Chapter 29: Dangerous Person

I held Little Silver and followed behind Wu Ye, running all the way toward the depths of the forest. The shouts behind us grew closer; evidently the masked men had also discovered us, these two unexpected enemies, and seeing us about to run deep into the mountains, they finally grew anxious.

Behind us, besides the shouts, a piercing sound suddenly accompanied it.

I let out a low groan, crouched down, and pressed my hands tightly against my chest.

Another sound. I felt as if a saw were in my chest; each time it sounded, the saw went back and forth once.

At the same time, the soldier on Wu Ye's back couldn't help but let out a loud groan.

"Wu Ye!" I endured the discomfort, this pain is nothing compared to the Blood Gu Devouring Heart, I said in a low voice, "Can't you temporarily seal his acupoints? Running like this won't work; we'll surely be caught."

Wu Ye nodded, first subdued the struggling person, seemed to pause for a moment, furrowed his brow slightly, then said: "Yes, but it will harm his meridians."

I was speechless. You should have said that before acting! Indeed, he's essentially a cold-hearted person.

We crouched low in the dense thicket, our eyes fixed on the direction where figures swarmed.

The piercing sound drew nearer, my chest pain worsened, grinding until my face turned pale and cold sweat drenched me.

Wu Ye finally noticed my discomfort, his expression hardened, and he asked, "What's wrong?"

He lowered his gaze to the "soldier": though his face was bloodied and his expression unclear, the sweat-drenched forehead alone proved he was in great pain. He then glanced at me, his complexion worsening.

I shook off my extreme unease and speculation, looked up at the few bees dancing and circling on the opposite tree, then casually wiped the sweat from my forehead and said, "I'll lure them away."

"You..." his face turned ashen, the anger in his eyes overshadowing his ugliness, yet he couldn't form a complete sentence, "You!..."

I couldn't help but chuckle, "Do you think I'd trade my life for his? Don't joke, the only one in this world worth my life for..." is Qi Ran. I silently finished the last sentence in my heart.

Without waiting for him to react, I tossed Little Silver to him, then picked up my backpack and silently leapt backward, deeper into the forest. I didn't want to wait for that death-summoning sound to draw nearer, then have us all perish together.

I took out a pistol from my backpack; after arriving in ancient times, no—more precisely, after leaving Dark Black Street I had never touched this thing again.

Before, I didn't dare use it; later, I dared but had no chance because those around me were too strong. I skillfully loaded bullets into the gun and removed the silencer. I never expected that picking it up now would feel as familiar as before.

I smiled, no longer hesitated, cocked the gun, and calmly aimed ahead. Now I just need to wait patiently; eight bullets aren't many, so they must not be wasted.

"Boom—" a huge roar startled countless birds and beasts in the forest, but I knew the greatest chaos came from Wu Ye and their hiding spot—under that big tree.

Those black-clothed pursuers, though urgent in their chase, were meticulous. At every place they passed, they ordered a thorough search and relentlessly emitted that death-summoning sound. If this continued, Wu Ye and company would inevitably be found.

After the hit, I didn't dare linger for a moment, crouched and leapt forward several steps, stopping about ten paces from the target and not advancing further.

Sure enough, the show began. That group of originally arrogant and steady black-clothed men, no longer caring about dignity, fled in disarray toward the direction of the recent boom, followed by a swarm of hornets whose nest had been destroyed, pursuing relentlessly for a thousand li.

I suppressed my laughter until their ghostly wails faded, then leisurely returned to Wu Ye's side. Though I imagined with my knee that he must have been stunned, I had no interest in looking at those terrifying eyes.

"Huh, he's awake." I strangely gazed at the blood-covered "soldier," who was scrutinizing me with a pair of sharp eyes, as if... he completely lacked the awareness of an injured person who had been rescued.

