Healing

"......" As her words reached his ears, Xu Yuan's hand hooked behind the curve of her slender leg tightened slightly, and his gaze sharpened. Whatever he wanted... she would permit? Brother Xun truly spoke no lie—after every great battle, there was always a resupply. Drifting gently downward, blood-stained clothes and red sleeves danced together in the light breeze. He looked down at her. "Oh? Anything at all?" "......" Sheathing her saber and storing the head into her Sumeru ring, Li Qingyan reached up and hooked her arm around his neck. The watery tenderness between her heroic brows seemed capable of spinning a glistening silk thread, while the blood smearing her lips made her resemble a gorgeous spider lily. "This Palace always keeps her word. So, what does my Prince Consort wish to do to me?" Xu Yuan subconsciously licked the dried blood at the corner of his lips. As a metallic, rusty taste spread over his taste buds, he instantly realized something was amiss. There was a catch to this promise. Once he returned to being a mere Soul Condensation expert, would he even be able to breach her defenses? Not a chance. The gap was far too vast; he simply wouldn't possess the ability. A Soul Condensation expert couldn't even break the defenses of a qi-cultivating Grandmaster, let alone this breast-binding princess who cultivated a variation of the martial path—the path of the military array. *Tsk... even now, this wicked woman is still trying to feed me empty promises and string me along.* Touching down upon the ground, a soft plume of snow and dust puffed up from the surrounding ruins to cushion their descent. A trace of amusement flickered in Xu Yuan's eyes as he asked softly, "Can you walk on your own?" Li Qingyan released her grip around his neck, glanced at the army's experts rushing over in the distance, and countered with a smile, "What do you think? Even if I can't, I still have to hold myself up." With that, Li Qingyan patted his shoulder, signaling for him to set her down. Bending gently, the instant Li Qingyan's boots touched the ground, her entire body stumbled, pitching forward. Quick on his feet, Xu Yuan caught her around the waist, his voice carrying a faint trace of reproach: "Is that really necessary?" Supporting herself against his arm, Li Qingyan steadied her footing, her willow brows furrowing slightly from the pain. "You don't understand. As long as this Palace draws breath, I cannot display the slightest weakness before outsiders..." "That commander doctrine of yours again?" Xu Yuan cut her off, though he simultaneously withdrew his hand from her slender waist. "Saving face while suffering misery." As he spoke, Xu Yuan produced a specially crafted jade vial from his Sumeru ring and held it out before her. "Take it." "......" Li Qingyan first looked at the small purple pill inside the jade vial, then glanced at Xu Yuan. Her red lips parted slightly, then closed again, her expression turning odd. "......" Xu Yuan felt a bit exasperated. Having regained her footing, Li Qingyan gave him a playful glare, a smile dancing in her eyes. "Don't get the wrong idea. This Palace knows what this is—a Runluo Pill." "A moment ago, I was merely wondering why you would possess such a sacred healing medicine, when the Celestial Master Manor only presents a single one to the imperial court every three years, Changtian." Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So why be surprised?" Straightening her robes, Li Qingyan said in a clear voice, "If it were merely an ordinary Runluo Pill, acquiring it wouldn't be difficult given Duke Xu's boundless reach. But a Runluo Pill coated in pill veins is entirely different. The last time our royal clan received one was probably at Imperial Father's grand banquet celebrating his eightieth birthday. Its healing efficacy is second only to the divine Nine-Returning Pill." A flash of surprise crossed Xu Yuan's eyes as he subconsciously glanced down at the jade vial in his hand. Over ten years ago? A meeting gift was actually this valuable? The image of that cross-dressing woman immediately surfaced in his mind. Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment. It seemed he had no choice but to acknowledge that sister-in-law. In return, if the chance arose, he would help her slip an aphrodisiac to Xu Changge next time. Yes, that was settled. With that thought in mind, Xu Yuan looked at Li Qingyan and teased, "Since it's so precious, let's consider it a loan for now. You can repay me later at market price." "Can't you be a little more sparing with something so rare?" Li Qingyan looked at Xu Yuan helplessly, as if looking at an absolute spendthrift. "Though my injuries are severe, they can already be nursed with quiet rest." With that, she raised her gaze slightly toward the headless corpse still suspended in the void. "Now that the Barbarian King is slain, the Barbarians are doomed. This Palace will not need to take to the battlefield again for the time being." Hearing this, Xu Yuan hesitated slightly. "You really don't want it?" "Do you take this Palace for some coquettish, coy maiden playing hard to get?" "Tsk, not cute at all." "Ha, you—" "Though, this young master happens to prefer women who are a bit sexier." "......" Li Qingyan's eyes flickered. She did not turn her head, but a faint smile curved her lips. "Glib tongue. Follow me." "What, going to find a room to reward me?" "...My body can barely hold out. I need to find a place to rest first." "Same difference." "......" Glaring at the grinning man, Li Qingyan walked forward without another word. Radiating outward from directly beneath the midair clash, a full fifth of the Barbarian