"Six-six smooth... triple luck... heh heh, you stubborn woman, see? I’ve won again!"
By noon, the sunlight had already filtered into the Winter Pavilion, and inside, someone was still lying lazily in bed, murmuring and talking in his sleep, making motions as if playing drinking games. His face was filled with pride, as though he were immersed in some glorious dream. He had already beaten Xue Zi Ye twelve times in his dream.
Huo Zhan Bai was woken by the sharp peck of the snow hawk.
In a half-dazed state, he groaned, swiping at the bird perched on his forehead, trying to shoo it away before rolling over to continue his peaceful dream. Lately, his sleep had been so good—finally free from the nightmares of the past that had plagued him for so long.
"Gu!" The snow hawk’s feathers bristled, launching another attack on the blanket-wrapped figure, pecking him sharply on the backside.
"Ouch!" Huo Zhan Bai yelped, jumping a foot into the air, instantly wide awake. He glared furiously at the bird, but the hawk stood on the pillow, completely unbothered, letting out small noises while occasionally pecking at something it held in its claws.
Huo Zhan Bai’s gaze froze—what was that?
Reaching out, he took hold of the wriggling object clutched by the bird’s talons, his eyes suddenly brightening: a Kunlun blood snake! This was a creature from the demonic sect; how could it have ended up here in the Apothecary Valley? Where there were baby snakes, the mother snake couldn’t be far. Could it be… could it be that the people from the demonic sect had already arrived? Were they here to find the missing Ming Jie, or were they after the Dragon Blood Pearl?
Gripping the half-dead snake, Huo Zhan Bai stood frozen in thought for a long time, a sense of dread creeping up on him. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet.
He had to check on Xue Zi Ye immediately!
—The quest for the Dragon Blood Pearl had begun as a means to cure Mo’er, but who could have predicted it would draw the demonic sect to pursue them like a plague? Had he unwittingly put her in danger?
But Xue Zi Ye wasn’t at the Summer Pavilion.
"The mistress woke up early and went to the Autumn Pavilion to check on Ming Jie," Xiao Jing said, frowning with concern. "Seventh Young Master Huo… can’t you persuade the mistress? She’s been overworking herself. She coughed all night again yesterday."
Coughed all night? Huo Zhan Bai’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the bloodstained handkerchief in Xiao Jing’s hand. Without hesitation, he set off at a quick pace. Her illness was partly his fault… That once indomitable woman was clearly growing weaker and more frail by the day.
Striding briskly along the path through the maple grove, he saw Shuang Hong standing by the corridor before he even entered.
"The mistress is treating Ming Jie," she whispered. "He had another attack early this morning…"
Huo Zhan Bai paused at the doorway, feeling uneasy. Knowing how dangerous Ming Jie could be, he couldn’t help but worry about leaving Xue Zi Ye alone with him. Instinctively, he leaned closer, listening intently.
"Ming Jie, are you feeling better?" Xue Zi Ye’s voice sounded tired and full of concern.
"My internal energy… it won’t flow past my Qi Sea… It’s like needles stabbing me… I can’t focus my energy…" Ming Jie’s breathing was labored, clearly indicating his energy flow was in disarray.
"Ah, I forgot, your blood seal hasn’t been lifted yet!" Xue Zi Ye exclaimed, panic in her voice. "Hold on, I’ll fix it—"
Huo Zhan Bai’s heart leapt, and without thinking, he burst through the curtain, shouting, "Stop!"
Both Xue Zi Ye and Ming Jie were startled. Xue Zi Ye had already begun to pierce his Qi Sea acupoint with a gold needle but froze in place.
As if suddenly realizing something, her hand began to tremble violently, unable to push the needle any further.
"Do not lift the blood seal!" Huo Zhan Bai barked, snatching the needle from her hand. He glared coldly at the sickly yet dangerous man on the bed. "Once his martial power is restored, there’s no telling what he’ll do."
Ming Jie shot him a sharp glance, his eyes like needles.
"Cough, cough… Without an order from the Sect Leader, why would I kill anyone at random?" He smiled bitterly between coughs and glanced at Xue Zi Ye. "Besides… Xiao Ye is the only family I have left in this world. I’ve finally found her; why would I…?"
Huo Zhan Bai laughed derisively. "That’s rich, Ming Jie. Listening to you talk like that is truly amusing."
But seeing the devastated look on Xue Zi Ye’s face, he suddenly felt a pang of discomfort in his heart.
"Anyway," he concluded, tossing the gold needle back onto the tray, "unless you leave here, don’t even think about lifting that blood seal!"
Ming Jie’s eyes darkened, a flash of murderous intent crossing them.
"Zi Ye," Huo Zhan Bai suddenly turned to the still-dazed healer, extending his hand. "Where’s the Dragon Blood Pearl? Let me hold onto it for now—it’s not safe for you to keep something like that around."
The Dragon Blood Pearl? Ming Jie’s hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword.
He glanced at Xue Zi Ye, his eyes beginning to turn a faint purple, only to hear her speak in a hollow voice: "It’s gone… I sent it to the alchemy room yesterday with four other medicinal ingredients to make a cure for Mo’er."
Ming Jie’s hand slowly loosened, and he quietly exhaled.
"That's good then..." Huo Zhan Bai clearly let out a sigh of relief, glancing sideways at the person on the bed, with a look that seemed to say, 'Let's see what tricks you try now,' muttering, "This time, some people should finally give up."
