A Visitor

“So,” Du Qi said with a half-smile, “how are you going to make up for what happened last night?” He spoke with a cynical air that, combined with his natural scholarly aura and a face pale from overexertion, made him look like the very definition of a “refined scoundrel.”

But Su Li was in no mood to analyze Du Qi's appearance or demeanor. His words felt like a bucket of cold water poured over her head. How could she explain? Should she tell him that she was addicted to using calamity seeds, and that her supply had run out? Either way, it was deeply embarrassing.

Unable to think of a good excuse, Su Li simply pulled the quilt over her head, playing the role of a shameless rogue.

Watching her hide, Du Qi found it rather amusing. How could someone so old act like such a child? Even if she didn't say anything, he could guess most of it. Experiencing extreme cold and heat without any physical injuries—it was almost certainly an issue with the calamity seeds. He kept it to himself, knowing she didn't want him to know. He was simply waiting for her to be ready to tell him herself.

Su Li stifled herself under the quilt for a quarter of an hour, figuring Du Qi must have left by now. He should be gone, right? she thought. Why would he stay? Isn't staying up all night for me enough? It's not like he's anyone special to me. Why is he still here? She waited a bit, but there was no sound from outside. She waited a bit longer, yet still, nothing.

Unable to hold her breath any longer, she gently peeled back the quilt. First, her two fox ears emerged, twitching slightly in the air as if scouting the area. Then, her eyes cautiously peeked over the edge of the blanket, locking right onto Du Qi's amused gaze. He hadn't left at all. He sat in the chair with his legs crossed, resting his head on his hand, looking at her with a beaming smile.

A rush of blood surged from her heart to her neck, and then to her cheeks, turning Su Li completely red. Her face, her neck, her ears, and even the small stretch of collarbone exposed above the blanket were thoroughly flushed.

Huffed, she yanked the quilt away. “Then why are you even in my room? Don't you know an unmarried man and woman shouldn't share a room alone!”

Still resting his head on his hand with his legs crossed, Du Qi pointed unhurriedly toward the door. “Is it possible... that I never closed the door to begin with?”

He lazily gestured toward the entrance. The door was indeed unlatched, left slightly ajar so that the light from the hallway filtered through.

Su Li was left speechless. She shouldn't have bothered debating propriety with this man; there was no way she could out-argue him. But Du Qi's next words made her flush so hard she felt like steam was about to rise from her head.

“Or perhaps... you have designs on me? Ah, how the world has changed. The guilty party files the suit first, I see.” His tone was light and breezy, his voice trailing upward with a hint of teasing and playfulness. Su Li's mind buzzed, then exploded.

In Su Li's imagination, she had already leaped out of bed and was pointing right at Du Qi's nose, cursing him up and down. Her voice was sharp and shrill, like a cat with its fur standing on end.

“Who! Who would ever be interested in a despicable, shameless, filthy scoundrel like you! You shameless narcissist! You miserable bastard! I'll castrate you!” She even imagined herself pulling a pair of scissors from her storage bag and brandishing them at him. But that was merely a fantasy...

In reality, Su Li spluttered and stammered for a long while without producing a single coherent word. Her mouth opened and closed, then closed and opened again. Her face was so red it looked ready to drip blood, and even the tips of her ears were crimson. Her fox ears pressed flat against her scalp. Finally, she gritted her teeth and squeezed out, “Shameless!” Du Qi suppressed a laugh and didn't reply, merely pressing down the corners of his mouth to hide his grin.

Seeing that the little fox was about to explode if she got any redder, Du Qi reined in his urge to keep teasing her. He put away his cynical expression, composed his face, and stood up from the chair.

He let out a yawn, genuinely exhausted. The dark circles under his eyes seemed even heavier than before, and his eyes were bloodshot. “I came to ask you for money last night, but when I heard you weren't doing well, I came in to help. I'm dead tired.”

He stood up unsteadily, the legs of the chair scraping against the floor with a harsh screech. He began walking toward the carriage parked outside. After a couple of steps, he paused and turned his head slightly, though he didn't look back. “Remember to pay me. I ran out of money last night. Pack your things, we're leaving soon...” His voice was somewhat raspy, as if he were deliberately holding something back.

Su Li stared blankly at his departing back as he walked out the door, watching him grow more distant until he vanished down the hallway. Pulling her gaze back, she felt the tranquility in her meridians, which felt as though she had never used a calamity seed in her life. Her expression grew complicated. He can directly purge the side effects of a calamity seed? That's a bit too overpowered. How could anyone have such an ability? Sure, Confucian cultivators have versatile abilities, but not this versatile. What on earth did he do?

