Zhu Zhao frowned and tried to struggle, but the toxin was too strong. She didn't even have the strength to raise her hand and could only glare at him. “Jiang Jin, let me go! Now is not the time to rest!”
“Second Senior Sister, stop! If you don't neutralize the poison, something terrible will happen!”
Jiang Jin interrupted her, kicking open the courtyard door. “Don't worry, I know a bit of healing...”
A cold sword light grazed the doorframe and flashed before them, cutting off Jiang Jin's movement.
Song Yao landed steadily, reaching out to grab Jiang Jin's arm that was holding Zhu Zhao. Her beautiful eyes lifted slightly, and her voice was light and calm. “Leave Second Senior Sister to me. Senior Brother Jiang, since your cultivation is high, it would be better for you to stay outside and check if there are any remaining demons.”
Jiang Jin's movement paused as he held Zhu Zhao, his lips pressing together in displeasure. “Does Junior Sister Lin know how to heal?”
Song Yao seemed to find it amusing. “I am a pill cultivator. I should know a bit more than Senior Brother Jiang, at least.”
“A pill cultivator is not a medical cultivator.”
Jiang Jin refused to back down. Looking down to see Zhu Zhao's struggling, pained expression, his tone grew a bit more urgent. “Besides, you're just a girl. You can't help her. Only I can help Second Senior Sister.”
Song Yao asked, “Why can't I help?”
“You... you're still young. You don't understand these things.”
Jiang Jin took a deep breath, trying to coax her. “I'll teach you in the future. Don't worry, I won't harm Second Senior Sister.”
As he spoke, he impatiently tried to walk inside.
However, Zhu Zhao suddenly opened her eyes. She fiercely grabbed his collar, her knuckles turning white from the strain. Her breathing was heavy, but her voice carried a stern, non-negotiable authority. “Go guard the outside. Lin Mu will help me heal.”
Jiang Jin's face darkened, and his grip on her tightened. He said urgently: “Second Senior Sister, she doesn't know the first thing about healing. You're playing with your life! You... the poison you've been hit with is that kind of poison!”
“Do my words not count anymore?”
Zhu Zhao snapped her eyes open, anger churning in them as the black veins on her neck darkened further. “I'm not dead yet. It's not your place to make decisions for me.”
Jiang Jin's momentum instantly weakened. “But...”
“Put me down!”
“...”
Jiang Jin's Adam's apple bobbed. In the end, he didn't dare to defy her command.
Zhu Zhao's body slid down, and Song Yao quickly reached out to catch her. She staggered half a step under the weight before finding her footing, then half-supported, half-carried her toward the backyard.
With every step she took, Zhu Zhao gasped in pain. Catching a glimpse of Song Yao's strained, grimacing face under the weight out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but twitch the corner of her lips. “Overestimating yourself.”
Song Yao: “...”
What a sharp tongue.
Even when injured, she still wouldn't let off her newly admitted junior sister.
She didn't say a word, nor did she bring Zhu Zhao inside. Instead, she pushed open the back door and helped her walk out.
Behind the house was a small river that ran through the village.
Zhu Zhao had a bad feeling. “What do you think you're doing?”
Song Yao blinked her innocent eyes. “I heard that ice-cold water can slow down the effects of this kind of poison.”
Zhu Zhao: “...”
It felt like escaping a tiger's den only to walk into a wolf's lair.
Shivering from the pain, she took a deep breath, resigned to her fate, and let go of Song Yao to walk into the river.
To her surprise, Song Yao caught up in the next second, wading unsteadily through the water to sit right beside her in the middle of the rushing river.
The freezing river water washed over her wounds, bringing an even sharper, agonizing sting, but it also temporarily cleared her mind.
Zhu Zhao was visibly stunned. “You didn't have to come in. It's very cold.”
“Yeah, it is.”
Song Yao shivered and reached out her hand. “But my bundle is still with you, Second Senior Sister. Give it back.”
Zhu Zhao: “...”
What time did she think it was, still worrying about those things?
Wincing in pain, she spread open her palm, and the bundle appeared out of thin air.
Song Yao took it and rummaged inside. Finally, she poured out a small handful of pills and stuffed them into Zhu Zhao's mouth without a second thought.
Zhu Zhao swallowed them whole, closing her eyes as she nearly choked.
After finally catching her breath, she asked with difficulty. “What kind of pills did you feed me?”
“A bit of everything—blood-replenishing, detoxifying, Qi-replenishing. They were made by my master, so they should work. Remember to pay me back later.”
Song Yao thought for a moment and added. “I gave you three detoxifying pills. You have to pay for all of them.”
Zhu Zhao: “...Fine.”
After she finished feeding her the pills, Song Yao pulled out another bottle of medicinal powder, lifted Zhu Zhao's arm, and sprinkled the powder onto the wound.
She didn't forget to remind her again: “This is very expensive. My master got it from the Elixir Storehouse. You have to pay me back for this too when we return.”
Zhu Zhao: “...I got it.”
The Seventh Elder truly lived up to his reputation.
After a few pills, the black veins on her neck gradually receded.
The heat in her lower abdomen dissipated, and even her wounds showed signs of healing.
She sat up cross-legged, using the flow of the river water in tandem with her spiritual energy to neutralize the remaining toxins in her body.
Ming Ran and Cheng Yue quickly ran over. Standing by the riverbank, they asked anxiously. “How is she? Is Second Senior Sister alright?”
“She should be fine.”
Song Yao stood up, putting her bundle back into her spatial pouch.
Her wet clothes clung to her body. Caught in the cold breeze, she couldn't help but sneeze three times in a row.
Cheng Yue grabbed her hand, channeling a warm wave of spiritual energy into her. “Your health isn't great, so don't catch a cold. I'll dry you off.”
Song Yao recalled that Cheng Yue, like Second Senior Sister, possessed a fire spiritual root.
Within moments, her clothes were dried, and she felt a bit warmer.
She thanked her. “You two stay here and guard Second Senior Sister. I'm going to head out and take a look.”
Cheng Yue: “Okay.”
Only after she left did Ming Ran realize something was off. Clutching her sword, she furrowed her brows. “Why on earth are we listening to her?”
Ever since they were chased by the demons, they had been inexplicably led around by the nose by this girl, losing all ability to think for themselves.
It was as if they were her subordinates.
Cheng Yue's brows knitted even tighter than hers. “Of course we have to listen to her. If we hadn't shown up back there, she could have dealt with those demons for much longer. Besides, haven't you noticed? Her strength doesn't seem to be just what we see on the surface.”
Ming Ran fell silent.
Though she didn't want to admit it, it was the truth.
Lin Mu could fly on her sword inside the demon realm, but she couldn't.
Lin Mu could remain so calm when facing demons, while she herself had been trembling with fear.
This Lin Mu was indeed different from anyone she had ever met before.
She was very special.
...
By the time Song Yao went out, Jiang Jin had already led a junior follower to find the demons' nest.
In the cellar of the village chief's house, a damp, musty odor mixed with a heavy stench of blood permeated every corner.
Thick layers of spiderwebs were draped over the beams and pillars, hung with dried white bones, severed limbs, and even faded, corroded Daoist robes.
Three half-human-sized, human-faced spiders crouched in the center of the cellar. Their abdomens were bloated, human faces were embedded on their backs, and they hissed as they spat out greenish spider silk.
Jiang Jin was tightly bound by the spiderwebs, his white robes already stained red with blood.
His spiritual energy was in disarray, and he couldn't even hold his sword. He could only barely use his scabbard to block the spiders' lunges.
Every impact made him groan, dark red blood foaming at the corners of his mouth.
Rate on N.U.
