CHAPTER 22 — Her Face in the Mist
Zheng Wen Te did not want to meditate again.
He wanted to run.
He wanted to smash the orb against the wall.
He wanted to scream at Shangdi—
Why drag me into this?
But Lian's words remained.
"You cannot become immortal without facing what you buried."
Zheng sat again.
His legs felt like stone.
His chest felt worse.
He stared at the orb in his palm.
It was warm.
Patient.
Like it had all eternity.
Zheng whispered:
"…Fine."
Inhale.
Exhale.
The ember returned faster this time.
Qi stirred.
Not from the world.
From his heart.
From regret.
The pavilion mist rose instantly.
Thicker.
Darker.
The air smelled of iron.
Blood.
Zheng's breath caught.
The floor beneath him shifted.
Stone became battlefield.
The sky became crimson.
Screams echoed in the distance.
Then—
Her silhouette appeared again.
Closer.
Clearer.
A woman in white robes stained with red.
Her hair loose, whipping in a storm of spiritual energy.
She turned.
And Zheng froze.
Her face…
It was Lian.
Not immortal.
Not cold.
Not untouchable.
But young.
Human.
Her eyes were wet.
Not with weakness.
With heartbreak.
She stepped toward him, voice trembling:
"Why…?"
Zheng's throat tightened.
"I— I don't know…"
The vision-Lian's lips quivered.
"You promised."
The words struck like lightning.
A memory cracked open.
A mountain sect.
Two figures kneeling before heaven.
A vow spoken into the stars.
"In this life and the next, I will not abandon you."
Zheng gasped.
His hands shook violently.
"I said that…"
Vision-Lian's expression twisted.
"And yet you left."
The battlefield trembled.
A sword appeared between them.
Not in her hand.
In his.
Zheng stared down in horror.
His own fingers gripped the hilt.
"No…"
Vision-Lian whispered:
"You chose immortality…"
"…Over me."
The air screamed.
Spiritual pressure crushed down.
Zheng's knees slammed into the ground.
"I didn't want this!"
Her tears fell.
Each one burned like acid.
"You did."
"You walked away."
"You severed the heart bond."
Her voice became a sob.
"And I died with your name on my lips."
The mist surged—
And suddenly—
Zheng snapped back.
He collapsed, coughing blood onto the pavilion floor.
The orb in his palm dimmed.
His body trembled like a broken animal.
Outside…
Real Lian stood silently.
Her eyes unreadable.
Zheng lifted his head, blood on his lips.
"…That woman…"
"…Was you."
Silence.
Then Lian spoke, voice colder than winter:
"Now you understand."
Zheng whispered:
"…I abandoned you."
Lian's gaze sharpened.
"No."
Her voice dropped like a verdict.
"You killed me."