His sharp inhale was audible in the silent night. "Avoiding you caused great pain. But propriety and position forbid me from acting on deeper feelings, no matter how much my heart yearns..." Elder Wei trailed off raggedly.
Hardly believing her senses, Yue Ling lifted tentative fingers to Elder Wei's jaw in reckless encouragement. "Position matters not to me. My heart has already surrendered," she confessed, pulse roaring in her ears.
The night stilled for endless breathtaking seconds as they stared at one another, on the cusp of irrevocable change. Then with a low groan, Elder Wei pulled her into his lap, burying his face against her neck like a drowning man finding air. "Mine too, beloved, mine too..." he whispered fervently.
Joy overwhelmed Yue Ling until she trembled helpless against him. His strong arms anchored yet also set her adrift in glorious sensation. This must be immortal ascension! She would gladly cultivate a thousand years to remain thus.
Dawn approached too soon. As Elder Wei escorted her regretfully back towards the waking sect, a thought solidified in Yue Ling's mind. No matter whether she passed the Peak Trials or not, she would stay by his side. For nowhere else harbored her hopes and heart now. Fate destined them to entwine for all their lives henceforth.
Peak Trial battles brought all disciples to the Main Square where elevated combat platforms stood surrounded by banners representing the Five Elemental Peaks. As participating disciples were called forth in pairs to display their best techniques, crowds of observers cheered and jeered loudly.
Yue Ling picked lackadaisically at her breakfast, feeling calm despite impending judgment of a year's efforts. Catching her distracted mood, Li Ying demanded what occulted her focus lately. Blushing, Yue Ling hesitantly shared condensed details of her closeness with Elder Wei.
Li Ying's astonished gasp drew looks from other nearby disciples. Grabbing her arm, Li Ying whispered urgently, "Yue Ling, are you certain? The consequences..." Voice filled with concern yet also thrilled excitement on her behalf, Li Ying bombarded her with endless questions about Elder Wei's intentions.
Amused by Li Ying's agitation yet distracted by thoughts of seeing Elder Wei at the Trial battles later, Yue Ling gave only vague reassurances. In truth, neither had spoken openly of the future. The present bonds between them sufficed for now.
Arriving at the Main Square, Yue Ling looked around unsuccessfully for Elder Wei's tall figure among the observing elders and peak masters gathered along the tournament platforms' periphery. Had something delayed him from arriving already?
The opening proceedings finished swiftly. As participating disciples were called forth, impressive and dramatic fights showcased talents one after another. Yet Yue Ling felt anxiety building as her turn approached while Elder Wei still failed to appear. Where could he be?
Right before her name sounded, Elder Wei finally ascended the observers' platform, glancing around swiftly until his gaze landed on her with piercing intensity. Relief melted her stiff posture. Heart buoyed by his presence, Yue Ling stepped calmly onto the combat stage to face her opponent.
Utilizing clever positioning and illusion arrays, she gradually gained advantage, finally disarming her opponent in a burst of glittering ice blade fragments. Polite cheers sounded as she bowed respectfully towards the elders, flushed and exhilarated. As she lifted her head though, Elder Wei's empty spot on the platform stabbed her happiness into tatters. Where did he disappear to so quickly?
Struggling to mask disappointment, she descended to stand with other waiting disciples. But ominous murmurs soon rippled through them about Elder Ling suddenly convoking an emergency council session regarding breaches of conduct. What could have happened to require such urgency?
Before she pieced together any guesses, fists pounded on the square's announcement drums, stopping all chatter instantly. On the elevated platform, Elder Ling proclaimed coldly, "Wei Zheng is hereby stripped of elder status for violation of propriety and exiled forever beyond sect boundaries!"
Shockwaves tore through the crowd. But only anguished denial drowned Yue Ling's mind as Elder Ling continued harshly, "Disregarding ethics and position, Wei Zheng in his arrogance pursued romantic intentions upon Personal Disciple Yue Ling!"
Accusatory eyes turned towards her, alit with condemnation. But Yue Ling barely registered anything besides Elder Wei's — Wei Zheng's — banishment. Heart shattering, she hardly felt Li Ying supporting her limp body. Everything lost meaning in a fog except the chance she lost to ever see him again.
