Those fools, those swine, didn’t know the true extent of your power... only I know your strength, and only I can unleash your true potential. Do you want to come with me?
I want to get out! I want to get out! Let me out... he screamed in the darkness, feeling as though he was on the verge of madness.
Fine, I’ll take you out, the voice smiled. But you must submit to me, become my eyes, rise above the martial world, and look down upon all of existence for me. Do you agree?
—Or would you rather be despised, imprisoned, and have your eyes gouged out, living in darkness forever?
Let me out! He banged on the wall with all his might, remembering that today was the last day the village chief had given him. His soul was on the verge of shattering, and he cried out with all his strength: Just let me out!
Suddenly, the darkness cracked open, and light shattered his vision into fragments. Everything turned to white.
In that blinding light, blood sprayed everywhere, accompanied by piercing screams.
That was... that was... blood and fire!
"That night..." Xue Zi Ye’s voice dropped, filled with sadness and hatred.
"Shut up!" He suddenly growled in a low voice, unable to control his rage. He lunged forward and grabbed Xue Zi Ye by the throat!
"Shut up..." he growled hoarsely, his hands trembling violently. "Shut up!"
She was pinned against the wall, her eyes wide in shock as she stared into his eyes, which had now turned a glassy, brilliant hue. In that moment, she realized what he was about to do. Just before he could unleash his pupil technique, she quickly closed her eyes.
"Look at me!" He freed one of his hands and mercilessly pried her eyes open, his nails nearly digging into her eyeballs. "Look at me!"
She was forced to open her eyes and stare into those demonic pupils. She felt a powerful force invading her mind.
"Listen to me—give the Dragon Blood Pearl back to me immediately! Or else… I’ll make sure you die slowly."
His face was deathly pale, filled with a murderous aura, as if he was possessed by a bloodthirsty demon. How had Ming Jie become like this? The man before her was no longer the person she once knew but a merciless, ruthless figure, driven by an insatiable desire for what he wanted, with a heart that had grown as cold as his blood.
So this was what an assassin from the Asura Field of the Palace of Great Light had become?
Her consciousness began to blur, her body no longer responding to her mind’s commands. She had no idea what she might do next—but just at that moment, the hand gripping her throat loosened. It was as if his mental strength had been exhausted, and those glassy eyes lost their captivating power, becoming dull and lifeless.
Ming Jie gasped for breath, then suddenly collapsed backward with a thud, lying motionless in the darkness.
She, too, slumped to the ground.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally regained her senses. Her first reaction was to rush to his side and check the back of his head—there, the second golden needle had been forced out by the intense emotional turmoil, and its tip had come loose from the Lingtai acupoint. A thin trickle of blood was starting to seep out.
"Ming Jie..." For the first time, she felt true fear, unsure of what to do. She gently lifted his head onto her lap and gazed at the sky outside, muttering softly—Ming Jie, have you really come to the point where you don’t even trust your own memories anymore?
What kind of torment have you endured all these years?
* * *
Huo Zhan Bai couldn’t help but feel neglected. Ever since that night of drinking, that vicious woman had rarely come to the Winter Pavilion to check on him. Even Lü-er and Shuang Hong, her two chief maids, had barely shown up, leaving only a few ordinary maids to bring him meals each day.
Sure, his injuries were starting to heal, but that didn’t mean he deserved to be sidelined like this, did it?
Could it be that the stingy woman was regretting having thrown herself into his arms that night? That was unlikely... someone as fierce as her wouldn’t have such a fragile ego. Or maybe it was because he had accidentally mentioned the courtesan Liu Feifei from the Windy Courtyard, shattering the glowing image she had of him?
He couldn’t shake his fixation on the thought, but after all, he wasn’t a saint. For nearly ten years, he hadn’t been immune to the company of women. A man approaching thirty, unmarried, with a circle of rowdy friends—it was only natural that he’d frequent brothels to pass the time. After all, which of the Eight Great Swordsmen didn’t fancy themselves a bit of a romantic? Besides, Liu Feifei was so understanding; it was always pleasant to stop by and chat with her.
He glanced around idly, lost in thought.
As the maid came in to set the table, he asked casually, "Where’s your mistress?"
"She’s in Autumn Garden…" the maid with delicate eyebrows and narrow eyes answered quietly.
"Oh, there’s still a patient in Autumn Garden?" He asked as if he were merely making conversation.