"The pursuers are still nearby; we must leave at once." I said coldly, gesturing for Wu Ye to release his acupoints—such a big living person should certainly walk on his own; do you really expect Wu Ye to carry him?

Perhaps only now did I notice Wu Ye, his eyes wide open, face full of fright, which made me involuntarily amused. I wonder if his mouth could now hold an egg.

However, I must also say this person's composure is extraordinary; his fearful expression lasted only a moment before returning to normal, though his gaze no longer dared to linger on Wu Ye's face. Ah, impressive—he seems to have more backbone than I did back then.

After his body adapted a bit, he gained freedom, lightly furrowed his brows, stood up, and asked, "Who are you?" His tone and demeanor, plus this disheveled appearance, held no hint of interrogation, yet one inevitably felt an innate superiority.

"Big brother, could we postpone this question until we're safe?" I glanced back at Wu Ye, face full of gloom, "Do we have to sleep in a cave again tonight?"

Wu Ye glanced at me, then led the way opposite the black-clothed men. His gaze clearly said: "You brought this on yourself."

"Alright! I know I'm meddling, but after all, I'm your master! You yourself emphasized that."

"Do you have a change of clothes?"

"None." I replied irritably, "Saving you already went above and beyond; do I also have to feed and clothe you?" Turning back, I couldn't help but stare.

I recall once seeing a description of ancient handsome men: "dragon patterns and phoenix bearing, natural heavenly quality." Back then I wondered what kind of beauty that was. Instantly I felt this person before me embodied those eight characters exactly.

His beauty, unlike Qi Ran's transcendent otherworldliness, cannot be described in mortal words. Yet that beauty, utterly immersed in the red dust, utterly steeped in ridicule, still leaves me unable to look away.

At this moment he had taken off his armor, wearing only a thin white silk robe. His tall, slender frame stood at ease, yet showed no weakness; with the light from the cave entrance behind him, it gave off an aura of infinite nobility. His face was slender and fair, the exposed skin as delicate and exquisite as fine jade; at a glance one could see he had grown up in fine clothes and jade-like food, never knowing hardship.

But his eyes, a natural brilliance gathered in pure black pupils, somewhat wearily fell upon me, yet let me clearly know: this person's scheming and depth are far beyond what ordinary people can match.

He curled the corner of his mouth in a faint, almost imperceptible cold smile, disregarding my astonished gaze, yet I did not miss the fleeting contempt in his eyes. He walked over and sat beside me.

"What's your name?" I asked. After the astonishment, I finally returned to normal, taking a piece of the roasted pheasant from Wu Ye's hand and giving it to him, while feeding Little Silver and filling my own stomach with the rest.

At this moment I am truly grateful that for the past six months I've been with Qi Ran, giving me some immunity to super handsome guys; otherwise I wouldn't know when I'd stop being lovesick.

He took the pheasant, glanced at me, suddenly gave a mysterious smile, and said lightly, "Wei Ling Feng."

"Boom—" the pheasant Wu Ye was roasting suddenly fell to the ground.

I glanced at him puzzled, had no time to wonder why, hastily picked it up, brushed off the dust, handed it back, and reminded him, "Be careful, this is today's only remaining dinner!"

Wu Ye gave Wei Ling Feng a strange look, then glanced at me; his eyes seemed to say... he was looking at an idiot, or perhaps had something to say. In the end, helplessly shaking his head, he took the pheasant and continued roasting.

What a strange person. I frowned oddly. Speaking of which, the name Wei Ling Feng feels familiar, as if I've heard it somewhere.

I shook my head and said, "Master Wei, what are your plans next?" I stared blankly at the extremely strange look Wei Ling Feng gave me.

I looked back, examined him up and down. Nothing wrong? Then what's up with him and Wu Ye, that they both stare at me like I'm a monster?

"Cough cough," I cleared my throat twice, "Master Wei, may I ask..."

Wei Ling Feng seemed to have just come to his senses, smiling incredulously, ah! A handsome man's smile is pleasing to the eye.

