Love & Redemption
Chapter 194: Volume 5 Phoenix Flower Blooms - 1 Falling into Huangquan with You (1)

Chapter 194: Volume 5 Phoenix Flower Blooms Chapter 1 Falling into Huangquan with You (1)

Zhong Minyan’s eyes seemed as if he was losing focus, he stared at her for a moment and then softly asked, "Where’s Linglong? And the master?" Xuanji was momentarily stunned, her sword involuntarily lowered, and the demons scrambling about to evade took this sudden daze as an opportunity to pounce, but Tengshe burned each and every one of them with fire.

"They, they are in the cave," Xuanji murmured. Seeing him nod, she flipped down from the rock wall, her face as pale as that of a dead person, with a faint expression of agony. She instinctively reached out to support him and asked, "Sixth Brother, what’s wrong with you?"

Her fingers touched his sleeve, and she felt him recoil. Xuanji immediately remembered that he didn’t like her touching him and was about to sheepishly withdraw her hand, but he seemed to sigh softly and lifted his hand to embrace her slender shoulders, almost putting his entire weight on her. Xuanji’s heart thudded erratically, feeling embarrassed and a little bewildered she whispered, "Sixth Brother... what...what is wrong with you?"

"Don’t speak, I... I’m feeling unwell, can you help me inside?" His warm breath on her ear made Xuanji’s face turn bright red, and she clumsily helped him towards Mingxia Cave.

Following them, Tengshe, having dealt with all the demons, still felt unsatisfied as he regretfully gazed at the charred bodies on the ground and licked his lips, sighing, "Damn, that was not satisfying..." Turning back, he saw the two were already far ahead, ignoring him. He quickly caught up and called out, "Such disloyalty! I’m here fighting the bad guys for you! And you forget righteousness at the sight of beauty, you ungrateful little... Wait, what’s going on with you? There’s blood on you..."

Zhong Minyan interrupted him, saying, "I have diarrhea, do you want to smell that too?"

"Pah!" Tengshe simply quit talking out of spite.

Xuanji said, "Alright, Sixth Brother is not feeling well, Tengshe stop making a fuss. We’ll find some pills for him later, and he’ll be better."

Zhong Minyan didn’t speak anymore. Having arrived back at Mingxia Cave, everyone was relieved to hear that all the demons had been eradicated. Huan Yang and Pu Yang took some senior disciples to patrol the mountain for any remaining demons, while the others stayed in the cave waiting for news. When Linglong saw that Zhong Minyan had finally returned, she hurriedly rushed to him, smiling, "Hey, little Sixth, did your diarrhea take that long?! I bet you are just a scaredy-cat. Did you see the demons coming and got so frightened that you found a place to hide, right?"

Zhong Minyan’s face was pale, he managed a weak smile and said, "You always make fun of me." He gently let go of Xuanji and embraced Linglong’s shoulders, nearly putting his entire weight on her, seeming almost to hold her in his arms publicly. Although both of them were recognized as a couple, Linglong was shy and never allowed him to be overly affectionate in broad daylight. Now seeing him like this, her cheeks immediately turned red and she quietly scolded him, "Stop that...everyone is watching!"

Zhong Minyan chuckled softly and whispered," You are always so concerned about appearances... don’t move... Linglong, you smell so good."

Linglong, embarrassed as if wishing she could burrow into a hole, dared not look at the expressions around her. She pushed him hard with her hand, causing Zhong Minyan to stumble. Suddenly feeling pity, she quickly steadied him with her hands, pouting, "Behave yourself!"

Zhong Minyan suddenly reached out and tightly wrapped his arms around her upper body, fiercely pressed his lips against hers, crazily entwining with her lips as if they had been separated by a thousand cycles of life and death and had just reunited, as if the world was about to shatter and he could not wait, wishing to die intertwined in this manner.

Gasps and exclamations filled the air around them, Linglong was so shocked her hair stood on end, and for a moment, she couldn’t think to struggle. She only felt his hand caressing her cheek, leaving a trail of a damp, fishy scent. After what felt like forever, he finally gently pulled away from her lips, his voice trembling, "Linglong, marry me today..."

Linglong stared blankly at him, his eyes dark and profound, as if there were flames burning in them, looking at her in near despair. He suddenly closed his eyes and whispered lowly, "No... pretend I didn’t say anything... Linglong, you must be well."

She felt something wet and sticky on her face, very uncomfortable, and subconsciously wiped her face, looking down to see—her hands covered in fresh blood. She gasped, the person in her arms having already collapsed softly onto the ground. She muttered in a low voice, "Sixth!" Blood had already pooled beneath him, and he had been stuffing the wound with grass and soil, pressing his hand firmly over it, yet no one had noticed.

