Across the dim main hall, bodies lay strewn haphazardly, the thick stench of blood hanging heavy in the air.
Zhou Wuji had slaughtered every last rogue soldier who had attacked.
He had considered keeping a few alive as witnesses, but with his own severe injuries and Wuzheng in terrible shape, he had lacked the strength to subdue and restrain them. Killing them had been the only viable choice.
Clutching his chest, Zhou Wuji sat down beside Wuzheng and asked, "Senior Brother, are you all right?"
Blood splattered Wuzheng's face and body, though he had not suffered any physical wounds. The reverberations of the thunderous roar had left him numb and limp, completely drained of strength, and repeatedly channeling thunder arts had exhausted both his divine sense and true qi. He could do nothing more than lean against the altar table.
With a bitter smile, he replied, "I'm fine... just completely spent."
"That's good." Relieved that Wuzheng was unharmed, Zhou Wuji relaxed.
The ribs on the right side of his chest were nearly all broken, several fractured into multiple pieces.
Had he not guarded his internal organs with true qi, that palm strike would have blown his heart to pieces.
Fortunately, his body had been strengthened considerably by the Primordial Profound Essence, allowing him to survive such devastating trauma.
Under normal circumstances, an injury this severe would take at least half a year to heal.
He could have converted the tiger demon into Primordial Profound Essence. Even if it did not heal his wounds immediately, it would have greatly alleviated his present condition.
But after some thought, he decided to wait.
First, bone regeneration required the fractures to be properly set. The converted Primordial Profound Essence might regenerate bone, but it would not necessarily align the broken pieces into their correct positions.
Second, he felt that being gravely injured presented a fine opportunity of its own.
Besides, the rogue soldiers were dead and dealt with! For the time being, there should be no danger.
Zhou Wuji had just consulted the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment. Counting the Rank 7 martial artist who led them, he had slain thirty-three men with his own hands.
The rest of the rogue soldiers had fallen to the Yin Thunder.
One had to admit that the Yin Thunder technique was extraordinarily domineering.
Had the Rank 7 martial artist not been so powerful, the Yin Thunder alone could have wiped out the entire force.
And for him to be able to slay that Rank 7 expert, Wuzheng's Yin Thunder had played an indispensable role!
For Wuzheng to hold the line to the death under such dire circumstances filled Zhou Wuji with genuine admiration. Zhou Wuji had stood his ground only because he had been confident of escaping if needed; Wuzheng was truly unyielding!
"You're hurt?"
Wuzheng had seen Zhou Wuji take what looked like a palm strike earlier, yet seeing him continue to cut down numerous soldiers with his sword, he had assumed his junior was unhurt.
Only when Zhou Wuji sat down beside him, breathing heavily, did he realize something was wrong.
"Yeah, broke a few ribs. It's nothing, won't kill me."
Zhou Wuji was utterly exhausted, lacking the energy to explain in detail.
Wuzheng fumbled in his sleeve and produced a wax-sealed pill, handing it to Zhou Wuji. "A Purple-Gold Pill. It replenishes blood, strengthens the body, and specifically treats internal and external injuries."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Zhou Wuji did not stand on ceremony. He broke the wax seal and swallowed the pill.
Having fought shoulder to shoulder, Zhou Wuji trusted Wuzheng's character implicitly. The man would not harm him, nor did he have any reason to.
The Purple-Gold Pill tasted extremely bitter, but it swiftly transformed into a warm current that spread throughout his entire body.
Zhou Wuji felt warmth gather at his fractured ribs, granting remarkably effective relief from the intense pain.
He praised, "Senior Brother's spirit elixir works like a charm."
Having recovered a bit of energy, Zhou Wuji channeled the Five Yin Pouch and stored the boulder away.
Leaving that thing in the main hall was far too conspicuous, and it was so heavy that no one else could move it.
The secret art of the Five Yin Pouch was something he needed to keep hidden as much as possible.
Wuzheng took a Purple Qi Pill as well. Most of his depleted true qi quickly recovered, restoring some of his stamina, and he immediately rose to check on the disciples and attendants.
After a round of inspection, he found only two severely wounded; the rest had suffered merely minor injuries.
The crowd huddled in silence, thoroughly terrified by the brutal, bloody battle.
Wuzheng promptly issued orders, first having someone help Zhou Wuji back to his room to rest, then tending to the other wounded.
