Chapter 23: Choice

This was my first, and almost my last, time witnessing Qi Ran's unfathomable martial skill. His blood‑stained figure darted through the encircling circle like a dance. Wherever silver light flashed, someone would scream, drop their weapon, and retreat in horror.

Five seconds—I could clearly feel that it was only five seconds—where Qi Ran passed, swords and knives rained down. Facing a youth grievously wounded and unable to move a breath of inner breath, none of Xiao Qifeng's subordinates could land a single strike on him.

No wonder Bu Sha said his martial skill was inferior to Qi Ran's. What kind of swordsmanship? What kind of peerless art?

Before I could recover my senses, Qi Ran's sword was already pressed against Xiao Qifeng's throat; the figure that had been standing trembled slightly and a mouthful of blood was coughed out. The wound on his back bled profusely again, yet he seemed utterly unaware, his pallid face calm as he said, "Don't force me to hurt you."

Xiao Qifeng's expression at that moment was even more hideous than Qi Ran's; after a long pause he uttered a trembling, hateful voice, "You are a monster! You should not exist in this world! Anyone who becomes entangled with you will meet misfortune!"

Qi Ran's sword‑hand trembled once, his face slowly turned away, and he whispered, "Stop saying that."

"Isn't that so?" Xiao Qifeng's eyes blood‑red, he shouted manically, "If it weren't for you, Qi Xuan wouldn't be used as a pawn, and we brothers wouldn't live constantly in the shadows. If it weren't for you, Bu Sha would still be peacefully the world's number‑one assassin, and the woman you love would not be hunted by the world."

"If it weren't for you, Xue Er… wouldn't have died so tragically!"

Xiao Qifeng let out a feral roar, the depth of his resentment and sorrow beyond my grasp. He seized the long sword at his throat, blood dripping drop by drop from his fingertips, reflecting his blood‑filled eyes in a terrifying, snarling glare.

I suddenly shivered all over, a premonition that something terrible was about to happen, extreme anxiety spreading through my body, as if those eyes and that mouth would utterly annihilate Qi Ran. I screamed in horror, lunging forward to stop it, but my throat unexpectedly produced no sound, and those words still pierced Qi Ran's heart like a blade, unwavering.

"Xiao Qiran! What reason do you have to live in this world? Even if you live, you are destined for a lifetime…"

Bang— Xiao Qifeng's vicious incantation hadn't finished, yet his body already flew out into the air!

I stared dumbfounded at Bu Sha, dressed in black with black hair, standing coldly there, feeling my eyes swell with tears. I had never felt as grateful for Bu Sha's existence as I did now; though he said nothing, seemed indifferent to everything, he silently shielded me and Qi Ran from all calamities.

The three of us dared not linger in the town, and that night we packed our belongings and left this place of trouble.

Not until deep night did we finally rest our feet in an empty cave. We hadn't intended to stay in a cave, but since Qi Ran had not awakened after his injury, the situation had become extremely critical, and we had to avoid any unsettling factors.

Qi Ran slept quietly on a massive rock; I frowned while feeling his pulse, and Bu Sha stared at my expression without blinking. An uneasy aura in the cave slowly spread.

I finally withdrew my hand, yet never lifted my head. Bu Sha suddenly stood up, silent, and walked outward; I pursed my lips and murmured a word, and he shivered all over, unable to take another step.

I said, "It's too late."

He turned his head to look at me, his eyes filled with fear and startled anger; his bone‑pale hand gripped the hilt, released, then gripped again.

"Bu Sha." I lifted my head, feeling a wave of dizziness, yet spoke calmly, "There is only one way to save him."

"What?" A hint of delight flashed in his eyes, then gradually faded, turning to terror.

"You know." I smiled, "Qi Ran is a true genius; his method is naturally the most effective."

Bu Sha cut off my roar: "No!"

"I know your blood won't work, but mine can." I stood up, calmly meeting his gaze, "I promise."

"No!" He averted his gaze, fists clenched at his sides, I could hear his bones cracking, "Absolutely… no!"

I looked at him sincerely, continuously, until he turned his head and met my eyes again. In his eyes lay boundless fear, loneliness and guilt, making my heart throb with pain, as if before me stood not the world's number‑one assassin but a solitary child desperately yearning for warmth and comfort.

"Bu Sha, you must think clearly: which is more important to you, my life or Qi Ran's life?"

"Moreover," I smiled, "I might not die either. No! I'm certain I won't die; Qi Ran's body is unique, how can we know mine isn't? At the very least, I received all kinds of vaccinations as a child. Even if I were infected with Blood Gu, my current body wouldn't die for now. At worst, you return to the Cold Moon Sect, continue as an assassin, and fetch an antidote for me, okay?"

A flash of bewilderment and… hope crossed Bu Sha's eyes, fool! He clearly worries about us, yet forces himself to act cold‑hearted every day. What's the point?

"You must trust Qi Ran; his medical skill is unrivaled, and he'll surely find a way to cure me. You must also trust me—my luck has always been great; I've fallen from a high cliff and survived. You must trust yourself too; you owe us nothing, because your silent protection has allowed Qi Ran and I to be so happy!"

Bu Sha helped Qi Ran sit cross‑legged; I steadied my mind and drove three silver needles into his Fengfu point behind the neck, his Tianfu point on the left arm, and the Hegu point on the left hand. Raising my head slightly to signal, Bu Sha slowly infused a stream of true qi into Qi Ran's body.

