Chapter 65: Tending to the Wounded

Li Kuanglan’s face was cold and indifferent. “Why can’t it be me?”

Qian Ye struggled to sit up, but Li Kuanglan’s fingertip emitted a thin, icy blue sword qi that flashed and lightly touched Qian Ye’s forehead. The sword qi was too swift for Qian Ye to react, and his body instinctively fell back onto the bed.

The sword qi retracted instantly, demonstrating extraordinary control. Lying back down, Qian Ye realized he was unharmed; it was merely Li Kuanglan’s method of making him lie down.

“Stay in bed. You overexerted yourself in the fight, and if you don’t want to weaken your foundation, wait until you fully recover,” Li Kuanglan said as he stood up. “I will get you some food.”

“…Thank you.”

After Li Kuanglan left, Qian Ye quietly recalled the events of the battle. He had used Zangxin to shoot out the Primordial Spear, enhanced by the Primordial Wings, resulting in a strike that was almost earth-shattering.

Even with the Wolf King’s protective ancestral power, he was severely wounded by one strike and forced to flee immediately. In his haste to finish the battle, Qian Ye used all his means but forgot that Zangxin’s consumption was enormous, and his current state could not unleash its full power. The Primordial Wings, while enhancing the attack, also increased the consumption. As a result, Qian Ye’s origin power and blood energy were instantly depleted, leaving him in a near-death state. If not for the Black Book releasing essence blood to replenish the loss, he would have been in a deep slumber for who knows how long.

Reflecting on it now, Qian Ye had been too hasty. Both Zangxin and the Primordial Wings were limited by the available origin power and blood energy, and they did not reach their maximum potential. This strike was still far from the true pinnacle. Even without the Primordial Wings, using only Zangxin, the power wouldn’t have been much different.

But at the time, the situation was critical. The strength gap between the two sides was significant, and what was called an encirclement was merely a distraction. If the Wolf King managed to retaliate, someone might be seriously injured or even killed. Qian Ye had no time to think; he just used whatever he had. Among them, only he had the ability to severely injure the Wolf King.

Suddenly, a piercing military horn sounded outside the window. Qian Ye slowly sat up and walked to the window. He saw a group of mercenaries boarding troop transports and heading out of the city. More transports were gathering at the city gate, and the mercenaries were ready to go. The scale of the operation suggested that not only the Dark Flame but also the city defense forces were mobilized.

As Qian Ye pondered, Li Kuanglan’s voice sounded behind him: “Song Qi plans to pursue the main force of the Wolf King’s army and take the opportunity to engage in a decisive battle. The first wave of troops has already set out, and these are reinforcements. Don’t worry, Ji Tianqing is with him.”

Qian Ye was somewhat relieved. With Ji Tianqing and Song Zining working together, the Wolf King’s subordinates were no match for them. They could only rely on numbers, but neither Song Zining nor Ji Tianqing feared a large-scale battle. The more chaotic the battlefield, the better they performed.

Song Zining was always ruthless in warfare, pressing his advantage to the end, never giving the enemy a chance to recover. Now that the Wolf King was severely injured, it was the perfect time to annihilate his entire force. Killing the Wolf King, however, was an unrealistic goal. The duke-level expert had already escaped, and it was extremely difficult to kill someone who was intent on fleeing.

But it was the Wolf King; if it had been a regular human general, they would likely have been killed by Qian Ye’s strike.

In terms of military strategy, Qian Ye knew he was no match for Song Zining, so he never interfered with his decisions. The fact that the city defense forces were also involved suggested that Ji Rui knew the Wolf King was now an implacable enemy, and he chose to kick him when he was down.

Qian Ye turned around and saw Li Kuanglan carrying a tray loaded with an abundant meal, generous in portion and variety.

His face remained as cold as an eternal glacier, devoid of any expression. Placing the tray on the table, he said, “Eat!”

Qian Ye had expected Li Kuanglan to call servants to bring the food, but the nobleman himself had done it. His hands were slender and strong, with skin so pale it seemed almost translucent. His fingers were like jade bamboo shoots, a perfect match for Cold Moon Cage Sand, but they looked out of place holding a food tray.

“You, you actually…?”

With a bang, Li Kuanglan slapped the table forcefully and roared, “Eat!!”

Knowing he was stubborn, Qian Ye wisely kept quiet and started eating. He was indeed very hungry, and his energy was nearly depleted. The five or six bowls of food were quickly devoured, but Qian Ye was still not half full.

As Qian Ye was about to clear the dishes and head to the kitchen for more, Li Kuanglan stood up again, saying, “I’ll get more. Don’t leave.”