But whether she believed it or not didn't matter; the feedback from her body was undeniable. She felt as clean as if she had been reborn.

She extended her hand, and a ball of fire ignited at her fingertips. Her spiritual energy flowed exceptionally smoothly—perhaps even too smoothly. She stared at the flame in a daze for a few seconds before finally getting out of bed to wash up and change her clothes.

In any case, it was a good thing. She would just consider it a favor owed to him. Su Li's mood turned exceptionally bright, and she even hummed a tune while changing.

Inside the carriage, Du Qi was breaking out in a cold sweat. He leaned against the carriage wall, his eyes shut and his brow furrowed in a tight knot. Tearing open his collar, he looked down at his chest. Large patches of frostbite and severe burns were intertwined, a chaotic mess of blue, purple, and red smeared across his skin.

Gritting his teeth, he retrieved an external ointment from his storage bag, scooped out a large dollop with his finger, and smeared it onto his chest. The moment the ointment touched the wounds, he gasped from the searing pain, the veins on his forehead bulging. He bit his lip to keep from making a sound. Damn it! Just how many calamity seeds did that little fox consume?!

“Sss—” Du Qi applied the medicine, spreading it evenly layer by layer until the wounds were completely covered. Then, he adjusted his collar, fastened his buttons, and pulled his neckline up to hide the injuries.

He leaned back against the carriage wall with his eyes closed, waiting for the ointment to absorb and for the pain to subside. Great, now he had new injuries on top of his old ones. The wounds from Black Mountain Fort hadn't even fully healed yet, and now he had these.

Moreover, after a whole night of exhausting exertion, Du Qi was truly exhausted. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and his consciousness began to drift. Leaning against the side of the carriage, he fell into a hazy sleep.

By the time Su Li boarded the carriage, Du Qi was already fast asleep. Stepping lightly, she sat down across from him without waking him. The carriage continued forward. Ahead lay the outer perimeter of the Central Continent's core. The road conditions here were much better than in the Northern Border; the official roads were flat, free of potholes and loose gravel, allowing the carriage to travel smoothly and swiftly.

Du Qi wasn't jolted awake, sleeping quite peacefully. Having slept well the previous night, Su Li didn't feel a shred of drowsiness.

She leaned against the carriage wall and looked out the window. The scenery outside was monotonous: a gray sky, a gray landscape, an occasional beggar crouching by the roadside, a few shops under makeshift canopies, and a scattering of stalls selling cheap trinkets. Su Li had grown tired of it long ago, but she had nothing else to do.

She withdrew her gaze from the window and let it rest on Du Qi's face. He was still sleeping, his head tilted to one side against the carriage wall, his mouth slightly open, breathing softly and evenly. His eyebrows were neither too thick nor too thin, striking a perfect balance. His long eyelashes cast a shadow beneath his eyes. With skin like warm jade and lips red against white teeth, he looked as though he were born to be a scholar.

Looking at him, Su Li thought to herself that he was actually quite good-looking, possessing the air of a refined gentleman despite his reckless words and actions. Still, he had helped her get a good night's sleep, so he was probably a decent person.

As the carriage rolled smoothly forward, it came to a sudden halt. The horses let out a loud neigh, rearing up high on their hind legs and causing the carriage to lurch violently. With a loud thud, Du Qi's head smacked against the window frame. He bounced right off his seat, instantly jolted awake. Rubbing his forehead with a deep frown, he had yet to grasp what was happening.

Annoyed that her quiet observation of Du Qi had been interrupted, a wave of anger flared within Su Li. Who is the suicidal fool daring to block my path? She had been holding in her frustration all day and was just looking for a place to vent.

Placing her hands on her hips, she got off the carriage with sharp, aggressive movements, causing the carriage to sway twice. Jumping down, she saw a young man in a scholar's robe standing in the middle of the road. The horses pulling the carriage had been bound to the side by ink-colored chains, their legs trembling, heads hanging low, and breath coming in rapid gasps.

The young man wore a moon-white scholar's robe with light green bamboo patterns embroidered along the hem. An ink-black belt was tied around his waist, from which a jade pendant hung. He had a delicate, clean face, and his eyes and brows bore a striking resemblance to Du Qi's, though he looked younger and more pristine, lacking the weariness of someone who had weathered life's storms. He also lacked Du Qi's unconstrained, free-spirited air. Standing in the middle of the road, neither humble nor overbearing, he cupped his hands in a polite salute. His tone was respectful, yet carried an unyielding authority.

“Your foolish younger brother requests that Eldest Brother Du Ling come out for a talk.”