Chapter 78: Healing

"Miss, are you awake?" Xin Hui gently pushed the door open, "Little… Miss!! What's happening?"

I didn't lift my head, continuing to thrust the silver needle I twirled in my hand into the major point surrounding Bu Sha's heart vein, saying in a deep voice, "Wen Ruobin where?"

"Is… is Bu Sha?" Xin Hui cautiously stepped a few paces closer, anxiously looking at me and the man lying unconscious on the bed.

I nodded, got up and washed my hands, inhaled deeply, and with a firmer tone said, "Wen Ruobin where?" The bleeding finally stopped, as if entering a dormant state that slowed the flow of his internal Qi and blood vessels, hoping to hold out until Qi Ran returned.

"In… in his room."

I pulled the quilt over Bu Sha, my fingers gripping the brocade blanket thin and deathly pale, mustering all my strength just to barely halt the trembling that rattled like sifted chaff.

"Xin Hui, I'm sorry, besides you I have no one I can trust. Please!" I suppressed my trembling, hoarse voice, turned and grasped her shoulder, whispering pleadingly, "Whether you use Wen Ruobin's name or Qi Ran's command, watch over Bu Sha for me, don't let anyone approach him, until… until I bring Qi Ran back."

Because of Qi Ran's arrangement, my room is in the most secluded, quiet corner of the imperial palace, rarely visited, but it can't be guaranteed…

Xin Hui shivered, a faint heartache flashing in her eyes, and after a while solemnly promised, "Miss, rest assured."

I nodded, feeling a sour sting and a faint stirring in my heart, then turned and sprinted out of the room.

North City Sunset Camp—Wen Ruobin said nothing, smiling as he gave me this address, yet I couldn't muster even a hint of a feigned reaction to his teasing.

Wen Ruobin was slightly startled, then asked with concern, "Xiao Ruo, what happened?"

I forced a smile, the corner of my eye catching my own face in the bronze mirror, paler than paper, a look of wanting to cry but unable.

I said, "It's fine, it'll be fine." Wen Ruobin seemed startled by my nonsensical words, standing dumb, unable to speak. I had no mood to attend to him, clutched the paper tightly, and rushed out of the room.

I sprinted through the noisy street; whether I knocked people down or was shouted at, I could only look away and not hear. Because I couldn't stay, not even a second.

There are other routes from the imperial palace to the camp, but this is definitely the shortest.

"Sorry, excuse me!" I panted, repeatedly uttering a mechanical, insincere apology while running.

A sharp pain struck my shoulder; I gritted my teeth, desperately steadied my swaying, numb body, and blurted out, "Sorry, please…!"

The streets of Cang Xue Nation were lively but orderly, yet my collision shattered that harmonious atmosphere.

What sounds filled my ears? Like curses, like rebukes, yet I couldn't hear any of them.

The crowded throng beside me pressed so hard I couldn't move a inch. My burning heart, as each second passed, nearly burst every cell of my body.

I forcefully circulated the last of my internal Qi, caring not whom I might hurt, desperately pushing through the crowd, stumbling out of the densest circle.

My weak legs could no longer hold, I muttered a low curse, helplessly letting my body tumble forward… a faint warmth and numb pain on my lips, I stared at the unfamiliar man pressed beneath me, stunned.

Kiss—kissed?

"Sorry!" I sprang up sharply, leapt over him, and ran forward without looking back.

A faint surprise flickered in my heart; the moment I fell, I had clearly used internal force to dodge the person before me, yet I still landed on him.

But that thought was fleeting, quickly cast aside. For me now, only time—every minute, every second—matters most.

I didn't look back, so I couldn't see the man still lying on the ground behind me; he lifted his hand, gently brushed his lips, and a faint, ambiguous grin curled his mouth.

Horse?!

When I burst through the city gate, my internal Qi was nearly exhausted, my body aching and soft, even my breathing irregular. So upon first seeing the white horse tethered near the gate, I couldn't help but feel like laughing out loud.

Riding a horse? I've seen it, even been led around a few times on a reins, but truly making me gallop while seated on one…

"Sorry, may I borrow your horse—" I was just afraid I might not be able to return it!