"Yes, there is." The maid responded automatically, but then her face turned pale. "Ah… oh no. The mistress said we weren’t supposed to mention this to you, Young Master Huo!"
Huo Zhan Bai’s eyes gleamed, but his expression remained calm as he smiled. "And why is that?"
The maid didn’t dare say another word, hastily setting down the dishes before fleeing the room.
After she left, Huo Zhan Bai sat alone in the empty Winter Pavilion, staring blankly at the plum blossoms outside. Why was that? …All of the "Ten Reviving Orders" had been retrieved, including his. By this time of year, all the patients should have been treated. So why had another one appeared?—Knowing that woman, there were only two possible reasons: either this new patient was exceedingly wealthy, or... extremely handsome.
So which one was it? Could he be even better-looking than me?
He stroked his chin, letting his mind wander—then suddenly frowned. But why didn’t she want me to know?
"Hey, what’s gotten into that woman lately?" He asked the snow hawk perched nearby. "Do you know? Why don’t you go and take a look for me?"
"Gu." The snow hawk tilted its head to look at its master, then suddenly spread its wings and flew off.
* * *
The second golden needle lay silently on the golden tray, its tip stained with black blood.
On the bed, the man’s breathing was shallow and rapid, his rhythm disordered.
Xue Zi Ye sat quietly by the bedside, gazing at the man who was being tortured by pain—his face was pale but handsome, yet it bore an air of coldness and violence. Even in his unconscious state, his expression radiated a murderous intensity... He was no longer the Ming Jie of the past. He had become the king of assassins from the Asura Field of the Palace of Great Light: Tong.
Tong… she repeated the name in her mind, remembering those strange, eerie eyes of his.
As a healer, she knew that besides martial arts, there were also powers of mental strength and illusion—but she had never imagined that someone could push mental strength to such extremes through their eyes! This was beyond her understanding.
Could it be, as the village elders had said, that the Mojia clan’s bloodline really carried demonic power?
The last golden needle still remained in the Baihui acupoint at the top of his head. Her hands trembled slightly as she touched it through his hair—she wasn’t confident… she wasn’t at all confident that once this needle, which penetrated into his brain, was removed, she could keep Ming Jie alive and unharmed!
In her ten years of practicing medicine, this was the first time she had ever encountered a situation where she dared not take action!
Thinking back on the past eight years and the one thing that had troubled her most, Xue Zi Ye’s heart ached further as she recalled that child named Mo’er, whom she had ultimately been unable to save. Powerless… even though people called her a "divine healer," she was, after all, only a doctor, not a god!
What should she do… what should she do…
The deep, overwhelming sense of helplessness almost instantly crushed the once confident healer.
Twelve years ago, she had lost Xue Huai. How could she bear to lose Ming Jie now?
Xue Zi Ye sat silently for a long time before suddenly standing up, her hands clenched, body trembling slightly. She strode swiftly toward the Spring Courtyard—she had to find a solution, she must!
Unlike the Winter Pavilion and Autumn Garden, the wind on the other side of the lake was warm and gentle.
Hot springs flowed from the Summer Garden, passing through the Spring Courtyard and merging with the cool spring waters in the lake. The entire courtyard was bathed in the beauty of spring: clusters of peach blossoms bloomed everywhere, wild greens carpeted the ground, and willows swayed like threads in the breeze.
An elderly woman, holding a broom made of cloudswept grass, was sweeping the steps when she heard hurried footsteps approaching.
"Is it you, Mistress?" The maid of the Spring Courtyard, now old, looked surprised to see her.
It had been a long time since the Mistress had returned here... She had shown exceptional talent from a young age, diligent and eager to learn, with a strong family background in medicine. When she became an apprentice to the previous master, Liao Qingran, at the age of fourteen, her progress was rapid. In just four short years, she had completed her training, and by eighteen, she had officially taken over as the head of the Medicine Valley. Her talent was unparalleled, even among all the previous healers.
Since completing her training, she had rarely returned to the Spring Courtyard, which served as the library.
"Ning Yi, please open the door to the library," Xue Zi Ye said firmly, her gaze fixed on the tall, closed building. There was a resolute look in her eyes. "I need to search for some books."
"Oh, oh, certainly." The elderly maid hurriedly nodded, set aside her broom, and came over with a rusty copper key, mumbling, "Mistress still needs to come back and read? Weren’t you already able to recite all those books by heart when you were eighteen?"
Xue Zi Ye didn’t reply.
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