Chapter 103: It Doesn't Look Too Good

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Yun Xingyu and Huai Yin rushed forward with urgency, though their thoughts diverged. When they found the two, Zou Jiren was barely clinging to life by sheer willpower; his eyes could no longer distinguish the path ahead, nor recognize who had come. Dazed and confused, he held only one thought: he must not stop, for if he did, all hope would be lost. Even with their arrival, he showed no reaction.

“You carry Su He; he wants Yun to come,” Yun Xingyu said with a furrowed brow, having anticipated emergencies but never imagined reality would be far graver than expected.

Huai Yin immediately found himself in a dilemma, reluctantly replying, “Brother is badly injured; it’s best if Brother Yun takes charge. Let me stay with Housekeeper Zou. Besides, he’s covered in blood—better not to soil your clothes.”

Yun Xingyu glanced coolly and said, “No matter; those who lick their wounds are not afraid of a little dirt.”

With that, he swept his sleeve and pushed Su He into Huai Yin’s arms, allowing no refusal. Suddenly, the weight on Zou Jiren’s back felt light, and his face changed drastically. Blinded, he groped wildly, calling out, “Baili Su He? Baili Su He…”

He tried to step forward but stumbled over a stone and fell with a thud.

“Don’t panic; he’s alright,” Yun Xingyu’s figure flashed as he caught Zou Jiren just in time.

At first, Zou Jiren was stunned for a long moment before slowly regaining his senses. He turned his gaze toward Yun Xingyu, and his heart relaxed abruptly.

With a trembling voice, he said, “Is it you?”

“Yes.”

Having received the answer he longed for, Zou Jiren could no longer hold on. He vomited a mouthful of dark red blood and then collapsed in exhaustion. The sword in his hand, still dripping blood, clattered to the ground, bouncing and rolling aside.

Yun Xingyu glanced at his blood-stained clothing, then at the sword on the ground. He raised his hand to retrieve it, shouldered Zou Jiren, and said, “Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

Huai Yin, holding Su He on his back, followed closely, frequently glancing back at Zou Jiren with a tinge of regret.

Such a perfect opportunity to silence him, wasted for no reason.

At the same time, his opinion of Zou Jiren shifted. With Su He’s personality, once she awakened and learned of this past, she would surely treat him differently thereafter. At that time, anything adverse he said about Zou Jiren would only backfire.

But continuing to stay together would also arouse Su He’s suspicion, which was... inconvenient for him.

Moreover, this newly appeared Yun Xingyu was no ordinary man.

After careful thought, staying by Su He’s side clearly posed risks.

Yun Xingyu cast a sideways glance, letting the scenery flash past, and calmly asked, “Huai Yin, you’re silent—are you worried about Su He?”

Huai Yin was startled but feigned nonchalance. “Ha, yes. Judging by his injuries, it doesn’t look promising.”

In truth, his heart was pounding wildly like a war drum. He wondered: could this fellow have seen through something? It made no sense; at least he himself had shown no sign of weakness.

“It’s not promising, but not beyond salvation.”

“Brother Yun can save him?” Huai Yin raised his eyebrows, reconsidering his definition of Yun Xingyu.

“There are many talents in the Sea of Desires. As long as he holds on, there is naturally a way.”

“Heh... Brother Yun really loves to joke.”

Huai Yin forced a smile, trying to appear less stiff. A ‘way’? His words were as good as meaningless.

Yet, his wariness toward Yun Xingyu deepened.

This man’s intellect and abilities far exceeded Zou Jiren’s; caution was necessary.

Even if not friends, at least not enemies.

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Otherwise, he would become an obstacle in the future.

Yun Xingyu shifted his gaze back and replied indifferently, “Is that so?”

There was nothing more to say, and Huai Yin did not want to have further dealings to avoid saying the wrong thing.

Therefore, both hurried with all their might toward Yi Qingchen’s place.

Sui Yu’er, seeing Yi Qingchen’s shocked and surprised expression, was puzzled and reached out to gently push her, “Sister Yi? What’s wrong?”

Yi Qingchen took several breaths to calm herself, replying, “I’m fine. They’re back.”

With that, she pulled Sui Yu’er forward.

Sui Yu’er turned and was stunned, stammering, “What... what happened to them?”

How could they return in such a state?

Everyone else seemed unharmed, yet these two were like this?

Especially after seeing Zou Jiren’s blood, she was so frightened she stepped back.

Yi Qingchen lowered her head and gently patted her hand to soothe her. “Don’t panic. Let’s hear what they have to say first.”

Yun Xingyu glanced at the two women and said, “Let’s go back to the Twelve-Month Wind Pavilion first.”

“All right.” Yi Qingchen reluctantly swallowed a thousand words, only wishing to return to the pavilion to get to the bottom of things.

Inside the Twelve-Month Wind Pavilion, since their departure, Que Yunzi had been restless, pacing back and forth, his neck stiffened from constant looking.

From midnight until the rooster’s crow, then from dawn until the sun was high, no news came. The longer he waited, the more uneasy he grew.

Finally, they returned—yet two were in critical condition.

He couldn’t do much but quickly usher them to a side room on the west wing to save time treating their wounds. One was laid on the bed; the other leaned against a chair.