Chu Lei, despite the severe burning pain on his body, got up and shouted, "Quick, bring the medicine! And clean water!" He repeated several times, causing the stunned disciples to run helter-skelter in search of water. "Don’t panic! Let me check the wound!" he said sternly, his voice surprisingly trembling. Tearing open Zhong Minyan’s clothes, the bloody hole beneath his ribcage shocked everyone, with blood spurting out like a fountain, surrounded by dirty muck and grass roots.

He Yang stepped forward and urgently said, "Let me look!" He immediately squatted beside him, quickly examining the wound and swiftly pressing several points below his ribs, which slowed the bleeding. The disciples brought water, and he rinsed the wound slightly, and upon a closer look, he inhaled sharply, "Such a location, the internal organs must have been severely damaged! Who caused this injury?!" He suddenly felt that the stabbing technique seemed eerily familiar, and after a slight frown in thought, he understood, "Last time Si Feng was badly wounded, it was also by this person, right?! That disciple from Li Ze Palace called what’s-his-name Yu!"

"Ruo Yu." Xuanji suddenly interjected. Chu Yinghong saw her pale face, but her expression was strangely bizarre, almost smiling, which frightened her. They had grown up together from childhood, naturally their friendship was deep. Xuanji had just returned to normal, and if she were provoked into madness again, who could stop her? She hurriedly wrapped her arms around Xuanji, gently embracing her shoulders, softly saying, "It’s okay, Master He Yang is here, Min Yan will definitely be fine."

Xuanji didn’t speak, just stared blankly at the wound below Zhong Minyan’s ribs, the scene before her eyes suddenly changing as if she were back at the inn in Germu, Si Feng lying on the bed covered in blood, his fate hanging by a thread. Her heart beat violently, and she muttered under her breath, "Ruo Yu... Ruo Yu... Wu Tong... Wu Tong..."

He Yang applied some ointment to the wound, but it was immediately washed away by the blood. Anxious, the pain in his severed wrist intensified, his forehead covered in cold sweat. Chu Lei whispered, "I’ll do it." He Yang nodded and added, "This child is likely in danger, feed him the Revival Pill first!"

Upon hearing the words ’Revival Pill’, Linglong’s face grew even paler. She knew this precious elixir was crafted by the Dianjing Valley, not a specialty of the Shaoyang Sect. Only those who were severely wounded and on the verge of death would consume it to cling to life for a bit longer. She suddenly felt unable to stop trembling, her whole body shaking uncontrollably from head to toe, like a sieve.

He’s going to die... He’s going to die! Zhong Minyan is going to die! This terrifying thought kept surfacing in her mind. Just moments ago, he had cheerfully talked about proposing tonight, how they would never be apart, but in an instant, he was on the brink of death. How could this be?

"Linglong..." Zhong Minyan passed out from pain, then awoke again, his gaze scattered, mumbling her name, "I... I deserve it... I broke... that promise... that’s why... this happened today..."

He Yang frowned and quietly scolded, "Don’t talk!" But no matter how much he applied the medicine, the bleeding wouldn’t stop. Chu Lei stuffed the Revival Pills into his mouth like they were candy, but they were useless. His spleen had been pierced by that sword, and once the internal organs were critically ruptured, there was no saving him.

Linglong blankly thought about his words, about breaking the promise... Her thoughts drifted back to their carefree childhood, the day she and Zhong Minyan made a vow; he said: If one day I leave the Shaoyang Sect, may I lose all my teeth and become a toothless old eunuch! After saying that, the two of them childishly linked arms.

Toothless old eunuch... No, he didn’t become a toothless old eunuch, he was going to die! Dead! Dead! Noise exploded in Linglong’s mind, as if something suddenly snapped, followed by an eerie silence.

"Not good!" He Yang, seeing Zhong Minyan’s fading breath and scattered gaze, obviously dying, urgently pressed on his crown, transferring his True Qi, "This child’s injuries are too severe! And it’s been too long, Sect Leader, I can’t..."

The voices behind her faded, and Linglong could no longer hear them as she stared blankly at the prone figure of Zhong Minyan on the ground, his face pale yet his eyes burning like flames, fixed intently on her as if he had just met her, just passionately fallen in love with her. His eyes blinked, and suddenly, shiny tears streamed down, he whispered softly, "Linglong... forget about me..."

As she watched his eyes slowly close, she felt as though the entire world was also dying. She called out softly, feeling helpless, like a lost child standing alone with nowhere to go. Everyone else was busy trying to stop Zhong Minyan’s bleeding or watching Xuanji, fearing she might have an episode; no one was there to comfort her.

Suddenly, Linglong took a deep breath, bit her lip as if she had made a decision, and abruptly pulled out her broken gold blade, slashing at her own throat. He Danping screamed and quickly snatched away the broken gold, but the sharp weapon had already cut her throat, causing blood to gush out profusely. She collapsed weakly into He Danping’s arms, surrounded by chaos, with countless people shouting, running, and talking, seeming to hear nothing.

