“Hmph, at least you know what’s good for you. Where’s Leng Mingye?”
Bai Yu stepped forward to invite her, and Wan Qing withdrew her silver needles. She glanced coldly at the visibly displeased Nan Zhu beside him and snorted before walking forward, asking as she went.
“The master is in the cold pool below. Please, Second Miss Mu.”
Though Bai Yu was somewhat dissatisfied with her arrogance, he couldn’t deny that the girl’s demeanor had completely changed in the past few days. There was now an air about her that somewhat resembled their master’s. Hearing her question, he explained and invited her inside again.
“Second Miss Mu? So she’s the one who caused the master’s poisoning? Bai Yu, if this woman could harm the master, do you really think she’d save him? I think you’ve all wasted your years—Stop right there, you brat!”
Bai Yu’s address only fueled Nan Zhu’s anger. Humiliated and provoked by a woman’s disdain, he was already seething. Upon learning she was the culprit behind their master’s life-threatening condition, he glared at Bai Yu in disbelief, reprimanding him in a low voice. As he coldly rebuked Wan Qing, his figure lunged forward.
“Planning to kill me to vent your anger?”
Nan Zhu moved swiftly. Though Wan Qing had trained a little with Hong Lian these past few days, her skills were still far from matching these ancient warriors. Sensing the rush of wind behind her, she quickly turned to dodge, simultaneously flicking silver needles from her wrist toward him. The attack forced him to pause momentarily. Watching Nan Zhu, now standing before her with a livid expression, Wan Qing calmly retorted.
“You harmed my master. Shouldn’t you die for that?”
Nan Zhu hadn’t expected the girl to be so cunning and unpredictable. Though he dodged her hidden weapon, he hadn’t even seen her move. Intrigued by her skill, he halted and studied her coldly before his gaze sharpened, and he struck again.
“Kill me, and your master will truly have no hope left. Are you sure you want my life?”
The man was incredibly fast. Wan Qing instinctively wanted to dodge, but his speed left her no chance. Instead, she steadied herself and stood her ground, watching him approach with icy composure.
“I—” As Nan Zhu hesitated at her question, Wan Qing subtly flicked her wrist, sending a silver needle toward him.
“You—” Nan Zhu tried to evade, but the distance was too close. The needle struck, freezing him in place.
“Nan Zhu! Thank goodness you’re alright. Second Miss Mu, he—”
Though Nan Zhu was immobilized by the needle, Bai Yu rushed over. Seeing Wan Qing unharmed, he sighed in relief before turning to the frozen Nan Zhu, his posture still mid-dodge, and asked nervously.
“If I wanted him dead, do you think he’d still be standing here? Even your master wouldn’t dare act recklessly around me. Consider this a simple lesson. Stay there. Let’s go in.”
Bai Yu’s tension was met with Wan Qing’s indifferent glance. She coolly regarded the humiliated but immobile Nan Zhu before motioning for Bai Yu to lead the way.
Upon reaching the pavilion, Wan Qing discovered a hidden door inside. Bai Yu opened it, revealing an underwater passage that led them to the cold pool.
“Master, hold on—Bai Yu, you’re finally here! Hurry—”
Inside the cave, illuminated by wall-mounted luminous pearls, a man in white robes was channeling energy into Leng Mingye’s bare shoulders, attempting to expel the poison. Hearing their approach, he looked up in relief and urgently beckoned Bai Yu forward.
“Step aside! I truly don’t know if you servants are trying to kill him or just prolong his suffering!”
Wan Qing’s sharp reprimand cut through the air as she took in Leng Mingye’s condition—his bare upper body, his tightly closed eyes, his face flushed crimson as if scorched by fire. Even in the cold pool, the water around him bubbled violently, nearly boiling. The sight sent a jolt through her.
She rushed forward, seizing his wrist to check his pulse while harshly scolding the others.
“Move! Second Miss Mu, our master—” Bai Yu watched nervously as she swiftly inserted long, finger-length needles into key acupoints across Leng Mingye’s body. Her expression was grave, her movements precise. Though he knew better than to interrupt, he couldn’t help but ask cautiously.
“If you hadn’t been forcing energy into him all this time, his condition wouldn’t be this dire. Luckily, I arrived in time—otherwise, you’d be preparing his coffin tomorrow. Everyone out. I don’t tolerate distractions when treating patients.”
Wan Qing’s cold rebuke silenced them. After a moment, she added, “Bai Yu, fetch these herbs for me. Quickly.”
The men, chastened, stood aside as she worked. After inserting needles and massaging key points, she sighed and turned to a nearby rock. From her small medicine kit, she produced paper and ink, swiftly writing down a list of herbs before tossing it to Bai Yu.
“Understood. Come with me.”
Bai Yu took the list calmly, gesturing for the other white-robed man, Bei Xiao, to follow as they hurried off.
“Leng Mingye, you bastard. You’d better hold on. Weren’t you going to settle scores with me? Threaten to make me pay? Look at you now. Damn it, who poisoned you with something this potent? I—I guess there’s only one way left.”
Once alone, Wan Qing’s composure cracked. Seeing Leng Mingye like this sent her heart into chaos. Despite their feud, she never wished him dead. But the poison was rare, and she could only suppress its fury for now. His face remained scorched red, his body on the verge of bursting. Desperate, she pressed her hands to his acupoints again, murmuring anxiously.
When there was no improvement, she resorted to another method—slicing his fingertip with a dagger to bleed out some poison. His breathing eased slightly, but his condition remained critical. With no other choice, she pricked her own finger and let her blood drip into his mouth, hoping to replenish his vitality.
“Second Miss Mu, what are you doing? You’ll—” Bai Yu and the others returned, shocked to see her feeding him her blood. Despite his alarm, he tried to reason with her.
“Enough talk. Put these herbs in the pool around him. Now.”
Wan Qing cut him off coldly. Though hesitant, Bai Yu obeyed, swiftly placing the herbs in the water. Once done, Wan Qing took some medicine herself and continued squeezing blood from her finger into Leng Mingye’s mouth.
To be continued.
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