— Every word sank deeply into her heart at that moment, offering a kind of sorrowful comfort, as though a hand, both desolate and gentle, were stroking her soul. She suddenly sat up, pulling open the curtain to look outside.
“Master Xue, you’re awake?” The music stopped as the person outside turned to look in.
“It’s you?” She saw the short flute at his waist and said nothing more, turning her head to hide the tear marks on her face.
“Are you hungry?” Miao Feng still wore his usual smile as he handed her a packet — inside the cloth was a serving of orange rice cakes, still steaming despite the snowstorm outside.
“They were frozen, so I warmed them up.” Miao Feng smiled and tossed over a wineskin. “This is the medicinal wine prepared by Lü-er and the others. They said you’ve been relying on it to ward off the cold — it’s heated as well.”
Xue Zi Ye hesitated for a moment but didn’t speak. Miao Feng, however, simply lowered the curtain and resumed driving the carriage.
Sigh… Faced with this ever-smiling, endlessly patient man, she couldn’t even find a chance to get angry or complain. She took a bite of the rice cake, then a sip of the medicinal wine, and felt the tightness in her chest begin to ease. Staring at the two distinct handprints on the rice cake, she couldn’t help but smile — such profound martial skills used for warming leftovers... what a waste of talent.
However, just as she smiled, it abruptly stopped.
She collapsed onto the tiger-skin mat in the carriage, the food scattering from her hands.
“Master Xue!” Miao Feng’s wrist tightened, and the rapidly moving carriage came to a sudden halt. He leaped from the carriage, flung aside the curtain, and swiftly entered, lifting her up. Pressing his right palm to the acupoint between her shoulder blades, he channeled his inner energy, sending it flowing through her meridians to melt the cold that had stagnated her blood.
After a stick of incense burned, Xue Zi Ye’s breathing steadied, and she slowly opened her eyes.
“Sigh, did I… faint just now?” Feeling the palm pressed against her back, she immediately understood what had happened and gave a bitter smile, slightly embarrassed — as the Master of the Apothecary Valley, she had ended up needing someone to save her.
Miao Feng nodded slightly at her, not wasting another moment before returning to the driver’s seat. He cracked the whip, urging the carriage westward once more. It had already been twenty days since they’d set out, and who knew what condition the Holy Leader of the Grand Light Palace was in by now?
Before leaving, the Holy Leader had solemnly instructed him to return within a month — or the consequences would be dire.
Miao Feng furrowed his brow slightly—what was unpredictable wasn’t just the illness, but also the delicate and complex situation within the sect. The many subordinates, restless and eager for action. With the Holy Leader’s current strength, maintaining control for a month would already be difficult. If they didn’t quickly find a renowned doctor, another bloody storm would likely break out at the Great Bright Palace!
His heart was anxious, and he no longer cared about conserving the horses’ strength. He urged the carriage westward with urgency.
The wind and snow intensified, rising almost to the horses’ knees. The carriage became stuck in the deep snow, and by nightfall, the eight horses were utterly exhausted. Miao Feng had no choice but to rein them in and rest behind a wind-sheltered spot by a rocky outcrop.
After traveling for a full day and night, he felt hunger himself and lifted the curtain to enter the carriage to fetch some food.
But as soon as he looked inside, he gasped in shock.
—Xue Zi Ye was slumped silently against the wall of the carriage, her eyes tightly shut, her cheeks completely drained of color. She had fainted again.
Miao Feng was startled and quickly pressed his hand against the Ling Tai acupoint on her back, once again channeling his "Spring Breeze" technique, sending inner energy into her.
Within moments, Xue Zi Ye exhaled softly and moved her fingers.
Now, he fully understood that the cold illness afflicting her was so severe that her body could no longer sustain its functions on its own. If he didn’t continuously replenish her inner energy, she wouldn’t survive even half a day.
She slowly regained consciousness, and Miao Feng dared not remove his hand. Instead, he helped her sit up with one arm.
“Did I… faint again?” As the cold melted away from her limbs and body, a soothing warmth spread through her. Xue Zi Ye opened her eyes and, seeing Miao Feng once again helping her alleviate the cold, immediately understood. She was smart enough to realize that she had come close to death several times, saved only by his intervention each time.
Miao Feng continued to smile, as if always wearing an eternal mask. “Master Xue, there’s no need to worry.”
Xue Zi Ye forced a smile in return, but deep down, she was concerned. The "Spring Breeze" technique consumed an immense amount of inner energy. How could he keep using it so frequently? Moreover, Miao Feng had his own affliction of cold poison to deal with, needing to circulate his energy daily to counteract it. If he exhausted his energy to sustain her, how could he suppress the cold poison within himself?
