Chapter 814

Huo Shengnan saw Hu Xiaotian's condition severe and dared not delay, immediately packed up the camp, and lifted Hu Xiaotian onto Xiao Hui's back. Hu Xiaotian now could not even sit steadily, so he could only lie prone on the horse's back, then tied him securely with straps. Although Xiao Hui is spirited, after all the mountain road is difficult, and they also have considerable luggage, Huo Shengnan could not bear to increase Xiao Hui's burden; if their sole mount collapsed from exhaustion, she would have to carry Hu Xiaotian on foot.

Having identified the position of the Big Dipper in the night sky, Huo Shengnan led Xiao Hui onward in the opposite direction.

Hu Xiaotian lay prone on the horse's back; although the right side of his body could not move, it did not affect this guy's brain—his mind remained as agile as usual, gradually calming from the initial panic. Judging by his current symptoms, the likelihood of a stroke is small; it should have been an accident while cultivating the Formless Divine Skill. When he tried to use internal energy to heal his right shoulder wound, he was too aggressive, causing the internal energy to go awry and leak out. Everyone's body has a self‑protection mechanism; instinctively, the Dantian Qi Sea severed its connection with the surrounding meridians, and the leak point at the wound sealed shut. Consequently, a considerable amount of internal energy became trapped in a segment of the meridians. Based on his present condition, the blockage is likely in the Yin Vessel. Meridian obstruction causes abnormal movement of the right limbs, producing symptoms resembling a stroke.

Hu Xiaotian attempted to activate his internal energy; although he could feel that his Dantian Qi Sea still contained vigorous internal energy throbbing, he could not find an outlet for discharge, because the earlier leakage had caused his body to spontaneously seal all the exits of the Dantian Qi Sea, thereby isolating his dantian from the meridians.

Hu Xiaotian secretly groaned, but he also understood that anxiety would not help; it would be best to let things take their natural course—perhaps after a while he would unknowingly reopen the sealed Dantian Qi Sea. However, such a thought could only serve as self‑consolation.

Dawn arrived unnoticed; sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting golden specks in the valley. Huo Shengnan had walked on foot for two hours; her wounds were not yet healed, and after this stretch of sleepless rushing, her body was utterly exhausted. She lifted her hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, then looked at Hu Xiaotian on the horse's back. Hu Xiaotian's left hand kept waving, as if something were happening.

Huo Shengnan decided to rest a bit before continuing; she untied him from the horse's back and set him down. Hu Xiaotian stood on one leg on the ground, his left hand pointing to his groin, pursing his lips to make a shushing gesture.

Huo Shengnan's pretty face flushed involuntarily. It turned out this guy needed to relieve himself; normally she would not help Hu Xiaotian with such a thing, but times had changed. Hu Xiaotian was paralyzed on one side, and she could not ignore him. She supported his right arm; this guy hopped and hopped to the grass, eager to undo his belt. The more anxious he became, the harder it was to unfasten.

Huo Shengnan, helpless, could only help him undo his belt, then hastily turned her head away. Soon she heard the sound of rushing water; Huo Shengnan blushed crimson up to the base of her neck, and Hu Xiaotian's urination lasted a long time before ending, finally shuddering with relief.

Huo Shengnan felt helpless, could only help him undo his belt, hastily turned her head away, and soon heard the sound of rushing water; Huo Shengnan blushed so much her face turned red all the way to her neck, Hu Xiaotian's urination lasted a long time before ending, and finally he shivered with relief.

Hu Xiaotian could not speak; he patted the back of her hand with his left hand. Huo Shengnan suddenly remembered that his hand had just touched that spot, and now it was touching her own; she panicked, instinctively let go of Hu Xiaotian, who immediately lost his balance and fell face‑first onto the ground, his face landing right in the fresh puddle of urine he had just produced. In his panic he let out a loud wail, unexpectedly voicing it: "Ah…"

Just as he was about to lick it up, Huo Shengnan reacted in time, reached out and grabbed him. Hu Xiaotian's mouth was less than an inch from the urine stain below; a foul, fishy odor assailed his nostrils, and he broke out in a cold sweat—so close that he almost would have eaten his own waste.

Huo Shengnan pulled him up, and Hu Xiaotian, still shaken, said, "I almost licked it up…"

Huo Shengnan, hearing that he had regained his ability to speak, felt both astonished and delighted, exclaiming, "Hu Xiaotian, you can talk!"

Only then did Hu Xiaotian realize that his speech had suddenly returned, naturally making him overjoyed, but his happiness did not last long, for he soon discovered that aside from regaining speech, the coordination of his right‑side limbs had not recovered at all, showing no sign of improvement.

From sunrise to sunset, a day passed in the blink of an eye. Although Hu Xiaotian had regained his ability to speak, he spoke little that day and ate and drank even less. Though he appeared carefree on the surface, deep down he was a man of strong self‑esteem; suddenly reduced to an invalid, his psyche could not help but suffer a huge gap. At first he hoped the situation would improve quickly, but after an entire day he remained unchanged, and Hu Xiaotian began to wonder whether he would spend his whole life like this. He tried to drink and eat as little as possible to avoid causing Huo Shengnan more trouble, and also because he needed to preserve a man's proper self‑respect. Yet now even the simple act of urinating required her help, and he dared not continue thinking along these lines—if he had to live like this for the rest of his life, he would rather die outright.

In his past life as a doctor, although he had sympathized with the plight of paralyzed patients, he had never truly felt it; now that he himself had become hemiplegic, he finally understood how much courage it takes for a person in such a condition to persist in living.

