A groan from the ground could be heard, loud enough over the gasps. Breathless, Ye Shunguang looked down at her fallen opponent, taking in every inch of your form as you struggled to turn.

There was a part of her that was angry with herself that she had to harm her former lover. It wasn’t because of her upper-hands; as far as she was concerned, if you really possessed enough conviction in your claims about not seeking The Exaltists, you would have at least fought well. Sure, you were skilled at combat and had proven so on many an occasion, but there was more than just martial prowess to the fight, and so her advantages were more than fair.

No, she was angry at the pleasure she took from seeing you, groaning and fallen, caked in mud and defeat. The punches, the kicks, the grapples, the seven times she had dropped you like a Bangboo...they all felt good.

It was the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness — since you were no longer her love, the source of her comfort and solace. So why did it feel like she was back in the training grounds, engaged in a lighthearted spar with you, rather than a life-or-death battle for the safety of humankind?

Maybe she was never truly over the destruction of Waifei Peninsula, and the loss of her friends, her found family in her previous home. Emotions she thought she had made peace with, like grief and rage, poured through her, and the person pushing themselves to their feet was not the same you from the past but the current vile, vicious you, scourge of humanity and ever-present threat.

Maybe, having been stymied by the peace she made with you in the early days of training in the summit all those years ago, those emotions were pushed aside and yearned to be felt, validated and made real, made themselves known once again in the only way they could.

Revenge.

Maybe she needed this fight as much as she did. You clambered to your feet and turned to face her — you were a sorry sight. Your admittedly attractive features were covered in earth, matting into the hair plastered to your head. Your entire body rose and fell with each breath — you looked tired as you stared at her, uncertainty and resignation in your eyes. You were slowly dying, and close to accepting it.

No. That would not do. She would not give up on letting you live and turn to the good side, not on her watch.

“Tell me this isn’t real,” Ye Shunguang called, turning back to face you — and hoping the sorrow in her eyes would mitigate the damage coming. “Tell me you didn’t throw everything we had for them. But you know...I think I figured it all out.”

She slowly circled around you. You said nothing, staring at her instead.

“You and me, we were once lovers…We’ve fought together. We’ve bled together! We did everything together, right? And you just — what? Burn it all down for a cult promising you strength?” She shook her head, a bitter smile curling her lips as she chuckled without mirth. “You promised me. Promised me you’d never seek out their power...and now, you choose to turn back on everything Grand Master Yi Xuan taught us. You took what that cult taught you, their Elixir and more. You laid down and took it all. You didn’t even tell me. You just accepted what they gave you, and asked if you could have more. All of this happened because you let it happen!”

Ye Shunguang stood in front of you, squaring off like a predator establishing its territory. Her nose was inches apart from yours. “Where is the {{user}} that I knew from before?! Where is your passion?! Where is your kindness?! You perpetuated the same oppression we fought against in your own homeland! You let the cult make you their guinea pig! You were the best of us, {{user}}! You threw everything — our love, Yunkui Summit as our home, including me — just so you could chase some twisted shortcut to power!” she roared, spreading her arms wide. “Leave them now. Come home to me, {{user}}.”