He left, placing Cold Moon Cage Sand by the door. The sword, a divine weapon, glowed brightly, like flowing glass. Li Kuanglan had infused it with a sword qi. If anyone approached, the sword would automatically fly and cut them down.

This arrangement seemed to be both a precaution against intruders and a way to prevent Qian Ye from leaving.

A short while later, Li Kuanglan returned with another tray of food, this time even more sumptuous, with more time-consuming dishes. It seemed Li Kuanglan had already instructed the kitchen to prepare extra dishes. Unintentionally, he showed a bit of thoughtfulness.

Qian Ye felt uncomfortable, but he focused on eating.

The food was quite delicious, but under Li Kuanglan’s intense gaze, it tasted bland. Anyone would feel the same, eating while being watched by someone like Li Kuanglan.

Finally, Qian Ye finished the food, feeling satisfied and his energy gradually returning.

Looking at Li Kuanglan, Qian Ye sincerely said, “Thank you.”

For some reason, Li Kuanglan avoided his gaze, looking elsewhere, and said coldly, “You are currently powerless. I just don’t want you to be killed by some lowlife. Besides, taking care of you is a way to repay Zhao Jundu. So, no need to thank me.”

“Jundu’s favor? What’s that about?” Qian Ye asked.

Li Kuanglan refused to elaborate, saying, “Ask Zhao Jundu, and you will know.”

Qian Ye frowned. “Is it related to our life-and-death duel?”

Li Kuanglan snorted. “What if it is, and what if it isn’t?”

This question stumped Qian Ye. In their previous agreement, Li Kuanglan had planned to use Qian Ye as a whetstone. But the reason was that he had saved Qian Ye and Qian Ye, and then made this condition. So, Qian Ye had no resentment, only gratitude.

However, Zhao Jundu had intervened, taking the matter upon himself. Now, Li Kuanglan was repaying Jundu, which made Qian Ye uneasy.

After a moment, Qian Ye said, “It doesn’t matter. Thank you, anyway.”

This response surprised Li Kuanglan, who said, “Aren’t you afraid I’m cheating Zhao Jundu?”

Qian Ye replied calmly, “Jundu is not easily cheated, and you’re not that kind of person.”

At this moment, Li Kuanglan’s expression was complex. “I am no good person!”

Through multiple interactions, Qian Ye had learned of Li Kuanglan’s unpredictable moods and knew to agree to avoid a confrontation. After calming Li Kuanglan, Qian Ye asked how he ended up in the neutral zone.

“I come and go as I please. Who can stop me?”

Qian Ye was speechless. This answer was meaningless. He patiently probed, “The Great Maelstrom should be opening soon. Won’t you miss the opportunity if you stay here?”

“The Great Maelstrom is not worth entering. No matter how many treasures there are, they are just external things. Relying on them, one can at most become a divine general, but not reach the realm of the Heavenly King. With this sword, I have enough.”

Qian Ye was speechless. Although he wanted to remind Li Kuanglan that becoming a divine general was already an incredible feat, he decided to remain silent, knowing Li Kuanglan’s personality.

Li Kuanglan looked down at Qian Ye and said, “I originally wanted to hone my sword skills with you, but seeing how much you consumed, I’ll let you off for now.”

“Thank you, Kuanglan,” Qian Ye said.

Li Kuanglan’s face flushed slightly, and he turned away.

In truth, Qian Ye’s final strike was so powerful that Li Kuanglan would have been committing suicide if he tried to counter it. But he would never admit it.

“By the way, Qian Ye, I see that your mercenary group lacks capable people. Since I have nothing to do, why don’t I join as a deputy commander?”

“Kuanglan, do you know why we formed this mercenary group?”

Li Kuanglan waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Kuanglan, please reconsider,” Qian Ye advised.

“What, do you look down on me or my sword?”

Qian Ye sighed. Dealing with the mysterious Ji Tianqing was already troublesome, and now Li Kuanglan. Though Qian Ye didn’t know Li Kuanglan’s exact identity, he knew he came from the Li family and was close to Empress Li. Given his strength and talent, he was likely among the top of the younger generation. Such a person, plus the complicated relationship between the Li family and the Zhao clan, required careful handling. Any mishap could be a huge problem.

Alone, Qian Ye had nothing to lose. But building a power base meant dealing with various entanglements. He didn’t want to involve Song Zining.

Regardless, Li Kuanglan had pushed the issue, and Qian Ye couldn’t refuse. He would be a valuable ally, capable of fighting opponents below the Wolf King’s level.

Qian Ye hadn’t expected to find himself entangled in imperial affairs even in the neutral zone. More familiar faces were gathering, and after Li Kuanglan, others might follow.

Qian Ye had a feeling that the neutral zone was on the verge of a major transformation.