hall.

  Mo Yan silently returned to his room, carrying the weight of an oath that was breaking him from within. He came in and closed the door. But the moment he sat down near the table, he erupted in suppressed anger and agony. All the items on the table the books, the candles, the inkstone, the scrolls, and a beautiful white flower vase fell down and shattered.

  Mo Yan had broken for the first time. He cried. Because he could not bear it. He was so close to Yu Sui, yet he couldn't touch him, couldn't tell him how much he had waited for him. How incomplete he was without him. His continuously flowing tears became the mirror of his pain.

  The objects were scattered throughout the room like his emotions. The vase was shattered like his heart. And his soul was dying for Yu Sui. He felt hollow.