Seeing her condition improving, Miao Feng finally released his supporting hand, but his other hand remained pressed against her Ling Tai acupoint.
“Don’t move just yet,” Xue Zi Ye leaned forward, pulling her medicine pouch closer. “I’ll find some medicine for you.”
Miao Feng was momentarily taken aback. “There’s no need. My abdominal wound has almost fully healed.”
“I’m not talking about the sword wound.” Xue Zi Ye rummaged through the herbs and pills in the pouch, eventually pulling out a long-necked jade bottle. “This is for your ice silkworm cold poison.” She uncorked the bottle and poured a red pearl into her palm, holding it out to Miao Feng. “This ‘Blazing Heaven Pill’ is something I crafted three years ago, and it’s highly effective against ice silkworm poison.”
Miao Feng glanced at the pill, knowing it was an extremely precious medicine. Once taken, it would end the agonizing cold poison that gnawed at him like a worm. However, he simply smiled and shook his head. “There’s no need.”
“Now is not the time for this!” Xue Zi Ye said sharply, her tone full of irritation.
“No need,” Miao Feng repeated calmly, pushing her hand away with a gentle smile. “The ice silkworm poison is a mark given to me by my kind father. It’s my honor—how could I abandon it?”
“...” Xue Zi Ye hadn’t expected such an answer and was momentarily stunned. After a pause, she snorted coldly. “So, you’re truly a madman!”
Miao Feng remained composed, unaffected by her sharp sarcasm. “The Holy Leader has always been solitary and finds it difficult to trust others. If it weren’t for the fact that I carry the ice silkworm poison and need his antidote each month, how could he allow me to serve by his side? The sect is filled with wolves and tigers waiting to pounce. I wish to stay by his side, so…”
He stopped mid-sentence, realizing he had said too much. He looked at Xue Zi Ye apologetically. “Thank you for your kindness.”
Xue Zi Ye stared blankly at the blue-haired, white-clad young man, moved by his unwavering loyalty. She remained silent for a moment, then said, “You need to stop every hour to transfer your energy to me, and now the carriage is stuck in deep snow. If this continues, we won’t make it back to Kunlun in time to save your Holy Leader.”
Though Miao Feng’s face still wore a faint smile, his eyes betrayed his concern.
“We’ll abandon the carriage and ride on horseback,” Xue Zi Ye stood up, selecting the warmest lynx fur coat and pulling a hand warmer into her sleeve. She nodded to Miao Feng. “Bring all eight horses. You and I will each ride one, and the remaining six will either carry essential supplies or stay unburdened. If one horse tires, we can switch to a fresh one. That way, we’ll move much faster.”
Miao Feng hesitated slightly. “But your body…”
“I’ll manage,” Xue Zi Ye smiled as she stepped into the snowstorm. “After all, I have you, don’t I?”
Miao Feng looked at her for a long time, then slowly bowed. “Thank you.”
In the howling wind, the two of them rode swiftly along the desolate post road, the snow piling up on her golden lynx fur cloak.
Half an hour later, her face gradually turned pale. The man riding beside her glanced over in concern. “Master Xue, can you hold on?”
“I’m fine,” she forced a smile, but her frost-numbed body suddenly lost balance, and she toppled directly from the galloping horse!
“Careful!” Miao Feng transformed into a flash of lightning, catching her before she hit the ground.
“Forgive me,” he sighed, pulling the lynx fur cloak tightly around her and cradling her to his chest. One hand held the reins while the other pressed against her Ling Tai acupoint, sending a continuous flow of warm energy into her body. He whispered, “If you can move, place your hands on my Xuan Ji acupoint.”
Xue Zi Ye, struggling, lifted her hands and pressed them to the center of his chest.
Suddenly, a rush of warmth surged through her body, coursing from her Ling Tai acupoint, circulating through her entire body, and then flowing back into Miao Feng through her palms. The energy cycled continuously, making the two of them feel like one.
“Just like that,” Miao Feng sighed in relief as the energy completed a full cycle.
“Rest against me,” he said, still riding onward, while maintaining the circulation of energy to melt the cold inside her. “It’ll be alright—don’t worry. When we reach the next town, we’ll stop to rest.”
“Mm.” Xue Zi Ye replied softly, her voice tinged with concern. “Can you keep this up?”
Miao Feng smiled faintly and quickened the pace. “Anyone who comes from the Asura battlefield can endure anything.”
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