I shouted at the man approaching the horse a short distance away, then without hesitation flipped onto the horse and yanked the reins hard.

"Ride!!"

All this time, the one silently standing by my side protecting me has been you; you are also the one bearing all pain alone for Qi Ran!

Bu Sha… Bu Sha… Bu Sha…

"Ride!!" I steadied my body, battered by the gale, repeatedly chanting that name in my mind.

"Bang!" I was flung from the horse, the reins catching my ankle, dragging, pain, struggling, tears streaming down my cheeks…

I jerked upright, slipped the dagger from my sleeve, cut the reins, leapt, and mounted the horse again.

"Ride!!" A hoarse voice, blood and tears, shouted into the air.

Bu Sha! I grinned, a smile mingling tragic beauty of blood and tears with heartache; this time, finally it's me and Qi Ran standing before you, protecting you! So please, you must hold on!

"Stop!!" Dust and sand blurred my vision; faintly I saw a soldier brandishing a spear shout at me, "Trespassers into the camp die!! Get down… ah!!"

Soldier brother, it's not that I don't want to stop; this horse I've driven mad can't be halted!

"Help! —" The soldier knocked down by the horse sprang up quickly, shouting at the troops moving and training behind him, "Someone breached the camp."

A mass of dark silhouettes gathered toward me and the galloping horse, a horse‑tether rope stretched across my path; a chill rose in my heart as it seemed someone was about to be thrown from the horse.

Mounted on the horse, I drew a deep breath, a knife‑sharp cold wind flooding my throat, pain unbearable; I coughed twice, summoned my over‑exerted internal force, and shouted loudly, "Qi Ran—!!"

Qi Ran—, Qi Ran—, Qi Ran…

The camp was built against the mountain, three sides backed by cliffs. My hoarse, feeble shout rode on the galloping, falling horse, its frail body twisting in the air, echoing again and again through the crowded, open valley.

My body, as hoped, at the last moment fell into a warm embrace, gently spun, and landed on the ground.

"What on earth are you doing?!" Qi Ran stared wide‑eyed, incredulously looking at his blood‑stained palm and my tattered clothes, countless wounds, and once again let out an uncontrolled roar.

"Who among you hurt her?!" Qi Ran held me in his arms, glaring fiercely at the soldiers around, his surging killing aura making everyone tremble involuntarily, silent as cold cicadas.

"Qi Ran…" I smelled the faint valley fragrance, because of reassurance, because of total trust, the tears I had held back began to fall drop by drop, "Go back… quickly!"

Qi Ran paused, withdrew his killing aura, and looked down at me with shocked pain and anger.

"Hurry back, later it'll be too late…" I raised my scar‑covered finger, writing the two characters—Bu Sha—on his chest stroke by stroke.

"What?!" His pupils dilated then contracted sharply; Qi Ran looked at me anxiously, as if trying to confirm from my eyes that it wasn't true.

I couldn't help but bite my lower lip and nod vigorously.

"Mo Yan, tell them the meeting ends here today," Qi Ran said in a calm tone, his familiar faint expression exuding supreme authority.

Only I, pressed close to him, could feel his whole body trembling with fear and unease, wave after wave.

The soldiers couldn't help but exhale, perhaps relieved that the young master remained the ruler they revered. Then, with lingering apprehension, they peeked at me nestled in Qi Ran's arms, speculating what kind of plain, shabby, rude little girl I was.

"Can you still handle it?" Qi Ran led the soldier's horse, entirely jet‑black, eyes fierce and untamed, surely an extremely fiery steed.

I nodded, gritting my teeth with a bitter smile, and said, "Just pretend I don't exist!"

Qiran's eyes flashed with pain, yet he still nodded, hugging me as he lightly leapt onto the horse's back.

"Heifeng," Qiran said, his hand gently stroking the horse's long brown fur, "Today I grant you privilege—run as you wish, as long as you can return to the Imperial Palace at top speed."

"Hee—" Heifeng let out a loud cry to the sky, his voice expressing an indescribable joy and the relief of long-repressed feelings.

Qiran held me tightly in his embrace, single-handedly jerked the reins, and shouted, "Giddyap!!"

