C16 Crashed off the Cliff!

Su Zimo's brow was furrowed, his usually handsome and graceful face now carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible tension. He glanced up at the vast sky, which seemed less clear than before, as if it were brewing some ominous, chilling conspiracy.

The cave was filled with a stifling atmosphere, making it hard for Su Zimo to breathe. But it wasn't the gloomy weather or the oppressive air that suffocated him—it was the news he had just received.

Su Qianxun had fallen off a cliff and was seriously injured.

When he heard this, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck him, leaving him nearly fainting. Even someone as strong as Su Zimo felt almost overwhelmed.

Why he reacted so strongly, he couldn't quite understand himself. Maybe it was because Su Qianxun was such a good person—kind, generous, and easy to like. Who wouldn't care about someone like that?

That must be it.

Su Zimo stopped dwelling on it and moved toward the cave entrance. Someone had gathered a pile of dry grass there, like a small hill. The sight warmed his heart, bringing a slight smile to his face.

Who else could it be but Su Qianxun? She must have been worried that her friends wouldn’t be able to keep warm at night, so she kindly gathered all that hay to prevent them from freezing and worsening their injuries.

But the smile on Su Zimo's face didn’t last long. Such a wonderful girl, such a kind-hearted Su Qianxun, and now she was missing because of their incompetence, neither alive nor dead.

He sighed, feeling something cold hit his face. Reaching out of the cave, he realized it had started to drizzle. Though it wasn’t a downpour, it was enough to make the already fragile rocks slippery or wash away the barren soil. The thought made Su Zimo restless.

Qianxun was still on the brink of life and death, and he hadn’t heard any news of her fate. Was he supposed to just give up and assume the worst? No way. He couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.

After some thought, he realized this place wasn’t very safe. With so many of his friends injured, waiting here for help from home wasn’t the best plan. If someone with ill intentions discovered their location and brought a group to attack, they might not be able to fend them off. Even if they could, they’d still be trapped like sitting ducks.

Su Zimo found a place where they could rest for a while, but it wasn't suitable for a long stay. His slender fingers intertwined, showing a pair of warm yet strong hands. He glanced back at his fellow disciples, who were all sick and sighing, and his resolve grew stronger.

Right now, the only ones capable of fighting were himself and Su Changyi. The others were either like Su Yue and Su Rou, who were not strong fighters, or they were severely injured. It seemed they would have to split into two groups.

Thinking of Su Qianxun, who might be struggling between life and death, Su Zimo didn't hesitate any longer. He waved to Su Changyi. Su Changyi, who had been patiently comforting the sobbing Su Yue, gave her an apologetic smile before turning to Su Zimo.

Su Yue didn't go off to handle her own affairs but followed them. Su Zimo didn't mind her joining; after all, they were all like family. He hadn't called the others because they were injured, and he didn't want to burden them with more worries.

Su Changyi didn't seem to mind either. As he approached, he asked, "Brother, what's going on?" Su Yue frowned deeply, aware of the gravity of the situation.

Su Zimo sighed, not looking at them, but instead turning his back. His tall figure almost blended into the cold rain, walking alongside the night.

"This place is too dangerous for us to stay any longer. If we continue like this, we'll be trapped," someone said.

Su Changyi nodded in agreement. He had noticed the problem earlier while looking after his companions. The cave was shallow with no other exit. If someone blocked the entrance, they'd be trapped with no way out.

He hadn't mentioned it before because the situation was dire, and hiding was the best option at the time. Now that his companions had regained some strength and with Su Qianxun missing, it was clearly the best time to retreat, despite his hesitation.

Su Zimo seemed oblivious to Changyi's inner conflict, maintaining his calm demeanor. His voice was low but carried a firm and undeniable resolve.

"Take the others, along with Su Rou and Su Yue, back to Fallen Mountain City. Find the elders and ask for help."

Changyi was momentarily stunned. Su Zimo hadn't mentioned his own plans, but there was no need to ask. The answer would undoubtedly involve Su Qianxun.

He lowered his eyes, casting a shadow over his face. Su Yue, unlike Changyi, didn't catch on to the full scope of Zimo's plan. She thought everything was perfectly arranged, not realizing Zimo hadn't mentioned his own intentions.

Su Yue asked, "What about you, brother?"