I cleared all distracting thoughts, sensing the abnormal flow's effect inside Qi Ran. At last, I felt a tiny fluctuation at his Zigong point beside the heart, transmitting through the blood vessels to the silver needle in my hand.

The comatose Qi Ran also trembled unknowingly from this fluctuation, sweat beading on his forehead.

At this moment, cold sweat covered my palms, my heart hammered wildly, tightening and releasing, as if warning me that once this needle is inserted, there is no turning back. My fate, Qi Ran's fate, Bu Sha's fate, will no longer be in our own hands.

I looked up at Bu Sha; his eyes were as deep as night, yet could not hide the pain, gazing at me intensely.

My heart jolted; I knew that long, long ago I had no room to turn back. I gently closed my eyes, opened them again with resolute determination— I will never let Qi Ran die.

I took three more silver needles, inserting them sequentially into Qi Ran's Lingxu, Quchi, and Kong points. Likewise, three needles, I plunged into my own body without hesitation.

I drew the dagger at my waist, as thin as a cicada wing, and slashed my wrist pulse hard; blood gushed, yet I felt no pain. I only shivered violently, gritted my teeth and said, "Begin!"

Ah! — a heartrending female cry echoed from the cave, accompanied by a heavy thud.

My God! Is this the heart‑eating pain of Blood Gu? Can anyone tell me how that pervert Qi Ran endures it?

Now my whole body feels like thousands of insects and ants constantly gnawing, as if in my meridians and bones. Especially my chest, it's like an ant nest boiled in hot oil, swelling and convulsing, nearly crushing my heart.

Sweat covers me, alternating cold and hot, as if one moment in ice, the next in fire. The tingling itch makes me scream loudly, lashing at anything I can, willing to die in an instant if it would end this inhuman agony.

My consciousness drifts in pain; in a daze I seem to be tightly embraced, the smell of blood filling my nose and mouth. Not knowing who was injured, I struggle, wail, kick, using every ounce of strength to vent the endless bodily pain.

Until my body finally exhausted its last ounce of strength, consciousness drifting away, I collapsed limp in that embrace, curled up and fell into a deep sleep.

Bu Sha watched the serene, peaceful sleeping face in his arms, tightening his grip as if fearing she might vanish suddenly. The girl who moments ago had screamed like a madwoman now slept quietly, her daily sleeping expression—detached, calm, far from all worldly clamor.

In Bu Sha's eyes lay deep sorrow; he stared intently, slowly burying his head in her hair, murmuring repeatedly, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

When I finally regained consciousness, I had only the strength to breathe, opening my mouth but unable to utter any sound. Slowly lifting my eyelids, Bu Sha's gaunt face came into view.

A scratch marred his left cheek, and another on his neck—I knew I had made them. His hand tightly wrapped around my waist as he sat on the rock's edge; Qi Ran still lay quietly on the stone, sleeping peacefully, breathing even and shallow.

A wave of calm serenity rose in my heart, and I couldn't help a faint smile—Qi Ran… finally okay.

"How are you?" Bu Sha's hoarse voice came from above, the hand around my waist loosening slightly but not letting go.

"What else can I do?" I sighed weakly, "Half my life is already gone."

After a while of easing, though my whole body remained sore, soft and exhausted, I had gradually adapted. Propping myself up slightly, I brushed the scratch on Bu Sha's face, embarrassedly saying, "Looks like next time I go mad you'll have to find a rope to tie me up, or else someday you'll end up disfigured like me."

Bu Sha turned his face away, dodging my hand, then rose carefully to help me sit on the ground, saying, "I'll go get something to eat."

"Alright." I smiled, "Take care." I knew he was heading to the Cold Moon Sect to fetch the antidote, but didn't want to expose it.

He gave a slight nod, stared at me deeply for a while, then turned and left without a word.

"Bu Sha."

He paused, then turned back, his black eyes falling on me.

I brushed the hair that fell across my forehead back behind my ear, gave a faint smile and solemnly asked, "We're friends, right?"

He stared blankly for a moment, then silently nodded.

"We're forever friends." I watched his departing figure, whispered it again. After a long pause, I sighed, lifted my eyes, tears welling, "Take care!"

I strained to prop up my body and stand, taking my backpack out of the bundle. By now I finally had to leave; in fact, I should have left when Lan Yan warned me, shouldn't I?

I gave a bitter smile; if I had left back then, at least my body and heart wouldn't hurt like this now.

My slender hand gently brushed over Qiran's pale, sleeping face—his brows, his eyes, his nose, the lips he had kissed mine with; if I could, I would imprint all of this in my heart forever. Even if one day I leave this world, even if I die, I will not allow it to fade.

I unfastened the cross necklace from my neck and placed it on him; it is my most precious possession and my most sincere blessing, so I give it to you. Tears slipped down, wetting his tightly pressed lips.

Qiran, this time I am truly truly going to part from you.

Qiran, the road ahead is so arduous and lonely—can we still walk it well?

Qiran, I hope you are happy, forever happy. Someone like you truly deserves happiness!

Qiran…

I leaned down, deeply kissing his pale, icy lips; the bitterness of my tears spread faintly across my tongue.

I love you!

……

I shoved the silver-white phone into Qiran's hand, closed my eyes, and resolutely walked out of the cave.

From the moment I decided, there was no turning back, right? From beginning to end, this has merely been a dream—an overly real dream that will eventually end.

(End of chapter)