Qiran held me as we stumbled through the door, our faces as pale as paper—this horse's abnormal running, I…

"Miss, you're back?"

Xinhui came out from the inner room, followed by someone, I felt a start, then heard that person call out, "master."

Qiran set me down, then shot into the inner room at lightning speed—"Bang!" the door was slammed shut, solid and tight.

I suddenly felt a wave of weakness, collapsing limp on the ground, every wound burning with pain.

"Wuye, when did you return? And how did you get into the palace?" I don't know why, but I always feel strangely surprised that Wuye appears here out of the blue, as if a thorn is stuck in my heart—sometimes I grasp it, sometimes I can't think of anything.

Wuye carefully helped me sit up on the bed, whispering, "I've only just arrived. Reporting to my lord, I entered the palace as an envoy of Qi State."

I nodded, my wound suddenly feeling numb and itchy; I lowered my head to see Xiaoyin painstakingly licking my wound, and exclaimed in surprise, "Xiaoyin, where have you been these past few days?"

Xiaoyin let out two "squeak-squeak" sounds, ignored me, buried its head, and meticulously licked the countless big and small bloodstains all over my body.

Each second ticked by, and I seemed to hear the "tick-tock" of the fancy clock at home, constantly ringing in my ears, reminding me of how long Qiran had been inside and the degree of danger Bu Sha faced.

"My lord, please rest a moment."

"Yes, miss." Xinhui carried the exhausted, asleep Xiaoyin away, presumably fearing I would catch cold, and added another outer garment for me, saying, "The Young Master has been inside for three hours already, and he likely won't come out anytime soon…"

"Bingyi—" the door burst open without warning, Qiran's forehead beaded with sweat, his face growing deathly pale, and without pause he told me, "Go to the Imperial Medical Institute and fetch three taels of ginseng and five taels of fo-ti; also, have your master come here immediately, quick!"

"All right!" I sprang up from the bed, not waiting for Xinhui and Wuye to stop me, and rushed out of the house.

Qiran barred me, who wanted to follow my master inside, from the room, solemnly saying, "Your body is too weak now, your focus not enough; coming in to help would only hinder things."

Having said that, he didn't wait for my reply and slammed the door shut with a bang.

I let out a long sigh, a faint bitter smile appearing on my face; unable to help, I felt a bit glad for Qiran like this, but then worry over Bu Sha completely overwhelmed me.

The wait was endless; Xinhui kept bringing me food, reheating it again and again, and placing it before me.

It's not that I don't want to eat; I simply know that even if I forced down this food, I would vomit it right back up.

Inside the house began to hear heavy panting, my master's sigh, and… Qiran's silent stillness.

My eyes stared fixedly at the door, unable to look away or close; like a petrified statue, yet as my heart tightened, it slowly cracked and crumbled.

"……Miss, don't worry, there won't be……"

"Creak—" the door was gently pulled open, my master's graying hair first coming into view; he looked at me, his eyes somewhat sorrowful and pained for his junior, shook his head, sighed, and stepped over me to leave the room.

My whole body jolted violently, as if all my blood had been drained, leaving my mind, chest, and eyes blank.

I suddenly, so afraid, so afraid, knew the result.

I, who had never doubted Qiran's medical skill, now also feared knowing the result.

A white figure flickered before me; I looked up to see Qiran's deathly pale face, sweat-drenched bangs, and his crimson blue eyes.

He staggered toward me step by step, his eyes fixed on me, as if grief-stricken to the point of tears, and simply stared at me in silence.

"Bu Sha…" I forced out, stiffly.

Qiran leaned down, burying his face in my neck, each moment tighter than the last.

"I will kill that person!" Qiran gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, "I swear, I will definitely kill that person!"

I reached out to soothe Qiran's trembling shoulder, but only grasped his black hair hanging at his side, which slipped limp.

He pressed against my body and spoke softly, his voice bleak, regretful, and filled with endless sorrow: "Bu's martial arts… have been abolished."

……Abolished……?

He said: "Bu's martial arts have been abolished."

I could feel a warm current flowing from my neck, gently seeping into my body, my……heart.

(End of chapter)