At some point later, Tang Daiyu awoke to see Liang Yingzhou sitting lotus-style, meditating, in front of her. She looked around but didn't see Pei Xinhui.

Without opening his eyes, Liang Yingzhou said, "Master Pei had some matters to attend to. I came to find you on my own."

"Zhou-ge," she murmured.

He opened his eyes and stared into hers. Tang Daiyu quieted immediately.

Finally, he asked, "Why did you choose to come here?"

Not wanting to answer, she deflected and shook her head. "How did you find me?"

Silence.

When he finally gave in, he answered with all seriousness in his voice, "I'll always be able to find you, Ah Daiyu."

Dumbstruck, she couldn't come up with a response. Instead, she blushed red and looked down at her kneecaps.

A few awkward minutes later, she asked softly, "Are you saying that as my ge ge or something else?"

Liang Yingzhou sighed and reached forward, pulling her towards him. He let her head rest against his left collarbone.

"Let's not talk about this now. The most important thing at the moment is getting you out of here safely. The news of Emperor Jianyuan's death has spread like wildfire across Chang'an. Soon, all of Chang will know about it... and Heping."

"Can't Shifu help?"

"He's already started back for Guangzhou."

"Oh," she breathed sadly.

Liang Yingzhou swallowed slowly, his Adam’s apple bobbing, before inquiring, "What does Master Pei mean to you?"

Tang Daiyu relaxed in his arms and answered, "He helped me realise that I shouldn't just give in. I know Hei Siwang is bad, but it's given me the strength to survive until now. Shifu really did a lot for me in those two years at Peace Tree Inn. I can't just forget that."

A few moments later, he breathed, "Ah Daiyu."

She sat up and turned to look at him. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

"Wha-?"

He reached around her and hit a couple of her acupoints. She fell unconscious and slumped against him. Holding her, he leaned down towards her ear.

Liang Yingzhou murmured, "Sha mei mei, did you really think that keeping the truth from me would stop me from helping you? Just as you have your choice, I have mine. And doing this, is my choice."

Resting her upper body in his lap, her head laid on his left thigh. He twisted his left palm and held it, hovering, just above her chest. His eyes closed as he focused on sensing her impure qi. When he had found it, he began to extract it. Her black colored qi slowly reached towards his hand. Once it had gathered under his palm, he turned it upright, holding the energy off to the side.