Their injuries were severe, especially Su He’s. After examining, Que Yunzi urged Huai Yin to go to Wei Ye Valley.

Huai Yin pointed at the person on the bed, “Is it really that serious? Aren’t you... the revered healer? Can’t you fix him?”

Que Yunzi pushed him out roughly, scolding, “I told you to go—no more nonsense! If you’re late, you might as well prepare to bury the kid.”

“...Fine, fine, I’ll go. But why do you have to be so ominous? Aren’t you afraid of bad luck?”

“I’ve seen it all, old man. What bad luck?”

With that, he kicked Huai Yin out.

“Hey?”

Why kick him out just like that? Huai Yin rubbed his backside and hurried toward Wei Ye Valley.

Su He’s life was on the line; he dared not be careless.

Inside, Yi Qingchen stepped forward, asking, “Is it really that serious?”

Though Huai Yin had asked the same question, she refused to give up hope.

Que Yunzi sighed, patted her shoulder, and then approached Yun Xingyu.

“Xingyu, I recall your sect has a secret technique that allows one to enter a state of apparent death without harming the body, right?”

Yun Xingyu glanced sideways at Que Yunzi, then focused on Zou Jiren. “I know of it.”

He approached the bed and with a powerful palm infused with benevolent energy, he poured it into Su He’s body.

Upon inspection, apart from a lack of color, he appeared to be sound asleep.

Yi Qingchen saw this and realized the situation was grave. “How long can this technique maintain?”

“Everything has its price. To enter apparent death without damaging the body, the duration is limited.”

He gestured a number.

“Seven days?” Yi Qingchen was stunned, looking at Su He and then back with alarm. “What happens if no solution is found in seven days?”

“It will...”

“Oh, there are still seven days left. Don’t worry. This kid has a strong life force. Didn’t he survive against Huan before?” Que Yunzi interrupted, knowing what Yun Xingyu would say.

He then told Yi Qingchen and Sui Yu’er, “Go boil some hot water and bring some clean water. I need to tend to his wounds.”

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“All right.”

After a while, the two returned carrying basins of clean water.

“Put them on the table. You two girls wait outside. If needed, I’ll call you.”

They understood what Que Yunzi meant. Zou Jiren’s leg injury was severe, and with two women present, it was inappropriate.

They bowed and stepped outside to wait in the courtyard.

Que Yunzi asked Yun Xingyu to close the door and then took scissors to cut the hem of Zou Jiren’s bloodied clothes, even trimming his undergarments down to a waistband.

Carefully, he peeled away the fabric stuck to flesh and blood.

Despite his caution, some contact was inevitable. Each removal caused Zou Jiren to tense painfully, veins bulging.

“Xingyu, get a cloth for him to bite. Don’t let him hurt himself.”

“Got it.” Yun Xingyu released his hold and grabbed a folded cloth from the basin on the table. He placed it lengthwise and pried open Zou Jiren’s jaws for him to bite down.

“Hold on. You’ve endured pain far worse than this by gritting your teeth. Don’t give up now. Besides, don’t you want to see if the person you risked your life to save survives?”

If the first sentence barely moved Zou Jiren, the second struck deep.

He was simple, without ambition or complex notions of good and evil. He only wished to be loyal to one person his whole life—whether master and servant or friends.

In truth, he just wanted to watch quietly from the sidelines. Wealth and glory were illusions. It was best if they came naturally; if not, no complaint.

What he sought was merely a reciprocation of his loyalty.

Sadly, Lin Mao never responded.

Su He did, but he dared not believe it.

Why? Why did his millennia of devotion yield nothing, while now an “enemy” gave him what he desired in mere days?

He could not understand.

Seeing his reaction, Yun Xingyu knew his purpose was achieved. He nodded to Que Yunzi. “Go ahead.”

“Hmph. He seems refined, but when it counts, he’s ruthless...” Que Yunzi said, cutting off a piece of bloody flesh and tossing it aside.

Such a fine leg, yet filled with wounds—either gaping cuts or deep penetrations. How cruel must the attacker have been?

Just looking at it gave one chills.

After a long moment, Yun Xingyu said, “He’s a true man.”

From cleaning to dressing the wounds on both legs took nearly two hours. Even Que Yunzi was drenched in sweat, as though pulled from water.

Next came the hand wounds—also mangled, with flesh and blood mingled. Though a cloth was stuffed in his mouth, he bit down hard enough to soak it with blood.

“Master healer, can’t you give him some medicine?”

Que Yunzi understood the implication but could only sigh. “Not that it’s impossible, but even with medicine, while his leg and hand might recover, returning to their original state is impossible.”

“Ah...”

“Hey, hold on. When you’re healed, I guarantee your leg and hand will be better than before. Got it?”

He continued working diligently.

Meanwhile, Huai Yin left the Twelve-Month Wind Pavilion and dashed toward Wei Ye Valley.

But upon arrival, after searching the valley, he couldn’t find Fu Qingfeng. He interrogated a local earth spirit and learned that Fu Qingfeng had left shortly after they did.

There was still no news.

This made Huai Yin anxious and frustrated. Without the master, Su He’s fate was bleak.

What was to be done now?