Su Zimo's back tensed for a moment. He turned his head and, almost inadvertently, glanced at Su Changyi. The intensity in his eyes was so strong that Su Changyi almost felt like he was looking at another version of himself.

Su Zimo seemed not to notice Su Changyi and instead replied to Su Yue, "I'm going to find Qianxun."

Su Yue's eyes widened. She knew that Su Qianxun had been severely injured and had fallen off a cliff. She wasn't a cold-hearted person who wished harm upon Su Qianxun.

Though she disliked Su Qianxun, she felt a twinge of sadness and sympathy for her misfortune. However, she was also practical. Despite being a prodigy, Su Qianxun was still just a young girl in the third stage of cultivation, vulnerable in the face of true power. Already gravely injured and barely clinging to life, her fall from the cliff would have only worsened her internal injuries. Su Yue was almost certain that Su Qianxun had no chance of survival.

Yet now, Su Zimo was seriously telling her he intended to search for someone who was likely already gone, abandoning those of them who were alive but in great danger, to save Su Qianxun?

Su Yue almost thought she had misheard. She looked at Su Changyi in disbelief, confirming that she had heard correctly. Her demeanor suddenly turned sour.

"Are you out of your mind?" Su Yue exclaimed. "Su Qianxun fell off a cliff and is seriously injured. Even if she's incredibly lucky, her chances of survival are slim. And now you're telling us you're going to look for her?"

Su Zimo gave Su Yue a calm glance, nodded, and repeated, "I'm going to find Su Qianxun, no matter what." The wind blew rain into Su Yue's eyes, but she was too preoccupied to care.

Su Yue's eyebrows shot up, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Can you stop being so sentimental? We're struggling to keep everyone safe, and you're talking about Qianxun? Listen to me, don't go."

Su Zimo's eyes, sharp and piercing like an eagle's, fixed on her. He shook his head coldly and said, "My decisions are never swayed by others. You've known me long enough to understand that."

Su Yue wanted to argue further, but Su Changyi stopped her. He knew Su Zimo's nature was somewhat like his own—once a decision was made, it was hard to change, and certainly not because of someone else's words.

Besides, Su Changyi completely understood Su Zimo's feelings. Before Su Zimo even spoke, Su Changyi had the same thought, just a moment too late to voice it first.

If I don't stop them now, they'll end up in a fight. At this critical moment, everyone is on edge, barely hanging on. If they start arguing and scare everyone, it'll just make things worse.

Su Yue listened to Su Changyi, biting her lip in frustration before returning to her spot, sulking. Su Changyi gave a wry smile and said, "Are you sure you want to go, brother? It's dangerous there, and we're short-handed here. If something goes wrong, I'm not sure I can handle it."

Su Zimo just smiled, his silent trust evident as he patted Su Changyi on the shoulder.

Su Changyi put away his wry smile, nodded solemnly, and said, "I will, don't worry."

Su Zimo nodded and disappeared into the rain-soaked night. Su Changyi opened his mouth to speak, stepping forward, but was interrupted by a pained grunt from a junior brother and Su Yue's concerned voice. He turned around, a gentle smile on his face, and walked over.

Just then, Su Yue looked up and asked, "When are we leaving, brother?"

Su Changyi sighed inwardly and replied, "Now."

The group set out immediately, braving the heavy rain. Every extra moment they stayed increased the danger. Fortunately, nothing went wrong along the way, though Su Changyi remained unusually silent, his conversations with Su Yue distracted.

Su Zimo was in a hurry, almost immediately rushing to the spot where Su Qianxun had fallen from the cliff. The cliffside was littered with remnants of a fierce battle, evidence of the recent conflict.

After surveying the battlefield for a while, Su Zimo was convinced that there was no way Su Qianxun could be dead. It just wasn't possible.

He clenched his teeth and peered over the edge of the cliff. It was about 10,000 feet deep, pitch black, with not a hint of light visible. Just looking at it was enough to make one's heart race.

He hesitated for a moment, certain that Su Qianxun had fallen. Even if she survived, the fall would have been severe. Without help, she might not make it.

With this in mind, Su Zimo circled around to find a more gradual slope. He held a rope in one hand, something he always carried with him, and gripped a cold steel knife tightly in the other, carefully making his way down.