Someone pressed hard on the wound on her neck, their hands extremely cold, like ice and snow. As Linglong drifted in and out of consciousness, she felt no pain and looked vaguely at the person. It was Xuanji, her eyes wide as if she was seeing the world for the first time, everything unfamiliar. After a moment, she whispered softly, "Together in life and death... right?"

A pain struck Linglong’s heart, but she managed a tragic smile and then fainted. Xuanji slowly stood up, looked at Linglong, then at the dying Zhong Minyan, as if she didn’t recognize them. Chu Yinghong saw her odd expression and hurried over, saying, "It’s all right! They will be okay! Xuanji, don’t do anything rash!"

Xuanji said blankly, "No... I’m not being rash... I’m going to kill someone, don’t stop me..." She gently pushed away Chu Yinghong’s hand and started walking slowly toward the cave entrance. Chu Yinghong quickly blocked her, "You aren’t going anywhere! Stay here! Both your sister and brother are severely injured, where would you be off to? Would you have your parents worried sick?"

"I’m going to kill someone... I’ll be back soon," she said calmly, then turned around, swiftly bypassed Chu Yinghong and continued walking without looking back.

Suddenly, a clear voice called out, "No need to worry, let me take care of these two kids."

Everyone was startled, only to see Ting Nu pulling out a small silk bag from his embrace, pouring out two thumb-sized, brightly colored fruits that looked freshly plucked from a tree. He picked up one of the fruits, speaking softly, "Excuse me, could you lift him up?"

Chu Lei, knowing his unusual skills, possibly able to resurrect the dead, quickly lifted Zhong Minyan’s upper body and pried open his jaws. Ting Nu crushed the fruit, dripping the juice into Zhong Minyan’s mouth, three drops in total, then, without discarding the fruit, returned it to the silk bag. Upon reaching Linglong, he looked and smiled, "She’s not in mortal danger; she doesn’t need this fruit. Just bandage the wound."

Xuanji saw the fruit, red like fresh blood, and asked softly, "The fruit of the Undying Tree?"

Ting Nu nodded, "Correct, from the Undying Tree of Kunlun Mountain. When I ascended to the heavens, the Heavenly Emperor awarded me two, and I’ve never used them. They came in handy today. These fruits shouldn’t be given to them just like that; eating them could make one immortal, but these three drops are enough to bring him back."

As they spoke, Zhong Minyan began to moan softly, his pale face regaining some color, and his fatal chest wound gradually stopped bleeding. Chu Lei hurriedly applied medicine, tightly bandaging it up, then looked up at Ting Nu gratefully, saying, "Your presence indeed aids us greatly!"

Ting Nu smiled, saying nothing. Liu Yihuan, who had been watching the excitement, laughed, "Well then, it seems this young fellow has passed through his calamity. Such a noble guest you are! I told him he would be deceived, spoke so bluntly, yet he still doesn’t understand, truly a hopeless fool!"

Ting Nu replied, "It’s easy for you to say, uninvolved. If it were you, you might not have done as well as he did."

"You really have a way with words..." Liu Yihuan was at a loss with him, shook her head and simply stopped talking.

Earlier, upon hearing Xuanji talk about killing someone, Tengshe eagerly followed, but after waiting and waiting at the cave entrance, seeing them dithering about leaving, he grew impatient and shouted, "Are we killing someone or not?! Make it quick!" At his outburst, the cave fell suddenly quiet, everyone turning to look at him as Tengshe cracked his knuckles loudly, then yelled again, "Stinking brat! Are you leaving or not?"

Xuanji nodded her head, saying, "We are leaving."

Tengshe was overjoyed and immediately ran out. Chu Yinghong and others hurriedly stopped Xuanji, Chu Lei frowning, "You should not complicate things now! Who are you thinking of killing at such a time!" He Danping, who had already cried her eyes red worrying about Linglong, once again couldn’t hold back her tears, grabbing Xuanji’s sleeve and began pleading incessantly for her not to leave.

Xuanji took a deep breath and said calmly, "This vengeance unavenged, I will not rest easy in life. Don’t try to persuade me, I will be swiftly back!"

"Are you headed for Buzhou Mountain?" Chu Lei shook his head, "That’s not a place for mortals; what if something happens again? In any case, you are not allowed to go! Everyone stays!"

Xuanji whispered, "I must go, I won’t allow anyone to destroy my most treasured things over and over again!"

Seeing her resolve, everyone fell silent. Xuanji lightly tapped the ground with her toes, and in an instant, she was several meters away, gracefully departing the cave with Tengshe. Suddenly someone hurried after her, calling out, "Take me with you!"

It was Zi Hu, her face flushed either from excitement or something else, she exclaimed, "I also want to go to Buzhou Mountain! We must succeed this time!"

Xuanji smiled faintly and said, "Together in life and death... right?"

Zi Hu paused, then shouted loudly, "Exactly! For him, dying is nothing!"

Xuanji seemed to ponder something for a moment before nodding. (To be continued. For further details, please log in to www.qidian.com, more Chapters available, support the author, support genuine reading!)