"I... I... want to go to Qi Kingdom."

"Hmm." I nodded, that makes sense. But we're still on the border of Yin Kingdom; he's alone, how would he get back? Still, probably not my concern, "Master Wei, rest early; we can set out tomorrow morning. We... it's time to part ways."

It's better to speak plainly early. My meaning is, if you want to die, don't drag us down as your cushion.

Wei Ling Feng's handsome brows furrowed slightly, a hint of anger in his eyes: "Just who are you people?"

"What else could we be?" I glared back, "Aren't we just the unlucky ones you've dragged into this?"

Wu Ye lowered his head, trying hard not to laugh.

"Do you know who I am?" A flash of killing intent crossed his eyes, "If you help me return to Qi Kingdom, you'll gain endless wealth and honor; otherwise..."

I sneered, cutting him off, word by word: "Believe me, handing you over to Yin Kingdom will earn a far greater reward."

He frowned, his sharp eyes locking onto me as if to burn me through; after a long while he asked in a low voice, "Then why did you save... me?"

"I just wanted to see," I lifted my head and gazed at him calmly, "exactly what kind of person those people are protecting, allowing him to surpass the limits of death."

He curled the corner of his mouth into a look of extreme disdain and scorn, naturally aloof, and snorted coldly: "Do you see clearly now?"

I nodded, slowly and deliberately wiping the oil stain from my hands, expressionlessly staring at him and said: "I see clearly. So, it's boring."

"You dare..." The invisible killing intent in the cave suddenly surged; he lunged forward, about to strike with a palm, and I was shocked, thinking: My life is over.

How could I never have imagined he knew martial arts? Seeing him either protected or injured upon appearance, I thought he was merely a beautiful facade with rotten inside...

The hand raised in midair suddenly stopped; I felt grateful to tears, thinking Wuye had finally blocked him at this critical moment. But upon looking up, I discovered that Wuye, startled, could not possibly stop his lightning‑fast move—yet he indeed halted, instead clutching his own chest tightly.

His originally fair complexion turned deathly pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat; his lips faintly showed a purple hue...

Watching the deepening purple, my heart jolted; I grabbed his hand and pressed my middle and index fingers onto his pulse.

"What… are you… doing?" He was obviously in agony, yet still furrowed his brows trying to pull his hand back, but upon lifting his head and seeing my face, he couldn't help but stare.

In that instant, I felt the last bit of strength drain from my body; I plopped down on the ground and remained dazed for a long time.

My complexion was even paler than his; I kept thinking to myself: It really is blood worm!

No one knows the agony of a blood worm outbreak better than I, but aside from Qiran's special constitution, there is no antidote, and no one can stop the spread of that pain.

"How… did you contract the blood worm?" I asked, forcing a pale face. I recall Bu Sha saying that the blood worm's poison is hard to administer; it must be introduced via the Hand Lesser Yin meridian and simultaneously taken with a worm guide to succeed.

It's not me who's in pain, not me! I kept telling myself that, but whenever I thought of Bu Sha, I couldn't stop the chill rising from my heart.

Once the worm poison enters the body, there is no cure; if the antidote is not taken monthly, the pain becomes unbearable. After more than three days, the poison begins to devour the body, and after seven days one becomes a walking corpse puppet.

My blood worm outbreak is irregular, likely because it passed through two human bodies and underwent a mutation. Thus, although the attacks are excruciating to the marrow, they have not yet begun to consume the body.

But this person before me, if he cannot detoxify within three days, will inevitably become a walking corpse. Although his attitude is arrogant and he treats human lives as grass, such a punishment is truly too severe.

"Blood worm?" His lower lip had been bitten through; his white robe, soaked as if drenched in water, was translucent, yet even in such agony he did not utter a groan. His mind remained clear enough to hear my question, and I couldn't help but admire his perseverance.