Sacred City had been reduced to ruins, a landscape of sheer devastation. Even so, a few structures stood tall like cranes among chickens amid the rubble. Built with quake-resistant materials looted from Great Yan and imitating the architecture of Great Yan, these compounds were likely meant for the barbarian nobles and chieftains. Yet compared to the majestic yet delicate elegance of Great Yan architecture, these imitation estates built by the Barbarians showed a crude violence of aesthetics. And they were massive. Walking into the courtyard, Xu Yuan surveyed the strange yet familiar architecture. These buildings were basically scaled up by roughly double compared to those in Great Yan. Casually following behind Li Qingyan, Xu Yuan watched her graceful figure trembling slightly from pain and suddenly asked, "Even if you don't use my Runluo Pill, you should have imperial healing pills of your own, right?" As the reigning Emperor's only offspring commanding armies abroad, Xu Yuan didn't believe for a second that Li Qingyan's Sumeru ring lacked premium goods. "I do," Li Qingyan replied in a low voice, her steps steady. "No need to take them now." "You're actually this frugal?" Xu Yuan wore an odd expression. He hadn't expected this breast-binding princess to be a food-hoarding hamster. He offered earnest advice: "When it's time to spend, spend a little—no need to be so stingy." "Are you an idiot? That's not what I meant." "It's not?" "Of course not. My internal injuries are too severe right now. I must first regulate and stabilize my condition before taking medicine. Taking medicine directly would only cause the medicinal potency to aggravate the injuries." "There's even such a thing?" Xu Yuan was quite surprised. "You're an Origin Realm expert who cultivates the martial path." Li Qingyan glanced back at him as if looking at a fool. "Origin Realm experts are still human; we die if we're hurt. You don't even know such basic common sense?" "I—a distinguished Soul Condensation expert—naturally don't know the common sense of the Origin Realm. Still, humanity truly is a frail creature." Xu Yuan showed no shame. Then, pausing in thought, he asked seriously, "Mm... so, do you need me to apply medicine for you later?" "No." Li Qingyan stopped before an elegant pavilion in the courtyard and let out a breath. "Hurry up and take the antidote to restore your human body." "What, you can't wait already?" "......" Suppressing the overwhelming urge to weld her fist into this shameless wretch's face, Li Qingyan pushed the door open and walked in without another word. The room was pitch-black, devoid of the slightest light. Watching her walk to the stone couch and sit cross-legged, Xu Yuan did not follow her inside. Going in wouldn't help her anyway. Life origin could not be used to heal humans—unless Li Qingyan no longer wished to be human. Though he didn't enter, Xu Yuan stood at the doorway and tossed the Runluo Pill to her. "Take it, and restore your strength as soon as possible. We aren't entirely safe yet." Hearing this, Li Qingyan frowned slightly, but quickly realized what he meant. Assassination. Her injuries were truly grave. The fact that an Origin Realm cultivator could barely walk was proof enough. If faced with an assassination, she would have virtually no ability to resist. Clutching the jade vial, she remained silent for a moment, then spoke softly: "Fine... This Palace will repay you in an equivalent manner." "Why not pay me back with your body? A hundred thousand taels a time, how about it?" "Xu Changtian, you want to die—" *Click!* The door shut, cutting off her voice. Having pulled the door shut for her, Xu Yuan did not leave either. Standing beneath the eaves, he looked up at the sky, only to realize that it had begun to snow again. As if in commemoration of something, snowflakes drifted down quietly from the sky like willow catkins, fleck by fleck, soon accumulating into a silvery blanket over the parched ground. Xu Yuan glanced at the headless silhouette still standing in the void, exhaled a long plume of white vapor, and transmitted his voice: "Qingyan, you'd better be quick. I'll use this aberrant ghost body to guard you for now." With that, he lightly rubbed his hands together, took out a black muli veil to don over his head, folded his arms across his chest, and leaned against her doorway in the darkness of the night. The weather in this Land of Utter Darkness was truly cold... Well, probably. In the Land of Utter Darkness, where there was no distinction between day and night, the passage of time felt somewhat unreal. Perhaps the only real thing was the unstained silver sand piling higher and higher on the ground. During this time, several people stepped through the snow hoping for an audience with Li Qingyan. There were military colonels, martial experts accompanying the army, and grain-transport officers from logistics, but without exception, Xu Yuan turned them all away. In the name of Her Highness being in closed-door recovery from her wounds. Some were displeased, as pressing military matters demanded immediate decisions. Yet displeased as they were, none dared show it openly. The strong always commanded reverence. A Transcendent Realm expert capable of severely wounding a Saint was someone few in the entire world would dare provoke. Not to mention, this mysterious blood-robed man wearing a black muli veil had saved their lives, and very likely shared an extraordinary relationship with the Princess. Since Xu Yuan refused them entry, whatever these military men thought inside, on the surface they all acted forthright and decisive, politely asking him to pass along a word before taking