Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 186: Fifth Life - Search for You III

"Ming Yan, you've let me down."

Ming Yan grimaces and can't look at her. I step forward and say, "Are you here to stop me, Yi Fei?"

"How could you plan something like this and not tell me? Are we even good friends as I've thought?"

"Exactly. Are we even friends at all? When I first told you about this, you denied to help. You said you would do what you can to help me find Yang Zi Huo, but you still wouldn't help me with this."

"Because I want you to stay alive!"

"Truth is I'm dying, and you can't stop it, Yi Fei." 

She lets out a long sigh. Tired of being at odds, tired of not having me on her side, I feel her desperation through the thickness of the air. 

"Then what kind of friend would I be if I was not here?" She asks.

"What?"

"Even if I hate you sometimes and don't understand your decisions... I'll support you as you've always done for me."

Filled with a moment of glee, I'm surprised by Yi Fei and feel guilty for pushing her into doing something for me. 

"I will stay here and monitor the sands of time and pull you two back. Ming Yan, you accompany Yuxing and keep her safe. Sect Leader, be on standby in case we receive unwanted guests. Once a soul leaves a body, the hollow scent will attract dark entities."

"Yes, Sect Leader Gao." Gu Yi bows. 

"Yi Fei..." I'm about to apologize for keeping this from her but she turns away.

"Prepare yourself. I will start the ceremony now. You do not have much time, so move quick." 

Yi Fei draws two large circles on the cavern ground. The glowing white of her essence circulates with a ringing sound. 

"Get in the circle," she orders.

Ming Yan and I follow orders obediently. The rush of adrenaline surges through me. I'm excited to see Yang Zi Huo again. Terrified that I very well could die and never see him again.

"This will hurt." Yi Fei turns around and throws a heavy force in our direction. We both fall. The impact feels like being hurled into a brick wall. The pain is excruciatingly burdensome. 

"Ow..." I place a hand to my chest, rubbing it. Opening my eyes, I was no longer inside the Starlight Cavern. There is soft grass underneath my body and tall forest trees reaching for the sky.  

"Ming Yan?" I call out, "Ming Yan?!" 

Looking around, I don't see her anywhere. Great, we've been separated.

"I have to focus on finding the Ghost Market." 

That's right. I remember. Only those who seek out the market will be led to it. Hopefully, this will allow Ming Yan to meet me there. 

Wandering through the forest, everything looks the same. I don't even know if I'm getting anywhere closer to the market. 

"Yi Fei really did that on purpose. Hurt like hell," Grumbling about my grievances, I don't notice something stalking me from the darkness.

"Yuxing..."

"Ack!" I let out an ugly scream. The small person has disheveled hair and her white dress is stained with dirt. "Virgin ghost?! Ahh!"

"Yuxing, it's me!" Ming Yan pulls her hair behind her face. 

"Oh my Heaven, I thought you were a ghost!" I pat down her dirty dress. "Looks like Yi Fei got you even worse than she got me."