The next days crawled by endlessly grey and bitter. No explanations or excuses could combat accusations once pronounced from Peak Lords and Elders themselves that she somehow ensnared Wei Zheng. Even Li Ying now regarded her differently, if with more pity than hostility.
Cultivation failed miserably, her heart too ravaged for necessary tranquility. Meals tasted like ash. Each night she dreamed of Wei Zheng appearing to take her away, only to wake sobbing uncontrollably until light crept back mockingly.
Five days after the Trial battles, summons arrived for her to appear alone that evening by the bamboo forest. Arriving at sunset, breath froze in her throat to see Elder Ling waiting, flawless beauty marred by cold disgust towards her. Attempting vainly to brace herself, Yue Ling bowed silently.
Elder Ling frowned. "Nothing to say for yourself still? This situation cannot stand unaddressed." At Yue Ling's bewildered headshake indicating she did not understand what Elder Ling referred to, sharp eyes narrowed.
"My junior martial brother may have overstepped decorum but he does not deserve baseless accusations," Elder Ling bit out. "If you carry any affection towards him, you will write a letter refuting claims of romantic misconduct. His status can still be reinstated afterwards."
Stunned disbelief shattered Yue Ling's grief momentarily. Write a letter renouncing their love? Bitterness flooded her tongue but words formulated themselves before she registered speaking. "Please bestow this letter upon Elder Wei." Upon conclusion, she knelt before Elder Ling's aloof perfection, petitioning hoarsely, "I ask only to accompany Wei Zheng in banishment."
A flash of shock cracked Elder Ling's icy disgust before hardening even colder. "You selfish, foolish girl! Do you think exile is pleasant countryside wanderings?" Each word lashed like knives but Yue Ling hardly felt new pain atop the endless abyss swallowing her since losing Wei Zheng. She stared mute and unmoving at the ground.
With visible struggle, Elder Ling retracted killing intent. "Take care lest you never leave sect territory again." Whirling gracefully, she vanished swiftly between the silent bamboo stalks.
But threats hardly mattered when lingering memories already trapped Yue Ling forever yet separated eternally from her heart. She lay numb and wakeful late into the night, pondering if her cultivation could already sustain escaping these mountain peaks taunting with glimpses of the starry skies Wei Zheng now wandered alone.
Any intentions to slip away from the Ancient Immortal Sect however required tangible strength Yue Ling currently lacked. Breath stagnated just picturing herself collapsing helplessly a few miles beyond the fortress peaks boundary, doomed to crawl back under more accusations or die meaninglessly, never reuniting with Wei Zheng either way.
Cultivation seemed equally futile when simply circulating spiritual energy sent stabbing pains through her core. But having no other path forward, Yue Ling forced herself through lessons and meditation. She would become stronger, enough to pursue Wei Zheng wherever he went, no matter the obstacles.
Three months later, a surprising encounter disrupted her isolation. Elder Rong, the senior female elder who first welcomed them as new disciples, requested Yue Ling specially brew a rare spirit herb elixir not trusting others with the valuable ingredient.
Bewildered but obedient, Yue Ling focused wholly on the complex extraction and purification formula. Midway through the long process, Elder Rong observed casually, "Wei Zheng sent word he arrived safely down the mountain...I travelled there once years ago." She peered sharply at Yue Ling whose suddenly shaking hands nearly spilled the alembic.
Seeing truth in the girl's naked longing, Elder Rong sighed. "I cannot change sect rules myself but never approved such unreasonable punishments." Laying a comforting hand on Yue Ling's shoulder, her voice dropped lower. "I foresee opportunity soon. Prepare yourself in all respects."
Cryptic warnings puzzled Yue Ling but Elder Rong refused further elaboration. The elixir completed beautifully regardless, earning genuine praise from the peak master herself. Rumors of her skill spread and soon even former detractors sought her out for special pill requests. Thus isolated yet busy days passed.
Half a year after Wei Zheng's exile, Elder Rong summoned Yue Ling again, demanding she assist gathering rare spirit herbs that only sprouted by a perilous cliffside at noon. Braving the treacherous landscape, they harvested efficiently until loud bells rang out from distant peaks signaling emergency assembly.