"Your medicine is under Ning Yi's watch. It should be ready by tomorrow," Xue Zi Ye raised her head and said to him, "If you head south with haste, you'll still make it within the month."
"Right." Huo Zhan Bai nodded, feeling a sense of long-awaited relief after years of effort, "Thank you."
However, for some reason, another worry and concern began to rise within him. Once he leaves, who will guarantee peace here?
"I've sent Lü-er to prepare a horse for you. You can also go get your things ready," Xue Zi Ye continued as she put away the medicine chest, "If you arrive late and delay Mo-er's treatment, Qiu Shui Yin will never forgive you—after all these years, that child is her only hope."
Huo Zhan Bai was startled, quickly bringing his thoughts back in order, nodding in agreement. True, Mo-er's illness could not afford any delays, no matter what, he had to make it back in time! And here, with the Dragon Blood Pearl already in the furnace, the cult should have no further interest, and since Qiu Shui Yin’s energy is sealed, there shouldn’t be any major incidents.
"I’ll get ready, then." He nodded and turned to leave.
Before exiting, he reminded her once more, "Remember, do not unseal his energy unless he leaves this place!"
"Understood." She frowned, impatiently making a dismissive gesture.
As Huo Zhan Bai's silhouette disappeared into the fiery red maple forest, Xue Zi Ye's gaze darkened, and with a sharp pull, she closed the curtain. The room plunged into semi-darkness, a faint light streaming through the bamboo screen, casting shadows across the pale face of the woman.
"Ming Jie," she said quietly, clinging to the curtain and gazing out at the autumn scenery, "Could you give me back the Dragon Blood Pearl?"
Qiu Shui Yin’s eyes flickered briefly in the dark, his hand instinctively tightened around his sword, silently drawing it out by a fraction. What now? Is this woman suspicious after Huo Zhan Bai’s words?
"Heh, I was just joking," she smiled before he could respond, letting go of the curtain and turning back, "Once something is given away, there’s no taking it back."
Before he could discern the truth in her words, she approached the bed, picking up a golden needle and smiling down at him. "Let me unseal your energy."
Unseal the energy? His eyes gleamed with excitement in an instant.
She held the golden needle and slowly pressed it toward his Qi Hai (sea of energy), her pale face betraying no emotion.
"Snap!" He suddenly sat up, grabbing her wrist and fixing her with a cold, threatening stare. Unsealing him now? What was she planning?
But she simply looked back at him calmly. "What’s wrong, Ming Jie? Does it feel uncomfortable?"
Her eyes were serene, with a pure black and white depth, like the northern mountains and rivers. Suddenly, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if these eyes had gazed at him like this in countless dark nights. Overcome by an inexplicable weakness, he let go of her hand, allowing her to insert the golden needle deep into his Qi Hai, the critical point for any martial artist.
Xue Zi Ye lowered her head, carefully adjusting the needle’s angle and depth, exposing her delicate, pale neck. He couldn’t see her face, but the weight in the air made it hard to breathe.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his Qi Hai!
Without thinking, he grabbed the back of her neck.
But before he could apply any force, a rush of energy surged through his Ren and Du meridians (key channels of inner energy), the energy in his Qi Hai flowing again, filling his body.
"It’s done." She lifted her head, looking at him. "You're alright now, Ming Jie."
He was frozen, his hand still resting on her neck, his Bloodletting Sword half-drawn.
"You’ve fully recovered," Xue Zi Ye continued as if nothing had happened, unaffected by the sword to her throat or the fact that he was holding her in such a compromising position. She slowly stood up. "Only the last needle at your Baihui point remains."
In an instant, he leaped to his feet!
In a heartbeat, his sword was at her throat, pinning her against the window.
"You figured it out?" His voice was cold, devoid of denial.
"I just realized—when you tricked me into unsealing your energy." Xue Zi Ye met his gaze, unflinching. A faint smile tugged at her lips. "I was a fool not to have realized it sooner. If your Qi Hai was sealed, how could you have forced out the needle? You’ve been deceiving me all along."
"Heh. How would I know anything about Mojia or Ming Jie or whatever? I just made up a random story," Qiu Shui Yin sneered, his gaze sharp as a needle, with a hint of killing intent. "Why didn’t you tell Huo Zhan Bai the truth earlier? And why did you unseal me?"
Xue Zi Ye smiled faintly. "Ming Jie, I fear nothing now."
She raised her head, gazing at him in the darkness, her expression calm. "I just don’t understand, why, knowing that the Grand Light Palace treats you like a dog, do you still serve them so loyally? Everything you told me was a lie, wasn’t it? But do you even know who really destroyed Mojia village? Was it really those bandits by the Blackwater?"
Her peaceful, candid gaze startled him—no one had ever looked at him like this while under the blade of his Bloodletting Sword! Those eyes... those eyes…from his memories...
"I don’t know." His response was cold, indifferent. "I don’t know anything about Mojia."
Xue Zi Ye stared at him, her gaze filled with sadness and acceptance.
"Then, I want to know—Ming Jie, would you really..." Her voice remained steady as she spoke the final words, "kill me?"
Qiu Shui Yin’s eyes flickered. He remained silent. In that silence, a flash of white struck her, and she fell to the ground.
Blood trickled from her hair.
"Fool."
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