He then returned to the living quarters and called out Wuye and Wuming to help.
When Wuming heard Zhou Wuji was injured, she paid no mind to anyone else and rushed straight to his room.
The dim yellow oil lamp cast a sallow light across Zhou Wuji's pale face and lifeless eyes.
At the sight of him, Wuming's heart ached so much she was on the verge of tears. She rushed to his bedside and whispered urgently, "Senior Brother, Senior Brother..."
Zhou Wuji opened his eyes and looked at Wuming, noticing her eyes glistening with unshed tears, on the brink of weeping.
A warmth spread through his chest. Wuming might be useless when it came to practical matters, but she provided emotional support in abundance!
"I just broke a few ribs. I'll be fine after resting for a while."
Glancing at his slightly caved-in chest, Wuming said anxiously, "Broken bones have to be aligned and immobilized properly, or it'll be a huge mess if they heal crooked."
She added, "Your internal organs aren't damaged, are they?"
Before Zhou Wuji could answer, Wuming pulled a small box from her sleeve, opened it, took out a pill, and moved to pop it into his mouth.
"What is this?" Zhou Wuji knew Wuming bore him no ill will, but medicine was not something to be taken blindly.
Wuzheng was an alchemy master who thoroughly understood pharmacology, so taking pills from him required no questions. But this girl was a bit silly; he had to know what she was offering.
"An Origin-Returning Pill, a third-revolution spirit pill that directly bolsters one's life foundation..."
Fearing Zhou Wuji would refuse it, Wuming hurriedly explained with the pill in hand.
Zhou Wuji had heard of the Origin-Returning Pill. It was a renowned Daoist elixir reputed to raise the dead and flesh out dry bones.
He was naturally glad to accept such a pill for free, but common courtesy demanded some modest refusal first.
"Senior Brother just gave me a Purple-Gold Pill. I shouldn't take another so soon."
Wuming casually tucked the pill back into its box and slipped it into Zhou Wuji's sleeve. "Then you can save it for tomorrow."
Seeing Zhou Wuji covered head to toe in blood, Wuming said with deep sympathy, "Senior Brother, let me wipe your face and help you change into clean clothes..."
Faced with such earnest enthusiasm, Zhou Wuji had neither the heart nor the desire to refuse.
Feeling that she could actually be of help, Wuming's mood brightened at once, a smile gracing her lovely face.
She hurried out to fetch water, only to find the kitchen completely empty. She had to fiddle with the hearth herself, heating water in a large iron pot.
After fussing for quite a while, she finally managed to gather firewood, kindle a flame, and heat the water. But when she carried a bucket of hot water back into the room, she found Zhou Wuji already asleep.
Wuming sighed softly, dipped her towel in the warm water, and gently began wiping the blood from Zhou Wuji's face and hair.
Dazedly, Zhou Wuji glanced at Wuming without saying anything. While she had been away, he had slipped out to deal with the servant who had leaked information earlier.
Exerting himself while severely injured had left him in excruciating pain all over. He was truly exhausted...
Once she finished cleaning him up, Wuming saw that Zhou Wuji had fallen into a deep slumber. She could not resist gently caressing his cheek.
Seeing no reaction, a faint smile spread across her face. She sat staring in a daze at her sleeping senior brother, thinking that he looked handsome from every angle. Even in sleep, he exuded a charming allure she could never tire of admiring...
A clamor of voices jolted Zhou Wuji awake. Opening his eyes, he saw bright light streaming through the window—it was likely already mid-morning.
The door was pushed open, and Wuming hurried inside. Seeing him awake, she beamed. "Senior Brother, you're awake!"
Then, with a hint of nervousness, she said, "People from the lower monastery have arrived. A centurion from the prefecture's Pacification Office is here too, along with men from the county Pacification Office, and experts like Zhang Xinhu..."
Zhou Wuji was somewhat puzzled. With so many experts present, even Zhang Xinhu would not dare make a scene. What was Wuming so anxious about?
Wuming cast her eyes down guiltily and murmured, "My father came too."
She quickly added, "They're on their way over. Senior Brother, you need to watch yourself..."
At that, her face flushed crimson. She shot Zhou Wuji a meaningful glance and hurriedly slipped out.
Zhou Wuji was left bewildered. What did he need to watch himself for?
He and Wuming hadn't done anything improper—it wasn't as if her father was going to eat him alive!
Chapter 55