With his right hand, he withdrew his own qi. Once all of it had collected in his palm, he flipped his hand over and gave her his qi. When he had finished, he brought her qi towards himself and let it seep into him. After the exchange had been completed, Liang Yingzhou felt the strain of her impure qi. Weakened from having been without essential energy for a bit, his eyelids fluttered. Before he slipped into unconsciousness, he removed himself from Tang Daiyu and moved a few chi away.

~~~

A couple shichen later, Tang Daiyu awoke. Groggy, she wiped her eyes and looked around the dark room. She found Liang Yingzhou and seeing his unconscious form, crawled over to him.

She gently shook his shoulders. "Zhou-ge. Zhou-ge. Wake up, Zhou-ge."

No response.

Worry filled her, and she started to shake him more violently. "Zhou-ge! Please, wake up. Zhou-ge!"

Then, there was a groan. She gasped.

"Zhou-ge!"

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"Daiyu," he murmured.

She froze, caught off guard. He had never called her by only her given name before.

"Zhou-ge? What happened?"

His eyes squeezed before opening. He looked at her weakly and smiled. Reaching up, he cupped her face with his left hand.

"Ah Daiyu."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "You're okay. Thank Heaven."

But then, he coughed. And blood began to drip from the corner of his mouth. Shock filled Tang Daiyu, and she cried out in dismay. She helped him up to a sitting position.

"Zhou-ge, what happened?"

"Don't worry. Everything's fine."

Suddenly, there was a banging on the door.

"Tang Daiyu! I know you're in there!" Li Xun called out. "Though I'm surprised you chose to come back here. What filial child would return to the place where she betrayed her family?"

Her eyes widened, and she curled up into a ball, shaking. Liang Yingzhou turned towards her.

"What is he talking about?"

She shivered and said, "I was tortured here. Li Xun got information out of me. I gave up things that I had heard my father discussing. In exchange, both Baobao and I were spared from death three days later when we were arrested."

He grabbed her shoulders. "What happened is not your fault. They're the cruel ones who hurt you, a thirteen year old child, just to get some information. They're monsters."

She shrugged off his hands. "Don't worry, Zhou-ge. I'll take care of Head Eunuch. It's about time I did."

His eyes widened, alarmed. Liang Yingzhou reached out and caught her wrist.

Pei Xinhui's words echoed in his mind. If you really want to save her, then I'll tell you how to exchange qi's. But once it's done, Xiao Tang can never use Hei Siwang ever again. If she does, the exchange will have been in vain and both of you will suffer.

"No, let me. I don't want you using Hei Siwang anymore."

Tang Daiyu didn't want to agree, but she finally acquiesced. He stood up and walked to the door. Opening it, he stepped outside. She ran forward and peeked around the door to watch. Liang Yingzhou eyed Li Xun and Xue Longxian darkly.

"Official Xue, you are my brother's father. I don't want to have to hurt you."

"You've sided with that fox! I must stop her and you."

Deciding enough was enough, Liang Yingzhou flew forward and pulled out his sword. He swept at the two men. They jumped back. His eyes narrowed.

“I'll never let you harm Ah Daiyu ever again.”

He leapt into the air, employing his qinggong. The shining steel of his sword glinted in the sunlight. He flew forward, charging towards Li Xun. The former Head Eunuch dodged out of the way and spun. A dagger appeared in his hand.

“Zhou-ge, watch out!” Tang Daiyu cried.

He whipped around and brought his sword up in defense. The clang and screech of steel against steel rang out as the two got caught in a stalemate. Xue Longxian attacked, but Liang Yingzhou flew up to the roof to avoid being hit. He glanced down, glaring at Emperor Jianyuan's lackeys. After taking a deep breath, he descended to fight once more.

~~~

After a quarter of a shichen, Liang Yingzhou had weakened by a lot. He could tell that the impure qi wasn't compatible with his martial arts. His eyes widened with understanding.

That's why Ah Daiyu couldn't learn when she was at Swift Breeze Sect.

"Master Liang," Li Xun taunted. "You don't seem to be at your best today. I wonder if maybe... you had been exhausted previously?"

Before he could respond, they all heard, "You scoundrel! How dare you make up lies!"

Tang Daiyu flew out, ready to attack. But Liang Yingzhou swept to the side and caught her waist, efficiently stopping her from doing anything.

"Zhou-ge, what are you doing? How dare he slander you!"

"What did I say, Ah Daiyu?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you care all of a sudden? Why's it so important that I-"

Her voice died out, and tears sprang to her eyes as the truth set in.

"No," she breathed, horrified, backing away from him. "No, no, no."

Liang Yingzhou remain silent, watching her. Li Xun and Xue Longxian, confused, waited to grasp an understanding of the situation. Suddenly, Tang Daiyu lunged forward and started to pound her fists against his chest.

"Liang Yingzhou, you idiot! Why? Why did you do it?" she cried. "Why?"

She began to sob and continued to hit him. He caught her wrists and looked at her, admonishingly.

"Because China needs you more."

"Wha- what?"

"Your birth chart, surely Master Cao told you. It's been written in your destiny that you will be China's saviour."

"I don't care about that! I know how hard you've worked to get where you are. I know you strived to achieve One Hundred Dancing Lightning Strike. I didn't want you to give that and everything else up for me. I'm not worth it, Zhou-ge."

His eyes softened. "Yes, Ah Daiyu, you are."

She slowly quieted. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her puffy eyes.

Looking up into his eyes, she asked, "Why did you really switch our qi's?"

Li Xun and Xue Longxian gasped in shock. Liang Yingzhou sighed.

"I already told you."

"But, there has to be more. Isn't there any other reason?"

"It was my choice, Ah Daiyu."

"But why?"

"To save you."

He leaned down towards her ear and added with a whisper, "And I saved you because I care about you."