Huo Shengnan's attitude toward Hu Xiaotian grew ever gentler; from his melancholy gaze she sensed his sorrow, and she spoke softly, "Are you thirsty?"

Huo Shengnan's attitude toward Hu Xiaotian grew gentler and gentler; from his melancholy gaze she sensed his sorrow, and Huo Shengnan spoke softly: "Are you thirsty?"

"Do you need to relieve yourself?" Huo Shengnan said; at first she found it hard to broach the subject, but now it came naturally, for she had come to regard Hu Xiaotian as a patient.

The very thing Hu Xiaotian could not tolerate most was precisely this; to Huo Shengnan he had already become a worthless cripple, and he felt an impulse to erupt, yet he merely waved his hand.

Huo Shengnan said, "It's getting dark soon; we should be not far from the southern exit of Grizzly Bear Valley. According to the map's markings, there ought to be a Lingyin Temple nearby—shall we go there to lodge for the night?"

Hu Xiaotian had lost interest in everything and murmured, "Whatever!"

Huo Shengnan knew he was in low spirits and comforted him, "Don't be anxious; once we leave Grizzly Bear Valley tomorrow, we'll be in Shaoyuan City, a major southern stronghold of Da Yong, where we will surely find a skilled doctor."

Huo Shengnan knew he was in a bad mood and comforted him: "Don't be anxious; once we leave Grey Bear Valley tomorrow, we'll be in Shaoyuan City—Shaoyuan is an important southern stronghold of Da Yong, and we'll surely be able to find a skilled doctor."

Huo Shengnan sighed inwardly, led Xiao Hui, and trudged on with weary steps. At this moment the setting sun gradually sank, bathing the entire Grizzly Bear Valley in a golden afterglow; the mountain breeze blew gently, faintly carrying the sound of evening drums. Although Hu Xiaotian's right‑side limb movement was restricted, his hearing remained as keen as ever; he had already heard the drumming, and based on Huo Shengnan's earlier words he inferred that Lingyin Temple should lie not far ahead. However, his heart was now devoid of interest, he could not summon enthusiasm for anything, and naturally he did not bother to remind Huo Shengnan.

After they had gone forward more than half a li, Huo Shengnan finally heard the drumbeat and exclaimed delightedly, "Hu Xiaotian, did you hear the drum?"

Hu Xiaotian said nothing, lay prone on the horse's back with his eyes closed, feigning sleep.

Huo Shengnan glanced at him, then fell silent, tugged the reins, and quickened her pace. To rush out of Grizzly Bear Valley as soon as possible and find a doctor to treat Hu Xiaotian, she had been marching nonstop since last night; her feet were covered with blisters, her strength was severely depleted, and she kept going only by sheer willpower.

Having gone forward about another two li, they heard laughter coming from ahead. In Grizzly Bear Valley the mountain stream here had widened, though the current remained swift, the water was shallow; the setting sun left only a final slash of red on the distant mountain peaks, and its afterglow dyed the river a deep crimson. Six sturdy young monks were drawing water by the riverbank. They all wore gray monastic robes, the fabric faded to white from washing and patched in many places. Life in the temple was dull and tedious, the precepts strict, and it was rare for them to come out for a breath of fresh air; several monks were chatting about some amusing matter, laughing heartily. The leading monk, with a square‑jawed face, was the first to notice the two persons and a horse on the mountain road. Footsteps were seldom seen in Grizzly Bear Valley; although this place was not far from the southern valley exit, few people passed through the valley, and all six monks looked up.

The square‑jawed monk, carrying two buckets of water, strode forward with long steps and said to Huo Shengnan, "Lady benefactor, what misfortune have you encountered?" He asked this because he saw Hu Xiaotian lying motionless on the horse.

Huo Shengnan bowed with palms together to the monk and said, "Venerable sir, my younger brother and I came from Yuyang City, heading for Shaoyuan to rely on relatives, but we ran into a wolf pack in Grizzly Bear Valley; my brother, trying to protect me, accidentally fell from a cliff and suffered serious injury. Passing by here, seeing that it is already late, we wish to seek shelter for the night in your precious temple; I do not know whether you would be willing to grant us this convenience."

The monk replied, "I am the humble monk Jue Zheng; these are my five junior disciples, and we all belong to the Five Observances Hall of Lingyin Temple. Lady benefactor, do not worry—our temple has rooms set aside for traveling merchants and travelers to rest; please, follow me!"

Huo Shengnan saw that these monks all had simple, honest appearances and proper deportment, and she secretly thought they were probably not bad people. Hu Xiaotian, however, knew well that one should not judge solely by appearances; he recalled that when he had been traveling to Xichuan, a gang of evil monks had schemed against him at Lanruo Temple, and had he not been vigilant he would have fallen into their poisonous plot. In these remote mountain temples, caution is always wise. Seeing that the monks had already lifted their water buckets and were leading the way ahead, he whispered a warning to Huo Shengnan: "Be sure to stay careful."

Huo Shengnan saw that the several monks all had simple, honest appearances and proper bearing, and secretly thought they were probably not bad people. Hu Xiaotian, however, well understood the principle that one cannot judge things by appearances alone; recalling how, when he was on his way to Xichuan, he had been schemed against by a group of wicked monks at Lanruo Temple, and had it not been for his own vigilance he would have fallen victim to their poisonous schemes—deep in the mountains, ancient temples—after all, caution is best. Seeing that the monks had already picked up their water buckets and were leading the way ahead, he quietly reminded Huo Shengnan: "Be sure to be careful."

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