"That is a hard‑to‑plant worm poison." Having said this much is enough; I don't know whether someone around him betrayed him, and frankly I don't want to know.

"While you're still lucid, I think it's best to tell you the truth. The blood worm poison has no cure; if the antidote isn't taken regularly, you must… endure three days of pain." I frowned somewhat unwillingly, "As time passes, the pain during outbreaks grows ever more severe. After three days, even immortals cannot save you; the poison begins to destroy the brain from within, and in just seven days you will become a true walking corpse."

Actually I'm not clear either what happens after becoming a walking corpse; suddenly I recalled that piercing sound—perhaps… one would be controlled? Thinking of this, I involuntarily sighed, wondering how many days the worm inside me can still hold out, and how long until the next outbreak—I actually know none of these.

Before it was Qiran worrying; now I feel the same anxiety for myself. Sigh! How is it that since arriving in ancient times I have never been free from the torment of blood worms?

"So I think you might consider… surrender." I finally managed to squeeze out those words. The heart‑rending pain of blood worm is beyond what ordinary people can endure, and furthermore I don't even know whether the bodily consumption after seven days might become even more perverse. Rather than suffer endless pain to become a puppet, it would be better… my meaning I believe he understands.

Wei Lingfeng's originally pale handsome face seemed to whiten a bit more in an instant; the anger and ferocity in his eyes made me shudder. If he manages to survive this by sheer luck, I truly ought to pray for the one who planted the worm.

He was in so much pain he could no longer stand, collapsing and curling on the ground, trembling violently, all trace of his former handsomeness and nobility gone. Yet his eyes grew ever more resolute and inviolably sacred; he clenched his trembling lips and forced out: "Now… surrender… humiliation… is… me… the emperor. In ten days… the humiliated… will be nothing but… a… shell…"

I silently watched his trembling body, his lips tinged purple; though he was in unbearable pain, his gaze clearly told me he would allow no one to tarnish even a shred of his dignity. Such a man is hateful and frightening, yet also… pitiful.

"Wuye!" I called calmly, "Go fetch a rope."

Wuye, however, did not move; after looking at me for a while, he said: "We should kill him; it would be good for him and for us."

I know all this. Bu Sha was saved by Qiran, Qiran was saved by me, and I am struggling to stay alive myself. Since we all have the blood worm, what position could I take to kill Wei Lingfeng and then claim I'm doing it for your own good?

"Rope!" I repeated calmly. Wuye finally sighed, went outside, fetched a vine, and bound Wei Lingfeng. He finally couldn't help but groan loudly; I knew his consciousness had grown fuzzy.

"We… will stay with you for three days." I sighed, facing Wei Lingfeng, knowing he couldn't hear me yet still whispered softly: "After three days, if there is no miracle, I will kill you."

The morning sun fell unfiltered on my face, somewhat hot, somewhat stinging; I reluctantly opened my eyes. Seeing Wuye beside me also just awakened, my mood plummeted.

Another new day, another day of torment.

Entering the cave, as expected I saw Wei Lingfeng bound with vines, curled on the ground. His lovely brows were tightly knit, his eyes shut, while his long, thick lashes trembled, as if still fearing last night's pain.

I sighed, intending to undo all the vines binding him, but the rope was tied too tight; even with Herculean effort I couldn't loosen it, so I had to ask Wuye for help.

In the midst of my actions, Wei Lingfeng gradually woke; his formerly pale face gained a hint of color, the faint purple on his lips faded—it seemed he had made it through the first day.

"Hungry?" I handed the remaining mountain pheasant from last night entirely to Wuye, yet said to Wei Lingfeng, "You all eat something. I'll go gather some herbs."

"Why haven't you left yet?" a hoarse voice sounded from behind, and I involuntarily halted my steps.

"Perhaps you just want to see the good deed through to the end?" I smiled helplessly, turned, and walked out of the cave.

(End of chapter)