their leave. Time slipped by in silence. Outside, the man leaned against the doorway, standing like a statue. Inside, the woman sat cross-legged on the couch, biting her lip gently. The snow drifting from beneath the eaves left patches of white upon the shoulders of the blood-stained robe and the black veil. In the courtyard facing the chamber, half a zhang of silver sand had piled up, yet the tightly shut door behind him showed no sign of opening. Three days later, the man outside moved for the first time. As the snow resting upon him was brushed away, he raised a finger, lifted the tattered blood-red sleeve, and lightly drew a line across the arm beneath. A shallow wound appeared, but inside there was once again no crimson blood—only those familiar, tiny fleshy tendrils. Just a single glance at these dense, slender tendrils was enough to make one's scalp tingle. Though he had survived that punch from the Barbarian King, his aberrant ghost transformation had intensified once more. In the silence, as Xu Yuan watched the wound seal shut in an instant, Luo Xiran's voice suddenly resonated in his heart: "The aberrant ghost transformation of your body has entered the second stage again." "......" Hearing this, Xu Yuan glanced at the door. Seeing this, Luo Xiran's gentle voice carried a trace of helplessness: "Why do you insist on standing guard for this girl? Isn't there another Origin Realm expert in this city?" Hearing that, Xu Yuan recalled the middle-aged woman who had come on the first day to pay respects, only to be chased off by him. He chuckled softly. "The reason I haven't left is precisely because I worry about these army-attached experts stirring up trouble. "Even the Beifeng Army might not be completely clean, let alone these attached experts. They are members of aristocratic clans conscripted by the imperial court. Though all pledge loyalty to the royal family, who knows which prince they privately follow? Right now, Qingyan is so weak; someone making a sinister move against her isn't out of the question." Nan Jinxi's assassination attempt made Xu Yuan worry someone might repeat it. Better safe than sorry. "......" Luo Xiran was sharp—sharp enough that she grasped Xu Yuan's underlying meaning almost instantaneously. After a brief silence, she sighed softly with a complex tone: "Pointless squabbles. No wonder the great catastrophe of the world is coming." "Pointless?" Xu Yuan gave the jade pendant in his palm a noncommittal glance. "Cultivators are mortals, too. How many can truly rise above the worldly?" Luo Xiran smiled faintly at his words. "Just an idle lament. Brat, you'd better hurry. Ten thousand years have passed; even I cannot be certain if the ingredients for the Fate-Reversing Liquid have gone completely extinct." "......" Xu Yuan turned his palm and took out the remaining half-dose of the Fate-Reversing Liquid from his Sumeru ring. Just as he was about to speak, a cool female voice, heard for the first time in four days, suddenly drifted out from inside the room: "Changtian, come in for a moment." "......" Hearing her voice, Xu Yuan turned and pushed the door open, looking at the woman in red seated upon the soft couch. "Done recovering?" Li Qingyan opened her eyes, a cool glint shimmering in her dark pupils. "If this Palace hadn't finished recovering, were you really planning to drag this out until you turned entirely into an aberrant ghost?" As Xu Yuan stepped slowly inside, a flame sprang up in the dark room, illuminating her still slightly pale cheeks. Naturally walking over to sit beside her, Xu Yuan smiled. "What, worried about me?" Li Qingyan narrowed her eyes. "Don't play the fool." Xu Yuan chuckled, waving the Fate-Reversing Liquid before her eyes. "Aren't I just about to start?" "......" Li Qingyan stared at the Fate-Reversing Liquid in his hand and uttered three words: "At the doorway?" Xu Yuan glanced around. "This room doesn't have any defensive wards either." "Even without defenses, at least you won't be seen." Li Qingyan was pale, but her gaze was sharp and brooked no argument. "Take the antidote here. This Palace will isolate this house with intent-soul. Unless they wish to rebel, no one will dare enter." Xu Yuan swept his spiritual vision over her aura. It was considerably more solid than four days ago, but she remained frail; using her intent-soul would likely be quite taxing... Noticing his gaze, a flicker of sternness entered Li Qingyan's eyes: "The injuries the Barbarian King inflicted upon me before his death that could be healed have already been healed. The rest can only be left to time. Xu Changtian, if you want to keep stalling, then go ahead and—" *Gulp, gulp, gulp—* Before she could finish her sentence, Xu Yuan decisively downed the Fate-Reversing Liquid from the jade vial in a single breath. Immediately after, With a *shatter*, the jade vial crashed onto the floor. Xu Yuan's face contorted fiercely, and as though overcome by agony, his whole body collapsed directly to the ground, muffled groans of pain tearing repeatedly from his throat. The aura around him flickered erratically, as if he had plunged to the brink of death in an instant. "......" Seeing this, a flash of instinctive panic crossed Li Qingyan's eyes. She moved to lean down and check on him, but froze mid-motion. She was afraid of disturbing him. Caught in helpless hesitation, Li Qingyan suddenly remembered Luo Xiran, who had become a spiritual essence spirit. Her voice trembled with worry: "Senior... what is happening to Changtian?" "Don't worry." Luo Xiran's reply came without the slightest hesitation: "The brat is putting on a show for you." "......" Xu Yuan. "......" Li Qingyan.